“You made that promise without consulting me even once?”

What was done was done.

Zenus could not avoid Selina’s cold eyes because of that promise that was not quite a promise, but he worked hard to bring her around.

“Our children will ultimately become the people who lead this empire. Neither Heimdall nor Angela can escape that fate.”

“But it is still too early. Heimdall is only four, and Angela has just passed one year old. An heir event for children like that.”

“But our children are geniuses. They are different from other children.”

Zenus looked at Selina with the expression of a puppy with drooping ears.

Selina felt a throb at her temple and pressed it firmly.

That is because they are my children, so that is how it feels. No matter how much Father says our grandchildren are geniuses, we should not take that at face value.

Whether Philip truly had a gift for nurturing talent was unclear, but every time Heimdall went to Justia as the seasons changed, he came back having learned something new without fail.

His swordsmanship in particular was a result that had manifested at a remarkably young age, and he could already read an opponent’s sword energy.

He did not stop there. He had also come to distinguish the dragon’s energy.

Naturally, both Philip and Zenus praised Heimdall’s rapid growth as that of a genius.

It was admirable that he showed such results without even having received the dragon’s power yet, but Selina was worried on the other hand.

She was the Empress of this Empire, but she was also the mother of two children.

What was needed, and what attitude to take, so that children with exceptional talent would not grow up arrogant but could one day lead this Empire with diligence, was something she too had to keep learning.

Regrettably, around her were only people still young like herself, and there were not many seasoned noblewomen she could seek advice from.

After much deliberation, when she consulted her stepmother Flora, the answer that came back was unexpectedly that she would do just fine without worrying.

“Who does Sebastian follow most? He follows you more than the Count, and he does whatever his sister tells him. Thanks to that, he became the heir of the Arsen family. And thanks to you becoming Empress, Brandon married into a good family too. It is all because you led them well. Would it not be the same with your children?”

Her relationship with Flora had gradually improved.

After seeing Brandon put in effort after entering a good family, Flora followed Selina’s opinions entirely.

Sebastian also followed and respected his sister more than anyone.

People said Selina, born into a comital family and rising all the way to the position of Empress of this Empire, was simply different from others.

But Selina found it hard to agree with that.

“What if the children make a mistake in a foreign country and that story follows them for the rest of their lives?”

A memory surfaced of the ballroom lounge from back when she was still a young lady of the Arsen family.

She thought of those days when everything she did was clumsy, when all she could do was stand her ground without falling and say she had not done it.

Zenus took her trembling hands warmly in his.

“Both you and I will be with those children. Even if they make a mistake in front of people, that will not define who they are.”

Selina looked at Zenus comforting her and nodded.

The moment his wife gave her approval, Zenus’s expression brightened completely.

“From now on, I will make sure to get your permission before making any such promises.”

Saying that, he held her in his arms, and within his embrace Selina thought quietly to herself.

If by any chance the children ended up with a bad reputation from a mistake, she could simply have Zenus use his word-binding to make everyone forget the incident entirely.

❀❀❀

“I never imagined they would apply pressure from this angle. Truly, if I could gather those old men on the training ground and put them through our basic morning drills……”

“Valerie, it has been quite some time since you became young marquis. If someone hears you, they will say your conduct is lacking again.”

During tea time with the Empress, Valerie vented her frustration while recounting the contents of the nobles’ council.

Thanks to Valerie, Selina now knew the nobles’ sentiments too, and after a brief moment of thought, she spoke.

“The former Emperor’s descendants have certainly settled into their positions by now. Some of them have married, so the families who became their in-laws will want to seize any opportunity they can. In terms of bloodline alone, they do meet the conditions to be an heir.”

The former Emperor had been Zenus’s maternal uncle, so in terms of bloodline alone, they shared the same blood.

“But to think they still learn nothing even after seeing Eric. How can we put that man on a public stage at least once?”

“His body is already impaired. Why bother. I hear he has been living diligently lately. Just let him live comfortably there.”

Eric had been the ringleader of the rebellion, but he was Zenus’s cousin and at the time had held the highest claim to the throne.

He had done things that would have warranted death several times over, but the nobles ultimately had no choice but to deliver a blunt punishment.

They stripped him completely of his right to succession and severed the nerves in his right foot and left hand so he could never raise an army again, and that was how the punishment concluded.

His rebellion had ended at the stage of an attempt, so he kept his life.

But the wife who had grown cold toward him was gone in the end, and now he had gone to a mountain near the Autumn border with the former Empress, who wore her age plainly.

His body was less able than before and his circumstances had grown worse, but whether this matter had brought him great enlightenment, he had changed.

He was living truly quietly with the former Empress in his new home.

“Watching someone who was Crown Prince fall so low, there ought to be something to learn from it.”

“Honestly, I was a little angry when Your Majesty came home with a story like that on your own, but using this as an opportunity is not a bad idea either.”

In truth, Selina had been paying more attention to the children’s education ever since she heard about the heir gathering a year ago.

She had assigned an etiquette teacher even to Angela, who was still at the age of wanting to be babied, and had her cultivate the qualities befitting a member of the imperial family.

Even when Angela cried several times saying it was hard and she did not want to do it, Selina did not relent.

Having pushed through that strict education, now a year later, things had taken shape to some degree.

“I will send both children to the event. Who will inherit the throne can be decided later.”

“Will just the two of them be all right? Furon is not a distant empire, but it will still be the first time both of them go to a foreign country.”

Selina quietly set down her teacup.

“That is why I would like to ask a favor of Young Marquis Fezel.”

❀❀❀

“Nanny, the sea, the sea!”

Angela called out brightly from the dock as though she had never cried, and the nanny, ladies-in-waiting, and attendants all smiled.

“Little princess, you will fall. Come here.”

“Yes, Auntie.”

Angela and Heimdall called Valerie, who was close with their mother, Auntie and followed her around like real niece and nephew.

“See, this way it is not dangerous and just right, yes?”

Valerie lifted Angela onto her shoulders, and the ladies-in-waiting and nanny rushed over anxiously to stop her.

“Young Marquis Fezel, it is too dangerous. Please put her down.”

“I am not so weak that I cannot handle this much.”

Neither the nanny nor the ladies-in-waiting could tell her it was Her Highness the imperial princess’s safety they were worried about.

“Valerie, pass her here. My shoulders are higher, so Angela will like it better.”

“Uncle, hold me.”

Angela stretched her hands out to Pluto in delight.

Lifting Angela up onto his shoulders, Pluto leaned quietly toward Valerie and whispered.

(“If we get married and have children, would it feel something like this?”)

Valerie had started studying the dragon tongue after she came to have feelings for Pluto.

She thought that if she could understand everything he said, they would be able to understand each other better.

(“One son, one daughter. Not bad. To really find out what it feels like, we would have to get married quickly, would we not?”)

The advantage of this language was that she could say things she had been too shy to say, honestly and boldly, since only Pluto would understand.

Valerie turned around shyly, and Heimdall was standing there with his small brow furrowed, looking at her, and said one thing.

(“Auntie, I understood everything.”)

She had momentarily forgotten there was one more little person who knew that language.

(“Fo, forget it, Heimdall.”)

(“How can I forget something I already heard.”)

Heimdall let out a sigh and went into the cabin, and Valerie stayed on deck for a while to cool her flushed face.

❀❀❀

“Presenting His Highness Heimdall Justia Arsen, imperial prince of the Sepaia Empire, and Her Highness Angela Justia Arsen, imperial princess of the Sepaia Empire.”

Guided by an attendant, the adorable siblings entered the event hall.

This outdoor event was planned to conclude by setting up temporary tents, running a group maze-finding activity, and awarding the final winner.

Before the group assignments and maze activity began in earnest, the heirs of each empire gathered in one place and had time to introduce themselves.

“A little lady and a little gentleman. How utterly adorable.”

“I did not expect to see heirs this young at this gathering.”

“The imperial couple of Sepaia must be quite young. To think they sent children like that as their heirs. Were they not worried about this outdoor event being held at a hunting ground?”

Hearing the nobles murmuring, Valerie deliberately raised her voice.

“Ah, it has been a while since I have been out at a hunting ground. My hands are itching. Shall I pick up a bow while I am at it?”

The noblewomen who had been mocking the young siblings went quiet in an instant.

It was common knowledge that Valerie had archery skills exceptional enough to carry on the Fezel family, renowned as divine archers.

“Auntie, I wanna shoot a bow too.”

“Your Highness, you must maintain your dignity at a gathering like this.”

“Ha, a little brat wanting to pick up a bow. How amusing.”

A blond boy of about ten years old cut in and spoke.

“Go drink your milk, little brat.”

“Your Highness Prince Callex. You must not be rude. Do not forget that today’s main figure is His Highness Crown Prince William.”

Angela glared at the Autumn imperial prince who had spoken so insolently in front of her, then said, “That is not something I would expect to hear from someone who still trails behind his brother. I will excuse myself then.”

Having said her piece neatly, Angela lifted the hem of her dress, gave a curtsy, and rose on her tiptoes to take the nanny’s hand.

“Nanny, let’s go.”

“Wh, what? That insolent little brat, how dare she say that to me……”

“Now, now, we will begin dividing into groups.”

The heirs of Furon and Autumn were in their late teens, and naturally there was a gap between them and Heimdall and Angela.

“It would be best for His Highness the imperial prince and Her Highness the imperial princess of Sepaia to each join the Furon and Autumn heir groups, and then determine which group wins.”

Heimdall quietly raised his hand and offered his opinion.

“Even if this is a game or an event, I cannot do something that puts me at odds with my younger sister. I will simply be in the same group as my sister.”

“But would that not put Sepaia at too great a disadvantage? And having Young Marquis Fezel join that group would be too unfair.”

People believed Valerie would somehow do the work of ten people on her own.

“Then how about adding young imperial princes and princesses from each empire to the Sepaia group? This is a maze after all, so being older does not automatically mean an advantage.”

“In that case, Furon’s Princess Olga will also be placed in that group. It feels rather like a children’s event for the three empires, which is lovely.”

“Children are the future of us all, and that is the same for every empire. What a wonderful idea.”

But Callex threw his hat to the ground and said, “No! Who wants to be in the same group as those things! Sepaia is our Autumn’s……”

“Callex!”

Crown Prince William stepped in front of Callex with a look that said he would not tolerate another word.

“I apologize. It is my younger brother’s first diplomatic event. Please forgive the rudeness.”

At that, the faces of the nobles gathered there relaxed slightly.

Everyone was privately relieved that only the young siblings had come from Sepaia.

But these young siblings were children who had grown faster than others.

(“A greenhorn who cannot even control his own emotions.”)

Heimdall tried hard to conceal his sharp energy.

(“Heimdall, hold back.”)

(“I am trying very hard, Auntie.”)

Neither Zenus nor Philip, nor Valerie right beside him, had any intention of teaching hatred even to the children who would lead the future.

That was why they had been putting off teaching Heimdall the bloody history between Autumn and Sepaia for as long as possible.

But with Callex behaving like this, they could not simply keep telling Heimdall to endure, and Valerie found herself in a difficult spot.

“Brother, stop. There are a lot of people here.”

Angela came over and patted the back of his hand, and only then did that look in his eyes soften.

“So what is the plan?”

“To get out of the maze first.”

“What?”

“The plan to get out of the maze first.”

The event began, and each group was teleported to somewhere inside the maze.

It was the kind of abrupt start that might have caused panic, but Angela calmly asked about the plan.

Callex suppressed the irritation that kept surging up whenever he looked at these siblings and explained calmly.

“If you look at a maze from a high place, you can immediately see which way to go.”

“We can’t see from down here.”

“Right, so someone needs to climb up that tree.”

A single tall tree stood beside the maze wall made of dense shrubbery.

“That won’t work. It’s a trap.”

“What? How would you know that?”

“If you’re curious, try touching it.”

Callex let out a short, disbelieving breath and then pointedly reached out and touched the tree.

“Ow, what is this!”

Tiny cactus-like thorns had emerged from the rough bark surface.

“Grandpa taught me. It looks like a regular tree but it is a thorn tree.”

“Angela, no matter how well you explain it, Prince Callex will not understand. Let us just come up with the strategy ourselves. If you do not want to follow our lead, you are in the way, so feel free to withdraw.”

Heimdall returned Callex’s own words to him and gave a small smile.

“Wh, you think this is funny. How dare you say that to me.”

“It was said from one imperial prince to another. To win in this maze, we need to combine our strengths. That is how we beat the other groups.”

Princess Olga shrugged and replied.

“Even if we win here, is it not only the Sepaia group that wins? What do I gain from this?”

“Being faster than your brother is good enough, isn’t it?”

“Your brother? You mean His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“That’s right. If we put together everything we know, we can beat him. Shall we do it?”

William had been born seven years before Callex, and naturally excelled in every way.

No matter what lessons Callex took, he had always been told that keeping up with even half of His Highness William was an achievement.

The one indispensable to Autumn, the one who would lead Autumn.

Hearing that he could beat him made his heart race for no reason.

He could not openly challenge the Crown Prince, and there was no guarantee he would win even if he tried, but beating him at this event was a different matter entirely.

“Little brat, you seem to know a lot about plants. Go ahead and explain properly. You do have a plan, right?”

❀❀❀

“Ah, His Highness Crown Prince William.”

“I greet His Highness Crown Prince Montague of Furon.”

“Your group came this way too. It seems this direction is indeed toward the exit.”

“Yes, I am a little worried about the children’s group. I am sure the hunting ground has been well maintained and a magical barrier set up, but I hear this area is originally a region where large beasts appear.”

“That is correct. The habitat of the blind bear is nearby. That is why an alarm is set to sound if a blind bear appears.”

The blind bear was one of the large beasts native to Furon, born with eyelids that covered more than half of its eyes by nature.

Unable to rely on its sight, it grasped everything through sound, and when an enemy appeared, it moved swiftly and crushed its target with its enormous paws.

“As long as the children do not come across a bear……”

Before Crown Prince Montague could finish speaking, a loud alarm blared and a large mirror appeared.

“This is an emergency! A blind bear has entered the maze!”

The mirror was set to show the blind bear’s current location.

“No!”

Reflected in it were the children of the Sepaia group.

“Careful!”

Selina leaped to her feet from where she had been watching the mirror.

A firm promise had been made that the Emperor and Empress would not attend the event together, but they were each watching the children in their own way.

Selina and Zenus were watching together, particularly for Heimdall and Angela, who were attending a diplomatic event outside the Empire for the very first time.

“We need to go, Pluto!”

“Your Majesty the Empress, Pluto is not here.”

Zenus hurried to calm Selina, who had been so flustered she momentarily forgot Pluto was with the children.

“Pluto is with them there, so the children will be fine.”

“But right now the blind bear is……”

“They will be fine, they will be fine. They are our children. Heimdall will surely protect Angela and the others.”

Trembling in Zenus’s arms, Selina pulled back at those words and asked, “Heimdall is only five. And you are saying he can beat a bear like that?”

Zenus replied as though he could not understand why she was asking.

“Have I not said it. Our son is a genius.”

Taking in such an enormous piece of information, Selina blinked and tried to make sense of the situation.

“Look, our children are going to do something truly remarkable at this event.”

Selina looked back at the magic mirror, almost in a daze.

❀❀❀

“Wh, how does this make any sense!”

Callex clung to the blind bear’s fur with all his might and cried out.

His eyes looked as though they might be slightly wet at the corners.

“Hold your head higher!”

The one sitting between the blind bear’s two ears, gripping them, was the youngest of them all, Angela.

“Angela is truly amazing!”

“Hold on tight, Your Highness. If you fall, it will be terrible.”

“It is not moving right now, so it is fine, Your Highness.”

She said it with confidence, but Olga was still young too.

Her arms gave out for a moment and she slipped, and Heimdall caught her and pulled her straight back up.

“I told you someone would fall. Angela, you have seen enough, now make the bear lie down. Everyone is going to fall off and get hurt at this rate.”

Heimdall was clinging on desperately himself, so he did not notice Olga turning red beside him.

“Okay, I saw evewything. Thank you, thank you. Now take us over there.”

The blind bear seemed to understand Angela’s words and adjusted its posture so she could settle carefully onto its back.

“Is evewyone sitting nicely?”

“Yes, Angela. Ready.”

“Is Cawex Your Highness sitting nicely too?”

“Yes, it is Callex, not Cawex. Just get going. After all this, we cannot afford to be late.”

Just moments ago when they had come face to face with the blind bear, Callex had thought this was where it ended for him.

The ferocious roaring had been so terrifying that tears had actually squeezed out, but Angela had cried out in delight.

“Bear, bear! Help us a little!”

“Your Highness Princess Angela, you must not. That bear follows sound. And it runs incredibly fast too……”

Before Olga could finish, the bear came charging toward the children at speed.

“No!”

Heimdall and Angela stepped in front of the screaming Olga.

(“Stop!”)

Heimdall shouted in the dragon tongue, and the bear slowed down and stood before them as though nothing had happened.

Angela stepped forward, placed her hand on the bear’s front paw, and said, “Will you listen to me?”

That was when it began.

The blind bear became as gentle as a bear Angela had raised herself.

Watching Angela’s mysterious ability in amazement, Princess Olga immediately said she wanted to speak informally with Angela.

Angela said she was happy to have a good older sister and gave Olga permission to speak informally.

It did not end there.

Angela suggested they ride the bear to move around.

It was the best option for moving quickly.

To compete against the Crown Princes of other groups who could ride horses, riding around on a bear the size of a house was the least they could do.

The bear carrying the children soon passed the other groups without a care in the world.

“So the one up there is……”

“My younger sister Olga?”

Hearing that voice, Olga called out loudly.

“Brother! I am safe, so please do not worry! First place is ours!”

Her voice was brimming with excitement, and both Montague and William could only laugh helplessly.

“We let our guard down and got beaten by the children’s group.”

“We must not underestimate the young going forward.”

“I never expected the youngest siblings from Sepaia to put on a performance like this.”

The children riding the blind bear passed the other Crown Prince groups without a care and crossed the finish line.

“This concludes today’s event. We will now present the award to the first-place group. Sepaia group, please come forward.”

Callex, Olga, Heimdall, and Angela climbed up onto the high platform.

Callex went up first and lifted Angela up, and Angela whispered in his ear.

“Your brother is watching from down there. Stop just following behind him from now on.”

What did a little kid know, going on like that.

Just barely past the baby stage.

He wanted to fire back with at least one cutting remark, but something seemed stuck in his throat and the words would not come.

“There is only one prize. Who should receive it? Would Your Highness Prince Callex accept it as the representative?”

When Olga’s older sister, a princess of Furon, asked, Callex shook his head.

“We won thanks to Her Highness Princess Angela of Sepaia, so please give it to Her Highness Princess Angela.”

“Yes, that is right, we won because of Angela.”

Olga smiled brightly and brought Angela forward.

Angela’s eyes as she looked at the gleaming jewel shone just as brilliantly as the jewel itself.

“Thank you.”

Everyone gathered there acknowledged Angela and gave her a round of applause.

“Is there a special method by which you educated the princess?”

“It appears Her Highness the Princess was communicating with the animal. Is that also one of Sepaia’s famous dragon’s powers?”

Valerie and Pluto weaved through the people pelting them with questions and looked after Heimdall and Angela.

“Now change your clothes, go to the final banquet, and tomorrow we board the ship and go home.”

Back in the room, Valerie was relieved that an event that could easily have turned into a disaster had concluded safely.

She had barely caught her breath when Selina and Zenus came through on the communication device looking for Valerie and Pluto, and the two of them handed the children off to the attendants and moved to another spot.

“Brother, why can’t people talk to animals?”

“Not being able to talk to them is the normal thing.”

“Then what about me? You can do it too, Brother.”

“I can speak the dragon tongue, but I cannot connect with every animal the way you do, heart to heart.”

“I see.”

“Do you not like talking to animals?”

“No, I like it.”

Heimdall patted his smiling younger sister on the head and said, “Right, our family are all people with power, they said. Today you used your own power to save Prince Callex and Princess Olga. You saved me too.”

“That’s right, I’m amazing.”

“That is something you keep to yourself, though.”

“You’re right, people don’t like it when you say that.”

“Who told you that?”

“The wolf who lives in the mountains at Grandpa’s house.”

“Smart wolf. Introduce me next time.”

“Only if you don’t bring your sword. He’s my friend.”

“Understood. I will leave the sword behind.”

The siblings chatted back and forth and gradually drifted off to sleep leaning against the sofa.

“Okay, are you all ready to……”

“Shh, Valerie. Look over there.”

Seeing the siblings leaning against each other’s shoulders, breathing steadily, it was easy to imagine how exhausted they must have been today.

“They are still children, after all.”

“The highlight of any event is the party at the end, and they are missing it. They will regret it later.”

“Is it not a little mean to go and enjoy it without them?”

“Valerie, you are the one who does not want to go to the party and is using the children as an excuse. That’s what’s mean.”

At Pluto’s words, Valerie laughed and said, “So will you come have dinner with me or not? I hear there is a place nearby with a truly beautiful night view.”

“Why are you even asking? Come on.”

The two siblings had already opened their eyes and were quietly watching from behind as Pluto offered his elbow and Valerie slipped her arm through it.

Heimdall gave Angela a look that said do not laugh, but Angela could not hold back and let out a small laugh.

“You two were not asleep!”

The two who had been about to walk out turned back and came over to the children and started tickling them.

Happy laughter spread through the Sepaia guests’ room.

They had no idea there were people waiting at the banquet hall, curious about what the two siblings were doing and hoping to exchange even a few words with them.

❀❀❀

“Safe travels.”

Princess Olga had come to see the Sepaia delegation off on their return journey and said it shyly.

“Would it be all right if I requested a visit to Sepaia?”

“Sepaia and Furon have always had a great deal of exchange. You are welcome any time, Your Highness.”

Valerie answered cheerfully, but Olga’s eyes were fixed on Heimdall and showed no sign of moving.

To express her feelings so plainly at such a young age.

Pluto watched in quiet admiration, then tapped Heimdall on the shoulder.

(“At least take her hand once.”)

Heimdall’s expression said he had no idea why he should, but he went over to Olga and offered a handshake.

“This event was enjoyable. Let us meet again.”

Olga held that small but firm hand for a brief moment, then covered her face and walked away in embarrassment.

“Hey, little brat.”

Prince Callex had broken away from the Autumn delegation, who were at the dock boarding their own ship, and came over to speak.

“Why did you two not come to the party yesterday?”

“Because it was time to sleep.”

“What kind of reason is that, it was a diplomatic event.”

“Even at a diplomatic event, you sleep when it is time to sleep. That is how you grow tall.”

Heimdall had indeed grown so fast that the height difference between him and Callex was not very large.

“What did you say?”

“Ah, Your Highness Prince Callex, may I offer you a piece of advice?”

Heimdall said it with a sideways smile.

“Angela likes tall people. She said she likes someone as tall as Father.”

“Wh, what does that have to do with me? What kind of advice is that!”

Leaving the flustered Callex behind, Heimdall boarded the ship.

“And Angela?”

“She was asleep, so the nanny carried her on board.”

“Then we can depart.”

The departure signal sounded shortly after.

Watching the port of Furon grow distant, Heimdall thought to himself that he would never forget this first diplomatic event shared with Angela.

❀❀❀

“Ha, so that is what happened.”

After the diplomatic event ended and the party returned safely, Selina and Zenus took the siblings to Justia.

It was to leave the children with their grandfather Philip.

While Zenus was playing with the children, Selina took the opportunity to tell Philip about what had happened at the recent diplomatic event and ask him what had gone on.

“I had no idea the children had abilities like that. When I asked, they said they learned everything in Justia.”

“It’s not so surprising. Spending time with the children in the grand ducal castle is good, but there is always more to learn from nature. So I took the children into the forest.”

The forest close to the grand ducal castle was home to a variety of plants and animals, making it a perfect place for the children’s education.

And ever since Philip had come to stay in this territory, both the plants and the animals had been thriving and growing with remarkable vitality.

“I mainly taught them what they could do when left alone in the forest. How to tell a safe place from a dangerous one. And how to find their way out if they got lost. They should know that well by now.”

“Even so, the children are still so young……”

“Selina, do you know when Zenus first went to a battlefield?”

There was no way she could not know.

He had lost his mother at a young age, inherited her power, and gone to his first battlefield before he even turned ten.

“Of course, the world is different now. An era has come where they do not have to experience war the way we did. I am deeply grateful to you and Zenus for that. I believe this is the right kind of change.”

“Father.”

“Even so, one must not grow so comfortable that the knowledge of how to survive is forgotten. We cannot always be there to protect those children. We need to give them strong roots so they can stand on their own at any time.”

Philip’s words were right.

A ceasefire agreement had been reached, but being born into the imperial family meant their children’s safety could never be perfectly guaranteed.

The former Emperor’s children were still out there, and factions trying to pit the close-knit siblings against each other for the position of heir were beginning to appear one by one.

Selina unconsciously looked toward where Angela was.

She could see that tiny mouth stretched wide, laughing brightly over whatever she was talking about with Heimdall and Zenus.

“The children inheriting the power from you and Zenus will likely be far in the future. In the meantime, many younger siblings will be born to them.”

At those words, Selina lowered her head with a slight flush.

“I believe the children should be taught to be strong older brothers and sisters for those younger siblings.”

“You are right, Father.”

Nodding at Philip’s words, Selina’s eyes went wide with a thought that suddenly came to her.

“But Father, Heimdall and Angela have not yet inherited the dragon’s abilities. Then the abilities those children have……”

“Could it not be innate talent?”

Philip shrugged as though he had no idea.

“There will be more things for you to attend to going forward, but do not worry too much. I will be here, and Zenus will be here too.”

“Father, thank you so very much.”

Selina bowed her head in gratitude at Philip’s warm words.

“I am the one who should be saying thank you. Because of the dragon’s power, I lost my wife and nearly lost my child too. You came, my precious daughter-in-law, and because of that I have been able to see my son build a family and live happily.”

Even until the moment he had opened the imperial palace gates and collapsed during the civil war, Philip had never imagined such happiness would come.

“I am reminded of the bet we made back then.”

“My, Father. You still remembered that?”

Philip had been the one to say that if Selina tried living married to Zenus for just one year and still wanted a divorce after that, he would give her the prime land of Justia.

“Even without Father making that bet, I would have married Selina one way or another.”

Zenus joined in and said.

“And after one year, and after two years, I would have made her happy at my side. Just like now.”

Would we have been the same if we had met ordinarily, without a civil war or a marriage contract.

Selina thought about it briefly and nodded.

“Yes, I think I would have ended up marrying Zenus too. Though I never imagined a conclusion where we would become the Emperor and Empress of an empire like this.”

Selina smiled, thinking of Zenus’s warm eyes that had looked at her in her moments of crisis.

“I was frightened and hid, but in the end, was I not also struck at first sight?”

Philip was hesitating over whether he should excuse himself, sensing that Selina and Zenus were about to drift into a world of their own.

“Mother!”

The two children came running toward Selina.

They clung to the hem of her dress and asked, “We can stay for a whole month this time, right?”

“Can we go to the beach every day and splash around?”

Zenus gave Selina a discreet look.

It seemed he wanted to leave the children in Justia for a good while and have some time alone with her again.

“If you listen well to Grandfather and do not neglect your lessons, then yes.”

“Yes, we promise.”

Watching Heimdall and Angela speak in unison and smile brightly, Selina felt that this was what happiness was.

Philip watched the family holding each other and laughing happily and thought to himself.

With a family this full of love, the Empire’s future would be bright.

“Gwandpa, look at this!”

Whether Angela had completely forgotten Selina’s words about it being a precious treasure that needed to be kept safely, she brought the blue jewel she had received as her prize that day and showed it to her grandfather.

“Oh, what a splendid jewel. But is our Angela not still a little young for this?”

“No I’m not. Cawex said to give it to me. He said I saved evewyone by talking to the bear. He said I did the best.”

“Callex is an imperial prince of Autumn. He is only ten, but he acts like he has grown up all on his own.”

Philip nodded at Heimdall’s added explanation.

“But I like Cawex. His eyes are the same color as this.”

“Now that I think about it, Callex’s eyes were blue.”

Zenus had gone completely rigid upon hearing Angela’s confession, standing there in shock.

“Please breathe, Your Majesty.”

Coming to his senses at last, Zenus said one thing.

“It seems I will need to go to war. How dare anyone try to take my treasure. The Autumn people truly cannot be trusted.”

“Father is right here. That is enough.”

Philip laughed loudly at his son’s utterly besotted behavior.

Happiness lived in that place overflowing with love.

〈The Grand Duke is Obsessed with the Fake Villainess — Side Stories, Complete〉