"Angelina-sama, please don't worry about it. It's been quite some time since I was instructed not to approach Dennis-sama."
"... It's been that long?"
"Yes. About half a year."
"Half a year!?"
So Misha was instructed not to approach Dennis-sama after I had left for Baltzrein?
"Besides, Angelina-sama, you are to marry into the frontier, are you not?"
"Yes, that's right. I am to marry Margrave Baltzrein."
"Then, perhaps, this is for the best."
"What do you mean?"
"I suppose you can call this 'fate'. Angelina-sama. Even after you have married into the frontier, would you still keep me close as a friend?"
"Of course. That goes without saying, Misha."
"Thank you so much. Actually, Angelina-sama, the..."
"It's all right. Go on?"
I urged her to continue, as she seemed to be struggling.
"You were considered the most likely candidate to become Prince Leonhardt's fiancée."
"... Well, perhaps. Though I'm not sure if I was the top choice."
There was also Sandika-sama from the Lordic house, after all.
She and I were the same age, so she would also have been a candidate for His Highness's fiancée.
"My father told me to get close to you with that in mind."
"Aah..."
Misha's father, Viscount Treimel, was a man with a strong desire for power, and he was strict with his daughter.
"Forming a friendship with the duke's daughter" was also one of his wishes.
Better still would have been "his daughter becoming friends with the future queen."
But that had not come to pass. Even so, the patron and vassal relationship would not change.
I hear that Carlos Onii-sama, who would inherit the duke's title, was well regarded by His Highness as well. So there is some benefit for him to have ties with our house.
But would Misha, who is only friends with me, be able to reap those benefits?
The relationship between Carlos Onii-sama and me was, to put it mildly, far from good at the moment.
If it stayed that way, what would Viscount Treimel do? I found myself worrying about Misha again.
"If this had happened after I got engaged to Dennis-sama... Then I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to give up on him. I would have clung to him more desperately... So, perhaps it is a good thing that he rejected me now. If it's a love that cannot be, then perhaps it's better to just let it go."
"Misha..."
Misha herself had already reached the stage where she was coming to terms with it.
I had been too late to comfort my friend.
"Since this involves my father's wishes, I cannot say anything at the moment, but Angelina-sama... if I am allowed... I wish to be by your side when you marry into the frontier. That is what I want."
"Eh? That, you mean..."
"It's still a long way away. But that's how I feel. If it had been decided that you would enter the royal palace, Angelina-sama, I would have wanted to be by your side then too... That's how my childhood crush began, Angelina-sama."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
I tilted my head in confusion and looked at Misha. She smiled and replied.
"In other words, what I wished for first was, Angelina-sama, to be by your side. So I wondered if there might be a fiancé for me among the 'men who serve at the royal palace'. And one whom that father of mine would accept. I suppose you could say that I was being rather shameless, picking and choosing among men..."
Misha wore a bashful, troubled expression.
"'Within those conditions, this man would do,' I thought. And the one I found that way was Dennis-sama. That was the start of my love. So now, well. I suppose Dennis-sama and I simply weren't meant to be. And rather than that, I am thinking about how I might remain by Angelina-sama's side. This is all because Angelina-sama has decided to marry into the Baltzrein house."
"Misha, you... is that how it was."
I widened my eyes and gazed at my old friend.
I had no idea that Misha had been thinking such things.
"Yes. So, Angelina-sama. Rather than concerning yourself over Dennis-sama, I would prefer you to guide me on the path that would allow me to accompany you to the frontier. And I hope that your relationship with Margrave Baltzrein remains rock-solid."
"... I see. I understand your feelings, Misha. If that is what you wish, I will think of a way to help you with it."
"Yes, I would be most grateful if you would, Angelina-sama."
Politics, authority. The "bond" between us had been one forged by the schemes of our respective families.
But now, I felt something like friendship was budding between us.
That warmed my heart.
"And by the way, Angelina-sama. Setting aside my matters, I hear you're planning to have a date with Margrave Baltzrein in the capital."
"... Where did you hear that from?"
"It has become quite the rumour."
Why is such a rumour spreading!?
"Since this will likely be your first date in the capital, I'm sure you'd want to make it a memorable one, but please choose a safe location, Angelina-sama."
"... Y-yes, you're right. Could you also listen to what has happened to me, Misha?"
"Gladly."
Although this was a date between a duke's daughter and a Margrave, they won't be accompanied by many bodyguards like with the royal family.
So long as we did not leave the royal capital, there shouldn't be any danger.
Like any girl my age, my heart fluttered at the thought of a date, and I couldn't help but feel giddy, but...
Of course, I intended to keep my composure.
And so, while spending my school days that way and progressing my preparations, the day on which I would show Ash-sama around the royal capital arrived.