It was a common occurrence among high nobility and royalty. Forming marital alliances between profitable families, counting the generations, and maintaining the bloodline were obligations of the nobility. Delia, who was succumbing to negative thoughts, was lifted by Aaron’s angry voice.

“Princess.”

Aaron strongly held Delia’s hand, his expression stern.

“How do you see me? I have an engagement, yet you suggest marriage. Do I appear as trash to you? This is an insult to me.”

“If I upset you, I’m sorry. But why haven’t you talked about your family, Commander?”

“They are people I don’t need to concern myself with.”

“How can you not care about your family, Commander?”

“We don’t consider each other as family.”

Is there a problem between him and his family? Delia cautiously asked, examining Aaron’s expression.

“Still, as the head of the family, you should get approval from your mother, right?”

Aaron, gripping her hand even tighter, thought of his mother.

Carolina, the Empress of the Sturaitz Empire. She possessed an elegant demeanor befitting a perfect empress. With an unwavering posture and a benevolent smile for everyone, she appeared flawless. However, Aaron could feel it — the cold aura in her eyes. It was undoubtedly akin to his own.

So, he didn’t dislike Eleanor, the Queen, Delia’s mother. Whenever he looked into the warm eyes directed at Delia, he couldn’t harbor resentment. Of course, there were times when the meddling Queen became overwhelmingly frustrating and annoying.

“If I had been a good son who listened to my mother well, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Huh?”

The perfect empress crumbled as she failed in her child’s education. The naive son began to resist the empress’s will, and everything started to go awry. In the end, after her husband’s death and the son of the state advisor ascended the throne, Carolina, the Empress, had no choice but to step down. Now, the retired empress spends her leisurely old age, looking after estates in Bergen outside the imperial palace. That was Aaron’s mother, Carolina, the former empress.

“What do you mean?”

“If I had listened to my mother, I would have married the woman she chose for me long ago. I wouldn’t have been out here fighting on the battlefield.”

“What are you saying?”

Startled, Delia pulled away from Aaron, who was beside her.

Aaron, however, pulled Delia back as she tried to distance herself.

He enclosed her petite and smooth body in his arms.

As Delia’s body stirred, her hair flowed gently in the wind.

Chasing the lingering traces of light, Aaron took a deep breath.

The sweet scent of flesh filled his lungs from the suppressed skin.
Delia’s hair fluttered in the wind she caused. Aaron followed the traces of light, taking a deep breath. A sweet fragrance emanated from suppressed flesh, filling his lungs.

“So, I’ve never lived according to my mother’s wishes. Whatever she says, I’m on my own path. So, no need to worry.”

“The Emperor’s permission?”

Aaron recalled the imperial recall order he had received recently, urging him to return to the empire.

He had left the palace because he disliked being there.

He had no intention of going back just because they called him.

Aaron twisted one corner of his mouth, savoring a hint of bitterness.

Simultaneously rising to his feet, he pushed Delia to lie down, straddled her, and firmly asserted,

“If I decide to do it, I’ll do it. Their approval means nothing when the Council has already given its consent.”

Delia looked up at Aaron, who cast a dark shadow over her.

As always, Aaron was assertive and forcefully pursued what he wanted.

His firm declaration about marriage was very Aaron-like.

However, something subtly differed.

While his facial features softly curved into a smile, his pupils were deeply sunken.

Delia squinted her eyes and observed Aaron.

“Shouldn’t you get permission even now? Is it okay? What if things turn sour later?”

“If they drive me away, the princess will welcome me.”

Aaron teased with a mischievous joke and pulled Delia, who was trying to escape.

In the moment she descended to taste the lips of the mature man in front of her, Delia’s provocative voice pushed Aaron away.

“No. I won’t welcome you.”

Despite being trapped beneath Aaron, Delia refused.

Turning her head to the side, she stared beyond Aaron’s arms.

With her ringed hand, she pushed against Aaron’s chest, which covered her.

In response to the clear rejection, Aaron exerted force on his arms to stop his movement.

“Why? What don’t you like?”

“Whenever I ask, you quickly brush it off and try to evade. Avoiding answers.”

“When did I…”

“When I ask, you mumble that it’s okay and keep avoiding, trying to silence me.”

Aaron silently watched Delia’s struggle.

Her slender neck, turned away to avoid him, looked especially delicate.

Her red lips protruded sharply, seemingly full of dissatisfaction.

It seemed the princess was very angry.

But even her angry appearance looked sweet.

Aaron, to allow those tempting lips, exerted more strength on the arms that gripped the bed.

The subtle muscles that emerged on his arms wriggled as if alive.

“Come to think of it, I don’t know much about you, Commander.”
Aaron had no idea what the situation was, and Delia continued to avoid his gaze, staring into the distant emptiness.

“Other than being the Imperial Commander that everyone knows, I don’t know anything else.”

Delia pouted and muttered with pursed lips.

She exerted more strength in the hand pushing against Aaron’s chest.

“Is it true that I’m marrying Aaron Bergen? Turns out it’s Aaron Patouus Asinus Caudex Stultus, right?”

Aaron burst into laughter at the series of fools’ antics.

The laughter-created airwaves brushed Delia’s ears.

Delia turned her head, looking up at Aaron with a serious expression.

“It’s not a laughing matter. I’m really angry.”

Only now did he bother to look at her.

With her blue eyes locked on him, Aaron’s cold pupils regained warmth.

“Why are you angry?”