Let Me Keep Watching You

If it were the original Aili, today would probably count as a busy day.

In the morning, she had a brief conversation with Solor, which, for Aili, could also be considered part of her work.

Maintaining a good relationship with her royal brother was no easy task.

She always had to be cautious in everything she did.

But because this time her brother’s personality was a bit gentler, she sometimes felt like playing small pranks.

Ha—pranks, yes, pranks.

In her previous life, she could say that she used her entire life to play one enormous prank.

“Aili? You went out again?”

Was it the bond between family members?

Or simply fate bringing them together?

After returning to the palace, Aili hadn’t even taken a few steps and was wondering whether to go find Solor and check how his work was going—

yet he appeared before her first.

“Mm, I just went out for a walk.

To get some fresh air.”

Seeing Aili, Solor walked straight toward her.

He also glanced at the little maid beside her, Rena.

Rena didn’t say anything, only bowed slightly.

Though simple, the gesture conveyed a clear message to Solor—

that the princess was safe and sound.

Rena was Solor’s person—Aili could tell at a glance.

If this were her previous life, Aili might have considered the power dynamics.

She would have thought about how to deal with a spy-like figure by her side.

Should she kill her to send Solor a warning?

Or try to turn her into a double agent?

Or feed her false information to mislead Solor’s plans?

But now, none of that mattered.

Solor had sent Rena purely out of concern for Aili’s health.

This goodwill—Aili would accept it.

And more importantly, although Rena had been arranged by Solor, she seemed to be carefully chosen.

She wasn’t truly loyal to him alone.

At most, she had been instructed to “take good care of the princess.”

As for her loyalty, it likely leaned toward Aili.

“It’s good to go out for a walk.

Staying in the palace all the time can feel suffocating.

Once your health improves, you can take people with you to see other places.

The flowers in the back mountain will bloom soon—

if you miss it, you’ll have to wait another year.”

After Solor arrived, he naturally took the place beside Aili.

Rena tactfully stepped back a few paces,

bringing along the knights responsible for the princess’s safety.

She even pulled Solor’s assistant along with her.

After all, in broad daylight inside the palace, there was no need to worry about an attack.

It was better to leave space for the two of them.

“The relationship between Their Highnesses has improved a lot recently…”

Although Solor’s assistant had been dragged aside,

he still had to remain nearby in case he was suddenly called back.

Since he had nothing to do, he casually muttered this and started chatting with Rena.

“Yes, isn’t that a good thing?

Their relationship has eased, and everyone is happy.

Her Highness is a gentle and kind person,

and His Highness is the same.

Being able to serve such masters is truly a blessing.”

Among the palace servants, both Solor and Aili had good reputations.

They weren’t the kind of people who made things difficult for their subordinates.

They were strict when necessary, but never stingy with rewards.

Compared to many nobles who casually beat or mistreated their servants,

the two of them were far better.

Because of this, everyone hoped their relationship would improve.

After all, the greatest blessing people usually give to good individuals is—

“May your wishes come true, and may your life be happy.”

And what the two of them wanted was obvious to those around them—

to mend their relationship.

It wasn’t that their relationship was bad.

It was simply a bit distant.

Not because of conflict,

but because the eldest prince was too busy.

As the heir to the nation,

he rarely had time for personal matters.

Even family bonds and romance had gradually been neglected.

Perhaps because Aili had always clung to him since childhood,

Solor thought—

delaying things related to her wouldn’t matter much.

After all, they were family.

They would understand each other.

The nobles of the court couldn’t wait,

but Aili was always in the palace.

She wouldn’t suffer any loss.

If something urgent came up, she would come to him herself.

And since she was so understanding, it would be fine.

This way of thinking wasn’t wrong.

But perhaps during the waiting,

the wait became too long,

and those feelings were slowly worn down.

In the palace, the most frightening thing was losing the attention of those in power.

Aili, though a princess, was still only a royal daughter.

Compared to the crown prince,

her status was much lower.

If she wanted to stand firm,

she needed the support of her father and brother.

Although the people around her didn’t show this disparity too openly,

and they all recognized her kindness,

so they would never treat her unfairly—

the gossip from the court still reached her ears.

It made her, who already felt inadequate compared to her family, feel even worse.

Fortunately, now—this “Aili” had arrived.

She, called Aili yet truly Eric, did not care about such things.

She would use her own actions to reappear before her royal brother.

At first, her indifferent attitude toward Solor was a form of retaliation.

She wanted him to experience being ignored as well.

Perhaps she even wanted her death to leave a stronger impact,

so that he would remember her forever.

But no matter what,

it had pushed the development of their relationship forward.

It turned Solor from a busy prince

into the brother who now appeared by her side out of concern.

“The flowers are about to bloom already…

But traveling far will have to wait until I recover.”

Aili listened to Solor, still smiling.

But—

Flowers… what is there to see in flowers?

They bloom the same way every year.

There’s hardly any difference.

But her royal brother—

he is different every day.

Sometimes he smiles, sometimes he frowns.

That is something she would never tire of watching.

As long as I can keep watching you,

and you keep watching me—

that is enough.