“Oh. I couldn’t make up my mind completely. I was curious about the working environment of artists sponsored by the royal family, and seeing other works might help me make up my mind.”

Continuing Delia’s explanation that sounded like an excuse, Aaron took over.

“Princess seemed to be contemplating, so I brought her here to persuade her.”

Delia looked at Aaron, who appeared unexpectedly, turning her body to face him.

Aaron slowly approached from behind Delia.

His stance, as if protecting Delia, was reassuring but also unsettling.

Although she was told not to anger her mother and to hide, Aaron refused Delia’s request and stepped forward confidently in front of the queen.
“It seems necessary to leave a record as a member of the Iorenti royal family, so I was in the process of persuading.”

Aaron said casually as he draped a cloak around Delia, which she hadn’t managed to put on properly. Delia, feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, twisted her body to escape his embracing touch.

Aaron, in a nonchalant manner, pressed his slender shoulders against Delia’s, subtly pulling her toward himself to ensure she couldn’t escape. “No matter how much you dislike it, wouldn’t it be a problem for a royal not to have a single portrait?”

While Aaron’s hand was resting on Delia’s shoulder, his gaze remained fixed on the queen. Delia, observing Aaron’s behavior, realized that his patience had reached its limit. It seemed he had decided not to hide and meet secretly anymore. Delia, caught awkwardly in the middle, alternated her gaze between the queen and Aaron.

“It was quite challenging to persuade the princess to draw a portrait,” Aaron said to the queen, glancing at Delia. Tangled strands of Delia’s hair, resembling a messy thread, caught Aaron’s attention.

A while ago, a strong cracking sound echoed through the quiet workshop. The sound of the statue breaking brought them back to reality from the sweet time they had shared.

The first thing Aaron did after getting up from the sofa was to help Delia dress properly. He straightened her dress, so his traces wouldn’t show, adjusted the ribbon, and quickly wiped her lips with a handkerchief. However, there was no time to tidy up her hair.

Delia’s fine hair was still disheveled on the sofa, crushed as it had been. Aaron realized that not touching the hair was impossible. Perhaps it wasn’t suitable for his temperament to meet secretly with lowered eyes.

Should he just boldly catch her? Aaron contemplated, extending his hand toward Delia’s hair. He carefully arranged the strands of golden thread resembling light.

“Fortunately, the princess agreed to leave a portrait,” he continued.

“Does the Imperial Commander pay attention to such things?”

“Not the Imperial Commander but the person who will be your husband.”

The queen looked bewildered at Aaron’s confident declaration. The wolf seemed to have no intention of hiding his actions. His gaze, brushing Delia while caressing her, conveyed a strong desire that the queen could also feel.

A sigh of disappointment spread through the workshop. The queen couldn’t bring herself to be angry at him, despite his challenging gaze. Did the Imperial Commander know what kind of person he was? His neatly tailored uniform, tempting with a soft smile, was as usual. But…

His hair was disheveled to the point of being messy. The reflection of the silvery hair, glittering in the light, was disorienting.
He meticulously arranged strands of golden thread that resembled light, one by one.

“Fortunately, the princess agreed to leave a portrait.”

“Does the Imperial Commander pay attention to such things?”

“Not the Imperial Commander but the person who will be your husband.”

The queen wore an expression of disbelief at Aaron’s confident declaration.

That wolf seemed to have no intention of hiding what he had done.

Stroking Delia with an intensified gaze.

Even the queen could feel the intense desire to explore that behavior.

A sigh of disappointment from the queen echoed in the workshop.

“Huh.”

She should rightfully be angry with him, but even with Aaron’s challenging gaze, the queen couldn’t bring herself to be angry.

Did that commander know what kind of person he was?

His lips, softly smiling like a temptation, were as usual. However…

His hair was so disheveled that it resembled a mess.

The reflection of the silvery hair, sparkling in the light, was disorienting.

Still, his careful touch was tidying up Delia’s hair more cautiously than his own.

The queen’s anger had nowhere to go with this touch that treated something more precious than herself.

“Del.”

At the queen’s call, Delia lowered her head deeply.

Her daughter was flushed as if revealing a hidden first love.

The moist sound of the queen’s voice looking at her daughter’s figure soaked into the workshop.

“So, did you decide to draw a portrait?”

“Yes.”

The queen silently gazed at the bowed Delia.

She felt her daughter’s anguish that she couldn’t usually see.

It must have been tough, suffering between Iorenti and Steelitz to the point of ingesting poison flowers.

Suppressing her feelings, squeezing between her parents and the commander, must have been challenging.

But, Del.

There will be more days of such worries in the future.

Can you handle it?

After swallowing the rising anxiety, the queen spoke.

“It’s fortunate that you decided to draw it now.”

The queen’s voice became calmer and softer.

With a sudden change, Delia turned her head to look at the queen without a word.

“Mother.”

Delia sensed it.

That her mother decided to turn a blind eye to this situation.

Not to miss the opportunity, Delia lightly brushed off Aaron’s hand, which was hovering over her head.

After casting a subtle glance at Aaron, she approached the queen with a graceful step.

“Yes, Mother. Have you been worried because I left? I apologize for causing you concern.”

Delia, clinging to the queen’s arm, drew attention affectionately.

Before Aaron revealed his true nature, he had to quickly bring her mother to the palace.

“Mother, do you know what kind of person that commander is?”

His neatly tailored uniform, tempting with a soft smile, was as usual. However…

His hair was disheveled to the point of being messy.

The reflection of the silvery hair, glittering in the light, was disorienting.
“Please recommend an artist to paint the portrait.”

Delia constantly hummed to break the awkward atmosphere.

“Did you get along well with the members of the Pichern? The palace will be much more beautiful if it’s filled with the artworks Mother likes than it is now.”

Did Delia’s efforts to reassure her mother succeed?

The queen, opening her tightly closed lips, softly called out.

“Delia.”

The queen echoed her daughter’s name in a gentle tone.

The blush on Delia’s cheeks was as refreshing as flower petals.

Her blue pupils were moist and sparkled transparently.

The queen gently caressed Delia’s brightly blooming cheek.

“Delia.”