(The flashback continued)

"Will my wish come true?"

The young boy inquired.

"Of course," she said. Dimi did it. He held the feather and wished long and hard, and Myastra appeared."

“Dimi? "Who is he?"

"My cousin." Dimi is extremely knowledgeable."

“Hmm…”

The boy pondered something and returned his gaze to the yellow feather. Alicia's expression darkened.

"Do you dislike it?"

"No, I like it, but I was thinking you should write that wish."

"However, you saved the bird."

"Yes, but we did it as a team." The idea of saving the bird would never have occurred to me if it hadn't been for you. Accept it. Consider it my gift to you."

Alicia's face lit up at his reasoning. She, too, desired the legendary feather.

"Wait, didn't you say Myastra?" Is Dimitri your Coulson cousin?"

“Yes.”

"Are you also a Coulson?"

"I'm an Ehrlich. I was born and raised in this town."

"What is your name?"

A womanly voice from afar rang out, Alicia's lips opened, about to answer the question repeated three times.

“Alicia?” Her mother had called. The Queen was standing next to her. They'd walked all the way from here in search of Alicia after their time together.

“Mother!”

Her mother smiled at Alicia, then quickly found the boy with Alicia and bowed her head.

"Your Highness, you were with my daughter... maybe Alicia caused you problems."

Alicia realized the boy's true identity at that point. Ivan Corty, Ehrlich's young king, was the boy she spoke poorly of and helped climb the tree.

"....It's been a while, Countess Kenboe." The boy king bowed politely to the Countess, his voice much colder than it had been.

"Ivan, Alicia, I had planned for you two to meet someday, but this is fantastic as well. What were you two up to?"

With joy and tenderness, the Queen approached Ivan. Ivan hurriedly handed Alicia the feather, which she accepted in a jumbled mess.

"It's nothing; I was simply conversing with him."

"And Ivan, what happened to your clothes?"

Ivan's clothes were ripped and crumpled with dirt from the previous fall.

Alicia's face darkened. Alicia hid behind her mother, grabbing the hem of her skirt and shivering, fearful of the punishment she'd face for the damage she'd caused.

"I was just bored and free. I accidentally rolled on the floor by myself. It isn't a big deal. Don't worry about it, Mother."

Ivan excluded Alicia and blamed himself entirely. Before leaving the garden, he said his goodbyes to everyone.

Alicia stared blankly at the boy's back in the distance. Her heart was hazy, and her cheeks were rosy red. Her thoughts were filled with the handsome face of the boy, who smiled freely and casually. Alicia treasured the feather in her hand to keep their own little trite secret.

She planned to return to the palace and speak with him again in the near future.

But that was the only and final goodwill he had for Alicia.

Alicia later realized he was at odds with his mother, who belonged to Coulson.

(End of Flashback)

*************

"Of course, I'll inform the Queen, but I won't be in Ehrlich when I decide to do so." Alicia returned to the present and spoke quietly to Latty.

"When do you intend to visit Coulson?"

Latty inquired, surprised.

"Within two days."

"I… I see."

Latty expected to leave as soon as possible, but she didn't expect it to be this soon.

"Wait, Miss that was quick!"

"I'll handle anything urgent that needs to be handled and leave the rest to James. He'll handle things just fine without me... You also don't have to worry about packing. We will only take what we require. The rest we can get from Coulson."

"Miss, why are you leaving so quickly? Are you worried that the Count will return and wreck everything?"

"Nothing has to do with my father. No matter how many times father intrudes, he will only be met with resistance and the freedom to kick him out."

"So, why are you..."