“I heard you were looking for me.”

The imposing figure of the palace guard came to a halt in front of Yustia as the reception room door swung open ominously. Yustia swallowed dryly and lifted her head.

“What’s the matter?”

Even in response to her son’s subsequent words, Yustia couldn’t offer any reply. In fact, she couldn’t hear her son’s voice in her ears.

The man, with an appearance unmistakably confirming he was her son, Rurian, scrutinized him anxiously just to verify if he was truly Rurian.

In an awkward silence accompanied by one-sided glances, Caliph maintained his composure, even in the unusual gaze from Yustia.

How much time had passed in this manner? Belatedly realizing she had acted too blindly, Yustia hastily pulled herself together.

“Sorry, Riu. I was lost in other thoughts for a moment.”

The excuse lacked sincerity, but Caliph didn’t nitpick; instead, he smiled casually.

“Do you have any concerns?”

He asked, making an effort to erase the cluttered thoughts from his mind.

The reason Yustia sought him out was too obvious. If Relia had started to doubt his identity, Yustia would have informed him to confirm the truth.

If the assumption was correct, Yustia’s sudden visit was merely to directly verify his existence.

Therefore, he needed to maintain composure more than ever.

“Just wanted to spend some time with Riu after a long while, over a cup of tea.”

Yustia replied, lifting the teacup placed in front of her. Despite the seemingly nonchalant effort, the trembling fingertips couldn’t hide that she wasn’t entirely truthful.

After confirming that, Caliph became completely certain. The situation he anticipated with a high accuracy had become a reality.

“By the way, it feels like it’s been a long time since Mother and I had this kind of time together.”

Caliph responded in a friendly tone, offering a faint smile. Though his mind was filled with calculations about the attitude he should adopt, the gesture of tilting the teacup following Yustia was genuinely serene.

Observing him like that, Yustia sensed his agility. Though her mouth was full of questions she wanted to ask, she couldn’t discern where to begin.

After much consideration, she refined her expression and cautiously brought up the subject.

“Do you still frequently interact with the Crown Princess these days?”

“Just enough as necessary.”

“Just enough, as necessary?”

“Yes. Enough to deceive not only Evelia but also those observing us.”

Caliph responded with a tone as natural as usual. The moment was filled with calculations about the attitude he should take after returning to the palace, but the touch of the hand pouring the tea was as tranquil as boundless serenity.
Caliph chose an appropriate response in his usual tone, and it was a moment where the agility he had forgotten since returning to the palace came into play.

He discreetly chose his breaths. Glancing at Yustia’s reaction, her face seemed noticeably confused by the straightforward answer.

Now it was his turn. He needed to lead the conversation in a way that would make Yustia as convinced as possible that he was Rurian Petrov.

“By the way, I heard that Relia visited the Crown Princess’s residence today. Did Mother command this task?”

Taking a sip of tea with ease, Caliph lowered the teacup. From lifting his hand toward the table to smoothly directing his gaze towards Yustia, every action felt natural.

As a result, Yustia fell deeper into confusion. Moreover, Caliph accurately pinpointed that she couldn’t help but be taken aback, given the precise deduction that Relia’s visit to Evelia was orchestrated by Yustia herself.

“Re, Relia visited the Crown Princess?”

“Yes. The Relia I know would never visit the Crown Princess’s residence voluntarily, and not only did she go to see Evelia, but she also apologized. So, I wondered if it might be a task Mother commanded.”

“…No. I’ve never heard such a story.”

With an excessively accurate judgment, Yustia tightly gripped the hand she had hidden under the table. Even though she pretended not to, she couldn’t completely hide the anxiety that surged.

If she hadn’t heard such an unexpected story through Relia, she might have deeply admired her son’s insight. However, now, she couldn’t help but feel unease.

Caliph even suspiciously refrained from revealing his keen insight.

Thinking about it, Rurian was an incredibly dependent son. Due to that, he often sought answers from her about situations, big and small, within the palace, including the attitude he should adopt.

If she just thought that way, the current situation seemed quite unrealistic to consider him as the Rurian she had come to know.

However, if Rurian had truly matured by learning the bittersweet taste of power during the terrible war that had lasted for a year, it was clear that she should not doubt but rather praise and encourage his growth.

Yustia took a deep breath, closing and opening her eyes. She couldn’t grasp where to focus.

As the deliberation time lengthened, the confusion engulfing her deepened even more.