Chapter 05
What is even happening right now?
Diana’s hand slid softly across Ian’s chest.
It was a development he had not anticipated.
His gaze was drawn to her red lips, only a hand’s breadth away. Diana smiled leisurely, just as she had during the ball, following his lead.
“Interesting. So this is how you… play with me.”
He was so focused on her beautiful lips that he barely registered what she was saying.
“…You said you’d make me laugh. Thanks to that, I laughed.”
He could only faintly catch the part about “laughed thanks to that.” With that, she left Ian behind.
Alone, staring blankly at the space she had vacated, he muttered to himself:
“A lie… I didn’t laugh.”
The next day, Ian prepared to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was an ordinary day, just like any other.
The commute wasn’t particularly long, but the streets were chaotic.
Horses and carriages mingled with heavy steam- and gasoline-powered cars, all jostling along the road in disarray.
Dressed neatly in his suit, Ian mounted his high-saddle bicycle.
Some nobles insisted bicycles should only be used for sport or leisure, but for navigating the crowded streets, this was more practical.
Since he started working at the Ministry, on the recommendation of the academy’s dean, he had always ridden a bicycle along this route. He knew the way well and rarely made mistakes.
Still, he veered off course and nearly collided with a passing carriage. He managed to steer just in time, and the coachman tipped his hat in apology before quickly disappearing from view.
“Ha… where was my mind?”
Ian let out a sigh and ruffled his hair in frustration.
Fortunately, he arrived on time. The Ministry offices were located in a building adjacent to the royal residence, meaning inside the palace complex. This proximity allowed for seamless communication with the royal family.
“This is maddening…”
A frown crossed Ian’s face. Until he entered the palace, he had been fine, but the events at the library last night resurfaced in his mind.
Diana, who had tormented him all night, had given no warning of her actions. As time passed, her face became more vivid in his mind, suffocating him.
He wanted to avoid her. His thoughts were too scattered, and if he ran into her, he felt he might make another mistake.
‘Was that even a dream?’
A sudden image flashed through his mind, and Ian stopped abruptly in the hallway.
He nervously rubbed the back of his neck.
“…What kind of dream was that?”
He muttered, as if asking Diana herself, who seemed to appear everywhere to tease him.
It made no sense. Most of all, he didn’t understand why there seemed to be resentment in her eyes. She appeared unusually hostile toward him.
“Why do you dislike me? I haven’t even done anything yet.”
He muttered this to himself.
“Who dislikes you?”
A deep voice came from behind him.
“Ian, sir.”
Ian turned to see a middle-aged man who had appeared suddenly.
He greeted him.
“Hofer isn’t here, I see. Will you follow me to my office instead?”
The Foreign Minister handed Ian a letter.
“Deliver this to Admiral Blyvern.”
“May I ask what it is?”
“The Crown Prince is currently in the Oron Republic, you know that, right?”
Ian had never been to the Oron Republic, but he had heard of it many times.
To the west was the Kingdom of Erden, to the north the Kargen Empire, to the east the Oron Republic—together, people called them the continent.
Erden and Oron were separated by the sea but were on friendly terms. The Kargen Empire, however, lay between them and had historically been wary of their cooperation.
Ian already knew that while the Kargen Emperor was ill, Crown Prince Louis was staying in Oron.
“The Crown Prince has requested a fleet for diplomatic purposes. The Republic has agreed.”
A fleet. The Crown Prince was using it to maintain communications and trade between the two countries. Yet Ian wondered if there might be other intentions behind the fleet—nothing about the Crown Prince’s plans had been confirmed.
“Prepare for departure within two days as well.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ian left the minister’s office with the letter.
But just outside, he collided with someone and dropped the letter.
“Why are you leaving the minister’s office?”
It was Hofer, the minister’s aide.
“The minister sent me on a small errand,” Ian said, picking up the fallen envelope.
“That doesn’t matter! Don’t you know I’m your superior?”
Ian simply stated the facts, but Hofer flushed as though he had been personally insulted.
Hofer had once tried to curry favor with Ian, a noble of the Leheights family, but when Ian ignored him, he became sulky.
“You must have ridden that scrap heap again, haven’t you?”
“I wouldn’t call it scrap. I bought it at a shop by the Elten River earlier this year. Many young people ride them.”
Hofer’s face turned redder. He always took a carriage to work.
“If you’re a government official, you must travel with dignity, whether by carriage or on foot! And your family has enough money to run a car!”
“The ministry is just a ten-minute walk from my residence. Why would I need a carriage? The roads are already crowded enough.”
Hofer grew increasingly flustered. He took carriages because he couldn’t imagine crossing the market on foot.
“Then how will you deal with the crowded streets?”
“Seeing the people daily is a good chance to understand them. As a palace official, there’s more to learn by walking through the market than riding in a carriage.”
“From that noisy, dirty market, what could you possibly gain?”
Ian looked down at Hofer, annoyed, and said:
“Lately, many commoners resent the nobility. There was a case where a carriage injured a commoner, and the driver was penalized. Such stories circulate in the market daily. These are real insights you wouldn’t hear inside the palace.”
Hofer wanted to reply but found no words. His lips just trembled.
“Let’s leave the argument there.”
The Foreign Minister appeared from his office.
“Ah, there you are, Ian!”
“Minister! Have the documents I requested been prepared? I asked for them this morning.”
“Uh… I’ll bring them right away!”
Hofer hastily disappeared, avoiding the minister’s gaze.
“I’ll go deliver this to Admiral Blyvern as well,” Ian said.
The minister nodded approvingly.
As Ian crossed the central garden on schedule, he saw someone running toward him, sweating.
“Ian!”
“Secretary Jerome! Seeing you often, I take it.”
Jerome grabbed Ian’s shoulder, panting.
“What’s the matter? You’re sweating a lot.”
“Sir… have you seen Princess Diana?”
“She’s gone again?”
“Yes… she’s become a master at escaping lately! It wasn’t like this before… she’s incredible… truly amazing… if only I could catch her…”
Jerome rambled, his expression unreadable, somewhere between laughter and tears.
“She always appears in time. Don’t worry too much. She’s still keeping up with her schedule,” Ian said.
“Even inside the palace, wandering alone like this… at night she even goes to the stables… ah, the stables! I must go check there first!”
Jerome dashed off, leaving Ian with a wary smile.
The sun set, and city lights began to fade one by one.
In Ian’s room at the Ministry residence, only the dim desk lamp illuminated his space.
Like writing a diary to summarize the day, he was writing a letter.
But rather than a simple diary, he penned a letter with cryptic words:
The young lion will soon sail a small boat.
He sealed it carefully, making it look like an ordinary letter.
Moments later, he opened a new sheet to write another letter.
“….”
This time, he took longer to think and finally wrote:
I am doing well. It’s colder here than in the south, but not as cold as there. Even at night, the palace lights never go out. Looking at the palace in the darkness, it sometimes looks like a raging flame, ready to consume everything. At times…
“….”
…I fear I may ultimately fail.
He stared at the last sentence, then scratched it out and tossed the pen aside.
Through the window, his gaze fell on the palace, a city of lights that never truly slept.
Returning to the letter, he sighed.
“Writing all this to someone who won’t reply… why bother?”
Opening his desk drawer to stuff away the unfinished letter, he found a crumpled newspaper clipping.
The edges were worn from Ian’s touch. Unfolding it, he saw a faded photo:
“The Young Princess of Erden Celebrates Her Tenth Birthday”
Beneath the headline, the photo showed young Diana staring at Ian.
She looked less like a child celebrating a birthday than a guest attending a solemn ceremony.
Ian stared silently into Diana’s eyes for a long time.
