It was beautiful because it was fleeting, and it was heartbreaking because it couldn’t be conveyed. Winter had come, and the flower had withered helplessly. No matter how regrettable, it couldn’t be undone.

That day, Dade was bustling around from the morning, doing laundry for the bedding without being asked. Nian, who didn’t want to interfere, sat at the table after breakfast, sipping herbal tea.

She could see Dade through the window.

Indeed, now that the weather had become quite warm, it was time to wash and put away the cotton blankets. The days were getting longer. The brilliant sunshine of the day shone on them for longer, and the dark night was like a fleeting moment.

He had taken out all the blankets that Nian and Azel had been using and seemed full of enthusiasm, but as someone who had never done any dirty work in his life, his skills were visibly clumsy. Without knowing the trick, he dumped all those thick blankets into the water at once, then poured soap water all over them. Sure enough, while clumsily stomping on the blankets soaked in soapy water with his long legs, he eventually slipped and fell.

Nian, who had been enjoying the sight while drinking her fragrant tea, couldn’t hold back her laughter and chuckled. Dade, who was rubbing his sore bottom with a pitiful face, saw her and laughed along.

Nian stood up with a towel as if she had no choice and went outside. When she handed it to him silently, Dade took it with an embarrassed smile.

The sunshine was warm and became even more dazzling as it touched his light blonde hair with moisture. For a moment, she unconsciously raised her hand to brush off the moisture, but then withdrew it and said with a sigh.

“Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“How long do you intend to keep this up?”

“Keep what up.”

Dade got up, shaking his wet hair himself, and answered indifferently.

“Go back.”

“Where to?”

“To Your Majesty’s place. Your mother is worried.”

“Ilena, this is my place.”

Dade answered without hesitation.

The place where the woman he loved was. And the place where their child that she carried was. He knew he didn’t deserve it. To the bone.

Therefore, he was more determined to stay by her side. He was resolved never to leave her alone again. And himself too.

“What on earth are you trying to do?”

Nian asked back in a slightly colder voice.

‘Ah, when will you ever become docile to me.’

Dade smiled brightly.

‘You’re wrong, Ilena. If it were the old me, I would have been angry at this behavior of yours. I might have even taken the child hostage and dragged you to the palace.’

But now……

Dade raised his soap-scented hand to caress Nian’s lips, then confessed in a low voice.

“If you become the Empress, I’ll be the Emperor, and if you become an ordinary farmer here, I’ll be a stable boy raising horses next to you, Ilena.”

“Your Majesty. How can you say such things.”

Nian called him as if admonishing him for his resolution.

“There are several more imperial family members with succession rights besides me, so it’s not a difficult thing.”

“……”

“It’s rather easier than living as an Emperor without you.”

He smiled shyly, then cupped her cheek.

“I love you, Ilena.”

Nian silently sighed. Finally, Dade couldn’t bear it and gently embraced her.

“I mean it. For a long time. Perhaps from the moment I found you in the herb garden.”

“……”

“I love you, Ilena.”

“……”

Ah, Dade, what should I do with you.

Nian closed her eyes in resignation.

Night fell.

Dade, who had naturally prepared to sleep in her bed, spread his arms toward Nian, who was looking at him incredulously.

“Come here.”

“Ha…… The space is too small for two people.”

Dade smiled brightly.

“That’s even better. Come here quickly, let’s sleep.”

Finally, as if admitting defeat, Nian approached and lay down beside him. With her swollen belly, Nian couldn’t lie on her back, so she lay on her side, and Dade also lay on his side to give her as much space as possible, worried she might be uncomfortable.

They lay facing each other. Nian closed her eyes immediately, and Dade raised his hand to stroke her hair.

“Are you asleep?”

“No.”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“At this hour…… Go to sleep. Quickly.”

“Alright.”

Despite his answer, Dade continued to stroke her hair. Her lush eyelashes, slightly closed, created shadows.

Looking at them, Dade lowered his hand to caress around her eyes, which held those black eyes with a brown tint, and also stroked her straight, familiar-scented nose bridge.

“I love you, Ilena.”

When he gently placed his hand on her unkind lips that still wouldn’t answer, the corners of Nian’s mouth turned up slightly.

Suddenly, memories of the past came to mind.

She seemed to feel the same, as she raised her hand to grab his wrist. And she licked it with her lovely tongue. Instantly, Dade’s blue eyes darkened.

“Can I…… touch you?”

“Yes.”

After hesitating for a moment, Nian shyly answered, and he moved his hand to trace her slender neck.

When the soft sensation touched him, he carefully approached and placed his lips on it, licking. After tasting her fragrant skin, he sucked on it, leaving another red mark on her white neck. Nian, still with her eyes closed, made a moaning sound.

His yearning hand carefully unbuttoned the clothes she was wearing. He dropped them several times due to his trembling hands, but neither she nor he minded.

Her br*asts were revealed through the clothes he had finally unbuttoned. Dade tightly closed his eyes at the dizzying feeling.

When he carefully grasped her slightly enlarged br*ast, he felt its soft texture. Dade lowered his head to kiss her br*ast. As he teased around it, her lovely pink n*pple raised its head.

He tormented her by licking with his tongue, then took it in his mouth, causing Nian’s sigh-like moan to burst forth from above.

After caressing her br*asts, he lowered his lips further down. Then he finally faced her belly, full of life. Until now, Nian had not allowed him to touch her belly.

Because she would get scared even if he just reached out a little, he also didn’t try to touch it forcibly.

When he stroked that lovely belly, Nian covered it with her hands, looking a bit embarrassed, but when he kissed the belly next, she carefully lowered her hands. With emotions that felt like tears might burst forth, Dade trembled slightly.

“I’ll, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

Nian raised her hand to cradle his head as he sobbed quietly. This time too, he came like a wave, giving her no chance to push him away, and completely drenched her.

“I love you, Ilena. Both you and this child.”

In the end, it was inevitable.

Because she couldn’t turn him into a stable boy.

Nian finally answered his confession.

“Me too…… Your Majesty.”

Dade smiled warmly.

He had known for some time. That she loved him. Sincerity that was conveyed late because it wasn’t spoken was conveyed more certainly in exchange for being late.

Dade came up and met her gaze. And he gently kissed her forehead. His soft lips soon touched the tip of her nose, then met her lips.

After kissing her lightly, he stroked her hair and answered with a smile that made him happy just looking at her.

“I love you more.”

Somehow it felt like a dream, and Dade’s eyes became moist.

Ah, so this is how love shines. Just knowing we share the same feelings creates such a profound sensation.

Nian finally laughed.

She had thought that flowers falling was just an endlessly sad thing, but it seems it was to bear fruit.

The pink flowers that were beautiful like a fleeting moment fell, and soon red fruits formed to bloom the following year.

The lonely snow that fell white when winter came melted without a trace and seeped into the ground when spring arrived.

After that, they returned to the imperial palace two months later.

The Empress Dowager, who had aged several years in just a few months, came running while shouting, but because there were three instead of two, she lost her words and collapsed.

The Emperor loved his princess, who looked exactly like him, so much that he gave her the entire eastern palace that had originally been used as the Empress’s palace.

And the Empress stayed with the Emperor in the main palace.

They paid no attention to the Empress Dowager’s complaints about him being a doting parent.

As he had said someday, a part of the main palace garden was cleared, and green herbs were planted.