Chapter 91

Aristine's turquoise eyes, which held Aristine's image, slightly widened before softening.

Hamir left the person he was with and strode toward Aristine.

"Your Highness."

"Hello, Mr. Swallow."

At Aristine's words, he laughed as if sighing.

"Still Mr. Swallow, huh? We met by chance."

Hamir bowed his head to her.

Even though he looked gentle, like a scholar, he was still a person from Ailugo, and his tall figure cast a shadow that completely enveloped Aristine.

Inside the shadow he created, Aristine lifted her head and looked at his face.

His long, shimmering platinum hair brushed against her cheeks and neck.

"Aren't we supposed to be friends?"

His voice was a whisper.

A voice that carried the moisture of summer.

The moment Aristine blinked, he lifted his head.

He took a step back, looking a bit disappointed.

His expression was completely different from when he had looked down at her with a gloomy face.

"I've been waiting for the day I would meet you by chance. I didn't expect it to happen like this, though."

He smiled thinly.

It was a different nuance from not knowing they would meet.

He knew they would meet, but he didn't expect it to be like this.

"Did you really believe you would meet me again?"

"Because I felt it was fate."

Aristine's eyes narrowed.

"No matter how I look at it, you seem like Mr. Swallow."

"Friends are a gift from heaven, they say."

Hamir removed a petal from Aristine's hair.

"So, it's fate."

He smiled, twirling the petal.

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

Seeing Hamir smile as if it were obvious, Aristine finally relaxed her narrowed eyes and smiled.

'Friend.'

The word sounded good.

Aristine also thought it would be nice to become friends if they met by chance again.

"Name."

"Yes?"

"Tell me your name."

It was as good as accepting to become friends.

Hamir stretched his lips into a smile.

'Originally, I planned to give a pseudonym...'

But looking into Aristine's violet eyes, which gazed up at him intently, his mind changed.

"Lu."

It was the nickname he had when he was young.

No one called him that anymore.

Because he didn't allow anyone to use that name.

'Lu...'

"Yes."

"Just trying it out."

"I know. It sounds good."

Aristine looked at him with a slightly bewildered expression.

Was he saying his name sounded good?

'Of course, it doesn't sound bad... but, isn't it a common and ordinary name?'

Her second friend seemed to be a narcissist.

'Well, it's better to like your name than to dislike it.'

While thinking this, she noticed someone standing far away at the edge of her vision.

It was the person who had been with Hamir.

"Do you not need to go?"

"Yes, it's fine. We were just about to part anyway."

He smiled and looked behind him.

The person who met his gaze flinched and then left.

"Now, is it okay?"

Aristine frowned.

'Somehow, it feels like I chased them away. Is it just my imagination?'

"Want to take a walk? As a celebration of our fateful encounter."

Hamir suggested.

Come to think of it, last time she had ignored his desire to talk more.

'Because I thought he was Mr. Swallow. And I also wanted to rest alone.'

Aristine gauged the time.

There was nothing she could do until the mana stone was secured.

Nothing but wait.

"Let's be friends, not fated companions."

As she answered, Aristine glanced at Hamir.

A smile also appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Honestly, she was a bit excited to have a new friend.

Hamir extended his arm, and Aristine placed her hand on it.

The two walked side by side through the garden.

Hamir matched his pace to Aristine's, neither too fast nor too slow.

Unlike Tarkan, he was skilled at escorting, and Aristine giggled.

"By the way, what do you do?"

Only a limited number of people can enter the king's garden.

Moreover, from the attitude of the person he had just parted with, he seemed to be of high status.

'Maybe one of the great nobles?'

She hadn't seen him at the welcome banquet.

Hamir smiled without any hesitation.

"I work in the administrative department."

It wasn't entirely false.

"An administrative official?"

"Yes."

This was also true.

Aristine nodded.

She had thought he looked like a scholar, and he really was one.

"Which family are you from?"

At this question, Hamir stopped. Aristine also stopped and faced him.

The shade created by the greenery fell like lace on his face.

Hamir smiled smoothly.

"Is there a family that shouldn't be close to Your Highness?"

At this, Aristine frowned.

"A family that shouldn't be close to me?"

What kind of answer was this?

She thought this but remained silent.

'Maybe a family aligned with the queen consort's faction?'

"Do you want to know?"

Hamir asked in a low voice. Aristine looked at him for a moment and then shook her head.

"No."

If he said this, it meant that knowing his family would change their relationship.

If so, she wanted to remain friends without knowing.

'He's not lying to me.'

If he had approached her to extract information, he wouldn't have spoken about his family like this.

"Background isn't necessary to be friends."

Hamir smiled.

I'll remember that.

The two resumed walking.

"Did you come to see the king?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask what for?"

Aristine looked up at Hamir.

A gentle smile appeared on his soft face.

"Yes, it's fine."

It was something everyone would know anyway.

Nefter would have written an imperial edict as soon as Aristine left.

He had said it was urgent.

'Hamir, who is in the mana stone mine, will probably receive the message soon.'

Perhaps he was already in contact with the king's close aides in the capital.

Even so, no one could reverse the king's decision.

"I asked to buy a mana stone."

The arm Aristine was holding twitched for a moment.

But he soon smiled again and asked.

"A mana stone?"

"Yes, I need it."

At this point, asking for a mana stone was a surprising request to anyone.

Aristine answered casually while looking at the garden.

The cream-colored roses that bloomed on the carefully tended vines were beautiful.

Hamir looked at her face, bathed in sunlight, and then spoke.

"Isn't the mana stone managed by Prince Hamir?"

"Yes, that's what I heard."

"Then why did you ask the king?"

"Huh?"

Aristine looked up at Hamir.

"Couldn't you have asked Prince Hamir?"

Hamir's eyes fixed on Aristine's.

It was a penetrating gaze, dissecting her bit by bit.

"If you had asked Prince Hamir to sell you a mana stone, would he have agreed?"

Hamir hesitated and then smiled deeply.

"No, he wouldn't."

"Right?"

Aristine chuckled and nodded.

Why would I ask Hamir when the result was obvious?

The same thought.

"Still, you never know."

His stubborn voice sounded a bit annoyed.

Aristine stopped and looked at Hamir.

He met her gaze and spoke.

"Depending on what Your Highness does, Prince Hamir might make a different decision."

His voice was as clear as the colors of summer.

His piercing gaze lingered on Aristine for a long time.

'Huh?'

Aristine tilted her head, looking at Hamir, who was looking down at her.

'Why does he look disappointed?'

He seemed disappointed that she had gone to Nefter instead of telling Hamir.

'Why?'

Before Aristine could understand, Hamir turned his gaze and resumed walking.

"Did you do anything else?"

It felt like he was changing the subject, but Aristine answered honestly.

"We played a card game, and it was fun. It was my first time."

"Did you win?"

"What do you think?"

Aristine grinned.

Her confident smile shone transparently in the summer sunlight.

Hamir's elegant eyes narrowed.

The wind tousled Aristine's hair, and Hamir gently brushed it aside.

"Next time, play with me."

He whispered in her ear.

Chapter 28. Adorable

Aristine stretched and entered her bedroom.

She was tired after a busy day.

While she was talking to Nefter, Ritten had started the preparations for the process using electricity, or rather, mana.

Since Ritten knew much more about the refining process, he was in charge of leading it.

After finishing her walk with Hamir, Aristine had dinner and listened to Ritten's report.

Ritten had a gloomy expression throughout the report.

It felt like a dog with drooping ears and a curled tail, which made Aristine curious.

According to the report, the equipment for the mana line was progressing well.

Since they were improving existing equipment and using magic from mages, it wouldn't take long.

'But why does he look like a drenched dog, whining?'

While she was thinking this, Ritten asked with a determined expression.

"Your Highness, do you find me inadequate?"

Aristine jumped at this unexpected question.

Where could she find a more reliable employee than Ritten?

No matter how she tried to console him, Ritten's curled tail didn't show any signs of lifting.

"I heard you collapsed yesterday."

"Yes, that's right."

"Why didn't you tell me? I must be someone you can't rely on..."

Aristine was flabbergasted.

Could he really be this gloomy over that?

"You were overworked, and I didn't know. When you were talking about work earlier, I didn't even try to stop you... It's all my fault you were overworked. If I had done my job properly, you wouldn't have had to suffer..."

Although she felt very sorry for Ritten's serious tone, Aristine couldn't help but laugh.

She ended up giggling, and it took some effort to console the hurt large dog.

Only after confirming that Aristine was healthy and fine did Ritten's tail regain its strength.

'Such a high-maintenance employee.'

For some reason, only high-maintenance people surrounded her.

'And the best of them is my husband.'

Aristine closed the bedroom door with a thud.

The most high-maintenance man in the world was sitting on the bed, looking at her.

Seeing Tarkan's face, she suddenly thought of it.

'I wasn't a lover to Diona.'

But on their wedding night, when he said he should keep his chastity for his lover, he nodded.

"I am your lover."

He even said it directly.

Then, who was the woman he called his lover?

This question naturally came to mind, as if it had always been there.

She had just pushed it aside to focus on work, but it had always lurked in her heart.

'No, whoever it is, it's none of my business.'

Aristine shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Good night."

She greeted him formally and approached the bed.

"Aristine."

Tarkan looked at Aristine with a complicated expression.

He seemed lost and nervous.

His face showed a lack of confidence, but at the same time, there was a sense of hesitation and expectation.

"I have nothing to do with Diona."

Aristine chuckled. She wondered what he was trying to say.

"Yes, I know."

Tarkan reached out his hand to Aristine.

When she immediately took it, he fell silent for a moment.

It had become natural for them to touch each other like this.

Sitting on the bed, with Aristine standing and holding hands, Tarkan spoke.

"It's not just Diona. I have nothing to do with any woman."

He looked up at Aristine.

"If there is anyone, it's you."

His golden eyes, bathed in candlelight, seemed to whisper unheard words.

"Because we are married."

"I'm a husband now, and I'll earn money."