After what happened that day, Sezh visited Raytan’s palace every day. There were days when he was in his palace, but there were days he wasn’t. Kazaki tutoring has been neglected for a long time. Sezh would occasionally wait for Raytan in the small library until dawn. Nevertheless, she could hardly see him there.

“Princess, you look tired. How about getting some sleep or a nap?” Luna asked with a worried face. But Sezh didn’t feel like taking a nap, so she shook her head.

“No, I’m fine. By the way, have you also not seen Brother today?”

“No, I asked the maids who go to and from his palace, but they said they haven’t seen him either.”

‘So it’s like that,’ Sezh took a deep breath.

“He seems quite busy at the moment. I’m not sure but… In any case, he will come to the Princess when he has finished work, right? So please don’t worry too much.”

Sezh knew that something must have happened. The problem is she didn’t know what it was. She was worried. With such a sad face, Sezh felt like he was again locking himself up somewhere alone.

“That’s right. How about writing a reply letter to Sir Mathias? He is probably waiting for you.”

Sezh was even unwilling to send a reply to Mathias. He was still kindly sending her letters, but strangely, Sezh wasn’t in the mood to write today.

The smell of blood*

All she could think of was Raytan’s tired face.

“Or maybe…”

Luna stopped her sentence halfway. It was because of the sound of knocking from outside.

“Wait a minute, Princess.”

Sezh nodded weakly and looked out the window with a gloomy face. She was probably wondering if she could see Raytan’s figure that day.

However, Luna’s words as she just returned were surprising.

“Excuse me, Princess…”

“Hm?”

“The young lady of the Regent family wants to see the Princess…”

“What? Who?”

“It’s Lady Carolyn Regent. If it’s not disrespectful, she said that she wants to have tea time together with you….”

Sezh’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Carolyn.

Carolyn’s glamorous image when Sezh last saw her at the ball flashed through her mind. However, why- to her?

“Princess, if the Princess is uncomfortable, there is nothing I can do about it. But I think it will be best if you try to meet her. Prince Raytan and Sir Mathias are great conversation partners, but…”

Even if Luna didn’t say it, it also bothered Sezh that she didn’t have friends the same age as herself.

“I can’t figure out why she suddenly wants to meet you, but it seems like it will be okay to meet her at least once,” Luna spoke as if trying to persuade her.

“If it’s okay with you, can I prepare a seat in the garden…?”

Sezh thought deeply. She didn’t know much about Carolyn Regent, but she knew one thing for sure— she is one of the regular attendees of Lillian’s tea time.

So there’s no way Carolyn didn’t know about Sezh. No, Carolyn would know about Sezh all too well, wouldn’t she? Obviously, Lillian must have been gossiping about Sezh to her as well.

Nonetheless, Sezh was curious about Carolyn’s motives to meet her.

She then answered hesitantly, “Yes, prepare a table.”

***

They held the tea time in a narrow garden behind Sezh’s palace.

Luna brought the finest black tea that Mathias had given her the other day. Sezh didn’t drink tea much because she was saving it, but Luna must have wanted to treat Carolyn Regent well. No one but Carolyn Regent came to visit Sezh first. She was worried that Carolyn might look down on Sezh.

“The tea is very wonderful.”

It was Carolyn Regent’s first words after her greeting.

“I’m glad you like it,” Sezh smiled unnaturally and looked at Carolyn.

Today, Caroline Regent was as glamorous as she was at the debutante ball. Sparkling and dazzling jewels, expensive dresses, and graceful gestures. Oddly enough, Sezh felt daunted by her.

“Yes, it’s truly great. It seems that the Princess also enjoys tea, right? Seeing that you have such a special tea product.”

“Oh, it hasn’t been long since I started drinking tea. Truthfully, I received a nice gift a while ago, and with that…”

“It must be like that.”

‘Yes. It is the finest tea, which does not suit this shabby palace at all,’ Carolyn smirked and then smiled.

“I don’t know if the Princess considered my action rude or not. Still, thank you for the warm welcome.”

“No. Don’t say that.”

Anyhow… Why did Carolyn come looking for her? Sezh made a puzzled expression. Perhaps noticing that, Carolyn continued to speak with a gentle face.

“I attended Princess Lillian’s tea time. The Princess always has tea time around this time.”

“Ah… Yes…”

“On the way back, I suddenly thought of the Princess. It was a pity that we parted ways like that at the ball.”

Does this person have a bottomless stomach for drinking tea?… Sezh was still confused. And does Lillian know that Carolyn Regent came to see Sezh after going back from Lillian’s tea time?

“They said Princess is always in your palace. You don’t go out very often.”

“Yes. I’m usually like that.”

“So I heard that Prince Raytan often comes here. It doesn’t seem like it today.”

Did she come here because of Raytan? Looking back, it was also like that at the debutante ball. At the moment when Raytan was about to knock Mathias away… Carolyn had also run out in haste to the place they were. Perhaps the two were together before Raytan met Sezh and Mathias.

Sezh finally realized why Carolyn came to her palace.

“I haven’t been able to see him these days. If you came here to see Brother, I guess you took your steps in vain.”

Carolyn hadn’t given her a response yet, but Sezh flinched by herself. It was because, for some reason, the words she just uttered sounded like thorns to her own ears. Why did she speak in that way? Sezh continued her words in a hurry.

“That- That… I think he is very busy. If you have something to say to Brother, I can help deliver it…”

“I already felt it the last time: Princess Sezh seems to have a strong relationship with Prince Raytan.”

“… Yes?”

“Am I wrong? Normally, in such a situation like before, people would call a physician or an attendant, but they wouldn’t try to carry someone like that.”

“…”

“I’m so envious. The fact that you have such a brother.”

Carolyn smiled brightly. After that, she replied to something Sezh didn’t even ask.

“Honestly, Prince Raytan has piqued my interest.”