(From Blue''s Perspective)


    "If you actually want to adopt her, there are a lot of things you need to know about her regarding her past, Duke," Dem said. "I will give you her file."


    After dinner when it was time to say good night, Dem handed the duke Athena''s file so he could know about her past. It was important for the duke and the duchess to know all about Athena to be her parents.


    "I will read it and alsoe to meet Athena often," the duke said.


    "Yes, please do so. That will be good for all the three of you," I said. "Then, good night. Travel safely."


    "We will. Good night to you too, Your Majesty," the duke said.


    Iris hugged me and bid us goodbye. They left first. Dem and I said goodbye to Luc and Ruby and then returned to the pce for the night.


    Dem, who had talked the less all this time, regained his liveliness once we were alone. The drastic change in his mood was too clear.


    "Who cooked all those dishes?" Dem asked.


    "The chef they hired obviously," I replied. "Why? You didn''t like it?"


    "No, it was good. I was surprised."


    "Yeah, I liked it too. I think the chef is familiar with our chef''s cooking style. It felt very same," I said.


    "Hm, I thought I was the only one thinking that."


    "Haha, that''s not it, of course. After Ruby came, she made a lot of changes in the magic tower. Everything looks different right now," I said. "Even Luc looks different. Mom is very happy because of this."


    "He looks clean."


    "You are mean."


    "It''s the truth. He might wear different robes now, other than just one design, but his personality is still as nasty as before," he said. "That said, you got very close to his family in almost no time."


    "Luc''s parents are very doting and loving. They are easy to get close to," I chuckled. "They told you to call them Mom and Dad too, since they are technically your inws now."


    "It''s weird to call them Mom and Dad suddenly."


    "Yeah, that''s true, I guess. You have known them for a long time after all. It was not that hard for me though. You can also try, but no need to force yourself. They will be happy no matter what you call them."


    "I think I am morefortable with how things are right now. It''s not easy to change the way you call someone," he said.


    "That''s fine. Just suit yourself," I said, touching his arm.


    When it was nighttime, everything seemed to trigger my dear husband. I just touched his arm a little and he already started to pull my hand so we could get to the bedroom faster. As soon as we reached the bedroom, he started to get straight to business without a word.


    It was only after I was too tired to move and told Dem to stop, that he let me rest. I snuggled with my pillow while Dem covered me with the nket.


    "Dem... What do you think of letting the duke and the duchess adopt Athena?" I asked slowly.


    "They are not the wrong people for this job. You can do so if you want to," he said while drinking some water from the bedside table.


    "No, I am asking for your opinion, what you think personally..."


    "Well, right now, that child needs a ce she can call home. She needs parental love and affection, proper food, clothes, and a lot of affirmation because she won''t be sure until you tell her in words that she is safe now. I have known the duke for a long time. We have gone to war together. And there is one thing I know about him for sure. It is that he has a strong sense of morals.


    It''s not themon morals that we talk about. He has his own morals that he always follows. Like he always respects someone who deserves it and doesn''t make himself look mighty because of his position. And another of his morals is that he likes kids and tries to save them as much as he can. By far, he has donated the most to the orphanages and other organizations that work for kids.


    Even in wars, when we found a dying child, he took it back. Though he could not save it in the end, he still tried a lot. So, the duke will be a good parent to Athena. And the duchess is not a bad person. You know her better than I do."


    "She is not a bad person... And I think she will be a good mother to Athena," I said. "Then, we should talk to Athena after some days and ask her opinion about it."


    "Yes," he nodded.


    "But how do you know how Athena should be treated? I mean, it''s almost like you spent time with that kind of person."


    He chuckled and pinched my nose. "Sweetie, can''t I know this?"


    "It''s not that..."


    "No, you are right actually. But have you forgotten that you had this condition too when I brought you here?"


    I could not say anything, just looked him in the eyes. He kissed me on the forehead and yed with my hair with his fingers.


    "You were always apologizing even though it was not your fault, you were scared thinking of when I will kill you or when I will abandon you, and you felt grateful for giving you the barest minimum. And you always needed affirmation because you always thought lowly of yourself. I am not ming you for your behavior. It was because of the environment you were in.


    But I am d that your condition is better now."


    "Yeah... It''s kind of odd... I changed a lot in just a few months," I murmured.


    "That''spletely normal, darling. It''s not just because of the environment you are in. It''s also because of your efforts to get better. It''s not possible to let the past gopletely. But you surely can move forward with your life."


    Dem''s words moved me. And before I knew it, I had already started crying, hugging him tightly. The warmth he offered made me cry harder because I found the love that I was never given all my life.


    "It''s alright. Everything is fine now," he saidfortingly.


    No matter how many days passed, those days of my past haunted me the same way they did years back. Every time I remembered those times, it would be hard to breathe and my heart would start breaking. How long would it take when I would fully recover from those nightmares?


    I had fewer nightmares now, but that did not mean I ever could forget what I went through. Those memories were just too vivid in my head to ever forget. Yet, I desperately waited for a time when those memories would no longer haunt me.


    Demforted me all the time without getting angry. He just never showed even the faintest sign of anger when I cried about my past. It was not my intention to cry, but it just happened. The biggestfort I got was when I found my husband calmly telling me repeatedly that it would be alright without getting angry.


    "It''s okay to cry," he whispered.


    ''My life has always been nned by others. It was even chosen who I was going to get married to. But it''s not Dem''s fault. He is a victim too. His mind has been yed with for years. I have been tricked too.


    But right now, I am better than I ever was before. Our rtionship is very different than others. Yet, we are trying our best to move forwards together. I just wish that we can be happy all the time.''


    I did not remember when the tears stopped since I had fallen asleep. It felt very peaceful. The dream I had that night was nothing extraordinary. I was sitting on the rooftop of a mansion. I had never been to this ce, but it still felt familiar. The long train of my dress was flying behind me in the strong wind.


    I looked ahead and found a little boy staring at me. He had a wooden sword in his hand and no partner. He looked very lonely.


    I touched his hair and patted him, trying to see life in his deep ck eyes which were slowly going numb, absorbing all the light. He did not say anything and closed his eyes,ing closer to me.


    He had no idea who he was. And I was trying to figure out if this kid was a part of my Dem and showed Dem''s loneliness. But it did not matter. In the end, we were just trying to help each other in all the way we could. It did not matter who we were.