“The Crown Prince is here?”

The eyes of the Marquis and Marchioness widened upon receiving the discreet report brought by the head butler.

The reception room of Marquis Julius.

It was a brief break between meeting visiting guests.

The Marquis pressed the head butler for confirmation.

“Are you sure it’s the Crown Prince?”

It was known that Crown Prince Kyle had already parted ways with Arthur last week and headed for the capital.

Arthur was to lead the Julius army to the Julius territory, while the Crown Prince was to lead the imperial army to the imperial capital.

He was someone who shouldn’t be here.

“Yes. The footmen discovered and reported that His Highness the Crown Prince is in Lord Rembrandt’s quarters. They said he had blonde hair and purple eyes, and heard the knights address him as His Highness the Crown Prince, so it’s almost certain.”

The head butler’s report continued.

“It seems he came secretly, hoping the Marquis wouldn’t know. It appears he has already met with Lord Rembrandt. What should we do?”

The Marquis gripped the armrest and rolled his eyes.

The Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has come?

Though he had lost face after being rescued by Arthur from becoming a prisoner of the enemy, as long as Empress Maria, who had high support among the imperial citizens, remained steadfast, Crown Prince Kyle was highly likely to become the next emperor.

How much sacrifice had been made so far aiming for the position of Grand Duke and to create a special connection with the emperor.

If the person who would become the next emperor had personally set foot in Julius territory of his own accord, this was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

However, the Marchioness spoke as if reading the Marquis’ thoughts.

“If he came secretly hoping we wouldn’t know, we shouldn’t make a fuss and pretend to know about the Crown Prince’s visit or offend him. He may also be aware and displeased about the inadequate supplies issue since he was on the battlefield with Lord Arthur.”

“……”

The Marquis frowned, his mood souring.

She just had to say it in such an unpleasant way.

“I know. Don’t nag.”

“……”

The Marquis rolled his eyes.

He had already learned his lesson from the harsh treatment by Arthur and the nobles.

He shouldn’t rashly try to push his own agenda or act overly familiar just because the immediate benefits seemed great.

For higher nobles, such behavior could appear vulgar and ridiculous.

Though we were talking and amicably resolving the inadequate supplies issue…

The Crown Prince may not have heard about it yet and could still misunderstand us.

Should we first gauge their intentions to see how the Crown Prince thinks of us?

“……”

The Marquis’ brow furrowed as he pondered briefly.

…Is coming secretly without disclosure the answer?

Is it still difficult to get a welcome response if we approach hastily?

But then, do we just let the Crown Prince leave like this?

The person who will become the next emperor?

We should at least show that we knew of his visit but pretended not to, and that we respected him by not approaching…

“……”

Then how far can Julius maneuver in this situation?

Without going against the Crown Prince’s intention to keep his visit secret, but also showing that we respect his wishes and are mindful of him…

Should we discreetly send a gift through Lord Rembrandt, pretending not to know, or roundaboutly provide a guest room… no, an entire separate building, saying it just seemed necessary?

Is that too blatantly showing that we know?

Or does it not show enough of our goodwill?

The Marquis racked his brain trying to figure out how to at least greet him.

He wanted to be able to greet the Crown Prince warmly next year in front of the nobles in the capital, as if they were already acquainted.

Then everyone would know the Crown Prince had stopped by our territory!

Isn’t there any way?

It would be perfect if someone who knew both sides could ask the Crown Prince’s opinion and introduce us…

Lord Rembrandt came to mind first in his regret.

Staying at his mansion yet cordial and favorable to the Marquis…

But he was also concerned about not being able to proceed with Arthur and Christina’s portrait schedule, and losing face from having all the promised appointments he had finally gotten permission for canceled.

In the end, the Marquis ordered the head butler with a glimmer of hope.

“…For now, provide Lord Rembrandt with another new separate building suitable for lodging. Set it up perfectly. Send more ample meals as well. And… prepare various other things they might need. Wait a bit to see if they call for me.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“……”

Arthur returned to the bedroom and discovered Reina sitting on the bed as he opened the door, muffling his footsteps.

Reina was sitting sideways on the bed with her legs hanging off the side, leaning back.

Her face was hidden behind the bed curtain, so to an unknowing observer, it would just look like she was sitting askew on the bed.

But Arthur noticed that Reina was asleep and quietly lowered his breathing.

“……”

As he approached, he saw Reina’s figure precariously leaning her head against the bedpost, somehow managing to sleep.

She had fallen asleep just as she sat, without even lying down, as if fatigued.

“……”

The scattered golden hair and closed eyelashes of the sleeping woman were bathed in crimson sunset light.

The room was darkening but the lights had not yet been turned on.

Only the warm-looking sunset cast long, tranquil shadows in the room, now tinged with the dark twilight of evening.

“……”

Swish…

The transparent curtains fluttered in the breeze coming through the open window.

A cool autumn wind was entering along with the sunset through the window.

“……”

Their bridal chamber had windows facing southwest.

Every evening when the time came, the sun would always set off to the right side of the window, dyeing the bedroom in red twilight.

Arthur quietly took in the scene with his eyes.

“……”

If only he could have seen all of this clearly for a little longer.

“……”

His gaze lingered on Reina for a while.

Arthur quietly sat down beside Reina.

After looking at her for some time like that.

He slightly slipped his hand under the headboard where Reina was leaning,

Careful not to touch her,

And easily retrieved with his fingertips a small piece of paper hidden there.

Then he casually rubbed it between his fingers.

“……”

It was well hidden from those who ‘see with their eyes’.

But Arthur, who perceived objects through senses other than sight, could find the object hidden there as clearly as if he were looking at it with his eyes.

What it was could be ordinarily guessed.

“……”

…I wonder if she found out my weakness.

Arthur smiled faintly,

Without even unfolding it, just touching it once or twice in his hand.

Then he put it back where it had been.

With his eyesight, he couldn’t read the writing like this anyway.

“……”

To the Crown Prince, who was unaware of the circumstances of the fake marriage related to ‘Christina’, he couldn’t ask him to read it in any case.

If he were to ask someone to read it, it would be Tristan or Cayl.

But he hadn’t told them about his problem yet.

It wasn’t… time yet.

“Don’t rely too much on aura.”

“Yes. I’ll take care of my eyes myself.”

“……”

The ability passed down in the imperial family. Aura.

And the loss of eyesight due to overuse of aura.

It was an unavoidable side effect,

And only the imperial family knew about it.

Since the Crown Prince who would have to handle state affairs after becoming emperor couldn’t go blind using aura, the Crown Prince intentionally did not train in aura.

But Arthur had to train in aura to survive.

Unfortunately, he had talent unprecedented in history,

And his ability was extremely useful in war.

Enough to change the tide of a clearly losing war and save the life of the captured Crown Prince…

“……”

And because of that, Arthur had nearly gone blind.

Though he could still see hazily for now, and was substituting his vision with aura to some extent…

Arthur gazed quietly at Reina’s sleeping face.

“……”

The contents of the note were bound to be nothing special anyway.

He didn’t even feel the need to check.

He was already clearly grasping her inner thoughts from the sound of Reina’s heartbeat.

There wouldn’t be anything significant yet.

Not yet.

“……”

So it would be better to let her be careless for now.

His intention was to let her know she could carry out her spying activities safely without being detected.

So Arthur sometimes deliberately left Reina alone.

He would leave to allow her to read the note discreetly passed by Teacher Lorenson.

When she seemed to want to report something to the Marchioness, he would give her time alone to write a note.

After showing her that she could safely carry out her spy work like that.

Arthur had in mind to use Reina to convey incorrect information to the Marquis’ side or to use her to give the Marquis false hope.

“……”

So it would be better not to intercept the note already and make her wary or look for other methods.

This much is just right.

Soon, he would have to confess about his problem and find someone to substitute for his eyesight.

“……”

The setting sun that had been sinking gradually disappeared.

The sunset faded,

And twilight settled over Reina’s sleeping face.

Arthur closed the window where the chilly breeze had begun to enter,

And quietly lit the fireplace.

And finally gently covering Reina’s body with the sheet he had pulled up,

As Reina, sensing the presence, dazedly opened her eyes and woke up.

“You were sleeping uncomfortably. Do you want to rest more?”

He smiled at her.

·

·

·

“Arthur.”

Yes, Your Highness.

“Don’t rely too much on aura.”

Yes. I’ll take care of my eyes myself.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I’m telling you not to rely on aura. You, because you have aura, you keep testing people instead of trusting them.”

…..

“If you didn’t want to send her, you shouldn’t have. You should have said to talk here, in front of me, since she’s my wife. You should have just said so. Why did you send her?”

…..

“You sent her on purpose to see what they would do, to listen to what they would talk about, didn’t you?”

Kyle.

“Yeah.”

You think you know me completely because you know about aura?

“……”

·

·

·

Arthur scoffed self-deprecatingly.

That’s right.

Sometimes it seems like you know me better than I know myself.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…Kyle.”

Arthur sighed, rubbing his throbbing head.

Crown Prince Kyle rolled his eyes and abruptly held out a ribbon-decorated wine bottle to his half-brother.

“……”

“…A wedding gift. Thought you might have forgotten.”

Then he smiled sheepishly, as if hoping for Arthur’s mercy.

“……”

Arthur’s knights may have been able to block the Marquis, but it was impossible to stop the Crown Prince.

After all, the ‘military’, even if they were Julius conscripts, belonged to the Emperor who was the supreme commander, and the Crown Prince was officially the Emperor’s representative who outranked Arthur.

“…Let me stay just one night.”

Arthur looked at the Crown Prince in disbelief.

“No.”

“Just tonight… can’t I?”

“How could you?”