He doubted if he had heard correctly. Looking at Killian’s somewhat dazed face, Veronia spoke softly again.

“I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time. Even when I decided to leave the imperial palace, you were on my mind. No, you were the only one on my mind.”

“…”

“I’m so sorry for involving you in deceiving the world and history, and I’m very grateful that you willingly joined me. And I’m very relieved.”

“Your High… ah, Nia…”

Killian stammered, seemingly quite flustered. Watching him, Veronia calmly revealed her inner thoughts.

“Thank you for deciding to marry me. I really wanted to say this to you.”

“I want to kiss you. May I kiss you?”

“…”

Killian asked Veronia, but he didn’t particularly wait for her answer. As Veronia hesitated for a moment at his sudden question, their lips immediately met.

At first, their lips gently pressed together, but gradually they interlocked more deeply, exploring and savoring each other’s breaths.

But the kiss didn’t last long. Killian stepped back, suppressing his regretful feelings. He needed to control his desire. He couldn’t let desire run wild and lose self-control. Not yet.

After the passionate kiss, both of their faces were flushed with heat. A lingering sense of regret could be felt in their gazes towards each other.

Killian wiped the traces from Veronia’s lips. At his touch, Veronia’s face reddened even more as she reached out to wipe his lips as well.

“Pfft.”

“Heh.”

Perhaps it was the awkward distance and posture of facing each other so closely. Without anyone starting first, laughter burst out. Once it started, the laughter continued for a while.

To be able to laugh so comfortably with Killian like this, Veronia felt a strange new sensation.

Killian felt similarly. To be able to face Veronia at such a close distance, he felt like he had achieved a lifelong dream with no regrets.

Killian took out a small box from his pocket. Inside the box was a ring.

“My mother gave it to me. She said it was a ring she received from her grandmother. It’s the duchess’s ring passed down through generations in our family.”

Killian took the ring out of the box and put it on Veronia’s finger. The ring fit her finger perfectly, neither too big nor too small.

Inside the yellow diamond was engraved the lion head emblem, the crest of the House of Drea.

“Let me ask one last time. This time, I won’t force or rush you to answer.”

“…”

Killian spoke with a somewhat tense expression. Veronia could hear his voice trembling faintly at the end.

“Will you marry me, my dear?”

“…”

Not Her Highness Princess Veronia, nor Lady Nia. Killian called her ‘my dear’. As if it didn’t matter what title she was called by.

“Yes. I will marry you.”

At Veronia’s answer, the corners of Killian’s mouth curved up in a smooth arc. It was the face of someone who had everything in the world.

“But.”

However, Veronia’s immediate addition put a brake on Killian’s joyful heart.

“…But?”

“Don’t forget you need to earn up to 10 points from Jediel.”

“Ah… Yes. I should hurry then.”

Pfft, haha! The sound of their pleasant laughter quietly echoed through the tranquil garden.

As soon as Veronia returned to her bedroom, a maid approached and said the bath was ready.

Veronia headed to the bathroom following the maid’s guidance. Opening the door connected to the bedroom revealed a bathroom decorated with marble and gold, even more splendid than the bedroom.

“I don’t need assistance. I can manage on my own. I’m used to it.”

“Yes, understood, my lady.”

The maid immediately left the bathroom upon hearing Veronia’s words. Left alone, Veronia undressed herself and entered the steaming bathtub.

“Ah… This feels good.”

So much had happened yesterday and today. In just 48 hours, her and Jediel’s lives had changed 180 degrees. It felt good to have her body, stiff from tension and fatigue, relax languidly.

Veronia leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes. Killian’s face, smiling gently as he looked at her, came to mind. And their passionate kiss.

“…I must be crazy.”

Even though no one was looking into her mind, a wave of embarrassment rushed to her face, making it hot. Veronia lightly patted her cheeks, trying to organize her thoughts. She ran her fingers through her hair for no reason.

“Ouch!”

Veronia flinched at the sharp pain. A long scratch formed on the back of her hand as it caught on the mana stone piercing in her ear. It must have been quite deep, as blood slowly rose from the wound.

“Ugh…”

Drops of blood from the back of her hand fell into the bathwater with a plop. Veronia stared blankly at the red droplets dispersing in the clear water.

For the past 5 years, she had bathed with the piercing every day, but never once had she been injured like this. An inexplicable sense of unease crept over her.

“…It’s just a scratch.”

She tried to speak as if it were nothing. The bleeding stopped quickly, but the uneasy feeling lingered.

Veronia was reading a book in a quiet voice for Jediel, who was lying next to her. But Jediel wasn’t focusing on the fairy tale. Nor was he sleepy. The child kept glancing towards the door.

“If Uncle Killian, I mean, the Duke read the fairy tale, he could get 1 point.”

Jediel said sulkily, and Veronia smiled.

“He already got 1 point today, so he can’t get any more, remember?”

“It’s almost past 12 o’clock now.”

Jediel said, looking at the wall clock. Feeling like teasing the child, Veronia put on a dejected expression, lowering the corners of her eyes and mouth.

“Would you prefer the Duke to read to you? Not me?”

As expected, Jediel reacted immediately. The child was busy rolling his eyes this way and that, unable to make proper eye contact.

“That’s not it… Mom’s reading voice is the best in the world, Grandma is second, Grandpa is third… I’m just curious where Duke Killian’s reading voice would rank.”

It was cute how he unfolded his fingers one by one as he said ‘best’, ‘second’, ‘third’. Veronia held back her laughter and spoke in a somewhat serious tone.

“Then, shall I give the Duke a little hint when I see him tomorrow?”

“Hmm…”

Jediel pursed his lips like a duck and pondered. But the child’s deliberation didn’t last long.

“I think one hint would be okay. Alright.”

He nodded his head heavily as if he had made a big decision, which was so lovable that Veronia was about to hug Jediel tightly.

But suddenly, the child sat up and turned his head left and right, checking the right and left ends of the bed.

“Jediel, what are you doing?”

“I was checking if the three of us could lie down together on this bed.”

“You want the Duke to lie down here too? Really?”

“He has to if he’s going to read to us, right?”

When Veronia asked in surprise, Jediel tilted his head and answered nonchalantly.

“Ah… Couldn’t Jediel just go to the Duke’s bedroom?”

“…Is that so?”

The child’s face grew more and more puzzled. And then the next moment, as if something had occurred to him, the child opened his eyes wide and asked Veronia.

“Why? Mom, don’t you like lying down with Duke Killian? Don’t you like each other? Ah… Did you fight? Already?”

Jediel’s rapid-fire questions seemed to hit the mark somehow, and Veronia’s face gradually heated up.

“It’s not that. I just thought the bed might be too narrow.”

At this hastily made-up excuse, Jediel glanced over the width of the bed again and said with sparkling eyes,

“The bed seems plenty big enough. Don’t worry, Mom!”

“…I see.”

Veronia started reading the fairy tale aloud again. But Jediel still couldn’t concentrate, glancing towards the door.

Finally, Veronia put down the book. It was past midnight now, time for Jediel to go to sleep.

“Shall I sing you a song instead of reading?”

“Yes! The baby squirrel song!”

“Alright.”

Veronia held Jediel in her arms, patting his back gently as she sang.

“When the acorn rolls round and round. Do-do-do baby squirrel. Do-do-do runs along.”

Veronia’s singing voice quietly echoed.

“Baby, where are you going? When mommy asks curiously. Do-do-do baby squirrel. Do-do-do snuggles in mommy’s arms.”

For a while, Veronia’s singing continued softly. Jediel, in Veronia’s arms, had already fallen asleep. Listening to the child’s gentle breathing, Veronia closed her eyes too.

Past midnight, Killian entered the darkened building of the Ashmore Information Guild. Onyx greeted him.

“Why did the Prime Minister want to see me?”

“To assess your skills and also make an investigation request.”

At Killian’s answer, Onyx smirked. It was a smile that seemed to find it laughable.

“Assess skills? This is disappointing. Are you saying that the highest authority in the imperial administration still hasn’t properly assessed the skills of our Ashmore Information Guild?”

“I’m not the type to just receive reports and be done with it. I enjoy confirming things with my own eyes.”

At Killian’s response, Onyx frowned. He seemed quite annoyed at Killian for deflecting his attack so flawlessly.

“So what’s the request? Just say it. I’ll show the Prime Minister our true skills.”

“To find the formation that killed the late Emperor.”

At Killian’s answer, Onyx’s eyes narrowed sharply.