When Seth opened the door to the Grand Princess' room she was sitting on her bed with a wooden plank on her lap. It was filled with several papers and books from the library were spread around her and she would pause her writing to cough a little from time to time.
"I see, You have returned." She found him as usual. The soft rays from the evening sun alighted her silhouette from behind, painting her in a tender atmosphere. She looked fragile in her white nightgown like she would disappear if he tried to touch her. So Seth couldn't bring himself to move and stood at the door like a frozen statue, holding his breath.
"Are you not coming in?" She said breaking him from his trance. He hesitated a little but slowly walked towards the bed. As soon as he reached her, he caught sight of the faint blush on her face and his fingers twitched wanting to touch.
"What are you hiding behind?" She said as she tilted her head with a teasing smile on her face. Seth felt like he could watch her in silence forever but her question brought him back and he took out the flower bouquet that he was holding behind him. They were the flowers from one of the dungeons where he caught the twins lurking. Dungeon flowers last longer than the normal ones and each one of them was beautiful as if they were crafted carefully by master craftsmen.
"Nothing much just picked them up on the way." He said offering a carefully arranged flower bouquet. And for some reason, she broke into merry laughter as she took the flower bouquet and patted the empty space beside her for him to sit.
"What's so funny?" He leaned back, his weight on his hand behind her on the pillows.
"Did you really pick them on the way?" She asked, hugging the flowers to her face. Her smile tugged at his heart and he gulped before nodding slightly. She laughed a little more before leaning on him sighing contently.
"You see those two flowers over there?" She pointed to the vase on the bedside table. One was a normal-looking lotus but its petals were covered in pixie glitter and the other was a lilac only its petals were like that of a dragonfly wings. They both looked ethereal, just like the girl beside him, Seth couldn't help but think.
"The lotus was from Noah and Lilac from Cleo." She said and Seth frowned a little.
"They beat me to it." He muttered a little upset.
"Yes. And unlike you, It wasn't an afterthought. They didn't pick them on their way, they specifically picked them for me. They caught sight of these flowers that reminded them of me, apparently, I'm the prettiest in the whole wide world." She chuckled.
"I picked them up and arranged them with great care as well." Seth blurted out.
"Why, Thank you." She said and he grudgingly accepted it. Before he knew it he was burrowing his head into her neck and his arms around her waist but nothing felt out of place. She rubbed her cheek on the crown of his head as she gently caressed the flower petals, feeling their texture.
A minute later, Seth realised something, "You knew!" He lifted his head to look at her sniffing at the flowers.
"What, that they sneaked behind you into a dungeon? Yes, they confessed." She replied.
"I told them that I would tell you hoping you would discipline them." He said.
"They were looking so cute when they came to me hiding the flowers behind them just like a certain someone. I couldn't yell at them. Besides, you must have already scolded them a little so I can't scold them too." She reasoned.
"They bribed you with those flowers." Seth clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"You are just sore because they beat you to it." She shook her head.
"Then again, look who they took after." She waved the flower bouquet. "I guess you are to blame in the end."
"But this is not good. They sneaked in and I didn't even notice. I have to find a teacher soon but it will take time. I beg that you keep an eye on them lest they both follow me into another dungeon and get hurt." Seth sighed as he snuggled into her.
"They are bored, Seth. I have thought about it. Just give them a dog or a cat to get along with and it will occupy them for a while." She said handing the flowers to her maid and picking up her pencil, returning to her work.
"I might have an idea for that." Seth said, picking up one of the papers lying around. It was simplified Rune Theory, and the complicated textbooks turned into simple yet understandable words and pictures.
"Are you studying Rune Theory?" He asked, studying the papers with interest.
"Mn. I'm bored as well so I want something to occupy my mind and viola! Who knew I might have a talent for Rune Theory and find it interesting? Besides, I can use some Rune Magic in the near future." She said proudly.
"I bet you will do great." Seth said and he wasn't lying. Her understanding of the subject was far better than the people doing a thesis on the same subject back in the academy. It was evident from her notes. In fact, saying she might be a genius was an understatement. If she were able to use Runes, then she would be powerful but if only she started when she was young, she would be a force to reckon with.
"I will." She said scribbling on her paper. Her movements were smooth as she drew middle-class rune after rune. The circles and squares intertwined beautifully and the equations all sat in the right places. Seth just stayed there leaning on her shoulder and they both fell into a comfortable silence. The birds would chirp occasionally, probably calling their kids back to the nest now that it was almost nightfall.
"Are you not busy?" She asked after a while.
"I am." He sighed but then complained a second later, "I need my break."
"How many dungeons did you clear today?" She asked.
"Five low class and six middle class. They were all close to Eonon so I had to finish them before anything came out of it." He said.
"So did you make any money today?"
"Two low-class and two middle-class has some useful material. The rest is the usual, nothing special." He said.
"I want to clear a dungeon myself." She said, twirling the pencil in her hand.
"No." He said immediately.
"Why?" She looked offended.
"Not yet, at least. I will take you there so don't sneak in like the twins." Seth offered before she pulled a similar stunt.
"I won't. I'm not a child." She rolled her eyes.
"I would not sneak. I would walk in there in the open daylight." She added and laughed at his reproachful expression.
"Go wash up and take a rest. From What I have heard, You will be busy all week and next week, the verdant princess will be here. So rest while you can." She said and Seth sighed. He let go of her reluctantly and left the room. As soon as he closed the door, He caught sight of the maid walking to the room he had just came out of with a few letters on a tray.
"Is the Grand Princess exchanging correspondence with someone?" He asked, stopping the maid. The maid, a little flustered, bowed to him in greeting before answering. "These are the letters the Grand Princess wrote to the Holy Empire, Your Highness. They all have been returned without opening."
Seth looked at the unopened letters for a little longer then ordered the maid to keep it secret from the Grand Princess. "Put them in my office."
"Yes, Your Highness." The maid turned and left without a word to the Grand Princess. Seth knew she would be angry at him for doing this but he didn't want her to know. He could at least stall until the festival was over. He didn't want to ruin her happy time with the twins yet.