"Why am I still thinking about it…"
Josselyn stared blankly at the window. Morning light had long since filled the room, yet she still had not moved from her bed.
Last night should have been just another ordinary night.
But it wasn't.
Yorick stepping out of the Queen's chamber.
Darius's gaze lingering far too long.
And that touch.
Her hand moved unconsciously to her waist.
She could still feel the warmth of his palm, as if it had not fully left her skin.
Josselyn bit her lip.
"…Why is that what I remember…"
She pulled her hand away quickly, as if burned. Then she rubbed her face roughly.
"It must just be my imagination."
But even as she said it, her heart refused to agree.
"Yorick…"
Her hand lingered above her head, tangled in her dark hair.
"Should I just ask him directly?"
But the next second, she shook her head. "I doubt he'd answer."
Josselyn let out a long breath.
"No. That's enough."
She threw off the blanket and rose from the bed.
"For today… I just want to have fun."
At least, pretend everything was still simple.
~
"Lady Josselyn, you look especially radiant today."
The senior maid smiled as she finished arranging her hair.
Josselyn returned a small smile. "Festivals make everyone radiant, don't they?"
"That's very true. The entire city has been lively since morning." The maid glanced at her reflection. "All done, my lady."
Josselyn smiled, then turned slightly.
"You shouldn't have gone through this trouble, Anne. I don't want you to become the subject of gossip just for helping me."
She looked back at her reflection.
"But it's beautiful. Thank you, Anne."
The maid smiled warmly and gently patted Josselyn's shoulder.
"This is the least I can do, my lady. I'm glad you received this reward from the King. I only wish I could accompany you."
Josselyn laughed softly as she stood, smoothing the folds of her dress.
"It's alright. I actually prefer walking around alone. It's more freeing," she said lightly.
A knock suddenly sounded at the door.
"Oh, are you expecting someone?" the maid asked.
Josselyn shook her head and hurried to open it.
Two men appeared immediately. One was cheerful, with silver hair tied low. The other had light brown curls and a calmer, more reserved expression.
"Howarth?" Josselyn raised a brow. "And… Sebastian?"
Howarth grinned widely. "We heard you're going to the festival."
"And we decided you shouldn't go alone," Sebastian added calmly.
Josselyn blinked.
"This is… a surprise."
"Think of it as us not having the heart to let you look like a lonely important person,"
Howarth said casually.
Josselyn laughed softly. "You're insufferable."
"But we're right, aren't we?"
"…A little."
She sighed, then nodded.
"Alright. Just for today, I'll go with you."
~
The festival was far more crowded than she had imagined.
Music, laughter, and conversation blended into the air. Colorful wool fabrics hung from every corner. Food stalls were packed with long lines.
Warm.
Alive.
And for a moment, Josselyn truly forgot everything that had happened before.
"Lady Josselyn!"
An elderly woman approached her and immediately grasped her hands.
"You're the one who brought the wool, aren't you? Thank you. We truly needed it."
Josselyn looked slightly startled. "Ah… I only helped—"
"No," the woman interrupted. "You saved us."
A man behind her nodded. "That's right.
Without it, this winter would have been very harsh."
Josselyn fell silent. Something sparkled in her chest, like fireworks. Warm and beautiful.
Slowly, the corners of her lips lifted.
Howarth nudged her lightly. "Did you hear that?"
"…I'm not used to this," she admitted awkwardly.
Sebastian smiled faintly. "Get used to it."
Josselyn lowered her gaze slightly. It was the first time praise had been directed at her. And it felt like her chest was filled with air, light and free.
~
"I think I saw it earlier," Josselyn murmured, her eyes scanning the goods along the roadside.
"What are you looking for?" Sebastian asked, examining the small hairpins laid out before them.
"Mmm… a butterfly hairpin." Josselyn glanced back. "Maybe over there?"
She looked between Howarth and Sebastian.
"Howarth, Sebastian, I'll go back to that spot for a moment," she said, already turning away.
"Where are you going?" Howarth asked.
"Just looking around."
Without waiting for a reply, Josselyn walked off.
She scanned the area, trying to remember where she had seen the delicate little piece. It had been blue, like the deep ocean.
But suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a figure in the crowd.
"Lord Yorick? He left the palace too? Why didn't he tell me?"
She hurried after him, her mouth already opening to call out.
But her steps halted. The memory of Yorick leaving the Queen's chamber stopped her.
"…No."
Instead of approaching, she followed from a distance.
Yorick walked calmly, as if nothing was out of place. Eventually, he stopped at a shop, one she soon realized was a well-known weaver's store among nobles.
Josselyn quickly pressed herself against the wall beneath the window. Carefully, she peeked inside.
An elderly man greeted Yorick as he entered.
"Ah, Lord Yorick. Just as you requested."
Yorick nodded slightly. "Thank you."
He picked up a thick wool blanket. Soft. High quality.
His hand brushed over its surface slowly.
And then—
"Mother will love this."
Josselyn froze. His voice was gentle. His eyes seemed to shine.
"…Mother?" she murmured, frowning.
Yorick rarely, no, almost never spoke about his family. But Josselyn had once heard from the servants that his mother had passed away.
She stepped forward, but suddenly her hand was pulled.
"Ah—!"
The world spun before she collided with something solid.
"Your Highness?"
"Why did you leave without me?"
His voice was low, sharp.
Josselyn exhaled. "I just wanted to walk alone."
"Alone?" Killian narrowed his eyes. "I saw you with your two 'personal guards.'"
"They also wanted to attend the festival. Besides," Josselyn met his gray-blue eyes, "I can't walk peacefully if I'm with you. I want to enjoy this time."
Killian stared at her for a few seconds, almost impressed by her unusually long explanation.
"But I'm disguised." He stepped back slightly, revealing his current appearance.
Josselyn looked him up and down, unimpressed.
He wore a brown cloak with a hood covering his head.
But his features were still striking. Too striking. Josselyn glanced toward Darius, who stood a few meters away.
He was watching her. Too long.
Too focused. His jaw tightened when he saw Killian's hand on her.
But he did not move.
'What's wrong with him?'
Josselyn let out a quiet breath. "You can't walk around alone with that face. At the very least, you'd need a dozen soldiers to guard such a valuable asset.
She almost pointed at Killian's handsome face, but her finger stopped midair.
'Don't be reckless, Josselyn.'
She repeated the words in her mind.
Then, without another word, Killian pulled something from his pocket.
A hairpin.
Shaped like a butterfly. Delicate. Softly gleaming.
And blue, like the deep ocean.
"For you," Killian said.
Josselyn blinked, startled. Her gaze shifted between the hairpin and him.
"How did you… know…?"
Killian did not answer.
He simply lifted his hand and, without asking, slid it into her hair.
His fingertips brushed her temple.
Too long to be accidental.
"It suits you better than I imagined."