"Your highness…"

I don't know how long we were locked together, but when we separated, my lip was slightly numb. We released each other. I looked at Lucia who wouldn't raise her head due to embarra.s.sment. I smiled and pulled her tightly into my arms. Lucia let herself fall into my embrace. Her hands moved from my back to my chest. She grabbed my clothes and spoke with a coa.r.s.e voice: "Your highness… I was so scared… I was scared… I was scared… I was scared I wouldn't see you again…"

"I know, I know. I was scared too… I too was scared I wouldn't ever see you again…."

I hugged the young girl in my arms tightly. My voice was coa.r.s.e too. I was truly afraid. I was truly scared when I was leaning against the stone wall. I wasn't afraid of death. I was afraid I'd never see Lucia again. Lucia suffered so much after I got wounded. She shouldered such a heavy responsibility with her small and thin body.

I partic.i.p.ated in the deer hunting festival to marry her. I wanted to give her a wedding ceremony where she would get to marry a hero. But now I must absolutely give her a wedding ceremony. It doesn't need to be heroic or anything. It doesn't matter how many people give us their blessings, and it doesn't matter if they are supportive of it or not. From the moment Lucia put me on her back, I swore that I had to be together with her.

She truly loves me. She loves me so much she wouldn't abandon me. I must be without a conscience to betray her love. I witnessed how deep and persistent her love was. I managed to earn the most beautiful love during the deer hunting ceremony.

Lucia nodded while in my embrace and she tightened her grip on my chest. She leaned on me and in a coa.r.s.e tone said: "Your highness… Sorry… S-… Sorry… It was all my fault… It was all my fault… I let you suffer so much… Sorry… Sorry… I didn't protect you properly… Sorry…."

She grabbed me tightly. It seemed like she could no longer hold her sobs in. I shook my head, hugged her tighter, and said: "No, it's fine, Lucia… It wasn't your fault… To the contrary, you showed me your love for me, and you showed me your loyalty. You carried me on your back for thousands of yards. That's when I swore that I would accompany you for my entire life. When the day comes where you can't walk, I'll carry you as we continue to walk."

"Your highness… Your highness… Your highness…."

Lucia cried loudly in my arms. She hugged me tightly. Her cries travelled through my chest and into my heart, and then spreading to my entire body. I was free of any thoughts in that moment. I just wanted to hold the girl in my arms tightly until my days were numbered. I'm willing to go to h.e.l.l as long as Lucia is with me.

I gently cupped Lucia's face in my hands, wiped the tears on her face, kissed her on her forehead and said: "Lucia… Lucia… Let's get married."

Lucia opened her eyes, looked at me with her teary puppy eyes while sobbing and asked: "C-Can I…?"

I gripped her face tighter and resolutely said: "It must be you, Lucia… Only you, Lucia… I don't want anyone else if it's not you… So, Lucia… Will you marry me?"

"Your highness… Yes… I will!!!"

Lucia hugged me with all her might, almost pus.h.i.+ng me off the bed. She hugged me around my waist and was making a noise that I couldn't discern if it was laughter or crying. I hugged her back and stroked her head, my fiancée's head, and my soon-to-be wife's head. She cried in my arms, smiled and then wiped away her tears.

"Your highness… I want… I want about three kids… and… and… I'll be a good mother… I'll learn culinary skills and I'll learn to dance. I'll become an outstanding queen… Your highness… I love you… I really love you… Please allow this incompetent elf to always stay by your side."

I smiled as I looked at the pet.i.te physique in my arms and said: "Uhm… Uhm! I will always love you too. Lucia… I won't betray you… I will never betray you… Let's stay together forever!"

Lucia raised her head and looked at me with embarra.s.sment. She straightened her back up and kissed me with her cherry blossom-like lips. We closed our eyes at the same time and intertwined our fingers. We felt each other's warmth and heart beat as we kissed each other, whom we loved most.

"Your highness! Your highness! Calm down! You must calm down! It is a matter between the two kids! A couple's matter. Do not get involved. Do not get involved your highness!"

Vyvyan huffed and puffed. Lucia's father held her back by her arm. She desperately twisted and turned her body, trying to barge into the room. Her blue eyes were replaced with her red eyes. She stared intensely at the happy face resting in the prince's arms. Her eyes were filled with jealousy and malicious will along with hatred and tears. If she weren't biting her handkerchief, you could probably hear shrieks right now.

My son! He's my son! That's my son!! This won't do! Get away from my son, you b.i.t.c.h! My son's embrace is mine! I'm the only one who can be my son's woman! Who the h.e.l.l are you?! You've only been by my son's side for a few years while I've always been there by his side!! Let go of my son! How dare you seduce my son!

My son… Another woman is lying in my son's embrace… I can't hug my son whenever I want from now… It's too soon!! I haven't hugged him enough! I haven't kissed him enough! My son who could only sleep if he slept with me now wants to get married… Don't! Don't! Mommy is suffering… It's too soon! It's too soon! Wait another century before getting married…

The love between the two in the room slowly became warmer. Outside of their hearts filled with bliss was a mother's heart that was suffering from the pain of being abandoned…

A servant came in in the evening. When she saw Lucia and I rolling around in the sheets, she awkwardly said: "Your highness.. Umm… Sorry for interrupting you… Her highness is looking for you. Please go see her."

We were just rolling around in the sheets! We honestly were just rolling around in the sheets! We hadn't even changed yet!

I reluctantly let go of Lucia and sat up. I felt like we were in the pa.s.sionate phase of our love. We feel on edge even if it's just one hour away from each other. Lucia looked at me sort of unhappily, pulled on the corner of my s.h.i.+rt and quietly asked: "Do you have to go, your highness…?"

I held Lucia's hand, reluctant to leave, and then kissed her on her lips and said: "Yeah… Mom's calling, so I have to go."

Lucia smiled and said: "Uhm… I'll wait for you, your highness."

I kissed Lucia on her forehead again before turning around and leaving, and heading to mom's room. Mom wore her emerald green negligee and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at me with a hint of dissatisfaction. I paused, not knowing what I did wrong. I looked at mom and cautiously asked: "Mom, did I do something wrong?"

"No."

Mom then folded her arms and turned her head away unhappily and pouted: "Is Lucia regaining conscious such a big deal that you even skipped dinner? Mommy prepared dinner and waited for you, but you didn't even come. You hurt mommy, you know? You can't ignore mommy just because you have Lucia. You promised you wouldn't leave mommy…"

"I Just skipped dinner, big deal… Mom, don't be angry!"

I looked at mom's blue eyes and quickly begged for forgiveness. Mom looked back at me and sighed. She then opened her arms and said: "Come, let mommy hug you."

I walked over and mom hugged me. She then sighed and said: "You're mommy's son… Mommy doesn't want to let you leave… Mommy can prepare your wedding ceremony. However, you must sleep with mommy before preparations are complete."

"Mom!"

"This is an order!"

Mom pulled me tightly into her embrace. She then pouted her lips and said: "Mommy only has a short amount of time left with you, son, so how can I waste it? You must sleep with mommy before you get married. This is mommy's bottom line. Otherwise, mommy won't agree to your wedding!"

"We need Lucia to agree, don't we?!"

"She must agree. I'm the ruler of elves!"

Mom, could you please use your power as a ruler in appropriate situations?! I didn't dare to resist… G.o.d knows if mom will get angry over this and lose it again… I sighed. I looked at my own room, reluctant to leave it. Sorry, Lucia… Let's put up with it until we get married….

1 Bonus Son-con Chapter

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