As the Empress conversed with Lord Laurelian, she looked at Raphine affectionately, asking if Adrian and Violet and Zerkan were injured.

"I'm okay!"

Raphine answered bravely. As if the Empress had finished talking, she got up again.

She said and she took Sir Laurelian's hand.

"It would be better to go back to nature and talk again."

It seems that they thought it was inappropriate to talk about specifics because they had children.

"Zerkan, take good care of your guests."

"Yes, mother."

The Empress also greeted Adrian and Violet and looked at Raphine for the last time.

And she said in a friendly voice.

"And the baby catches the day and comes to see me again with her mother. I will prepare a delicious snack for you. got it?"

"Yes, His Majesty the Empress!"

When Raphine answered bluntly, the Empress smiled cutely.

Then he disappeared with her maids, Sir Laurelian and Anna.

'... After all, it was unreasonable to reveal the truth all at once.'

「You seem to think it's a child's prank. Whatever it is, it's just a myth... What are you going to do now, sweetheart?」

Raphine was worried.

'As long as I introduced it to the Empress, the wedding preparations would have been instant...'

Right now, I could not use her horde by holding onto the Empress and saying it was true.

Raphine let out a sigh inside her.

'I can't help it. I have no choice but to come back to Hwangseong with her mother as soon as possible.'

「Will you believe her words?」

'You have to believe it.'

She couldn't see her woman, Anna, who had abused countless children live happily ever after, and she could not see her destroying the empress's family.

* * *

After a while.

Raphine followed Adrian, Violet, and Zerkan to somewhere.

When Adrian and Violet usually came to play with Hwangseong, it seemed like they were going to the place where they stayed.

Raphine continued to look around as she walked down the hallway.

'It's very flashy.'

Perhaps because it is a space where the Crown Prince stayed and educated historically, everything from the murals in the hallway to the decorations was splendid and magnificent.

'... uh?'

It was when Raphine and her party passed the corridor.

Raphine found a woman at the end of the hallway wiping her tears. She was a woman in a gorgeous dress.

Raphine said as she tapped the back of Violet's hand, who was standing next to her.

"Look over there. Some sister is crying!"

"Yes?"

Violet turned to look at who Raphine was talking to.

"... Let's pretend we don't know It must be sad."

Raphine looked at the man and narrowed his eyes.

'Isn't she one of the maids who came with the empress earlier? Why is she crying over there?'

Violet stroked Raphine's hair, making his gaze shift away.

Raphine tilted his head and walked back.

And when he got somewhere.

Raphine was astonished.

The place where Zerkan brought them in quite naturally was a dedicated library in the Crown Prince's Palace.

'Is it a book linguistic?'

But what's even more surprising?

Adrian and Violet were acting casually, as if they were used to it.

No, I'm afraid they're not model students... really...

'It's creepy.'

Why the hell are you going to the library?

"Let's find out about the marriage system."

"Yeah, the law books are over there!"

Even Violet and Adrian whispered something inaudible, and then headed towards the back of the bookshelf.

Thanks to this, Raffine was left with Zerkan in front of a large sofa and table.

'Well...'

Raphine thought as she looked at the backs of Adrian and Violet disappearing in the distance.

'I rather like it.'

The two of them fall for each other so nicely!

Yes, get a little closer! Let's get closer!

That was a good thing. I had a present for Zerkan and something to say.

"Brother Zerkan."

Raphine got up from her seat and looked around her table, and then she dared to go to the seat next to Zerkan and sit down.

Zerkan was embarrassed to see Raffine like that, but he naturally handed him a cookie that was laid out on the table.

Raphine said calmly accepting it.

"Hey. A while ago, that older sister hit me like this! pushed."

"... Really?"

The first thing he said was taunting.

"Yes. But what surprised me was... It's a secret that her sister has a baby in her belly, but I must have been mad when I told her."

"Aren't you hurt?"

"Yes. But I was so terribly angry that I cried."

"He's a strange person."

Zerkan's forehead was wrinkled. She was like that, and her lively eyes, and she was a strange woman.

It must have been suspicious to have looked at such a young and cute child like that.

Raphine said.

"Yes? It's good to have a baby in your belly."

"that..."

Zerkan tried to explain something.

The nobles thought Raphine was too young to say that it was a disgrace to have children before marriage.

Of course, since Zerkan was still young, he didn't know the specifics, but he knew that before marriage he shouldn't have children.

Zerkan just pursed his lips and gently stroked Raphine's head.

She had a half-brother, but she wasn't close, and even less her sister had never been.

She didn't know how to deal with her sister, who had been so shocked that she cried.

She says she looks fine on the outside, but...

'By the way, you're eating well.'

Zerkan smiled inside her as she watched Raffine munching on her cookies.

"Oh. I brought a present to give to Zerkan's brother..."

Raphine wiped her hands covered with her cookie crumbs and brought her bag on her back to the front.

It was a bag tied with a pink teddy bear.

Raphine did not open her bag and glanced at Zerkan.

'Why are you reacting like that when you say it's a gift?'

Zerkan blinked his eyes with a blank expression.

'You don't like gifts?'

Can you do that? How could anyone do that?

When Raphine heard the word gift, her heart raced quickly.

The word gift was one of those magical words that drove little children crazy. It was an instinct, an irresistible force that could never be suppressed.

But you're so calm...

'I think he has a strong heart because he's the main character.'

Raphine thought it was great too and told Zerkan.

"You have to close your eyes."

"Huh?"

"I close my eyes when I receive a present."

"... Ah."

Zerkan then closed his eyes. Raphine stared at him for a moment.

Maybe it was because his eyelashes were so long, he had a great atmosphere even at a young age.

"You should reach out your hand."

"..."

At that, Zerkan smiled and held out his hands.

Raphine glanced around for a moment.

It's a big deal for Violet and Adrian to see. Because I couldn't prepare a gift for the two of them.

'It's a big deal if you cry out loud.'

Raphine put something she took out of her bag on Zerkan's palm.

"Now open your eyes."

Zerkan's eyes opened, revealing a red pupil. The first thing that caught his eye was Raphine's face.

Even when giving a present, Raphine had an expression full of anticipation, like a gift recipient.

'Is my younger sister like this?'

It's not a special day, but I'm giving you a present...

Every time Zerkan faced Raphine, it felt like her hard heart was forcibly softened.

Just like basking in a warm stove.

It seems that her sister was originally like that. Little by little, Adrian began to envy him.

Zerkan thought that what was placed on the palm of his hand would feel good, even if it was a candy shell or a stone.

If that's what this cute kid gives.

However, the gift Raphine gave was unexpected.

"This..."

A heavy metal was placed on the palm of the hand. As soon as I squeezed it, I heard a clicking noise.

"Isn't she pretty?"

Raphine asked.

The gift Raffine gave was a blue pendant that was the perfect size to fit in the palm of the hand.

"But this..."

Zerkan's expression became subtle.

Raphine was also the expected reaction.

This pendant was no ordinary pendant.

blue pendant.

In this world, there was a culture in which his father directly taught his children swordsmanship.

And if you have mastered swordsmanship to a certain extent, you will receive a pendant as a gift. It was customary to give a blue pendant to his son and a red pendant to his daughter.

That is why it was also a symbol of father's love.

Wealthy nobles also enchanted pendants with protection magic, and there was a story that if the father's magic was used when casting protection magic, the effect would be stronger.

The magic of his father's love was a kind of ingredient and seasoning.

Therefore, there was a rumor that the stronger the heart to care for children, the stronger the protective magic.

Of course, since the protective magic is activated when the child is in danger, it was difficult to confirm the actual power.

Because most parents kept their children within safe boundaries.

Anyway, as long as it has a warm meaning and symbolism, this pendant was very precious.

So noble men always had to wear this pendant for official occasions.

It was because it was commonly used as a meaning of being supported by the family.

'But Zerkan had never received this pendant from his father.'