On the way back to her residence from the Empress’ Palace, Serena’s heart kept pounding the entire time.

Since the child who was still dragging a doll and complaining about sleep said it was a far, bright, and noisy place, it felt like her secret had been exposed and she couldn’t calm down easily.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince is inside.”

“Huh?”

Startled by the lady-in-waiting’s sudden words, Serena headed to the reception room where Lucas was indeed comfortably having tea as if it were his own home.

“I happened to have some time, so I came to see you but it seems we just missed each other.”

“Ah… I was just returning from a visit to the Empress’ Palace.”

As Serena naturally sat across from him, the lady-in-waiting brought out tea. She wondered how many cups of tea she’d had today.

“Your Highness, what kind of person is the young lady?”

When they were alone, Serena expressed her curiosity. The fact that Lucas was the only one in this imperial palace to whom she could bare her heart and show her honest self was truly unpredictable in life.

“First of all, you should say ‘young lady’ instead of ‘Her Highness the Princess’.”

Lucas corrected the form of address in a low, gentle voice.

“You are my wife, and Luana is my much younger sister, so there’s no need for honorifics.”

“Ah…”

Perhaps because she had just seen Luana’s mysterious eyes, it was difficult to think of her as simply a child. However, as Lucas said, she needed to correct the way she addressed her from now on.

“And I also know almost nothing about Luana. She was born when I wasn’t in the imperial palace.”

Indeed, that was true. Both Lucas and Serena were probably equally unfamiliar with the young lady.

“Thanks to that, she monopolizes the love and attention of the Emperor, making things comfortable for me. She’s a grateful younger sister.”

In fact, as soon as Luana appeared in the banquet hall, she was swiftly embraced by the Emperor and left. She was the only one who could make the Emperor of this empire run just by appearing.

“I went to the Empress’ Palace and met the young lady who had just woken up from a nap.”

“Is that so?”

Lucas responded indifferently as if he had little interest in his sister.

“Her Majesty the Empress said that although the young lady is slow in speech, she sometimes says mysterious things.”

“Ah… That she’s good at predicting the weather? I heard that from the Emperor too.”

“Is that really possible?”

At Serena’s straightforward question, Lucas put down his teacup with a click.

“Well, they say it’s a common occurrence in the Tern imperial family. It may be unfamiliar to you.”

“A common occurrence?”

“Yes. It’s not uncommon in the imperial family’s records. It seems that mainly young girls have a bit of foresight.”

The fact that he could say such things so calmly made Serena realize that Lucas was indeed a member of the imperial family.

“Although they say it mostly disappears as they grow up, it’s still remarkable that she can at least predict the weather.”

“By any chance… Are there examples of predicting things other than the weather?”

“There are many things in the imperial family’s records where it’s unclear what is true from beginning to end. It’s partly because they are so old, and sometimes the contents themselves are questionable.”

Recalling Luana’s mysterious eyes, Serena’s heart started racing again for no reason. As if she were a child caught doing something wrong.

“Why? Did Luana say something worrisome?”

“No, it’s not that… She just said I came from far away when she saw me.”

“Hmm. She might be able to know that much.”

“Since she must have often heard stories about my entrance to the palace…”

“No. Luana’s growth is still slower than her peers, so she doesn’t understand adults’ conversations. She doesn’t even really know that I’m her elder brother.”

Lucas crossed his long legs.

“Although it’s just a record, there were also cases among the Tern imperial family’s girls in the distant past who prophesied that a war would break out or an earthquake would occur.”

“Is… Is that really possible?”

Even at Serena’s tense question, Lucas merely shrugged.

“I told you. It’s unclear what is true from beginning to end.”

Belatedly, Serena remembered the Empress saying that the time would come for her to gradually learn the secrets of the Tern imperial family.

However, since she easily mentioned that Luana could predict the weather, there were probably many more secrets that Serena didn’t know yet.

“Your Highness, do you know all the secrets of the Tern imperial family?”

“Suddenly? I appreciate your interest in me… But it doesn’t seem to be in the direction I desire.”

Lucas smiled, lifting one corner of his mouth.

“Did Her Majesty the Empress say that? That she would teach you the secrets of the Tern imperial family someday.”

Serena stared at him blankly for a moment, wondering if he also had the ability to prophesy.

“I grew up hearing the same thing when I was young.”

“So… Did she teach you the secrets?”

“Some of them.”

Maybe it was just her impression, but his smile didn’t seem as lively as usual and looked a bit bitter.

“However, you don’t need to worry about those things yet. I’m sorry, but even I can’t pass on those secrets to you. It’s not my role.”

Serena also understood that feeling.

“Yes. When the time comes for me to know, I will naturally find out.”

“Unexpectedly, you have an obedient side too. I should come more often.”

Hmph, Serena snorted.

“If you come too often, I might reject you.”

“I already knew well that you were honest.”

Grinning, Lucas’ smile returned to normal.

“I’m purely curious, but aren’t you busy, Your Highness?”

“I am busy. What do you think the Crown Prince does?”

Despite that, his visits were too frequent. He insisted on having at least one meal together at the Crown Princess’ residence every day, and it was common for him to come unannounced like today to have tea and leave.

“It doesn’t seem that way at all to me.”

“From reorganizing my palace to preparing to attend the council, I’m so busy that a day feels too short. However… Let’s just say that seeing your face is the most important thing among all my schedules.”

Lucas’ words were true. Unlike when he had invaded the Astel ducal residence, signs of fatigue were sometimes visible in his complexion.

Others might say, what hardship could the Crown Prince, who had even survived battlefields, face in the imperial palace? But even Serena was already feeling difficulties that were different from those in the Astel territory.

“The cherry tree at the entrance was transplanted by you, Your Highness, right?”

“Ah, you heard. Since they were originally a pair, I thought it would be good for the married couple to each have one.”

Although he seemed outwardly very indifferent and just a big man, his thoughts and actions sometimes felt even more meticulous than Serena’s.

“The branches will be bare soon since it’s winter, but in spring, there are no flowers more beautiful than that.”

Serena nodded. To be honest, what had broken her solitary life was the will of the Duke of Astel, and Lucas could be considered a relatively good husband candidate. So there was no need to antagonize him further.

“I wonder if the people of Astel are preparing well for winter.”

Serena muttered while looking at the bare branches outside the window.

“Do you miss it a lot?”

“Yes. Sometimes.”

While Lucas wandered aimlessly and didn’t give his heart to any one place, Serena was different. She had poured all her devotion into cultivating the Astel territory, and because of that, the parting inevitably felt lonely.

“If you’re that worried, why don’t you go and see?”

Serena made a face as if asking what he was talking about at his thoughtless remark. She had just become the Crown Princess and spent a week in the imperial palace, so how could she go to the Astel territory?

“You can go if you’re with me. We can call it a honeymoon.”

Normally, she wouldn’t have been swayed by such temptation, but the thought of wanting to go to Astel greatly shook Serena’s heart.

“Really?”

“Yes, but just as you always do to me, I also have a condition.”

Of course.

“Never mind then.”

Serena waved her hand in refusal.

“Negotiations are always open.”

The desire in Lucas’ eyes was hot as usual today. It was truly incomprehensible how his desire grew hotter and hotter despite having such a distant wedding night.

“Shall we have dinner together tomorrow for a change?”

“I thought you were busy.”

“It’s the first day of the month.”

Lucas nodded at the look in her eyes that seemed to say, “So what?”

“In the imperial palace, it’s the law for a husband to spend the night with his wife on the first and fifteenth of every month without fail.”

“That’s a lie, right? It seems like you just made that up.”

“No, you can ask anyone. It applies to both the Emperor and the Crown Prince.”

She had barely managed to postpone the wedding night by bartering, but now she had to have an awkward night with him twice a month out of obligation.

If it were an ordinary newlywed couple, they would be together every day without having to keep track of dates, but in this situation, it was a very uncomfortable law.

“I have a good idea.”

“No.”

Lucas refused flatly.

“You haven’t even heard it yet.”

“Then why aren’t you asking about my condition of going to Astel together?”

At times like this, the couple was exactly the same.

“My method is simpler and easier than that. I’ll put a very large sofa in my bedroom. So you won’t have to fold your body in half.”

Hah, a chuckle naturally escaped from Lucas’ mouth. It was both frustrating and amusing that the woman he desired so much right now wanted to keep her distance from him even after holding a wedding ceremony, and her idea was truly absurd and funny.

“That’s a thought only you could have.”

“It’s the furniture in my bedroom, so it’s my decision.”

“And naive too.”

Even though he was in danger of being kicked out to the sofa, Lucas looked too relaxed.

“Why? What is it that I don’t know?”

Serena glared at Lucas and questioned him.

“I don’t mind. As you said, it’s the furniture in your bedroom.”

“And?”

“But it’s the furniture that Her Majesty the Empress carefully prepared one by one for the new Crown Princess.”

Oh no. Even Serena would be in trouble if it meant refusing the Empress’ goodwill.

“However, if you really want to change the furniture, as the Crown Prince, I can burn that damn long pillow first.”

“I’ll pass. It’s all thanks to Her Majesty the Empress’ efforts.”

Serena, who refused through gritted teeth, was both frustrating and still lovely. This was why Lucas couldn’t help but lose every time.

“Hmm, my wife is indeed very considerate.”

Serena rolled her eyes again at Lucas’ joke. Even that sight was cute, so the power structure of this marriage was clear.

And Lucas could willingly accept even that fact. Only now did he understand a phrase that he thought he would never know.

Love is blind.

That was like a prepared saying for his current self.