The carriage carrying Aila, whom Winfred had dreamed of even in his dreams, gradually approached and stopped right in front of where he was standing.
He stared at the carriage door with a trembling heart, imagining it opening and the person he was waiting for walking out.
It was as if time only flowed slowly here; every movement felt slow. His heart felt like it was going to burst.
However, contrary to his expectations, the first one to get off the carriage was not Aila.
“You’re already here, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Have you been waiting long?”
It was her father, Roderick.
“...No. Father and I just arrived, so don’t worry about it.”
Winfred tried hard not to show his disappointment, but unfortunately, he wasn't very good at hiding his expression, and Roderick caught on to his dejection.
Of course, Roderick didn't really care, since he already knew that he wasn't the one the Crown Prince was eagerly waiting for.
“Her Majesty the Empress...?”
“Oh, Mom wanted to come too... but she was sick and couldn’t come.”
Winfred grimaced as he thought of his frail mother.
She had always been unwell since giving birth to him, but lately she had been spending more and more days in bed.
“Winfred, why don’t you go and escort the Princess out of the carriage?”
At that moment, Hiram, who had been sitting on his chair, stood up, patted his butt, and spoke. It was an offer Winfred couldn't refuse.
As he stood in front of the carriage with a tense expression, Aila finally appeared. She seemed to have grown a little taller since the last time he saw her.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I am Aila Hailing Weishaffen.”
When did she acquire such perfect etiquette? Aila gently grasped the hem of her long coat, which reached down to her toes, and bowed politely. It was a dress-like coat, cinched at the waist and flowing outward in a voluminous manner.
With a proud and sharp expression and impeccable manners, she was the epitome of a perfect lady.
Somehow, he kept seeing her from a few years ago, wearing white pajamas and introducing herself with the surname 'Weishaffen'.
“Yeah, ni, nice to meet you.”
Winfred extended his hand to her.
He wanted to hit himself on the head for stuttering like an idiot, but he couldn't show himself that pathetic behavior in front of Aila.
Aila carefully took Winfred's hand and looked at him.
Just as the girl who wore the white lace nightgown has grown and changed, Winfred has also changed a lot.
He had grown significantly taller, and his voice had changed. His voice, once cracking due to voice change, was now a calm, beautiful voice.
Although he still had the bright and innocent expression of a boy, his appearance had grown, and he was closer to an adult man.
When Aila first saw him, she thought his facial features resembled Byron's and felt bad, but now that he looks at him, his impression is completely different.
Since a person's personality naturally reflects on their face, perhaps it was only natural.
The sharp, chiseled jawline and delicate, pretty facial features somehow made Aila's heart race.
It was a brief moment of getting off the carriage, but that moment of holding hands felt like an eternity.
And then, a little later.
“Noah is here too. Noah, we must greet His Majesty.”
Ophelia got out of the carriage, greeting Noah cheerfully while holding him in her arms.
At that moment, Winfred and Aila let go of their hands in surprise, as if they had just woken up from a sweet dream.
“Wow, Noah! Is that really Noah? I really don’t recognize you!”
Winfred walked briskly towards Ophelia and Noah, fanning his face for no reason.
Although he may have exaggerated a bit to hide his embarrassment, it is also true that Noah's transformation was truly amazing.
He was a newborn who couldn't even control his own body, but how did he grow up so quickly in the time it took Winfred to see him?
Noah didn't have much hair before, but now he has a lot more.
But unlike Winfred, who was delighted to see him, little Noah was so afraid of the stranger's appearance that he clung to his mother's arms and would not let go.
“It’s a shame. I used to come here so often...”
Winfred pouted. Before Aila returned, he'd been stopping by every chance he got, stamping his gaze. Now, he'd forgotten. It was a crushing feeling.
"A few months is almost a lifetime to a child, Your Highness. How can he remember when that happened? We need to become close again from now on."
As Ophelia spoke with a big smile, Winfred sighed deeply.
He has to win Aila's heart, become a trustworthy man and win the hearts of Roderick and Ophelia, and he has to befriend baby Noah again.
The road ahead felt so long.
As the hot sunlight poured down on the calm lake, the water turned golden.
The royal family and the Duke of Weishaffen sat in a tent overlooking the lake, enjoying the peaceful scenery.
They didn't really need to do anything. Just sitting there leisurely felt healing.
He stared at the carriage door with a trembling heart, imagining it opening and the person he was waiting for walking out.
It was as if time only flowed slowly here; every movement felt slow. His heart felt like it was going to burst.
However, contrary to his expectations, the first one to get off the carriage was not Aila.
“You’re already here, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Have you been waiting long?”
It was her father, Roderick.
“...No. Father and I just arrived, so don’t worry about it.”
Winfred tried hard not to show his disappointment, but unfortunately, he wasn't very good at hiding his expression, and Roderick caught on to his dejection.
Of course, Roderick didn't really care, since he already knew that he wasn't the one the Crown Prince was eagerly waiting for.
“Her Majesty the Empress...?”
“Oh, Mom wanted to come too... but she was sick and couldn’t come.”
Winfred grimaced as he thought of his frail mother.
She had always been unwell since giving birth to him, but lately she had been spending more and more days in bed.
“Winfred, why don’t you go and escort the Princess out of the carriage?”
At that moment, Hiram, who had been sitting on his chair, stood up, patted his butt, and spoke. It was an offer Winfred couldn't refuse.
As he stood in front of the carriage with a tense expression, Aila finally appeared. She seemed to have grown a little taller since the last time he saw her.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I am Aila Hailing Weishaffen.”
When did she acquire such perfect etiquette? Aila gently grasped the hem of her long coat, which reached down to her toes, and bowed politely. It was a dress-like coat, cinched at the waist and flowing outward in a voluminous manner.
With a proud and sharp expression and impeccable manners, she was the epitome of a perfect lady.
Somehow, he kept seeing her from a few years ago, wearing white pajamas and introducing herself with the surname 'Weishaffen'.
“Yeah, ni, nice to meet you.”
Winfred extended his hand to her.
He wanted to hit himself on the head for stuttering like an idiot, but he couldn't show himself that pathetic behavior in front of Aila.
Aila carefully took Winfred's hand and looked at him.
Just as the girl who wore the white lace nightgown has grown and changed, Winfred has also changed a lot.
He had grown significantly taller, and his voice had changed. His voice, once cracking due to voice change, was now a calm, beautiful voice.
Although he still had the bright and innocent expression of a boy, his appearance had grown, and he was closer to an adult man.
When Aila first saw him, she thought his facial features resembled Byron's and felt bad, but now that he looks at him, his impression is completely different.
Since a person's personality naturally reflects on their face, perhaps it was only natural.
The sharp, chiseled jawline and delicate, pretty facial features somehow made Aila's heart race.
It was a brief moment of getting off the carriage, but that moment of holding hands felt like an eternity.
And then, a little later.
“Noah is here too. Noah, we must greet His Majesty.”
Ophelia got out of the carriage, greeting Noah cheerfully while holding him in her arms.
At that moment, Winfred and Aila let go of their hands in surprise, as if they had just woken up from a sweet dream.
“Wow, Noah! Is that really Noah? I really don’t recognize you!”
Winfred walked briskly towards Ophelia and Noah, fanning his face for no reason.
Although he may have exaggerated a bit to hide his embarrassment, it is also true that Noah's transformation was truly amazing.
He was a newborn who couldn't even control his own body, but how did he grow up so quickly in the time it took Winfred to see him?
Noah didn't have much hair before, but now he has a lot more.
But unlike Winfred, who was delighted to see him, little Noah was so afraid of the stranger's appearance that he clung to his mother's arms and would not let go.
“It’s a shame. I used to come here so often...”
Winfred pouted. Before Aila returned, he'd been stopping by every chance he got, stamping his gaze. Now, he'd forgotten. It was a crushing feeling.
"A few months is almost a lifetime to a child, Your Highness. How can he remember when that happened? We need to become close again from now on."
As Ophelia spoke with a big smile, Winfred sighed deeply.
He has to win Aila's heart, become a trustworthy man and win the hearts of Roderick and Ophelia, and he has to befriend baby Noah again.
The road ahead felt so long.
***
As the hot sunlight poured down on the calm lake, the water turned golden.
The royal family and the Duke of Weishaffen sat in a tent overlooking the lake, enjoying the peaceful scenery.
They didn't really need to do anything. Just sitting there leisurely felt healing.
“...Alright.”
Hiram muttered, staring at the lake's surface through half-closed eyes. The misty sky was always sweet.
“Oh, no.”
Hiram, who was halfway to falling asleep, was suddenly shaken awake by Ophelia's stern voice.
Noah was reaching out his hand as if he were entranced by the various refreshments laid out on the table.
“Noah shouldn’t eat this stuff yet. Here, here’s Noah’s.”
Ophelia soothed the baby and placed a plate in front of him. It was a plate of bland baby biscuits, barely seasoned.
But Noah, dissatisfied with his own paltry food compared to the colorful cookies and cakes, turned his gaze towards the whipped cream cake Winfred was eating.
Winfred couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat as the baby looked at him with sparkling eyes.
His parents said no, and he couldn't just give it to him, but seeing his innocent eyes made him want to give it to him again and again, so he was troubled.
Noah didn't throw a tantrum or cry like most children; he just stared at him, but that alone was painful enough for Winfred.
“I’m sorry, Noah. I can’t give it to you...”
It was when he was crying and making an apology that he couldn't understand.
“Excuse me, can I go for a horse ride?”
Aila, who had been fidgeting and wanting to get on the horse, opened her mouth.
“Of course. Have a nice trip.”
Ophelia answered with a big smile.
"I wonder if anyone would say she's not Roderick's daughter. She seems to enjoy riding horses. Unlike most people."
Hiram smiled mischievously, nodding at his son, and Winfred hurriedly covered his father's mouth. He couldn't miss the opportunity to be alone with Aila.
“Who would hate it? Who would hate it! I wanted to ride a horse too, so I was about to get up...!”
“Huh? Since when did our Win start liking horseback riding so much? It’s strange...?”
“Be quiet!”
Winfred followed Aila, his face flushed red, and he grumbled.
It was so annoying that a father, rather than helping his son's love life, was interfering with it.
When they arrived at the lakeside promenade, servants were leading two horses.
Winfred's horse was a dark brown horse with glossy fur, and Aila's horse was Windstay, a white horse she had received as a birthday present.
He stared at the sight, lost in thought, thinking that the horse suited Aila very well, but then realized belatedly that Aila's attire was inappropriate for horseback riding, and he opened his mouth absentmindedly.
“I, I....”
"Yes?"
But before Winfred could finish speaking, Aila had already transformed into a perfect horseback riding outfit. She was wearing a riding outfit underneath a long coat.
Aila, wearing a tight-fitting black vest over a loose-fitting white blouse and white riding breeches underneath, tied her hair high with a sky-blue handkerchief and blinked slowly as if to ask if there was any problem.
“It’s nothing.”
Winfred, feeling embarrassed, shook his head with an embarrassed expression.
Aila seemed ready to mount, and she took her place in the saddle with a nimble and skillful posture.
“Your Highness, you must get on your horse quickly.”
As Winfred looked at Aila with a blank expression, Joseph, who was standing next to him, spoke in a quiet voice.
“Yes? Yes...”
He mounted his horse with a clumsy, almost awkward appearance. Compared to Aila, he looked utterly unattractive.
‘...If I had known this would happen, I would have practiced more.’
Winfred started his horse with a sad face.
He heard that Aila was exceptionally talented, but he assumed that since she'd only just begun learning horseback riding, her skill wouldn't be that different from his, who had been riding for a long time... This was a huge misjudgment.
As soon as she got on the horse, she started to move ahead at a tremendous speed.
The horseback riding he'd imagined with Aila was a leisurely stroll along the lakeside, chatting away... Unfortunately, the reality was that just following her trail was a daunting task.
After running for a while, Aila belatedly noticed Winfred barely catching up, panting, and stopped her horse.
“Shall we take a break and go? Let’s have a chat.”
After making sure there was no one around, Aila asked in a small voice.
She wore a slightly embarrassed expression. She was so absorbed in the cool breeze on her face and the speed of the ride that she had been so embarrassed that she had neglected her precious friend.
At her suggestion, Winfred nodded with a very happy face.
“Yeah, good!”
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