His Highness Aidan has finally consummated his marriage!

The source of the rumor was unknown, but it spread remarkably fast. By the time Karina returned to her palace after having breakfast with Aidan, a gift from the Duchess Hewitt had already arrived. It seemed the news had reached House Hewitt already last night. She couldn’t help but be amazed at the power of rumors.

[I was worried since quite some time had passed since the marriage, but I’m glad to hear this good news. May only happiness fill Your Highness the Consort’s future.]

A note from her mother was inside the massive flower basket that was tall enough to hide a person standing behind it. Karina put the flower basket aside in a corner of her bedroom with mixed feelings.

If she truthfully told her mother that nothing she expected had happened, she would surely be disappointed. On the other hand, she wondered how heartbroken her mother must have been in her previous life. That she was so happy about news of consummation meant that, conversely, she must have been constantly anxious throughout the three years when she had maintained a distant relationship with ‘Aidan’. She hadn’t shown it at all, so Karina hadn’t known. That too must have been a consideration for her feelings.

Though it was a political marriage, no parent doesn’t wish for their child’s happiness. The Duke and Duchess of Hewitt were no different. Though they had married her into the imperial palace where she could become consort and eventually Empress, before becoming Empress, they must have wished for her to live happily, loved by Aidan. This flower basket they sent now was proof of that.

It was a terrible marriage for everyone. She realized this anew whenever she compared then and now. That’s why she had determined not to repeat it this time, planning to cut ties with Aidan completely and live a new life… Ironically, she still remained in the imperial palace and appeared even more like a proper couple with Aidan than before.

Though even now, there were several issues preventing them from being a perfect couple.

Her gaze unconsciously turned to the mirror and stopped on her reflection. Without realizing it, she raised one hand to touch her forehead.

‘Did you sleep well?’

In the early dawn when the sun had barely risen, she opened her eyes feeling something touch her forehead to find Aidan’s face right in front of her. As if he had just kissed her forehead, his face was truly just a hand’s width away.

‘I didn’t mean to wake you. You can sleep more.’

Only after blinking her heavy eyelids several times did she understand the situation and bolt upright. Karina had been sleeping in Aidan’s bed. Now that he had returned, if she didn’t get up, they would have to sleep in the same bed.

She tried to get out of bed but couldn’t move an inch due to the arm around her waist. Aidan, who had somehow lain down beside Karina, was holding her waist tightly with one arm.

‘Your Highness!’

‘There you go calling me that again.’

‘……’

‘Sleep more. Let me sleep a bit too.’

Before she could say anything else, he closed his eyes. His arm remained wrapped around Karina’s waist. His breathing quickly became regular and repetitive. He didn’t move at all, seemingly truly asleep. She was cautious about moving to remove his arm for fear of waking him.

He must have stayed up all night.

Though she was curious about many things — whether they had safely brought Liam Smith, what they planned to do next — she couldn’t ask anything now. She couldn’t even shake off his arm and get out of bed. She let out a shallow sigh and closed her eyes again, but sleep still wouldn’t come. She had to lie still by his side for about two hours until Aidan woke up.

In the end, they did consummate — or rather, ambiguously share a bed. Nothing happened, contrary to everyone’s expectations.

It was natural since it was just a fake consummation to deceive Lloyd’s eyes. Though she thought this, she felt somewhat complicated about it. They were now supposedly properly dating… Could it be that he didn’t find her attractive as a woman?

Ha. She sighed and shook her head. She didn’t know why she was having such useless thoughts.

“Your Highness! It’s Bernice.”

Just then, Bernice’s voice came from outside the door.

“Come in.”

When permission was granted, Bernice hurriedly entered.

“Wow, what are these flowers? They’re so pretty!”

“Mother sent them.”

Bernice tilted her head curiously at the unexpected flower gift, then belatedly made an “ah” sound and smiled broadly.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Though it seemed like a simple greeting, her smile was meaningful. Karina found it awkward to answer and just turned her head with an uncomfortable smile.

“Did you know that His Highness Aidan requested an audience with His Majesty right after the ministers’ meeting this morning?”

Bernice asked where she had heard this.

“Is something wrong?”

She asked Karina the reason, probably because Karina had spent the night with Aidan.

“Well…”

Something was indeed happening. Aidan would probably take Liam Smith there to expose what Lloyd had done. Requesting an audience right after the ministers’ meeting meant he wanted to reveal everything in front of all the ministers so there would be no room for denial.

Unable to explain all these circumstances to Bernice now, Karina gave a vague answer, causing Bernice’s face to harden.

“Surely there wasn’t a problem with last night’s consummation?”

Karina let out a sigh hearing her worry in such an unexpected direction.

“It’s not that.”

How could there be problems when they hadn’t even properly consummated anything?

“Will you go when His Highness goes to meet His Majesty later? If you’re going, can I come too?”

Bernice seemed unable to contain her curiosity about why Aidan was requesting an audience. Karina was also curious about how things would unfold. Should she at least watch from a distance? Strictly speaking, it wasn’t entirely unrelated to her as it concerned her husband…

She chuckled at her various excuses. If she wanted to go together, she could simply tell Aidan so. She was still used to the distance she had maintained with ‘Aidan’ in her previous life, so doing things ‘together’ with him felt unfamiliar.

*

“His Highness Aidan has arrived.”

Aidan came to the council chamber as the ministers’ meeting was wrapping up. Though he had requested an audience in advance, the Emperor’s eyes narrowed in curiosity, having expected him to come after the meeting ended.

“You’re earlier than expected.”

Aidan responded to the Emperor’s observation with a gentle smile and a bow.

“I deliberately hurried because I thought not only Your Majesty but also the other ministers should know.”

The ministers stirred at his words indicating his early arrival was planned rather than coincidental, exchanging glances wondering what this was about.

“So this isn’t a private matter.”

The Emperor had naturally assumed it would be a personal matter since his son had rarely requested to see him. But watching Aidan now, it seemed to be more of an official matter.

“Do you remember when I was attacked recently?”

The Emperor’s face hardened at the mention of the attack.

“Have you found the culprit?”

Aidan smiled faintly at the Emperor’s question.

“Yes.”

The ministers grew more agitated at his brief answer.

“More precisely, I found a witness who will reveal the culprit.”

“I thought you weren’t doing anything about it.”

The Emperor spoke with a long sigh. Aidan gave a slight bow to these words. Then he raised his head and looked directly at the Emperor.

“Actually, I thought Your Majesty would find the one who tried to harm me.”

The Emperor flinched at his calm response. Aidan’s expression remained unchanged as he looked at him steadily.

“But then I realized I should handle my own matters. I’m not a child who needs protection anymore.”

The ministers’ faces, especially those who had supported Lloyd, twisted at his subtly barbed words.

“After finding the culprit, I could understand why Your Majesty found it difficult to step in.”

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed at Aidan’s words.

*

A servant ran hurriedly down the corridor. Though he bumped shoulders with someone coming from the opposite direction, causing them to fall, he was too busy to properly apologize and continued on his way.

“Your Majesty the Empress!”

Upon finding the Empress, he immediately knelt down. The Empress frowned at him as he couldn’t speak, trying to catch his breath.

“What matter causes you to act so scattered?”

The servant bowed his head lower at her reprimand.

“Something terrible has happened.”

“What terrible thing?”

The servant’s eyes darted around at the Empress’s question.

“How frustrating… If you cannot properly report, then leave.”

The servant flinched at her cold rebuke and opened his mouth.

“His Highness Aidan is currently meeting with His Majesty.”

“Aidan? Why?”

“That, well…”

The servant hesitated again. The Empress clicked her tongue in frustration and glared at him. The servant swallowed hard under her glare. Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, he felt his heart shrinking.

“They say he found the culprit who ambushed His Highness Aidan…”

The Empress’s frown deepened at the servant’s increasingly timid words.

“Found the culprit…”

“What did you say?”

Lloyd, who had come to see the Empress, demanded in a harsh voice. The servant turned and bowed deeply upon seeing Lloyd.

“I asked what you said!”

The servant flinched at his sudden shout.

“His Highness Aidan… said he found who attacked him… and is now revealing everything before His Majesty and the ministers…”

Lloyd looked at the Empress with wide eyes. The Empress too was frowning so deeply that wrinkles formed not just between her brows but across her forehead.

*