Even after returning to the Empire, Luias' mind was filled entirely with thoughts of Dahlia.
Whether he was flipping through documents or staring absentmindedly out the window, her face would appear unbidden.
'How can I see her again…? I can't just go to Rubere as I please…'
He was the Crown Prince.
Meeting a foreign princess in private was far from simple.
Entering Rubere without invitation would be considered discourteous, and if he acted openly, it could even spark diplomatic friction.
More importantly, Dahlia still had no idea that he was the Crown Prince of the Empire.
Luias pondered for days, turning the thought over and over in his mind. Eventually, he made a decision.
"Alright… we'll go secretly!"
To track the orphanage where Dahlia volunteered regularly, Luias quietly enlisted his secretary, Rex, to gather information.
After a few days, every detail he needed was in hand.
A smile spread across Luias' face.
"Good. Now all that's left is to go."
"Wait, Your Highness!"
Rex let out a deep sigh, shaking his head.
"I may have helped you, but this is not a place you can simply go on a whim. Your status—"
"The guards are lax."
Dius, Luias' personal knight, cut in calmly.
Rex shot him a sharp glare, but Dius continued without concern.
"I've already confirmed an infiltration route."
Luias looked at Dius with a satisfied grin.
Rex, watching the two of them, widened his eyes in frustration.
"...You're seriously saying you intend to sneak into the Kingdom of Rubere with His Highness?!"
Dius nodded expressionlessly.
By then, all that echoed in Luias' mind were the words 'guards are lax' and 'route confirmed'.
He jumped to his feet.
"Fine. On the next day Dahlia goes to the orphanage, we go too."
Rex buried his face in his hands and muttered.
"Really… I can't tell who's serving whom anymore. Hah—"
***
A few days later, in the Kingdom of Rubere.
A small orphanage sat in a modest village not far from the castle.
Dressed in plain clothes, Luias quietly crossed the border with Dius.
Hiding behind a patch of tall grass, he scanned the orphanage's surroundings—and then he saw her.
Dahlia, wearing a commoner's simple dress, was playing with the children.
Her presence was gentle, radiant, and warmly inviting.
"Da….."
He remembered that she still thought of him as "As," unaware that he was actually the Crown Prince.
"... Lia."
Luias called her name softly.
Dius remained hidden behind him, standing guard.
"Oh? As!"
Dahlia turned and saw Luias.
She smiled at him, and Luias' heart skipped a beat.
That smile eased the ache of longing he had endured when he wanted to see her but could not.
"Are you playing with the children here?"
"Yes! I come sometimes to play with them. They love it."
At that moment, a child nearby tilted his head curiously and asked.
"Dahlia, is this man your boyfriend?"
Luias' face instantly flushed bright red.
"I, I, I'm… Uh—"
Unable to speak, he froze, and Dahlia quickly stepped in.
"Oh! No. He's just a friend. He came to play with you today."
Luias hadn't planned to play with the children. He had come solely to see Dahlia. But before he knew it, he joining their games.
Hide-and-seek, dolls, and endless laughter.
The time flew by.
As the sun began to set, they bid farewell to the children and headed toward the capital's market to satisfy their hunger.
"Thank you for helping me today. "
Dahlia said first.
"You must have been busy with your new title recently."
"Ah… yes. It's been hectic. I finally have a moment to breathe."
Though he had truly been busy, Luias could not bring himself to tell the truth, so he responded with a faint, evasive smile.
"Then today, it's my turn to treat you. For helping me back then, and to celebrate your new title. The market has so many delicious treats!"
Dahlia brightly smiled, and Luias smiled as well in return.
"Alright, let's go. I want to try everything you recommend, Lia."
Together, they roamed the market streets, tasting food, laughing, and walking side by side.
By the time the sky glowed with the orange hues of sunset, the day they had spent together had become a short but vivid memory for Luias.
"Lia… today was really fun."
Dahlia smiled softly and nodded.
"I was supposed to repay you, but it feels like I got more from you instead, As."
"It's fine. I can treat you anytime."
"Nonsense. Next time, I'll make sure it's my turn."
Her playful promise made Luias smile with his eyes. Then he asked carefully.
"So… can I come again?"
Dahlia looked at him and nodded gently.
"Of course. Come anytime. We'll play again."
"Lia, I—."
Luias wanted to tell her the truth—that he was the Crown Prince of the Aureum Empire.
"Yes?"
Dahlia waited for him to continue.
The words hovered on his tongue.
But he wanted to keep meeting her like this.
He was afraid that if she knew the truth, Dahlia might refuse him and that he would never be able to spend time with her like this again.
So, once again, he swallowed the truth.
"... Sounds good. It's a promise."
He reached out his hand, and she took it lightly, laughing.
Luias pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Dahlia's hand.
"See you again, Lia."
"Yes, see you again, As."
The combination of her maturity and her childlike joy, her noble grace and simple delight in the common market.
It captivated Luias more and more.
That short day with Dahlia remained in his heart as a moment of pure, uncontrollable excitement.
Holding onto that feeling, Luias returned to the Empire.
***
Afterward, Luias attempted again and again to visit Rubere to see Dahlia.
But time never allowed it.
The Emperor's health worsened with each passing day, and Luias was forced to shoulder the Empire's responsibilities in his stead.
Endless work, reports, and meetings consumed him daily.
Yet even in the busiest of times, Dahlia never left his thoughts.
And before he had even reached full adulthood, the Emperor passed away.
Ascending the throne, Luias was immediately overwhelmed by responsibility, taking the heavy crown at an age younger than anyone else.
One late night, buried under a mountain of documents, Luias murmured to himself.
"…I wonder how Lia is doing."
He turned to Dius.
"Shall we… go see her, just once?"
Dius nodded silently.
"Your Majesty… what about all these documents piling up here?"
Rex pressed a hand to his forehead, resigned. But Luias smiled.
"Just for a single day. I'll be back soon."
Rex sighed, knowing better than to argue further. He also understood how exhausted and burdened Luias truly was.
A few days later, the young Emperor of Aureum set off once more, a rare smile on his face, secretly heading to the Kingdom of Rubere.