A guest was staying at our house for a while.

“The Dragon Lord?”

Andre’s eyes widened as he looked at Mesriten. Mesriten nodded and pulled Sella and Igol into his arms.

“My family will be staying here for a while. Igol said he wanted to see more of the capital.”

After making Sella his mate, Mesriten proudly carried her and Igol in his arms wherever he went. He loved his child and his mate Sella dearly.

A man who didn’t know what his feelings were, then once he realized them, charged straight ahead. He was a slightly different type of man from Luden.

Luden had realized his feelings but still tested the waters in various ways.

When I glanced at Luden, he cleared his throat and subtly turned his head away. I’d once told him that Mesriten was really honest and good at charging straight ahead, which had pricked Luden’s conscience, so he must have understood the meaning behind my gaze.

“The Charlot family estate is certainly sufficient for the Dragon Lord to stay.”

Andre smiled broadly and guided Mesriten, Sella, and Igol to a guest room suitable for them.

“Certainly more splendid than other humans’ homes. Very fitting for the Charlot family.”

Mesriten looked around and followed Andre. He seemed to like this place.

“Then let’s go see Anan.”

We stood at the front door, finished giving instructions to the servants handling the luggage, and headed to Anan’s room. Since we’d arrived early in the morning, Anan might still be asleep.

Contrary to our concerns, she was fortunately awake, and when we knocked, we heard a sound from inside.

“Who is it?”

“It’s us.”

“Come in.”

The door opened with a click. When Luden and I entered, Anan smiled brightly. She’d already changed her clothes.

“I happened to wake up early and was about to go for a walk. Did the trip go well?”

At Anan’s words, I approached her and hugged her tightly.

“I can tell from Annelia’s reaction.”

“Thanks to you, Mother, we had a wonderful time.”

“Did you talk about children?”

“We said we hoped a child would be born resembling both of us equally.”

“That’s an ideal wish, but it won’t work out the way you want.”

Anan said that and smiled brightly, seemingly reminiscing about the past.

“I also hoped when I gave birth to Luden that he would resemble me and my husband half and half, but when I actually gave birth and looked, he resembled me a lot. Your father was very happy though.”

I’d seen Luden’s father in a portrait.

Luden resembled Anan much more than his father.

“I’ll love the child no matter who they resemble more.”

No one knew how a child would grow up. But everyone should do their best to raise their child at every moment.

“I’m sure you can do that, Annelia.”

At Anan’s words, I smiled warmly.

Thinking about a child warmed my heart. It felt like something soft was blooming inside my heart.

A child of Luden and me—just thinking about it made me happy.

* * *

After spending time with Luden while savoring the afterglow of our trip, I reopened the counseling office. As soon as I opened the office, people who had made reservations arrived one by one. And the Emperor, who had given me a wonderful experience, also visited the office.

“This place is certainly more comfortable than the imperial palace.”

What does that mean?

When I didn’t quite understand, Kajiian, sitting across from me, smiled and spoke gently.

“The counseling at the palace was good, but it’s more comfortable doing it at the counseling office. There are many watching eyes at the palace, after all.”

That was true. I was also uncomfortable because there were many people closely observing my comings and goings at the palace.

“I’m more comfortable working here too.”

“But I’m curious. Is counseling me just work?”

I shook my head.

“It’s work, but I also do it because I enjoy it. I like everyone who comes here.”

“So there’s goodwill too?”

“Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to continue this work.”

Hearing that, Kajiian nodded lightly in agreement and took a sip of the tear-inducing tea as always.

After taking a sip of tea, he smiled and remained still for a moment, seemingly releasing emotions that had remained in his heart. After shedding a single tear, he put down his teacup and spoke seriously.

“I’ve permitted Laysia and Reytan’s marriage.”

Reytan and Laysia said they’d prepare for marriage, and Kajiian has given permission.

“As a family for the Crown Princess, they’re a bit lacking, but that gentle Reytan stood firm. Of course, to maintain power, it would be better to bring in a powerful Crown Princess, but that’s only possible if Reytan’s heart is in it.”

Saying that, he shook his head.

“Actually, I also permitted it because you’re close with Laysia.”

“My influence played a part?”

“Of course.”

Kajiian’s eyes sparkled.

What on earth is he thinking?

“Actually, I was curious all this time about how well you keep secrets. So even when I casually dropped dangerous information, not a single rumor spread.”

“Because I didn’t even tell Luden.”

“I know. That’s why I decided to evaluate you even more highly.”

Kajiian had been watching me for a long time. And during that time, his evaluation of me must have changed moment by moment. But to evaluate me even more highly—it made me feel good.

“Thank you.”

I smiled at him sincerely. Then Kajiian burst into laughter and sent me a look filled with trust.

“Later, when I pass the Emperor’s position to Reytan, I’d like to call you more often then. I wish I had a daughter like you.”

He seems to regard me more warmly than his own daughter. I nodded.

“You’re not refusing.”

“Someone who regards me favorably is being added.”

“I would have been disappointed if you’d refused even this.”

He said that and stood up from his seat.

Time has already passed this much.

Since he was the last guest, I also tidied up and left the counseling office. Looking at the counseling office with its lights off, I was seized by a strange feeling.

It had already been several years since I started operating the counseling office. During that time, I’d met many people.

Of course, there were places that opened counseling offices with similar ideas to mine. But I never felt anxious about it. 

If guests went there and found it more suitable, then going there was the right choice. But my counseling office’s guests consistently sought me out. I felt proud satisfaction in that.

Anyway, Reytan and Laysia received permission to marry.

I should meet those two soon.

* * *

Lorina was waiting in front of the Emperor’s office with an anxious heart. And finally, when Lorina spotted Kajiian walking toward her from afar, she made her expression as bright as possible.

“What is it?”

Kajiian asked Lorina, who had waited for him until evening. Then Lorina greeted Kajiian, looked around, and spoke in a small voice.

“I have something important to tell you.”

Lorina wore a serious expression. Kajiian took her into his office. The lights in the office turned on, and Kajiian sat on the sofa. When Lorina remained standing, he invited her to sit and asked.

“Is it a serious matter?”

“It’s not that. Um, you know the villa in Ruesan?”

Ruesan was the resort closest to the capital.

“I do.”

“I want to have a party there with my friends.”

There was an imperial villa in Ruesan. It was also a place the Emperor often went with women he favored. And if you were imperial family, you could go there with a lover after receiving the Emperor’s permission. So what Lorina was saying wasn’t particularly problematic.

“When are you going?”

“Early next month.”

Then Kajiian shook his head.

“That won’t work.”

“Why? That’s not even your vacation time, Father…”

Lorina couldn’t understand why the Emperor was being so firm.

“I’m inviting the Charlot couple then.”

“What?”

Lorina was slightly dumbfounded. She said she wanted to use it, but he was saying no just because of the Charlot couple?

“Anyway, it won’t work.”

At his words, Lorina bit her lip. The fact that he was refusing not for another reason but because of Annelia and Luden was truly humiliating.

Especially Annelia’s existence grated on her.

“…I understand.”

“Schedule it for the week after that.”

“I’ll do that.”

Lorina said that and stood up from her seat.

After leaving the office and walking down the corridor, she stopped.

She felt angry and thought she should go to the garden.

* * *

Lorina had heard Annelia’s name long ago. But at that time, she never thought she and Annelia would be entangled like this.

A foolish person who couldn’t even speak up when others said harsh things. So she just ignored her and didn’t care about stories about her.

Even when she married Luden, she had no particular thoughts.

But when she went to the wedding and saw Luden directly, her thoughts began to change.

She wanted to possess Luden. So she approached him and naturally thought he would come to her. But he rejected her because of Annelia.

‘Annelia.’

She took away the man she liked, and then even took away her father.

Watching Kajiian grow more attached to Annelia than to herself, Lorina’s heart gradually grew colder. Moreover, Annelia happened to give Luden and Reytan a chance to become close, and thanks to that, Reytan became Crown Prince. Not her own brother, but Reytan.

The reason her life wasn’t going the way she wanted was because of Annelia.

If only she hadn’t existed, she wouldn’t have felt this humiliation.

Flowers bloomed abundantly in the garden. Lorina, who had been looking at white flowers, grabbed a flower.

All the methods Alsellon had proposed had failed.

Lorina and Millen tried to approach Luden and Annelia, but they blocked it in advance. As though they already knew their purpose.

“I need to find another method.”

Alsellon would bring down Luden, and she would deal with the eyesore Annelia. It was good for everyone.

Lorina, who threw the flower on the ground, slowly returned to her palace.

If someone asked whether she still loved Luden, she could now answer that she didn’t.

She only had the desire to deal with Annelia, who interfered with her life every time.

* * *

Laysia had a face that looked extremely happy. Unlike before, she wasn’t anxious either, and had changed to a bright feeling.

When she visited the counseling office, I offered her a cup of tea and asked.

“Did something good happen?”

I already knew, but the content of my counseling with Kajiian was secret, so I had to come out like this. Laysia smiled broadly and said.

“Yes, I finally received His Majesty’s permission to marry. Thanks to His Highness Reytan taking a strong stance.”

“I’m glad Laysia is happy.”

I smiled warmly. Laysia took a sip of tea and shed tears. Then she smiled at me and closed her eyes.

“When I went to His Majesty after promising to marry, it surprisingly wasn’t that scary.”

“Really? Then when were you most scared?”

Laysia, who opened her eyes, tilted her head.

“Guess.”

Laysia saying this must mean there was something. I thought for a moment, recalling the things Laysia and I had done.

“Was it difficult facing the past?”

Laysia made an expression like she’d been caught off guard.

“How do you know so well? When I wrote a letter to myself in the past, that was the scariest.”

Right, facing a painful past is the scariest thing.

Because you yourself know best what you experienced.

You yourself know best how harshly you treated yourself. So when writing a letter to yourself, it’s scary too.

“You cried a lot then.”

Laysia held my hand tightly.

“I could do it because Lady Annelia cheered me on from beside me.”

“I only gave advice, and the one who did it yourself was you, Laysia.”

“But Lady Annelia showed me the way.”

She shook her head and whispered to me.

“Meeting Lady Annelia is the greatest fortune of my life.”

Reytan would be disappointed if he heard that.

“Reytan is also grateful to Lady Annelia. After hearing my past, he understood why I was so passive about romance in the beginning, and admired your character for helping me.”

“This is embarrassing. But I’m proud.”

How could I give up work that makes me feel this rewarded?

“Please operate the counseling office for a long, long time.”

“Of course. And even if I wanted to quit now, I think everyone would stop me.”

“Wouldn’t His Majesty stop you first?”

At Laysia’s words, my expression stiffened for a moment.

After thinking carefully, I nodded. Because it seemed like Kajiian would tell me never to close the doors.

“When I met His Majesty, Lady Annelia’s story came up too. He was curious about what counseling I received.”

“Ah, really?”

I’m curious what his reaction was.

“His Majesty was surprised. He wondered how anyone could think of writing a letter to themselves.”

I smiled again while drinking tea.

“There’s no way I would have opened this counseling office without such ideas.”

“That’s why His Majesty started seeing Lady Annelia in a new light.”

Is that why my evaluation went up? Well, even so, nothing would change.

“I’m happy to have gotten to know Lady Annelia.”

Laysia seemed to be speaking sincerely. The goodwill in her eyes touched my heart.

“Is there anything you want to receive as a wedding gift?”

At my question, Laysia spoke like it was obvious.

“I want to receive tea. Ah, not the tear-inducing tea. Just regular high-quality tea. Thanks to Lady Annelia, I’ve developed a habit of drinking tea.”

“I’ll give you really good ones.”

There were many high-quality teas distributed by the Charlot family. I could pick those out one by one and give them to Laysia.

Actually, if she’d asked for the tear-inducing tea, it would have been a bit difficult, but Laysia knew that well.

“Laysia, I’ll definitely attend the wedding.”

I clenched my fist.

My second client was shaking off her wounds and starting a new life.

I cheered for her sincerely.