“Your Highness, you’ve slowed down. Are you losing strength?”
“...I’m not falling for that provocation.”
So he does realize he fell for it earlier.
Adjusting the boat’s direction, he spoke.
“It seems our private conversation is coming to an end. But first, I’ve definitely figured out what it is you like.”
“You already said it earlier—‘when Your Highness does something stupid.’”
“That was just one part of it. You seem to enjoy... strange things.”
“Are you saying that because of the hidden garden? I wouldn’t say I liked it.”
“There’s no time to explain. Anyway, once your vacation spot is decided, let me know. I need to prepare things you might enjoy as well.”
“If you put up a heart-shaped decoration, I will run the moment I see it. And I’m not joking.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of wasting tax money on such monstrosities.”
Someone should tell that to certain local officials too.
With that declaration, he picked up the pace again, guiding the boat toward the dock.
The boatman stepped forward to escort me—then abruptly took a step back.
I didn’t need to turn around to know that someone had just growled behind me.
This man...
First, picking a fight over Rick, and now this? He is the jealous type.
And yet, he used to let his gaze wander toward so many other women.
...Well, considering he had significantly changed his behavior, maybe I’d let it slide.
After he helped me off the boat, Tristan threw one last challenge at me before rejoining the group.
“We’ve both been busy, so we haven’t had the chance to talk about it, but... do you remember that you were supposed to write me a letter after the hunting tournament?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I completely forgot!”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. Especially since you spent all of July focused entirely on writing scripts whenever you had the time.”
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“...Thank you.”
“Well then, I look forward to receiving a letter at our vacation destination—one with more effort than a mere script.”
And with that, the double date came to an end.
The outing had been a success.
As we made our way back toward the park’s entrance, Arthur and Maria’s distance had noticeably shrunk. I even spotted their fingers brushing together beneath Maria’s flowing skirts.
Perfect. Maybe I should send them theater tickets next.
If they were still too embarrassed to go alone, I could always bring Tristan along.
For a moment, I pictured him sitting beside me again.
“...Do you have something to say, Dory?”
“No, nothing.”
If we could continue seeing things the same way, sharing similar thoughts and observations, then maybe—just maybe—our next meeting would be just as enjoyable.
...For the first time in a long while, I found myself looking forward to something.
Looking forward to my own future.
* * *
Perhaps because of the whole throwing-himself-into-the-lake incident—
When Tristan checked his clothes after returning home, he found that one of his cuff buttons had come loose.
He reached into his pocket, only to pull his hand back out, fingers covered in tiny grains of sand.
And yet, he didn’t mind.
Leaving his mark on a beautiful garden... and returning with a small treasure.
That was how it felt.
After sending off the maids with a little extra coin for the laundry and repairs, Tristan stretched out onto his bed—shirtless.
The faint rustle of fabric beneath him reminded him, for just a second, of how the water had surrounded him earlier.
And then, he laughed.
"You could’ve just rowed closer and picked up the hat with an oar."
"...Hahahaha!"
Doris’s bright, clear laughter still echoed in his mind.
Doris Redfield—the noblewoman who, in society, was known for her elegance and restraint—had laughed like a child.
"Look at this ridiculous decoration. Just slapping hearts onto things doesn’t automatically make them romantic... Ah, but this heart-patterned puppy is adorable."
Sharp-tongued and critical when something was absurd, yet completely transparent in her delight when something genuinely pleased her.
No one else had ever seen that side of her.
Attending today was the best decision I made.
At first, hearing that Arthur would be there, it had felt more like a tactical confrontation than a date.
But he had gained far more than he expected.
Most of all—he had gained something precious.
He had learned what made Doris’s eyes light up.
Doris Redfield loves things that make her think.
Not in a way that burdened her with worry or sorrow.
But moments when expectations and reality didn’t align—when something unexpectedly unfolded before her eyes.
When Tristan had made the wrong decision and dived into the lake.
When the so-called “hidden garden” had been a mess of poor taste.
When she had rewritten an uninspired script into something genuinely engaging.
Every time she encountered something that challenged her perception, her green eyes had sparkled.
And one day... I want to see that again.
I want to make her laugh like that again.
Tristan wanted to be the only one who got to see that side of her.
The moment when all her thoughts clicked into place, when the conclusions she reached brought satisfaction to her face—
A knock at his door interrupted his thoughts.
“Your Highness, are you there?”
“What is it?”
“His Majesty requests your presence. He wishes to discuss the Blue Atrium situation.”
“I’ll be there shortly.”
Even before stepping into the hallway, Tristan already knew what was coming.
It wasn’t even a difficult guess.
He had been enjoying himself too much lately.
Which meant, inevitably—
It was time for something to make him suffer.
No matter what happens, I won’t crumble.
Because now, he had somewhere he needed to return to.
There were expressions he needed to see again.
When Tristan entered his father’s office, the king wasted no time.
“I hear you went out with your fiancée today. And Arthur joined you as well?”
“Yes. Doris proposed it, to ensure that everyone’s relationships remained amicable.”
“Oh? Doris Redfield came up with that? She’s sharper than I expected. Honestly, I’m relieved to see you maintaining a good relationship with Arthur.”
“Yes. Doris is an intelligent lady.”
The satisfaction of his father’s praise was fleeting.
Before long, the king’s expression turned serious.
“In August, I have a task for you and Arthur. I need you both to investigate the monster situation in Blue Atrium.”
“...Excuse me?”
“We’ve managed to maintain order there by deploying the military, but we still haven’t pinpointed the source of sporadic monster outbreaks. I want you and Tristan to handle it—to ease the people’s concerns.”
“...That’s not all, is it?”
“Hah! Do you really want me to say it outright?”
“If you’d prefer, I can say it for you. ‘Father, I will prove that I am worthy of inheriting Blue Atrium by demonstrating my competence.’”
Tristan had understood perfectly.
His father let out a loud, booming laugh.
“That’s right. Originally, I would have sent Arthur alone. But after your performance in the hunting tournament, making a decision without giving you a chance to prove yourself would undoubtedly cause backlash.”
“You’re well aware that no faction would dare oppose me.”
“A royal’s life is never just their own. There will always be ambitious vassals—ones who see an opportunity to sway an idle prince into chasing a futile dream.”
“...”
“In any case, my son, you leave for Blue Atrium next week. I’ll be contacting Arthur tomorrow—he won’t refuse.”
“...Understood.”
For a brief moment, his planned vacation flickered in his mind.
But he had enough sense not to bring it up.
A thousand small hopes and expectations crumbled at once.
As Tristan turned to leave, his father called out one last thing—an unwanted piece of encouragement.
“If the situation proves dangerous, leave it to Arthur and stay back. There’s no need to be overly attached to Blue Atrium. I’ll make sure you have something more to your liking.”
“...I’ll do my best.”
The king said something else, but Tristan didn’t hear it.
He simply walked faster.
Meanwhile, at the Meyer Barony...
Rick was lingering near the staircase, chatting with the household staff, when he heard Maria’s footsteps descending after dinner.
Even now, a soft smile lingered on her face.
Rick waved at her.
“You’ve been smiling since you got home. Did something good happen during your outing?”
“Rick! Oh, um... ehe, yeah. It was really fun.”
“That’s great.”
Regardless of the dull ache in his chest, that much was true.
If Maria was happy—if she was happy with Arthur—then that was enough.
But then, she said something unexpected.
“Oh, right. Dory asked about you.”
For a moment, Rick had to force himself to swallow whatever emotion had surged up inside him.