'It's a good thing the palace is my home.'
Even though I hadn't been there for long, I felt completely drained. At my father's command, watched from a distance, Lisandro decided to take me back to the main palace.
"Your Highness, did you enjoy today's banquet?"
"Yeah, but I'm a bit tired."
"You have every right to be."
Lisandro chuckled and adjusted his hold on me. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and buried my face in his chest, still clutching the bag in my hands.
"What's that, Your Highness?"
"You want me to look at it?"
I suddenly woke up. I shook my head vigorously and hid the bag in my arms. This made me fall backward, and Lisandro quickly caught my back.
"Oh, that's dangerous, Your Highness!"
"I won't take it from you!"
Only then did I relax and cling to Lisandro's neck again. When we arrived at the quiet bedroom, I felt a bit strange. The orchestra's music still seemed to linger in my ears. After a warm bath and changing into my pajamas, Yangyi jumped onto the bed.
[Next time, take me with you. I want to go to the banquet too!]
[How dare you say I'll be a spectacle? I'll be the one watching the humans!]
Yangyi, who had been bored guarding the bedroom alone, was quite agitated. After playing with a feather toy a few times, Yangyi soon got tired and fell asleep.
"I think I'll go to sleep too."
As I was tucking myself in, I noticed a shadow passing by the window. There was only one person who could sneak around my bedroom, even with Lisandro's protection. I immediately got out of bed and ran to the balcony. Only after opening the window did I realize I was barefoot.
"Why are you out here instead of coming in?"
"I thought you might be tired."
"You usually don't come in when I'm sleeping."
I had seen him a few times when I was half-asleep, and it was amusing how he pretended otherwise. Anyway, it was good timing. I had something to give him.
I went back into the room and brought out the bag I had kept. Aidan, who had been waiting for me, asked in disbelief.
"Did you go in to get your shoes?"
I hadn't even thought about shoes. I wiggled my bare feet and handed the bag to Aidan.
Aidan took the bag and opened it.
"You know I like these. I remembered and brought them."
That's right. The snacks I had guarded with my life (or so it felt) from Lisandro were for Aidan.
'There's a lot to be grateful for.'
It wasn't easy for him to secretly enter and exit the palace while acting as the leader of the information guild on my behalf. This was a small token of my appreciation.
Seeing Aidan's pleased expression made me feel proud. I resolved to always bring sweet desserts for him in the future.
"Among them, there are cookies with grapefruit jam."
I had tried them earlier and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious they were.
I looked at Aidan with bright eyes. After a moment's hesitation, Aidan took out a cookie and took a bite.
I smiled, and Aidan offered me a cookie.
Aidan nodded, but I hesitated.
"I just brushed my teeth..."
But I couldn't resist the temptation of the delicious cookie. I held it with both hands and took a big bite. The sweet taste filled my mouth. The slightly sour and bitter grapefruit flavor. At that moment, boom—boom! Brilliant fireworks exploded in the sky. I had heard there would be fireworks at midnight, but I didn't expect to see them like this. Stunned, I looked up at the sky, and Aidan suddenly picked me up.
'I could go back and get my shoes.'
But that thought quickly disappeared as the fireworks continued to burst. We watched the sky together until the fireworks ended. With Aidan, grapefruit jam cookies, and the fireworks.
A night filled with only the things I loved was truly blissful.