"Raphine, this is a present for you."

The Empress beckoned to Raffine as if to open it herself.

Raphine glanced at her and glanced at her mother.

Sophia still had a firm expression on her face. The Empress herself apologized, but her heart was not completely resolved.

'I understand her mother's feelings, but....'

She had to maintain a good relationship with the Empress.

'And it's not really her empress's fault.'

Let me lighten up the atmosphere a bit.

Sophia nodded her head as if she was ready to open it, and Raphine opened her box with anticipation.

"Wow!"

And as soon as the box was opened, she cheered a little exaggeratedly loudly.

But there were surprising things in the box, which she was good at exaggerating.

It was a pretty pink diamond necklace.

It was a neat necklace with only one jewel, so it was a design that Rafine could wear right away.

"Peha, maybe this is...."

Sophia frowned and said. He seems to know what this necklace is.

The Empress smiled slightly and nodded her head.

"That's right. This necklace was given to me by the former Empress."

no.... for a moment. Former Empress?

Then maybe this....

'A necklace like that passed down to her daughter-in-law?'

After Raphine paused for a moment, the Empress herself took out the necklace and beckoned to Rafine.

Raphine took a step in front of her, and the Empress put her necklace around her neck with her own hands.

"But Your Majesty...."

As Sophia murmured anxiously, the Empress tried to reassure her.

"It doesn't mean much. Where can I find one or two jewels that the former empress passed on to me? I didn't mean to give it that way."

"...."

"Don't worry, I'm just giving this pink diamond because it goes so well with Raphine."

Raphine bowed her head and looked down at a diamond the size of her adult thumb.

'Are you really pretty?'

Besides, the previous empress gave it to me?

The Empress explained it well so as not to be misunderstood, but in fact, the more it was intended, the better it was for Raphine.

"You look so good together, Raffine."

"thank you. Her Majesty the Empress. It's so pretty!"

Raphine smiled and liked it, and Sophia struggled to smile as if she couldn't help it.

After that, the empress talked with her mother about this and that. Mostly it was her empress's tribute to Sir Laurelian.

Raphine listened intently to her as she ate dessert like a child she knew nothing about.

Because there may be important stories that you may not know about.

Then the Empress paused for a moment. She was about to tell an important story, but she seemed to care about Raphine.

"Raphine must be bored. Why don't she just call Zer Khan and let her play with her?"

"Your Majesty the Crown Prince must be very busy, but you can't just waste your time with that."

Sophia said, startled. But the Empress did her best, and ordered her maid to call her Zer Khan.

'The Empress seems really sorry. Seeing that she cares so much.'

「That too, sweetheart. From my point of view, I wonder if that empress is really looking at you as her daughter-in-law.」

'Well?'

Raphine blinked her eyes and looked into the empress's eyes.

The Empress smiled as she looked at Raphine as if she was lovely, and checked her dessert plate emptying.

"It's good to eat anything. Having found such a lovely child, the Duchess will be full without eating."

Saying so, the Empress ordered her other maids to bring more of her dessert.

'It sure seems like you like me, but....'

I don't know if it's because she's really pretty, or if she's doing it to express her sorry feelings.

No matter how powerful the imperial family was, the duke was a force that could never be ignored.

The rumor that such a duke had a daughter who had barely been recovered had already spread in the social circles.

From the position of the empress who had to keep her in check, she did not have to turn the duke's into an enemy. Rather, I don't know if I embrace it.

So it was obvious that he was doing well.

But... What if you really want to make a connection between Zerkan and me?

'I rather like it.'

It was a thank you on this side.

It's this necklace anyway, because later when Zer Khan, who became her grown-up, returns to the capital, she'll just have to give it back to herself.

'For now, let's make sure we want Zerkan.'

After all, in an aristocratic society, marriage by arrangement was not strange at any time.

It doesn't matter if you've already entered the ceremony, but you don't know what will happen until the ceremony is held.

What if the family to be married is ruined or a traitor in one day?

Still, there would be no parents who would send their daughters or sons away, saying that arranged marriages should be kept.

While she was eagerly eating her new dessert that her handmaiden had brought, the door opened and Zer Khan appeared.

"Brother Zerkan!"

Raphine waved her hand warmly, and Zer Khan blinked her eyes in embarrassment. It seemed that he had not heard of Raphine's arrival.

Zerkan quickly hid her bewildered expression and exchanged greetings with the Duchess lightly.

"Come on, Raphine. Are you going to the next room and playing with Zerkan?"

At the words of the Empress, Raphine immediately nodded her head. Sophia also sent Raffine as if it was safe to be with the Crown Prince.

Raphine and Zer Khan followed her attendant's guidance to the room next to her. It was a pretty room with a large sofa.

"I'll bring you tea and dessert soon."

After her handmaiden had left, Raphine stretched her arms out toward Zer Khan before sitting down in her chair.

"...."

Zerkan looked at Raphine blankly, then said, "Ah!" and gave her a soft hug.

After that, she guided Raffine to the plush sofa.

"Sit here."

"Your brother is also sitting here."

Raphine pointed to her, banging on the seat next to her. Zer Khan, who was going to sit across from her, had no choice but to sit next to Raphine.

"I heard the story. I heard she wasn't hurt.... Aren't you very surprised though?"

He seemed to have heard a story about Anna. Raphine asked the friendly question as if surprised.

"Worried?"

"Then, of course, I was worried."

In response to Zerkan's answer, Raphine thought to herself, 'Oh... ' she exclaimed.

Does brainwashing work?

With that in mind, Zerkan said.

"Because you are Adrian's precious little brother."

... It was a friendship effect.

Raphine didn't care, and reached out her hand and took Zer Khan's hand.

Zerkan suddenly looked down with the grabbed hand. I felt the warmth of a child's unique warmth.

"Are you okay with the pendant I gave you?"

"Oh, yes."

"great. Brother Zerkan, can you see my necklace?"

"Yes?"

Zerkan looked up at Raphine's small hand that was holding mine and raised his gaze.

A pink diamond necklace was hung around Raphine's neck. It's like her hair color and she suits her very well.

"It's a pretty necklace."

"This is the word. Her Majesty gave it to me."

"okay?"

"Yes. It was said to have been handed down by the former Empress Dowager."

"like that."

Zerkan did not seem to understand the meaning contained within. Raphine decided to emphasize it once more, as it was an insignificant expression.

"I gave you Zerkan's brother to marry me."

"What?"

Raphine smiled broadly as her eyes met Zer Khan. She smiled, 'Did you understand?'

Zerkan let out a small laugh and grabbed Raphine's shoulder.

"Raphine, listen to me."

"Yes?"

"You are still a baby. Marriage is when you come of age. Yes?"

"... Yes."

"So, let's get married to someone already, you shouldn't say things like this. Your family will be sad."

"...."

"I don't know why you want to marry me. When you grow up, you just have to be very careful and choose a really good guy. When you find someone you really love. therefore...."

Wait, is he scolding me now?

「Looks like that, sweetheart.」

Raphine looked at Zerkan tremblingly. Zerkan continued to nagging with a very serious face.

'Ugh....'

Raphine frowned as if she couldn't listen to her anymore. More than this.... She is proud of herself, but has no choice but to use the privileges of a young child.

It was just rain and swearing.

"no! I'm going to marry Zerkan's brother!"

"...."

"It didn't mean that there were only people who loved each other and got married! In some cases, false promises are made for necessary reasons...."

Raphine stopped muttering without realizing it. Zerkan's face was stained with astonishment.

"Who taught you that? what kind of garbage.... No, you shouldn't say this in front of a child. Raphine. can you tell me Who told you that?"

"that.... I saw it in a storybook."

Raphine averted her eyes.

"A storybook?"

"Yes. The prince has no choice but to promise to marry someone fake.... Later, I will marry the princess I really love."

This is how you plan your future.

After Raphine finished her words, she looked at Zer Khan proudly.

However, Zerkan refuted it as if he was stunned.

"It's that the prince is trash... No, you're a bad person. You promised to get married and went looking for another woman!"

Uh.... What? Is that so?