* * *

After Henry left, Duke Timothy drained his glass.

Reflecting on their conversation, he realized his glass had emptied without him noticing.

With a low murmur, he said:

“I need to prepare myself.”

Even the thought of sending Henry away left a gaping hole in his heart.

Kayla visited Crown Prince William.

“Are you busy?”

Though surprised by the sudden visit, William quickly welcomed him warmly.

He gestured for Kayla to take a seat, prompting the aide who had been organizing documents nearby to discreetly withdraw.

William rose from his chair and sat in the place of honor on the sofa.

“How are you finding your stay in the palace? Are you comfortable?”

“I’m doing very well. Thank you for your care.”

William waved his hand dismissively at Kayla’s polite response.

“What’s lacking when accommodating a prince of a nation? You ought to be treated with the utmost respect, especially since we’re allies.”

There was an undertone in William’s words, emphasizing the long-standing friendship between their nations and his desire to maintain it in the future.

The weight of the future emperor’s remark made Kayla smile in silent acknowledgment.

Despite his casual demeanor, William’s words reminded Kayla of his imperial stature.

After some brief pleasantries, Kayla got to the point.

“I think it’s about time for me to return to my homeland.”

“That’s a shame.”

William’s disappointment was palpable as he lamented the uncertainty of when they might meet again.

Reflecting on the possibility of a long separation, he called for his chamberlain and ordered drinks to be brought.

“If you’re not too busy, care to join me for a drink?”

“Gladly.”

Kayla had cleared his schedule for the visit, so he answered without hesitation.

As lavish dishes and fine drinks began to fill the table, an air of quiet anticipation settled between them.

Kayla simply watched the procession of food, while William observed Kayla with a peculiar expression.

Once the table was set and the attendants had left, William picked up a bottle of wine and poured a modest amount into their glasses, breaking the silence.

“I heard you confessed to Henry.”

“Did I mention that?”

“No, my little birds told me.”

“You could have pretended not to know.”

Kayla sighed at William’s blunt revelation.

Could he not have feigned ignorance?

But William’s open acknowledgment signaled his curiosity about the details, so Kayla resigned himself with a nod.

“Yes, I confessed.”

William didn’t press further for the outcome.

“Have you seen Henry since?”

Kayla shook his head with a bittersweet expression.

He had thought a lot about that moment when he confessed his feelings to Henry.

Henry’s startled reaction, as if he had never considered the possibility, and his apologetic refusal had left no room for misinterpretation.

“Henry already has Edwin, but I imagine your similar traits might have played a role.”

William speculated on why Kayla wasn’t chosen, but Kayla quickly dismissed the idea with a shake of his head.

“For me, his traits were never an issue.”

Kayla’s feelings for Henry had nothing to do with his traits.

He had never wished for Henry to manifest as an Alpha, nor had he been disappointed that Henry was a Beta.

When Kayla learned Henry had become an Omega, his regret stemmed not from Henry’s new designation but from the bond Henry had formed with Edwin.

Every time Kayla tried to get closer, the wall that was Edwin stood in his way.

Though it was possible that Henry had found Kayla’s traits an obstacle, Kayla’s instincts told him otherwise.

The truth was simpler: there was no place for Kayla in Henry’s heart.

“So, the reason was Edwin after all.”

“Most likely.”

“But did you know? I used to think Henry was head over heels for Edwin, but that wasn’t the case. He avoided Edwin and often seemed annoyed by him. At times, he even hinted at having no feelings for him.”

William spoke of his observations during their travels.

Hoping for a match between the two, William had encouraged Edwin’s closeness to Henry, but Henry’s resistance had been more pronounced than expected.

What William initially thought was shyness began to seem like genuine detachment.

Then came an unexpected twist.

“At some point, Edwin’s feelings shifted toward Henry. If Edwin had been slower to realize his emotions, you might have had a chance.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course, I’m not Henry, so I can’t say for sure. And… sometimes, friendships last longer than love.”

“I didn’t expect such words of comfort from you. Thank you.”

“So, are you leaving with your feelings sorted?”

“Hmm…”

Kayla tilted his glass, lost in thought.

He should have let go of his feelings after Henry’s rejection, but foolishly, he had carried them all this way.

“I plan to see him one last time.”

It was a conclusion that, for now, he wasn’t ready to completely give up.

---

As the sun began to set, an unusual sense of liveliness filled the Duke Timothy’s residence.

The movements of the servants were notably busy, as if preparing for a grand ball.

Walking slowly through the bustling atmosphere, Henry observed them quietly.

Without him noticing, Hena had come to walk beside him.

“Moving that slowly, when do you think you’ll get there?”

Recently, Hena had started initiating conversations more frequently.

Her words sounded a bit like teasing, but at times, her demeanor reminded Henry of a child eager to play with her older brother.

Smiling, he lightly patted her on the head.

“It’s not that far anyway, so what’s the rush?”

Henry’s destination was none other than the second-floor hall within the mansion.

Tonight, a dinner had been arranged with the Lorenz family.

“You’re so lazy. How do you plan to handle important matters like that?”

“I don’t know what kind of big responsibilities you think I’ll have, but if it happens, I’ll ask for your help.”

Whatever Hena meant by “big responsibilities,” Henry didn’t bother to question her further.

Instead, he leaned against her slightly, causing her to pout.

“Do whatever you want.”

It seemed like Hena was about to retort, but surprisingly, she accepted Henry’s words without much resistance.

Amused by her reaction, Henry leaned on her more, shifting his weight.

Hena groaned, struggling to support him, but Henry didn’t move.

“Seriously, why have you been acting so cute lately?”

Henry thought of the two people in his life who were the most stubborn—Edwin and Hena.

If Edwin had a knack for throwing charming yet sly remarks amidst his prickly demeanor, Hena had an endearing way of subtly seeking closeness despite her protests.

“You’re heavy. Get off me.”

Their playful bickering in the hallway made them arrive at the hall later than expected.

“This is all your fault,” Hena grumbled, checking the time. “I was hoping to arrive early and wait leisurely.”

Unbothered, Henry casually took a seat in the hall and looked at Hena.

“Hena, do you know why Father arranged this dinner?”

“Duke families meeting isn’t exactly rare. Does there need to be a specific reason?”

Henry frowned slightly at her reply.

While Hena’s reasoning wasn’t wrong, something about this arrangement left him uneasy, like a thorn stuck in his throat.

“Sometimes, it’s better to just accept things as they come instead of overthinking. What’s the point of worrying unnecessarily?”

Taking her advice, Henry decided he might indeed be overanalyzing.

After all, it wasn’t unheard of for the empire’s two dukedoms to interact.

It only felt strange because this was the first time such a dinner had occurred.

As Hena sat beside him, the large table had five vacant seats left: two for the Duke Timothy and Duchess, and three for members of the Lorenz family.

“By the way, you said you’re not breaking the bond with Edwin, right? Does that mean you’re getting married?”

“Nothing’s been decided.”

Having already faced a similar question from the Duke Timothy, Henry responded without surprise.

“Not yet, at least, but it’s a possibility.”

For the first time, Henry, who had never seriously considered marriage before, showed an open-mindedness that surprised Hena.

“You’ve thought that far ahead already?”

“I said it’s a possibility. Nothing’s final, so don’t jump to conclusions.”

Henry cut off Hena’s eagerness to press further.

However, Hena seemed to hint that there was more to this than Henry realized.

“Do you really think that’s all there is to it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

* * *