Around noon, Lloyd, lounging by a sunny window drinking tea, frowned at news of Iris Atley’s visit. Come to think of it, they had made an appointment to meet separately during the banquet. At the time, he made the unwilling promise because he couldn’t ignore Marquis Belmont’s pressure.

“Tell her I’m busy and send her away.”

“But there’s an appointment…”

The servant thoughtlessly questioned.

“That’s why I’m saying tell her I’m too busy to meet. Tell her to come another time.”

He had no intention of meeting her even if she came another time. What reason was there to give more consideration to Marquis Belmont who couldn’t even handle the aftermath properly? Fortunately, his mother also seemed uninterested in making Belmont’s adopted daughter the prince’s consort, so there was no need to be mindful anymore.

Right now, dealing with Aidan was more important than Belmont. He had tried to shake up the relationship with Karina using Kate Spencer, but she wasn’t performing her role as well as expected.

“She seemed quite passionate about it though.”

Aidan had been meeting Kate Spencer since marriage talks with House Hewitt began. It was as if he was protesting that he didn’t want the marriage with Karina. Though he couldn’t openly refuse due to his position, he seemed desperate to make Karina hate him. Otherwise, how could he think of meeting another woman on their wedding night? Even for the thoughtless fool Aidan was, that was intentional.

If Aidan didn’t want Karina, Lloyd thought he would have a chance someday… Why did he suddenly change? Did his heart change after spending time together up close? Though Aidan’s true feelings didn’t matter to him, their growing closeness still bothered him. Was there no good way to separate them before they grew closer, before they properly consummated?

“Your Highness, the guest…”

“I said send her away!”

He shouted in irritation at having his train of thought interrupted.

“It’s not the same person as before, but the young lady from House Spencer.”

Kate Spencer? Come to think of it, he remembered ordering someone to find her yesterday.

“Show her in.”

Kate Spencer entered at Lloyd’s permission. He thought he briefly saw Iris Atley still standing in the hallway through the open door, but he paid no mind.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

Kate bowed in greeting first, wearing an expression that showed she couldn’t understand why he had called for her.

“Please sit first.”

Unlike his harsh rejection of Iris Atley, Lloyd offered her a seat with a gentle smile. Though hesitant, Kate sat where Lloyd indicated.

“Have you eaten?”

He asked in the kindest and most affectionate voice possible. Kate shook her head with a dark expression.

“No, I have no appetite…”

“My, you should eat well especially at times like this.”

Lloyd called a servant and ordered a meal to be prepared immediately. He didn’t forget to add that it should be a soft food that’s easy to swallow. Kate answered with thanks but afterward, kept her head down, only staring at the floor.

Lloyd poured fragrant tea from the table and pushed the teacup toward her, telling her to at least drink tea until the meal arrived. He quietly watched as she bowed her head again and brought the teacup to her lips.

She looked lifeless, as if the shock of Aidan’s rejection had made her stop eating and drinking. She wasn’t a particularly striking beauty. Though she appeared pure and modest, that was all. Yet she wasn’t completely innocent either. The proof was how she still clung to Aidan despite his marriage. Lloyd couldn’t understand at all why Aidan had chosen her.

Was she really just an excuse to run away from Karina?

Whatever the case, she was someone Aidan had shown quite a liking for. Whether it was because he was being mindful of Karina now or for some other reason, Kate was clearly a card that could hold Aidan back. So for now, he needed to sweet-talk and use her well.

“It seems things aren’t going smoothly with Aidan.”

At this probing comment, Kate’s eyes immediately filled with tears. With emotions leaking out so obviously, she really wasn’t suited for the imperial palace. If Kate had become Aidan’s consort, she and Aidan both would have been perfect targets for others to use. Compared to her, Karina had never shown any emotion obviously in front of Lloyd.

Someone like Kate would be just right for Aidan.

Hiding his disgruntled thoughts, he put on a sad expression as if he truly found her pitiful and sympathetic.

“So I was thinking… How about trying to have Aidan’s child?”

Kate’s eyes widened as she raised her head to look at Lloyd at this sudden proposal.

*

Karina visited Aidan’s palace. It was unexpected, as he thought she wouldn’t show her face until he visited first. Aidan slightly hoped she might already be answering his dating proposal.

“This morning, the physician hinted that Your Highness’s condition has improved a lot.”

“Ah.”

He wondered if he had told Karina about consummation and such too.

“I’m relieved.”

Aidan silently stared at Karina’s expression of relief. He couldn’t readily guess in what sense she meant she was relieved. It didn’t seem like she was simply relieved about his improved health. Yet he couldn’t think she wanted consummation either.

Watching Aidan’s peculiar expression, Karina had her own thoughts and couldn’t easily speak her next words.

You’ll probably need to participate in the knight tournament.

That short sentence wouldn’t come out easily because someone who had no preparation or training for the knight tournament could get seriously injured or lose their life if they participated. She couldn’t bring herself to say he needed to go into danger again when he had just barely recovered.

Honestly, she wanted to tell him not to go at all. It didn’t seem like anything good would come from participating, and if he was just going to be embarrassed in front of the ministers anyway, wouldn’t it be better to just take the criticism for cowardice than get hurt?

“You seem troubled.”

Sensing something different from usual, Aidan tried to probe her first.

“And it seems to be related to me.”

He was definitely quick-witted, seeming to sense something was wrong just from her stern expression. Still, she couldn’t speak easily. She hadn’t found an answer yet whether to tell him to find a way to avoid the knight tournament or to start sword training from now.

“Is it about the consummation?”

Aidan added another word when Karina kept her mouth shut.

Consummation…? Ah, that was a problem too.

She remembered the issue she had forgotten due to Lloyd’s talk about the knight tournament. Bernice had advised that it would be better to set a new consummation date as soon as possible. It was natural for Bernice and other ministers to expect their consummation since producing an heir was the best way to solidify one’s position in the imperial family.

“That’s also a problem.”

“If you’re not comfortable with it, there’s no need to force yourself.”

“No. Let’s set a date for consummation soon.”

Aidan’s eyes narrowed at her calm response.

“You’ll consummate? With me? Really?”

Karina frowned at his barrage of questions that sounded too light.

“As long as I’m Your Highness’s consort, consummation is a natural duty.”

“Duty…”

Aidan trailed off with a strange expression.

“Surely the meaning of consummation isn’t different from what I’m thinking?”

Karina looked at him as he muttered almost to himself.

“As innocent as you are, you must know what sleeping in the same room with me means…”

Aidan moved closer until he was right in front of Karina. She maintained eye contact until he stopped, leaving just one step between them. But when he bent forward and suddenly closed the distance, she unconsciously pulled her face back.

“How do you plan to sleep with me when you’re this tense just from this much?”

Aidan asked with a mischievous smile. His face remained a span away, making her uncomfortable as she felt his breath would touch her cheek if he exhaled deeply.

“What are you thinking about?”

As Aidan moved even closer, she unconsciously stepped back this time. Aidan advanced as much as Karina retreated. Finally, without the distance between them increasing at all, Karina’s back touched the bookshelf. As there was nowhere else to escape, Aidan’s face came closer and closer.

“How far will you allow?”

She felt his breath near her ear. The distance had shortened so much now that she couldn’t properly see his face. Thinking his lips might touch her earlobe or cheek, she unconsciously hunched her shoulders.

“If you could step back…”

She tried to push against his chest as it became too uncomfortable, but he grabbed her wrist. Her gaze naturally rose up and met Aidan’s eyes. The previous playfulness had completely disappeared from those topaz eyes that now held Karina’s face in their gaze.

“You do know what consummation means when you say it, right?”

His low, quiet voice made her hair stand on end. She knew this Aidan was different from the one in her previous life, but this was yet another unfamiliar side. Instead of the playful, easy-going man she had known until now, a man who seemed ready to devour her right away stood before her with an overwhelming presence.