The quiet warmth of the morning lingered—until footsteps approached.
Swift.
Measured.
The head butler stopped just short of the table, bowing slightly before stepping closer to Alexis. His voice dropped low, meant only for him.
"Your Highness… there is an urgent summons from the palace."
Alexis's posture straightened almost instantly.
"The allied delegation has arrived ahead of schedule," the butler continued. "There is… some unrest among them."
A brief pause.
Then, more carefully—
"Princess Koreleva of the northeastern nation, Neumolimy, has requested an immediate audience. It is said she bears urgent concerns regarding her homeland."
At the mention of her name—
Something in Alexis shifted.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
The ease in his expression sharpened into something more guarded. His shoulders squared, his gaze steadied, and the warmth that had lingered moments ago tucked itself neatly behind a composed exterior.
He pressed his lips together briefly.
"I will meet the delegation first," Alexis said, voice calm, decisive. "Then the princess."
The butler bowed. "Understood."
Only then did Alexis turn back to Hiral.
A flicker of apology crossed his face.
"It seems…" he began, glancing at the table, "our breakfast will be cut short."
Hiral had already set his utensils down.
He wiped his mouth with quiet grace, as if the interruption had never mattered.
"It is of no concern," he said evenly.
Then, after a beat—
"You should see to your duties."
He rose from his seat.
"But before that," Hiral added, "escort me back. It would be troublesome if your war prisoner wandered off unsupervised."
There was a faint hint of humor beneath the words.
Alexis smiled.
"Of course."
They walked back together.
Side by side.
Despite the urgency hanging in the air—neither hurried.
Even with the urgent matter clearly at the back of their minds, both kept quiet.
As they reached the room, Hiral stepped inside without pause.
But Alexis—
Lingering at the doorway.
Hiral turned, one brow lifting.
"What is it?"
For a moment, Alexis said nothing.
Then, with apologetic sincerity—
"There is nothing between me and Princess Koreleva."
A pause.
"Our relationship is purely diplomatic."
Silence hung for a heartbeat.
Then—
Hiral guffawed unexpectedly.
Uncharacteristically so.
The sound was so full it almost shook the room.
"I did not entertain that notion even for a moment," he said, still amused.
Alexis blinked.
Then narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…You didn't? Really?"
"Not at all."
Hiral stepped closer.
There was a glint in his eyes now—something sly, something knowing.
"Even if there were such a relationship," he added lightly, "it would not change the fact that I am… special to you."
Before Alexis could respond—
Hiral placed a hand against his chest and gave a small push.
Just enough.
The door closed between them.
For a moment, Alexis simply stood there.
Then he let out a quiet breath—
And shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips.
"…He really—"
The words trailed off into a soft laugh.
Then, with renewed energy, he turned and headed to his chambers.
To prepare.
For the delegation.
For the princess.
And for whatever storm awaited at the palace.
Alexis returned to his chambers with a bit of bounce in his steps as he recalled Hiral's eyes full of mischief and sly glee, though the urgency of the summons lingered beneath his composed exterior.
Servants moved quietly as he entered, already preparing fresh garments befitting a formal audience. Layers of deep blue and gold were laid out—structured, regal, unmistakably royal.
He dismissed them with a small gesture.
For a moment, he stood alone.
Then began to change.
As he adjusted the cuffs of his attire, his thoughts drifted—
To the name that had shifted the air earlier.
Princess Koreleva.
A beauty spoken of in whispers across the continent.
A royalty that even surpassed Empress Shana's reputation when it came to being influential in the continent.
Cold.
Refined.
Sharp in both mind and ambition.
But Alexis knew better than most—
When it came to her nation—
Relentless. Passionate. Merciless. Iron Clad.
A ruler in all but name
There was something similar about Hiral and her when it comes to their commitment to their nation.
Both were firm and cunning.
And...
Once, she had set her sights on him.
She proposed a political marriage.
A union that would bind Ro and Neumolimy together—strengthening trade, consolidating influence, tightening her nation's sway over the continent.
Alexis had admired her ambition then.
Her clear vision of the future for her nation .
Her devotion.
Her willingness to do whatever it took to elevate her people.
But marriage—
He had never believed it was the answer she sought.
So instead—
He offered something else.
A deal.
One that would give her nation more than a princeling with no claim for the crown ever could.
Advanced tools.
Refined agricultural systems.
Methods that could enhance their present tactics in transforming even the harsh, frozen lands of Neumolimy into something thriving.
Something sustainable.
Practical and effective.
He still remembered her expression.
The moment she realized what he was offering.
Interest.
Calculation.
Then—amusement.
"You're far more insightful than you look, Alexis."
She had laughed then.
Lightly.
Coldly.
"At this rate, I might prefer that you rule over Ro since it's more beneficial to us if you do. With that thought in mind, I might just send assassins to deal with your uncle myself."
King Rhion.
King who demands obedience through violence not a really ideal partner.
Someone who pursued prestige and glory without truly thinking about his people, a person the princess finds truly repulsive.
Still, the military might of Ro was something the Princess Koreleva couldn't overlook.
Alexis had only shrugged at the time.
With diplomatic smile, Alexis only commented about the princess's great humor.
He also made a passing reply-
"If you must send anything," he playfully commented, "send me people who can move in the dark."
There had been a pause.
Then a smile from the princess.
Sharp as frost.
And not soon after Alexis found himself an elite team who could work in the shadows, courtesy of the princess.
That was six years ago.
He had been nineteen.
Now—
As Alexis fastened the final clasp of his attire, his gaze drifted to the table nearby.
The handkerchief.
Hiral's handiwork.
Snowdrop and hawthorn intertwined—delicate, intricate, beautiful.
He stepped toward it slowly.
Picked it up.
His fingers brushed over the embroidery, tracing the careful stitches.
Then—
He brought it close.
Pressed it lightly against his chest.
"…Hiral."
The name left his lips in a quiet whisper.
The thought of Hiral spending precious hours to make him a token so intricate, so special, and just imagining Hiral made such a thing with Alexis in mind, made it more precious.
Alexis allowed himself a small, resolute smile.
Marriage huh…
He could not entertain such thing at the moment, but when everything was settled, then maybe…him and Hiral…
So if Princess Koreleva—or anyone else—brought up marriage…
He would refuse.
Without hesitation.
Without negotiation.
Such matter was reserved to the person in his heart, no one else.
He placed the handkerchief neatly into his chest pocket.
Where it would be seen.
Where it would stay close.
An unpretentious token that declares him as Hiral's.
With a wide smile, Alexis turned toward the door.
His expression defaulted to one that demands respect that fits his position of king-to-be.