“Damn it!”

A teacup was thrown roughly on the table. Fortunately, it didn’t break, but the tea splashed here and there.

Zenon, the caretay of the lily palace, quickly approached, removed the teacup and cleaned the table. In the meantime, Helios, the crown prince, who he served, stomped his feet to the window angrily.

Damn it. She’s the one again.

Looking out the window, he saw a woman with black hair walking leisurely. Hestia.

Helios wanted to tear his tight chest apart with his hands.

He already had a headache because of Madame Merope, but that black woman bothered it again and left.

Diana, Merope, and Hestia.

“Damn it…”

To be honest, he didn’t know who the anger was directed at. It could be directed at the sly Hestia, or it could be targeted at stubborn Merope and Diana.

Either that or you can’t do this or that in the middle.

“….”

Yeah, that’s the answer. He was so angry with himself that he couldn’t control himself.

And when it was so frustrating, his friend, who was like an alter ego, was always with him.

“Kael….”

Anger and sadness flared.

His friend, white with bitter eyes.

I missed you so much.

The friction between Diana and Madame Merope wasn’t that bad at first.

Diana invited fellow aristocrats to her first party, whom she became close to while dating Helios. At the time, Madame Merope fully reflected Diana’s intentions, leading to a tea party with the atmosphere she wanted.

The problem was after that. A large tea party attended by almost all noble ladies in the capital.

In fact, it was an event that Diana herself was not very happy with. The old ladies were always a thorny force for Diana, a hotbed of authoritarianism and luxury, which she morbidly disliked.

But if you can’t avoid it, you have to face it. Diana decided to turn the burdensome meeting place into a declaration of her faith.

Madame Merope vehemently opposed her intentions.

Merope’s idea was that the tea party should mean nothing more than a meeting. In addition, as Diana was the first royal family to serve powerful nobles, it was absolutely unacceptable to undermine their dignity.

And yet, in the end, the tea party went as Diana intended. Madame Merope was ashamed of herself and has since taken her hands off the main duties of the palace.

Merope had been protecting the palace even before Helios was born. As soon as Helios heard that Merope was so heartbroken that he went to her room with regret.

She grabbed Helios’ hand with tears in her eyes.

“I always pray to God that you will be a saint. God will take care of you without me.”

“What do you mean, without you!”

Helios was quite shocked.

Merope was like his aunt. Instead of the empress who passed away early, she was a person who took care of Helios until he grew up. She was always loyal to the imperial family and was proud of what she was doing.

When the dead Duke of Orcus reached out with darkness, Madame Merope was one of the few people in the palace whom the emperor and Helios trusted completely.

Helios tried to persuade her somehow, but it was not enough. Merope never budged.

She was a truly loyal person. Until the end, she did not blame Diana for leaving the palace.

“Ha….”

Helios unbuttoned a couple of shirts and buried himself in the sofa. But his heart was still stuffy.

“….”

Recently, it has become increasingly difficult to open up to Diana.

The fact that he loved her did not change. Diana’s smile and body temperature still heated up Helios.

However, the differences could not be narrowed on issues such as Kaelus and Madame Merope. Diana never compromised on what she believed was right.

Of course, Diana was right. In any way, Diana’s argument was more justifiable. Nevertheless, Helios was heartbroken. It would be nice if she would take a step in the framework of compassion and tolerance, not right or wrong, for once.

And Hestia pointed out this very point sharply.

She pointed to the phenomenon in which even the crown prince Helios failed to persuade Diana and repeatedly backed down, saying, ‘It’s a matter of authority within the palace.’

To be honest, he felt dirty. He could have just said once or twice that he had given way to Diana, but he couldn’t properly refute it as if he had been hit in the stomach.

In the realization that maybe it’s true.

“Diana….”

He didn’t like Hestia criticizing his wife on everything. It could be dismissed as deliberately nitpicking.

However, the words she threw meaningfully bothered him.

“Didn’t Diana say anything?”

“Diana had to tell me something…?”

Hestia was a very thoughtful person. She never threw words out casually.

Tied the emperor’s recovery and Diana together, suggesting that Diana was hiding something from Helios. In addition, that was the content of Hestia’s prophecy.

Diana’s secret. And the prophecy of Hestia.

“…”

But until this day, Diana treated him with a perfectly calm smile, without any sign of discomfort. Like there’s no secret she’s hiding.

“Damn it!”

He hated this situation of having to doubt his beloved wife. In addition, Hestia, who made him do this, was annoying.

Still, he must not avoid it. This reality that Helios is facing now was a significant event that depended on the health of the emperor and the survival of the country, beyond just emotional problems with his wife.

“…Zenon, where is Diana now?”

The servant, who stood by his master silently, immediately replied.

“She is meeting with the ministers of the temple in the drawing room. It’s been scheduled for a long time.”

“Yeah…?”

For some reason, I felt bitter.

Diana had strong colleagues who supported her beliefs. But what about him now?

“… Tell Diana. When the gentlemen go back, come to my room.”

“I see, Your Highness.”

The faithful Zenon took orders immediately.

“Heli.”

Diana appeared like a light flower. Helios greeted her with a smile.

“Did all the retainers go back?”

“Yes, but what’s the matter? I can’t believe you called me like this while you were at work.”

In fact, Diana was secretly nervous. It just so happened that Zenon had told me that Hestia had just gone and Helios was in a very low mood.

The snake-like woman must have said something that bothered him again. She must be the reason why she was called.

But contrary to her concerns, Helios smiled softly.

“It’s not a big deal. I’m just worried if you’re getting too worked up these days.”

“Oh, it’s okay. If you’re in a high position, you have a lot of work to do. You can’t be lazy.”

There was no particular sign, either. Helios’ heart grew heavier and heavier.

After pondering how to speak, he opened his mouth carefully.

“I’m sorry to ask you this favor again, but…”

“?”

Diana opened her sea-colored eyes wide. the expression of a husband who seemed apologetic for some reason.

“…Can’t you use more healing force on the father? He doesn’t seem to be feeling very comfortable yet.”

“Oh…”

Diana’s expression clouded up in an instant.

They were already in the process of healing in the morning and evening. By this point, the emperor should have been fine and running around. However, it was not easy to return to his former self.

She nodded her head with great effort.

“Okay, I’ll see you again in the morning. Don’t worry too much.”

“You’re not pushing yourself too hard, are you? Or maybe you’ve lost your power.….”

Doubt, that Helios managed to bring up.

But Diana laughed as if he were joking.

“It didn’t happen. His majesty will recover soon.”

“Yeah…?”

Will it be buried like this? Helios was momentarily conflicted.

And in the end.

“…really…?”

“!”

Diana was heartbroken. It was Helios who never expressed doubt, but why this time?

No way, that woman..

Hestia, who had been there a while ago, flashed into her head. The woman who foretold that her divine power would soon disappear.

Should I tell you? About your future?

Yeah, the prophecy could be wrong. What are you going to do if it isn’t?

But not yet.

A bit more time.

Let’s wait a little longer.

Sooner or later.

“…Heli, don’t doubt the power of God. Please.”

For as long as she can hide.

If she loses her ability, everyone will know everything.

So until then.

“…”

“…”

There was a moment of suffocating tension.

But soon the tension broke with Helios’ voice.

“…Yes, Diana.”

Diana stood up with a grin as soon as the tension fell.

“Then I’ll go to his majesty right away.”

“Thank you.”

His answering voice was somewhat chilling.

“Zenon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I need to see Kaelus. Just the two of us without Hestia.”

“Will the marquis agree?”

“I’ll make him sure he does.”

Helios’ golden eyes sank coldly.