Icarus tilted his head innocently, not understanding why she was asking such a question. Seeing him pretend not to know, she thought he was just like his master.

Rue sighed deeply, brushing her face. The eyes of the Imperiale members around her were hot, and she was disturbed every time she heard that her parents were nearby.

Hayden seemed to want to set a record for getting Calesta Construction over to Perseita, even mobilizing his parents.

‘…I must never meet my parents.’

Especially not as Calesta Construction’s daughter. If they met, they had to pretend not to know. Probably her parents knew that best.

She wanted to be a proud daughter, not an embarrassing one. Her heart ached. She missed them. Just wanted to see them, even from afar.

“I’m dying of joy.”

Rue looked up. Hayden was looking down at her, arms crossed.

Because Icarus wouldn’t leave her alone, she eventually let him put his heavy front paw on her body and sat, leaning on him.

“No, that, he, I mean…”

“Get up, Construction Head Gennes. Icarus, let her go now.”

With one word from Hayden, who reached out to her, Icarus finally slowly withdrew his heavy paw and feigned innocence.
That guy, he was deliberately tormenting her. Should she be thankful that he did not reveal it? Slowly getting used to such treatment, Lucius grabbed Hayden’s hand and stood up.

“Covered in fur all over.”

With just one word, Hayden turned and began to walk away. Lucius followed him, brushing off the goldentinted black fur.

Between the brickbuilt buildings, Imperiale, who had quietly taken their place on the vital routes, were sternly guarding.

In other words, Lucius was continually under their gaze. It was uncomfortable. Despite the discomfort, Hayden, who paid no attention to it, strode into a large building in the center.

“Now the battlefield seems to be familiar again, General.”

He said, removing the ornamentation near his neck that had been holding his cloak. The building, obviously decorated as the emperor’s temporary lodging, was empty.

“Thanks to you forcing me to adapt.”

As Hayden was taking off his gloves, he raised an eyebrow to look at Lucius.

“It was the most effective way. I’ll use it from time to time in the future.”

Haha, damn bastard. Lucius gave him a matching smile. Just because of that, don’t think I will do as you wish. I will persist and keep smiling to the end.

“Then, General Gennes. Are you ready to meet your parents?”

The smile quickly faded from her face. Hayden casually draped the unfastened cloak over a chair.

“It’s about time you knew that the Count and Countess Plache are the General’s parents, I think.”

He glanced at Lucius’s expression.

“You knew. And, in my opinion, the General is….”

Thump, thump, the hand loosening the uniform approached slowly. Hayden was suddenly standing in front of her. His gray eyes, excited from the intense battle, looked down at her piercingly.

“The family reunion after a long time doesn’t seem pleasant.”

“I did not give any answer.”

They didn’t even recognize them as her parents. If they did, it would disadvantage her parents.

“I always wondered what the General might like, but I didn’t know you’d hate meeting your parents so much.”

It wasn’t that she hated it. She felt miserable and ashamed, and would Hayden understand that she didn’t want to be a daughter who inconveniences her parents, who have managed to establish themselves as foreigners in this place?

Lucius, who didn’t even hope for his understanding, kept her mouth shut even more. Perhaps she shouldn’t even admit to having parents.

She took a step back. Hayden’s height was so great that it was hard to look up at him from this close distance.

“Rumor has it that you were such a loyal knight, but does loyalty come before blood ties? You can sell out your parents but not your country, is that it?”

The discomfort built up over the last few days, the aggressive gazes, and the sharp words thrown by Emperor Perseta, who was leading them, struck at Lucius’s patience and reason simultaneously.

If she tried to distance herself and maintain her reason, he wouldn’t give her a chance, closing the distance again. His much larger frame was a threat in itself.

“So, will this be a joyous family reunion or a chance for the daughter to condemn her parents? Is Count Plache a traitor to the General? Ah, perhaps the Count and Countess are a shame and disgrace to their daughter.”

It was a deliberate and forced provocation. But when that provocation overlaps with the threat of death encroaching on her neck or that level of terror, it becomes impossible to ignore.

“I wonder. Seeing the honorable Count and Countess fall from grace must be quite enjoyable for the General.”

Or, she might even realize that dying would be preferable. No sooner had he finished speaking, Lucius pulled out the sword that was hanging at Hayden’s waist and distanced herself. Her green eyes, filled with killing intent, glared at him.

Hayden gladly received her murderous gaze. Yes. Now come. He had prepared to fully receive her, to awaken her senses.