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Outside his closed window, the picturesque scene of Iyana and Easton enjoying a breakfast date played out like a romantic comedy, but Vyan remained stubbornly glued to his office chair.

Clyde, however, couldn\'t resist sneaking peeks at the royal romance unfolding outside.

"Lady Iyana and Prince Easton could be waltzing on the table out there, and Vyan would still not leave that chair," he muttered under his breath, making sure his voice wasn\'t loud enough for Vyan to hear.

After all, his usual knack for snarky commentary was silenced by the sight of Vyan looking utterly swamped and stressed out.

"Hey, don\'t stress too much," Clyde finally said, trying to sound comforting. "Everything will turn out just fine."

"I don\'t know, Clyde. We were supposed to leave for the Forest of Beasts about a week ago. Then, the epidemic came, followed by my sickness," Vyan sighed, his forehead buried in his palm like he was performing in a tragedy drama. "Even if we depart today, Jonathan is saying it will start raining on our way—"

"Hey, Jonathan is not a professional weather forecaster. He is just a gardener," Clyde deadpanned, rolling his eyes, "who, by the way, is wrong half the time."

"Even so, the probability of rain is still 50-50. Can you imagine how troublesome it might get for everyone?"

"Yes, but you can\'t afford to delay it any further. There is not enough time left before the festival."

It was crucial to secure the monsters below B-grade and bring them to the reserved forest—which was the hunting grounds for the festival. Since it was a festival only for nobles to partake, ensuring safety was of utmost importance. That was why this festival always took place in the reserve forest, not near the Forest of Beasts.

Once they would be brought to the reserve forest, they would be tested for any poisonous traits and then divided according to their grades and trained, especially the B-grade ones (as in, put under spells) so that they never end up killing the participants.

"I know," Vyan mumbled, sounding more like a deflated balloon than a determined host.

"Hey, relax, it will be fine," Clyde chirped, sauntering over to Vyan\'s chair and giving his shoulders a reassuring massage. "And if it doesn\'t, at least we will have a great story to tell. \'Remember that time we got drenched on the way to the Forest of Beasts?\' It will be a classic!"

As Clyde pressed Vyan\'s shoulder, a cacophony of cracking bones erupted, followed by an unexpected cry for help.

"Oww, oww, stop!" Vyan yelped, springing to his feet. "What did I ever do to you? Why would you torture me like this?"

"What do you mean? I was trying to help relax your shoulders with a massage," Clyde defended, eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"You call that a massage?" Vyan shrieked, eyes wide with disbelief. "That felt like you were trying to grind my bones into powder!"

"Wow, there really is no winning with you, is there?" Clyde let out, shaking his head and feigning disappointment. "You are so hard to impress. Pardon me for not being a professional."

"Oh, trust me, you could be a professional killer with those massaging skills!" Vyan shot back.

"You don\'t need to be that mean," Clyde pouted, looking like a kicked puppy.

"You know what? Get out," Vyan declared, pointing at the door. "Go out and make preparations. We are departing for the Forest of Beasts at ten sharp."

"Fine, I am going," Clyde drawled, ambling over to the door like a reluctant teenager. "Oh, I am supposed to inform Lady Iyana as well, right?"

Vyan was leafing through some papers when he paused for a brief moment before he mumbled, "Nope. There is no need for that."

"Why not? She is supposed to be your bodyguard," Clyde reasoned, leaning against the doorframe.

"That was before she knew of my abilities," Vyan responded, his voice as cold and sharp as a winter wind. "Now that she knows, there is no need to pretend I need protection. I am alone enough."

Clyde let out a sigh, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Fine, do whatever you wish."

Once Clyde left, Vyan reluctantly walked over to his partially opened window and subtly peeked out.

There, the beautiful imperial couple was sharing breakfast, with a smile adorning Iyana\'s face and a curious expression on Easton\'s.

Vyan\'s lips curled into a faint smile as he watched the scene.

"It\'s better for me if you stay behind," he mumbled to himself and gently closed the window, shutting out the world outside and the flicker of emotions that came with it.

–——

"Spence, is everything ready?" Vyan asked, strolling up to the front gate of the manor where two carriages awaited—one for him and the other for supplies.

"Yes. All we have to do is depart now. Clyde and the other mages are meeting us at the end of the Canisis district," Spencer informed him.

Vyan nodded, his mind already on the journey ahead. He sauntered over to his carriage, expecting the usual solitude.

Instead, he was greeted by an unexpected sight that nearly made him stumble back.

"Iyana?" he blurted out.

A mischievous grin spread across Iyana\'s face. "Did you really think you could ditch me so easily, Your Grace?"

"What are you doing here? Weren\'t you having breakfast with Prince Easton?" Vyan questioned, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"How long do you expect a woman to spend on one meal?" she retorted, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, get in first. We have got places to go, people to meet."

Still shaking his head, Vyan climbed into the carriage and took a seat opposite her. He knew there was no point wasting time by trying to convince her to back out now.

However, as the vehicle lurched into motion, he couldn\'t resist probing further.

"Still, shouldn\'t you be giving your fiancé some quality time, considering the effort he put into visiting you?" Vyan raised an eyebrow.

"Vyan," she said, locking eyes with him, "Prince Easton and I don\'t have that kind of relationship."

Vyan tilted his head, clearly confused.

She sighed deeply before continuing.

"To be frank, we are more like political chess pieces than star-crossed lovers," she explained coolly. "And since I know your secret, I will let you in on this one: Easton\'s little visit was all about public relations, not passion."

"But surely he must care for you—" Vyan started, only to be cut off by Iyana\'s scoff.

"Well, what do you expect from a man whose father has three wives and eleven concubines?"

Vyan\'s jaw nearly hit the floor at her bluntness. There were some things everybody knew but nobody spoke of. And the emperor\'s polygamous household was clearly at the top of the list.

"Even if he acts like he likes me now, it wouldn\'t take him a year to bring in a new wife or get a concubine. Actually, even a year sounds generous," she said blatantly.

"So, that is why you keep your distance from him?"

"Yes. It\'s not worth the emotional investment," she admitted, gazing out the small window in the carriage. "Not to mention, I am a very possessive person. So I don\'t want to be attached to a man who can\'t belong only to me."

Vyan chuckled softly, his eyes reflecting amusement. "Tell me about it. I have experienced your possessiveness firsthand."

Iyana\'s gaze softened, her voice tinged with a bittersweet tone. "Well, I wouldn\'t be surprised if you did. After all, I am only possessive of what I love. And based on the stories you told me, I held you very close to my heart back then."

Vyan knew this all too well. The intensity of her jealousy was something that had left an indelible mark on his memory.

What he didn\'t know was the fact she was consciously keeping an emotional distance from Easton, deliberately restraining herself from attachment.

"But if you don\'t feel anything for Prince Easton, wouldn\'t your life be miserable?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice.

Iyana leaned her head back and closed her eyes, a picture of resigned acceptance. "What can I do about it? I have no choice but to accept my fate. If I am meant to have a miserable life, locked within the four walls of the imperial palace, then so be it."

"You would even have to give up your post in the military," Vyan mumbled, his heart twisting with sorrow for her.

Iyana nodded, a serene yet defeated smile gracing her lips. "That\'s right."

A single tear escaped from the corner of her eye, glistening in the dim light, almost unnoticed. Vyan\'s heart clenched painfully at the sight.

She let out a heavy sigh and wiped the tear away with a determined swipe of her hand. Straightening up, she forced a bright smile.

"Don\'t worry. I will manage somehow! It\'s me we are talking about, after all," she assured, her voice trying to convey a confidence she didn\'t feel.

Vyan noticed the way her hand trembled, likely imagining how close her wedding date was—as if that day marked the end of her life as she knew it.

"Even so, don\'t you have any wishes?" he asked gently.

Iyana had always been a woman of ambition. She used to speak passionately about her goals—how she wanted to be the best swordsperson in the history of Haynes or rise to become the commander of the imperial military. Her focus had always been on things she could achieve through sheer willpower and determination.

But as Vyan reflected, he realized she had never spoken of her wishes.

There was a big difference between a goal and a wish.

A goal was something within her power to accomplish; a wish was something she could only hope for.

Her goals seemed destined to remain unfulfilled due to her situation. But surely, she must have a wish—a longing that might still be within reach. Perhaps he could make it come true?

"Of course, I do," Iyana replied with a wide smile. "It\'s a simple one—just like every other woman my age."

"What is it?" he insisted, leaning in closer.

"What else?" She closed her eyes, as if she were drifting into a sweet dream. "Being the number one priority in somebody\'s life."

Vyan\'s heart shattered at her words.

It was such an impossible wish. Just like her goals, her wish seemed destined to remain unfulfilled as well.

Because even if Easton did love her, she would never come before his father and his responsibilities to the empire.