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Chapter 13
Helicia stood right in front of Dovan’s door.
Lato knocked for her.
“Lady Helicia is here.”
With a loud crash from inside, the door opened quickly.
“Ah, you’re here.”
He was still smiling kindly, but his messy hair and the ink bottle lid rolling on the floor showed he had searched the whole room.
Helicia took out the pendant and held it out.
“Ta-da.”
Dovan immediately bent down to her level when he saw it.
“T-this is…!”
“I found it while walking with Lato! It’s yours, right?”
“Yes, yes! It’s mine! How did you know?”
“The picture inside looks just like you. I thought you were married.”
Dovan smiled awkwardly as he checked the portrait.
“I see. Blood really doesn’t lie.”
After confirming it, he carefully put the pendant in his pocket.
“Thank you so much. This is very precious to me.”
He was smiling, but his voice slightly shook.
It seemed like he was holding back tears.
Helicia proudly puffed her chest.
“Anyway, Lato said I got a letter. I want to reply.”
“Of course. Please come in.”
Dovan stepped aside.
Helicia walked in confidently and climbed onto a chair that was a bit higher than a child’s sofa.
Lato tried to help her but awkwardly lowered his hands.
“You can just ask me.”
“I can do it myself. Why? It’s not an emergency.”
“That’s my role as your guard.”
Helicia tilted her head.
Dovan handed her the letter with a smile.
“This is from Crown Prince Arzen.”
She opened it and read the neat writing.
To Helicia, blessed by the gods.
Thank you for caring about Arpessian’s health.
I look forward to seeing you at the birthday banquet.
Arzen Estar
Dovan brought a sheet of paper.
“You don’t have to reply to letters like this. They are just formal.”
Helicia stared at the paper.
“That’s all?”
“…Yes?”
“You only brought one? Bring more.”
Dovan picked up a few sheets.
“…This much?”
Helicia shook her head.
“…Then this much?”
She shook her head again.
Finally, Dovan held a thick stack.
“…This much?”
“Good. That’s enough.”
Helicia rolled up her sleeves and picked up a pen.
“I’ll keep sending letters until I get a reply.”
◆◆◆
Soon, Arzen’s birthday banquet arrived.
Before leaving the temple—
Helicia put on her cape and stared into the air.
“So stubborn. He didn’t even send one letter himself.”
Lato, in his white uniform, answered calmly,
“Instead, Crown Prince Arzen replied.”
“That’s the problem.”
Helicia had written many letters.
Each time Arzen replied, she sent another one.
Since his replies were always formal, there was no real conversation.
To the Third Prince of Estar,
That day, strange men knocked down a big tree.
Your head hit it—are you okay?
From Helicia at the temple.
To Helicia, blessed by the gods.
Thank you for your concern.
Arzen Estar
To the Third Prince of Estar,
I’m worried because there’s no reply.
Did you lose your mind?
From Helicia at the temple.
To Helicia, blessed by the gods.
Everyone in Estar is well. Thank you.
Arzen Estar
Just in case he couldn’t read, Helicia even drew pictures in her letters.
Trees, carriages, and strange masked men.
But Arzen kept replying instead.
Until the day of the banquet, she didn’t receive even a single word from Arpessian.
“Does this make sense?”
“Honestly, sending this many letters doesn’t make sense either.”
Lato answered calmly.
His golden hair and slightly tanned skin stood out in his white uniform.
Anyway, she would see him today.
Helicia looked at Lato.
“I’m the one invited, but you look like the main character.”
“That’s not true.”
She adjusted her clothes.
Her white dress had golden embroidery.
The fabric flowed in layers, and her ankles were visible to prevent her from tripping.
Over it, she wore a cape with the temple’s symbol.
Lato lifted her into the carriage with the temple emblem and followed on horseback.
During the ride, Helicia read a book.
<Learning Letters from Age 0>
It was a common learning book.
She planned to summarize it for Arpessian.
‘If we’re going to exchange letters, he needs to know how to read.’
She never thought a 12-year-old prince couldn’t read.
‘If not that… then maybe he can’t write?’
She kept thinking.
Just then—
Knock knock.
Lato signaled they had arrived.
He helped her down.
Many carriages were lined up.
Some had strange animals like camels and alpacas.
Helicia stared at them and stepped on a stone, crushing it.
‘He should be here, right?’
He had to come.
She felt nervous.
The servant guided them inside.
The ceiling was covered with paintings.
Music and laughter could be heard.
This place felt familiar.
She spoke to the servant.
“We are from the temple.”
“Saintess Helicia and Holy Knight Lato Sevant have arrived!”
The doors opened.
Many eyes turned toward her.
But—
Arpessian was nowhere to be seen.
