A minute later, Alaric received a photo.

In front of a lush cornfield, a little girl in a white dress with two pigtails was throwing herself into the arms of a man she didn’t recognize.

Her small hands rested on his chest, while his pale hands gently held her slender waist.

The man was dressed in a white shirt and black casual pants. Only the side of his face was visible, but it was enough to see his features.

The two of them, dressed in soft, pastel colors, looked like characters from a fairy tale—a princess and a prince.

Beautiful. Harmonious.

Zooming in on the photo, Emerald’s eyes were wide...