Tender chicken marinated in wine coq au vin, fondue where you could dip boiled meat and vegetables in cheese, and vegetables cut into pretty flower shapes that made you want to reach for them.

“Eat well, Elysia.”

As the knife began moving, a brief silence fell over the dining room. Lars brought the cut chicken to his mouth while scanning with his eyes to see if Chohee was eating well.

Fortunately, it seemed to suit her taste as Chohee ate most of it without leaving anything. Her dining etiquette had also become familiar now, and she ate with posture not much different from Lars himself.

“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since Elysia stayed without leaving this world.”

Lars spoke affectionately.

“Can I think that you’ll stay with us now without leaving our side? What do you think, Elysia? Do you think you’ll disappear from our side again?”

Chohee slowly shook her head.

Lars smiled bitterly at that sight but stopped cutting for a moment and focused only on her.

“Well, whatever happens, I’m fine with it. Even if you can’t stay with us longer, someday there will come a time when we’ll always be together. So I’ll keep waiting for you, Elysia.”

He continued speaking.

“Who knows? Maybe there will come a day when you want to stay only in this place. Brother Claes and I are trying to treat you while dreaming of that time. That effort isn’t useless, is it?”

Chohee thought for a moment, then nodded.

She could feel in her body that Lars and Claes were truly treating her with affection and care. Even though once Claes and Lars started having s*x, they would continue until dawn, being intimate with those two was truly a pleasant thing.

‘If this dream really won’t wake up, then I shouldn’t delay learning what I need to know as the next generation’s empress. If this dream becomes reality, I can’t sustain life through s*x alone.’

A long vacation could only be a long ‘vacation’ if there was work to do.

Since Chohee was gradually feeling this place was reality, she was thinking of finding her work somehow.

The first step was participating in government affairs.

‘I can’t live my life just as a breeding vessel.’

A concubine would enjoy a luxurious life without bearing any responsibility, but she knew well that she couldn’t receive proper treatment in high society and politics.

She wasn’t unaware that they prevented her from going out and kept her in the Crown Prince’s palace bedroom because they worried other nobles might harm Elysia. 

Moreover, now was after the perception of Elysia, which had been improving, was thrown back into the abyss due to the false oracle.

“I’m really glad that you, Elysia, seem interested in the next generation’s empress position. Now we just need to reveal the truth about High Priest Altair’s murder case.”

Lars spoke warmly like a spring breeze.

Looking at his clear eyes, Chohee put down her fork.

“You can look forward to it. Before Brother comes, I’ll gather as much evidence as possible and finish preparing to reveal that the newly issued oracle is false.”

Chohee nodded.

Lars looked warmly at her face, then wiped his mouth with a napkin. Soon affogato that went well with warm espresso was placed in front of the two.

‘Delicious…’

Chohee grinned while moving her spoon quickly. In contrast, Lars moved his spoon elegantly. But his speed wasn’t much different from hers.

The dessert was quickly emptied.

Soon the two stood up from their seats. Lars intended to take a walk in the garden with Chohee before going back to handle government affairs.

But before that could happen, a messenger rushed into the dining room.

“I have something to report!”

He knelt on one knee before Lars. Lars asked calmly.

“What is it?”

“Crown Prince Claes, who was originally supposed to return in three weeks, has come straight to the Imperial Palace leading his division!”

Then both Lars’s face and Chohee’s face brightened. The two looked at each other and began walking quickly. If he had returned, he would surely disband the division at the training ground, so Lars took Chohee’s hand and headed there like flying.

And they could see Claes’s dignified figure.

“…!”

Chohee rushed forward.

Even while witnessing the knights disbanding, she couldn’t bear not to run. When she suddenly embraced him from behind like that, his body flinched for a moment, then he smiled. Then he turned his head to check who was hugging him.

“Elysia.”

His voice was sweet and soft like a gentle breeze.

“I knew it would be you. You’re the only woman who can rush at me like this.”

Claes’s white eye corners curved beautifully.

“I missed you. My love.”

Claes hugged Chohee tightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When she breathed while being held in his firm embrace, his subtle rose scent permeated her nostrils.

She felt like she was completely melting away, lost in his warm body temperature and fragrance. When she looked up with wavering eyes, Claes seemed to be just drawn into her moist eyes.

“Elysia…”

He put strength in his arms and lifted her up. Chohee’s eyes widened at the suddenly elevated view, but even that was lovely. Claes drew a pretty arc on his lips while kissing her lips lightly like touching them.

“Lars must have comforted you while I was away.”

Claes’s sea-colored eyes shone clearly under his half-closed eyelids.

“But now that I’m here, I’ll fill your nights with countless pleasures. Whatever form, whatever shape, whatever sounds you make, you’ll feel nothing but pure pleasure from me.”

He walked with long strides while holding Chohee. Looking up at him like that, Chohee gently placed her lips near his ear. Then she whispered small but clearly.

“Claes.”

“Elysia…?”

For a moment, she met his surprised gaze. However, Chohee smiled bashfully and whispered once more.

“Claes.”

“Elysia…!”

He opened his mouth slightly, then kissed her lips passionately. He inserted his tongue deeply like suffocating, intertwined it with hers, rubbed and sucked in saliva. 

Feeling the sensation of sweet water flowing clearly, he traced everything from the roof of her mouth to the mucous membranes sensuously.

At that feeling, Chohee felt the area between her legs becoming ticklish and wrapped her arms around his neck even more strongly.

It seemed like all his emotions were focused entirely on Elysia. To think that what she uttered when first opening her mouth was his name. Claes was so overwhelmed that he was speechless. But showing his emotion, he kept kissing the panting Chohee.

“I like you, Claes.”

“Elysia. Ah, my Elysia.”

He smiled as brightly as a midsummer sunflower.

At that sight, Chohee’s heart pounded fiercely.

“I love you. I love you too.”

“Hehe. Claes. I like you too.”

Ely. Calling her that, Claes headed toward the Crown Prince’s palace with long strides while holding her. When Lars quickly approached the two, the words “Welcome” fell from Claes.

“Brother, I’ve been waiting.”

“Yes. I’ve also been waiting for time to explore Elysia together with you.”

Claes smiled slightly.

“She just opened her mouth too. She called me. ‘Claes.'”

“…!”

Seeing Lars’s surprised face, Claes held a smile all over his face.

“She confessed that she likes me.”

“Ah…”

When Lars’s expression also brightened like the sun reflecting on the sea, Chohee called his name too.

“Lars. Thank you.”

“Ah, Elysia.”

“I love Lars too. Thank you for always taking good care of me.”

Lars’s face lit up with a deeply moved expression.

His trembling hands revealed how overwhelmed he was by the intensity of his emotions. He followed Claes, his gaze soft and full of affection toward Chohee.

Chohee suddenly felt embarrassed. Being loved so intensely by two men was impossible unless it was in a dream, making it feel even more dreamlike.

‘But this is a reality that won’t break. I have to live in this reality.’

Chohee felt anxiety being born deep in her chest. But the two men before her eyes were clearly embracing her like that anxiety was just a trivial emotion.

‘Right. Nothing will happen from now on.’

The false oracle will soon be exposed, revealing the truth—that this generation’s Elysia is far more than a mere breeding vessel. Once the wedding ceremony is held and I take my place as Crown Princess Consort, Karad will have no choice but to abandon any plans of forcing me out of the empire.

Chohee tried to think only positively. And seemingly proving those words right, Claes and Lars were heading toward the bedroom inside the Crown Prince’s palace.

‘Originally I should greet the Emperor first… But they think loving me comes first.’

To take that emotion solely from Chohee as much as they had missed her.