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Chapter 102

Sensing Emilia's gaze, the man stopped talking to the girl and looked up.

"...Huh?"

Lucas's eyes went wide at the unexpected encounter.

But it was only for a moment—soon, his signature charming smile spread across his lips.

What luck.

Everyone, commoner or noble, came out during the festival, but he'd never imagined they'd run into each other like this.

Just as he was about to greet her with a wide grin—

"..."

He spotted the man glued to Emilia's side like a shadow.

It was the Duke of Valen, his expression deeply displeased, as if he wasn't at all happy about this chance meeting.

Of course.

There was no way he'd let Emilia come to a festival like this alone.

Still, Lucas was satisfied just to see her.

After all, he'd been wanting to make up for how he'd lost his composure at the hunting competition.

I must have looked pretty pathetic.

"...Sir Lucas?"

Just then, Selena called him in a puzzled voice.

He'd been playfully urging her to try the food, but he'd stopped mid-sentence, his attention elsewhere.

She tilted her head and followed his gaze—then her eyes went wide.

"Duke...!"

She nearly called out "Duchess" but quickly clamped her mouth shut.

Emilia smiled brightly and hurried over to Selena.

Kayden's brow twitched slightly at the sight.

"The moment I take my eyes off you, you disappear."

"Huh? Me?"

She'd been so indignant just moments ago—

And now she'd slipped right out of his grasp. A wry laugh escaped him.

Unaware of Kayden's resignation, Emilia knelt before Selena and whispered.

"Have you been well?"

"Of course. Thanks to you."

Selena nodded eagerly.

"Did you come out to enjoy the festival too?"

"Yes. Lucas was so insistent, I had no choice."

Selena shot Lucas a glance.

He just shrugged at her reproachful look.

"Your Grace, you're also—ah."

Selena's gaze shifted to the Duke—and she noticed the child in his arms.

Her eyes widened.

Though his face was hidden by a hood, she could guess who he was.

"Could that child be..."

Emilia smiled and suggested.

"Yes, it's him. Ah, shall we move somewhere else for a moment?"

---

They moved to a small resting area set up on one side of the square.

Away from the crowds, the festival's noise faded.

Only then did Selena get a proper look at Ivan.

...He looks like Aron.

Not only his golden eyes, the mark of the imperial family—Ivan resembled Aron in appearance.

But his presence was entirely different.

This child had none of Aron's chilling, unsettling aura.

Instead, he was refreshingly clear and innocent.

That a child with Aron's face could look up at her with such bright eyes felt strangely awkward.

"Hmm, so..."

Selena hesitated, then spoke cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Hello!"

Ivan immediately smiled brightly and greeted her.

Emilia smiled and explained.

"Ivan, this is Princess Selena—the one who helped you back then."

"...!"

Ivan's eyes went wide. He threw his small arms around Selena.

"Thank you for helping!"

Selena blinked at the unexpected embrace.

"Thanks to you, I get to stay with Emilia longer!"

"Ah."

After a brief moment of surprise, Selena carefully wrapped her arms around the child.

How long had it been since she'd held a child this young?

The last time was when she'd held her little sister in her arms the night before she was sent away, patting her back as she sobbed.

The memory brought a pang to her chest.

But soon, she answered with gentle eyes.

"Yeah."

Ivan grinned and ran back to Emilia's arms.

Emilia held him and said to Selena.

"This is Ivan's first time at a festival, so he's really excited. Oh, and it's my first time too."

Selena nodded.

The child, even in Emilia's arms, kept glancing toward the festival street—like a puppy ready to bolt the moment he was set free.

"This is my first time at a festival like this too."

"Oh, really?"

At the Duchess's surprised reaction, Selena felt a little embarrassed.

"Actually, Lucas has been asking me to come along for a while, but..."

Since she was already out of the palace's attention, she could have sneaked out with Lucas for a day.

But the reason she hadn't—

Selena lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her sleeve.

"I made a promise to my sister."

At that, Emilia paused.

Her sister?

"Ah—not Aron. My little sister."

Selena quickly added, noticing Emilia's puzzled look.

"We promised that when we were older, we'd go to the festival together. But now we can't."

Every festival season, Lorelai had wanted to go outside.

Seeing her, Selena had wanted to take her—even if she couldn't give her anything else.

"When you're a little older, I'll take you out somehow, no matter what. Lorelai."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

But in the end, she couldn't keep that promise.

Because the one she'd promised was no longer there.

So every festival season, Selena buried herself in work to ease the guilt.

Lucas had noticed and invited her to the festival many times—but she always refused.

This year, however, was different.

Lucas seemed determined not to back down.

He'd even pouted and complained to her, uncharacteristically.

"Well, given that you didn't tell me about such an important matter, I suppose you wouldn't want to go to a festival with a mere knight like me."

"..."

In the end, having been at fault, Selena had no choice but to agree.

More than that, the hunting competition had taught her something.

Thanks to the Duke and Duchess, I've bought myself until I come of age—

But now she knew that at any moment, she could be separated from Lucas.

She didn't want to leave behind regrets like she had with Lorelai.

Even if she couldn't keep her promise to her sister, letting this time—which might never come again—slip by would have been truly foolish.

That was probably why Lucas, too, had been more persistent than usual.

Selena smiled at the Duchess, who had been quietly watching her.

"I didn't want to cling to the past and lose what's precious now."

"..."

"Ah, was I too heavy?"

"No, not at all."

At Selena's awkward expression, Emilia quickly shook her head.

Just then, laughter from the crowd drifted over on the breeze.

Selena smiled faintly.

"I'm glad I came out."

But there was still a hint of bitterness in her expression.

Emilia looked at her steadily and spoke.

"Your Highness. What if you didn't think of this as a trip to enjoy the festival?"

"...Pardon?"

Selena looked at her in surprise.

Emilia smiled playfully.

"You're here with Sir Lucas, your escort, today."

She nodded toward the crowded area.

"On a day like this, it's also part of a royal's duty to observe how crowded the streets are, what stalls are set up, and whether anything dangerous is happening."

"..."

"Your Highness isn't here to enjoy the festival—you're here on duty."

Emilia added with a gentle smile.

Selena blinked.

"Then it's not at all that you broke your promise to your sister—"

Her kind voice continued.

"Don't feel so guilty. You came out to perform your royal duties diligently, didn't you?"

Emilia tilted her head, as if asking for agreement.

"That's true."

Finally, Selena nodded, her expression lighter.

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