The emperor, seeing Lucas’ confident attitude, declared a brief recess. It meant that today’s council would be prolonged, and it was also giving the crown prince a final preparation time to back up his claims.

“Your Highness, does this mean you don’t have to do anything?”

Cedric asked, looking at Lucas who was leisurely staying in the reception room.

“What preparation?”

“Wasn’t it because you had some kind of…countermeasure that you spoke of such ambitions?”

No matter how many long years they had spent together, it was impossible to know where Lucas would suddenly leap to. It was about time he got used to it, but he was still perplexed by Lucas’ unexpected behavior at the council just now, suddenly bringing up a tremendous topic.

“Today is the first day Your Highness has attended the council.”

“So?”

“It would have been enough to just follow the flow.”

Cedric’s meaning was understandable. What the emperor wished for was for Lucas to get to know the council and the nobles, and to learn how to manage state affairs. Not to take such unpredictable actions from the first day.

“Not everyone has enough time. Although His Majesty the Emperor is a great ruler, it takes a great many procedures for what is decided in this audience chamber to truly reach the people.”

Cedric couldn’t help but nod at those words. He, too, was one who had watched over the battlefield together with Lucas. To them, a sip of water right before their eyes was more desperate than the distant emperor.

“It was naturally thanks to the crown princess that Astel achieved unbelievable prosperity in such a short time… But it was also because her orders could be carried out immediately.”

Lucas knew how to look at the process of success, not just the surface.

Serena’s bold ideas and her innate ability to lead everyone were heaven-sent, but the reason the fruits of those 6 years were so tremendous was also because she could directly stay in the territory as the acting duke and immediately execute all her ideas.

“Your Highness, this place is not Astel. Not every territory of the empire can be like that.”

“I know that too. I know it too well.”

Sometimes, not knowing made one feel at ease. Perhaps if Lucas also did not know what was happening at the ends of the empire’s territory, he might have thought to join the council and adapt at a leisurely pace.

“The empire is vast.”

In terms of being able to hold the hegemony of the continent just by existing, nothing could be better than this, but a body that had grown too large was difficult to control with just the emperor’s single heart.

“But to protect this vast territory… change is needed.”

At first, it was a wandering journey he took to train himself, but the undetermined flow of life also awakened him as a monarch.

“What if there was a foundation like Astel’s in the ruins of the old war that was brought up as an agenda earlier?”

Not everyone could be as outstanding as Serena. Even if there was someone outstanding, it was also difficult for the environment to follow suit. However, wasn’t it the role of a true monarch to embrace even such people?

“If we had created a foundation for them to be self-reliant and live like Astel, instead of temporary relief, there’s no way they wouldn’t have become independent in the past 3 years.”

“It’s not an easy task. Also, there is no such precedent.”

Lucas nodded.

“Also, Your Highness… you must not cross the line. Do not forget. This empire must be ruled under the great name of the Tern imperial family.”

In the past, this vast continent was divided and ruled by several monarchs, and wars were incessant.

“Just one place like Astel is enough. Any more than that would be a problem. Especially if it’s given to people who have yet to forget the war.”

“I’m not thinking of sowing the seeds of rebellion either. Above all, obscuring the empire’s dominion even a little is treason.”

The ancestors of the Tern imperial family subjugated those monarchs one by one and brought most of this continent together into a single empire. More than a century had passed since then.

They had shed so much blood for the sake of the emperor’s rule alone that they could not weaken the power in the provinces again.

“Then why are you bringing up Astel’s example and seeking to support them?”

“What I want is not for places like Astel to increase. Just as Serena is unique, Astel is the only one of its kind.”

Lucas raised one corner of his mouth and gave a relaxed smile.

“What the empire and they need is Astel’s method. And the empire can control that method with its might.”

Only then did Cedric seem to understand Lucas’ deep meaning.

“If our empire supports and controls the industry that produces goods, not agriculture, more efficient domination would be possible.”

Indeed, there was no way he, as the crown prince, would bring up something that would shake the empire’s ruling structure.

“I sympathize with Your Highness’s thoughts, but can we persuade His Majesty and the nobles?”

“I also want to bring out Astel and show it in the middle of the council… but isn’t it my role to persuade them to do that?”

In Lucas’ narrowed eyes that gazed into the air, a strange fighting spirit and aspiration could be seen. The fresh shock he felt when he first saw Astel and Serena’s brilliant achievements were still vivid in his heart.

When Serena was having tea in the reception room, there was a commotion as if the crown prince’s procession had arrived.

Serena, wearing a simple dress and robe specially requested from Mrs. Hailey, went to the front door herself to greet Lucas.

“Greetings to the Crown Prince, Your Highness.”

As Serena bowed first, all the palace maids of the Crown Princess’s Pavilion lined up behind her followed suit.

Whether Serena wanted it or not, she was already the crown princess and the mistress of this pavilion. So she couldn’t greet him as she pleased like in Astel.

“…It’s unfamiliar, but not bad either.”

Lucas offered his hand with a mischievous smile and raised Serena himself. Seeing his triumphant appearance was quite detestable, but there were still too many eyes watching for her to think about kicking his shins.

“It’s late, did you wait for me?”

“No, it’s not even bedtime originally.”

It was just past 10 o’clock. When she was in Astel, it would be a busy time to wrap up the day’s work and finish the day.

Of course, after coming to the palace, she started going to bed early, but she would rather die than say she waited for Lucas.

“Warm tea has been served in the reception room of the bedchamber for the two of you, Your Highnesses.”

Anna bowed and gently guided them. It meant not to engage in a battle of nerves at the entrance, but to soothe their hearts with some warm tea.

“The weather is cold too, so that’s nice.”

Contrary to Serena’s wish, the crown prince immediately started walking towards the bedchamber. And soon the door of the bedchamber closed, leaving the two alone. To the outside world, they were newlyweds who had just consummated their marriage, so it was a natural sight.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Lucas asked, looking at Serena who was awkwardly sipping tea. He had many things he wanted to say to Serena all day, but seeing her just bowing and closing her mouth made him feel strange.

“You can’t be sulking because I was late.”

“There’s no way that’s the case.”

As if telling him not to even dream of it, Serena immediately refuted. Seeing her acting like herself at last, Lucas smiled.

“I was tired from the long council meeting today, but I’m glad I got to see you.”

Rest was naturally needed at the end of a tiring day. But he never knew that meeting someone and talking to them at the end of it would feel better than sleeping alone.

“By the way, the agenda I was keeping an eye on came up at the council. Thanks to that, I had a chance to speak up and His Majesty also took notice. I found a solution in Astel’s prosperity…”

Today was a special day for Lucas. He was proudly telling her how he became the protagonist at the council, confidently and splendidly expressing his opinion, even adding the inspiration he gained from Astel.

“Astel, you say?”

“Yes. For the people of the frontier impoverished by the war, it’s a plan for the empire to support and manage facilities that produce goods like Astel. It’s a way for even the people of harsh lands who can’t farm to become self-reliant.”

For some reason, when she saw Lucas’s proud face, heat surged inside her.

“My remarks were effective, so we were able to continue the discussion by extending the council twice more today. In the end, the prime minister said to operate it on a trial basis in some areas, and His Majesty said he would allow it after review, so soon…”

“You’ve been very busy.”

Serena put down her teacup and looked at Lucas with cold eyes. Lucas, who had been continuing to speak excitedly, also stopped talking in bewilderment.

“Yes, I explained how your Astel achieved prosperity and said it could be applied.”

“I see.”

He couldn’t understand why she was looking at him with such a chilly expression when it was a way to widely publicize the Astel she was proud of and to unleash her talents.

“I understand very well how meaningful and precious your day was, Your Highness.”

“Serena?”

“In case you were wondering, I’ll tell you that my day was just the same.”

There were thorns in Serena’s voice.

“I woke up leisurely in the morning, took a bath, walked in the garden, and had meals and tea time.”

Blue eyes turned towards Lucas.

“Also, since it’s the first day of the month and I heard you were coming, I prepared dinner. Because that’s the role of the crown princess.”

As her tone continued to be cold, Lucas’s expression also gradually hardened.

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“Nothing at all.”

It couldn’t be said that the change in her life now was exactly because of Lucas. Once she entered this story and became Serena, wasn’t it an unavoidable fate?

“I just thought that compared to Your Highness who had such a fulfilling day, my day seems trivial.”

However, at least when she was developing Astel, she could forget everything. But the one who was proudly speaking of the results created with passion and devotion was Lucas.

“I suppose it won’t be any different today or tomorrow.”

Serena rose from her seat.

“So please go back for today.”

“But…”

Lucas jumped up and tried to take her hand, but Serena turned away faster.

“I wasn’t asking for your permission, Your Highness.”

Leaving those cold words behind, Serena went into the bedroom and firmly shut the door.