I grabbed the hem of the skirt and hurried to the deck. I climbed the wooden bridge as fast as I can, afraid that I might left behind.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute.”

I made it through front of the railing where the crowd of people was.

My eyes searched the ground frantically. But Gerard was nowhere to be seen, and the ship began to move little by little.

Where the hell did he go….?

The speed of the ship, breaking through the current gradually increased. The distance between the ship and the pier also grew further and further apart.

At last the island of Thiere was completely out of my sight. But, I still couldn’t leave the deck.

“….did something happened?”

I don’t think so.

I shook my head with my eyes closed.

It was just a casual encounter, there’s nothing between me and Gerard. So what if he missed the ship? He could just take the next ship to go where he needs to go.

But I somehow couldn’t get rid of my worries. In the last few days of bickering with him, it seems that I have become more attached to him more than I thought.

[Rohin, year 26, month xx, day xx,

It’s been five days since I got on the ship.

My feet finally touched the ground again today.

It’s called Thiere Island, and there are so many people that Honggyo…Honggu…I got excited.

The lunch I had was delicious. I ate meat stew.

Also, a thief took my purse but Gerard caught them. So I safely got it back.

But Gerard is gone. I waited for him, but I haven’t met him. Where the hell did he go?

-The Diary of Maria, who’s still having trouble with the letters.-]

◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Everyone, get off safely!”

“Welcome, Hamilton.”

The voices of sailors welcoming people, and even the unknown birds roaming freely in the sky filled my ears.

I got off the boat along with other passengers and looked around the place in awe.

After a long journey, I finally arrived at Hardel’s port.

This is not even comparable to Adella or Thiere Island’s port. It’s very obvious that the road’s pier here are wider and the surrounding buildings were magnificent.

Before leaving the harbor, I looked around the ship one more time.

“…..stupid, fool”

Looking back, it thought I saw Gerard waving his hands with a playful smile at me on the deck, but he’s still nowhere to be seen.

_{(t/n: noo, stop imagining him! We’re still at the beginning and I’m already having 2nd lead syndrome, stap :'(()}

‘Next time I see you, I’m going to laugh at you for being a fool who missed the ship.’

After wrapping up my regret, I took a belated step. I was planning to look for a carriage first because there are carriages everywhere that carry guests.

I stopped in place for a moment and turned my head around the traffic.

···· But where should I go?

◆◇◆◇◆

So what happened was…

I was looking around for a carriage. My stomach started growling but luckily, I saw a restaurant.

So it went in. To a restaurant.

I ate a plate of gratin by myself, and asked the owner of the restaurant where I could ride a carriage.

Thanks to the owner’s guidance, I was able to arrive at the carriage stop safely. I finally left the harbor in a carriage along with other people going in the same direction.

It was quite a long way to my destination. When I got out of the carriage, the sun was setting already so I have to stay the night at an inn near the square.

The next morning.

The entrance to the palace guarded by heavily armed soldiers is standing in front of me now.

I rode a carriage today as well and I could not hide my exclamation as I looked at the imperial spire from afar over the window. The outer wall was simply as stout as a magnificent fortress, and the scale was enormous.

Of course, I already expected that it will be great because it was the place where the emperor and his followers who ruled a country lives, but it seems that it was much more splendid and grand than I imagined.

“Inhale… Exhale….”

I took a deep breath and finally took a step.

I was planning to approach one of several sentries who looked rather good. Well, they all look solemn.

“Excuse me, excuse me.”

The soldier remained silent. Didn’t he heared me?

“Excuse me. I’m sorry, but I’m here to see the Crown Prince.”

Then the soldier responded. He sent me a glare as sharp as a spear.

“Are you here at his call?”

“What? No. I…”

“Then go back.”

He cut me off sternly as if he’s stating that he have no plan to listen more to what I was going to say. I was very embarrassed.

Hey, aren’t you looking for someone to cure the leopard? Well, for your information, that news reached me so I came here even though I came from a place a few miles away across the sea.

“Excuse me.”

“Go back.”

“Excuse… “

“Go back.”

“Ex-…. “

“Go ba-.”

My patience just run out.

“Let me speak! let’s talk!”

I unconsciously burst out and snapped out of him like a lion. But I became very anxious afterwards that I have to hardened heart.

The sentries were staring at me with a look of complete bewilderment.

Ah whatever.

Rather, I thought it was an opportunity, so I hurriedly said with a smile around my mouth.

“In fact, I’m here to heal his leopard.”

Then one of them broke the silence and asked me, there was a hint of mistrust on his face.

“….you mean, you, Lady?”

“Yes”

There was a short silence. The soldier soon stiffened his face.

“Then you better turn around. Before you meet a rough end.”

“Why? Aren’t you looking for someone to treat the leopard?”

Just in case, I even asked and got an affirmative answer from the owner of the lodging house in the carriage yesterday. The Crown Prince is really seeking out for someone who can cure his leopard.

But what the hell is wrong with you?

“That’s right, but look at the mirror first. You look like you’ll be eaten in one bite.”

Another soldier beside him shook his head. The mere mention of a leopard seems to make them look sick and tired.

But I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t get close because I was afraid of a sharp spear they are holding, but I made a desperate expression with a proper distance.

“I’m a good veterinarian since so please at least let me meet him.”

“No, go back.”

“No, why the hell? Come on, just once, ······.”

It was then. The soldiers, who kept trying to chase me away just a while ago suddenly straightened up and acted mannerly.

What’s wrong?

Looking back, I could see a young man riding a horse.

The sentry stepped aside and opened the firmly closed iron gate.

What’s happening? Their attitude is so different from how they talked to me. Is he a person who can go in and out of the Imperial Palace at will?’

The man didn’t go through the gate right away. With a light rein, he stopped and said with his voice,

“What’s the matter?”

Then one of the soldiers snapped back.

“The lady said she came to cure the leopard. We were just talking about it.”

I suddenly felt eyes staring at me so I turned my head. The man on the horse’s eyes immediately met mine.

‘He looks pretty young, maybe he’s in his late twenties?’

Nevertheless, he seemed to have an aura that seemed to be not a normal man. Just seeing the soldiers acting like this.

“Is it true?”

“Yes?”

When I ask back without realizing it, I frown as if I disapprove.

“I’m asking if it was true that you came to cure the leopard.”

“Yes, I am. “

He raised an eyebrow at my confident answer. Somehow I had an instinctive premonition that this man would allow me to meet the Crown Prince.

“You look like you can’t even touch a cat, let alone a leopard but you seem to be full of confidence.”

“….”

“Okay, follow me.”

*clip**clop*

Leaving behind a unilateral notice, the man hoisted his horse’s hooves into the gate.

I looked at the sentry with a puzzled expression. When he didn’t stop me, I immediately turned around from him and followed the man for now.

As soon as I passed the gate, my mouth unconsciously opened on it’s own.

Oh, my God, this is awesome!

The scenery that I had only seen in my childhood picture book was unfolded before my eyes. It’s a beautiful palace with a lot of magnificent things. I was wondering if this was a dream or not.

After a while a carriage came up and picked me up, and only after a long run did it come to a stop.

“Follow me.”

Again this time he took the first step. A large double door opened on both sides before I could even climb all the stairs. I followed after him with some tension.

The interior was equally splendid. The man who was walking along the red-carpeted corridor stopped in one place, and the servants quickly opened the door.

“Come in.”

As I stepped in carefully, I saw a large desk in front of me. There were bookshelves on both sides, full of books thick enough to faint upon a blow.

‘Is it for study or office use?’

I changed my posture to a polite one. I joined my hands together and looked in front of me as a lady showed up pushing a cart.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

He sat down on the sofa. I heard a clear sound of a cup getting filled by tea.

“Thank you.”

Even so, I was thirsty, so I picked up a teacup. I took a sip and inhaled the aroma of the tea.

The man sitting opposite asked me.

“Can you tell me which family you came from, lady?”

“I’m not an aristocrat, I’m a commoner. My name is Maria Lewellin.”

“I see.”

I was a little worried about revealing my status, but fortunately, it seems that it’s not much of an issue here. The man told me to wait for a moment and went away.

The servant who followed laid a small rug on the floor. Then he took over the dog and carefully put it down on the rug.

What’s wrong with it? Is it sick?

As I looked anxiously at him, I heard a man’s voice.

“You said you were here to cure the leopard.”

“Yes.”

“Then take a look at this dog first. If you don’t found out what’s wrong with it, you’ll have to be prepared. My time is precious, so say it immediately. Don’t waste my time.”

*gulp*

My mouth started to get dry for some reason.

Is this some kind of an initial test?

The man who’s looking at me with his arms cross gives off a really cold vibe. I’m starting to think that if I try to say a fake diagnosis about the dog’s disease, something terrible would definitely happen.

“Haah… “

It’s okay. I have a secret weapon.

I looked straight into the eye with a deep breathless breath.

“Let me just take a look at it for now.”

“Alright.”

I bent my knees and narrowed the distance between the dog and me. I felt glad for no reason. The dog lying face down on the rug was a schnauzer, a dog breed like Boraeng-i.

Then I let something out of my mind with a little voice.

[Hello?]

◈◆◈◆◈◆◈

I knew it! I knew meeting the leopard wouldn’t that be easy! Haah… I don’t think the guy she met is the crown prince either. I’m pretty sure Maria will shower the crown prince with praises of his handsomeness in her mind once she met him so I’m sure this is not the Crown Prince lolol