Isabella thought of buying more herbs with the prize money she won at the archery competition, so she left the house while Ifrit went to another kingdom for personal business.
She and Ignis were left alone in the cabin.
As soon as Ifrit left, Ignis flew outside the cabin and turned into a giant firebird, enjoying his freedom immensely.
“I’m going to the market, Ignis.”
“Okay! Be careful!”
“Yes!” Isabella replied loudly and climbed on her donkey’s back.
She tried to appear cheerful in front of Ignis despite not winning the archery competition.
Isabella exhaled a deep sigh as she watched Rubella Castle at the bottom of the mountain.
She couldn’t believe how hard it was to get there when the Archduke was close enough for her to reach out.
She hadn’t thought of this before.
“How sad!”
Luisis descended the mountain and stopped when they heard a sudden, loud noise.
Turning her gaze away from Rubella Castle, Isabella focused on clasping Louisis’ reins.
A large, luxurious carriage climbing the mountain caught Isabella’s eye.
It appeared like the carriage had a high-ranking aristocrat inside.
Isabella came down from her donkey’s back and urged him to move through the trees, allowing the carriage to pass.
“Hey!”
A familiar voice tried to catch her attention.
Isabella glanced at the carriage and was surprised to see Ria—Seria—exiting the door.
Seria approached Isabella with tears in her eyes.
Did Seria remember her?
“Ria?” Isabella asked carefully, wondering if Seria still remembered the name she had given her in the past.
Seria nodded.
“That’s right. I’m Ria. I missed you so much, sister.”
“Oh. How did you remember me, Seria?” Isabella’s voice trembled when she asked.
“I have no idea. I cried myself to sleep when I heard that the Demon King took you. Suddenly, I returned to where I was three years ago. I was surprised to open my eyes again in the Lilith Kingdom. It was such a terrible place that I didn’t want to return.” Seria muttered bitterly.
“Then all the memories you lost at that time came back, right? Princess Seria?”
Isabella addressed the Princess of Lilith Kingdom with the utmost respect.
“You knew who I was, right?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance. Please feel free to speak comfortably with me, princess.”
“No. It’s alright. You already make me feel as comfortable as we used to be, sister. And I wasn’t born a princess because I wanted to. The six months I spent with you were much happier than the eighteen years I lived like a princess. I wanted to come to see you, but it took longer than I thought.” Seria said tearfully while holding Isabella’s hand.
Isabella was about to cry, too, because she felt lonely living in a world where no one remembered her except Ignis, Ifrit, and the spirits.
Isabella was also happy when she used to live in Rubella Castle.
It was natural for her to miss all the people she got to know well and build relationships with.
“I never imagined that the princess would remember me.”
“Sister, please. Don’t address me as ‘princess’ anymore.”
“That would be tough. You’re a princess now, Ria. If I call you that, everyone will think it’s strange.”
“What about if it’s just the two of us, then?” Seria begged cutely, and it weakened her resolve.
“Hmm. I’ll think about it.”
Seria nodded.
“All right, sister. You do that.”
“But what brings you to this mountain? Was it me?” Isabella asked awkwardly.
Seria threw her head back and laughed.
“You are adorable, Ria.”
Seria glanced up at her with twinkling eyes while holding her hands together.
Seeing the princess act like this made it seem like nothing had changed between them.
“I was on my way to meet you, sister. I’ve heard that you live in the mountain cabin.”
“How do you—-?”
“We should return to your home and have a conversation. I have a lot to talk about.”
**
Isabella’s eyes grew in disbelief at Seria’s story.
Seria told her that her memories started returning after going to Arpeon with her and watching the puppet show.
She kept it a secret that day because she didn’t want to leave Isabella’s side.
Upon returning to the Lilith Kingdom three years ago with all her memories intact, Seria thought of ways to avoid her stepmother’s slander.
That year, Seria happened to meet Prince Victor in the woods and took the courage to offer him an engagement.
Seria thought that the engagement was the only way out of Lilith Kingdom.
