Vincent Draycott had made plans with Mary to take a walk around the city. And he wasn't looking forward to it.

It wasn't that he disliked Mary. The young woman was very beautiful—both in appearance and, above all, in character. He didn't know if it was due to her strong affinity for light magic, but Mary always thought of others and had something, an innocence, that stirred something deep within the prince, making him want to protect her.

That was why, ever since she had arrived at the academy, he had extended a hand to her and invited her to join his select group, which consisted of his childhood friends, sometimes his sister Lily, and also Darius. (Darius hadn't been invited—he had simply joined them, and since Alistair liked him, they had accepted him.)

So, the reason he wasn't excited about spending the afternoon with Mary wasn't that he didn't enjoy her company—it was that the person he truly wanted to spend his free time with right now was Bianca.

Bianca...

The academy girl who had helped his sister escape unharmed from the water dungeon—and who had brought along some extra baggage: Ronan.

The independent young woman who had spent the first two months at the academy alone, studying and keeping to herself.

The promising earth mage who had suddenly turned out to be an exceptional student with six elemental affinities.

And, above all, the young woman who made him forget himself, who made him want to kiss her—something he had almost managed to do. Almost. Twice.

He couldn't stop thinking about her.

Did he really have to focus on Mary?

As he mulled over the question in his head, he finished selecting an outfit for their walk—something different from the academy uniform. He opted for an elegant long coat with buttons and a slight military-style cut, a linen shirt, matching fabric trousers, and tall leather boots. The coat bore the embroidered heraldic crest of the royal house, with a deep red hue that also stood out on the lapels of the coat's collar. After bidding farewell to his valet, he set out to meet Mary.

Once together, they took one of the academy's carriages, which dropped them off at Solstar's main square. Mary mentioned a new pastry shop with excellent sweets, and they headed in that direction, taking a detour first to stroll through the park—a landscaped area with benches and fountains, bustling with citizens and their young children enjoying a leisurely Saturday afternoon.

"Vincent," Mary said as they walked, "you didn't have to spend the afternoon with me if you didn't feel like it. Bianca can be a bit intense sometimes. And bossy."

The prince burst out laughing—the first genuine laugh of the afternoon.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Yes, she definitely is. But don't worry, I enjoy spending time with you."

Mary blushed slightly at his words. Vincent didn't seem to perceive. Nor did he realize that she had noticed how his mood had suddenly lifted, as if talking about Bianca was exactly what he needed.

"But in a different way than with Bianca, right?" Mary asked, a little saddened.

"Mary, I don't understand what you mean. You're both my friends. Although I can't deny that Bianca is special," he replied after a few seconds of silence, as if he understood what she was implying but didn't want to hurt her.

"Come, let's sit down."

Taking advantage of the fact that they were still in the park, Mary pointed to a bench in the middle of a flowerbed of white roses. Nearby, small children played with a ball, watched over by a couple of mothers. Mary greeted them as they passed, then sat on the bench and refocused on the prince.

"Look, I think I know Bianca. We haven't been friends for long, but in some ways, she's a little like me. I've noticed that she's been avoiding you and acting strangely around you. Have you two talked? Has she told you?"

Vincent narrowed his eyes as he studied Mary. Physically, they weren't very similar. Mary was blonde, Bianca brunette. Both were beautiful, but Mary had an almost ethereal purity to her features, an angelic quality that reflected her affinity for light, as if she were an angel from legends. Bianca was nothing like that. Bianca was a storm—a damn puzzle. But it was true that both had kindness and innocence in them, and now that he knew about Bianca's medium-level light affinity, he understood it better.

"Yes, she finally told me."

"Oh, thank goodness! That's wonderful!" Mary exclaimed, clasping Vincent's hands in hers.

"The truth is… what a secret…"

"Yes," Mary interrupted him. The girl wasn't usually one to interrupt, but at that moment, she seemed relieved. "Honestly, I was surprised when I found out that Their Majesties approved of your engagement and future marriage. I'm really happy that my friend has found her path to happiness."

Vincent froze for a few moments.

Marriage?

Was that what Mary was referring to?

For an instant, he closed his eyes in gratitude. Because if she hadn't interrupted him, he would have said something about the six elements, thinking that Bianca's best friend already knew.

He had to be more careful. That his mother had given Bianca permission to tell him obviously meant that Vincent had to keep the secret well.

"And what did you tell her?" Mary asked intently, her heart pounding.

"Don't worry, Mary," Vincent misinterpreted why that question seemed so important to her. He couldn't know that, while Mary wished Bianca the best, she also had feelings for him. "I wouldn't dare play with her or hurt her. I let her know that I agree as well, although I think she's still unsure about the engagement."

He remembered how she had pulled away abruptly to avoid his kiss. That hurt.

"Oh, don't worry," Mary smiled as she squeezed his hands, trying to offer him support. "She's a bit stubborn and says she's not interested in guys for now, that she's too young, but I know that when she fully accepts her feelings, you two will be very happy together."

"Thank you, Mary. Your support means a lot."

A stray ball rolled past them, and a child ran over to retrieve it. They fell silent as they watched.

Mary let go of his hands and adjusted her hair.

"Tell me, you're going to the ball with Theodore, right?"

Since they were already talking about feelings, Vincent didn't think the question would bother her.

"Yes." She blushed slightly.

"He's a good guy. I've known him since we were kids. Very thoughtful and calm, but a good guy."

"Thank you," Mary nodded. "This whole conversation has made me hungry. Shall we continue our walk to the bakery?"

"Of course. If you'd like, I can tell you some childhood stories along the way."

"I'd love to hear them."

They stood up and resumed their walk. Vincent felt more at ease, and it seemed Mary did too. Once uncertainty was lifted, a clearer path lay ahead.

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