Ibelia couldn’t readily respond. Her cheeks, which had darkened, seemed as if they were always like that, or perhaps it was because of his words that she became flustered.

In either case, her appearance looked simply adorable to Caliph.

When he chuckled softly, Ibelia, who had been acting awkwardly, pursed her lips.

“Whether you give me a sinister look or smile prettily, choose one. A sinister look doesn’t suit you, especially when you smile like that.”

Ibelia murmured in a petulant tone. It seemed that she caught on to the mischievous joke that followed.

Caliph, for quite a while, continued to admire her with both eyes, then leaned down to place his lips on her forehead.

Even her sulking appearance was too cute and lovely for him to endure.

After the lingering kiss, when he looked down at her, he could see that her eyes were closed. The faintly trembling eyelashes seemed to be indicating the aftermath of the kiss. However, there was no sign of any lingering feeling in her green eyes that were revealed.

“Have you been in the Empress’s Palace until now?”

“There’s no way. I’m finishing up here and on my way to the Crown Prince’s Palace. I didn’t plan to come so late, but the conversation with Felix took longer.”

“Ah…”

For a moment, an indescribable emotion appeared on Ibelia’s face, as if the clouds had momentarily cleared. Caliph, sensing her heavy heart, regulated his own thickened emotions with a deep breath and asked her.

“You said you did something to awaken your power. Was it alright?”

“Yeah. There wasn’t a significant harvest, but I did sense an energy that I’ve never felt before.”

“Was it okay?”

“What?”

“Just wondering if it was uncomfortable or unpleasant… if there was anything that made you angry.”

Caliph asked, unusually stammering. Actually, what he really wanted to ask was whether it wasn’t too difficult for her.

There was already someone enough to make her feel overwhelmed. Moreover, the situation where Felix, of all people, now had something he wanted from her made him extremely uncomfortable.

“Did you not like being alone with Felix?”

As Ibelia pondered the meaning of his words, she suddenly narrowed her eyes, interpreting them as if he had misunderstood.

It seemed so absurd that laughter was about to erupt, but Caliph decided to play along with her rhythm.

“It wouldn’t suit your liking, right?”

Caliph replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. He was relieved that he still had the leisure to go along with her whims. He didn’t want to disturb her mind by unnecessarily correcting her and causing confusion.

That was his only intention. However, unexpectedly, Ibelia’s words pierced his mind once again.

“I felt the same way too.”

“…What do you mean?”
“I also… didn’t feel like going to meet the Empress.”

Caliph remained silent, only blinking his eyes. He had never thought that Ibelia would consider her meeting with the Empress favorably, but he also didn’t anticipate hearing such candid feelings.

He couldn’t figure out how to respond. Sensing his confusion, Ibelia rolled her eyes in various directions and then parted her lips.

“Just… It’s someone who hates me. It’s always been like that, so I was unnecessarily anxious. I thought you might be swayed by the Empress’s words like Rurian and feel uneasy.”

Her subsequent words made Caliph feel numb. Not only that, but his heart became significantly heavier than before.

He had thought too simply of Ibelia’s feelings until now.

He had assumed that Ibelia wouldn’t view her meeting with Ustia favorably simply because there had never been a time when their relationship was good.

Even from a political standpoint, they were central figures in the ongoing conflict between the Carolin Marquisate and the Garnet Duchy.

So, he naturally assumed that it was only natural for them to check and be cautious of each other, not because of her anxiety.

Caliph calmly organized his thoughts and gently held Ibelia’s hand.

“That won’t happen.”

“I know.”

“I’m not Rurian Petrov.”

“Yeah, I know that too.”

“I won’t make you uneasy about anything. Even if it means facing Netra Yeong-ae as a result of meeting the Empress.”

“…”

“Even so, I’ll quickly resolve the situation. I’m meeting them for your sake, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, even in that situation. Even if it’s a meeting with a purpose for you, I don’t want it to be difficult for you.”

Caliph sincerely promised her, hoping that his warm heart would reach her. Soon, Ibelia raised her lips and smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Cal.”

“…”

“I think I threw a fit for no reason just because I wanted to hear those words. I’m so grateful that you said that, and I’m really sorry for making you say such things.”

Looking at Caliph, she suddenly lowered her head. Her appearance seemed to indicate a complex state of mind. Nevertheless, it seemed like she was trying her best to put on a facade for him.