Several more days passed.

According to their agreement, Kassy traveled between the academy and church daily, working during the day and cooperating with research at night.

Ariel was busy with affairs and usually only had time in the evenings.

However, after several days, Ariel hadn't found any leads either.

Celitia and Sophia's days continued as usual, fulfilling and peaceful.

During this time, Sophia also became very busy, and whenever she had free time, she would immediately return to the royal palace.

With year-end approaching, Queen Marianne's birthday was coming soon.

As her daughter and as a princess, Sophia had many things to prepare.

"Are you tired?"

Marianne sat by the round table, picking up the teapot to pour Sophia a cup of steaming hot black tea.

"Sit down and rest for a while, have some tea."

Sophia complied, sitting down in the high-backed chair and accepting the teacup Marianne handed her.

Lowering her head to look at the swirling steam above the teacup, Sophia seemed to see those eyes that were always misty.

Can't have, can't let go, can't forget.

Sophia couldn't help but recall what Celitia had said at the time.

Feelings require a response.

Only now did Sophia understand for the first time the meaning in her words.

The mist swirled, changing with the indoor air currents, forming a deeply etched face before her eyes.

Sophia was momentarily dazed, holding the teacup tightly with both hands, reluctant to put it down.

The tea was scalding hot, burning her fingertips red, but Sophia seemed to feel nothing.

"What's wrong?"

Marianne quickly pried open Sophia's fingers, took the teacup from her hands, and placed it on the table.

Holding the girl's reddened fingers that had been burned, Marianne felt very distressed and ordered the maids to quickly bring cold towels to apply to Sophia's hands.

"These past few days, every time you come back, I feel you've been somewhat absent-minded, and your mood seems consistently poor. Has something happened?"

Withdrawing her hand from Marianne's palm, Sophia silently clenched her fist:

"I'm fine, just feeling a bit tired."

"Is that so?" Marianne looked at her quietly. "If something really has happened, don't keep it bottled up inside. Tell Mom, and Mom will definitely listen carefully."

"I..."

Hearing Marianne's gentle words, even though Sophia still wanted to hide it, she couldn't hold it in anymore.

Her eyes gradually reddened, a sob escaped from her throat, and Sophia began to cry softly.

"Sophia?"

As her daughter grew up and became more stubborn each day, Marianne had rarely seen her cry anymore, so she couldn't help but panic.

Marianne quickly stood up, walked to Sophia's side, opened her arms, and very gently pulled her into her embrace.

"It's alright, Sophia. If you want to cry, then have a good cry."

Marianne gently stroked Sophia's head, patting her repeatedly with comforting intent.

Sophia could no longer endure it, hugging Marianne's waist tightly, burying her head and crying loudly.

After that day when she successfully retained Celitia with her tears, Sophia had never cried again.

Was it that she didn't want to cry, or couldn't cry?

All the turbulent emotions had been suppressed in her heart until now, when they were finally released.

Sophia cried until tears and snot flowed, staining Marianne's clothes here and there.

The maid brought towels for applying to her hands, which were also used to wipe her nose.

"There, there, have you cried enough?"

When Sophia's crying gradually stopped, Marianne rubbed her head and asked with a smile, "Do you feel better now?"

"Mm."

Sophia's cheeks flushed red as she responded as quietly as a mosquito.

To still be crying in Mom's arms at her age made Sophia feel quite embarrassed.

"Then, can you tell me the reason now?"

Pulling a chair over to sit beside Sophia, Marianne held her hands and gently placed them on her own lap.

"The reason..."

The more Sophia thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt.

However, under her mother's gentle gaze, she finally struggled and slowly began to speak.

"Something did happen..."

She told Marianne bit by bit about what had occurred between herself and Celitia.

When all the words were spoken, Sophia felt a deep sense of melancholy rising in her chest.

"I boasted to her, saying things like 'liking you is my business and has nothing to do with you,' but I can't do it at all."

She reached out to press her chest, her five fingers gradually applying pressure.

"I thought I just needed to silently like her. But why does this heart feel so sad? If Lily knew, she would definitely feel very guilty... My liking her only brings her burden."

Marianne was silent for a long time.

"Yes... just as Celitia said, feelings require a response. If you can't get a response, rather than the sweetness that love brings, there should be more sadness. Wanting but not getting... that's the most painful."

Marianne gently patted the back of Sophia's hand, trying to soothe the pain in her heart.

Perhaps enlightening Sophia at that time was done too hastily.

Maybe she should have let them develop naturally, watching them go in circles, repeatedly confused, until one day they realized their true feelings.

However...

Marianne pondered for a moment.

"You just said that Celitia was originally going to move out, but in the end, she still changed her mind?"

"Yes." Sophia nodded, her tone full of fear. "I was really afraid she would choose to leave me and never look back..."

"Hmm..." Marianne responded softly.

Recalling the girl's usual style of handling things, a guess arose in Marianne's heart.

"Sophia, you should understand her better than I do. Celitia has always been someone who is cool, proud, and decisive in her actions, right? Once she makes a decision, she executes it without hesitation. But why did she still change her mind in the end?"

"This..." Sophia didn't know how to answer either.

Was it because her own pleas had moved her, or was there some other reason?

"I think," Marianne said gently, "perhaps what Celitia shows and what she thinks in her heart aren't consistent, which is why she's so conflicted."

"You mean?"

Hope suddenly ignited in Sophia's heart.

"Perhaps giving you hope again is my mistake."

Marianne's smile carried a trace of melancholy, yet also contained hope.

"But in my view, there isn't necessarily no place for you in Celitia's heart. Matters of the heart are always hard to explain clearly. As a mother, I only hope that you both can recognize the feelings in your hearts and not do things that will make your future selves regret."