He preferred to sleep separately from Liz, even if it meant having trouble sleeping, he chose to sleep together on the same bed with all three of them.

It was the best choice he could make.

Sleeping together with all three and having intimate moments was never an easy task, but it wasn’t entirely impossible either. Just like with everything else, if he set his mind to it, he could find a way to share love.

However, Liz didn’t feel the same way.

“Liz, we should slowly…”

Taking advantage of Cain falling asleep, he often attempted skinship with Liz, but she would fall asleep even before he could try anything.

She synchronized her biological rhythm with the baby’s ever since Cain was born.

Cain didn’t stop breastfeeding even when he was able to leap over rocks. Liz, who was weak-willed, surrendered every time she tried to wean him, as the baby cried loudly.

Looking at that scene, Herseis sometimes felt a strange jealousy, thinking that the child had completely taken away what originally belonged to him.

At one point, Liz had such worries: “What if the child hates me?”

Such worries were quite absurd because the baby Cain at that time was Liz’s darling. There were times when he couldn’t even touch Liz’s body, and he cried when she sweetly embraced him.

Herseis felt that such a child was like his competitor. He knew it was a childish thought, not fitting an emperor of a grand empire, but he couldn’t help thinking that way.

He knew he had to show himself as good to the child to not be left out from Liz.

From that moment on, he made an effort to improve his relationship with the child. After several trial and error attempts, he discovered his irreplaceable advantages.

The child realized that the father’s broad embrace was much more comfortable and stable than the mother’s. He also learned that the father was more sensitive to his needs and could relieve discomfort more effectively.

Since then, Herseis began to be accepted into Cain’s territory.

He achieved almost everything.

What remained was the union with Liz… However, that seemed impossible right now unless a very miraculous stroke of luck happened. Even that would be resolved with time. He decided not to be greedy and wait patiently.

And the time came sooner than expected.

Today, when he returned with a tired body, he found Liz alone in bed.

“Where’s Cain?”

“Ah… Today, Mirabel decided to put Aries to sleep together.”

Herseis felt a strange feeling at the sudden stroke of luck. Unconsciously, he put on an expression, and with that, he couldn’t even dream that Liz might have different thoughts.

He had experienced too many moments of frustration during this time.

A son who cried every time he tried to embrace Liz.

Liz, who was absent-minded, even when he tried to embrace her with sleepiness.
At this moment, he felt the same emptiness he felt when the assassin he often suspected himself disappeared. And even afterwards, like the lingering habit of insomnia, Liz’s indifference and the child’s interference seemed like they could pop up from anywhere at any moment.

“Cain seems to be crying. I think I heard something.”

“Who says he’s crying? I can’t hear anything.”

“I can hear.”

It was true.

Herseis’s sensitive hearing detected Cain’s crying. It was only for a moment, but Cain clearly whimpered. However, seeing it stop soon, it seemed that Mirabel skillfully put the child to sleep.

“I might have to make room in the imperial palace. It might even be okay for Jonathan to come and live together.”

He made up his mind right there.

Although Liz somewhat excitedly mentioned that she and Mirabel might become in-laws later, Herseis had a different idea.

“What’s later? We should establish the in-law relationship right away.”

Feeling content with the plans for the future, when he was suddenly immersed in a pleasant mood, Liz suddenly got up.

“You look very tired. I’ll massage your shoulders.”

Herseis felt Liz’s touch gently wrapping around his shoulders.

It was a touch that roamed above the thick bathrobe, but her delicate fingertips were so stimulating. He felt his body tense up.

“Why are your shoulders so stiff?”

Liz. They are stiff right now. You made them stiff by touching. Well, stiffness is not limited to just that place.

“Because of the bathrobe, my hands keep slipping. Let me take it off.”

Liz became even more demanding.

“……. ”

Darn it.

The desire to overwhelm Liz right now surged up.

But on the contrary, he also wanted to enjoy this moment leisurely.

It was a rare leisure. Just as when savoring delicious food, he wanted to slowly elevate the ecstasy with Liz.

After all, the night is long.