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The Rosaria Kingdom welcomed the guests from Ivrecoven Empire, their visit was quite confusing as nobody knows about their agenda. There was the Hunting Event which was about to be held in the next few days; however, the empress never really visits for such events, but despite that, the Rosarian people gave them a warm welcome.

Twins looked around the area as the carriage passed through the crowd of cheering people, "My Empress, this place is jolly." The male twin grinned.

"I wonder what fun we can do here?" The female twin giggled.

The Empress, Liana Capitolinus merely kept a composed look, her eyes were closed as she was resting, but she opened them just to take a glimpse of the foreign country.

This wasn't her first time coming here but every time she did, she always felt special. The King of Rosaria Kingdom always makes sure of that.

"Let's keep a well behave manner in this country, Callus, Scilla... We're not to repay their hospitality with rudeness." She told them.

The twins, both with brown curly hair, smooth fair skin and dark freckles on their cheeks which contorted as they smiled — hiding their green eyes as they did — nodded at their empress' words, "Yes, my empress."

The said Empress looked around again, her wavy golden hair moved as she made a slight movement to see the Rosaria people with her amber eyes. She has a fair skin, taken care of by her people as they believe that the sun is not worthy of touching their Empress' skin.

At the palace, once the visitors arrived. They were guided to the throne room where King Roysce was waiting.

The said king stood up with a smile as soon as they entered the room, "Your majesty, Empress Liana..." He approached the empress who stood in front of the throne with her twin servants behind her.

The three bowed in courtesy, "Your majesty, King Roysce."

The King bowed as well and took her hand for a courtesy kiss before standing up, "When I was informed of your arrival, I was confused but not entirely displeased. To what do I own the pleasure?"

The women looked at the king, despite her Empire being a warm country, her attitude was cold as usual, "I came to talk about the crown prince's engagement."

This made the old man frown, "Let us talk to a more private place." He guided the empress, her servants were following behind.

Once they're in a private room and the empress was tended with sweets and teas, the king decided to talk, "I apologize if I never informed you, your majesty. I thought I could change that child's mind but he was really stubborn."

The king still looked annoyed just by thinking about it.

Liana drank some tea while the twins ate some biscuits.

"Rowan could be stubborn sometimes." She thought about the times with the prince when they were younger.

"Since you were a child, I knew that you're the one who could keep Rowan under control. He listens to you..."

The golden haired woman looked down, staring at her tea.

She knew how complicated King Roysce and Prince Rowan's relationship was, even more when the Queen died.

They never saw each other eye to eye and they would argue a lot even when Rowan and Liana were still kids.

The Ivrecoven Empress was the youngest ruler of all the Kingdoms, all because her parents died from war. Only King Roysce was kind-hearted enough to help her as a child and that was how she, Wystan and Rowan became friends.

"I'll talk to him... I do plan to do so." She told the old man, much to his relief.

"Thank you Liana, you're like my very own daughter... always looking out for us." The King smiled softly at her.

"It is such an honor to be regarded as such."

The old man laughed, "You're always so uptight! Loosen up child!"

The empress looked at him and bowed in polite, "If I may please excuse myself, I want to look for Rowan."

"Alright, alright... I won't take too much of your time."

The woman nodded and stood up, leaving with her servants. As they walked through the halls, Liana talked to her servants, "Callus, Scilla... you are free to go, but be reminded of your manners in this Kingdom, understand?" She asked, stopping from her tracks to sternly look at them.

The twins knew any better than to disobey their Empress, "We understand, your majesty." They both answered at the same time with a bow.

The golden haired woman nodded and turned to resume her walk to Rowan's room.

She knew the Rosaria Palace like the back of her hand, since she used to play hide and seek with Rowan around these halls back then.

Once she made her twists and turns around the halls, she finally reached the crown prince's room.

She knocked on the door but no one answered, she tried Rowan's office instead and she found no one there as well.

She knew that the red haired prince was not one to stay in one place but she thought Rowan would usually be in his room or in his office at this time of day. It wasn't even evening yet to be roaming around and about.

Liana was walking through the halls again, thinking about what to do now when she encountered Wystan, Rowan's knight.

The brown haired man was always with them when they were kids, already trained to look out for the prince. Though it was actually just his father letting Wystan enjoy his life as a child since he knew his son has been feeling the pressure of being the next captain because of his father's reputation as Rosaria Kingdom's Knight Captain.

"Wystan." The Empress of Ivrecoven looked up at the large man.

"Your majesty." He bowed in polite.

"Where is his highness, the Prince?" The golden haired woman asked.

"He was with his betrothed, they were always together since they announced their engagement." The knight explained.

Wystan slightly looked up at the empress to see her impression, expecting a sad or disappointment look on her face but the emotionless woman was still unreadable as usual.

"I see. Very well then, have some tea with me, while I wait for him." She turned around, expecting the knight to follow.

The usually composed man was confused, his eyes widened in confusion but he eventually followed silently, never questioning the empress.

Meanwhile, at the Rosen Gems Shop. Rowan was whining for Jerome's attention for hours already but the nobleman tried not to be distracted or bothered.

"My sweet! How can you let your betrothed be bored to death?! Give me some of your attention! Please! I beg of you!" The prince whined while laying on the couch like a lady in demise with a hand on his head dramatically.

The black haired man finally snapped and looked at him from his documents, "Oh! What do you want?!"

The shorter losing his temper and composure made Rowan grin, he likes it when the man was not the noble image he made for himself. He likes seeing Jerome's easily annoyed self.

"I told you! There's a place I want to visit with you, so please? Can you spare me some time? All we've done was business banquets and you're always on your desk or in Georgia's studio. Plus, I'm doing Henry a favor and making you rest. You've been working since I gave you the diamond mine, what if I just take it back instead?"

"Let's go." Jerome immediately stood up at that statement making the crown prince chuckle as he stood up as well.

"I'm hurt, is the diamond mine more important than me?" Rowan pouted and feigned sulking.

"Yes."

"Wait, really?" The crown prince looked at the shorter as he opened the door for him.

The black haired man looked at him and smiled softly to himself before shaking his head, "Of course not, silly. I just hate you whining and whining in my office all day." He teased as he walked ahead.

The red haired man grinned as he followed Jerome.

"Where are we going anyways?" The nobleman asked as the crown prince opened the carriage door for him.

"It's a surprise. Promise, it's beautiful." The taller answered before getting inside with the other man.

Soon, the carriage rode off to the outskirts of the Kingdom, one that Jerome wasn't aware about.

"Are you going to murder me?" The black haired man asked as they rode past the forest.

"What?! No! You and your ideas." Rowan huffed making Jerome chuckled.

The crown prince likes it when the shorter would chuckle sometimes, it was rare since he usually just have this composed demeanor.

A while later, the taller looked around and knocked on the window for the coachman to stop which he did.

Jerome who was still confused let Rowan get out of the carriage first before letting him escort him down. He was used to his treatment now since they were always together as of recently.

Once the red haired man closed the carriage door, the shorter was in awe at the sight before him.

A green field of grass with different kinds of flowers all dancing in the breeze, and were all bathing in the sun.

The nobleman walked forward to have a closer view, his eyes shining at the sight, "When did you-"

Jerome turned to the crown prince to look at him only to catch him already looking, their share eye contact made the nobleman flustered, immediately looking away, "When did you find this place?"

Rowan chuckled softly to himself as he saw the flush on the tips of the shorter man's ear, "I ran away from home when I was a teenager since Father banished my best friend and mentor from the Kingdom... I was so angry, I didn't want to be a prince anymore and just run away." He answered, still staring at the flustered man before looking at the field, "...But then I saw this place. It let me be myself... not the crown prince... not the heir... I'm just Rowan."

The black haired man frowned at that, but then he looked at him again, "Why did you take me here?"

The crown prince looked at him as well, "Well... I want you to feel yourself again."

The shorter got confused by his words but Rowan continued, "I was born and raised to be the prince. I was taught of my future, so... I was really grateful that my mentor introduced me to myself. Educated me that being the crown prince is my role, but it's not my identity. He woke me up from the idea that being the king isn't the only thing I have in life... that I have I choice."

The red haired man smiled at him, "You... you were born with an identity, you already know what you want, who you are and you have a variety of choice. You are free and you chose to be a noble. So, seeing you... keeping yourself composed and keeping it all together... I want you to sometimes... go back to the days when you are just Jerome... Not a lord nor someone who aims to be a noble who has to keep his attitude in tact. Who smiles genuinely and not only for courtesy."

Jerome stared at him in shock, he never realized it himself that, he really was straying far away from who he was. He forgot his real name nor the world where he came from, he was too caught up with maintaining his title and business stable, so that he won't be a laughingstock by the other nobles.

The black haired man began to purse his lips and teared up, all the bottled emotions were suddenly bursting out. His anxieties, his fears, insecurities, he began to sob and Rowan comforted him with an embrace.

Smiling as he caressed his hair, "There, there..."

The crown prince likes it when Jerome was his true self.

Rowan likes him.