/
“I see.”
Rieta now understood why the letters from the Kingdom were not only fewer and fewer, but were disappearing altogether.
The people who cared about her thought of her security and considered even her slightest well-being with care.
Quietly waiting for the day she would return someday.
She was very grateful, but when she thought of Elisha, she just felt sorry.
“You miss them.”
“That’s okay.”
“But Elisha loves your parents very much, don’t you?”
“Just because we don’t communicate, doesn’t mean we can’t love.”
“Still.”
Elisha stared at Rieta, who was at a loss of what to do, and smiled softly.
“It also doesn’t mean that I don’t know that I am loved.”
“I envy Elisha because you seem to have a very strong heart.”
“No, it breaks pretty easily.”
“Break? How?”
Rieta asked curiously, but for some reason he did not answer Rieta’s question.
Elisha’s behavior was so rare that she was curious, but he didn’t seem to want to talk about it, so she didn’t bother to ask.
“By the way.”
So Rieta switched the topic once more.
Fortunately, he had a lot to talk about with him today.
“Sir Jenkins, is he really all right?”
“It’s just a mild cold.”
“But the weather is so warm . . . I’m worried since he doesn’t even want me to visit, so I’m afraid it’s something serious.”
“The reason he forbade you was because he was worried that even a small cold might spread to the Princess. He didn’t let me come any closer.”
“The doctor?”
Rieta asked again.
“He went to visit once. He told me to be careful not to let candy fall beside the Master for the time being.”
“I think the medicine is too bitter.”
“Yes, it looks like that.”
Elisha nodded his head and pulled a piece of paper from his arms.
In fact, throughout the journey in the carriage, he took out and put the paper several times over and over again.
Rustling it open, inside it was a list of people to whom Elisha had to congratulate on behalf of Sir Jenkins today.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it well because I hardly know their names.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help.”
Rieta stuck her head out and looked through the list he had.
However, a familiar name caught my eye.
“What?”
“What?”
“Ugh, nothing.”
Rieta shrugged it off and moved her gaze back to the list.
Everett Hewitt.
The fiance of Princess Gabriella.
Was he going to take the knight’s oath before they formally announced the engagement?
Anyway, she was a little happy to think that she could meet a new character from the original story.
As soon as the carriage arrived near the palace, it began to slow down little by little.
Rieta remembered today’s tasks one by one.
One, to emphasize Noel’s gentlemanly aspect to the Princess again.
Two, to convey the fact that Rieta and Noel are no different than real siblings.
Three, to check Everett Hewitt in person.
Good.
Completing these three things could make the day very successful.
Rieta smiled softly.
* * *
After arriving at the banquet hall, Rieta immediately looked around.
Of course, Princess Gabriella had not arrived yet.
Perhaps she would be the last to come with the Emperor.
In order to fulfill the task of checking the ‘Everett Hewitt’ person, Rieta joined Elisha’s ‘greeting errands’.
The young knights looked at Elisha, who had been sent by Sir Jenkins, with distasteful eyes, but his congratulations were gladly accepted.
They greeted each other, but the important Everett Hewitt was nowhere to be seen.
Elisha tried asking a few people he had been close to since the military academy, but he didn’t really know where he was.
Did he not come? Like Sir Jenkins, he caught a cold . . . ?
No. It couldn’t be.
The Everett she remembers was a person who would jump into the fires of hell if it was to see Princess Gabriella.
There was no way he could miss such an important event.
It was certain that he fully grasped Princess Gabriella’s taste and would appear in a wonderful form.
So, Rieta decided to wait a little more slowly and not be hasty.
Yes, I’ll wait patiently.
But contrary to her determined heart, she snooped at places people went in and out many times.
“. . . Princess?”
Did she look a little odd?
Elisha, who was facing her, carefully called her attention.
She was trying to turn back to him, somehow she felt sorry for him.
. . . What?
She saw a familiar person.
His profile was a little obscured, and he looked more stylish than usual, but Rieta recognized him for sure.
“. . . Noel?”
Elisha’s gaze turned to the same place as she muttered a little.
There really was Noel Mayer.
And . . .
With a tall woman she had never seen before.