Even in a drowsy state, Liz accurately grasped him. Perhaps because they had spent more than half of their lives together, she knew herself too well.

“This isn’t the face of someone who just woke up. When did you wake up? Don’t tell me you didn’t sleep at all?”
Hershis responded with a faint smile. Liz pulled her hand out from under the blanket and gently covered his face.

“You don’t have insomnia again, do you? That wouldn’t be good.”

“It’s not that.”

Hershis reassured her by overlapping his hand on Liz’s small hand.

“I couldn’t sleep because you’re too beautiful.”

“Ugh…”

Liz grimaced as if she heard something she didn’t want to hear.

“It doesn’t seem like that’s the case.”

“…”

“Did I snore, by any chance?”

Waiting for her response with a worried expression, Hershis found her quite adorable. He thought he should reveal the truth.

“I remembered something from a long time ago.”

“A long time ago?”

“It’s about the time when you seduced me.”

“Ah…”

Nodding as if she knew by feeling the violet fabric under the blanket, she said, “I was quite foolish back then, right? I bothered a lot of people who didn’t like it.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“…”

“Now that I think about it, I also had the desire to hold you back then. If not, I would have pushed you away from that place.”

He lightly pinched her chin with a subtle smile.

“Yesterday, I felt like I went back to that time and was honest with myself.”

Hershis pulled her chin and lightly kissed her lips.

With the warm morning sunlight shining through the curtains, they exchanged a light kiss while covering themselves with a single blanket. The affection filled in those moments was everything she desired, even more than the ecstatic times of the night before.

For a while, the two of them embraced each other tightly, sharing warmth.

It was a fulfilling night, but it seemed it wasn’t enough. At least, not for Hershis.

After that, whenever Cain fell asleep, Hershis often attempted to have some skinship with Liz.

Liz was willing to respond, but she somehow knew that Cain would wake up and cry.

The child was truly a disruptor of their love, a cute and adorable one.

Mirabel was quite skilled at taking care of the child, but she couldn’t frequent the palace as she was busy with Jonathan’s newly started carriage business.

Hershis suggested to Jonathan to move the business foundation to the palace. That way, they could secure a stable means of transportation to the palace, and Jonathan could prosper the business quickly.

However, Jonathan wanted to build the business slowly and steadily rather than rushing to make it big.

He was content with what he currently had.

Mirabel also wanted to earn a living without the help of the royal family. Hershis and Liz respected their opinions.

“But it’s a bit disappointing.”

Hershis expressed his disappointment. After all, he had thought of entrusting even Cain to them…

Liz comforted him.
“It can’t be helped. Well, just wait until Cain gets a little older. Kids grow up quickly, especially boys who become independent even faster.”

Hershis and Liz cautiously embraced the hope.

However, something strange was happening.

Cain didn’t show any signs of becoming independent as easily as the two of them thought. On the contrary, as time passed, he clung even more to Liz.

“I don’t want to. I’ll stay with Mom. I won’t go to class.”

Despite the somewhat uncomfortable situation, Hershis respected Cain’s wishes.

Having gone through a harsh childhood more than anyone else, Hershis tended to be too lenient with Cain, leading to occasional friction with Liz.

“You shouldn’t always give in to him like that. If you don’t make him do things he dislikes, how will the child become an emperor like you later?”

“That’s why I’m doing this. I don’t want him to become someone like me.”

Hershis was firm about this point.

“I knew that the world wasn’t an easy place. I realized that I had to compete with people to survive, learned how to suppress and oppress. I don’t want to impose such things on Cain.”

Hershis looked at Cain.

Cain was standing toy soldiers in rows, directing the crowd and mixing up formations while playing.

“Children should learn while playing. Not cram knowledge into their heads.”

Hershis said with a satisfied look, watching Cain play. Liz also observed the scene.

Even without separately teaching military theory and legal knowledge, Cain discovered simple yet crucial fundamental knowledge through play and applied it in creative ways.

“I see.”

Liz nodded in agreement.

Whether Cain knew that his parents were watching him or not, he suddenly stopped playing and ran towards them, laughing. Hershis swiftly lifted the child and tossed him into the air like a ball, catching him.

The child’s cheerful laughter echoed like the sound of bells, waking up the lazy afternoon.