"So, what's your plan?"

Carsein sat in front of the silver-haired girl and asked her that question. The girl's golden orbs looked at his clear-blue pearls, trying to understand what he meant.

"Plans, huh?" Aristia mumbled. "I still haven't made any yet...."

She looked out the window, leaves floating around due to the gentle breeze.

"...but I feel like... I wanna go somewhere..." she continued.

The red-haired stared at Aristia, analyzing her expression. Then he said, "Shall we go, then?"

Aristia's golden orbs which looked out the window turned to look at the red-haired boy sitting in front of her.

"Huh?"

"You want to travel, right? I'll go with you." Carsein said with a wide smile on his face.

"Why, though?"

"Well, if you plan to go with your dad, it's also okay, but he can't leave the capital for a long time, right?"

"...That's true."

"If that's the case how about you go with me? I mean, I have all the time in the world since all I do is practice my swordsmanship. Besides, I can train you as we travel together. Or are you planning to quit?"

"No, no. I'm not quitting." The silver-haired shook her head. "Although I started swordsmanship to escape from the crown princess title, but I gradually came to like it. So, I'm not quitting."

Carsein drew a big grin on his face, showing that he's happy when he heard her answer.

"Then it's a deal," Carsein reached out his pinky finger. "we'll travel together, and I'll train you as we travel."

The silver-haired girl stared at the pinky finger he reached out to, and looked at his face. The red-haired was smiling. As if a happy virus infected her, she grinned and responded to the pinky finger he reached out.

"Deal."

***

"You're gonna travel with Lady Monique?"

All eyes in the room stared at the young man with red hair that looked like burning flames and his clear-blue eyes that sparkled as he enjoyed his meal.

Arkint de Rass, the current duke of Rass and Carsein's father questioned his son, surprised by the news. After planning their travel, Carsein went back to the Rass duchy and brought the news up on their family dinner.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with that?" Carsein responded.

"No, no. We were just surprised." Arkint took a napkin and wiped his lips. "Where will you be travelling to? And how long will you be out?"

"For now, we're planning to stop by the Monique estate, and then we'll decide on where to travel thereafter. I'm not really sure how long I'll be out."

"Do you have to go?" Another voice interrupted the conversation.

Carsein's clear-blue eyes immediately turned to look at the woman sitting across him, his mother.

"Is there something wrong, mother?" Kaysian, his older brother, asked in his stead.

"Why do you have to go that far for that girl?" Ernia questioned his son. "If she wants to travel, she can go with Marquess Monique, right? And don't you need to train? You said you wanted to become a knight, but if you're moving from one place to another, wouldn't it disrupt your training pattern? Also, you have no idea when you're returning. Are you not worried about us, your family?"

"It's because I love her, mother." Carsein confessed.

Ernia and Kaysian's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that answer from him. While Arkint's lips curved upwards as if he knew everything from the very beginning.

"It's because I love her that I'm willing to go that far for her." The red-haired continued. "Even though the Marquess can travel with her, but he can't be on leave for a long time due to work, and it would trouble father as well. Also, my training won't be affected as I travel so don't worry. I'll write letters often for all of you, so if anything happens, I'll come back home immediately."

The light-blue hair woman was speechless. She wanted to rebuke him, but could not think of anything reasonable to say.

"I know that you're not really fond of the Moniques, mother." Carsein added. "I once tried to forget about her because I know you're not fond of them, but feelings doesn't change that easily. Please try to understand why I'm doing this."

The whole dining room was filled with silence. Arkint just sat back, enjoying the truth his son told. Ernia just sat still, glaring at Carsein's clear-blue orbs, while Kaysian looked back-and-forth between his mother and younger brother, not knowing what to do.

".......Do what you want." The light-blue haired woman sighed and left the dining room.

The whole room fell into awkward silence. Carsein, who couldn't stand the silence stood up, attempting to return to his room.

"Well, now. Since I have finished eating I'll leave first father, brother..." He excused himself.

"Hold on a second, young man." A hoarse voice halt him from leaving.

Carsein flinched, and slowly turned his head towards the owner of that voice, his father.

"Yes?"

"Let's have a talk, shall we?" The duke suggested, he stood up and grabbed Carsein's shoulder, then turned his head towards his other son who is still sitting quietly. "You should join to, Sian."

"Huh?" Kaysian snapped out of his dazing state. "Oh, yes."

The three of them walked to the living room together and had a pep talk.

***

"Pass this letter to Tia."

A chartreuse-haired guy with emerald-like gem eyes handed a letter with a green-colored stamp mark, carving the symbol of the Verita duchy.

Carsein raised his eyebrow, kinda pissed off by Allendis' behavior.

"You come to my house so early in the morning, without a notice, without exchanging greetings, and asked me wha? To deliver you letter to Aristia? With that attitude? You gotta be kidding me, you weed."

"Just shut your mouth and help me deliver this letter to Tia, or else you'll regret it, carrot." Allendis retorted.

The red-haired shrugged and turned his back on the chartreuse-haired. Walking out of the living room.

"Oi, where are you going?" Allendis shouted. "I'm asking you to deliver this letter for me!"

Carsein opened the door halfway, and turned back to look at Allendis.

"Sorry, but you should send her the letter yourself."

"What?"

"I have no intention of helping my rival."

The room fell silent. Carsein gave Allendis' emerald-orbs a cold stare, and left the room.

***