"This is quite the coincidence! Don't you think so, Prince Raphael?"
"Y-Yes, indeed, Princess Clarice. Haha, but shouldn't you be resting for tomorrow's hunt?"
"I became deeply interested in the history and traditions of Brentarion that you showed me at the museum today. So, I came to the city to experience the living, breathing Brentarion for myself."
"I see. If you had told me, I would have escorted you."
"..."
"..."
Isaac and Del watched as the prince and princess conversed in an overly dramatic manner, as if they were performing on stage.
'After all that acting practice…'
Despite all the effort put into training Clarice, she still couldn't put it to proper use in moments like this. Isaac could only sigh.
However, no matter how disgraceful the situation might be, as a noble and subject of the kingdom, he had to maintain the dignity of the royal family and go along with the flow.
"Since the two of you are here, you might as well spend time together."
At Isaac's words, all three people turned to him in surprise.
Although he had sympathized with Del just moments ago, his role was still that of a guard trying to arrange the marriage.
"Ah…"
Clarice was flustered by Isaac's attempt to turn the situation to her advantage.
"But…"
On the other hand, Raphael clenched his fists and took a slow step forward.
His eyes carried a determined resolve to protect the woman he loved.
"I came here to talk to Del. What I want to know is why you were speaking with her in the first place."
"Are you really going to make me say it out loud?"
"..."
"I don't think there's anyone here who doesn't already know the reason, but saying it aloud carries a different weight."
Isaac pointed out the obvious—Prince Raphael was in the middle of a diplomatic marriage arrangement with a foreign princess, yet he harbored feelings for another woman.
"Are you truly going to spend time with this woman?"
Isaac's words pressed down on Raphael, making him hesitate.
Clenching his eyes shut, Raphael suddenly grabbed Del's wrist and ran off with her as if fleeing the scene.
"Del! This way!"
"P-Prince—!"
To an outsider, it might have seemed like an intense chase was unfolding.
But in reality, Isaac simply stood still, watching them disappear into the distance.
Once the two were gone—
"What a hopeless romantic."
Clarice shrugged, mocking him.
"Does Prince Raphael even realize how much of a diplomatic blunder he just made?"
"He's not ignorant. He's not an incompetent man."
Isaac wasn't too concerned. He didn't believe Clarice had shaken Raphael's heart enough to cause a real shift.
For now, what mattered more was—
"Why did you even come here?"
Isaac sighed as he asked, causing Clarice to flinch before grumbling.
"I… I just wanted to take a walk outside."
"You were following him."
"I've never met this 'Del' woman before. I wanted to see her for myself."
Her voice grew firmer as she spoke, as if trying to convince herself as much as him.
"I was curious—just what kind of woman must she be for Raphael to hold back, even when I'm putting in all my effort to seduce him?"
Clarice laughed as she tousled her hair.
"What did you think of her, Isaac?"
"She was a kind woman. I can understand why Prince Raphael would develop feelings for her."
"Is that so?"
Clarice pouted, clearly displeased with his response.
"But you don't have to worry. Considering the short time you've known him, you're already making significant progress in getting close to Prince Raphael."
"..."
It wasn't exactly the reassurance she was hoping for, and her expression remained unchanged.
"What about you, Isaac? If you had to choose between me and Del, who would you pick?"
"Does my opinion matter?"
"You're a man too, aren't you?"
"Then let me ask you the same question."
Isaac calmly turned the question back on her.
"Princess Clarice, what do you think of Prince Raphael?"
"…An idiot?"
A sigh escaped Isaac's lips. At least it was a better answer than he had expected. He reminded her of their objective.
"Princess, you haven't forgotten why we're going through all this trouble, have you?"
"So that I can win over Prince Raphael's heart and enter into a political marriage with him."
"That's part of it, but didn't you also want to show Princess Adeline and Heirad how happy you are?"
"…Ah."
She had forgotten.
"Princess, you have to make an effort to love Prince Raphael as well. The more sincere you are, the higher the chances of success."
Clarice pouted but nodded before turning away with a huff.
She remained silent for the entire trip back.
About thirty minutes after they returned to the palace…
"CRIMSON FLAAAME WAAAVE!"
Sharen, who had been abandoned at the bakery, came charging at Isaac, unleashing a barrage of fire attacks.
***
The next day.
Clarice sat on a chair in the middle of a field. Today's schedule, arranged by the Kingdom of Brentarion, included horseback riding and hunting.
As Isaac had advised, all she had to do was applaud at the right moments for Prince Raphael's achievements. No need to think too much about it. If she put in too much effort, she might overshadow Raphael, which would defeat the purpose.
'Tsk, at least try to hide it better.'
The knights and hunters accompanying them were blatantly driving the game toward Prince Raphael. It was hard to pretend not to notice.
Raphael, however, never missed a shot.
"As expected of the prince!"
"Amazing!"
"A true master of the bow!"
Praise poured in from all around.
Clarice maintained a smile and clapped, but her mind was elsewhere.
'I have to like him too.'
Isaac was right. If this was going to work, she had to genuinely love Raphael…
She knew he was a good person, but strangely, the more she got to know him, the more resistant she felt.
'He doesn't look bad.'
Even without his title, Raphael was undeniably handsome. He had the distinct, sharp features characteristic of Brentarion men.
'But he's far from Isaac's level.'
Was the comparison too unfair?
No matter how good-looking Raphael was, he simply couldn't match Isaac. Perhaps that was why he had seemed wary when Del and Isaac were talking yesterday.
"His personality isn't terrible either."
He was emotional and impulsive, but that could be seen as complementary to her more rational nature. That was a positive trait.
'…Though, still not as good as Isaac.'
With Isaac, she could talk about the most trivial things without hesitation.
After everything they had gone through—the chaos caused by Helmut and the Transcendents—they had developed a kind of camaraderie.
"..."
Clarice slowly turned her head.
Standing beside her was Isaac, wearing an unreadable expression.
In Brentarion, he was acting as her escort knight in Heirad's place.
SMACK!
"Urgh?!"
Isaac, suddenly struck in the side, looked at Clarice with a bewildered expression.
"What was that for?"
"I think it's because of you."
"Pardon?"
"I think my standards have gotten too high."
She couldn't continue her sentence.
Prince Raphael had arrived on horseback, reaching out his hand toward her.
"Princess, would you care to join me for a hunt?"
Before Clarice could respond, Isaac quickly stepped between them, kneeling on one knee to serve as a stepping platform.
And so, she found herself riding with Prince Raphael, practically pushed into the situation.
As he guided the horse, Raphael spoke softly.
"I apologize for yesterday—for how I paid attention to Del in your presence."
"Oh… it's fine. It's understandable."
"Actually, I wanted to bring you here to properly apologize."
She recalled Isaac's advice—praise the prince subtly and let him feel her interest.
Clarice immediately voiced her thoughts.
"You're quite the romantic. That kind of devotion is something many women admire."
"I-Is that so?"
"Yes."
As the wind played with her hair, her gaze instinctively shifted backward.
Following behind them were the escort knights.
Among them, riding at the front, was Isaac. Her eyes landed on him without hesitation.
"To move forward with nothing but love in your heart… it's truly admirable."
Turning her gaze forward again, she whispered into the wind, hoping her words would be carried away.
"Yes, I find it very charming."
"…I didn't expect you to think so highly of it."
Raphael had never considered his conversations with Clarice to be mere politeness.
But the sincerity in her words just now caught him off guard.
Perhaps sensing the moment was right, he tightened his grip on the reins and cautiously began to speak.
"Princess Clarice, actually, yesterday Del made me a proposal—"
"Prince—!"
A sudden, urgent call from the escort knights behind them.
Had he been too distracted by Clarice's sincerity?
The next moment, his horse reared up in alarm.
"Neighhh!"
There was a rock ahead, and the reins should have been pulled to steer away, but they weren't.
The horse, in a panic, lifted its legs and came to a halt.
"Ah!"
Both Clarice and Raphael lost balance, their bodies tilting backward.
As the world spun around her, Clarice braced for a painful impact with the ground.
But instead of hitting the earth, she felt something warm and familiar envelop her.
It was Isaac.
He had leapt off his own horse and caught her mid-fall, his body radiating a faint but unmistakable presence of energy.
***
Thankfully, Clarice wasn't hurt.
But she was still shaken, her legs too weak to support her, so Isaac was carrying her on his back.
"It was my mistake, so I should carry her."
Prince Raphael offered, hoping to make amends.
Isaac, thinking this could be a good opportunity, was about to hand her over when—
"Not today."
Clarice, still on Isaac's back, quietly made her request.
"I don't think I can today."
"...."
Isaac glanced back at her briefly.
Then, bowing his head slightly, he firmly responded.
"I'll carry her."