Prince Ryuuji was receiving the morning communiqués in the imposing throne room, a daily ritual that, since his brother's return, included the silent and attentive presence of Aleph in his role as Second Royal Counselor. Lord Clifford, the faithful assistant, announced the visitors with his usual formality.
That morning, a royal guard announced the arrival of an emissary from the Winter Kingdom. To everyone's surprise, it was Sir Ritz. His mission was clear: to collect the signed marriage contract and oversee the first shipment of provisions, a periodic delivery that would continue until the Winter's fragile economy had re-established itself.
Clifford led him before the throne. Ritz fixed his gaze only on Ryuuji, deliberately ignoring the figure of Aleph, who stood beside his brother with a clipboard in hand.
"Your Highness, as agreed, I have come to collect the signed contract," Ritz said, executing a perfunctory bow.
Before Ryuuji could respond, Aleph stepped forward. He received the scroll from his brother's hands and stood before Ritz. His voice, however, was a low, cutting whisper, calculated so that only the knight could hear, escaping Clifford's ears.
"King Hayden has remarkable courage to send you here, after what... you did." The pause was minimal, but heavy with meaning. "It's as if he's confessing: 'Yes, I was the one behind the attempt on Leticia's life'."
The color drained from Ritz's face. The shock was so great that he forgot all courtly etiquette, his voice ringing out louder than intended:
"What are you doing here?!"
Clifford, perceiving the breach of decorum, approached swiftly, indignation stamped on his features.
"Watch how you address the Prince of Autumn!" he reprimanded, his voice severe.
Pale and with visibly trembling hands, Ritz took the contract, nearly snatching it from Aleph, and took a step back, eager to distance himself from that threatening presence. Ryuuji, who had observed the entire scene with poorly disguised amusement, saw the look of pure terror on the knight's face. When Aleph serenely returned to his position, Ryuuji leaned over and whispered to his brother:
"What did you do to make him wear an expression like that?"
Aleph did not answer, and Ryuuji, with a slight shrug, signaled for Clifford to accompany Sir Ritz and arrange for the delivery of the provisions. Out in the courtyard, supervising the loading, Ritz could not contain his apprehension.
"Lord Clifford," he began, hesitantly, "Aleph... is he Prince Ryuuji's brother?"
"Precisely," Clifford confirmed, perhaps with a touch of pride in his voice. "He is the second in line to the throne of the Autumn Kingdom. He was graced with the highest marks in his training with Master Yoshi and is, without a doubt, the most formidable warrior in this Kingdom. He has never known defeat in combat and is the holder of countless skills and titles."
Clifford's words seemed to seal Ritz's fate. He swallowed dryly, understanding too late the magnitude of the power he had so foolishly underestimated.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes of the court, Duchess Hana, driven by her frustrated ambition, began to weave a web of intrigue. She subtly encouraged the ladies-in-waiting and other young nobles to ostracize Leticia, with the intention of making her abandon the marriage. Malicious rumors were spread like whispers in sumptuous corridors, and a calculated isolation began to surround the princess. Many nobles, out of envy for the prominent position she would occupy, or because they desired their own daughters in her place, joined in the coldness, avoiding her company.
Amidst this uncomfortable climate, Leticia learned that an emissary from the Winter Kingdom was present in the castle. With her heart aching with homesickness and a lack of news, especially from Laurenn, she hurried to seek information. During a break in one of her training sessions, she requested permission from the duchess to be excused, hoping that a letter might have been sent to her. Upon arriving at the designated location, however, she learned that Sir Ritz had already departed. She found only Clifford.
"Lord Clifford, by any chance, was a letter left for me?" she asked, hope warring with foreboding in her voice.
"Your Highness, I am deeply sorry to disappoint you," the assistant replied with genuine regret, "but the emissary came only to deal with the provisions and to collect the signed contract. No personal letter was delivered."
"I see. Thank you for informing me," Leticia said, her voice low, trying to disguise the pang of sadness.
Not even Laurenn had written to her. Little did she know that an affectionate letter from her brother, filled with longing and concern for her safe arrival, had been intercepted and destroyed by King Hayden before it ever left the Winter Kingdom.
The scene did not go unnoticed by some staff members allied with Duchess Hana, who witnessed the hope wilt on Leticia's face and soon began to whisper in a mocking tone, loud enough for others to hear:
"The princess didn't receive any letters from the Winter Kingdom. What a surprise..."
"It seems they've gotten rid of a burden, haven't they?"
"A bunch of opportunists, seeking only the advantages of our kingdom!"
Leticia began to feel with growing intensity the weight of the scornful gazes and the cold indifference that surrounded her. Malicious whispers followed her through the corridors; cutting remarks were made intentionally so that she would overhear them. The loneliness in this foreign kingdom became a constant and painful companion.
The discontent of a part of the Autumn nobility with the marriage was palpable. Many did not understand the alliance, seeing it as disadvantageous, a mere bailout for a kingdom in decline. They were unaware, or chose to ignore, the history behind the agreement: orchestrated in the childhood of Leticia and Ryuuji, at a time when the Winter Kingdom flourished with a prosperity that rivaled Autumn's own. Forgotten by the counselors over the years, the pact was resurrected months earlier when King Hayden, desperate, requested aid. It was King Ryuuichi himself who had advised his son Ryuuji, guiding him to make the fulfillment of the old marriage agreement the condition for sending the supplies. Ryuuji, although he had not exposed all his reasons to his counselors, made it clear that the order was sovereign and unquestionable.
Later, Leticia sought refuge in the palace garden, settling in the shade of a leafy tree with a book in her hands. She flipped through the pages distractedly, her eyes scanning the lines without truly absorbing them. Her mind was far away, immersed in thoughts that stubbornly filled her with a persistent melancholy.
"I must be strong," she sighed internally, the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. "I must endure this for the people of my kingdom; they depend on this alliance. But... there are moments when it is so difficult to deal with this loneliness..."
From the second floor of the castle, in the quiet of the vast library, Aleph watched Leticia through the window. Her solitary figure in the garden immediately caught his attention.
"Why is she alone?" he wondered, an uncomfortable tightness in his chest. "Why that saddened look? How I wish I could be by your side right now, Leticia."
His gaze fell upon a vase of fresh flowers on a nearby table. With an almost imperceptible gesture, he plucked a red rose and, using his unique ability, the flower simply vanished from his hand.
In the garden, Leticia started when a rose landed softly on the open page of her book. Surprised, she looked around, searching for the source of the unexpected gift, but there was no one nearby. It was as if the flower had fallen from the heavens, a small miracle just for her. With a mix of curiosity and a faint blush on her cheeks, Leticia picked up the rose, inhaled its delicate perfume, and, with a shy smile, carefully placed it between the pages of her notebook. The anonymous gesture warmed her from within; in a way, she felt welcomed. A brief comfort before she realized her rest period was over.
✧ Chapter Notes ✧
Aleph's Magical Portal Power: It is believed that this rare power was inherited through the lineage of his mother, Queen Hazel, although none of his known ancestors possessed it with such mastery. Aleph can project portals of various dimensions and complexities; depending on the circumstance and his will, these portals can be completely imperceptible to those around him. It was this ability that, during the journey to the Autumn Kingdom, allowed him to shorten distances between similar landscapes without Ritz or Werner ever suspecting. In addition to creating momentary passages, Aleph can also establish specific, fixed portals in certain locations, which can only be activated by a portal key.