Within Wall Sina, inside the Royal Palace.
"Gale, would you mind going out with me for a while today?" Historia suddenly appeared in the private training field where Gale was practicing and made this unexpected request.
Seeing her face early in the morning was not a bad way to start the day, but her sudden visit and spontaneous suggestion were a bit abrupt.
"Right now?" Gale asked, setting aside his training.
"Of course not. You just woke up, your hair is a mess, you only briefly washed your face, and you're dressed in your usual casual training outfit. Naturally, I meant later, around lunchtime, so we could eat together."
For a moment, Gale couldn't understand what Historia was saying due to his exhaustion from the intense training, so he silently studied her appearance.
Her carefully tied golden hair was held in place with an elegant hairpin. It wasn't too extravagant, but it exuded a subtle elegance.
Looking more closely at Historia, her golden hair shone with a soft glow, without a single tangle.
"Messy hair, she said?" Gale thought. Since he hadn't fully understood everything Historia said, he assumed she was referring to her own appearance.
Gale thought it was obvious that her hair had been meticulously styled and treated with fine oil. Although she likely hadn't done it herself, her maids must have taken care of it.
Then there was her face. Her skin had always been flawless, but with a light touch of makeup, her natural beauty was even more radiant.
No one could describe her as a disheveled young girl.
Once again, her maids must have helped her prepare. Lastly, her clothing… but really, what more could a queen need besides casual attire while staying in the palace?
After organizing his thoughts, Gale looked directly into Historia's black eyes and said, "I think your appearance is perfect. Don't be too hard on your maids—nowadays, having the kind of care you receive for your skin and clothing is a luxury."
"Excuse me? What did you say… Wait a moment. Did you think I was talking about myself just now, Gale?" Historia became cutely irritated. It wasn't the first time she had been misunderstood by Gale, as he always seemed to be thinking about something.
Even while training, Gale was surely thinking about how to improve the island's weaponry or making strange calculations that she herself didn't understand.
Seeing Historia's slight anger, Gale wiped the sweat off and asked, "Am I mistaken about something?"
At Gale's question, she let out an incredulous scoff. "Good grief. Honestly, this is really frustrating."
"Then just explain clearly what you mean. I'm listening now."
"Then listen carefully—I was talking about you." Historia pointed at Gale with her slender finger.
"You were talking about me?" As Gale repeated her words without understanding, Historia walked toward him with quick steps.
Due to the height difference, Gale had to lower his head slightly.
Historia, even as a queen, felt slightly nervous.
Grumbling inwardly, Gale—who had not considered Historia's feelings—sighed with regret. He removed the weights from his arms, and in that brief moment, Historia reached out and began fixing his hair.
"What is this mess? It looks like a bird's nest! You definitely don't have that refined appearance when you go out." Historia complained a little.
"Isn't it normal to sweat after morning training? I was planning to clean up properly and then have breakfast." Gale smiled slightly; in fact, she was the only one who truly showed genuine concern for his condition.
Thinking about it calmly, Historia was the only person close enough to be called family. Of course, that was enough for him.
"I know. These days you come to breakfast every morning with your hair still wet." After finishing fixing Gale's hair, Historia gently rubbed the corners of his eyes with both of her thumbs.
"If you're going to wash your face anyway, do it properly. How can you walk around with your eyes like that?"
"I was just lightly swinging my sword to wake myself up, like Levi taught me. I wash properly when I meet other people, so it's fine." Gale was not embarrassed by the care Historia was showing him right now.
The new emotions he was feeling were not bad at all.