So perhaps he had acted on instinct, giving up on everything.

When he was young, he had given up on life so much that when the prophecy emerged, he wished that everyone would meet their end together if the holy maiden didn’t appear.

But that changed slowly as she, his most cherished escort knight, came back alive from the battlefield every time.

A woman standing upright by her own strength, without receiving the blessing of the chief priest or the favor of God.

“But seeing you, it seems pointless to silently hope for divine favor. It may be impure to say here, but I may stop praying. It seems one has to move on their own.”

He was saying things that would create an uproar if the emperors and ministers heard.

With a determined golden eye, he stared straight at the fragment of the goddess Ashir.

‘Move on your own.’

For some reason, Lucia remembered someone at Crown Prince Airen’s serious words.

The prime minister, the emperor, and Helbert.

Although they couldn’t prevent the sacrifice of the holy maiden, unlike those waiting for the holy maiden to appear when the black corruption occurs, they were the only ones trying to rebuild the land themselves.

So, did Crown Prince Airen also think similarly?

Lucia, who couldn’t even imagine that the reason was because of her, just thought it was a waste that he, who had become serious only recently, would die young.

“……So, let’s run together every morning. How about it? My health is the nation’s health! Isn’t it the knight’s duty to assist in that? Huh?”

“……”

Watching Lucia turn around abruptly, the crown prince was still busy chasing her.

Someone opened the door to the administration office of the White Mage Corps.

Then, seeing someone’s face, Marien urgently shouted.

“Commander! His Highness the Crown Prince has been appointed as the temporary administrator!?”

Leone calmly sat down at his desk and said,

“I just heard.”

“Oh my, how can you be so calm?”

This time, Jaina adjusted her glasses to recheck his expression.

Leone acted calm, but he was obviously very anxious.

But what could he do? It was the emperor’s order.

“Ugh! So frustrating. The opponent is using all sorts of tricks saying it’s a family matter!”

“Marien. I appreciate your concern, but you should watch your words.”

As Marien indignantly made a disrespectful comment about the royal family, Leone cautioned her.

Only then did Marien, who had crossed the line, deflate and say,

“Yes, I’m sorry… But, I really think you won’t get to confess at this rate.”

Confession.

At her words, Leone’s golden eyes trembled incessantly.

Then, Marien’s and Jaina’s keen eyes were back in full operation.

“Hm? Commander? Could it be,”

“……you’ve confessed……?”

Instinctively, he quickly turned his head.

He seemed to want to avoid something.

At that sight, Marien and Jaina became certain.

“So, what happened!?”

Was he rejected? Did he fail?

Marien and Jaina thought back to the time when they indirectly confessed.

But looking at his face, it seemed he was really rejected this time.

“……Ah, poor Commander…….”
“Captain, our inlaw family makes a bit of distilled liquor, so would that do……?”

Marien and Jaina, trying to console the Captain, quickly became despondent.

It was an even more deeply disheartened appearance than that of Leon, who had confessed.

Why is the expiration date for pleasant imagination in this dreary workplace so short?

Seeing their dispiritedness, Leon silently opened his mouth.

He didn’t really want to inform them, but it was a payback for their continued support.

“I didn’t get an answer.”

‘It’s almost like I did hear an answer.’

Then, like sprouting flowers, the women suddenly brightened up.

The game isn’t over yet!

They quickly gathered their heads together and started whispering.

“Jaina. Looking at the Captain’s reaction, it seems this confession was quite overt. But seeing he didn’t answer, it seems the spark is still alive. What should we do?”

“Marien! I’ve already thought of a way! I mean that incident!”

That incident.

To the two of them, that incident meant the rumors Marien had been intentionally spreading among the wives lately.

It was about Leon escorting a blackhaired woman at a kindergarten entrance ceremony.

Nobody knows why Lucia accepted his escort, but what’s important is that she didn’t decline in a place where there were children.

The two spoke with faces filled with newfound resolve, looking at the Captain.

“Captain, there’s only one thing we can do now!”

“Right! Captain, what does love mean to a mother with a child?”

Caught off guard by their sudden questions, Leon blinked his eyes.

“Think about it! Captain! Lucia doesn’t need a man!”

“I am well aware of that.”

Leon was deeply hurt by Marien’s precise remark.

However,

“No! Captain! To a mother with a child, a man is needed not as a man, but as a husband!”

“……!”

Upon hearing Jaina’s shout, a refreshing wind blew through Leon’s cloudfilled mind.

‘Husband.’

It was a position he had never thought about before.

Had he not thought that far simply because he’d always been in onesided love?

No, that wasn’t all.

“Ah, wait. Marien. His Highness might already know. Nia is directly participating in the upcoming event.”

“No, the vibe I got from watching him at the Assembly was different. It felt like he was just following behind Lucia.”

That’s right.

Something vital was missing in their actions of claiming to like her.

That was her child, Nia.

Even the proactive Crown Prince had initially sent his brother to build a relationship, and had postponed a direct meeting until a picnic day.

Leon was no different.

He had only sent gifts, showing no particular initiative to win the child’s affection.

So, they had both subconsciously avoided Nia, who was another man’s child.

Reminded by their words, Leon thought back to when he applied for a duel to confess.

He had waited for an opportunity, knowing she was only interested in swords.

And today, he found the opportunity he had been waiting for thanks to Marien and Jaina.

But, could he approach the child with such impure intentions?

He was excited about this opportunity, but he also felt guilty.

Marien, noticing his stern face, comforted Leon.

“Captain, you’re far more decent in that area than the notorious His Highness, so be confident!”

“Hmm, I’m still a bit worried. If we talk often, affection will build up……”

“Yes, that’s true. We need to somehow prevent that……”

Both women bit their nails, deeply contemplating the issue.

Leon had similar thoughts.

Since he had no reason to follow her around after the business trip, Leon knew he would grow distant.

Just as the atmosphere in the office started to turn gloomy,

Someone knocked on the door, and Marien opened it to receive a scroll.

“What is it? What’s that?”

“Well, it’s addressed to me…… it’s a recommendation? What are they recommending?”
Marien was startled by the contents of the scroll.

When Jaina ran over and saw the scroll, she exclaimed,

“My goodness! This should do it! Leader! It seems we had an angel helping us!”

As they unrolled the scroll they had handed over, there was.

It was a recommendation letter to serve as a guide for the preschoolers who would soon be coming to the Imperial Palace. A seal of royal approval was stamped, stating that anyone whose name was written would be immediately accepted.