The Princess' Harem
Chapter 112: One Year Passed

Chapter 112: One Year Passed

After a quiet dinner with her parents, where the conversation revolved around the palace’s unusual stillness and the hopeful news from the spreading teams, Viana felt a pull towards the palace gardens. The air was cool, fresh from the long bath, and she craved the solace of blooming things.

She walked slowly along the winding paths. Here, within the palace walls, the blight had never touched.

Flowers bloomed in vibrant hues, soft roses trailing over trellises, clusters of fragrant jasmine, and small, delicate bellflowers nodding in the gentle breeze. The air was sweet, a stark contrast to the parched, dusty lands beyond the royal grounds.

It was a pocket of untouched beauty, a reminder of what they fought for.

She took a deep breath, letting the clean scent of the blossoms fill her lungs. Her footsteps were light, almost unheard on the gravel path. The quiet was profound, broken only by the chirping of crickets.

As she rounded a hedge fragrant with honeysuckle, she saw him. Rayne sat on a stone bench beneath an ancient, sprawling willow tree, its branches dipping gracefully towards a small, still pond.

His gaze was distant, fixed on the shimmering surface of the water, not on her. He seemed lost in thought, a quiet figure in the fading light.

Viana approached him, her presence still unnoticed. "Enjoying the evening, Prince Rayne?" she asked softly, her voice breaking the stillness.

Rayne startled, then turned, a faint smile touching his lips when he saw her. "Princess Viana. Yes, it is... peaceful. A rare commodity these days."

He gestured to the empty space beside him. "Care to join me?"

Viana sat, the cool stone feeling pleasant against her skin. "It is. Too peaceful, almost. Makes one wonder what new trouble is brewing."

Rayne chuckled, a low, easy sound. "Always the strategist, even in repose."

He sighed, the quiet contentment leaving his face. His eyes, usually so mischievous, seemed to carry a weight. "I was just thinking... how different Valendale must be now. So much of our own strength has been focused here, on Elysia."

Viana looked at him, her new awareness of the "love percentages" a strange, unspoken layer between them. 75%, the system had said.

What did that mean, truly? Was it genuine affection, or simply a measure of her growing reliance on him?

She pushed the thought aside. "Valendale is strong, Prince. And you have given us invaluable aid. We are grateful."

He nodded, his gaze returning to the pond. "Elysia has faced its trials with incredible courage, Princess. And thanks to your ingenuity, and Eryndor’s... unexpected blessing, the blight here appears to be contained. The reports from the spreading teams are genuinely promising. The contagion, at least, is no longer spreading beyond the current blight zones."

A faint unease prickled Viana. "That is true. But the land is still recovering. And Arin still looms."

Rayne finally turned to her, his expression serious. "Precisely. The immediate crisis of the spreading blight is, dare I say, under control. Its tendrils will no longer threaten Valendale’s borders."

He pause, glancing at Viana’s eyes, who looked back at him. "And if Arin truly orchestrated this devastation, as I fear he did, then I bear a great responsibility. My kingdom, while safe from the immediate peril of the blight, needs its full leadership to prepare for what may come next. I... I plan to return to Valandale within the next few days, Princess."

The words hung in the air between them. Viana felt a sudden, unexpected pang. The thought of Rayne, with his quiet strength and unwavering support, leaving Elysia, left a hollow feeling in her chest.

"You are leaving?" Viana asked, her voice betraying a hint of surprise she hadn’t intended.

Rayne’s gaze was steady. "My duty calls, Princess. The blight is contained here, and my kingdom needs its prince. We will, of course, continue to offer aid, materials, anything within out power. But my presence here, now that the immediate threat to my own lands has passed, is no longer strictly necessary."

He looked at her, his expression soft. "You have handled this crisis with extraordinary grace, Princess. You have saved Elysia."

Viana looked away, towards the distant, darkening treeline. The peace of the garden suddenly felt fragile.

Rayne was leaving. And with him, a significant piece of her burgeoning alliance, her "harem," would be gone.

She turned back to Rayne, her expression composed. "I understand, Prince. Your duty to Valendale is paramount. Elysia is grateful for your unwavering support. You have given us a fighting chance."

She managed a small, genuine smile. "And a much-needed respite."

Rayne met her gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. "I will ensure the convoys of Moonpetal Flowers continue regularly. And any other resources Rissa requires. Our alliance stands firm, Princess. Distance will not diminish it."

He stood, his tall frame silhouetted against the twilight sky. "I will make preparation to depart at dawn, after I speak with your King and Queen."

Viana rose as well. "I will see you off, then."

He nodded, a final, warm smile before he turned and walked away, his steps quiet on the gravel path until he disappeared into the palace’s deeper shadows.

Viana remained by the pond, the coolness of the evening air slowly settling around her. The weight of Rayne’s departure pressed down on her.

His departure felt like a strategic loss, a shift in the delicate balance of forces. His presence had been a comfort, a constant.

It had been a year since she returned to her past. And the system’s numbers felt less abstract now, more tied to the tangible presence of these men in her life.

The "harem" aspect still grated. It felt demeaning, a reduction of complex relationships to cold statistics. But she could not deny the bond she felt with each of them, a bond forged in shared hardship and a common goal.

"One more year to make all of their percentages into 100%..." she murmured, looking at the distant white and purple roses.