Episode 97

As I silently stared at Aiden, the resolute and earnest light in his crimson eyes wavered, giving way to uncertainty and fear.

What could frighten the strongest man in the Empire?

Was he afraid I might reject his proposal? That he wouldn’t be allowed to stay by my side?

Because I was the Empress, and he was the Empire’s dog.

While I kept making excuses to ignore his feelings, had he been constantly plagued by unease?

I suddenly wanted to embrace him, forgetting Lothania was watching.

Had my daughter not been sitting there, her hands clenched into fists and her face lit with eager anticipation, I might have done just that.

Turning away from Aiden’s desperate expression, I faced Lothania instead.

“Lottie, do you truly want me to marry?”

“Of course!”

“Would you really be okay with me having a husband who isn’t the late emperor? Be honest with me.”

At the mention of the deceased Emperor Nerian, Lothania’s scarlet eyes dulled.

My heart sank, worrying that she had been suppressing her feelings for my sake.

But Lothania slowly shook her head.

“I’m fine, Mother. Father would want you to be happy too. Besides, he was married twice, wasn’t he?”

Her logic, that since the Emperor had two marriages, the Empress could as well, was startlingly fresh.

I tilted my head, unsure if that reasoning truly held, but I couldn’t find a counterargument.

Looking at Aiden, Lothania firmly drew a line.

“But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever think of you as my father.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” Aiden replied.

“Still, if you and Mother have a child, I’ll think of them as my sibling.”

“A…a…a…”

Aiden’s lips moved silently as he failed to articulate a response, his face turning bright red.

Lothania patiently waited for him, but when he remained speechless, she turned to me and whispered with a frown.

“Mother, I think Duke Tilender is broken.”

It took every ounce of effort to maintain a composed expression.

Even for someone as confident in controlling their emotions as I was, it wasn’t easy. But I managed to steer the conversation naturally.

“I understand how you feel, Lottie. I’ll take my time to talk with Aiden. Now, shall we finish dinner?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Lothania, ever perceptive and considerate, smiled brightly as she responded.

Although Aiden was still visibly dazed, occasionally lifting his fork to sip his soup, we managed to conclude dinner peacefully.

Afterward, we moved to the sitting room for tea and conversation.

It wasn’t long before Lothania, clutching her book, began to yawn incessantly.

I took her hand and walked her back to the Crown Princess’s quarters.

Watching Anna herd the sleepy Lothania toward the bath, I chuckled and turned to leave—only to spot Amy lingering in the distance.

She tried to hide behind a wall when our eyes met, but I beckoned her over, and she hesitantly approached.

“Amy.”

“Your Majesty,” she greeted, bowing deeply.

“I heard you’ve been staying at the Crown Princess’s quarters. Are you comfortable?”

“Everyone has been very kind, thanks to Your Majesty.”

Her bow was still excessively deep, but her voice was louder and her speech clearer than before.

She seemed more confident than she had been at the castle, which eased my concerns.

Remembering the comment about her physique, I studied her closely. To me, she still seemed small and frail.

How could this child possibly practice swordsmanship? I worried she might be pushing herself too hard.

“I heard you’ve been learning something new. Is it difficult for you?”

At my question, Amy’s eyes sparkled, and she lifted her head in excitement.

Though she quickly bowed again after meeting my gaze, the brief glimpse I caught of her face was brighter than ever.

“No, Your Majesty. I will work hard to protect you.”

“Protect me?”

“Ah, no, I mean, with Duke Tilender here, someone like me wouldn’t need to… but I, um…”

“Amy, is the reason you’re learning swordsmanship to protect me?”

Amy glanced up hesitantly, gauging my reaction, then nodded with a timid expression.

“I want to repay your kindness,” she said.

“Amy, I’m the one who owes you. You don’t need to push yourself.”

“It’s not too much. It’s hard, but it’s fun,” she said, shaking her head vigorously.

Her head moved with such enthusiasm that even her torso swayed, emphasizing her earnestness.

She didn’t seem to be forcing herself, but to my eyes, she was still just a small child, and I couldn’t help but worry.

Surely the palace staff were providing her with proper nutrition? She would need it for swordsmanship training. I decided to double-check with Tito.

Lothania, Amy… Both children were steadily walking their own paths.

Was I the only one making excuses to ignore my own feelings?

Aiden had been silently watching me, his hand extended as if waiting.

To move forward, I needed to take that first step.

Grasping his hand, I thought, Let’s begin.

On the way back to the Empress’s quarters, the sky had turned an inky black, with stars and the moon shimmering above. Aiden, still without an answer, walked silently beside me.

I told myself: I’ll give him my answer tonight. Before we reach the Empress’s quarters, I have to say it.

But with that decision made, my steps began to slow.

When the entrance to the quarters appeared beyond the long shadows of the trees, it felt as if my feet were glued to the ground.

Matching my pace, Aiden stopped as well, tilting his head slightly to look at me without a word.

A breeze carrying the scent of autumn flowers swept past, making the shadows of the trees dance.

“Your Majesty,” he called softly.

I turned to face him, meeting his crimson eyes, which seemed like glowing gemstones against the night sky behind him.

After a brief hesitation, he spoke.

“I like everything about being with you, Your Majesty. Whether it’s shopping for clothes, attending a concert, sharing a meal, or guarding you—I enjoy it all.”

Aiden smiled shyly, his lips curving slightly upward.

As always, his smile was so pure it made my heart feel lighter just looking at him.

Scratching the tip of his nose, he continued, carefully choosing his words.

“As for marriage… well, I wanted to be greedy because I wanted to do everything with you, Your Majesty. But if it’s something you don’t want—”

I interrupted him before he could finish, not wanting him to think his proposal had burdened me.

“Aiden, I like you,” I said simply.

“…Pardon?”

“I want to stay by your side and laugh with you.”

“That…”

“Don’t break down on me now. Listen properly,” I added with mock seriousness.

“I’m listening,” he replied, snapping back to attention.

Though his eyes still wavered, I decided to let it slide since my own voice was trembling too.

“Both you and Lothania talk about marriage, but I want to be cautious about a second marriage. So… why don’t we do something else instead?”

“Something else?”

“What people who like each other do before they get married.”

Lothania might have given her blessing, but I still felt uneasy about the idea of remarriage.

Even though my first husband was gone, there were still too many responsibilities I carried as his widow.

Moreover, when Lothania awakened, Aiden would need to serve her as her bonded beast.

Even though she had promised to remove the binding mark, we had no idea where it was or how to deal with it. The future was uncertain.

And most importantly, there were so many things I hadn’t been able to experience in my arranged first marriage.

This was the first time in my life I had truly fallen for someone, and there were countless things I wanted to try—together with Aiden.

It took all my courage to voice my feelings, but Aiden gave no reply.

He seemed utterly perplexed, lost in thought, as if he couldn’t grasp what I was suggesting.

“Things people who like each other do before they marry…”

He muttered my words repeatedly, stroking his chin in deep thought.

I couldn’t help but watch him, partly curious about what conclusion he might reach and partly charmed by how endearingly serious he looked while pondering.

Finally, his face lit up with realization, and I braced myself for his answer.

But, true to his nature, his response was both adorable and completely unexpected.

“Whatever it is, I’ll do my best to do it with you!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his earnest and overly enthusiastic determination.