This Time, To The Believed Path
The Imperial Family's

“I Windelyn Solfilyan. Nice to meet you, Marchioness. ”

Windelyn first came to the Marchioness and greeted her back. As she silently waited for her brother to come forward, she became astonished that only silence followed her.

He turned to his brother who was still dumbly staring at Leana with a faint wedge on his cheek.

Exasperated by her brother's strange demeanor, she elbowed him until Noel regained consciousness from the pain.

“Ugh! Windel! What the fuck–?!”

“It is impolite to keep staring so. Quick reply back, Marchioness!” he said slowly.

Noel immediately restrained himself and greeted Leana back.

"I'm sorry for my impoliteness, Marchioness. I'm Noel Solfilyan. I hope you enjoy your time here."

"It's okay, Your Highness the crown prince. I'm also happy to meet you both."

Seeing Leana's smile, the two of them were stunned and frozen on the spot.

Windelyn immediately pinched Noel's hand and vice versa.

The Empress just laughed softly at the behavior of her two cute children.

"Don't stand there and join us, you two."

The eyes of the two instantly sparkled then merged with them.

At first the Empress was the one who talked trying to get to know Leana more deeply but the longer Windelyn also came in to replace the Empress as her interlocutor.

Windelyn grew curious about Leana and continued to ask questions after questions. With the conversation between the two having no end, Noel cut their conversation.

“Marchioness, if you may know, what business until you settle in the palace?”

“Ah, true too. I want to know!”

Leana blinked her eyes. The queen answered her son's question.

"Marchioness is the one who has made a contract with the guard of the magic labyrinth."

Both surprised.

"Magic maze has guards? I just heard about it." said Noel.

"Then with the contract, does that mean the Marchioness is cooperating with the magic labyrinth guards?!" windelyn said, increasingly stunned.

To avoid any misunderstandings, Leana immediately added.

"More precisely I act as a representative of the guard of the magic labyrinth."

"The labyrinth keeper is lending some of his power to the Marchioness to assist us in overcoming the magic labyrinth." added the Empress.

Leana quickly gulped down the remaining tea that was in her cup to hide her shocked feelings.

How did the Queen know that far?

The Emperor must have told him. (×2)

As the waiter poured the tea back in her cup, Leana calmly went back to enjoying the tea.

His eyes then caught the figure of Windelyn who was seen continuously staring at him curiously.

"Sir, is there something you want to tell me?"

Windelyn was startled and he increasingly looked uncomfortable.

Embarrassedly, Windelyn opened her mouth.

"Marchioness, if you don't mind, I'll accompany you as long as you're here."

Leana immediately used both of her hands to support the cup before her because she thought that it would be removed from her hands.

Leana calmed herself down again.

"Thank you for the princess' offer. But I can't trouble you. You must also have other activities to do, right?"

"Just calm down, Marchioness. I'll change my schedule so I can spend time with you!" she said with a bright smile. Enough to blind Leana's sight

'No, no, no! Could it be?!' leana cried in her heart.

Noel grabbed the shoulders of his sister who advanced forward through the table between them.

"Windely. Don't bother the Marchioness. He had business with the Emperor, didn't he?"

Leana just smiled and went back to drinking her tea.

"Calm down, brother! I'll bring up all the questions you want to ask!"

Noel immediately blushed in embarrassment and averted his gaze.

"Huh?! Who wants-Tch! It's noisy!"

"There's no need to be shy, brother. I'll help you"

"Who is shy!? And I don't need your help!"

Looking at the interaction of the two, Leana could imagine the flash of light that hit between them did not want to lose.

But he was also happy to see his second interaction which looked like a small quarrel between brothers.

"Crown prince, princess. Please take care of your attitude."

Both of them stopped and fell silent in their respective places.

"Pardon my attitude, Empress Mother, Marchioness."

"I'm sorry, Empress Mother, Marchioness."

The empress snorted and sipped her tea.

"It's good if you understand."

Leana was stunned by the assertiveness possessed by the Empress. It seems that his nickname "Solfilyan Sharp-eyed" is no ordinary nickname.

He turned to Windelyn and Noel who were still silent. The atmosphere between the two became quiet and somber. Leana who could not bear to try to comfort them.

"I have no problem, crown prince, princess. Instead I'm happy to see the familiarity of you two."

"Who is familiar with it?!"

"Huh?"

Resuming their brother's quarrel, the Empress slowly enjoyed the interaction of her two children which she rarely saw.

"Sir, if you don't have a problem, I'd like to accept your offer beforehand."

Hearing this, Windelyn turned her attention away from Noel and focused on Leana.

"Really, Marchioness?"

"Yes, princess. If the crown prince wants to, you can join."

Noel was surprised by his invitation then he timidly thought of his answer and nodded.

"Then, I also want to come when I have time. It's okay, isn't it Marchioness?"

Empresses who did not wish to be left to participate in the offer.

"Of course it's okay, Empress.

***

Since her tea with the Empress, Windelyn had always taken Leana with her after she had finished her business with the Emperor.

At first he was quite worried about his attitude that was not too open but it turned out that they became quite close quickly and opened various topics of conversation and shared interests.

Meanwhile, Forde who was not always close to the Five Pillars decided to bring his work from Grandall to be completed at the palace.

Because Alphiella has two butlers, Leana occasionally asks Adde to help Forde while Veil keeps Alphiella in his place.

Thanks to a teleportation magic tool, Adde can easily commute from the palace to Alphiella. And Forde too.

One week after the tea, Forde kept staring at Leana without hiding her bad feelings.

Leana who had just changed her clothes turned to her husband.

"The forte? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something?"

Forde kept staring at her until Leana didn't know what to do.

"Fordes?"

"Do you have to continue to follow the will of princess Windelyn?"

"Eh?"

Leana quickly analyzed Forde's words and the current situation. Then the result he got was...

"Forde, janga said you were jealous of princess Windelyn?"

Forde did not answer and simply bowed his head. Occasionally his jade eyes stole a glance at him as if asking for something from him.

Leana approached Forde and sat down beside him. Since he still had to meet Windelyn, he could not let Forde hug him as usual.

Especially because he felt that later he would not be able to escape from Forde easily.

He grabbed Forde's cheek and rubbed it gently to calm her down. His fingers sometimes play with earrings on the left side.

Leana who realized her little habit became funny herself and could not stop the little laugh from coming out of her mouth.

Forde enjoys the softness of Leana's hand and tries to monopolize it until the last second of her departure.

Forde's attitude to him made Leana feel as if Forde was too valuable for her to escape to want to continue being with him.

Whether it was Forde's trick to hold him back or just his feelings. To the end, Leana did not find the answer.

***

As usual, Windelyn who had been enjoying time with Leana hummed cheerfully thinking about what more topic she should bring in their next meeting.

He did have acquaintances who were much older than him but none of them could give him a new impression.

They all just want to talk about what they want to talk about and close the road to showing interest.

"Mr Princess Windelyn."

Windelyn paused upon hearing a familiar voice.

In front of him now stood Elyn before him and greeted him as usual.

Windelyn was reminded of Leana whose figure was still not widely recognized by the public.

Even at this moment, Elyn seemed to be radiant as if waiting for something. He knew what it was and did not dare to bring up the topic.

Baron Puosca who has no relationship with the members of the Five Pillars can not attend the celebration so that Elyn may not listen to news about Leana who is the Marchioness Grandall.

"Elyn, aren't you on leave because the Baron is sick?"

"It's true, but even more so, I heard that Marquis Grandall is settling in the palace. Is that henar, princess?!"

Somehow Windelyn felt something out of Elyn's words. He had never felt that before.

What does he feel right now is guilt? But he felt that feeling was not the problem.

"That's true."

"So right, huh?! Uwaa, geez, I must how princess! My heart is racing thinking!"

The strange feeling in his mind grew bigger. To be more precise, that feeling was directed at Elyn. Wh why?

"Sir, can we meet the Marquis? Ah or maybe looking at it from afar I don't have a problem either, huh?"

Seeing Elyn's behavior, Windelyn felt like she didn't want to get close to him. It was as if something annoying was in front of his eyes.

Windelyn restrained her feelings and resolutely replied.

"Sorry Elyn. But right now the Marquis was busy with the other Five Pillars. So I guess it would be rude to come and admire him."

"Ah, yes. True too... I can't trouble the Marquis."

The originally radiant Elyn turned into a moody one quickly.

Just look at Windelyn already knew that Elyn was very disappointed to not be able to meet the person she liked.

Windelyn instantly felt tight to the point of almost forgetting to breathe.

"Elyn-"

"But the princess-"

Windelyn was shocked when suddenly Elyn raised her head with a cheerful face as if her disappointment had never existed.

"I'm not giving up! I will try to take the first step to become close to the Marquis! Of course the princess will help me, won't she?"

At that very moment he felt his heart as if it were drowning in a cold sea. Continues to fall without knowing where the base is.

'i... Gotta tell... About Marchioness...'

His fingers slowly cooled down and his eyes were unable to look at Elyn any longer.

He closed his mouth to speak, but not a single word came out.

"Mr princess, what's wrong?"

Elyn had been considered as his best friend because he had been by his side for a long time.

For the good of Elyn. He has to tell the truth.

"Elynn..."

But...

"Yes, princess?"

Looking at his innocent attitude, he saw Elyn who was trying to reach a star that he would never get. Despite that, he smiled happily and continued to struggle to reach it.

Windelyn clenched her hands tightly. One hand closed his eyes and he immediately stepped past Elyn quickly.

"Sorry, I don't seem to be feeling well so go back to Baron Puosca."

"Master princess?!"

Windelyn continued walking without looking back. His quick steps echoed as if he was running away from something.

Leaving Elyn who was at a loss for her words alone in that vast corridor.