"Sir Carsein, Her Majesty the Empress is asking for your presence in her office."

Carsein stared at the maid sent from the Empress' palace, a surprised expression can be seen all over his face.

'She's calling for me? Why?' He asked himself. 'Oh.'

Just a moment later, he realized why he was called, he stood up from his table and headed towards the door.

"Let's go." Carsein called out to the maid.

"But, the Empress asked to meet you when you're not busy."

"Don't worry, I'm done with most of my work, so let's go now."

"As you wish." The maid replied and led the way to the Empress' palace.

***

After walking for about 5 minutes, Carsein arrived in front of the Empress' office. The royal knights guarding the front door announced his attendance.

"Your Majesty, Sir Carsein de Rass is here to see you."

"Let him in." A woman's voice replied, and the royal knights opened the door, letting the red-haired knight in.

As soon as he entered the office, a nostalgic feeling filled his heart. A familiar scent of lavender, cream colored couches, and a silver-haired lady sitting on one of the couches, just like how it used to be in the Monique Manor's drawing room.

However, where he is in now, is not inside the drawing room of the Monique Manor's drawing room, but inside the Empress' Office. And the silver-haired lady sitting down on the couch is no longer his childhood friend, Aristia la Monique, but Empress Aristia, the companion of Castina Empire's 34th Emperor, Ruveliss.

"Carsein de Rass greets Your Majesty the Empress. How have you been, Your Majesty?"

"Hi Carsein, I'm doing fine. Please do, sit down. How are you these days?" The silver-haired lady replied. "Oh right, can someone call Lina?"

Lina, the Empress' maid and the maid who has served her since she was little, entered the room.

"You called, Your Majesty?" Lina asked.

"Can you bring some hibiscus tea? I would like to serve our guest a cup of tea."

'She still remembers.'

"I'll bring it as soon as possible."

Lina stepped out of the room, then Aristia diverted her attention back to Carsein, who is now sitting in front of her.

"I'm sorry for the interruption. So, how are you doing these days?"

"Well, just so-so. There's nothing special." Carsein smiled looking at her. Just then, a sight of an accessory caught his attention. The tiara she wore on her head. His heart ached.

It has already been 6 months since he saw the girl in front of him taking a blood oath and was rejected by the emperor, and it has been 4 months since the royal marriage of Emperor Ruveliss and Aristia took place.

Ever since the day Ruveliss cried and begged for Aristia's survival when she was stabbed by Sir Spia, Carsein knew that there was no longer hope for him to be in her heart.

'If I knew this would happen, I would've told you sooner.'

When Aristia visited him in the Rass Manor, instead of confessing, he said goodbye to her, he regretted how stupid that decision was. His heart was still filled with lingering feelings for her, even now that she had become someone else's wife.

Lina entered the room, bringing a tea set, and putting it on top of the table in between the two cream-colored couches. Once her job is done, she left the room, and Aristia began brewing the tea elegantly, like she always did.

His heart ached again, realized that she can't serve him tea as often as it were in the past. Aristia finished brewing the tea and poured it into two cups, adding two sugar cubes to one of the cups. He smiled bitterly at the fact that she still remembered that he liked it when 2 cubes of sugar were added to his cup of tea, like it was in the old days.

"Here is yours." She offered him the sweetened cup of hibisus tea.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After receiving the cup, Carsein sipped it. Savoring its excellent flavor. His mind reminded of the old days when they often enjoyed tea in the Monique Manor's garden after sword practice. Something that would never happen again.

An awkward silence fell to the room. Carsein did not know what to say. For some reason, he can't act like he used to be. A friendly brother and being a jokester, he can't do it. Aristia also stayed silent, but then she spoke up.

"I heard that you will be going as a part of the delegation to the Kingdom of Lisa."

"Yes, I am. But why are you suddenly asking, Your Majesty?"

Aristia went silent, he can see her eyes looking down and biting her lips. Then she looked up to him again.

"Please.... return safely."

'I knew it.'

"Are you worried that I won't return, like the other one?"

"Well, that's..." Aristia looked down, avoiding his eyes.

After being sent as part of the delegation to the Kingdom of Rua, Allendis de Verita, Empress Aristia's childhood friend and Carsein's rival never returned. Carsein lifted the corners of his lips painfully.

"Your Majesty, please look at me."

Aristia lifted her head and looked at him with a worried look.

"I promise you that I will return safely. And I promise you, that once I return, everything between us will go back to normal."

'I promise you that I will use this time to settle my feelings well, and our relationship will ho back to how it used to be.'

Carsein smiled at her reassuringly. "I'll even write letters for you! So don't worry to much, and wait for my return, okay?"

Slowly, Aristia's lips curved upwards, a touched expression on her face.

"Yes, I'll wait for you."

Carsein let out a reassuring laugh, and then asked a permission to leave since he has other things to do.

Once he stepped out of the room, he sighed. A bitter smile came to his face.

'If only I can turn back time and at least confess to you in the old days, I feel like I may be able to move on more easily.'

Carsein walked back to the 1st Knight Division building with a heavy heart.