’Unrelated—so it’s not about Heinz, or me being a consort,’ Florian thought with immediate relief.

He exhaled quietly and lifted a hand, gesturing for Elara to continue.

"Go ahead, Duke Elara," Florian said softly, doing his best to sound composed, as if he hadn’t just been slowly dying of embarrassment moments ago.

Elara straightened slightly, folding her hands neatly in her lap before speaking. "Regarding your invitees," she began, her tone calm and measured, "I understand why you invited Princess Athena and Princess Scarlett. I’m aware they are close friends of yours."

Oh.

Florian felt the shift immediately.

’I know where this is going,’ he thought.

And more importantly—

’I know who this is about.’

Elara’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "It seems you already know who I’m going to ask about."

She tilted her head just slightly. "Prince Hendrix. In this kingdom, most people avoid him like the plague. I’ve never heard of the two of you being acquainted." Her gaze sharpened, not unkind, but curious. "And we’re all aware of His Majesty’s... feelings toward Prince Hendrix."

Florian met her eyes, heart steady but alert.

"You’re wondering why I invited him," Florian said, tilting his head in return. "Yes?"

"Yes," Elara said calmly, though the curiosity in her voice was unmistakable. "I am curious what led you to that decision. And how you managed to convince His Majesty to allow it."

Florian had known this question would come.

He had rehearsed the answer in his head long before the carriage ever moved.

And, as prepared as he was, it was still a lie.

"During the ball," Florian said evenly, "Lady Monica spoke to me in private."

Elara’s eyes widened. "Really? That’s... surprising."

"It was to me as well," Florian replied. "She expressed her regrets for what happened. Everything." He let a carefully crafted bitterness settle into his expression. "To the late queen. To His Majesty." He paused, then continued, "And she shared her one genuine wish."

Elara leaned forward slightly. "Which was?"

"For the two royal brothers to grow closer," Florian said. "Especially now that His Majesty has already ascended the throne."

"Oh." Elara blinked, processing. "So Prince Hendrix is here because you hope to help him gain favor with His Majesty?"

Florian nodded. "I’m hoping that if he helps with this task, it might change things." He let out a quiet sigh. "That His Majesty might finally see that Prince Hendrix never wanted the throne. Maybe then..." His voice softened. "Maybe then he could forgive him. For merely existing."

Eleonor’s face brightened immediately. "That’s incredibly kind of you, Prince Florian," he said, smiling openly. "I already knew you were a good person, but this... you truly go above and beyond."

Florian returned the smile, just enough.

’I wish I was,’ he thought. ’In reality, I’m just using this time to make Hendrix help me return Florian to his body.’

Elara frowned.

It was subtle, but Florian caught it.

His stomach tightened.

’Oh no,’ he thought. ’Does she not believe me?’

But instead of challenging him, Elara spoke softly.

"You are truly noble, Your Highness," she said. "Truthfully... I still feel partially responsible for everything that happened between them." Her gaze lowered slightly. "If I had trusted my own thoughts back then..."

Florian tilted his head. "Forgive me," he said gently, "but what do you mean?"

"Well," Elara began, choosing her words carefully, "as you’re aware, His Majesty initially distanced himself from all the dukes. That was because we had collectively agreed that Prince Hendrix should ascend the throne." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Yes?" Florian prompted.

"At first," Elara continued, "there were only two dukes in favor. Not all of us agreed. Especially me." She let out a slow breath. "I was dear friends with the late queen... and more than that, I did not believe Prince Hendrix was fit to take the throne."

That startled Florian.

He had always thought Hendrix was widely admired. The king’s favored son. Kinder. More approachable. Easier to love than Heinz, who had grown up distant and severe.

At least, that was the impression every record gave him.

’So that wasn’t the full truth,’ Florian realized.

"If you don’t mind me asking," Florian said carefully, "why did you agree in the end?"

Elara didn’t answer right away.

Instead, she glanced at Eleonor.

Eleonor met her gaze, his expression serious now, far older than his years, as if he already understood the weight of what his mother was about to say.

The silence that followed felt deliberate.

Heavy.

"King Henry explained to us," Elara said slowly, her voice careful, deliberate, "that His Majesty would become a cruel tyrant. And despite our initial hesitations in choosing Prince Hendrix, he believed Hendrix would do whatever it took to keep the kingdom stable."

She paused. "As much as King Heinz was also his son... he feared that Heinz already carried too much anger in his heart. Anger that could ruin the kingdom."

’I mean... he wasn’t wrong,’ Florian thought. ’And I already knew this from Monica. But the fact that he told the dukes as well...’

That meant Henry truly believed it. Deeply. Enough to plant that fear into the very people meant to guide the kingdom.

Elara continued, her hands moving unconsciously as she spoke, as if reliving the weight of that decision.

"So we chose," she said quietly. "Not what we wanted—but what we believed the kingdom needed." She let out a slow sigh. "And yet, just as King Henry feared... when King Heinz ascended the throne, everything began to unravel." Her expression tightened. "To think he would do what he did..."

That part was true.

Florian didn’t deny it.

But—

"Forgive me," Florian said gently, "but it’s not as if the kingdom had a solid foundation to begin with."

Eleonor straightened immediately, eyes widening. "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

Florian didn’t look away. "As far as I know, the kingdom began struggling only months after the former king’s death. Villages suffered. Dukes found themselves unable to manage their own territories." His voice remained calm, but firm. "That doesn’t happen overnight."

Eleonor frowned. "All because of His Majesty, yes?"

"No," Florian replied. "Not just His Majesty."

The carriage fell quiet.

"His Majesty and I visited the Village of Forgotten Waters," Florian continued. "And what I noticed there... was dependence." He met Elara’s gaze. "Statistically speaking, even without a king, dukes should have been able to maintain order. Villages should not have collapsed so quickly unless—"

He paused.

"Unless everyone had been made reliant on the former king."

The realization lingered in the air.

"I explained this already," Florian added. "That’s why I proposed the village project. Because the issue wasn’t just leadership—it was structure."

Elara’s expression softened.

"And that," she said, a small smile forming, "is why I agreed."

Florian blinked.

"This is why I trust you and your judgment, Your Highness," Elara continued. "You notice things others overlook. Things most people wouldn’t dare to question." Her gaze sharpened, not harsh, but proud in a quiet, unwavering way. "And more than that—you have the courage to act on what you believe is right."

Something warm settled in Florian’s chest.

And uncomfortable.

The kind of warmth that pressed too close to the truth.

’I’m not brave,’ he thought. ’If anything... I’m running away.’

Running from the palace.

From Heinz.

From a choice he wasn’t ready to make.

As that thought settled, another sensation crept over him.

Cold.

Not the sharp, biting kind that lived in his mind when fear took hold—but something real. Physical. It raised goosebumps along his arms, made him draw in a quiet breath.

Florian turned his head toward the carriage window.

Outside, the world had changed.

White drifted lazily from the sky, slow and weightless. Tiny shapes spiraled and danced, catching the light before disappearing against the road and trees.

Snow.

Florian stared, momentarily forgetting everything else.

"This is my first time seeing snow," he said softly, awe slipping into his voice before he could stop it. "It looks... beautiful."

Eleonor leaned closer to the window, then glanced back at him. "It doesn’t snow where you’re from, Your Highness?"

Florian shook his head, eyes still fixed on the falling white. "No," he said quietly. "It never snowed."

’I’ve seen it in pictures,’ he thought. ’But never like this.’

The snow kept falling, gentle and unbothered, as if the world itself was offering him something new.

"Well," Elara said gently, "this means we’ve crossed our borders."

She placed a hand over Florian’s, the touch light but deliberate. It was enough to pull his attention away from the snow and back to her.

"Prince Florian."

Florian blinked, then turned fully toward her. "Yes, Duke Elara?"

Her expression shifted—still calm, still warm, but more serious now. The kind of seriousness that signaled something important was about to be said.

"This means we’re nearing my brother’s estate," Elara continued. "And because of that, I’ll tell you the final things you must do once you uncover the reason I asked you to come here."

Right.

The task.

Eldrick.

Elara’s older brother.

And everything strange that surrounded him—and Farah.

’So this is where it truly begins,’ Florian thought, his earlier sense of awe fading into focus.

He straightened slightly, his hand still beneath Elara’s. "Of course," he said, steady now. "What is it?"