(From Blue''s Perspective)


    "You mean, as a representative?" Mom asked.


    "Exactly! That''s just my thought. I will talk to her. If she starts working, she will feel like she is contributing too. I believe it will boost her confidence," I said.


    ''Just like it did mine.''


    "That''s not a bad idea at all. It will also help with their rtionship. It is important for both people in a couple to know that the other one is contributing as much as they can. It brings equality between them," she said.


    I knew Mom would understand it very well. She worked alongside Dad. She was a mage. Her mana was less than Luc''s, but she was also quite powerful. It could happen that the child had more mana than the parent they got it from. It was the same thing that happened with Luc.


    Mom was very cool. After hearing that I wore suits frequently, she started the same. Since she was very famous among nobledies, it would be a matter of time before wearing suits and pants would be a trend amongdies. Stay updated through empire


    "I will need to ask for her opinion first," I said. "Luc and Ruby wille tonight. Dem will bete, so it will be the three of us. We will have dinner together. They mainly want to visit me now that I have gotten better."


    "I see… Then, let me know after you talk to her. But I can still spend some time with my daughter-inw, right?"


    "Yeah, no harm to do that. You might as well use the chance to get close to her."


    "I will invite her soon, then," she said. "I will go on a mission tomorrow with your dad. After wee back, I will invite her. What about that?"


    "Sure, that will be good. Make sure to stay safe during the mission," I said.


    "Of course. What will even happen to me?"


    She was very confident in her ability too. I felt just like that when I defeated the King of Lacuna. I just knew I could do it and nothing would happen to me. It was a natural feeling that suddenly came to me.


    ''So, if I could defeat him, it means I can defeat other Alphas too? That shouldn''t be impossible, right? Dem said perhaps I can. In that case, I should be safe if someone attacks me. If I can defeat an Alpha, defeating a regr werewolf shouldn''t be a problem.''


    "Wow, this wine is truly great. Kinda unique, but I like it," she said.


    "Right? It''s my favorite, after all," I grinned.


    "I will brag to your dad," she said. "Ah, the thing I wanted to ask- your marriage life seems to go well. But His Majesty is an Alpha and you are a human. There should be a few things that might not go as nned. I am talking about the urges of an Alpha and full moons."


    "Full moons were slightly difficult for me. I am a human, so it was too much for me. But now, I got used to it, as well as him. He also tried to restrain himself as much as possible. I am thankful for that," I said. "And well, he never… forced me.


    I mean, he never lost control because of his urges. He warned me about it a lot of times. It has not happened yet, But I think I will be okay even if it happens. At least, I know that he has no control over that."


    "It happens to both male and female werewolves. But you are not a werewolf. That''s why it worries me a lot."


    "It''s alright. Thanks for worrying, but Dem is very considerate and tries to make me asfortable as possible."


    "His Majesty is very strong and you are so frail. The physical dynamic is quite scary actually. You might not understand this, but I know a werewolf''s strength. Of course, we cannot do anything about it," she said. "But personally, if I had adopted you before your marriage, your dad and I would have done anything to not get you married to His Majesty."


    "…"


    "Don''t get me wrong. His Majesty is an admirable King. I believe he is one of the best kings Querencia ever had. But as a person, I don''t approve of him. His family is to me for this, not him. But we cannot change the past.


    Hisck of sympathy, understanding of emotions, and ruthless nature scare me. Not just me, it scares most people. If someone loves their daughter, they would not get her married to him. The ones who treat their daughters as objects are different. Their only need is power, not the well-being of their daughter."


    "He never hurts me, Mom. I am better than I have ever been," I said. "He cares for me, he loves me. All these ten days, he was by my side all the time and took care of me. He is patient and listens to my every word. I could not have asked for someone better."


    "There is no doubt that His Majesty loves you. Even the women who love him cannot deny the love he has for you. Anyone can see that. He also cares for you and that''s a lot. In that aspect, no one can beat him," she said and looked at me with a dark look in her eyes. "But, do you know what love is to him?"


    ''Of course, I know. That''s the only problem that sometimeses between us- his concept of love.''


    "… You heard that Luc and His Majesty have been friends since childhood?"


    "Yeah, I heard that," I nodded.


    "Sometimes, Luc would bring him to our ce. As a child, His Majesty was less talkative. He did not make a fuss like most kids of his age did. He was silent and talked to Luc only. That''s not too much as well. Luc and he werepletely opposite.


    It''s still surprising how those two became friends. Whenever His Majesty used toe to our ce, your dad and I tried to talk to him. He replied to us but never said anything more than that. We still kept trying. Actually, the empty look in his eyes would make my heart clench. I am a mother and he was just like my son.


    I could not just bear to see him so lifeless. Perhaps I had gotten a little closer to him after trying a lot since he would sit with me and sometimes talk to me a bit. That made me very good. I thought he would improve," she said.


    She stopped talking. She had a look of nkness and horror in her eyes. "Then, one day, I saw blood in his hands, a lot of blood. And it was not his. I asked him about it. And you know what he said…?


    He said, ''Someone tried to hurt me, I think he was an assassin sent to kill me. So, I killed him.'' And he was just seven… only seven… I told him to show me the ce and he did. He truly killed that man… He stabbed him multiple times, even after he died. His Majesty did not even look shocked, nor surprised, forget scared.


    Luc was never shown those kinds of things at that age, so I took care of the body before Luc could see it. That was when I realized that something was truly wrong," she continued.


    "I still tried to put some basic sense into him. I read him books that were written for kids his age, but it was still no use. He would look into nkness as if he could not care less. I think I gave up when he was fourteen. One day, I asked Luc and him if they liked someone. Luc said he did not like anyone, but he had a type.


    Though Luc also grew up to be a man who could not care less about romance, he was not that all the time. I guess work made him that way."


    "Anyway, his response was pretty normal. His Majesty''s response was quite normal too at first, judging his mentality. He said he did not like anyone and never truly thought about it. I told him to tell me when he thinks of it someday. He also added that he wants someone who would understand him. That time, I pitied him."


    "A few yearster, when he was seventeen years old, he came to our ce and went straight to the garden where I was. He then grinned and said that he could give me an answer to the question I asked him years back. I did not even remember it, but he did. And he said, ''I don''t care what that person looks like. If I feel a connection with her, I want her. I will marry her and keep her by my side.


    I want her to be my… little blue bird."