Elaina looked at Odin while drinking tea.

But Odin did not look at Elaina.

He kept his eyes on the documents, even though he would have spoken first under normal circumstances.

This was because all the work had been transferred to him due to Admund’s absence.

But the reason he wasn’t talking to Elaina now was different.

As Odin remained silent, it was Elaina who finally spoke first.

“Don’t you think we should get involved in the children’s affairs?”

At Elaina’s question, Odin put down the document he was reading.

“Should adults interfere in children’s matters?”

“But I heard you helped when Duke Odoi came to the palace.”

“That was because adults were trying to interfere in children’s affairs, so I helped.”

Odin, having put down the documents, finally met Elaina’s gaze.

She was biting her nails with a somewhat anxious expression.

Seeing her old habit after a long time, Odin smiled bitterly yet fondly.

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Odin.”

“Those children have all grown up now.”

Odin held Elaina’s hand tightly.

As he expected, her hand was very cold.

Elaina’s mood improved a little from the warmth she received from Odin.

But that didn’t mean her anxiety had completely disappeared.

“Isn’t my father-in-law, who cares so much for his daughter-in-law, being too indifferent?”

“If it’s really time to help, we can help then. It won’t be too late.”

“That seems too complacent.”

“Is that so?”

The reason for Elaina’s anxiety was Clea.

She saw her past self in Clea’s situation.

It was a very long time ago, but it still occasionally came back as a nightmare.

The time when the previous Empress and all the nobles stood against her marriage to Odin.

‘Back then, they all claimed there was a more suitable candidate and insisted on a marriage befitting one’s status.’

The situation now was very similar to that time.

Back then, Elaina came from a family that could barely form connections with a marquis family, let alone the imperial family.

Born into such a family, she continued her relationship with Odin through a chance meeting in the garden.

Until then, people didn’t oppose fiercely.

They thought it would just be Odin’s passing fancy and the relationship would end someday.

Elaina also thought she would eventually end things with Odin.

But defying everyone’s expectations, Odin proposed to Elaina.

From then on, the pressure on Elaina began to appear.

There was almost no pressure on Odin.

He was the future emperor with a guaranteed future, so they didn’t want to get on his bad side. So they chose the more vulnerable Elaina.

“Elaina, Admund is my son.”

“…Are you saying he might cause a commotion like you did in the past?”

“If so, we’ll see an interesting sight after a long time.”

“I don’t think the nobles will welcome it at all. I still can’t forget what you said that day.”

After receiving the proposal, every day was like walking on thorns for her.

From not receiving dress code guidance for balls to the threats flying towards her family.

Threats were made not only to her acquaintances but also to her family.

It started with bribery, then ostracism telling her to act according to her status, and finally, even death threats.

Elaina, crumbling like that, found every day so difficult that she wanted to end her relationship with Odin.

Odin, who tried to protect Elaina by his side, took drastic measures when he saw Elaina breaking down.

“That statement about giving up the throne if they didn’t allow your marriage to me.”

Odin laughed at Elaina’s words.

She couldn’t forget how many people were confused when Odin uttered those words.

At that time, Odin was the only heir to the throne.

Odin’s declaration was like announcing the end of the imperial family.

The former Empress couldn’t acknowledge Odin and Elaina’s relationship until the end, even for the sake of her own power.

But the nobles who were shocked by Odin’s declaration were different.

With no one else to inherit the throne besides Odin, the empire would end the moment Odin refused to succeed.

It was so shocking that even the nobles who disliked Odin at the time came forward, insisting that the wedding with Elaina should be held quickly.

For the nobles who valued profit above all else, the end of the empire didn’t seem very beneficial to them.

There was a high possibility that other countries, gradually building up their power, would take advantage of this opportunity to wage war, and there was no new figure in sight to serve as a focal point.

It was solely Odin.

“I’m curious about something.”

“Ask anything.”

With Odin’s permission, Elaina looked at him smiling and calmly asked.

“If the Empress had refused to acknowledge us until the end, what were you planning to do?”

For them, it was already an event from several decades ago.

Now, with time passed, it could be talked about lightly, but there was no lightness in the expressions of the two people present.

Odin thought.

About what he would have done if his own mother had refused to acknowledge them until the end.

Soon, the answer came.

“Just as I said.”

Odin still didn’t let go of her hand.

Rather, he moved closer to her face.

“I would have taken you and run away anywhere, without letting go of this hand.”

“Even if you couldn’t ascend to the throne?”

“Even now, you come before the position I was born to inherit.”

“How can I believe those words?”

Imagining that they would have spent happy times running away anywhere, Elaina also smiled.

Her smile no longer showed any signs of anxiety.

Elaina provoked Odin playfully.

Then Odin narrowed the distance between him and Elaina.

In this already close distance that became even closer, Odin explored her lips.

After quite a long kiss, Odin was the first to pull away.

Pulling away, he met Elaina’s gaze and asked.

“Do you believe me now?”

This time, Elaina grabbed Odin’s clothes and pulled him towards her.

Odin allowed himself to be drawn to Elaina without resistance.

Elaina kissed Odin just like that.

“Still.”

At the end of the kiss, Elaina said, licking her lips.

“What if it’s still not enough?”

Hearing those words, Odin swallowed and thought.

‘Will the family tree get tangled?’

* * *

“Why are you telling me this only now!”

Aria, who had personally visited the grand duke’s residence where Lloyd was, couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

She hadn’t known that Clea had been coughing up blood every time she faced him.

Was that why? Admund had reacted to her like that too.

Aria asked Lloyd with an expression of utter disbelief.

Lloyd looked at Aria with a troubled expression.

“I couldn’t bear to tell you because I was afraid you, with your tender heart, would be horrified by the news.”

“What? Is that all you have to say!”

Lloyd had spoken with sincere thoughts, but Aria considered it just an excuse.

Thinking about what Admund had said to her because of this, she could barely contain her boiling anger.

Aria, looking at Lloyd with an exasperated gaze, clenched her fists and stood up.

Seeing her stand up, Lloyd also got to his feet.

“Aria!”

As Aria stood up to leave, Lloyd rushed to grab her hand.

Aria shook off Lloyd’s hand.

“Never.”

Lloyd, shaken off, looked at her with a bewildered gaze.

At her next words, his gaze quickly turned cold.

“Let’s never meet again, us.”

“Aria! Why are you doing this!”

Lloyd, hearing Aria say they should never meet again, asked desperately.

From asking why she was saying such things to following her unceasing steps.

Despite continuing to speak to her, she didn’t even think of turning back, stubbornly moving forward.

Finally, Lloyd forcefully grabbed Aria like that day and pushed her against the wall.

“What’s the reason for doing this again.”

Lloyd couldn’t understand her sudden change when he thought they had just reconciled.

But right now, more important than understanding was Aria.

Thinking he couldn’t let her go like this, he pushed her against the wall and looked at her.

“I don’t have anything to say to the young lord.”

“Aria Hersher!”

Lloyd called out her name loudly.

However, Aria turned her head, avoiding eye contact with him.

Her gaze was still fixed on the door right in front of her.

It seemed like she wanted to open the door and leave, never to return here again.

Feeling urgent at this sight, Lloyd finally acted impulsively.

“Lloyd! Let go of this!”

“Haa.”

He was about to tear Aria’s clothes.

Even Aria wasn’t foolish enough not to know what Lloyd was trying to do.

She cried out Lloyd’s name, struggling to break free from him somehow.

Confident in his strength, he didn’t let go as Aria wished.

“What on earth are you doing.”

However, there was one thing Lloyd had overlooked.

This place wasn’t like before, where there were few people around.

The grand duke, who had hurriedly moved upon hearing that the young lord’s room was in an uproar, thought, ‘Surely not.’

Surely, even if his child was a scoundrel, he couldn’t be doing something to the close princess.

He hoped that the reporter had misunderstood, but the grand duke sighed at the scene before his eyes.

“Princess, I apologize on his behalf. I’m truly sorry.”

Despite hearing the grand duke’s apology, Lloyd still wouldn’t let go of her hand.

The grand duke personally approached and forcibly separated Lloyd from Aria’s side.

“No. Grand Duke, you have nothing to apologize to me for.”

Aria, finally free, quickly accepted the apology and then fled from the mansion.

As she left, Lloyd tried to chase after her, but was stopped by the grand duke beside him.

“We still have things to discuss.”