“But why-“

His earnest voice drowned out mine.

“I just… I couldn’t sleep after hearing the news. I was so worried about you that I rushed over at dawn, and when I saw you looking fine, I felt relieved. That’s all.”

“….”

“Shouldn’t you be the one finding it difficult? How can you act this way? I wish you were only attractive to me, rather than being attractive to others too, making me worried that in my absence, you could receive a confession from some other good person.”

Every time he poured out his sincere feelings, it made me uncomfortable. I felt suffocated and pitiful.

“And you… I have to do something big to get your attention. But what should I do?”

“…Even if you had approached me normally, I wouldn’t have looked at you. I’m sure of that.”

I let go of the wall and turned my body outward. It was because I couldn’t bear to look at him.

“I hope you think about how to genuinely like the Crown Prince. That’s the first step to winning my heart.”

“….”

“Please think about it before approaching me. I’m asking you.”

Leaving him with a sulky expression, I left the reception room.

* * *

After the conversation with May, Diego pondered on how he could win her heart as he returned to the palace.

When he listed his strengths, it was mainly his good looks and noble status, but May also possessed those qualities.

He was confident in his appearance, but… when it came to showing off his body, there were limits.

What would May like, exactly?

Upon returning to the palace, Diego asked Isabella for advice, and she gave him some sound counsel.

“To win her heart, you should do things she likes. And if you can’t do things she likes, then at least avoid doing things she dislikes.”

He would never do anything that May disliked, especially tormenting her. But what else might she dislike?

As he contemplated how to win her heart, it became Nine Moons Gathering day.

Everyone from the Nine was present except May and Clover.

While lost in thought, Diego was interrupted by Velta.

“I went to visit Penso yesterday, and his face looks ten years older from the hardships. I almost didn’t recognize him at first. It seems the escaped princess is still on the run.”

“Penso also had to sell off all his businesses. They’ve all gone bankrupt.”

As Diego looked at Velta and Galley, he recalled how May disliked their lack of manners and hated them for being rude.

…Now that I think about it, she always disliked joining the Nine from the beginning. It was just because of Jed’s charm that she reluctantly accepted the invitation.

So, does she hate the Nine?

Without hesitation, Diego declared:

“From today on, the Nine is disbanded.”

Velta and Galley misunderstood what he said.

“Really?”

“Why…!”

“We became Guardians, so the Nine became useless. The Nine was supposed to be a gathering for people who wanted to become Guardians, right?”

“But we haven’t become Guardians yet…”

“That’s right, you showed yourself well to the Guardian Deity, so you became Guardians. If that didn’t work out, you should have at least placed in the top three in the Arcus Tournament.”

His words were true, and Velta and Galley couldn’t refute them.

Diego shifted his gaze to the silent Jed. The corners of his mouth curved slightly.

“Do you regret what happened at the ball? May officially became Flotina’s one and only lady.”

“No… I don’t regret it. If I open up my heart again, that person will surely come to like me again.”

“Well, I don’t think so from what I’ve seen.”

With that confident statement, Jed’s expression hardened coldly.

“I don’t understand why you think that way.”

After thinking a lot of what he said, Jed finally realized. Diego confidently replied:

“Because what May values the most is people’s hearts, so she dislikes those who play with emotions the most.”

While Jed remained speechless, Diego stood up from his seat.

“Anyway, now that the Nine is disbanded, that’s what I know.”

As Diego left, Velta and Galley hurriedly followed him and tried to dissuade him.

“Your Highness, disbanding it…! Please reconsider.”

“The Nine is like our home…!”

They desperately tried to prevent the disbandment by emphasizing their affiliation with the Nine, which had allowed them to wield power and take advantage of the royal family.

“Your Highness, please, I beg you…!!”

Despite their earnest pleas, Diego remained firm.

“My decision won’t change. The Nine will be disbanded.”

“Your Highness…!!”

With a bang, the door closed as they left, but Jed stayed behind alone, standing still in that place.

* * *

Floa entered the empty library and searched for books. Ever since his conversation with Mirocagon, he had been searching for books non-stop.

On the day he heard about Viche from Mirocagon, Floa had attempted to kill him.

Floa was the guardian deity of Flotina, and Mirocagon was a demon who had entered Flotina without permission.

“Now that your role is over, I guess you have nothing to say even if you die, right?”

When Floa emitted a red aura, Mirocagon was startled and cowered.

“W-Wait! I have something to say about Passabea…!”

At the mention of the name he longed for, Floa’s magical power subsided.

“About Passabea…?”

“I haven’t seen Passabeain person, but it’s a very famous incident that he went missing. It seems that Passabea is… not in this world.”

At those words, Floa’s blood seemed to boil in reverse. He immediately grabbed Mirocagon’s throat with his red aura.

“Are you daring to say that Passabea has passed away?”

“G-Gah, no, that’s not what I mean! Another, another dimension! It seems like he went to another dimension!”

“Another dimension?”

Misunderstanding, Floa released his grip on Mirocagon’s throat. Mirocagon gasped for breath as if he had almost died.

“Explain it properly.”

“I saw a human with my truth-seeing eyes who came from a different dimension. She read a book and ended up in the world of that book. I thought Passabea might have also traveled between dimensions like that human. He disappeared without a trace.”

“Who is that person?”

“That’s a secret. I don’t think that person will ever admit that they came from a different dimension.”

“They wouldn’t lie just to survive, would they?”

“Absolutely not. I don’t lie about things like this.”

Although the demon’s words were not entirely trustworthy, the fact that Passabea had disappeared without a trace made it hard to dismiss the far-fetched story entirely.

“A different dimension… I should look for books related to that.”

“So, you’ll spare me?”

“For now. Of course, if you cause trouble or if Persis orders me to kill you, I’ll do it.”

“I won’t cause trouble.”

And so, Floa started searching for books related to dimensional travel in the library.

He took out all the relevant books and examined them to see if there was any information about dimensional travel.

However, there were only some scholars’ theories; there were no stories of actual dimensional travel.

“The person Mirocagon mentioned… If I meet that person who came from a different dimension, maybe I can find out something…”

As Floa muttered to himself, May entered the library. It was right after Floa had spoken to herself.

As soon as May noticed Floa, she approached him.

“Floa, are you reading books? What are you looking for that you’ve taken out so many books like this?”

As Floa leaned against the bookshelf, the stack of books next to him seemed to be well over thirty volumes. He lifted his head and met May’s gaze.

“I’m looking for Passabea.”

Ah… Passabea.

That day, when May’s abdomen was torn by Hestia, she remembered the memories of her childhood when she had forgotten. Passabea was the one who first approached her at the playground and became her friend when she used to play alone without any friends.

She must have met him, but Floa couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.

“To me, he’s my grandfather, right? Are you looking for any writings he might have left in books.?”

“Well, it’s actually because of Mirocagon.”

Floa relayed what Mirocagon had said.

“He mentioned that Passabea might have gone to a different dimension. So, I’m looking for information about traveling to other dimensions… but there doesn’t seem to be any helpful material.”

“A different dimension…?”

Hearing about another dimension, May wondered if it was the same world she had been in before she was possessed.

“Yes. According to Mirocagon, there might be someone who came from a different dimension to this place. He didn’t tell me who it was, though…”

May felt embarrassed. It was clearly her story.

Floa closed the book in his hand and stood up.

“I guess it’s not going to work. Even if I have to threaten to kill him, I’ll find out who it is.”

You’ll find out?! 

Sensing the urgency of the situation, May grabbed his hand tightly before he could teleport.

Floa looked down at the hand that was held.

“May?”

“F- Floa. Can I meet Mirocagon first?”

“Why?”

“That, um… the thing is, when I was seriously injured, Mirocagon appeared in my dream and told me not to die. I want to thank him before Mirocagon dies in your hands.”

Floa smiled gently.

“Alright. Until then, I’ll keep looking for more books. You go ahead and meet him.”

“Yes!!”

May immediately rushed out of the library.

Floa, finding May’s actions cute, continued to read the book and searched for another one from the bookshelf.

Then, a certain book caught his eye, and he took it out.

“This is…”

The Imperial Language Dictionary. Six years ago, he had taken it out, missing May when he was sent to the orphanage.

“May’s handwriting is in here, so I took it out.”

Floa unfolded the first page of the Imperial Language Dictionary.

The handwriting was slightly faded due to the passage of time, but it was still cute.

“I want to go back to my ordinary daily life. Please let me go back.”

Upon seeing those words, Floa felt sorry. He thought it was a note May had written just before going to the orphanage.

“From now on, I should make sure May doesn’t write such things.”

Making up his mind, she put the book back on the shelf but accidentally noticed something.

“Come to think of it… The Imperial Language Dictionary seems to be exceptionally worn out.”

It had been an old book even when she saw it six years ago. It seemed even older than that…

I wonder if May often looked at this?

“Is there a need to look at it frequently?”

As he took the book out again and examined it, he found asterisks, circles, and underlines all over the pages.

As if someone with a native language had diligently studied a foreign language.