"Birthday?"

Robert's eyes widened and he looked genuinely surprised.

"Yes, that's why I came here to eat..."

"...I see."

I was going to boldly tell him that it was okay if he expressed his pity on me.

I came here alone not because I didn't have friends or family...

But I still came by myself.

I quickly admitted it and decided to just look pitiful.

Surprisingly, however, he did not ask why I came alone on my birthday.

Instead, he called the waiter and handed over the menu again.

"May I give you a birthday present?"

"What?"

"The meal was a way of saying thank you for what you did before, and this is your birthday present from me. Here's the menu with the wine list, just pick something."

Obviously, I could read letters, but the list felt like it was made from an alien language.

"If I had known it was your birthday, I would have ordered better wine earlier... I think dessert wine would be good since we're done eating, right?"

"Why wine..."

"It's sad if you don't drink on your birthday."

I was not sure what the logic of this world was, but I received an unexpected birthday present.

I glanced at the menu and found that everything was very expensive.

"If you're having trouble, pick this."

The name of the wine he pointed to would most likely be forgotten by tomorrow, but the price was really high.

'What kind of wine is the price of a meal?'

The waiter brought wine according to Robert's order, and thinking that a bottle had the same price of a decent course meal, my will flared.

'I have to drink it all.'

After taking a sip, the sweetness tasted pretty good.

I never drank it before, and it seemed like it would be okay if I drank it like a drink.

This place had good wine too.

"Now, Miss Annabelle. Happy birthday."

Robert raised his glass and smiled enchantingly.

I looked at him with a slightly moved face.

"Oh my... Prince, this is the first time I've received a birthday present."

Actually, it was my first time drinking alcohol too, but that wasn't important now.

"It's the first time I've ever heard someone tell me happy birthday too."

At those words, Robert's brow furrowed slightly.

I must have looked really pitiful this time.

"Thank you. Really."

Either way, I said it with all my heart.

"Prince... I hope every time you catch a mosquito for the rest of your life, it's before you get bit."

"Oh my gosh."

Robert was so moved by my words that he even blinked his eyes.

"Such a delicate blessing..."

"It was a real thank you."

"Well, I'm glad I could buy wine for you on a day like today, because Miss Annabelle's situation is not entirely different from mine."

"...Why?"

"Well, think about it."

He raised his eyebrows playfully.

"Miss Annabelle is not the only one who was born as an illegitimate child, whose mother died and tried to get accepted by the father."

I gulped down the wine and found my enlightenment.

Robert was also an illegitimate child of a foreign dancer who caught the current emperor's eyes during a banquet.

Robert's mother died giving birth to him, so of course, Robert had no support.

Now that he had risen to a quite influential position, the Empress and the Crown Prince were bent on getting rid of him.

At least I didn't have anyone trying to kill me.

"Prince, I..."

I was about to say something.

"Oh."

Robert and my eyes widened at the same time.

Robert blinked slowly and tilted his head.

"Ian?"

We looked up at the tall man in front of us.

What the hell was this guy doing here?

And he did not look very happy either.

I guess it was natural that Ian would always be angry when he saw me.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

At Robert's question, Ian didn't say anything but kept looking at us with a rotten expression.

~*~

Ian was just having an ordinary day.

As usual, he was wielding a sword with the knights in the training ground.

That peaceful time would not last long, for the Duke of Wade was thinking of handing the dukedom over to Ian soon. Perhaps, this last swordsmanship competition would be the starting point.

After that, he won't be able to spend an entire day in the training ground like this, for he would be dealing with duchy duties.

'But strangely, the time doesn't seem to go by...'

He found himself peeking out of the training ground and shook his head secretly.

'Why isn't Annabelle jumping in to fight against the gatekeepers?'

It was really weird.

Before the last High Priest's escort, Annabelle had not come for a few days, and he didn't even care.

But why did he care now? It felt like he just kept waiting, waiting, and waiting.

"Hmm."

Aaron swung his sword and scratched the back of his head.

"Something's wrong. Maybe it's because there's no event to look forward to."

"Event?"

"I finally heard good news that Miss Annabelle became conscious of me and put my name in a curse."

Ian grinded his teeth and muttered to himself.

"Mother..."

She told him.

"I have to give you my earnest answer to that as well."

"What answer?"

"I will try my best to live up to Annabelle's expectations, even by... ah!"

Ian glared at him and drew out his sword, but Aaron looked at the entrance to the training grounds with an exaggerated expression.

Unknowingly, Ian followed Aaron's gaze and turned his head toward the entrance, but was slightly disappointed.

It wasn't Annabelle.

Wait, disappointed? He smirked and rebuked himself.

Disappointment was nonsense. Shouldn't it be normal to feel relieved, not disappointed?

It was only a few days ago that he felt annoyed every time Annabelle came.

These days, he felt his emotions were not in place, but wondered if he should meditate soon to normalize his mind.

"Aaron."

It was one of the servants at the Rainfield restaurant who rushed to the training ground.

"I'm sorry, but I'm here on a rather urgent matter."

"What is it?"

Aaron was Ian's lieutenant, but he was also the only child of the Rainfield restaurant owner.

Aaron, who had spoken a few words with the servant, approached Ian with a serious look on his face.

"I'm sorry. I think I'll have to leave for a while and go to the third restaurant."

"Yes, feel free to do your business."

Aaron's expression was so serious that Ian immediately continued.

"Is it something serious? Do you need help from Wade?"

"No... Well, it won't take too long."

Aaron said while scratching his fine pink hair.

"It's my sister's anniversary today, so both of my parents went to Allford Beach."

"Ah."

Ian knew that there was a girl who died right after she was born in Aaron's family.

The Allford Beach was where the remains of the deceased infants were scattered.

"Even if I offered to go with them, they told me to stay in the capital in case of an emergency, so I guess emergencies like this really do happen."

Aaron sighed slightly and continued.

"Now, at the third restaurant, It's said that Prince Robert and Miss Annabelle are having a meal."

Ian couldn't remember what expression he had made at Aaron's words which were like a bomb.

"What the hell is going on for the royal family to visit without any notice like this... It's not even the main restaurant, it's the third one..."

Aaron muttered with an uncomfortably anxious face.

"I am not a chef, but I think I have to go to the table and say hello as a representative in charge."

Ian was at a loss for words for a moment.

Robert and Annabelle were having a meal?

Now? Alone?

What happened on the day he sent the pigeon to Robert saying he wouldn't be able to arrange a seat with Annabelle?

To his knowledge, Robert never officially dined alone with a woman for fear of rumors.

A person who was thoroughly political to the point that he didn't even try to hide his identity and looks while he was in the city...

"Then I'll leave now."

"Wait."

Unknowingly, Ian grabbed Aaron's arm and said,

"Let me go with you."

"...What? Why?"

"I'm a little concerned about what will happen to my lieutenant."

"It won't be anything great. I just have to say hello and come back. And this is the first time you've shown interest in going."

"I want to see Prince Robert since it has been a while."

Fortunately, Aaron, who had no idea about the meetings at Hibiscus, quickly became convinced and nodded.

Because Ian and Robert knew each other from an early age.

It made sense to want to see him after a long time.

"Well then... would you like to go with me?"

That was how Ian and Aaron appeared at Anabelle and Robert's table.

They were clinking their wine glasses together in a friendly atmosphere.

The meal looked like it was already over, so did that mean the two of them had a conversation throughout the long course meal?

Ian felt a sharp drop after seeing Annabelle talking to Robert from a distance.

She was sitting calmly and talking with someone.

There was nothing strange about it, but it was new.

It was because he saw her normal face for the first time.

Not her being angry, sarcastic or abusive...

But instead, she was smiling with her soft eyes and slightly red cheeks.

In fact, that wasn't because Annabelle was with Robert, it was because she had just eaten a delicious meal and became calm, but there was no way that Ian could have known the situation.

Suddenly, he felt a sudden surge of anger.

He felt worse than the times Annabelle cursed him in the past.

How could she have such a gentle look on her face?