***
Avolire Castle.
Redfair.
Sera seemed to be sitting bored on the balcony of her room, looking intently straight ahead at the cityscape of Avolire. Avolire was more beautiful and organized than Calden City, but the people differed greatly.
Avolire, which had always been peaceful and serene, made its people so classy that the comparison between the rich and the poor was visible. However, it was different for the people in Calden City.
The conflict with Athalaris made them realize that differences in such situations are pointless. That was why the people in Calden helped others more than the people in Avolire.
"I wonder what Marcella and Mary are doing right now?" asked Sera, raising her head to look at the city sky that seemed to be filled with white clouds similar to soft foam.
While Sera was contemplating alone on the balcony of her room, her reverie was interrupted when she heard a knock on the door of her chamber. Sera turned around and told the person behind the door to come in.
"What are you doing?" asked Lady Grace.
Sera sighed, returning her gaze to the front, watching the vast land of Avolire city with all its people's bustling activities.
"Just looking at the city," Sera replied.
"Oh dear. Did you forget today's schedule?" asked Grace, walking over to Sera, still sitting in her sleeping pajamas.
"I didn't forget at all. Dad asked me to go to the blossom hill," Sera explained.
"If you really knew, why haven't you gotten ready yet?" asked Grace.
Her daughter took another deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Sera didn't care what her mother said. She thought the reason Caspian took Sera was to show the large number of troops that would destroy Heimrich.
"I'm being lazy about it," Sera revealed.
"Are you really lazy or don't want to do it?" asked Grace.
Sera remained silent momentarily without changing her eyes from the front, "Both."
Grace sighed as she raised her right hand, gently massaging her temple. This kind of change in Sera's attitude happened when she had just left Lanercoast. Grace thought Sera must have had friends or something fun there.
"You've been acting like this since you left Lanercoast," Grace stated, taking a wooden chair and sitting close to Sera.
"Is it because of Quentin?" asked Grace, Sera shaking her head.
"Ever since I was a child, I wasn't allowed to go out to play. I don't have any friends outside the castle. My only friend here is Arnold," Sera explained.
"I became bored and didn't know what it was like to play with friends other than Arnold until I was 25 years old and ready to be married off to a prince," Sera said.
Grace was speechless. She felt how sad Sera was to discover that she wanted to live and play with her peers. That loneliness had haunted her for 25 years.
"Caspian and I forbade you from playing with other nobles for fear that they would influence you badly. You are Lady Sera, First Daughter of Lorelei," Grace replied.
"I expected that. You were going to go back to saying the phrase you kept repeating for 20 years when I complained about this," Sera complained.
"Fine. You can walk around the city under strict escort and in a horse-drawn carriage," Grace ordered.
"That's not fun. There are certain limits that prevent me from interacting normally with the people there," Sera explained.
"What do you want?" asked Grace, raising her voice as if questioning Sera's true desires.
As Sera heard Grace's question, the woman spontaneously turned her head to the back right side, looking closely at her mother's face.
"Do you really want to know what I want?" asked Sera.
Grace nodded with a focused look on Sera's face, "Yes. I want to see you smile as freely as you used to."
Sera smiled a little, turning her body fully toward Grace. Sera's soft hands seemed to be clasping Grace's hands, begging for her wish to be granted.
"I want to spend more time with Marcella and Princess Mary," Sera explained.
"Marcella? Marcella Helferich? You want to go back to Lanercoast?" asked Grace, shocked.
"At least I have friends I can share my worries with," Sera replied.
"Your mother is here. Why would you tell anyone else?" asked Grace, somewhat annoyed.
"Even if I told you about my marriage to Prince Alexander, you wouldn't give me any good advice," Sera replied.
"You're bound by Father's decision. I had to tell someone neutral, not taking sides," Sera retorted.
Grace grumbled in annoyance again. She knew what Sera meant. Although Avolire Castle was her home, Sera did not consider it as such, especially when her wedding plans changed from marrying Edmund to marrying Alexander.
From then on, she became a loner, with her mind filled with many thoughts. Her mind became even more frantic when she realized that Alexander had not been found until this moment.
"Even if you want me to, I cannot grant you that," Grace told her.
"I know. You've never been brave to Father," Sera explained.
Hearing those words made Grace gasp in surprise. She didn't expect her daughter to have grown up so well, to be able to judge things so thoroughly.
Sera sighed again, looking straight at her with bored eyes. Grace did not want to see Sera continue behaving like that, as if she had nothing to make her happy.
Grace kept silent as she closed her eyes, then could be heard exhaling softly. She stood up from her sitting position, saying goodbye to Sera.
"I will do something," Grace replied.
"It's up to you, Mother," Sera replied.
Grace was determined not to let Sera be sad again. She had to do something to make her smile again, even if only for a few moments.
She thought Sera might be cheered up if she took her to the performing arts, such as the circus, comedy shows, drama performances, and the Avolire festival.
By nightfall, Grace had prepared a horse-drawn carriage with a small procession, not so many and luxurious. She was already dressed in a beautiful gown, ready to enjoy a blissful evening with her daughter Sera.
Arriving in front of Sera's chamber, Grace immediately knocked on the door and opened it. She saw Sera lying in a casual suit, both hands clutching her favorite novel.
"Put that book down and come with me," Grace explained.
Grace's arrival made Sera focus her attention to the side, seeing Grace, who came in a beautiful light purple dress.
"Where are we going? Why are you dressed so beautifully tonight?" asked Sera, confused.
"There's an Avolire festival in the city. We should go visit it," replied Grace.
"Avolire festival?" asked Sera, Grace nodded.
Sera exhaled, resuming reading her favorite novel, "I'm not going. The place will be crowded with people; it's not as interesting as it used to be."
"I have prepared horse-drawn carriages, escorts, and so on. You will enjoy it," Grace replied.
"With things like that, it's even more convincing for me not to go," Sera replied.
"I cannot help but think. What makes Lanercoast better than Avolire? It's just a poverty-stricken land!" growled Grace.
Sera closed her novel, placing it on the bed with her eyes focused on Grace for the umpteenth time.
"You don't know anything about the excitement in Lanercoast. So, don't talk like you know anything else!"
"Alright. If you want to go there, we will go tonight."
"Eh?"