Hayden found it quite strange that the young, brilliant knight who had commanded in front of the Cata wall was glancing around and looking apologetic.

He had always been a young being to take care of and sometimes a difficult being to push away. But when did it become like this? He forced his tail trying to go up.

“No, there’s nothing…”

Roo shook her head but hesitated. In fact, she had a lot to say.

How the situation turned out, if anyone got hurt, if everyone is safe. But him being here meant that it’s okay for him to be here.

She clearly trusted Hayden on that matter. So, she wouldn’t ask.

But besides that, there was something she wanted to say.

“Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

To the dissatisfied answer, Roo laughed silently without a sound.

“It may sound a bit naive, but thank you for taking care of me in front of the Shalea wall.”

Why does he have no immunity against Rustica Genesis at all? Hayden realized that fact and let it pass.

Melting at a single eye smile, he tried his best to smile back, but no matter how hard he tried, it seemed like he couldn’t match Roo’s eye smile.

“I was so happy in that moment.”

Just happy? Roo recalled the overwhelming emotion she felt inside Carlos at that moment.

She wanted to somehow express this to Hayden. She hoped he knew. Facing Hayden, the owner of this overflowing emotion once again, she smiled hard, but no matter how hard she tried, it seemed like she couldn’t match Roo’s eye smile.

“I love you, Your Majesty.”
But when she said it aloud, it seemed like an inadequate word to fully convey the love she felt, so Roo felt a bit sulky.

I should add more modifiers. ‘A lot’ is cliché, ‘really’ seems insufficient, and ‘to the point of death’ might burden Hayden.

In the midst of contemplating this, Hayden, who had been just sitting with his arms crossed, suddenly leaned towards her. His gray eyes flickered, and then he swiftly approached, abruptly stealing a kiss.

It was clear to everyone that the exhausted and groggy patient who had just woken up was the most enchanting and captivating beauty to Hayden. He threw off his stiff uniform and haphazardly kissed her, making a sound, pressing his face against Roo’s throat. The tips of his ears turned a reddish hue.

“Me too.”

“Yeah.”

“You know, right? I know everything, so I’m summarizing it in one word. I feel a bit unjust, Roo.”

“What’s unjust? You’re summarizing in one word too.”

Hayden, who diligently left traces on Roo’s throat, lifted his head.

“Oh, do I also have that much effect?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. There’s no need for you to say anything.”

That means he must be handsome for a lifetime. He silently vowed to himself and embraced Roo’s arms like a child in her arms.

Although Roo felt like holding a hard and massive rock rather than a person, it was still good.

Since the ribs were all attached, she could embrace him, or else they would have quickly kissed and separated. It’s fortunate that it went a little better.

“But is it all over now? What happened? I’m curious. Can I ask?”

Hayden laughed continuously at the consecutive questions.

“I’m already asking. It’s not all over yet. And so it can’t be.”

The war happened, and he had been looking forward to the aftermath of the war.

People from the Kaletha Empire were thoroughly isolated and knew nothing. So, deliberately, he kept the connection with Cata intact. Hayden recalled the battlefield unfolding in front of the Cata wall.

“The east side is open now.”

“Oh.”

“The Eastern Sage is taking care of it.”

The Eastern Sage from the east. Carlos would probably want to avoid that.

“Well, everyone should have a fair chance for revenge at least once, shouldn’t they?”

In that sense, Hayden was a quite lenient emperor.