When the engagement between the crown prince and the second princess was decided, Seratina had an opportunity to meet Duke Grigio once and requested the dissolution of her engagement with Schwartz.
From the first time they met until now, Schwartz's heart had only ever seen Lucia. Continuing like this wouldn't make anyone happy. Only Duke Grigio was fixated on Seratina.
She expected that if only he could be convinced, everything would be settled smoothly, but Duke Grigio only told her that he would never allow the engagement to be broken or dissolved. If it was a mage with magical power and talent who was also the daughter of the Platine family that boasted the kingdom's greatest wealth, there would be many nobles who would want her. Duke Grigio was at the top of that list. That was all.
In the room that contained only the minimum necessary furniture due to his personality of not wanting to place things in his room were Crown Prince Rowen and the empire's Second Princess Esterize. A desk, chair, bookshelf needed for work, and two sofas for entertaining guests.
"That's why I told you, didn't I? Since it's a room without any charm, you should make it a guest room for entertaining dignitaries."
"I was the one who suggested it. Please don't worry about it."
This was Rowen's room. He had made it integrated because it was troublesome to separate and travel between his office and private room. Therefore, it had become a simple interior with absolutely no unnecessary items placed.
"By the way, where did Lord Caeruleum go? The moment he entrusted the princess to me, he disappeared."
"I don't know either... but..."
Esterize said that when departing from the empire, he had mentioned there was someone he absolutely had to meet. His absence from the recent crown prince's birthday party was because he had contracted an infectious disease and although he had recovered, those around him advised that the period right after recovery was the most dangerous. The crown prince had also advised him, so he gave up on attending.
They frequently exchanged familiars to communicate, and he should have made it in time for the birthday party, but Esterize was still dejected about it, so Rowen comforted her. This visit was realized through Esterize's strong desire, with the empire's greatest mage Feres Caeruleum accompanying her.
However, Esterize added.
"The one who probably wanted to come to the kingdom most was Lord Caeruleum. I'd like to know what kind of person the one he wants to meet is."
"Didn't he tell you?"
"No. But he said 'my very precious person,' so it must be someone he loves."
"I see. When he returns, I'd definitely like to hear about it. Princess, shouldn't we change rooms soon? This place really isn't suitable for entertaining you."
"Hehe. I've been curious about Your Highness's room for a long time, so I was being selfish, but let's take our leave around here."
"That would be helpful. Next time I invite you, I'll increase the furniture."
"I look forward to it."
The two stood up simultaneously, and when Esterize took Rowen's offered hand, they left the room. Of course, the guards who had been in the room did too. They decided to resume tea in the garden that the queen loved dearly and headed specifically to the south garden, which had particularly good sunlight.
…
The husband from her past life whom she had reunited with after about fifty years kissed her palm and said he would continue to love the reborn Seratina unchanged.
His attitude of expressing love straightforwardly wouldn't change no matter what form Seratina took. Learning that Seratina had been Feres's wife in her past life, Lance seemed to have a certain question and asked.
"Hey, miss. It's fine that you were Feres's wife, but you have a fiancé now, right? What are you going to do?"
"Well..."
Even though she had a fiancé, he was infatuated with another woman and they were mutually in love. Even if Seratina wished for the engagement to be dissolved, Duke Grigio would never accept it.
"Miss Seratina. You said your fiancé is in love with the kingdom's saintess, right? When the engagement between the crown prince and second princess was decided, didn't he request to dissolve the engagement?"
"Now that you mention it, he didn't."
Seratina hadn't questioned it until it was pointed out. However, she continued.
"The one who strongly desires the engagement between me and Lord Schwartz is Duke Grigio, so even if Lord Schwartz wanted to be engaged to Lady Lucia, he probably just couldn't say anything."
He was the head of the premier ducal house, a noble with power second only to the royal family. Even as his son, it would be impossible to voice an opinion to his father without extraordinary resolve.
"Surely... Lord Schwartz is waiting for me to request the dissolution of the engagement. If I step aside, he can finally be engaged to Lady Lucia."
"That's cowardly. But are you okay with that?"
"Good or bad, I have absolutely no attachment to Lord Schwartz."
And that was probably the same for Schwartz.
"I understand that even if Sera dissolves her engagement, there's no problem for the other party. That's enough for me."
"Feres?"
"Do you remember the characteristics of the fairy race?"
"Yes. ...Huh?"
When told this, Seratina had a realization and fearfully asked, but Feres only closed one of his eyes playfully and said nothing. In her past life too, Feres had courted her like this. The fairy had certain characteristics that humans didn't have.
Lance had heard the conversation and seemed to understand somewhat. He conversely asked Seratina what the problem was.
"Hey... Feres is currently working as a mage in the empire, right?"
"Yeah. The emperor's personal one."
"...That means he's quite an important mage, right?"
"That's right. But if I say so, the emperor won't probe deeply, and if I said I was leaving the empire, he would definitely try to stop me."
"Ah, I see... that's right... of course..."
Seratina understood well what Feres wanted to do and what he wanted to say. She understood, but she didn't like standing out and felt a slight headache.
Seratina forcibly ended the conversation saying they should call it a day, and Feres looked at her with dissatisfaction, but realizing that the time was approaching to return to the castle where he had left the second princess, he sighed reluctantly.
"Oh right, Sera, take this."
"Hmm?"
She received a small bag he took out from his pocket. He said the contents were fairy dust.
"Officially, you wanted fairy dust, right? I've properly delivered it."
"Thank you, Fer."
She carefully stored the fairy dust that only fairies could make, and they decided that she would leave first since it would be conspicuous if they left the private room together. As she was leaving, he kissed her cheek saying "I'll come see you again soon, so wait for me." It was exactly the same as in her past life. Carrying her loving feelings for Feres, Seratina left the guild.
…
More had happened than she had imagined. She was surprised to learn that the reason for her reincarnation was Feres, but it was a feat that only a fairy who had lived for a long time could accomplish. She was glad that he remembered her, loved her, and had waited for her. It was the moment when her heart felt most fulfilled in this life.
Her cheeks were slightly hot, so they were probably red. Hoping they would return to normal by the time she got back to the mansion, Seratina headed toward the waiting carriage.
"...Seratina...?"
Witnessing Seratina looking bashful from behind a building, Schwartz appeared secretly and was stunned. Concerned about Seratina who had run off saying she had urgent business, he had followed her and arrived at the guild. Curious about what a duke's daughter had come to do, he had waited intending to call out to her when she came out.
However, Seratina who came out of the guild had an expression he had never seen before. Seratina had platinum hair and blue eyes true to the Platine name and had been a girl who looked lonely from the first time he met her.
He had heard from Duke and Duchess Platine that she was treated coldly despite only having magical talent, but he felt her loneliness probably wasn't due to not being loved by her parents.
As his duty as a fiancé, he had visited the mansion several times, but even when seeing her sister Elsa being loved by their parents, Seratina never showed any emotion. Only when she was with Schwartz did she show that lonely emotion.
"..."
He had Lucia. Someone he had always liked.
But why?
I can't stop thinking about Seratina.
Schwartz continued to stare blankly at Seratina's retreating figure... Feres looked down at him from the building's window.
"What's wrong?"
"..."
Lance called out to Feres, who showed no signs of leaving the room. The moon-harboring blue eyes that had been directed at Schwartz quickly changed from a dull, dark color to a bright color and turned toward Lance.
"It's nothing."
That was Seratina's fiancé.
Thank you for not loving my precious woman, you fool.
.....
The moment she returned to the mansion, Seratina was called out by her mother as expected. She erased the expression she had when leaving the guild and turned around expressionlessly. But her mother was right behind her and had raised her right hand. By the time she noticed, pain shot through her cheek. A dry sound rang out, and the gazes of the servants around them gathered on the two.
"Where did you go alone without a guard or maid? Even though your father graciously gave permission for you to eat in the dining room this morning, you sulked alone and ate in your room, then went out alone? Act a little more appropriately as the daughter of Duke's house!"
Her mother was visibly in a bad mood, so arguing back was forbidden. When she meekly apologized, her mother seemed somewhat satisfied and threw her a jewel she said she had bought for Seratina yesterday. It seemed Elsa had put in a word for the purchase. She picked up the sapphire necklace that had fallen to the floor, sighed, and returned to her room. At that time, her mother scattered angry shouts from behind, but she didn't care.
Why did Elsa tell their mother to buy jewelry for her?
The quality wasn't very good and the design looked cheap. She probably wanted to line up herself wearing luxury goods with Seratina wearing cheap items to bask in a sense of superiority. She sighed again.
She quickly applied ice created with a spell to her slapped cheek. When the door was knocked, she answered and Nadia came in. Seeing Seratina's condition, she immediately turned pale, but Seratina was used to it and shook her head saying not to worry.
"Nadia, weren't you told anything by mother and the others?"
"I-I'm fine."
"Good."
"Miss, I'll bring medicine for the wound right away."
"This is enough. I'll make medicine myself later. More than that, I'll give you this."
"?"
What Seratina held out was the sapphire necklace. The one her mother had thrown at her earlier.
"Yesterday, it seems Elsa put in a word to mother to buy jewelry for me. But I don't need it, so I'll give it to you."
"But if the mistress or Miss Elsa find out..."
"They'll probably forget soon. Even if I wear it, they just want to laugh at me wearing cheap things. In that case, I'll give it to someone other than me."
"I understand. I'll treasure it."
"Thank you."
If her mother was that angry, her father was probably equally angry. Even though Seratina had returned home, there was no summons, which suggested that her mother was bragging to her father that she had scolded her afterward.
The married couple didn't let up on tormenting their own child. They were a perfect match.
Left alone in her room, cooling her slapped cheek with ice, what she brought to mind was Feres. Her husband from her past life whom she had reunited with after about fifty years hadn't changed at all. There was a big difference between the lifespans of fairies and humans. She felt sorry thinking that after loving aged Seratina to the end and watching over her death, Feres had been alone all this time.
The fairy people had a certain characteristic that humans didn't have. Even for the long-lived them, meeting was called a miracle. Among the fairies who had encounters during their long lives, only a handful existed. Most either lived a long time without finding anyone or died.
"I was lucky. That's all."
"Fer..."
She found herself wanting to see Feres again even though they had just parted, and she smiled wryly. Until they reunited, she had said she would be satisfied with just one look.
Humans are greedy creatures, so once you meet someone once, you want to meet them twice, three times.