The duo landed in the middle of an oriental garden. Hugo landed in the pond full of colorful fish. It was no mere teleportation spell. Such a spell was a parlor trick that only amounted to flying at incredible speeds in an intangible form. The power of an angel was far beyond that. Where she wanted to go, she would be, before she could even finish the thought.

The downside was that it could be hazardous for passengers.

“You okay?” Hildebrand asked.

Hugo pulled his trousers up to reveal the colorful orange fish fused into his leg.

“Yeah,” he said. “Just doing some fishing.”

Hildebrand stifled a laugh. With a point of her finger, the carp popped out, and the water drained out of Hugo’s trousers and shoes and left him dry as a bone. She even cleared a dry path for him in the pond.

“This is… The Shin family estate?” Hugo asked.

“That’s right,” Hildebrand said. She looked up at the pink trees and the violet flowers resting in their shade. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“You’ve been here before?” Hugo asked.

“No, but isn’t it beautiful?” Hildebrand answered. The Far East was on the opposite end of the continent, beyond the World’s End. She had heard stories of it and entertained guests from there, but this was a first for her.

“Yeah, it is,” he said.

“Hugo!” A woman in modest black robe stepped out into the garden. “What are you doing here?” She ran up and practically threw herself at Hugo, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hildebrand couldn’t help but notice the slightest limp as she ran.

“Yuna,” Hugo answered. He didn’t sound as excited as he had the first time he saw her.

Hildebrand always felt awkward when she happened upon the two lovebirds. So at least that was normal. She eyed an unknown man standing off in the distance along the ornate wooden walkways. Like Yuna, he had long black hair, but unlike the wild animal crawling all over Hugo, the man’s hair was neatly tied into a ponytail crowned with a golden hairpiece at its base.

Hildebrand waved him over. On closer examination, he was handsome, yet pretty. She had been staring at his foxy eyes, the long lashes, and the deep ruby-red eyes with pure white pupils so hard she didn’t even notice he was standing right before her. He was as tall as Hugo, but slenderer and more elegant. Hildebranded professed to hating pretty boys, but that wasn’t actually the case. She just found Greg, the resident pretty boy, annoying, and all others were guilty by association.“Hello,” she greeted, putting on her best smile. The trademark Saintess Smile captured the hearts of many men, too many, in fact.

The man bowed slightly. “Greetings,” he said. “Are you Sir Hugo’s friend?”

Hildebrand looked over to Hugo. “I’m traveling with Hugo,” she said.

He turned his head slightly as he examined her. He asked, “May I ask how you arrived here?”

“Teleportation magic,” lied Hildebrand. “I’m well-versed in it.”

“Interesting,” he answered. A slight smile crept onto his face.

Then the man put his hands together and bowed deeply. “I greet the venerable holy woman. I’m Crown Prince Shin Ryu.”

Hilde put her hands together and imitated his bow, going even lower. “I greet the Crown Prince Shin Ryu, I’m Hildebrand.” She held her bow, not realizing how quickly Ryu had raised his head.

He cleared his throat. “Please, Lady Hildebrand. You don’t need to accommodate me. You’re our guest.”

“Oh,” Hildebrand said, rising from her bow. “My apologies. I’m not familiar with your customs.” Yuna had always just nodded as a greeting, no matter who it was, and the foreign guests Hildebrand had met followed western etiquette.

I guess I was spoiled, she thought.

“Please, you don’t have to apologize. I appreciate your gesture. In fact, I apologize,” he said. “We haven’t shown you any hospitality. I’m ashamed.”

Hildebrand wrestled with her smile. “Not at all,” she said, “I’m apologetic for coming unannounced. Hugo wanted to see Princess Yuna.” Long-winded aristocratic pleasantries were exhausting, because Hildebrand had to guard herself against thinly veiled snubs and mockery. But at least Prince Ryu seemed to be genuine. But that was a problem too. As she did with the Legato brothers, Hildebrand felt the urge to drop the mask of the Saintess with Prince Ryu.

“I see. Thank you for visiting, Lady Hildebrand. It must have been a tiring trip. I’m grateful Hugo and Yuna have a good friend. Unfortunately, I’m afraid I must cut your reunion short, I’ve come to retrieve my sister,” he said, gesturing to Yuna.

Hildebrand watched as Prince Ryu greeted Hugo, who offered a handshake like a cultureless oaf. He was always like that… So good at annoying her. Even as Prince Ryu tried to make small talk to break the ice, Hugo only gave simple one-word answers. She wanted to smack him over the head for being rude.

That’s Yuna’s brother, thought Hildebrand. You idiot.

“I apologize, Sir Hugo, Lady Hildebrand. You’ve both come a long way,” said Prince Ryu. “But Shin Yuna is late for betrothal training. If it’s any consolation, I’d like to invite you to have a cup of tea with me.”

“Ok,” Hugo answered. He patted Prince Ryu’s shoulder. “No problem, Ryu.”

“She has betrothal training?” Hildebrand asked. “For her marriage to… Him?” she asked, pointing at Hugo.

Prince Ryu’s shocked face looked as if she had called Hugo an idiot, no, as if she had she had pointed at Hugo with both hands and yelled “that dumbass?”

“Ahem.” Prince Ryu answered, “Yes, Lady Hildebrand. Yuna is still a princess. And Sir Hugo is the Hero.”

“Don’t mind her, Ryu,” said Hugo. “Hilde can be a little… Unladylike. And just call me Hugo.”

Hildebrand’s hands curled into fists. The thought of smiting Hugo briefly crossed her mind. She shook her head. Doing that would only prove him right, she thought.

“Ah! I understand. You and Lady Hildebrand are very close,” Prince Ryu observed. “But if you break my sister’s heart… I’m afraid I’d have to kill you, Hugo, hahahaha!”

Hugo joined in, “Hahaha! You can try! I’m the Hero you know!”

“What is a Hero to a dragon?” Ryu replied, laughing.

Hildebrand stared at the two oafs, fuming underneath her crumbling smile. Hugo had a strange way of dragging people down to his level. If one spent too much time with him, they’d be wrestling in the mud with him, where he reigned supreme.

“You’d have to be an idiot to love this guy,” she thought aloud. “Oh, oops.”

“Ahem, that’s my mistake,” Prince Ryu said. “My apologizes, Lady Hildebrand.”

“Hey,” Yuna said. Her voice was sharp and annoying. “Who the hell are you anyway? And what are you doing with my Hugo?”

The Yuna Hildebrand knew was calm and pleasant in presentation, if not a little blunt. When the old Yuna called Hildebrand “stupid,” it was with a calm voice and air of maturity, somehow. But for the woman standing before Hildebrand now, two words sprung to mind, Shitty brat.

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This is why I didn’t want to come down, thought Hildebrand. It would have been ideal if Hugo just made his decision quickly, without calling her down. She still couldn’t understand why he did. Was he displeased with something? Despite his awkwardness, it didn’t seem that way. Even his anger had largely dissipated.

“We’re just acquaintances,” Hildebrand replied.

“Who’s this harlot?” Yuna asked to Hugo.

Hildebrand’s eye twitched ever so slightly out of control at Yuna’s words. She forced a wide grin and answered through her teeth, “I’m Hugo’s traveling companion. I’m highly skilled in teleportation magic.”

“Did I ask you?” the brat barked.

“Shin Yuna!” called Ryu. “Be gracious towards our guests.”

“You too, Hilde,” Hugo said.

I didn’t do anything though? thought Hildebrand. Why are you only mean to me? Hildebrand huffed out of her nose. He was just being petty. So what if she killed thousands, maybe millions of people? Wasn’t he happy with the new world?

Yuna crossed her arms and huffed, blowing a lock of hair out of her face in exasperation. “Fine,” she muttered.

“You should get going, you’re late,” Prince Ryu said.

Yuna gave Hildebrand one glare before rolling her red eyes and stomping away with the slightest limp. She lovingly called Hugo’s name one more time and blew him a kiss before disappearing around a corner.

“I hope you can be good friends with Yuna, Lady Hildebrand,” Prince Ryu said.

“Forget it,” Hugo said. “They never got along.”

“I see. Then please continue to be good friends with her,” requested Prince Ryu.

“I don’t really know her anyway,” Hildebrand said, rolling her eyes.

“Hahaha! I see.” Prince Ryu folded his arms behind his back. “Would you care to join me for tea? I’d hate to send you away so soon.”

“Yes, of course,” Hildebrand said.

“Excellent!” Ryu said. “We have a saying, ‘You can only get to know someone over tea.’”

“What about beer?” Hugo asked.

“Alcohol works just as well,” Ryu said, “but I’m afraid I won’t be serving that today.”

***

Hildebrand tried to copy Prince Ryu’s strange way of kneeling, but her ankles were going numb. It was a mystery he could sit like that for so long. She glanced over at Hugo who sat on the floor freely, one leg out and one leg bent, his arm resting on his knee and knuckles tapping against the low, wooden table.

Hildebrand wasn’t sure if she could call Hugo a friend, but the Hero and the Saintess occasionally found themselves together in grandiose dance halls underneath gilded chandeliers, hand-in-hand, or side-by-side in seats of ivory and silk as the guests of honor before an audience of nobility. He knew decorum, and he knew better.

Why are you being like this? she wondered. One possibility came to mind. Hugo did always narrow his eyes at foreigners.

“Hey,” she mouthed, elbowing Hugo’s side. “Hey,” she mouthed again. When she got his attention, she gestured to herself and to how she was sitting.

“Lady Hildebrand, please sit comfortably,” Prince Ryu said.

“Ohoho,” Hildebrand chortled. “You’re so gracious Crown Prince Ryu. Please call me Hildebrand.” She stretched her legs as soon as she got permission, kicking them straight out. She hit something hard on the other side of the table.

Hmm, she thought. It took her a few more kicks and a few glances at Prince Ryu’s growing impatience to figure out what she was kicking.

“Oh! Sorry!” she blurted.

“It’s okay,” said Prince Ryu. It didn’t sound okay. His gentle tone was gone. In its place was something more strained and lower, like a growl. “I did tell you to make yourself comfortable.”

Hildebrand blushed.

“So, Ryu,” Hugo said. “Is Yuna happy with the engagement?”

Prince Ryu tilted his head a little. “Of course, why do you ask? All she talks about is you.”

“I see,” Hugo said.

“Doesn’t this oaf worry too much?” Hildebrand asked, smugly. “I told you, it’s perfect.”

Prince Ryu stifled a laugh with hand, but like a balloon, he burst out into laughter with a loud noise. “Bahahaha!”

Hugo apologized, “Sorry Ryu, she can be a little- you know.” Hildebrand knew he meant “rude.”

Prince Ryu continued laughing, hitting the tea table with his palms.

That’s rich coming from the oaf who keeps calling the Crown Prince by just his name, thought Hildebrand.

“Haha…” Prince Ryu finally calmed down enough to say, “No, it’d be better if you were casual with me.”

He gazed into Hildebrand’s eyes with his piercing red eyes. She understood what Hugo saw in Yuna. She wanted to look away but couldn’t.

“Isn’t it stuffy?” he asked. “Pretending to be something we’re not.”

Hildebrand tried to smile, but it came out misshapen. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Ah!” Ryu leaned back and stretched his legs under the small table, so much so that his sock-covered toes wiggled next to Hildebrand. “Now that’s a difficult question,” he said.

“Is it?” Hildebrand asked.

“Isn’t it?” he replied. “Do I look like a prince to you?”

Hildebrand was too curious to be annoyed by his roundabout replies. Instead of furrowing her brows in frustration, she stared in relaxed contemplation.

When her examination came to an end she answered, “Yes.” But it quickly changed to a “Maybe,” as many pensive answers did.

“I don’t know,” Hildebrand concluded.

“You’re wearing the prince’s uniform,” Hugo said.

“If one wears human skin,” Ryu said, “does that make them human?”

“Close enough,” Hugo said.

“Close enough to human?” Ryu laughed. “What does that even mean!”

Hugo shrugged. For once, Hildebrand felt Hugo had given the appropriate response. She shrugged too.

***

When the tea finally arrived, Hildebrand received the cup she was hoping not to receive. At a distant first glance, it was interesting, but at two glances she could see the fractures that had been mended with a pale gold that clashed with the muddy red porcelain. It wasn’t merely an interesting pattern; the cup had been shattered once, and however elegantly it was mended, it was far from perfect. It was a broken pile, masquerading as a whole by dressing its wounds up in an eye-catching exuberance.

When Hildebrand held the cup in her hands, she could feel the heat spilling out of the cup’s golden scars. It was uncomfortable. It was no good.

“Hey, Ryu?” she asked. “Could I get a different cup? This one…”

“Is broken?” he asked.

“Well…” Hildebrand couldn’t hide the annoyance in her voice. “It seems a bit… unique to serve guests.”

Ryu chuckled. “I’m sorry. Of course.” He gestured to a servant, who seemed to understand right away.

“Why did you fix a cup, anyway?” Hildebrand asked. “Was it special?” It didn’t seem special to her.

“Hmm, not at first.” Ryu took the cup and stared into it. “A friend gifted it to me,” he said. “But when I received it, it was broken. Or maybe it was broken from the start. That friend liked to play pranks.” He held it up like it was fine art. “One day we had a fight, and we didn’t speak to each other again after that.” Ryu’s eyes quietly lingered on the fractured cup, admiring it in its entirety.

“What if it was just a joke?” Hildebrand asked.

“Haha, that is a possibility.” Ryu brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “But if I disregarded that friend’s earnest feelings, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. So, I choose to believe it wasn’t just a joke.”

That’s just foolish optimism, thought Hildebrand. She didn’t see the point in that kind of faith.

He put the cup down gently, like it was something precious. “It took me a long time to mend it. I did it by hand, you know,” Ryu said, looking pleased with himself. He passed the cup back to Hildebrand. “I’m glad I didn’t just discard it. It turned out to be my most precious possession.”

“What if it broke again?” Hildebrand asked.

Ryu smiled. “If that’s a threat, please don’t.”

“It’s not!” Hildebrand said. “Geez.”

“I know,” Ryu said, chuckling. He put his hands together on the table and said, “I would fix it again.”

“Why?” asked Hildebrand.

Ryu opened his mouth and closed it again to think about his answer. “To be able to use it again.”

Hildebrand had always been able to read between the lines until now. Ryu’s answer baffled her. Either he was being as literal as Hugo could be, or he was speaking in tongues, also like Hugo. The mystique was overrated.

“I hope you can see why it’s precious to me,” said Ryu.

Hildebrand stared into the cup and watched the tea ripple ever so slightly. The gold veins that held the cup together shined in the mild green liquid, creating the impression of dancing emeralds.

Hildebrand looked over to Hugo, whose hair still covered his eyes with a dark shade.

“Maybe,” she said.

But when the new cup came, she accepted it, returning the mended cup to Ryu.

“It’s too precious for someone like me,” Hildebrand said.

“Hahaha, well, I guess I can’t win everyone over,” Ryu said. He held the cup once more and examined it.

Hildebrand smiled and asked, “Do you tell every girl that story?"

“Only the beautiful ones,” he answered.

Hildebrand squeaked. She could feel her cheeks flush.

“Don’t tease me,” she warned, pointing at Ryu.

“Hahaha! No one’s ever been so interested in it,” Ryu said. “That’s all.”

“Hey Ryu, are you happy?” asked Hugo. “Your friend…”

Ryu looked at Hugo, and then at the cup. He lingered and lingered on it. And finally, he answered, “Yes. I’m happy.”

Hugo nodded. “Sorry to pry like this.”

“Not at all. I’m happy to have friends who are so interested in me,” Ryu said.

“By the way,” said Hildebrand. As long as they were prying. “Did Yuna hurt her leg? I noticed she was limping.”

“Hmm? She’s always limped,” said Ryu.

“Since when?” asked Hildebrand.

“She suffered from a disease when she was younger. She almost lost the use of her legs.” He sighed. “She wasn’t as lively as she is now.” Ryu smiled. “Those were dark times.”

Hildebrand nodded and said, “I had no idea.” Hildebrand looked at Hugo, who calmly sipped on his tea. “Should I have a look?” Hildebrand asked to Ryu. “Maybe I can help her.”

Ryu waved his hand dismissively. “No need. She’s very proud of it. I am too,” he said. “It’s a reminder of what she overcame, like a trophy.”

“Is that so…” Hildebrand said.

“Thank you, Hildebrand,” Ryu said. “For being a good friend to her.”

“No,” Hildebrand said. “I’m just—”

“She’s just sweet and sour,” Hugo said. “Or sour and sweet. Mostly sour.”

Hildebrand smacked Hugo’s chest with the back of her hand. “Shush, you!” she said.

When Hildebrand turned back to Ryu, he was quietly laughing to himself, trying to cover his entire face with his hand. “I was asking for you,” Hildebrand said. “For you, Ryu.”

“She’s being sweet right now, Ryu,” Hugo said. “Pretty rare.”

“Is that right? Thanks for letting me know,” Ryu said. He continued to giggle to himself until he pressed the back of his hand to his lips. “It seems I’ve made some good friends today,” he said. “I hope we can continue to be friends from now on.”

Hugo didn’t respond, even when Hildebrand nudged his thigh. She had to answer in his stead, even though it would be a lie. “Of course,” she said.

Ryu closed his eyes and smiled.