Astra's gaze returned to the present.
"Ah, hello, Eric. Please, take a seat," she said, her voice calm, almost casual.
Edrick's brow furrowed. "Please don't call me that, Your Highness."
He sat down onto the couch opposite her, every movement measured and deliberate. Astra's smile remained, serene and unshaken.
"Come on, just think of it as a nickname," she teased lightly.
"No need. I don't like being called anything other than my name," he replied firmly, his tone edging on stern.
Astra listened intently, as if taking his words seriously. She nods slightly as if she understood his point. Then she smiled calmly at Edrick.
"Understood, Nick," she said softly.
Edrick nearly leapt from his seat, eyes widening. "It's not Nick… E.D.R.I.C.K. Edrick," he corrected, voice nearly rising, before forcing himself to speak politely again.
"Yeah, I know, Rick."
Edrick, "..."
Edrick stared at her in exasperation, wordless, eventually abandoning the argument.
"So… what brings you here?" Astra asked, flipping a page in her book.
"What, can't I even come to see my fiancée?" Edrick shot back, tone calm but laced with stubbornness.
"Of course you can," Astra replied lightly, not looking up from her book.
Edrick's eyes scanned the room. "This palace… it's changed quite a lot since before."
"I know, right," Astra murmured, her fingers brushing over the page, already absorbed in reading again.
Cassia entered silently, setting a small tray of snacks on the table before Edrick.
He glanced at them but quickly returned his attention to Astra, noticing her casual disregard. A spark of frustration flickered in his chest.
"Is this how you treat a guest?" he asked, voice quiet but pointed.
"You came to see me, right? You've seen me… now, shouldn't you be going back?" Astra replied, eyes never leaving the text before her. Her words were careless, yet without much emotion.
Edrick's lips pressed together, confusion and something deeper stirring within him. How could a person change so much?
She's so indifferent… she wouldn't even have spoken to me in such a cold, distant way before.
His chest tightened, emotions he hadn't expected surfacing. Suddenly, Edrick came to his senses and stood up abruptly.
What's wrong with me? Why do I feel sad about it? No.. No...
He shook his head and looked at Astra, who was still engrossed in her book. He bowed slightly, placing a hand on his chest.
"I should take my leave for today, Your Highness," he said, voice firm but tinged with something unspoken.
"Yeah, sure," Astra replied, nonchalantly.
Edrick stared at Astra for a moment, then left the room. Astra slowly lifted her head from her book and looked in his direction.
What's gotten into him today? she mused. After a while, she refocused entirely on her reading.
Time passed by quitely within the Black Rose Palace. the air within the Black Rose Palace was calm, as though the building itself had fallen into slumber.
Moonlight streamed gently through the tall windows, casting pale silver patterns across the polished floors.
All was still, save for the quiet footsteps of a handful of servants who moved like shadows—silent, precise, and swift.
Within Astra's chamber, the atmosphere was anything but idle. The young princess, draped in an elegant nightgown of pale ivory, sat poised on her couch, legs tucked beneath her.
Candlelight flickered across her features, softening the sharp intelligence in her eyes.
Cassia stood nearby, arms crossed, her gaze sharp but unreadable. She had noticed the subtle changes in the palace recently—small things that only someone observant would catch.
The five girls entered quietly, each moving with a practiced grace that no longer bore signs of hesitation.
One by one, they stood before Astra, each awaiting their turn. Cassia, stationed at the side, said nothing. She merely watched.
Astra glanced at them and then gently nodded.
"Go ahead," she said.
Lily stepped forward first, her cyan hair tied in a simple braid. Her expression was composed.
"I kept watch around the east wing and the kitchen areas. There's nothing unusual with the maids or the kitchen staff. However… one of the guards from the night patrol—Sir Hauser—was lingering longer than necessary. I pretended to drop a tray and caught his reflection in the glass. He seemed… watchful. Too watchful."
"And did he see you?" Astra asked, her tone calm.
"No, Your Highness. I moved before he noticed me observing," Lily replied, a hint of pride in her clear voice.
Astra nodded thoughtfully. "Good work."
Lily stepped back, her sister Lora coming forward next. They looked nearly identical, but Lora's energy was more reserved.
"I monitored the laundry room and servant quarters," Lora reported, voice even. "One of the junior maids, Flora, has been asking unusual questions. She pretends to indulge in idle gossip, but always turns the subject to the Princess—asking where you spend your time, who you speak with, even your moods."
Astra's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you confront her?"
"No. I pretended to be clueless and responded vaguely, as you instructed," Lora replied, composed.
"Good." Astra's approval was quiet, yet carried weight.
Lora stepped back beside Lily, Cassia raised an eyebrow. These girls, whom she had assumed were just timid little servants, were carrying out their tasks with remarkable precision.
Next came Ella, her reddish-brown hair pinned up in a neat bun. She spoke with measured ease.
"I watched over some servants and supply rooms. There was nothing unusual during the day, but during the evening I noticed one of the servant boy sneaking out a wrapped package. It was too small for food or tools. I followed him discreetly and found he handed it to someone at the back gate—someone cloaked."
"Did you identify the person?" Astra asked, expression calm, fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
"No, Your Highness. The angle was poor. But I memorized the face of the guard on duty who let them pass."
Astra's expression remained unreadable. "Noted. We will act on it later."
As Ella returned to her place, Melinda, the cook, moved forward. Unlike the others, her presence was more grounded, calm like a still lake.
"The kitchens remain mostly neutral. No one dares breathe a word of gossip where heat and knives dwell," she began. "However, I did overhear a conversation between a maid and the head gardener. They were whispering about 'the new imperial mage.'"
Astra tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "And how is that relevant?"
Melinda's voice was steady. "Because the one speaking was a maid named Jena. She's not usually present during kitchen hours, yet lately, she's been showing up often."
"The way she used the phrase 'new imperial mage' didn't sound literal—it was too deliberate, too repeated. I suspect they're using it as some kind of code to exchange information."
Cassia's gaze flickered with interest, but she stayed silent.
Astra's own expression turned thoughtful, unreadable, fingers lightly drumming the armrest.
"Keep observing her. Quietly," Astra instructed, her voice calm but firm.
Melinda bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Highness."