During the funeral, the Emperor shed tears. Although he was the Emperor, he was also a father with children, so it was inevitable that he would be emotional.
But that was all. There was no way to bring back a dead person, and the Emperor was a man who had once sent his beloved wife away.
“Your Majesty, isn’t it too early?”
The day after he returned from placing his son and his wife's coffins in the royal tomb, he called together the nobles of the capital and held a meeting. This was for the practical reason that he had to select a Crown Prince.
“Your Majesty, it must still be difficult for you. Wouldn’t it be better to give yourself some leeway?”
The nobles were the ones who were rather terrified. The change in attitude of the Emperor, who had been so sad that he had lost his child that he had shed tears, was actually a little creepy.
“Nothing can be considered before the safety of the country.”
But the Emperor was calm. Despite his tired and haggard face, his words were firm. He had no intention of backing down from his decision.
“The Second Prince, Eden, and the Third Prince, Damon. I plan to choose a Crown Prince between the two.”
Just like Aster, he could have met his end suddenly. If that were the case, Wyatt would have been even more confused. So it would have been better to have balanced things out in advance while he was still healthy.
“Have you made up your mind?”
Duke Lane asked cautiously.
“I can’t leave the future of the country solely to my opinion.”
“...”
“I would like to ask you for your opinion.”
It was an unexpected answer. Those who thought it would naturally point to Eden murmured. The Emperor calmly stared at the Duke of Lane and Count Oberon amidst the commotion. They showed no significant change in emotion.
“Who do you think is better suited to lead the country?”
Everyone was silent at the Emperor's question. They would all think of one person, but their answers would vary depending on their own interests.
“I would like to recommend His Highness the Third Prince.”
At that moment, Count Oberon broke the silence in the conference room. There was a hint of confidence in his smiling face.
“I support the Second Prince, His Highness the Grand Duke Burnett.”
Then, opinions began to pour in one after another. The Emperor watched the chaotic conference room with a blank expression.
'I don't want to be a Crown Prince.'
Thinking back to his arrogant second son who had said he didn't want to become Crown Prince.
But that was all. There was no way to bring back a dead person, and the Emperor was a man who had once sent his beloved wife away.
“Your Majesty, isn’t it too early?”
The day after he returned from placing his son and his wife's coffins in the royal tomb, he called together the nobles of the capital and held a meeting. This was for the practical reason that he had to select a Crown Prince.
“Your Majesty, it must still be difficult for you. Wouldn’t it be better to give yourself some leeway?”
The nobles were the ones who were rather terrified. The change in attitude of the Emperor, who had been so sad that he had lost his child that he had shed tears, was actually a little creepy.
“Nothing can be considered before the safety of the country.”
But the Emperor was calm. Despite his tired and haggard face, his words were firm. He had no intention of backing down from his decision.
“The Second Prince, Eden, and the Third Prince, Damon. I plan to choose a Crown Prince between the two.”
Just like Aster, he could have met his end suddenly. If that were the case, Wyatt would have been even more confused. So it would have been better to have balanced things out in advance while he was still healthy.
“Have you made up your mind?”
Duke Lane asked cautiously.
“I can’t leave the future of the country solely to my opinion.”
“...”
“I would like to ask you for your opinion.”
It was an unexpected answer. Those who thought it would naturally point to Eden murmured. The Emperor calmly stared at the Duke of Lane and Count Oberon amidst the commotion. They showed no significant change in emotion.
“Who do you think is better suited to lead the country?”
Everyone was silent at the Emperor's question. They would all think of one person, but their answers would vary depending on their own interests.
“I would like to recommend His Highness the Third Prince.”
At that moment, Count Oberon broke the silence in the conference room. There was a hint of confidence in his smiling face.
“I support the Second Prince, His Highness the Grand Duke Burnett.”
Then, opinions began to pour in one after another. The Emperor watched the chaotic conference room with a blank expression.
'I don't want to be a Crown Prince.'
Thinking back to his arrogant second son who had said he didn't want to become Crown Prince.
***
Even as the palace was in turmoil over who would be the next Crown Prince, the townhouse of Grand Duke Burnett was quiet. The large space, which seemed like a mansion rather than a townhouse, was settled in an uneasy silence.
“...”
Inside Cecilia's bedroom, Eden gently stroked the ends of Cecilia's hair, which was lightly laid on his upper body. He often rolled it up and down, acting as if he was playing a trick on her.
In fact, that behavior wasn't just meant as a joke. It was his desire to somehow continue contact. Cecilia's attitude at the funeral of the Crown Prince and his wife left a shock.
'If not you, who will become the Crown Prince?'
So, on the day that Aster's funeral was being concluded, when the Emperor brought up the subject of the Crown Prince, he had no choice but to firmly refuse.
'You're leaving this country to Damon? Are you in your right mind?'
'Damon is also Your Majesty's child and a member of the royal family with the right to the throne.'
The status of Emperor and Crown Prince cannot be maintained by a single person. That was the only thing he felt when he saw his father and older brother.
But what about himself now?
He was helplessly shaken by Cecilia's actions. That was something that would not change even if he became the Crown Prince. He could not be sure that he would properly take care of the affairs of the country since he would fall from heaven to hell at Cecilia's single word.
'Of course, I hate him, but he is my child. But I am talking about whether he is fit to be the Emperor.'
Even Eden couldn't answer there. Since he became an adult and left the palace, he didn't remember having a proper conversation with Damon. Even when they did meet, he was always seen as a rebel who opposed the Emperor's decisions, so there was no way he had any good memories.
'You're not sure either.'
'There might be a better side to Damon than we thought.'
But you never know what happens to people. It's one thing to be a son who speaks back to a father who favors his half-brother, and another thing to be a politician. The Emperor criticized him for not distinguishing between public and private affairs, but Eden believed it.
'What is the reason you don't want to become the Crown Prince?'
The Emperor asked with a tired face. Eden couldn't answer easily. He couldn't say it was because of Cecilia.
'I have no confidence.'
So Eden just made that excuse.
'Then let's do it like this.'
'...'
'Let's hold a competition for the Crown Prince's seat and test your skills.'
The Emperor guessed that it was Eden's lack of confidence, so he decided to have a competition for the Crown Prince's position, to test the two's abilities.
'I won't give you or Damon any clues. It's up to each of you to figure out how to solve it.'
It was a fair method. If more than half of the noble houses supported Damon, the Emperor would not make Eden the Crown Prince. So Eden could not refuse the Emperor's offer.
“...”
Eden buried his face deep in the nape of Cecilia's neck, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. Cecilia's unique scent, her soft skin, and even her warm body temperature. Everything about Cecilia made him feel at ease.
“Hmm.”
Even Cecilia, who had been anxious throughout the funeral and seemed to have lost her mind when they returned to the townhouse in his arms, was not like that.
'I need you, Cecilia.'
Eden remembered Cecilia, who had reluctantly opened her arms to him whenever he had clung to her for comfort over the past week.
From the time it rained so hard that he couldn't tell if it was day or night until today when the sky cleared and it was sunny, the woman who had been thinking of something else even though their skins were touching.
“Cecilia, my wife.”
Eden muttered Cecilia's name. Cecilia, who was tossing and turning as if she was about to wake up, still had her eyes closed.
“I'm okay.”
He wasn't stupid. He knew better than anyone that Cecilia might have liked him before, but not anymore. And that at some point she had been whispering lies about her love.
“As long as you are by my side.”
Since she didn't reveal her true feelings, he had no way of guessing what she was thinking. However, if she just stayed by his side, he was okay with it being a fake confession. There had to be a reason for him to do that.
Then, what Eden had to do was to find out why Cecilia had to stay and confess her love to him falsely. Instead of obsessing over why Cecilia's heart had changed or how she viewed him now.
“Everything is okay.”
Because it was something that had to be done so that she would have no choice but to be with him until the last moment. Of course, if Cecilia found out about those feelings, she would be horrified.
“Ugh...”
If we don't get caught, we'll never know.
Cecilia groaned softly as if she was uncomfortable with the strength holding her. Eden slightly relaxed the strength in his arms that were wrapping around her trembling body as if trying to escape from him. However, he did not let go.
“Are you awake?”
Cecilia blinked slowly at Eden's question. Her face still looked half-asleep. It was obvious that she was tired. Eden had never given Cecilia time to rest alone.
"Your Highness."
“I'm listening.”
“I want to rest.”
Cecilia begged softly. They spent almost a week locked up in the room like animals. It was Eden's wish, but unexpectedly, it saved Cecilia from despair.
As her memories became more and more caught up in the past, she felt like she was being dragged into the abyss. However, as she was held in Eden’s arms over and over again, her stamina began to decline, and she didn’t even have the energy left to recall the past.
Thanks to that, Liene come to her senses to some extent now, and she doesn't feel scared or uncomfortable about being face-to-face with him. But she's tired.
“I won’t bother you anymore.”
Eden smiled and answered as if he had read between the lines. Then he slightly adjusted Cecilia’s body and hugged her.
“So, just stay like this a little longer.”
“...”
“I still need your comfort.”
Eden spoke softly, rubbing his face against Cecilia's shoulder like a cat showing off. Cecilia was leaning her face against his chest.
“Cecilia.”
As she listened to his heartbeat, beating at a regular rhythm with an expressionless face, Eden affectionately called Cecilia's name.
"Yes."
Cecilia answered shortly without even raising her head.
"I like you."
“..."
“I love you very much.”
But, seemingly oblivious to such reactions, the man leaning against Cecilia whispered words of love.
“Suddenly?”
Eden's throat moved at Cecilia's question. He seemed to be smiling.
“Because the number of people I love in my world keeps decreasing.”
As if to answer Cecilia's question, he revealed the reason for his sudden confession.
“I didn’t want to hold back on my confession because I didn’t know when we might not meet again.”
“...”
“So, you?”
“Me too.”
Cecilia answered lukewarmly after a moment of hesitation.
It was fortunate that the face was not visible.
In fact, it was the same thing for both of them.
“...”
Inside Cecilia's bedroom, Eden gently stroked the ends of Cecilia's hair, which was lightly laid on his upper body. He often rolled it up and down, acting as if he was playing a trick on her.
In fact, that behavior wasn't just meant as a joke. It was his desire to somehow continue contact. Cecilia's attitude at the funeral of the Crown Prince and his wife left a shock.
'If not you, who will become the Crown Prince?'
So, on the day that Aster's funeral was being concluded, when the Emperor brought up the subject of the Crown Prince, he had no choice but to firmly refuse.
'You're leaving this country to Damon? Are you in your right mind?'
'Damon is also Your Majesty's child and a member of the royal family with the right to the throne.'
The status of Emperor and Crown Prince cannot be maintained by a single person. That was the only thing he felt when he saw his father and older brother.
But what about himself now?
He was helplessly shaken by Cecilia's actions. That was something that would not change even if he became the Crown Prince. He could not be sure that he would properly take care of the affairs of the country since he would fall from heaven to hell at Cecilia's single word.
'Of course, I hate him, but he is my child. But I am talking about whether he is fit to be the Emperor.'
Even Eden couldn't answer there. Since he became an adult and left the palace, he didn't remember having a proper conversation with Damon. Even when they did meet, he was always seen as a rebel who opposed the Emperor's decisions, so there was no way he had any good memories.
'You're not sure either.'
'There might be a better side to Damon than we thought.'
But you never know what happens to people. It's one thing to be a son who speaks back to a father who favors his half-brother, and another thing to be a politician. The Emperor criticized him for not distinguishing between public and private affairs, but Eden believed it.
'What is the reason you don't want to become the Crown Prince?'
The Emperor asked with a tired face. Eden couldn't answer easily. He couldn't say it was because of Cecilia.
'I have no confidence.'
So Eden just made that excuse.
'Then let's do it like this.'
'...'
'Let's hold a competition for the Crown Prince's seat and test your skills.'
The Emperor guessed that it was Eden's lack of confidence, so he decided to have a competition for the Crown Prince's position, to test the two's abilities.
'I won't give you or Damon any clues. It's up to each of you to figure out how to solve it.'
It was a fair method. If more than half of the noble houses supported Damon, the Emperor would not make Eden the Crown Prince. So Eden could not refuse the Emperor's offer.
“...”
Eden buried his face deep in the nape of Cecilia's neck, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. Cecilia's unique scent, her soft skin, and even her warm body temperature. Everything about Cecilia made him feel at ease.
“Hmm.”
Even Cecilia, who had been anxious throughout the funeral and seemed to have lost her mind when they returned to the townhouse in his arms, was not like that.
'I need you, Cecilia.'
Eden remembered Cecilia, who had reluctantly opened her arms to him whenever he had clung to her for comfort over the past week.
From the time it rained so hard that he couldn't tell if it was day or night until today when the sky cleared and it was sunny, the woman who had been thinking of something else even though their skins were touching.
“Cecilia, my wife.”
Eden muttered Cecilia's name. Cecilia, who was tossing and turning as if she was about to wake up, still had her eyes closed.
“I'm okay.”
He wasn't stupid. He knew better than anyone that Cecilia might have liked him before, but not anymore. And that at some point she had been whispering lies about her love.
“As long as you are by my side.”
Since she didn't reveal her true feelings, he had no way of guessing what she was thinking. However, if she just stayed by his side, he was okay with it being a fake confession. There had to be a reason for him to do that.
Then, what Eden had to do was to find out why Cecilia had to stay and confess her love to him falsely. Instead of obsessing over why Cecilia's heart had changed or how she viewed him now.
“Everything is okay.”
Because it was something that had to be done so that she would have no choice but to be with him until the last moment. Of course, if Cecilia found out about those feelings, she would be horrified.
“Ugh...”
If we don't get caught, we'll never know.
Cecilia groaned softly as if she was uncomfortable with the strength holding her. Eden slightly relaxed the strength in his arms that were wrapping around her trembling body as if trying to escape from him. However, he did not let go.
“Are you awake?”
Cecilia blinked slowly at Eden's question. Her face still looked half-asleep. It was obvious that she was tired. Eden had never given Cecilia time to rest alone.
"Your Highness."
“I'm listening.”
“I want to rest.”
Cecilia begged softly. They spent almost a week locked up in the room like animals. It was Eden's wish, but unexpectedly, it saved Cecilia from despair.
As her memories became more and more caught up in the past, she felt like she was being dragged into the abyss. However, as she was held in Eden’s arms over and over again, her stamina began to decline, and she didn’t even have the energy left to recall the past.
Thanks to that, Liene come to her senses to some extent now, and she doesn't feel scared or uncomfortable about being face-to-face with him. But she's tired.
“I won’t bother you anymore.”
Eden smiled and answered as if he had read between the lines. Then he slightly adjusted Cecilia’s body and hugged her.
“So, just stay like this a little longer.”
“...”
“I still need your comfort.”
Eden spoke softly, rubbing his face against Cecilia's shoulder like a cat showing off. Cecilia was leaning her face against his chest.
“Cecilia.”
As she listened to his heartbeat, beating at a regular rhythm with an expressionless face, Eden affectionately called Cecilia's name.
"Yes."
Cecilia answered shortly without even raising her head.
"I like you."
“..."
“I love you very much.”
But, seemingly oblivious to such reactions, the man leaning against Cecilia whispered words of love.
“Suddenly?”
Eden's throat moved at Cecilia's question. He seemed to be smiling.
“Because the number of people I love in my world keeps decreasing.”
As if to answer Cecilia's question, he revealed the reason for his sudden confession.
“I didn’t want to hold back on my confession because I didn’t know when we might not meet again.”
“...”
“So, you?”
“Me too.”
Cecilia answered lukewarmly after a moment of hesitation.
It was fortunate that the face was not visible.
In fact, it was the same thing for both of them.
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