---
The calm of the estate was shattered by the flutter of royal messenger flags.
Cassian stood beneath the grand pavilion when the royal falcon descended with a scroll bearing the King's crest. His hands were steady as he opened it, but his brow furrowed as his eyes scanned the message.
"To His Grace, Prince Cassian of House Verdan, and Her Grace, Crown Princess Celestia of House Aurellia—
You are hereby summoned to the royal palace within seven days' time to discuss the final arrangements regarding your union…"
He exhaled slowly. It was coming. The marriage talk that had long been looming in the background was now drawing to a close. No longer rumors. No longer possibilities. The King was making it law.
Celestia stood nearby, watching his reaction carefully. When she read the same letter a moment later, she simply smiled.
"I knew this day would come," she murmured. "It was only a matter of time."
Cassian glanced at her, unsure of the taste in his mouth. Bitter? Resigned?
But all he could think of was a boy with see-through bangs and soft hands, smiling without knowing how radiant he looked.
---
Meanwhile, far from the commotion, Aiden sat beside the lake, his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them. The sky had turned orange, casting long shadows over the water. Shinomi sat beside him silently, arms stretched behind his back, gazing into the horizon.
Aiden spoke first, voice low. "Why do you always watch me?"
Shinomi's gaze didn't shift. "Because you're reckless."
"That's not true."
"You swim in the pond alone. You sneak food from the kitchen. You climb trees when no one's looking. That's reckless."
Aiden laughed softly. "Maybe I just want to be noticed."
Silence again.
Then Aiden turned to him, heart pounding. "Shinomi…"
Finally, Shinomi looked at him. For the first time, their eyes held—no avoidance, no sidestepping, just the full weight of a silent, slow-burning storm.
"I didn't fall for you because you're a prince," Aiden said, voice barely a whisper. "Or because you saved me. I fell because you always stood in front of danger—even when no one noticed. Because you see everything. Even me."
Shinomi stared.
Aiden reached forward, fingers brushing Shinomi's sleeve. "I know I'm not supposed to feel this way. But I do."
"…You're not a prince," Shinomi murmured finally. "You're something else. Something dangerous."
Aiden blinked. "Dangerous?"
Shinomi stood abruptly, looking away, fists clenched. "You make me forget what I'm supposed to be."
Aiden stood too. "And what are you supposed to be? A puppet to the Queen's love? A knight who never chooses his own path?"
Their eyes clashed.
Shinomi was the first to look away.
"I need time."
Aiden nodded slowly. "Take all the time you need. But I won't hide how I feel."
As Shinomi walked away—rigid, unreadable—Aiden turned back to the lake. His heart was still pounding. His cheeks flushed. And somewhere deep down, he already knew:
Nothing would be the same from now on.