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Chapter 121

"Hey, Sir Lucas."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Lucas answered immediately at Selena's call.

She narrowed her eyes at him, lounging on the sofa as usual.

She found it a little absurd that she felt a strange sense of comfort in her knight's languid—yet not quite lazy—posture, but a faint smile tugged at her lips.

"I've been thinking about something."

"What's this all of a sudden? You're always thinking, Your Highness."

Lucas scratched his head and sat up.

"So what is it?"

He looked at Selena, seated at her desk, with curious eyes.

His mistress rarely shared her thoughts like this.

"A while ago, I walked through the festival with the Duchess."

"Yes. And?"

"Back then, as the Duchess said, the stall placements were chaotic, and many streets weren't well-maintained—there's a lot to improve."

"..."

Lucas fell silent.

Emilia had certainly suggested viewing the festival as part of her duties, but she probably hadn't meant it literally.

Yet this earnest princess had taken her words at face value.

"Ah, and she mentioned it would be nice to have more resting areas, so I'm planning to actively reflect that as well."

"..."

Noticing Lucas's subtle expression, Selena asked curiously.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Lucas shook his head and swallowed a dry laugh.

He prided himself on understanding women's hearts, yet Emilia and his mistress remained utterly unpredictable.

Just then, Selena continued quietly.

"Anyway, while thinking about that, it struck me—even if Aron becomes Emperor, will festivals like this continue?"

"...Pardon?"

Startled, Lucas was taken aback.

It was the first time Selena had ever spoken in such a way.

He studied her face.

She seemed to have been thinking about this for quite a while, her expression calm. Her gaze was steady.

"Ten years from now—no, even twenty years from now... to keep my promise to Lorelai, the festival at least has to continue, doesn't it?"

Selena said, lowering her gaze to the documents on her desk.

Among the paperwork she reviewed were matters related to Aron.

After all, all Aron ever did was seek entertainment.

If Aron became Crown Prince, and then Emperor...

Could the Empire even maintain its current state?

Selena already knew of the financial holes the Empress had left behind.

But until now, she'd done nothing about them.

She'd believed there was nothing she could do.

However, after stepping outside the palace and seeing the people of the Empire, she wondered if she, as a princess, could truly stand idly by.

The position of Emperor wasn't simply a seat of power.

It was a position of responsibility—for the lives of the people and for protecting their daily existence.

If Aron took that throne, she feared for the future of the Empire.

Just then, Lucas burst out laughing.

Snapped out of her thoughts, Selena looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why are you laughing?"

"No reason."

Shrugging, Lucas rose and walked over to her, then roughly ruffled her hair.

"Wh-what are you doing, Sir Lucas!"

Selena protested, trying to push his hand away, but Lucas deftly evaded her.

"Just giving you some praise."

In the end, Selena glared at him with her hair thoroughly disheveled.

But Lucas only laughed out loud, unbothered.

He had no idea how Emilia's words had become the catalyst, but he was genuinely pleased by his mistress's change.

---

Click.

Kayden, having washed with cold water, ran a hand through his wet hair.

He rubbed his stiff neck and sat on the sofa, beginning to review documents.

But soon, he stopped turning the pages and looked up. His neglected bed came into view.

"Sigh."

The image of Emilia sleeping soundly there flickered before his eyes, and he let out a low sigh.

He set down the documents and unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt.

"And you don't have to keep bringing it to me like this."

Her refusal had been displeasing, but in truth, he was also reaching his limit.

Watching over her bedside every day was no easy task.

How could it be simple, gazing at a sleeping woman?

It was hard to look away—and yet, if he kept looking, unnecessary impulses surged, forcing him to suppress his desires.

So he'd been heading to the training yard at dawn and working in his study until sunrise.

Tonight, with no need to watch over her bed, he should have been able to sleep peacefully—

Damn it.

He ran a hand roughly through his hair and leaned back on the sofa.

He hadn't intended to confess his feelings to her so soon.

But—

"When we divorce... and you meet someone else, won't this make things difficult for you?"

To speak of divorce so casually, assuming he'd meet someone else, while he was barely holding himself back—wasn't that too much?

So, half out of impulse and half as a declaration of intent, he'd said it.

That he had no intention of marrying anyone but her.

Kayden recalled her face, red all the way to her ears.

"Phew."

He let out another deep breath.

Perhaps before he could protect her from the Empress, he might need to protect her from himself.

Just then, his gaze fell on a letter on his desk.

It was from Princess Selena.

Recalling its contents, Kayden's thoughts deepened.

---

Chirp, chirp.

Emilia woke to the sound of birdsong outside. Sunlight streamed through the window.

...I didn't sleep a wink.

She stared blankly at the window with a groggy face, then sat up.

Swallowing a sigh, she recalled last night.

Kayden had thrown her into utter confusion, then left with a perfectly calm "good night."

"..."

It took her a long moment to realize he'd left the room.

He'd told her to sleep early, prevented her from looking at any more documents, and then dropped that bomb before leaving.

How could I possibly sleep...

Emilia bit her lip.

She didn't know which to calm first—her racing heart or her burning cheeks.

"I have no intention of marrying anyone but you."

How was she supposed to take those words?

She'd never felt so confused in her life.

Her forehead, where his lips had touched, still tingled.

And what exactly does he mean by "I'll do better"?

If he treated her any better than this, she'd probably end up unable to walk alone even when she wasn't sick.

Just thinking about it made embarrassment flood over her.

One by one, all the things Kayden had done for her came to mind.

As Emilia's thoughts continued, Laura came to her room.

To let her know breakfast was ready.

Emilia finally calmed herself and was about to leave the room—

When she noticed a doll staring at her.

One she'd kept by her bedside, moved to the top of the drawer due to Kayden's frequent visits.

"What are you looking at..."

Flushing, Emilia turned the black-haired doll to face the wall.

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