A few days had passed since the public execution of Count Lucas and his family took place in the capital’s square.
In order to witness the moment his long-time nemesis drew his last breath with his own eyes, the Emperor had risen from his sickbed for the first time in a long while to head to the execution grounds.
Joel was unable to witness his adoptive father’s end because the Crown Prince blocked him, citing his pregnancy, but he had felt uneasy ever since hearing from a servant that the Count had begged to save his son Isaac until the very moment his head was severed.
Joel somewhat agreed with his adoptive father’s words that Isaac was innocent.
The frail Isaac had spent his time bedridden and had never committed the same cruel acts as his father.
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he lacked the strength to be wicked, but regardless.
And though Isaac had acted spitefully in front of him, there were times—very rare times—when he had ordered food to be brought to the starving Joel.
Isaac’s only sin was carrying the Count’s blood. Joel felt it was harsh that he had to lose his wealth, his family, and even his life because of it.
He had no intention of defending Isaac, but since they had lived as brothers for three years, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pity.
When Joel couldn’t shake off his gloomy mood even days after the execution, the Crown Prince, lying in bed with him one night, began to act peevish to draw Joel’s attention.
He deeply disliked the fact that Joel was worrying about someone other than himself.
“The matter with your adoptive father—no, that man Lucas—is already over. Stop paying it any mind. Instead, I’m worried that my father still hasn’t granted permission for our marriage.”
After promising to bestow a title and territory upon Joel, the Emperor had actually set a schedule for the investiture ceremony and signed a document granting him a portion of the Empire’s southern lands.
However, the Emperor’s favor toward Joel ended there.
Regarding the Crown Prince’s request for marriage permission, the Emperor officially withheld his signature citing health issues, and unofficially maintained the stance that they needed to be “more cautious.”
Although actual power had already shifted to the Crown Prince, the one sitting on the throne was still Carlyle’s father; until his permission was granted, Carlyle could not hold a wedding.
The Emperor had even called the Crown Prince separately to ask questions that seemed to cast doubt on the lineage of the baby in Joel’s womb.
This was, of course, a conversation held in private, but in a palace where many people came and went, secrets could hardly exist.
“His Majesty probably needs time to accept it. Neither you nor I expected permission to be granted easily, Your Highness.”
“That may be true… but still, you’re talking as if it’s someone else’s business.”
The Crown Prince spoke as if he were hurt by Joel’s nonchalant attitude.
In fact, unlike the Crown Prince, who stood in front of the Emperor’s bedroom for an hour every day demanding an answer, Joel was doing just fine without much thought.
Joel firmly believed that the Emperor’s opposition was something time would solve.
In Joel’s opinion, the only reason the Emperor was negative about the marriage was the question of the baby’s lineage.
If so, wouldn’t the Emperor lose his reason for opposing the marriage once he saw the baby’s face?
It was just a matter of enduring the cold treatment until the child was born.
Of course, if he said this to Carlyle, the Prince would fly into a rage, saying he couldn’t allow the pregnant Joel to endure such a disgrace.
But Joel really didn’t mind.
To him, the only thing that mattered was that he “had” the Crown Prince.
“So, I’ve come up with about two solutions. Do you want to hear them?”
The Crown Prince whispered, pressing his lips close to Joel’s ear.
Joel nodded lazily, feeling a bit annoyed.
“First, if my father continues to oppose our marriage, an elopement is a good alternative.”
The most important step in the marriage process was the monarch’s permission.
Since the Emperor wouldn’t grant it, the Prince was suggesting they flee to a foreign country and hold the wedding there first.
While elopements were rare within the Empire, they weren’t entirely unheard of.
Every year, a few pairs of young, reckless lovers eloped against their families’ wishes, and a few years back, elopement had even spread through the capital like a trend due to a popular romance novel.
However, that was something hot-blooded, immature lovers might do; it was certainly not the behavior expected of the Crown Prince of a nation. Joel replied calmly.
“Your Highness, are you in your right mind?”
Furthermore, this was the marriage of the Crown Prince that the Emperor of the Empire opposed.
No matter whose territory it was, every kingdom on the continent maintained close ties with the Empire; Joel doubted any monarch would be bold enough to stamp a marriage license.
At Joel’s pathetic look, the Crown Prince buried his face in Joel’s shoulder with a sulky expression.
“Calling your husband out of his mind… how cold.”
The Prince burrowed into Joel’s embrace, emphasizing his hurt.
“Truly cold.”
He pretended to savor Joel’s scent while stealthily pressing his teeth against Joel’s slender neck.
“Or, how about we do the Marking first?”
Just like the elopement, Joel could never agree to the second alternative.
A Marking was a matter that required even more caution than marriage.
For those with a secondary gender, a Marking had a permanent physical effect, making it an act rarely performed even among married couples.
Moreover, an Imperial Marking was only done after various complex procedures; it wasn’t something to be rushed through like this, especially before marriage.
Of course, Joel wanted to be Marked by the Prince immediately, but if he did, Carlyle would go down in history as a disgraceful son who committed the Marking just because his father opposed the marriage.
Joel could not allow that, for the sake of his beloved Prince’s honor and prestige.
“You really aren’t in your right mind.”
Joel spoke irritably, firmly pushing away the forehead of the Prince who was trying to sneak a bite of his neck.
As the Prince clung to him pathetically, saying, “I told you, it really hurts when you talk like that,” Joel had to roll to the edge of the bed to escape him.
“What does it matter? Other than the mark left on your neck, it won’t even be that noticeable. Just for a moment, I’ll just bite very lightly.”
“I said no. Your Highness, I am honored by your desire to Mark me, but if you want to do that, go get marriage permission from the Emperor first.”
Having impulsively brought up the Marking, the Crown Prince now seemed genuinely stirred by the idea.
His emerald eyes began to flicker with impulse, much like when he lost his reason during a rut.
He picked up Joel, who had rolled to the edge, and moved him back to the center of the bed.
Then, using his long arms and legs to bind Joel so he couldn’t escape his embrace again, he began to try every way possible to bite Joel’s neck.
“Ah, seriously, stop it! I’m really tired!”
Joel, who had been holding out by covering his neck with both hands, finally exploded in frustration at the persistent pestering.
Seeing Joel’s genuinely annoyed face, the Prince grumbled, “You used to chase me around saying you liked me so much…” and pulled his head away from Joel’s neck.
The Prince let go of Joel and rolled away to the opposite edge.
Joel stared at the massive back that had suddenly moved far away with an incredulous look.
“You don’t seem to take our marriage seriously. Don’t tell me you don’t actually want to marry me?”
The Crown Prince grumbled in a peevish voice.
Joel found him absurdly childish, but on the other hand, he wondered if he had been too harsh.
Joel approached the Prince and patted his back.
“Of course I want to marry you as soon as possible, Your Highness. But persuading the Emperor isn’t something that can be solved so simply.”
“Our baby is already in your womb; what in the world could be simpler than that? It’s my father who’s making a simple matter complicated.”
The Prince suddenly raised his voice, claiming his father must be going senile if he wanted to turn a perfectly legitimate grandson into a bastard.
Startled, Joel quickly covered the Prince’s mouth. He was afraid someone might hear.
“Even so, you shouldn’t hurt your old and ailing father. Don’t be so impatient; let’s think together about how I can earn His Majesty’s trust.”
Joel soothed the Prince and lay back down properly on the bed.
Looking at the patterns on the ceiling, sleep soon began to wash over him.
Joel closed his heavy eyes. Perhaps because he was in his second trimester, he felt extreme fatigue lately.
Between dealing with the baby wiggling in his stomach all day and handling the complex palace schedule, the sun always seemed to set in an instant.
Recounting tomorrow’s schedule in his head, Joel quickly fell into a deep sleep.
He slept on, unaware of the pair of emerald eyes that were savoring the sight of his defenseless, exposed neck.
