Today is Tess's birthday.
I woke up at around 6 A.M. to the noise of rustling maids and servants. I got up from the bed and continued my daily routine.
After completing my daily practice, around 8 A.M., I saw Tess talking to some noble boys. There were three boys, all of them very excited, but even from afar one could tell that Tess was uncomfortable. Although she was smiling, I could clearly tell that it was a fake smile. Before I knew it, I was walking toward her.
She noticed me.
"Good morning, Princess Tesselia. Happy birthday," I said, slightly bowing as I wished her.
The pretence vanished, and she smiled softly—her real smile.
"Good morning, Count Reikotar. Thank you for your wishes," she replied.
"His Majesty, your father, is looking for you," I said calmly.
She nodded in understanding."Alright, Count Reikotar. I have to go now. Please lead the way," she said.
As we began walking away, I noticed the three boys Tess had been talking to. While moving, I heard them whispering among themselves. Tess let out a small sigh.
"Thank you for helping me," she said quietly. There was clear relief on her face. "If any of those boys had heard what I truly thought, they would have caused trouble."
"It's fine," I replied. "You don't need to force yourself."
She glanced at me briefly, then smiled again—this time genuinely.
After that, I asked her about those boys. It turned out they were the son of a count, and the other two were his friends. We continued talking until a maid came looking for Tess. Apparently, some high-ranking nobles had arrived to meet King Edward.
Time passed quickly, and soon evening arrived. The party began.
King Edward and the queens were seated at the high table. One by one, people approached to congratulate Tess and present their gifts. When our turn came, we stepped forward and congratulated her, presenting the gift my mother and father had prepared.
After we returned to our seats, Father told me to go and play with the other children. As I walked away, someone suddenly called out to me.
"Hey you, that white-haired boy! Come here!"
A red-haired boy was calling me over. I immediately recognized him—he was one of the same boys from earlier that morning. Ignoring his rude tone, I walked over to where he was sitting.
"What is it? You called me?" I asked, trying to remain polite.
"Hey, why are you frowning?" he said mockingly. "You're standing in front of the son of a viscount and his two friends. Shouldn't you be bowing?"
I knew something was wrong.
"Oh, hello," he continued smugly. "I'm Arson, son of a count. So bow, if you don't want—
"…want your father to be troubled later."
Before he could finish his sentence, one of the boys—short and fat—interrupted.
"Fresh," he sneered, "bow. No—kneel and lick his shoe."
The other boy, tall but very thin, joined in. It was obvious they were trying to gain Arsen's favor.
"Let me intro—"
"We don't need to know who you are!" the red-haired boy, Arsen, snapped as he lifted his boot. "Now lick."
"What is happening here?"
Before I could lose my cool, Tess had arrived at the scene.
"Pr-Princess Tesselia," Arsen said quickly, standing up and bowing. "This insolent boy—I mean, this boy—was disrespecting me, so I was teaching him a lesson."
"Oh?" Tess replied calmly. "I don't believe that is true. I know Mr. Reikotar, and he isn't that kind of person."
She was smiling—but it felt far more frightening than anger.
"Huh? I'm telling the truth!" Arsen protested. "This boy disrespected me and my family. For the honor of my house, I challenge him to a duel on the spot."
He said it in a clearly exaggerated way, trying to impress Tess.
"Alright," Tess said quietly. "Let's go to the back. It's too crowded here."
She took my hand and led me toward the backyard. Somehow, she made Arsen follow us.
"Alright, let's begin the duel," Tess announced calmly. "I will oversee it to ensure fairness."
"I'm giving you one last chance to back off," Arsen said with a smug smile.
"I won't. Let's start the duel."
At first, I was only mildly annoyed. But the way he kept stealing glances at Tess—those lingering, greedy looks—pushed my irritation to its limit. The way he looked at her disgusted me.
"Let's fight with magic first," Arsen said, laughing mockingly. "That is, if you even know magic."
"So magic it is," Tess declared. "Let the duel begin."
"Oh, flame that burns all, flame that destroys all in its path—heed my call, Fireball!"
Arsen chanted for a long time. When the spell finally completed, a small ball of fire appeared—barely eight centimeters in diameter. It wobbled slightly in midair.
"Is that all?" I asked flatly.
"What do you mean, 'Is that all'?" Arsen snapped. "That's the most powerful spell I know! I ranked tenth in magic among my peers!"
I was genuinely surprised.
"If that's your strongest spell," I said quietly, "then what about… this?"
Without chanting a single word, I raised my hand.
A massive fireball—over forty centimeters in radius—formed instantly behind me, its heat warping the air itself.
"H-Huh…? W-What is that?!" Arsen stammered. "How can someone your age create something like that—without any incantation?! That's impossible!"
He was pale, trembling from head to toe.
To scare him just a little, I flicked my fingers, sending the fireball slowly drifting behind him. I had full control—I could cancel it at any moment—but Arsen didn't know that.
He screamed.
Before the fireball came within a meter of him, I dispelled it.
"So," Tess announced, her voice firm, "the winner is Count Reikotar."
Arsen collapsed onto the ground, his legs shaking violently.
"I-I'll tell my father about this!" he shouted. "He'll make sure you and your family suffer!"
"Mr. Arsen," Tess said calmly, "do you know who Count Reikotar is?"
From the look on his face, it was clear he didn't.
"Then allow me to introduce him," she continued. "He is Count Reikotar Andrayun. Son of Archduke Amane Andrayun and Alisa Andrayun. He is a Count by his own right—not through his father."
All color drained from Arsen's face.
"So," Tess asked coldly, "will you apologize now?"
The three boys swallowed hard.
"We're sorry," all three said in unison before scrambling away as fast as they could.
The celebration continued around us as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
Music flowed through the hall, light and elegant, blending with the sound of laughter and polite conversation. Noble children ran about in carefully measured excitement, servants moved with practiced grace, and the warm glow of chandeliers reflected off polished marble floors.
Yet, for a brief moment, it felt as though the world had narrowed.
I stood before Tess, a small box resting in my palm.
"This… is my gift for you," I said.
My voice came out steadier than I expected. Still, my fingers tightened slightly around the box before I handed it to her. It wasn't hesitation—it was something closer to restraint. A quiet fear that didn't quite deserve a name.
Tess blinked in surprise.
"For me?" she asked, as though the idea itself needed confirmation.
I nodded.
She accepted the box carefully, as if it were something fragile. Her movements were slow, deliberate, drawing curious glances from nearby nobles, though none dared interrupt.
When she opened it, the light caught the necklace instantly.
It was simple.
A thin silver chain, unadorned except for a small diamond at its center. The stone was clear, but not flawless. Anyone with experience could tell at a glance—it was inexpensive. Cheap, even, by noble standards.
For a heartbeat, Tess didn't speak.
Then she froze.
Her eyes widened just slightly, breath catching in a way so subtle that only someone standing close would notice. The noise of the hall seemed to fade as she lifted the necklace from the box, watching how the diamond reflected the light.
"It's…" she began, then stopped.
I felt my chest tighten.
I hadn't chosen it for its value. I hadn't chosen it to impress. I chose it because it was something I could give with my own hands, bought with something I had earned myself.
But I didn't say that.
Tess looked up at me, and then she smiled.
Not the polite smile she wore for nobles. Not the composed expression expected of a princess.
It was soft. Warm. Honest.
"It's beautiful," she said.
There was no hesitation in her voice. No courtesy layered over obligation. Just sincerity.
Something loosened in my chest.
"I'm glad," I replied, simply.
She clasped the necklace gently, then gestured for a maid. Moments later, the chain rested against her collarbone, the small diamond catching the light every time she moved.
It didn't shine like the gems worn by other nobles.
But somehow, it stood out more.
We spoke a little longer—about small things, harmless things. The kind of conversation that filled the spaces between larger moments. Eventually, my mother called for me, drawing me away.
As I walked toward her, I didn't look back.
And I didn't tell Tess the truth.
I didn't tell her that the money used to buy that necklace had come from my own pocket. That it was earned by selling monster meat on my last day outside the capital—work I had done quietly, without witnesses, without praise.
I didn't tell her because I didn't want the gift to become a story.
I just wanted it to be… a gift.
Tess's POV
The hall felt louder after Rio walked away.
Not because the noise had increased, but because my thoughts had grown quiet—and in that silence, everything else seemed too sharp.
I touched the necklace unconsciously.
The diamond was cool against my skin, its weight barely noticeable. And yet… it felt heavier than it should have.
"He suits you," a familiar voice said from beside me.
I turned slightly.
Amane stood there, relaxed as always, hands folded behind his back. His expression was calm, but his eyes held that knowing look—the one that made it feel as though he could see straight through people.
"Sir Amane," I greeted.
He smiled faintly. "You don't need to be so formal."
My fingers curled around the pendant.
"Do you know how he bought that necklace?" Amane asked suddenly.
I blinked. "No."
I had assumed it was prepared by his family. Or perhaps chosen by his mother. It was the most natural conclusion.
Amane shook his head.
"He earned the money himself," he said. "Selling monster meat. On his last day outside the capital."
I stared at him.
"…He did?"
"Yes." Amane's voice remained even. "He didn't tell anyone. Didn't want to."
For a moment, I couldn't respond.
Images surfaced unbidden—Rio standing quietly apart from others, observing more than he spoke. The way he moved with discipline far beyond his age. The calm restraint in his eyes, as though he were always holding something back.
I looked down at the necklace again.
It wasn't expensive.
By noble standards, it was almost laughable.
And yet, suddenly, it felt unbearably precious.
"He could have bought something better," I murmured.
Amane chuckled softly. "He could have. But that wasn't the point."
I swallowed.
The diamond caught the light as I moved, reflecting a small, steady glow. It didn't blind. It didn't demand attention.
It simply existed.
Just like him.
"He didn't want you to know," Amane continued. "So I'll leave it to you what you do with that knowledge."
With that, he stepped away, disappearing back into the crowd as easily as he had arrived.
I remained where I was.
The music continued. Laughter echoed. The celebration carried on.
But my world had shifted.
I closed my fingers around the necklace, holding it gently, as though afraid it might disappear.
It wasn't just a gift.
It was time. Effort. Risk.
It was proof that someone had chosen to give something of themselves—not because they had to, not because it was expected, but because they wanted to.
My chest felt tight.
I didn't know why my heart was beating faster.
I didn't know why my eyes stung just slightly.
All I knew was this—
The necklace felt heavier than before.
And far more precious.