I returned to the castle only after dinner time had passed.

“Aileen, why are you so late?”

“Did you wait long? I’m sorry I’m late.”

The children rushed towards me.

I tightly hugged Louis and Evan at once, kissing their chubby cheeks.

“How was it outside? Did you have fun? Where are our gifts?”

Ah, I forgot the kids’ gifts.

I was so distracted that I completely forgot.

‘What should I do now.’

Louis was looking at me with eyes full of anticipation.

That’s when Evan noticed my dilemma.

“Aileen, are you hurt?”

“Ah, Aileen. Are you unwell?”

At Evan’s words, a cloud passed over Louis’ face.

Just as I hesitated about how to explain, Kashar stepped in.

“She is hurt. We encountered some scoundrels on our way back.”

“Bad guys?!”

A shocked Louis clenched his fists like a dumpling.

Trembling with anger, Louis soon tightly hugged me.

“Aileen, are you badly hurt?”

“I’m just a bit startled. Kashar came to my rescue.”

As I glanced at Kashar while scratching my cheek, Louis gave a thumbs up.

“As expected, brother!”

While Louis was praising Kashar, he soon questioned.

“But how did you know Aileen was in danger?”

“Lovebirds can sense each other from a distance, that’s how.”

“So that’s true love!”

At Kashar’s answer, Louis clapped his hands.

‘True love, huh.’

In front of the kids, even cold water couldn’t be poured; their vocabulary was surprisingly good.

Although I was physically fine, I felt wrong lying.

I decided to tell the kids the truth.

“Lord Louis, Lord Evan, I’m sorry. I forgot the gifts.”

“It’s all because of those bad guys! It’s good you’re not hurt!”

“Your safety is a gift, Aileen.”

Louis was quite mature, and Evan was somewhat romantic.

Today, the children seemed to have grown a bit, making me both proud and a bit sad.

‘Our kids, they grow up too fast.’

It hadn’t even been a year since we met, but they already seemed so mature.

They say the cutest moments pass quickly.

As I held the children in my eyes, Evan’s cheeks flushed red.

“Hug me one more time.”

Then Louis too jumped up, arms raised.

“Me too, me too!”

“How about one hug for our adorable little princes?”

The children rushing into my arms were unbearably cute.

I hugged them tightly until they were about to burst.

“Puha, I can’t breathe!”

Louis let out a big sigh and then grinned.

“I feel recharged thanks to you princes.”

“It’s good to fill up on good things!”

Though they had no idea what ‘recharging’ meant, they smiled like little kids.

Unlike the always lively Louis, Evan was holding my hand, hesitating to speak.

“…I wish I could protect you. I need to learn swordsmanship quickly.”

It seemed to bother him a lot that I had been threatened.

Responding otherwise would only make him sad.

So I stroked Evan’s head and said,

“How about learning magic, Lord Evan?”

“Magic? Can I learn it?”

Evan questioned as if it was unbelievable.

Knowing what abilities they would possess in the future, I could say confidently.

“Of course!”

“Wow, is it only Evan who can learn?”

“Lord Louis can learn too, of course!”

Evan still looked somewhat unconvinced.

“I will find a good tutor, so don’t worry too much.”

Especially if he was thinking he was useless.

While I was stroking Evan’s head, Kashar spoke.

“I’ll also arrange for other private lessons, in subjects necessary for the young princes.”

“Do we have to learn more than just magic?”

“If you only learn magic, you can become a wizard, but not a gentleman.”

“Ugh, if brother says so, it must be right.”

Louis seemed disappointed at the idea of more studying, but Evan seemed more motivated.

And so passed a noisy welcoming.
The twins repeated their caution several times until I went upstairs.

“Rest well, okay?”

“Yes. Both of you, get a good night’s sleep and see you tomorrow.”

Parting ways in front of the kids’ room, I went up to the third floor with Cassard.

Standing at my room’s door, I hesitated while looking at Cassard.

“I promised to prepare dinner for you…”

“It’s okay.”

Cassard chuckled briefly. Then he opened his own room’s door.

“If you really want to do something, come here.”

“Do you have a headache?”

It seemed that Cassard inviting me into his room meant that.

Cassard, after making a momentarily displeased face, nodded as if saying it was okay.

“Yes, I feel a headache coming on. It would be good if you could massage it.”

“Of course. Trust me!”

I immediately took Cassard into his room.

“Come, lie down here, quickly!”

When I patted the bed, he lay down as if resigned.

Cassard immediately lay down and looked up at me. His languid face was provocative. But the guilty could not rest easy.

“What if the magic stone breaks?”

Instead of thanking him for saving me, I lifted the necklace he had given me to my lips.

Before coming home, I realized my feelings in a dark alleyway.

I knew only that my heart was pounding, but once I became conscious of it, I was deeply embarrassed.

It was when I was tightly clutching the worthless magic stone.

Snap!

“Ah, the necklace…!”

The magic stone shattered in my hand and turned into blue powder, disappearing in the wind.