At noon, Alex returned to the palace earlier than ever before.
He entered the palace and asked Roy, "Where is she? Has she woken up?"
Roy knew who he was referring to and quickly replied, "Lady Cathy woke up before dawn, had breakfast, and then lay in the courtyard to sunbathe. But she fell asleep while basking in the sun, and it seems she's still asleep now."
Alex frowned, glanced at the sky, and headed towards West Hall.
Upon reaching the entrance of West Hall, he saw Cathy lying in the courtyard, like a beautiful flower blooming in the warm sunlight. She lay there quietly, with her arm covering her head, partially obscuring her face. Her sleeve hung down, revealing a delicate wrist. In the sunlight, she appeared both warm like the sun and cool like a lake.
Alex stopped in his track
