Haha, Stepped in Shit Right After Going Outside 😃

That piece of candy, to Elli, should count as something fairly meaningful.

After all, growing up, no one had ever given her something like this.

Even in her childhood, even with her father and mother—being the child of the Second Imperial Concubine—she had never received much affection.

But now—hmm… it seemed the so-called “princess loved by everyone” wasn’t a lie.

Although her personality wasn’t enough to charm the entire world, and although some factions among the nobles and those old fossils who only valued capability still held bias toward Elli, at the very least… at the very least, her family still loved her.

A father who cared, a brother who worried, and a mother who existed only in Elli’s memories yet had once loved her—such a beautiful life was something she never dared dream about.

As for this candy…

Was she supposed to mount it in a frame and keep it for life, then bury it with her corpse when she died?

No—nothing that dramatic.

Eriq’s emotions weren’t that heavy.

She opened the wrapper and put the cotton candy into her mouth.

Rather than letting the candy expire in a drawer, she preferred letting the flavor linger in her mouth—maybe for a few seconds, maybe for minutes.

At least compared to seeing it with her eyes and thinking of it with her eyes, she wanted to experience it with her body.

As for the wrapper—

This thing wasn’t going into her stomach, so let it become a “memento.”

Elli pressed out the creases on the wrapper, then handed it back to Solor.

“Keep it.

It’s at least something worth remembering.

Maybe use it as a bookmark?

Kids like doing that sort of thing.”

To this Elli, the gift was unique.

And giving it to Solor made it just as unique—a harmless present she hadn’t offered in a long, long time.

As for what Eriq had ever “given” Solor in the past?

Let’s think back…

A thoroughly cleaned-out court?

A crown thrown carelessly onto a velvet cushion?

A fireworks display that blew the entire banquet hall’s roof off just to ensure their father died?

Or… his life?

His organs smashed from falling onto the ground?

Ah, heavens.

Yes, that was a bit heavy.

All of that was far too dramatic compared to the candy wrapper in front of her.

And this wrapper—perhaps because she was still somewhat intimidated.

After all, the brother before her was so gentle she could hardly believe it.

So she gave the wrapper to Solor as proof that he had once comforted her.

If years later they still ended up walking the same bloody path, then when he flipped through a book, may he glance at this wrapper and remember—

We once treated each other gently.

Let this wrapper serve as her silent plea: please, be a little less cruel to me.

Something like… sentiment for the past.

Just as Solor had placed the candy in her hand earlier, Elli placed the wrapper in his palm and pushed his fingers into a fist, making the pretty paper rustle.

Solor wasn’t confused.

He accepted it gladly, as if this kind of warm interaction was the simplest thing in the world.

“Alright.

I understand.”

Smiling, he folded the wrapper carefully and placed it into the breast pocket over his heart.

“I’ll keep it safe.”

Eyes lowered with a gentle smile, his fingers brushed over his chest.

The gesture looked like a knight swearing loyalty.

Elli never had a knight, but she had seen such scenes countless times.

Even if she and the Royal Knights had been at odds, as the Second Prince she still had to attend important ceremonies.

She always sat on the high platform, watching those knights swear their oaths, shouting their fiery vows to protect the nation.

And though she sat only a few centimeters away from her royal brother at those times, she knew—

Every loyal gaze was directed at Solor.

And she herself?

Please.

Standing on her political enemies’ turf—what good looks could she expect?

The vice-captain, that Kallai, could practically curse her out with his eyes alone.

And the captain—that master of playing dumb—everyone in the knights knew he’d been poisoned and was soon to die.

Yet somehow he lived longer than even her.

Heaven must have been laughing.

Not only did he survive, he even turned “Red Crow”—the assassin most loyal to her—into his wife.

Her most trusted assassin.

Her most recognized subordinate.

Just switched sides like that.

Married within a year.

Haah…

Just thinking about it made her head want to explode.

Though the end result didn’t change—just as she predicted, Solor became emperor and she died by his sword—the process itself… was complete shit.

“Do you still want to go out for a walk?”

As Elli became annoyed again thinking of the past, Solor noticed her faintly furrowed brows.

His gentle voice pulled her back.

Elli left her unpleasant memories behind and refocused—from that detestable captain to the comparatively gentle Solor before her.

She still found it difficult to overlap the brother in her memories with the man standing before her, but at least—for now—everything was peaceful.

People with great ambitions rarely say “let’s just see what happens.”

Even if she accepted that attitude herself, the old ministers would cry like the sky was falling—

“Our lord is so shortsighted!!”

It was enough to make her want to go find a cliff to fulfill their prophecy.

But looking at things now, Elli had no grand dreams or ambitions.

She wouldn’t trouble her brother.

She would do whatever he needed.

And she would try her best to protect him, assist him.

That was enough.

So when Solor invited her, Elli didn’t overthink it.

She didn’t ponder gains or losses.

She simply accepted as a sibling—as a brother and sister—going out together.

Elli gladly accepted.

When Solor stepped out, she tidied herself up a little, then exited her room and saw him waiting in the corridor.

But the moment she saw the clear sky, felt the gentle breeze, heard the soft birdsong—

And then saw the black-haired man chatting with Solor—

Her eyebrow twitched violently.

The man smiling and talking with her brother was none other than the one she had cursed hundreds of times in her mind—

The former captain of the Royal Knights.

I knew it… in this life too he’s on Solor’s side…

In that instant, Elli achieved enlightenment:

When your mood is best and the weather is perfect, the first thing you step on when you go outside may still be dog shit.

And the probability is NOT zero.

“Ah, Her Highness the Princess is here.”

And that black-haired man even smiled warmly at Elli and offered a polite bow.

…What a joke.

I’m going to vomit.