"Lucia, Lucia."

Lucia and I hugged. Meeting each other after not seeing each other for a few days excited us like we were reincarnated. Lucia smiled cheerfully, she s.h.i.+fted about in my arms and said: "Your highness, we finally have time today… I thought I wouldn't get to see you before I left."

I gave Lucia a kiss on her forehead and then blushed as I said: "No way. If that were the case, I'd follow you to the North."

"Don't worry about it then. The North is no fun at all. Her highness said that I could return after a few months. There won't be a problem since you'll have to go to humanity next month anyway. My wedding dress should be ready at the end of these two months, and you'll finally get to see how I look in my wedding dress, your highness!"

Lucia wrapped her arm around mine and the two of us left the palace. When the gate sentries saw us, they smiled and said: "Congratulations, your highness. Congratulations, Miss Lucia. We wish you eternal happiness."

"Thank you."

Lucia thanked them with a smile while I gave them a nod and then we left together. We only had one hour. Only one hour before we had to part. I don't know how beautiful and short this one hour will be, but I was happy enough in the moment, because my love was by my side.

The palace…..

"Your highness, the gold mine district in the South has sent the gold mined this year to the capital. They sent the same amount as before. We think that it would be a good idea to make gold jewellery for Miss Lucia…. Your highness…. Your highness?"

"Ah… Oh… yeah."

Looking outside the window, the queen quickly returned to her senses and ma.s.saged her temples. The servant looked at her highness and hesitated before asking: "Are you not well, your highness?"

"No… I'm just…erm… I'm fine. Continue." Vyvyan's lips budged. She used her hand to cover her chest. She hesitated for a moment and decided against mentioning her thoughts. She then raised her head to look at the servant, smiled and then sat back down on the chair. She continued to listen to the servant recount the list of things to prepare for the upcoming wedding ceremony on the long leather parchment.

Vyvyan didn't hear even one-third of what was read out on the long leather parchment. She was in a very poor mood, or rather, a complex mood. Seeing her own son walk out so happily with Lucia with such a happy and blissful smile on his face gave her the impression that he had the entire world he wanted by his side.

Does her son reveal such a blissful smile when he's with her? He seemed to have had revealed such a smile when he was younger because she was his whole world back then. But she was no longer the only one he had by his side. Her son wouldn't be happy because of her. He gets his happiness from that woman, he cries for her, gets angry for her, and feels bliss with her.

She understood this very well, and she had persuaded herself. But why did she feel so angry when she saw him by that woman's side? She was furious, the same way she felt when her older brother stood by that woman's side back then……

Was her son becoming more and more like him because he was growing up? She still brooded on her brother's matter. Was that why she felt the same way towards her son as her brother? Did she love her son because she loved her brother? Is her yearning for her son just purely a desire to protect him or is she……

Vyvyan shook her head and stopped herself from thinking. She picked up the pen by her side and signed her name on the wedding ceremony preparations sheet. She then let out a long sigh and ma.s.saged her hair. She was feeling annoyed. She thought she didn't want to let her son go because of her desire to protect him, but it looks like her desire to keep him by her side was no longer just purely out of a desire to protect him.

"Your highness…"

Lucia crouched down and looked at the flower garden before her. She then gently touched the flowers with a look of sadness. I stood in front of Mera's place and looked at the place. I don't know how Lucia and I ended up here as we walked… The relaxing atmosphere between us just moments ago became heavy when we saw Mera's dwelling.

I don't know how we ended up here. However, Lucia and I always visited Mera when we went out. It was like it had become a habit. We habitually went to see Mera even though she was no longer here.

Lucia looked at Mera's residence and bit her lip. She looked at me and asked: "Your highness, do you hate Mera?"

I shook my head and said: "No. Rather than say I hate her, it'd be more correct to say that I pity her."

Lucia walked up to my side, looked into my eyes with a serious look and asked: "Do you regret it then, your highness?"

I looked back into Lucia's eyes and subconsciously clenched my fists. I looked at Mera's flowers and resolutely said: "I don't, and I can't. If I forgive Mera, you'll be in danger and so will everyone else around me. I'm the prince of a nation. I know that there are many people who want to harm me. So for your sake, for mom's sake and for the sake of those around me, I must become steadfast. I don't know archery, and I don't know swordsmans.h.i.+p. As powerless as I am, the only thing I have is determination."

Lucia looked at my face, smiled and hugged me around my waist. She rested her head on my chest feeling relieved. She then softly said: "Your highness, we are your strength. No matter what it is you need, no matter where it is you go, I will follow you. I am your strength."

"Thank you, Lucia. With you by my side, I can feel at ease. Honest."

I hugged Lucia tightly. The wind blew against us as though it were sending us its blessings. Mera's tender flowers danced with the wind like it was celebrating our meeting and falling in love. Mera was right. I need both determination and strength. I had strength but lacked determination. I now have strength and have found the determination.

I'm still not a qualified prince, however, I want to become someone who can protect those beside me, and not let people go after my friends.

I'm not doing it for wealth or power. I just don't want another person by my side to become a sacrifice. I just want a peaceful and happy life.

That's probably contradictory. I have to shed blood for the happiness of those by my side. I'll have to draw my sword without hesitation in the future in order to protect those by my side.

Lucia popped her head out from behind, clasped my face and said with a smile: "Your highness, thank you for being able to love me. I believe that our future will be filled with bliss. I'm sure of it."

I held the soft body of the beauty in my arms, looked at her earnestly and said: "Yeah, we'll definitely be very happy. Lucia, I can wait. It's just a year. One year later, we'll be able to hold each other tightly, never letting go."

It's just one year. We could hold hands and go through life crises together, so one short year can't separate us. I'm still young. I still have time. I can wait for Lucia to return. I can wait until the days where we will be able to walk hand in hand together. I want to die in her arms even if I become a skeleton in the end.

"Uhm, I will. I will wait for that day. Your highness, we will be together forever, never parting. I won't betray you, your highness, so…so…"

"I won't betray you either, Lucia, I won't! I'll definitely always love you."

I hugged Lucia tightly. Lucia gently shut her eyes in my arms. With a blissful smile on her face, she slowly went up on her tippy-toes. I looked at my lover's beautiful face and smiled. I lowered my head and kissed her soft and warm lips….

1 Bonus Son-con Chapter

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