The first thing he saw when he raised his head was Serena’s expressionless face.

It was a face not much different from when she first entered and looked at him.

Nocturne Lavernia clenched his fist. It felt like looking at a withered doll.

A doll devoid of any vitality.

“That…”

Nocturne Lavernia was about to say he didn’t mean to speak so harshly.

In fact, he was in a position where he should apologize rather than get angry.

“Yes.”

Serena replied lightly, tilting her cooled teacup.

“Ah…?”

“Young master, would you persuade His Grace the family head? I was just about to remove my name from the family, so I’m glad we’re of the same mind.”

She answered nonchalantly.

“I’ll be careful not to meet you from now on.”

“Wait, Sister. That’s not what I…”

“May I go to His Majesty first?”

“Ah, well…”

Crown Princess Rosia, who had been reading the atmosphere, rolled her eyes and looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince sighed deeply with a tired face, pressing his forehead.

“Yes, it would be better to talk later. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, Duchess.”

“No, it’s only natural.”

She said casually with a rather indifferent face.

With a rabbit holding a notebook in her arms, her expression and voice were not much different from usual.

“I know there’s no way anyone could like me. It seems His Majesty the Emperor will be able to recover soon.”

Serena explained and slightly bent her waist.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Serena swallowed and left the office.

Only then did the Crown Prince click his tongue lowly. An aura full of displeasure flowed from him.

“What on earth are you doing, Nocturne Lavernia?”

The Crown Prince’s voice was rarely filled with coldness.

“What use is the Imperial Knight Commander if he gets so caught up in his emotions?”

“…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that. It’s just, just… somehow, I got angry for no reason.”

Nocturne Lavernia felt that something was wrong, but it wasn’t clear what exactly was wrong.

His emotions were just boiling over.

It felt like his small displeasure was amplified about ten times.

Even though he knew he shouldn’t say it, even though he clearly knew it wasn’t what he meant in his heart, his emotions were much more turbulent than usual.

[Thanks to you saying you’ll disappear, the root of evil has been uprooted! It seems things go well when you’re gone, Serena. I’m glad. It looks like there’s not much left now.]

“…Yes, that’s fortunate.”

[Serena, are you okay?]

Nyx looked up at Serena with a very worried face and carefully lifted its sketchbook.

Then, with a face full of concern, it quickly moved its pen.

Serena shook her head once to clear her dazed mind and lightly scratched between Nyx’s ears with her fingertips.

Nyx wagged its fluffy tail and perked up its ears, seeming pleased.

[It’s just because the root of evil made the bad emotions grow bigger, so don’t worry too much, Serena.]

“I’m not worried. I knew they hated me.”

[Yes, yes! Even if you were a terribly bad person, even if the whole world hated you, I would still like you, Serena.]

Serena smiled at Nyx’s words and lightly rubbed her cheek against its fur.

“That’s right, animals are the best.”

Serena laughed softly in a low voice.

She moved her heavy steps towards the Emperor’s bedroom.

* * *

“……”

Magnus sighed lowly as he looked at Serena, who was lying on top of his stomach, clinging tightly without saying a word.

It’s nice, all nice.

The way she’s not saying anything after coming back from the Imperial Palace, laying him down, and then lying face down on his chest is, after all, a bit stimulating.

However, he can’t do anything else to this troubled-looking person.

Above all, he doesn’t really dislike her clinging to him like this.

“Did something happen? Serena.”

He asked, wrapping his arms around Serena’s waist as she lay face down on his stomach.

“Just.”

A taciturn answer came back.

“Did someone say something again at the Imperial Palace? Who was it?”

“……”

Large hands slowly stroke Serena’s back.

It was quite clumsy, patting gently so as not to hurt.

“Tell me, who dared to do that to you? Serena.”

At the voice whispering in her ear, Serena gritted her teeth and tightened her arms around him.

“When I’m with you, I feel like I’m becoming a fool.”

Serena said in a voice tinged with tears.

Magnus tried his best not to be conscious of Serena squirming on top of him.

After all, it was quite stimulating in many ways when the person he cared about was desperately clinging to him.

However, Magnus didn’t want to lose his reason at such an important time and be labeled as trash.

That’s not what he wanted, and probably not what she wanted either.

“Did people passing by in the Imperial Palace say that?”

Serena quietly shook her head.

“I’m sorry for always making you worry.”

She says in a timid voice. Magnus laughed lowly and patted Serena’s back.

“I like it when you cling to me like this. It’s better than locking yourself up in a room and rotting in a pigsty.”

“…That damn pigsty again.”

Magnus let out a small laugh at the sullen voice grumbling in dissatisfaction.

“Serena.”

“Yes.”

“I like you.”

Serena’s shoulders trembled greatly.

Magnus narrowed his eyes while gently comforting her.

‘Who touched her again?’

Recently, he had been pleased to see her face looking much better, smiling often and becoming brighter.

Although he liked Serena desperately clinging to him and hugging him, Magnus still wanted her to smile.

His precious wife, who was still not used to honest conversations and ordinary daily life.

He grabbed her armpits and pulled her face up from his chest to his face.

Her face, red and contorted, looks like it might burst into tears at any moment.

“I love you.”

At Magnus’s confession, Serena just bowed her head. Magnus patted Serena’s back as she buried her face in his neck.

“I love you, Serena.”

What he could understand while being with her was that she had no confidence in herself at all.

That’s why she reacts sharply, that’s why she reacts indifferently, that’s why she acts as if nothing matters.

But that doesn’t mean her insides are fine; rather, the more she pretends to be fine on the outside, the more she’s rotting inside.

That’s why she’s weak to his honest emotions.

She’s weak to aggressive behavior.

Only someone who hasn’t received much of these emotions would react like this.

Only someone who lacks confidence in themselves would not know what to do when told they’re liked.

That’s why she doesn’t know how to return the same words.

She doesn’t know how to express emotions she’s never received and doesn’t know.

Despite turning her whole body red and clinging to him when needed.

‘What on earth happened…’

He tried to understand the life she must have lived as his slave.

And every time he thought about it, he couldn’t help but get angry.

‘Why?’

He blinks slowly.

What kind of thoughts and treatment would make a person become so lacking in self-confidence?

“Serena.”

“…Yes.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Magnus had grown accustomed to speaking a bit more directly while being with Serena.

Not that it’s the kind of speech that hurts the other person.

It’s just a way of speaking that’s a bit embarrassing and unfamiliar, but honest about one’s own feelings.

“…Thank you for liking someone like me.”

Her sincerity, which she doesn’t usually show, responded to Magnus’s sincerity and carefully flowed out.

Even so, it’s just revealing her rotten insides.

“I’m the one who’s grateful to have someone as precious as you in my arms.”

Magnus wasn’t particularly bothered by her burrowing into him like this.

Rather, he found it cute that she ran to him, not anywhere else, asked if he was busy, and then dragged him to the bedroom to hug him.

He also liked it.

After all, doesn’t it mean that his embrace has become more comfortable than the space under the blanket?

“Am I not annoying?”

Serena asked carefully.

“Not at all, you’re cute.”

“…Like a pig? Again?”

“You seem to dislike pigs quite a bit.”

From Magnus’s perspective, nothing was as cute as that baby wild boar that used to follow him around.

“…Doesn’t ‘pig’ sound a bit off? They eat too much.”

“You eat a lot too.”

“…Why am I really holding onto this person?”

Serena mutters softly, seemingly regretful, but doesn’t loosen her arms around him.

“Because you like me.”

“……”

Serena didn’t answer those confident words, but she didn’t deny it either.

“It’s nothing. Just…”

She exhaled a hot breath on his neck.

“Just… I guess it’s because someone told me to die.”

“……”

Abruptly.

Magnus’s arms, which were hugging her on top of his stomach, tensed.

His mouth twisted as if he was upset.