Two days after the incident with the mercenaries, Shigeru, the loyal knight with brown hair and eyes, entered the throne room. He had returned from a covert investigation and was waiting to report his findings to Prince Ryuuji.
"Your Highness, I bring news," Shigeru announced, after a brief bow. "During my investigations, I came across a growing rumor in the Winter Kingdom. Reports about the emergence of a warrior with extraordinary powers linked to nature. The people have been calling her the 'Guardian of Winter.' Initially, I considered it merely local folklore, but after further inquiry... I can confirm that the rumor has substance. There are witnesses and evidence that corroborate these stories."
Ryuuji listened attentively, his fingers drumming on the arm of the throne.
"What you have informed me of is indeed interesting, Shigeru. A guardian with the powers of nature..."
"I ask your forgiveness, but despite my investigations, I could not discover who she is."
"That will not be necessary, for now," Ryuuji replied thoughtfully. "At the moment, I want you to focus your efforts on monitoring these rumors. If possible, try to influence them so they take on a positive connotation among the people. A figure of hope can be beneficial in dark times."
"As you command, Your Highness." Shigeru bowed again and withdrew.
Ryuuji was left alone with his thoughts.
"Since these rumors about guardians are resurfacing, I hope they don't take another form. I believe I must introduce them as soon as possible, before others do so... inappropriately."
He recalled a similar event that had occurred years ago in the Autumn Kingdom itself. A rumor about a warrior with powers related to Autumn had circulated, but the swift and incisive measures taken by his father, King Ryuuichi, had suffocated the story before it could gain traction. However, with this new rumor coming from the Winter Kingdom, it was inevitable that people would begin to recall the forgotten episode.
"Our entire universe yearns for balance," Ryuuji reflected. "Perhaps their powers are a natural response to the advance of the shineideas and the darkness that threatens to plague this world."
The next day, Ryuuji summoned Leticia to his office. The time had come to introduce her to someone he believed would be important for her adaptation.
On her way to the meeting, Leticia opted for a new path through the inner palace gardens. The day was pleasant, and she allowed herself a few moments to admire the local flora. Her eyes were drawn to a particularly beautiful corner, where the vegetation grew in perfect balance. Further on, under the generous shade of an ancient maple tree, she spotted a familiar figure.
Aleph was sitting there, absorbed in reading a book. It had been a few days since they had crossed paths, and the unexpected sight of him caused the feelings she had been trying so hard to repress to return with surprising force. For an instant, she hesitated between changing her path or going to meet him. She chose the latter, her curiosity speaking louder. She approached in silence, trying to peek at the title of the book.
"What are you reading about?" she asked, her voice soft but curious.
Aleph gave a slight start, so immersed was he in his thoughts, which, in truth, involved a complex plan and not the reading of the documents on his lap.
"Princess Leticia!" he exclaimed, quickly composing himself. "It's just some... reports I need to finish."
He spread an embroidered handkerchief on the grass, inviting her to sit beside him.
"It's been some time since I've seen you, Aleph," Leticia commented, accepting the invitation.
"I have been assigned so many tasks that only now have I managed a brief moment of rest," he replied, a faint, tired smile on his lips.
"And Your Highness, what brings you to this garden so early?"
"I was just admiring the beauty of the place while waiting for the time of my meeting with Ryuuji. And, to be honest, I was looking for a flower or a small branch to tie up my hair."
On an impulse, Aleph removed one of the silver silk ribbons that adorned his own attire and, with an unexpected delicacy, tied back two strands of Leticia's hair, pulling them away from her face. She brought a hand to her hair, feeling the touch of the ribbon, and looked at him with an expression that blended initial surprise with clear approval, as if she wanted to show how well the adornment suited her.
Aleph found her expression incredibly charming. A sudden and almost uncontrollable urge to embrace her washed over him, but he held back, his reason warring with his longing. With an effort, he only lightly touched the tip of the ribbon in her hair.
"It suits you very well," he said, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
That sincere smile from Aleph struck Leticia's heart like a well-aimed arrow. Feeling her cheeks flush and her heart accelerate, she stood up hastily.
"I must go, or I'll be late for my appointment with Ryuuji! Until later, Aleph!"
And she left, almost running, leaving Aleph alone with his thoughts and the subtle fragrance she left in the air.
"Her mere proximity... this absurd desire to hold her... What right do I have to feel jealous, to desire what cannot be mine?" he thought, the melancholy returning.
Leticia arrived at Ryuuji's office at the appointed time. She requested permission to enter, and as soon as Ryuuji saw her, he greeted her with a smile. His eyes, however, were drawn to the silver ribbon adorning her hair. With a swift gesture, he removed it.
"Why did you do that, Ryuuji?" Leticia asked, surprised and a little confused by the impulsive action.
"I just felt like it..." he replied evasively, while an amused thought crossed his mind: "Brother... you really need to try a little harder if you want to have her."
Ryuuji had immediately recognized the ribbon as Aleph's. He indicated a chair for Leticia.
"Regarding the matter for which I summoned you... I imagined that, despite your strength, you might be feeling somewhat lonely in a foreign kingdom. Therefore, I would like to introduce you to a great and faithful friend of mine."