His plea caused me to break down completely. I buried my head in the desk, sobbing uncontrollably.

His expression was so pitiful, it broke my heart.

“You’ve been crying since earlier,” Claude’s voice came from above my head. “I suppose it would have been better if you had gotten angry.”

His tone carried bitterness.

“Please reconsider if you want me to stop crying,” I pleaded.

“This isn’t a prison for us. You don’t need to be trapped here,” he urged earnestly. My tear-streaked face had strands of hair sticking to it, but I could still see his wavering expression.

“Claude,” I lifted my hand, hovering in the air between us, waiting for him to grasp it and say he would escape from his self-denial with me.

Claude looked down at it with a hesitant gaze. But ultimately, he didn’t take it.

“Ah…” My arm fell weakly as he remained silent and made no move.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, swallowing the sorrow and grief. The tears wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t change his mind at this moment.

No matter how much I talked, it wouldn’t reach him right now.

The barriers he erected around his ego were impenetrable and shielded him even against a gentle breeze.

As I realized this, I could only hope that one day he would break free from the chains of his parents and escape on his own.

I resolved to support him from the sidelines. Claude might not know it, but in that moment, I made that commitment.

“I can’t return the handkerchief right away,” I sniffled. The handkerchief I clutched tightly had absorbed all my tears, leaving it damp and wrinkled.

“It’s okay. You keep it.”

“No, I’ll return it. Whenever that may be.”

“…Do as you wish,” he replied, looking crestfallen. I suddenly realized his vulnerability.

“It seems that what you said about flirting with women wasn’t true.”

“What?” Claude was about to cross his legs and lost his balance, speaking with a hint of confusion in his voice.

“After hearing Your Highness’ story, I doubt that’s possible.”

“Now that you mention it, you said you were fourteen. It’s becoming uncomfortable discussing this with you…”

I blurted without considering his discomfort.

“Were you just pretending? But, is that even possible?”

“Um… well…” His face turned red in the dim light. After fumbling a while, he finally bowed his head and answered.

“…There are various ways to please a woman…”

“Hmm.”

“So, I’ve never… gone all the way.”

“What does ‘all the way’ mean?”

“Must you continue asking?” He buried both hands under his thighs and stiffened his shoulders, adopting a rigid posture.

We avoided meeting each other’s gaze, instead pursed our lips and turned our heads to the side.

Seeing his avoidance, it appeared he wouldn’t answer at all. Despite my curiosity, I chose to drop the subject.

“It seems like you’ve only left behind a reputation for debauchery by spending time with women, but you didn’t actually go ‘all the way.’ Quite impressive.”

“I won’t deny as it suited my nature. Not many demanded it, knowing my status, and even if they did, I avoided it. I never crossed paths with those people again… Why am I still explaining? It’s better to stop here.”

Realizing his awkwardness, he suddenly fell silent.

I remained unfazed, but he appeared extremely uncomfortable.

He shifted in his seat and his expression grew tense. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands, unable to stay still.

Eventually, he stood up abruptly and said, “I think it’s better for me to leave first.”

His gaze lifted as he spoke.

“Where are you going in the middle of the night?”

“Anywhere.”

He retrieved a key from his pocket and handed it to me. As I took it, my hand stung from the cold metal.

“Wait until curfew ends, then lock the library door and return to the dormitory.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

He seemed oddly rushed in his demeanor. Hastily, he passed me the key and swiftly made his way to the door.

“Claude.”

He was about to depart, but I called out to him, halting his steps.

Wasn’t his departure too abrupt?

For a moment, concern flickered within me. However, I eventually uttered,

“…Have a good night.”

He nodded in response and swiftly closed the door, his footsteps fading quickly.

* * *

“Good morning, Lady Kahlia… Ah!”

“What’s wrong? Ah!”

Felicia approached me and suddenly got drenched, causing her to sit down hesitantly.

Pogos, who had jumped up in surprise, met the same fate.

Felicia screamed.

“What is this so early in the morning!”

After Claude left, I had waited for curfew to end and safely exited the library.

Unable to sleep, I spent the remaining night with open eyes and came to attend the spirit class.

Undine, resonating with my emotions from the conversation with Claude last night, fluttered proudly by my side.

“I went to the First Library last night.”

While glaring at their complaints, I announced. Felicia’s eyes widened.

“Really? How was it?! Did you see the phantom king?”

“Well, no. Is this the water that gained enlightenment? What kind of power does it hold?!”

“There was nothing like that, fools.”

Despite my denial, the two continued to play around, touching the water, holding it up to the sunlight, and even tasting it. Watching them, I sighed.

It wasn’t just them acting strangely.

“Your Highness…”

Whoosh!

“Ah, Prince Claude!”

Shoop!

“What…?”

My outstretched hand dropped as Claude hurriedly disappeared, as if he couldn’t hear me.

Since then, for a few days, every time I attempted to return the handkerchief and library key to him, he avoided me, wearing a stiff expression and always moving away as if he couldn’t hear me.

‘Is he avoiding me?’

Unbeknownst to me, a sense of disappointment crept in.

“Huff, huff… What’s wrong, Kahlia? Why did you suddenly run so fast?”

Ridim, who had been walking with me, suddenly ran after me and caught up, his breath light and steady.

“It’s nothing.”

Convincing him wouldn’t be easy, I suspected. However, I hadn’t anticipated not meeting him at all.

Tightly gripping the handkerchief I carried every day, I intended to return it.

“Kahlia!”

I heard my name called from behind. As I turned around, Felicia and Pogos approached, waving happily.

“What’s up, you two?”

Cautiously, Reedmore stepped forward.

“If you’re here to spread more weird rumors about her, then scram.”

“We’re not here for that. Move aside!”

Ignoring his complaint, Felicia handed me a piece of paper. As I unfolded it, I realized it was an invitation. My eyes widened as I read the words.

“It’s our engagement party.”

Felicia drew Pogos closer, linking arms with him and beaming.

“Your engagement? Yours?”

“Yeah.”

Reedmore had come closer and took the invitation he had been holding.

“Finally making it official, huh.”

“Yours is here. Don’t mix it up with others.”

Felicia snatched it from him and handed it back to me, then handed him another piece of paper.

Glancing at what I held,

“Felicia Melvin O’Claire – Pogos Vale El Sitz

“You are invited to the O’Claire-Sitz engagement ceremony.”

At the end, my name was elegantly scripted in calligraphy.

“Receiving an invitation with my name on it is a first.”

I murmured as I held the invitation.

This was something I had never received in my past life.

Helena only brought guests to ridicule me, to insult me.

Shaking off useless thoughts, I regarded Felicia and Pogos anew.

“So you’re getting engaged.”

“We’ve been engaged since childhood. Now that it’s time, we’re making it official.”

Pogos shrugged, while Felicia chimed in,

“Now that we’re of age, we’ll have the engagement ceremony now and marry as soon as we’re adults.”

“Yeah…”

I never felt like these two were older than me. It felt odd to contemplate them getting engaged now and married in two years, starting a new family.

“Would it be alright if I attended?”

“Oh, why not.”

She said it in a casual tone.

Yet, I couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. I’d never been one to enjoy events like receptions.

Just as I was about to decline, something dawned on me.

“Will Prince Claude be attending as well?”

“Despite claiming they wouldn’t attend without his invitation, half of the ladies would still show up.”

Felicia chuckled in response.

“I’ll go.”

“What? Do you secretly have a crush on him or something?”

Pogos teased, shaking his head playfully.

“No, not at all.”

“But… Lady Barden will also be there. Are you sure you’re comfortable with that?”

I felt Reedmore’s concerned gaze from the side as Felicia mentioned it.

“I understand you’re uncomfortable around her, but we can’t exclude her just because of that. She’s a prominent figure in the social scene of the academy.”

Felicia interjected firmly. Although Pogos seemed to notice my reaction, Felicia ignored it.

Encountering Helena would mark the first time since that incident.

Whether she considered it excessive or harbored other thoughts, she remained silent without causing any trouble.

Before speaking, I hesitated for a moment.

“It’s fine.”

This time, I was determined not to be swayed.

However, it later dawned on me that Helena wasn’t the only person I needed to worry about.