A year and a half had passed in Emily and Lin's friendship—a year and a half of daily conversations where neither had anyone else beside them but the other. During this time, Emily often found herself thinking deeply about one thing: Lin.
She knew Lin was married—forced into it by her family for political alliances and to expand influence, nothing more. She was 19, he was 23, she was the daughter of an archduke, and he had only been a duke for two years.
What caught Emily's attention wasn't just Lin's arranged marriage or her young age, but how much Lin talked to her. It wasn't bothersome; rather, it was curious that most of the time, Lin either stayed in her room or wandered the garden, almost never leaving the palace.
Oddly, their conversations always somehow drifted toward Lin's personal life or the details of living inside the palace, as if discussing her noble life was unavoidable. Lin herself seemed to try to dodge the topic.
Emily never doubted her friend's honesty. Lin had every right to keep parts of her life private—after all, there's such a thing as privacy. But a nagging suspicion screamed at Emily that Lin wasn't okay. Finally, her patience ran out, and Emily decided she wouldn't do anything until she had a clear sense that her best and only friend was truly alright.
"Did you leave the palace today?"
"No," Lin replied.
"Lin," Emily typed.
"Yes?" Lin answered, curiosity in her words.
"You don't go out at all," Emily wrote.
"Maybe…" Lin responded.
"No excuses. I've noticed this for a long time," Emily typed firmly.
"I want to ask you something else. How is life with your husband?" Emily asked.
Emily knew that when someone pressed Lin about something, she would try to change the subject—but usually, she was just trying to end the matter. What Emily didn't expect was Lin's reply.
"Emily… I'm sorry."
"For what?" Emily typed.
"For not telling you everything," Lin answered.
"The palace I live in is enormous."
"But it's divided into two halves."
"The larger, front half is his. The smaller, back half is mine."
"We hardly speak."
"Do you mean you've been married for four years and don't even live together?" Emily asked.
"He won't let me enter his wing, and he doesn't visit me either," Lin admitted.
"He just gives me a monthly allowance; he spends all his time with other women in his wing."
"He has never spoken to me. He only sends his head servant if something urgent comes up. He has never looked at me, and we've never sat together at the dinner table. Sometimes… I wonder if I even exist to him."
"Lin," Emily typed.
"Yes?" Lin replied.
"Your husband is an idiot," Emily wrote.
"Don't say that!" Lin responded.
"No, I'll repeat it," Emily said firmly.
"He's a massive fool. No, worse. He's a complete waste of air," Emily added.
"You're really scary," Lin typed.
"I'm just being realistic. But why didn't you tell me this before?" Emily asked.
"I was scared… scared you'd pity me," Lin admitted.
"I'm not pitying you; I'm worried for you," Emily wrote.
"And angry at that fool too," Emily added.
Emily sank into her chair, took a deep breath, and whispered to herself, "I wish I could see that silly girl."
System: [Visit possible]
Emily shivered as if her heart had stopped for a moment. "What…? How…? Since when…?"
System: [Since it appeared to you for the first time].
A mix of shock and regret burned inside Emily. "A year and a half, I've been pitying myself for not being able to visit her… and all this time, I could have done it."
"Alright, it's not too late," Emily added.
She opened the system and typed: "I have news."
Lyn responded quickly: "What is it?"
"Do you remember when I said I wished I could visit you?" Emily asked.
"Yes," Lin replied.
"I found out… I really can do it," Emily typed.
"Emily! Don't joke with me!" Lin wrote.
"No, I really can visit your world," Emily confirmed.
"Really? I can't believe it… This is amazing. I thought we'd just keep talking like this forever," Lin typed.
"So when I come, I'll show you part of the garden, especially my favorite spot I always told you about."
"And the library too. I'll meet the head cook and the chief of servants—they're really kind."
"We'll shop together, have fun together, and explore together."
"Lin, calm down," Emily typed.
"I'll prepare a room for you right next to mine. It'll be your own room, and I'll make sure it's perfect," Lin wrote.
"I won't tell you more," Lin added.
"Why?" Emily asked.
"It's a surprise… so I won't tell you," Lin replied.
"Alright," Emily typed.
"Aren't you going to ask?" Lin asked.
"Some surprises are better left secret," Emily replied.
"I'll make sure your visit becomes the best experience of your life," Lin wrote.
Emily thought: "A magical world… an empire… a palace…"
"I can't go empty-handed. I should bring things from my world—things Lin has never seen before. A surprise for her too."
——————————————————
On the other side, in Lin's private wing within the Zodiac Palace. Bright moonlight slipped quietly through the tall windows, reflecting over the marble floor. In the past, silence dominated the place, carrying a heavy sense of loneliness despite the overwhelming luxury.
Lin stood near one of her windows, staring at the moon. Her honey-colored eyes shimmered with unusual excitement as she turned to the maid standing behind her.
"Go and call the head butler," she said.
"As you wish, my lady," the maid replied.
It didn't take long before a slightly tall man entered. His gray hair was neatly arranged, and his formal attire was flawless. He seemed close to old age, yet his posture remained straight, his movements disciplined. He stopped at a respectful distance from Lin, then bowed.
"You summoned me, my lady."
When he lifted his gaze toward her, he noticed something unusual—her happiness was far greater than usual. He raised an eyebrow slightly and spoke in a calm tone.
"What is the reason for your happiness, my lady?"
"I've received the best news possible," Lin replied.
"Jake… someone very special is coming," she added.
"I'm glad to hear that. You seem more radiant than ever. Who is this noble?" said Jake, the head butler.
"No, not a noble," Lin replied.
"She's my dearest friend… Emily."
"When will she arrive?" the head butler asked.
"I don't know. She hasn't told me yet. I think she'll come in a few days after preparing herself. But we should start arranging her stay starting tomorrow morning. We must give her the best hospitality possible—an unforgettable experience. As for her room, prepare the one next to mine," Lin said.
"As you wish," the head butler replied.
"And Jake… don't forget. Make it luxurious, but not too much," Lin added.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Emily doesn't like excessive displays," Lin replied.
"I understand," the head butler said.
"And the garden—I want it at its absolute best. I'm certain Emi will love it," Lin said.
"I never imagined Miss Winter was this close to you, my lady," the head butler remarked.
Lin raised an eyebrow slightly. "Has old age finally caught up with you, Mr. Jake? I've always talked about Emily with you and the head chef. Of course she's close to me—I consider her my sister," she said.
"No, no, no—anything but old age! I'm still a handsome young man," Jake protested.
"Then…?" Lin said, giving him a look.
"Alright, my lady, I understand. Starting tomorrow morning, I'll begin preparations for your special guest," he said.
"I'll be helping as well," Lin added.
"Then I'll take my leave and get some rest. Good night," the head butler said.
"Good night, Jake," Lin replied.
The head butler left Lin's room and headed toward his own to rest, his thoughts lingering on Emily Winter.
"About a year and a half ago… Lady Lin started talking to me and the head chef about a friend she met through a strange magical paper. Her name was Emily Winter."
"That name kept appearing in her conversations—sometimes during tea, sometimes in the garden, sometimes in the library—to the point that even the servants had heard it."
"None of them believed her. The duchess was alone, and her husband completely ignored her existence—perhaps he had even forgotten he was married in the first place. So they assumed she had created an imaginary person and convinced herself of it."
"After all, she never leaves the palace, never receives guests, and doesn't even mingle with the noble society."
"The head chef and I were the only ones who believed her. We never accepted the lie that Lady Lin had gone mad just to ease her loneliness."
He glanced up at the moon. "I will take care of everything… every single detail, my lady."
"I'll make sure the servants realize just how wrong they were to judge you so unfairly."
A faint smile appeared on his face. "I'd very much like to see their expressions when that moment comes… it will be quite enjoyable. Because when she arrives… nothing in this palace will remain the same."