Siena shyly touched her fingers and said, “As I mentioned earlier, if you need a family name…! I can raise Ilhang-nim in my family, Evergreen. Ilhang Evergreen, isn’t it wonderful? I think it’s a fitting name!”

‘Ah, so that was her intention.’

Siena wanted to become my family altogether.

It seemed the same for others as well; Sherry, Jacqueline, and Nadia all chimed in.

“Oh, Siena! That’s cheating. If you need a family name anyway, wouldn’t Ilhang-nim feel more comfortable with the previous Duke’s name, like our Damon Duke? Isn’t that right, big brother?”

“Sherry, you seem to be subtly trying to make Ilhang-nim part of your family. If so, wouldn’t it be better for our Celest Hufak, the external relative of the current Emperor, to become your family? Hm.”

“All three of you, be quiet. Ilhang-nim might prefer a family like ours, Lutri Viscount, where you can say whatever you want without feeling restrained. Right, Ilhang-nim?”

“…Hey, why do you all keep arguing about me?”

I felt like I had become a bargain item at a large supermarket.

‘It’s like turning from a zombie apocalypse genre into a fluffy parenting story… No, it feels like I’ve turned into a fluffy story.’

The feeling of being taken care of wasn’t bad, but anything in excess isn’t good.

Grateful as I was, I declined everyone’s suggestions.

“It’s okay. If needed, I can ask Zelona and Aston for a favor.”

After hearing my words, Ruth, Benedict, and Michael, cautiously watching me, spoke up.

“Uh, Ilhang.”

“Yes? What is it, Ruth?”

“If it’s okay, would you… with me?”

Not speaking as expected, Ruth hesitated to speak, and when I leaned in to listen, Benedict pushed him.

“Cough!”

The frail wizard, Ruth, collided forcefully with the elf-blooded Benedict, who had come rushing, and rolled over helplessly.

However, regardless of whether Ruth rolled or spoke, Benedict quickly conveyed what he wanted to say to me.

“Forget what Ruth said, Ilhang.”

“Uh, huh? What’s going on?”

“You know. If you’re going to stay here, you should officially… with me.”

Thud.

“Ouch!”

Pushing Benedict away with his well-trained muscular arms, Michael, acting nonchalantly, stood in front of me.

While Benedict didn’t roll over like Ruth, he glared at Michael with fiery eyes.

“Hey, Michael. Benedict seems to be glaring at you as if he’s going to kill you.”

“He did push the wizard earlier. I’m just avenging Ruth on his behalf.”

Does it really translate that way?

Though bewildered, after a fake cough, Michael spoke in a somewhat serious tone in front of me.

“If you’re okay with it, Ilhang-nim, if you feel the same way as me… in the future, if you want to be with me… think about it, umph!”

Oh dear. Unfortunately, Michael, too, was shoved by Benedict, falling to the ground as if pushed by someone.

‘Who did that?’
Looking at the culprit, crimson eyes glowed like coral.

It was Aston.

“Sorry, but I have priority since I first met Ilhang.”

“Emperor!”

Although Mihael protested, Aston didn’t care at all.

He swiftly lifted me and left the noisy Star Palace.

“Uh, Your Majesty, where are you taking Ilhang-nim?”

When Cloud asked, Aston casually replied with a plausible excuse.

“We’ve already had enough time to meet, so I’ll take the rest of this person’s time.”

“What? No, what is this?”

“No need to ask for permission, right? Let’s go.”

With an overly confident attitude, Aston walked briskly through the corridor, paying no attention to the shocked courtiers or maids around him.

‘Why is all the embarrassment on my part…’

Was Aston always like this?

It felt strange to see a side of him I never knew.

Was my heart beating too fast because of the attention of too many people?

My face turned red, and I covered it with both hands.

“Hey, Aston. Where exactly are you trying to go with the princess-holding pose? I have two perfectly good legs too, you know.”

“I wanted to do this.”

“Unwanted skinship can be considered harassment. It was too sudden. What is this?”

As I grumbled, he returned me to the sponsor where we had met earlier.

“I’m sorry. But if you stay there any longer, you might…”

“Might?”

Aston, who hesitated, honestly spoke.

“Ruth Kricheun and Benedict Fairman, Michael Aster might get jealous because they seem to have feelings for you.”

“…What?”

“They probably have more than friendship feelings for you. Don’t you already know that?”

The cooled heat surged again.

“…Is that still valid?”

“Yes.”

I never expected a day when Aston and the word ‘shy’ would go together.

He slowly knelt in front of me, picked a delicately crafted flower stem pinned to his sponsor, and awkwardly made a bouquet, handing it to me with a tense expression.

“Ilhang. Do you have any thoughts about marrying and spending your life together?”

I didn’t know when he prepared it, but from his embrace, he took out a small ring case.

When I opened the velvet box, inside was a delicately crafted ring with a pink diamond glowing like blood.

Aston’s initials were engraved inside the ring.