001

“It’s sunny.”


“I’ve been leaving the window open since morning because the princess said she’s coming today. You like this kind of view, right?”

The courtyard outside the window was clear. Even in early summer, a strong halo of light descended on the gray stone floor.
The sun was shining behind the servant’s curly hair, smiling with a proud face, and the loose scent of thyme permeated through the open window.


It was always as Laurent, the servant,  said. Kiriel liked this kind of scenery.

“I like it.”

Laurent seemed to want to sharpen the already-tight collar like a knife.


A ladybug that flew from somewhere sat on Laurent’s hair, which had been catching the thorns again and again.

“Why do you care about my conquests so much? It’s just a luncheon.”


“Oh, it’s been a long time since all members of the Empirion family reunited.”


“First of all, not all. And yes…”


“Haha, is it because it’s hot…?”

Whoa. Kiriel, who gently moved the ladybug over my index finger, broke it and lowered her body to meet her eyes. Laurent rolled her eyes openly.
It looks like she was hiding something, but if it was her mother’s order, there was nothing she could do about it. Kiriel beckoned her instead of asking for an explanation.
The collar meant it was okay to stop. Laurent, who had her collar upright with a sign of disappointment, brought her water.

“Yuriel isn’t coming. It looks like Ezekiel is coming?”


“A judge or a bishop, or even a princess or Confucius! No, can’t you just call me “brother”?”


“It’s been a long time since you’ve tried to guide my mannerisms like this.”

The stern Laurent put on a gloomy face. No matter how hard I tried to hide it from my owner, whom I had grown up with since childhood, it was bound to come out.
Kiriel tilted her head, looking down at the ladybugs that were still crawling on her fingertips.


It is not uncommon for different families to share their exchanges with each other at luncheons.
It was also common for them to wonder about Kiriel, the youngest princess.
But just because it was common, it wasn’t easy. Kiriel turned around and left the room.

Heat pulled her blonde hair up, revealing a slender, angular body under her neatly tied hair.Laurent followed with a trotter.

“An important guest must be coming. Don’t worry, you won’t have to hurt the face of the head of the family.”

“Uh huh, what was  that ladybug again? I guess I should have sprayed more repellents.”

“If it comes out from the food, would the luncheon be over a little sooner?”

Laurent, who was looking at the owner, shook her head. When she bounced his finger, the ladybug flew back over the window.

“It must be good, not having to attend an uncomfortable lunch. It flies around as it wants.”

“Ladybugs can’t be like knights.”

“I wish I also had wings. Then we would be able to fight much better.”

“I’m glad I don’t get judged because I’m surrounded by monsters

“I really don’t understand the humor code of the knights.”

“Isn’t that funny? The lieutenant has ruined all my habits, and they laugh so much when I do this.”

Laurent looked at the back of her master, who smiled lowly with a sarcastic remark.

The third princess of the Empirion family, the bastion on the battlefield, the commander of the Swan Knights, and the lightest sword cast by Beil.

What would people say if they knew that what Kiriel Empert hated the most was a family luncheon with strangers, which was neither a monster nor a war?

Laurent stood in front of the door, clearing the bitter thoughts of his master. Kiriel, who simply bit her hand, holding out the cloth, entered the dining room.

To be continued…