Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the princess did not care about the atmosphere and continued the interview with the duke.

“When we get married, Os- Lord Osmar, is there anywhere in particular that you would like to go on our honeymoon? I have heard about this villa by the sea and supposedly the sand on the beach is pink and shaped like stars. I have wanted to visit the area ever since.”

“I have been away from my lands so long that sometimes, they still feel foreign enough to me. Truly, in my eyes, no place can compare to the warmth of my own home. There are supposedly some very beautiful places in my territory as well that I have not seen yet. It would never be too late to visit them.”

“Oh. I have never really been outside of the palace. There are so many beautiful places here as well. Do you see those gardens down there? That is the garden that my grandmother prepared. She still tends it occasionally, though most of the time, tending it personally is too laborious a task for her. I grow herbs to help with her pain in my own garden, but something keeps getting to the herbs and killing them. I don’t know why they keep dying when I have been doing everything I can to try to keep them alive. Do you know anything about horticulture? Or do you know anyone who does?”

“Apart from Veit, I do not believe that I know anyone who has knowledge of horticulture that could help you,” the duke responded.

Adela turned to face Veit. “Wow, you know about horticulture? Do you think you could help me tend my herbs so that they stop dying and I can help my grandmother?”

Veit politely responded. “I will see if the meager knowledge I possess can be of assistance to Your Highness, though I am not being humble about the amount I know about horticulture. I merely know some basics.”

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“It would still be very helpful to me. Any assistance would be useful. I have been trying to grow the herbs secretly as a surprise so I cannot ask my grandmother for help, even though she is the only one I know who knows anything about horticulture.”

“Couldn’t you ask one of our gardeners about it?” Prince Albin asked.

“I could, but they all speak with Grandmother. I do not want to risk having the surprise spoiled. The main gardener who looks after my garden, Charee, does not seem to understand why the herbs won’t grow either, and she is the only one I trust not to spoil the surprise, either deliberately or unintentionally. She is well-versed in tending to flowers and shrubberies, but herbs seem to be beyond her scope of knowledge.”

“Everyone has areas in which their knowledge is lacking,” the emperor reassured her. “I could entrust this matter to those with great knowledge over plants, if you wish, and I could have them all sworn to secrecy and prevent them from meeting my mother so that they have no opportunity to divulge the surprise.”

“I appreciate the offer, Papa, but if Duke Osmar’s assistant, um, Veit, is going to help me, then I do not believe it is necessary to go to all that trouble. Thank you anyway, though!” She smiled brightly at him. “Oh, and speaking of areas in which one is lacking, do you have any such areas, Duke Osmar?”

The duke flinched in surprise. “Many. I have spent almost the entirety of my life since entering adulthood on the battlefield. I am lacking in knowledge of social decorum and etiquette, and I have not heard many of the events that have happened over this time, except where it pertained to my life and death. But I have become very familiar with how to utilize my magic for combat, and not many sorcerers can claim to match my level of skill there. I do not mean to boast, of course. I am simply stating an objective fact.”

“Do you have any interesting stories from your… adventures?” the empress carefully asked.

“I have many stories, but I am afraid they are all a bit too inappropriate for the current setting and company,” the duke replied, taking a sip of tea. Veit nodded along to validate his response.

Even more, I try to forget the things I saw and the things I did out there. So many lives have been lost to me, and not all of them were the monsters…