Yustia sat at the dining table, staring intensely at the closed door. She seemed to be waiting for someone. After nervously fidgeting with her fingertips for a while, she couldn’t bear it any longer and turned sharply towards Terot.

“How long has it been since a response came from Yungae?”

“…It seems to be approaching two hours.”

“But why is there still no news!”

“He did express his intention to depart, but he did not specify the exact time…”

Terot provided the best answer he could. However, it was not the answer Yustia expected, and she mercilessly crumpled her forehead, forcing Terot to lower his head in a hurry.

“Ha, just this morning, we couldn’t even look each other in the eye… Yet…”

Yustia squinted her eyes as if someone was right in front of her. According to Terot, it had been about two hours since she had been kept waiting, a fact that was unacceptable to her.

The moment Yustia decided to call back Rellia, who had returned as the viscount, was when Dwayne left the reception room, and a considerable amount of time had passed since then.

“It’s been almost twenty years since I officially entered the political scene, but you haven’t changed at all.”

“…Still short-sighted and foolish. To think you dare to challenge me with such a shallow sense of pride.”

Dwayne’s mocking eyes and expression directed at himself remained indelible, no matter how hard he tried. Why did only that come to mind?

“The only thing I can acknowledge among everything you’ve done so far is choosing Riwurian. Even that would not have been recognized if Riwurian hadn’t shown recent changes. The Caliph, who has been vigilant and tense in an unexpected way, guar
From Edwick’s perspective, it was evident that he knew nothing about Ivelia’s recent situation. Because of this, Caliph couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Edwick was Ivelia’s endlessly loving father. Caliph’s mind shouted that he should be completely honest with him, just like with Ivelia. However, he couldn’t readily do so.

For Edwick, Caliph’s sudden move to strengthen Ivelia’s position might have been confusing. The reason it took so long for him to send the scorpion might be because he couldn’t easily come to a decision. He probably needed a considerable amount of time to articulate the decision he had made.

This made Caliph even more conflicted. Meeting Edwick with the same mindset as before seemed like a deceitful act.

He hadn’t managed to control those feelings yet. The chamberlain, who had been guarding outside the secret chamber, entered with a light knock.

“Your Highness, Viscountess Caroline has arrived.”

“Please let her in.”

Caliph promptly responded, but instead of easing the tension on his shoulders, it only increased.

Soon, Edwick entered the secret chamber. Caliph got up as if waiting.

“I greet Your Highness, the Prince.”

Edwick, as always, maintained restrained movements with impeccable manners. Although Caliph knew he was a loyal subject, today he felt unusually uncomfortable.

“You’ve come. Please have a seat.”

Caliph immediately responded, but the tension weighing on his shoulders only increased.

Edwick expressed a faint smile in response to Caliph’s words. The consideration and understanding of the Crown Prince were appreciated, but in reality, he had already made the decision long before.

“It took me too long, Your Highness.”

“No, I didn’t expect Viscountess Caroline to respond quickly. That day’s incident must have been sudden for her, and it wouldn’t have been easy to make a decision.”

Caliph’s words were intended to alleviate Edwick’s concern, but the uneasiness in Caliph’s heart persisted. The decision to strengthen Ivelia’s position was a matter he didn’t have any doubts about from his perspective as a father. However, there was still a lingering concern about Gadrrow. He thought that revealing everything to his lord first would be the right order, but he couldn’t keep that promise, which weighed heavily on his heart.

However, considering Gadrrow’s illness, this choice was inevitable.

Edwick, with these thoughts in mind, looked at Caliph again, trying to gather his complicated emotions.

“I wanted to meet you earlier, but the situation wasn’t favorable. I apologize for the delay in meeting you today.”
“I wanted to meet you earlier, but the circumstances were not favorable. Please forgive me for the belated meeting with Your Highness today.”

“Belated? That’s an inappropriate remark. I expected Viscountess Caroline to need time. Moreover, the reason for Viscountess’s delay is ultimately due to my actions so far. Please don’t feel uncomfortable; I fully understand and respect Viscountess’s position, having acknowledged everything. ”

Caliph added his thoughts quickly, trying to dissuade Edwick, who couldn’t raise his head promptly. Yet, Edwick did not lift his head for a long time.

It was precisely at that moment when Caliph’s heart became increasingly heavy.

When Edwick finally raised his head after a long time, there was an ice-cold glint in his eyes, creating an unusual atmosphere.