The rest of the day passed by, ever more slowly.

Noel was doing nothing.

He wished he could fall asleep sooner.

Perhaps it was because he had been bored all day, he hardly slept.

“If you had given it any sincere concern, it would have been a great comfort to the Princess.”

As he recalled his father’s words, he made a tsk sound and pulled the blanket over his head.

There was no sincere concern for Rieta, none. Just . . .

He wondered how sick she was, to be forced to keep taking the tasteless medicine.

She couldn’t even get out of bed. He wondered how bored she would be.

He wanted to know how the cold became so bad.

He wondered if she had received the snowman, flowers, and handkerchief he brought.

He wanted to know if that had entertained Rieta in the slightest.

It was just that. It wasn’t that he was really worried about Rieta’s illness, not at all.

He struggled a little more under the blanket, then jumped up.

He couldn’t contain his curiosity.

He hurriedly ran to his desk and pulled out a large, thin piece of paper.

He pondered what to write, and decided to write a word that would suit this late night.

Are you sleeping . . .?

After that, he grabbed a piece of paper and snuck out into the hallway.

He heard at dinner that his father would catch up on his work at night.

So no one could stop him now.

However, when passing in front of his father’s office, he did not forget to walk on his tiptoes.

After he crossed the deserted hallway, he ran again and arrived at Rieta’s door.

Promise you won’t open this door, father said.

Noel, remembering what he had heard from his father, carefully slid the paper between the floor and the door.

His heart raced loudly, wondering if his father might scold him for this.

When will Rieta check the letter? Shall I wait here? Or return to the room . . .?

As he turned his head to and fro, as if uneasy, he heard a rustling sound in front of the door.

“. . .”

And, soon, the paper had returned through the crack in the door.

No, I just woke up.

It was Rieta’s handwriting!

Noel was so happy that he almost screamed.

But he soon calmed down and ran back to his room.

Of course, as he passed in front of his father’s office, he did not forget to pass quietly. He even held his breath.

Are you in a lot of pain?

After he hurriedly wrote down his question, he grabbed a pen and ink and hopped back to Rieta’s room.

Again, he slipped the paper under the door.

Rieta was also waiting for a reply, and he felt the paper tugged from the other side.

It was kind of fun.

Noel squatted in front of the door and grinned.

After a while, the thin paper stuck out again.

Noel quickly grabbed it.

Again, there was a reply.

I’m fine now. What are you doing?

He sat down on the cold floor and wrote the answer.

I’m not doing anything, Princess. What are you doing?

As soon as he wrote it down, he got a reply back quickly this time too.

The snowman outside the window is so cute that I keep staring at it.

Noel was so happy that he thought his heart was going to burst out through his mouth.

She said the snowman was cute! That’s what I made!

He quickly wrote a reply.

He also wanted to hear about other things.

What about the flower? The handkerchief?

This time the reply was a little delayed.

He lowered himself as far as he could and peered through the narrow doorway.

Of course, all he could see was darkness.

After a while, a white piece of paper slipped out of the darkness.

The flowers must have a nice scent, but I’m upset that my nose is stuffed up. And you lent me your handkerchief. Thank you.

In response to the answer Rieta gave, an answer that displayed her lack of understanding, Noel poked out his lips in a small pout and wrote his reply.

Silly, I’m giving you the handkerchief. And as many flowers as you want . . .

He was going to write that he could give her more when her sickness was over, but he scribbled it out and erased it.

Giving flowers to people who are not sick. Well, that was a bit . . . embarrassing.

It’s a gift! Thank you, I will cherish it. But isn’t the hallway cold?

The people of the Empire do not call this cold.

He shrugged and wrote it down.

He was actually only wearing thin pajamas, but it wasn’t cold at all.

Rather, he was so nervous that sweat ran down his back.

I’m glad then. Actually, it’s fun to talk like this with you. I was very bored when I was lying in bed.

Look at this. Look at this.

Noel was happy that his father was wrong, and he was able to confirm that he was right.

He became very elated.

So, he confidently wrote down the words that he would never normally say.

Right? Don’t you think that you can’t do without me?

* * *