Alicia and Eric turned their heads towards the direction of the approaching voice.

Chase, who appeared with impeccable timing, walked towards the two with his usual grinning smile.

“Alicia. Did you buy the book you were looking for?”

“No, it wasn’t there. They said I’ll have to wait a while due to supply issues from the monster attacks.”

“Elder brother, you’re still here? I thought you were busy, but I guess not?”

“I had some business nearby and ran into her. By chance.”

“Ah, I see.”

Eric felt a pang of guilt at Chase’s knowing smirk, but he maintained an impassive expression.

“By the way, Chase. Are you done with your work?”

“Work? What work?”

Before Chase could answer Alicia’s question, Eric looked back and forth between the two.

“Weren’t you two together?”

“We did leave together. But I had business at the Valois embassy. I was just going to watch the twins until Alicia returned from the bookstore.”

“Then where are Ryan and Laila?”

When Alicia asked Chase who had appeared alone, Chase looked at Eric.

Receiving the gazes of the two, Eric hid his flustered look and slowly opened his mouth.

“At the Knights’ Order. There was an urgent matter, so I couldn’t wait until Chase returned.”

“Ah, I see. You should have said something. I could have gone later.”

Eric glared at Chase in disbelief at his glib response.

The bastard who had rushed off when called was now saying this.

“Then is your urgent business finished? If you need to pick up the kids from the Knights’ Order, shall we go together?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go to Lancaster estate later. That way-.”

‘I’ll get to see you at least once more.’

Eric swallowed the rest of his words and let out a wry laugh at himself.

He had been tired, true, but this was the first time he had acted so impulsively.

Moreover, in this state of emergency, he was thinking of putting off work somehow to meet Alicia.

‘I really have gone completely mad.’

Seeing Eric’s troubled expression, Alicia worriedly spoke up.

“Will you be alright? You must be busy.”

“Shall I go instead? Elder brother, you look extremely tired right now.”

“No, it’s fine. Not just anyone can enter the Knights’ Order right now, so I’ll take them. Go on ahead.”

As Eric finished speaking and was about to turn back to return to the Knights’ Order, Chase deliberately called out to stop him.

“The Imperial Princess of the Valois Empire is causing a commotion saying she wants to visit now.”

“?”

“Since you’re already busy with the monster incident, I managed to dissuade her through the Valois embassy for now.”

“You did well, but why are you telling me this?”

“Well, it seemed like you might have misunderstood that I had some impure intentions towards you.”

“……”

Given that he was deliberately saying this in front of Alicia, even if there had been a misunderstanding before, it seemed clear now that he did have impure intentions.

Alicia looked back and forth between Eric and Chase.

“I never misunderstood anything like that.”

“That’s good then. If that’s the case, we’re done talking here, so I’ll see you later at Lancaster estate, elder brother.”

“……Whatever.”

Eric spoke reluctantly with a sour expression and then moved to return to the Knights’ Order.

He didn’t particularly want to see Chase at Lancaster estate, but having left the twins at the Knights’ Order, Eric had nothing to say.

[This is the timeline separator]

When he arrived at the Knights’ Order, it wasn’t Eric’s subordinates watching the twins, but Lord Edinburgh.

Moreover, whenever Eric’s or Lord Edinburgh’s subordinates tried to take them, the twins would start whimpering and cling to Lord Edinburgh, so there was nothing they could do.

“Oh my, how sweet. Peek-a-boo!”

“Hahaha!”

“So fun!!!”

The twins clapped their hands and laughed delightedly, saying it was fun.

“How is this even possible.”

“How can they laugh like that looking at that face?”

“I was scared just now too.”

“Oh, Commander Russell?”

Eric arrived, pushing through the whispering knights.

“Lord Edinburgh!”

“Oh, you’re here.”

“Were the twins alright? Was it not difficult for you?”

“The children weren’t shy at all. I had a great time too.”

“What?”

Eric looked on in bewilderment, but true to Lord Edinburgh’s words, the twins were smiling brightly and happily nestled in his arms.

‘What is this inexplicable feeling of betrayal?’

Eric stared intently at the twins for a moment before snapping back to his senses and offering thanks to Lord Edinburgh.

“I’m greatly indebted to you, Lord Edinburgh. Thank you for accepting such an unreasonable request.”

“Not at all. I enjoyed it too. Are you taking the twins home now?”

“Yes. I plan to drop them off and return.”

“I see.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Looking after the children.”

“It’s fine. Thanks to them, I skipped the meeting too.”

“Oh no.”

Lord Edinburgh laughed heartily at Eric’s troubled expression.

“You had forgotten after all. Did you resolve the matter you went for?”

“It was resolved very well.”

Eric smiled brightly, and Lord Edinburgh nodded with a smile.

“That’s good to hear. It’s the most relieved face I’ve seen lately.”

“Ah.”

Eric cleared his throat awkwardly at those words.

“Anyway, I’ll be going now.”

“I’ll accompany you to the carriage.”

Lord Edinburgh carried the twins in both arms and followed to the carriage, carefully seating them inside.

“See you next time, children.”

“Bye bye-”

“Bye bye.”

The twins waved their adorable little hands at Lord Edinburgh, then sat up straight and proper once Eric got in.

Soon the door closed and the carriage departed.

Before long, tired from the day, the twins fell asleep holding onto Eric’s arms.

“Ryan, Laila. Aren’t you two a bit too fickle?”

They couldn’t hear since they were sleeping, and even if they had heard they wouldn’t have understood what it meant, but Eric still spoke out of his feeling of being let down.

Then seeing the twins’ innocent sleeping faces, he ended up laughing to himself.

[This is the timeline separator]

Even after arriving at Lancaster estate, the twins remained soundly asleep.

Eric signaled Alicia, who had come out to greet them, to be quiet, then carefully handed Ryan over to her first.

“They’re asleep, so be careful.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“You’ve worked hard, elder brother.”

As Eric carefully carried Laila and stepped out of the carriage to enter the mansion, Alicia holding Ryan and Chase followed behind.

“Chase. You stay here. I’ll come back down after taking them up.”

“Ah.”

As Alicia held him back, Chase stopped in his tracks while Eric, familiar with the place, headed up the stairs with Alicia following.

From the bottom of the stairs, Chase silently watched their retreating figures – Alicia’s back and Eric’s back in front of her.

Familiar with caring for the twins, familiar with Lancaster estate, familiar with escorting Alicia.

Suddenly the twins felt unfamiliar, Lancaster estate felt unfamiliar, Alicia felt unfamiliar.

‘These were all things I used to do. You’re still saying nothing’s been taken from me?’

Chase unknowingly pressed his lips together tightly.

He felt frustrated and dejected.

[This is the timeline separator]

Eric laid Laila down on the bed and took Ryan from Alicia to lay him down next to her.

He carefully tucked them in with the blanket and stood watching the children for a moment when Alicia placed her hand on his shoulder.

Eric smiled, taking Alicia’s hand on his shoulder and turning to face her.

As their eyes met, Eric took in Alicia’s deepening smile and quietly led her by the hand out of the twins’ room.

For Eric, today had truly been a difficult day.

Not so much because of the heavy workload, lack of sleep, or constant pressure from the Emperor and William, but rather it was emotionally draining.

He was usually indifferent and not easily swayed by emotions, but in that short time, several emotions had become so complexly tangled and turbulent that he felt exhausted enough to collapse into bed right now.

Noticing Eric’s state, Alicia placed her hand on his cheek and asked worriedly:

“Are you alright? You look very tired.”

Eric’s mood lifted at her gentle touch and soft voice, and he lowered his head to bury his face in Alicia’s neck.

“Yes. I’m tired. So comfort me a little more.”

Acting spoiled, really.

Words of childish affection that Eric couldn’t remember ever using before spontaneously tumbled from his lips.

In response, Alicia embraced Eric as he leaned on her and gently stroked his back.

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

Since he was already acting spoiled, a little more shouldn’t matter.

As soon as Eric wrapped his arms around her, Alicia’s slender body softly melted into his embrace.

“Is it very difficult?”

“Yes.”

Eric wasn’t sure how to describe this feeling when Alicia fit so perfectly in his arms as he held her.

This feeling of everything falling into place, as if all his fatigue was melting away.

“I had a hard time too.”

Though she had meant to comfort Eric by embracing him, Alicia found herself being comforted instead and unconsciously confessed in a way.

It was fortunate that she was nestled against him.

It wasn’t something she could say while looking into the eyes of Eric, who was working so much harder than herself.

“I missed you so much, it was hard.”

Having said it out loud, Alicia’s voice grew shy and quiet against Eric’s ear.

“Me too. That’s why it was hard for me too.”

The heartbeats felt through their pressed chests were exhilarating.

“……”

Chase, who had come upstairs looking for the two who hadn’t come down for a while, discovered Eric and Alicia embracing in the hallway and stopped in his tracks.

After staring blankly at the two for a moment, Chase immediately turned and went back down the stairs.

His earlier feeling had been right.

This was indeed not the familiar Lancaster estate he knew.

[This is the timeline separator]

“You have to return to the Knights’ Order right away, right?”

“……I don’t want to go.”

“You seem to be saying you don’t want to work a lot more often lately. Such negligence.”

“Ah, have I?”

Eric laughed playfully at Alicia’s reproach.

“Didn’t I say it was all related to you? Skipping work and all.”

“Ah, did you?”

Eric chuckled briefly as Alicia pretended not to know.

“The emergency duty should be lifted in about ten days.”

“Ah-.”

Alicia nodded, seeming disappointed at the longer than expected time.

She had thought the emergency duty would end soon since outings were possible to this extent.

“Will you wait?”

“When have I not waited?”

“I’m sorry. For always making you wait.”

“Well, I can wait about ten days.”

Eric found Alicia’s magnanimous tone endearing.

“I’m glad. The woman I love has such a generous heart.”

“What else can I do? The man I love is carrying out an important duty for the empire. No matter what, I don’t want to be disliked by the empire.”

Eric pressed his lips long and deep against Alicia’s smooth forehead as she pretended to be strong.

His voice dropped lower with equally deep regret.

“Alicia. When this is over-.”