/
At the mention of how the emperor’s marriage was not going to be far away, Sera carefully controlled her breathing. Then, she asked Their Highnesses RosĂ© and Ferre.
She already heard about it from the kids before, but it was a lie that she would feel nothing about it. Still, she felt a pang in her heart.
This was the very reason she couldn’t easily answer whether she would continue teaching them or not. Her mind changed constantly several times a day.
She’d tell herself, what’s the big deal about having a crush? She also thought that it was nothing compared to the rewards and happiness that she would receive from being able to stay by the side of the lovely RosĂ© and Ferre.
However, soon after thinking that, a different wave of emotions would wash over her.
If she were to continue to receive the kindness of the gentle emperor, if asked whether her heart wouldn’t distort that and make her think something else, then the answer was a resounding no.
Noticing that Sera’s expression had gotten darker, RosĂ© suddenly intervened.
“No, no. That’s not it. I just tried to ask. And Oppa isn’t going to get ma
”
Rosé tried to say this to Sera, but she soon closed her mouth. Sera looked so pale.
“Sera, are you okay?”
“Of course!”
Smiling brightly with her blue eyes as she said she’s alright, Sera then went on to change the subject.
“Now then, how about we
!”
With a beautiful smile on her lips, Sera took the children’s hands, which were only half the size of her own hands, and held them tightly.
“We should enjoy the rest of our time together! Let’s make memories!”
Her lilting, lively voice seemed to light up the subdued atmosphere. The children looked up at Sera reflexively.
“Memories?”
“Yes. That means, let’s postpone today’s class and go outside to play!”
* * *
However.
Despite Sera trying very hard to emulate a lively atmosphere, the children didn’t become cheerful like usual.
She proposed that they play fun games, coaxing them to sing some fun songs to lighten the mood. And yet, it was

A.
Great.
Failure.
The children were in very low spirits.
It was humid, and so it was inevitable that they were sweating a lot. However, they were both anxious not to let go of her. The twins held one each of her hands tightly, saying that they didn’t want to be away from her.
“Should we go in if it’s too hot?”
“Dun wanna. It’s stuffy and gloomy.”
RosĂ© and Ferre shook their heads. Even so, their small hands clutched Sera’s hands firmly.
“Should I bring some cold tea?”
“Noooo. Don’t go, Sera. Dun wanna.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Sera comforted. “So please wait a minute here. It’s so hot that I don’t think we can continue like this. I’ll go for a little while and bring back cold tea for you, with lots of ice.”
And when Sera hugged them tightly, Rosé and Ferre inevitably let go of her.
They really didn’t want to let go of her hands, so they were overcome by the urge to cling onto her again.
However, just as Sera said, it was too hot outside, and they were thirsty. The twins were forced to let Sera go back to the Star Palace.
Sitting on a bench beneath the shade of a wide tree, RosĂ© and Ferre leaned on each other’s shoulders.
“Sera leaving
 I hate it, RosĂ©.”
“Me too, Ferre.”
Without thinking about it, the twins began to swing their legs, which were a long way from the ground.
It wasn’t the monsoon season anymore, but why was it so humid despite the sun shining so brightly? The twins let out heavy sighs, which were not like the regular sighs of children.
“RosĂ©, is there a way for Sera to still be our tutor?”
“A way for her to continue?”
“We can’t let Sera go like this.”
Ferre’s head plopped onto Rosé’s shoulder. At times like this, RosĂ© could really be called Big Sister. She raised one arm and patted her little brother on the shoulder.
“I know. I wonder what we should do.”
Without saying a word between them, the twins stared at the fountain, which was shining underneath the sun.
Then, at the same moment, Rosé and Ferre faced each other.
I’ve got an idea!
The very reason that Sera took them in as her students in the first place. They recalled that reason, and that’s what opened the door for them.
Grin.
Rosé and Ferre both had wide grins slowly curling up on their lips.
“Ferre.”
“Yeah, RosĂ©.”
“I have an idea.”
“Me, too. I think we’re thinking the same thing.”
RosĂ© and Ferre clutched each other’s hands. RosĂ© gently tucked back a stray lock of Ferre’s hair behind his ear, tickling his cheek, and then she leaned in close to him.
Whisper, whisper. At the gentle wisps of air and sound, their moods felt so much better again after a long time.
Ferre nodded here and there throughout the entire time Rosé whispered to him. Then, he asked one question.
“I think that’s a good plan. But how are we gonna do that, RosĂ©?”
At times like this, Rosé was the cleverest little girl. She tilted her head to the side for a moment, deep in thought, then she looked around in wonder.
Afterwards, she suddenly opened her mouth with a pop, ‘Ah!’
RosĂ© pointed her small index finger at the stone that was in front of her feet. Ferre’s lips also curled up into a smile.
“Wow! RosĂ©! You’re a genius!”
“Yeah, I’m kinda smart! Aren’t I, Ferre!”
With a giggle, the twins then began to collect stones. RosĂ© used her skirt’s width to collect them, while Ferre used his white dress shirt.
They even went further towards the flower beds of the imperial palace’s garden, and they started collecting the stones that couldn’t be found easily.
* * *
“Heli.”
As the young emperor was working diligently, Jean called Helios’ attention.
“Hm?”
Helios’ eyes were still fixed on the documents in front of him, though he still replied back with a gentle tone.
Flipping through the papers, he scribbled his signature at the bottom of each document in a neat script.
“Don’t you hear anything strange? Something bumping from somewhere.”
“Huh? What do you mean? I don’t hear anything.”
Helios finally raised his head and tried to listen for anything that stood out in his surroundings, but the office remained quiet.
He then shrugged, as if to say, ‘Look at that, there’s nothing there.’
With a slight smile, Helios turned once more towards the stack of documents on his desk.
But, at that moment.
“Heli!”
Jean shouted at once. There was still a slight smile on Helios’ face as he looked up again, and he was about to ask what’s happening this time.
There was a bright ray of sunlight streaming down through the large glass window.
“Get down!”
Jean shouted again, throwing himself urgently toward Helios.
Something was flying over this way. And at a very high speed.
Right behind Helios.