At that moment, the maids from the Duke’s manor were marveling greatly at the palace’s astonishing grandeur.

Mei Li, too, upon entering the room she would use, could truly feel how each of them had arrived at the palace in awe.

“We really did it! We’ve come to the palace!”

“Never in my life did I think I’d end up in a palace!”

At least Andrea, the head maid, remained composed.

“The high ceilings make it look even more majestic, so stop making such a fuss. Your job is to polish and scrub the palace until it gleams every day, for the dignity of His Grace and Her Ladyship. If you slack off even a little, you’ll be dismissed immediately. Understood?”

The maids, who had been wildly excited, quickly calmed down under Andrea’s disciplined reprimand.

“Sorry, Head Maid.”

“We’ll keep it in mind, Head Maid.”

Meanwhile, Durion, who had lost the top-floor room to Vika Lamberst, was grumbling about how much more comfortable the Duke’s manor was.

“This place is really inconvenient.”

“I find you inconvenient. Can you please stop grumbling in my room and go to your own?”

“Don’t you think the Duke’s manor is more comfortable too?”

“No. This place has so many spirit traps—it’s much more convenient. I should’ve lived here ages ago. Of course, with so many attendants, the traps get replaced daily. Now I understand why everyone wants to come to the palace.”

“You love devouring spirits. You look absolutely monstrous when you do that.”

“It’s not that I love it—it’s just easier to eliminate them that way. You fool.”

“Was that it?”

“Yes.”

Durion flopped onto Vika’s bed as if he didn’t care anymore. But Vika was not one to tolerate Durion’s antics so easily.

“Where are you lying?! Get down right now?!”

“Can’t I just stay here and live with you?”

That statement alone was enough to give Vika a seizure. Vika trembled as if he’d heard something impossible.

“A, are you insane?! I’m leaving soon anyway—then you can have this room, right?!”

Durion, who had been lounging peacefully, suddenly shot upright.

“You’re leaving?!”

“Yes.”

“When are you leaving?”

“I was told I can leave once the King becomes accustomed to palace life.”

“Ah….”

Vika found Durion’s unusually knowing tone irritating.

“What’s with that tone?”

“Think about it, young master. Or rather, when His Majesty becomes accustomed to palace life, how old will he be then?”

“How old? We’ll be assisting him beside him—it’ll be quick. At least by next year, right?”

“No, it won’t.”

“Why not?”

“How old is His Majesty? He’s only ten—still seven years away from adulthood. He won’t seem properly grown until at least fifteen. It’ll be hard to say he’s adapted to palace life before then.”

Vika had a bad feeling.

“Th, then….”

“It’ll take at least five years for His Majesty to stabilize state affairs.”

“Sikar Blake! You tricked me again!”

“What? Vika. You always call me an idiot, yet you’re even more foolish than me. Can a 140-year-old really not foresee the future?”

“How am I supposed to know human customs?!”

“Just stick to the original plan: when the curse breaks, we’ll break the oath.”

Vika clutched his head, thinking of Sikar.

“You damn Duke!”

“If you listen to me well, I might speak nicely to His Grace for you.”

“Your words? What words?”

“First, surrender this room to me. Then I’ll speak well for you.”

Vika wasn’t as foolish as Durion thought.

“So, you’re saying… you made up that nonsense just to steal this room and manipulate me? Are you treating me like an idiot, Durion?”

Spirits began to gather ominously around Vika, and Durion jumped up in alarm.

“Vika! This isn’t the time for that. You have to report on today’s cabinet meeting! I’ll take my leave now.”

The moment Durion slipped out of the room, Vika, brimming with dark energy, followed after him.

Napping nestled against Sikar was astonishingly comfortable.

The midday nap was endlessly sweet, and we were intoxicated by its sugary warmth.

Then, suddenly, I jolted awake in alarm.

“Mother!!!”

It was because of that voice echoing from the hallway.

I reflexively sprang up, but Sikar was still sunk in peaceful slumber, so instinctively I shoved him off the bed.

There was a loud thud, but I didn’t care.

Kian was coming to this room!

“Hurry! Wake up! His Majesty is coming!”

I couldn’t let a child see us in such disarray, so I quickly tidied my own hair and also neatly combed Sikar’s as he struggled to sit up, holding his waist.

“How do I look?”

“Pretty.”

“No, not that. How do I look right now?!”

“Beautiful.”

Enough said.

I took a measured breath and opened the door before Kian arrived. There I saw Kian climbing up the stairs.

Kian spotted me, beamed, and ran toward me.

“Mother!”

“Welcome, Your Majesty!”

We embraced deeply, and Sikar came over to join in hugging Kian.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Mother, I missed you so much! I’ve waited so long for this day. Now I can see you every single day, right?”

“Of course.”

“Can I come greet you every morning and have breakfast with you every day?”

Kian looked toward Sikar as if asking permission, and Sikar nodded. Kian took a deep, big breath and hugged me tightly.

“Mother, now I can have breakfast with you every morning! I’m so happy!”

“I’m very happy too.”

Kian and I rubbed cheeks and exchanged cheek kisses.

Sikar, who had been watching us intently, awkwardly lowered his head and pressed his cheek against ours too.

“By the way, I noticed you’ve filled the entire garden with roses for me!”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Do you like it?”

“How could I not like it? You prepared it yourself, Your Majesty.”

“I’m so happy that you like it, Mother.”

Seeing Kian’s happy smile made me happy too.

“After eating, shall I show you around Your Majesty’s room?”

“I was just hoping to show you my room, Mother.”

I’d never seen Kian say anything casually to me before. As expected, this time was no different.

After the meal, Kian eagerly showed me his room as if he’d been waiting for this moment.

In Kian’s room, the dreamcatcher Sikar had made long ago, the paper crane we folded together, and dried rosemary and roses remained right beside the bed.

Everything else looked lovely, but the dreamcatcher hanging above the bed especially worried me—perhaps he still occasionally had nightmares.

“You’re not still having nightmares these days, are you?”

Kian glanced at Sikar, cleared his throat softly, and replied to me.

“This is a gift from Father—I’m just keeping it like this, Mother.”

I couldn’t help but be deeply moved. Even after entering the palace, he still cherished everything we’d shared together.

“I liked my room at the Duke’s manor better. This room is too big and empty. Still, I endure by remembering the times I fell asleep beside you every day.”

I wanted to plop my bottom onto Kian’s bed, but now that he was King, I couldn’t do that.

We all sat side by side on the sofa in Kian’s room, and Reidox personally brought us milk tea.

“Oh, Lord Reidox.”

Reidox smiled calmly and said,

“The Palace Chief Minister is away dealing with entry matters. Please enjoy your time.”

According to Sikar, since there are still few people inside the palace we can fully trust, Vika handles all personal attendances—or if Vika is absent, Chancellor Reidox steps in.

Also, Jeremi and Roen are handling all minor palace affairs. Everyone is so busy it’s hard to see their faces.

That’s why Vika has lately been constantly muttering, “To think I’m over 140 and still serving a human child…” Yet, in front of Kian, he strictly adheres to human world social hierarchies.

Of course, he has no choice—the terrifying power of the oath compels him.

I sipped the milk tea Reidox handed me and looked at Kian.

“How was the royal council? Are you getting used to it?”

“I had many discussions with my teacher before, and they’re proving very helpful. It seems my teacher anticipated this day and gave me many simulated exercises.”

“What was discussed in today’s royal council?”

“They said it hasn’t rained in Ri Hart since last year, so we discussed when to hold a rainmaking ritual there. Ah, and someone in Blake—a commoner—owns a mansion, so we spent the most time debating whether a commoner, just because they’re wealthy, should be allowed to own a mansion like a noble. And…”

Kian stopped there, glanced shyly at Sikar, and scratched his cheek.

“What’s wrong? Tell me.”

“Well… um…”

Sikar looked at Kian as if wondering why he couldn’t say it, then sighed and spoke for him.

“The matter of His Majesty’s engagement became the main issue.”

Kian lowered his head so deeply his ears turned red.

I found Kian so adorable I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t.

Ah, so that’s why he couldn’t say it. He’s too cute. What should I do?

I barely suppressed my laughter and smiled at Kian.

“It’s about time His Majesty started meeting young ladies.”

Of course, I didn’t mean it sincerely. I only said it because, even for a prince, ten is the age to acquire a fiancée—and for a King, marriage wouldn’t be unusual at all.

But for Kian, raised in the Saga household, it was a shocking surprise. Kian waved his hands frantically, face flushed.

“No, no! Mother! The only woman I know is you! Really!”

Which made him even cuter.

I suppressed the urge to cry from overwhelming cuteness and said,

“I know. But, given your position as King, you must hasten your marriage. To do that, you must get engaged soon.”

And, of course, you’ll be irresistibly drawn to the heroine, Lucy. It’ll probably be decided on Lucy.

“So what happened? Was a fiancée candidate chosen?”

“A few names came up… but Lucy wasn’t among them.”

Was he disappointed Lucy wasn’t there? But if I said that directly, he’d surely deny it. So I subtly asked,

“Why wasn’t Lucy included? Her spirited and resolute demeanor seems overflowing with queenly qualities.”

Kian seemed quite pleased with my words—he brightened, eyes wide open.

“Right? Mother? I also think no one suits that position as much as Lucy. Lucy may seem fierce, but that’s all charisma. It’s rare for a young girl to have such charisma, isn’t it?”

As expected. Kian didn’t even notice the other candidates—he only saw Lucy.

Of course—she’s the heroine, after all.

“Lord Duke, what do you think?”

“What are you referring to?”

“What if we include Lucy among His Majesty’s fiancée candidates?”

Sikar surely knew exactly why I was asking this.

Perhaps that’s why he smiled faintly at me and replied,

“I was already planning to do that, my lady.”

“That’s a wise decision, Lord Duke.”

Kian’s face was still red, but he was clearly pleased—he gave a small smile.

“Your Majesty, do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“That we promised to go to the beach together when summer comes?”

“Yes, Mother. We used to say we’d go together when Father returned from campaign.”

“This time, let’s definitely go together—with Your Majesty’s fiancée.”

“Are we really going this time? Can we go?”

Sikar, as if remembering now too, made a dazed expression, then smiled.

“This time, we’ll definitely go. Even if a typhoon hits, we’ll go without fail.”

“Wow. Lucy said she’s never swum before—it’ll be so much fun.”

Kian stopped there, as if realizing his mistake, and closed his mouth.

Ah, so he’s openly confessing he wants to welcome Lucy as his bride.

How adorable—even this expression made Sikar and me burst into laughter.

Of course, Kian’s face turned crimson again.