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“Let’s go to the resort in Gerban first, and if there’s no one there, we can go to the empire.”

“Okay.”

Going back was an inconvenience, but Aymon nodded.

He, Belinda, and Mazetto were walking along a snowy forest road. Well, Aymon was the only one walking – Mazetto was on his head and Belinda was in his arms.

The forest terrain was rough, so he would carry her until they reached the wide plains and he could turn into a leopard.

They stayed in the forest hut for a week. They had thought that Belinda would recover in three days, but after what happened to her, her trembling body and depleted force couldn’t be helped in face of the cold wind.

After being taken care of by Aymon the whole week, she finally improved.

Everyone must be worried…

Lucy, in particular.

She recalled Lucy’s last cries after her, making her worry even more.

A quiet voice suddenly came from above her head.

“Calm down – worrying won’t change anything.”

He was always so childlike, but he had to pretend to be an adult at these times. Nodding at Aymon’s advice, she hugged his neck tighter.

She rocked around pleasantly with every step as she stopped thinking and closed her tired eyes.

“Could it… Could it still…”

The Emperor asked in a gloomy voice.

The knight who’d searched the river and the sea for Belinda bowed.

“I’m sorry.”

A heavy silence fell as the Emperor sat down and rested his chin.

“Am I forcing them? I said to find a clue, but it’s so…!”

He stopped talking and slowly stood up.

Was it a mistake to bring her in the first place?

He believed that he’d saved her from the slums and given her a new life, but he never expected that his choice would lead to her death.

The royal family’s vacation period was coming to an end. He’d return to the empire, and the poor child locked in the river would float with the ice forever.

He pulled aside the curtain and stared out the window. Even the blizzard had stopped over the field’s shivering trees.

After a long time looking out the window, chasing an afterimage, the Emperor hardened. He narrowed his eyes, then opened them in surprise.

A giant black leopard was walking through the snowy field leisurely. The brightly shining, vivid spirit stone on his forehead was visible in the distance.

It was a Shinsu.

And there was a woman sitting on its back.

“Belinda!”

The Emperor rushed out of his spot.

“Your Majesty?!”

The servant behind him picked up a thick cape with a confused expression.

Belinda wasn’t conscious. She arrived at the resort lying on Aymon’s back, wondering if the royal family could still be there.

They’d come without much thinking.

She wasn’t an important person – who would be sad at the death of a princess living as if locked up in a separate palace?

Of course, Lucy would be very sad, but she’d be the only one. Now that Lart was friends with her, he even might let out a sad sigh.

Since she was a royal, she’d have a grand funeral, but no one would really be sad.

Then, something strange happened. The white-faced knights rushed in.

“Princess?”

“Are you all right, princess?!”

Worries mixed with fury erupted. A big man went up to Belinda and told her he was glad she’d made it back alive.

She greeted them all with a blank face.

Very friendly for a royal, Belinda was popular among the knights and palace workers, though she didn’t know it.

There were frantic cries of “Princess!” everywhere as Lart came running in. After he heard the commotion, he looked out to spot Belinda and ran in a frenzy.

“What the hell happened?”

Lart suddenly became angry, his face distorting as if he was about to cry. Belinda stared at him with a puzzled look.

“No, I said I’m not angry! I…”

Lart swallowed his breath, along with his emotions. Unable to hide them, he dropped his shoulders.

“I’m glad you’re alive. Really. I’m so glad to hear it.”

His voice cracked. Although he didn’t cry, his voice revealed relief and sadness.

“What the hell happened… I thought you fell into the river…”

Belinda cautiously got off Aymon’s back, revealing that he was very tall compared to her, but especially compared to the downcast Lart with his slumped shoulders as she patted him.

His reaction might have been awkward, but his feelings seemed very sincere, making Belinda upset too.

“Did you worry a lot? I’m sorry. I fell into the water, lost consciousness, and got hurt, so… I wasn’t in the condition to come any earlier.”

It was weird. She was the one who’d almost died, but her brother needed comforting.

Consoling the shivering Lart, she whispered to him in a low voice, trying to get him to stop.

‘Your expression is no joke. Can a great royal do this?”

Lart murmured back jokingly, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

“Whatever. I’ve already cried in front of you and begged you for mercy.”

He was talking about the childhood incident of Aymon beating him up. In spite of his light jokes, he still seemed a little emotional.

The black leopard scratched the icy floor with his claws, carving sharp marks in the hard ice. His whiskers twitched, as if he didn’t like what he was seeing.

He had no intention of interfering with the siblings’ dramatic reunion, but seeing Belinda so closely attached to someone else was an eyesore.

Belinda let go of Lart and looked around.

“Where’s Lucy?”

“She passed out.”

“Passed out? Why?!”

“She’s been crying since you disappeared and can’t even get up.”

His voice died down, as if he still had something to add. Thinking of Lucy seemed to be painful for him.

As Belinda patted his shoulder, there was a commotion behind him.

“Belinda Ryn Athez.”

She heard a heavy voice calling her. It was her father, the Emperor.

Belinda hesitantly turned around. The Emperor, who was rarely seen excited, approached with a contorted face.

The servant following him tried to put a cape onto his shoulders, but he threw it off and walked on. The knights behind his back greeted him.

Belinda stared at him and gave a hasty greeting as he came nearer.

“Your Majesty, I am sorry to have troubled you. I should have contacted-”

She was cut off by a tight hug from him.

“You survived, Princess. My daughter is alive.”

She wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or to himself.

“…..”

Belinda barely nodded, awkwardly cringing her fingers.

Was this real? Had he really called her his daughter?

She never thought her father would recognize her as his daughter. It took her coming back from death.

She thought he would only ever show affection for Lart and Adelai, but it seemed like a weak something was left over for her too.

Belinda clenched her fist as she felt the Emperor’s endless worries, with no idea of how Aymon felt, standing behind her alone.

After so much time only receiving crumbs of attention, it was hard to figure out how to react with everyone focused on her.

“Princess!”

Belinda gently stroked Lucy’s back as she hugged her tightly. Her shoulders were wet with Lucy’s hot tears. She was told that since her disappearance, Lucy spent her days crying, neither eating nor sleeping properly. Her shoulder bones were exceptionally visible.

Lucy cried, hugging Belinda so hard that it hurt.

“I knew it. I knew you weren’t dead…”

“I’m sorry. You’ve been worrying a lot, Lucy, haven’t you?”

Belinda, also heartbroken, leaned her head onto her shoulder.

If she had known that she wasn’t even eating, she would’ve run regardless of what happened to her ankle.

As her arms shook, Lucy told her how glad she was to see her back.

Belinda closed her eyes and listened to Lucy’s wet breaths. Then, remembering something, she bit her lips and patted her on the back.

With the thought, her eyes shone sharply.

Later, as soon as she changed her clothes, she left her room looking for the person she had in mind.

Aymon, who was sitting right next to Lucy, pouted.

“Where are you going?”

“Are you bored, Aymon?”

「Yeah. I’m going with you.」

“No.”

Belinda pushed the black beast back, but he didn’t budge an inch.

「I want to go, too. What if it’s dangerous to go alone?」

“We’re in the hotel. I’ll be fine.”

I have to go and threaten someone.

She murmured inwardly and tapped him on the nose.

When Aymon’s expression didn’t relax, she looked around, rubbed her cheek against his and kissed him on the nose.

The leopard’s body stiffened.

Not missing his embarrassment, she pushed him back in, closed the door, and left before he could follow her.

She soon arrived at Duke DeHill’s room.

“Princess Belinda is here.”

An urgent voice rang as the servant announced her.

“Le-let her inside!”

She followed the vigilant servant into Duke Ruberos DeHill’s room.

He was sitting on the sofa, looking at Belinda as she approached him, dumbfounded.

The royal daughter who came back from death after his actions was approaching him. There was no evidence of what he’d done, and no one doubted him, but he couldn’t help feeling nervous.

“What brings you here…?”

“Why, is there a reason I shouldn’t be here?”

There were sharp spikes in her words.

“No, of course not! I’m just so glad you personally came here.”

Duke DeHill shook his head and invited her to sit on the sofa.

After comfortably settling in, she got to the point. She thoughtlessly pulled out a knife to show the duke, who had turned blue.

“Do you really hate me that much, Duke?”

“…Excuse me?”

His body stiffened at the sudden words. He stood still as he was about to sit down.