18. Wait, Juana.

 

Completely soaked, Ayla raised her thumb so that only Aran could notice.

 

 

“?”

 

Aran tilted his head, not understanding, but even that gesture seemed to have some great meaning to Ayla.

 

‘That movement must also be to capture Huana-unni’s heart, right? It must be. Everything Aran is doing now must be focused on Unni.’

 

 

Imagining whatever she wanted and drawing conclusions as she pleased, she soon made a decision.

 

 

‘Although I’m behind in the wife rankings, I won’t be behind in Aran’s heart. For him… I must become the best supporter!’

 

 

Perhaps the other wives don’t know about this plan.

Even if it’s Aran, how could he talk about something like this! Even if he sugarcoats it, in the end, cheating is cheating. There’s no way he can talk about it proudly.

 

 

But she is different.

Truly Persia’s best magician and brainiac! Using her brain, which boasts tremendous rotational speed, she has grasped Aran’s plan (?) so all that’s left is to help him secretly without the wives knowing.

 

 

Of course, as compensation, Aran’s…..

 

‘It’s been said since ancient times that men and women who share secrets become close. Aran and I are exactly like that. Hehehe. Sorry, Unni. It seems like I’ll end up being Aran’s number one.’

 

 

She chuckled.

 

 

 

 

 

“Ayla?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I just thought of something funny. Hoho.”

“….”

 

 

Huana frowned without anyone noticing.

 

‘What is it…?’

 

 

A rather ominous chill ran down her spine.

 

Why is Ayla laughing?

 

 

As far as she knows, Ayla is already a woman who has fallen for Aran. She’s probably monitoring her, and maybe she’s telling Aran everything.

 

 

And then she suddenly bursts out laughing?

 

 

In fact, laughing isn’t a big deal, but to someone who is very sensitive, it looks different.

 

 

 

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the meal, the women scattered for their respective schedules.

 

Both Huana and Ayla wanted to spend more time with Aran, but the Princess is busy. In particular, Huana, as the Crown Princess, is also in charge of some of the national affairs, so she has a mountain of work to do.

 

 

 

“How leisurely.”

 

Cornelia, the Empress, was actually enjoying her leisure.

 

 

She strolled through the Imperial Palace garden with Aran.

 

 

 

 

 

“Do you remember? This place.”

“Of course. I was here yesterday.”

“Tsk… you’re such an unromantic guy.”

 

 

She dismissed the maids and remained alone with him, wearing a bitter expression.

It seems she has something difficult to say.

 

 

“This place is not only where your and Yeoui’s history began, but also where this country’s history changed.”

“?”

“If I hadn’t had a son, we might have lost the war, or even if we had won, we would have suffered even more damage than we do now. And surely, torn by the claws of the Empire, by the time Yeoui’s daughter or granddaughter came to power, we would have walked the path of destruction and been divided.”

 

Aran quietly listened to what she was saying.

 

 

“So this place is the site where this country’s history changed.”

 

Saying that, she paused for a moment, then suddenly threw out a huge topic.

 

 

 

 

“Yeo is thinking of stepping down within this year.”

“Yes?!”

 

Stepping down naturally means relinquishing her power and position as Empress and handing over the country to the Crown Princess Huana.

If that happens, Huana’s era will dawn in Persia, and her administration will unfold.

 

 

“You’re still in good health, why are you suddenly saying this?”

“Shouldn’t Yeo take a break too? Travel around. Laze around.”

“You seem to be doing that enough already.”

“…Cheeky bastard.”

 

She glanced at Aran.

Doing such a thing with his youthful face was only cute, but the atmosphere was quite dark.

 

 

“Yeo has four daughters and one son. I don’t want to lose any of them. I hope they all live happy lives in their own lives. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“….”

 

 

There are rumors circulating in the world about a crisis in the Persian Imperial Family.

At the center of it is naturally Aran and Huana.

Because the two of them don’t get along very well, there will be a war between the two countries after Cornelia dies, and they will both be ruined, and the Mei Empire will take advantage of that gap.

 

 

It’s quite credible, so it’s already accepted as the established theory in the shadows.

How else would the rumor that Aran and Huana were having an affair, which circulated among the nobles for a while, be said to have been intentionally spread to quell the rumors?

 

 

 

“If they don’t touch me first… I won’t strike first.”

 

An answer spat out after quite a long deliberation.

It wasn’t much different from what he had said to her before.

 

 

“That’s right.”

 

She closed her eyes for a moment.

 

 

It’s not just a problem between Aran and Huana.

Now that they have become such tempting fruit, even if they stay still, those around them will not leave them alone.

 

 

She opened her eyes.

 

 

“Huana is changing. She will change. So, rather than that girl… pay attention to the Mei Empire and Terrin.”

“Yes? Duke Terrin, you mean?”

 

Why is Terrin suddenly coming out, even if the Empire is?

She is a woman who is working harder for Aran and the royal family than any other noble in the great kingdom. She is also Theodora’s mother.

 

“This country is Yeoui’s country, but at the same time, it’s also that girl’s country. If… you and Huana show signs of going to war, that girl will move. In some way.”

“….”

 

 

As Aran, who had felt her power just a day ago, he couldn’t help but be nervous.

 

“Even if that girl’s own martial prowess is so-so, the faction she has is like a country, so that should never happen. Do you understand?”

“I… understand.”

 

 

Aran nodded, feeling awkward.

There’s no way he’ll go to war with Huana anyway.

She’ll collapse before that.

 

 

‘Should I hurry things up a bit?’

 

 

If she weren’t Cornelia’s daughter, he would proceed without any hesitation.

The thought of not wanting to make her sad keeps making him hesitate.

 

 

‘Let’s proceed in a way that doesn’t get caught as much as possible… even if it means deceiving mother.’

 

 

In the end, a white lie became a necessary evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“By the way, how does Duke Terrin have so many nobles?”

“Huh?”

“Looking at it, a third of the Empire’s nobles are said to be Duke Terrin’s faction… and half of my kingdom is her faction, so I’m curious.”

“Ah, that thing.”

 

 

Cornelia hesitated quite a bit, then muttered, ‘It doesn’t matter,’ and suddenly threw out a strange word.

 

 

“Aran, when you have someone you love and someone you don’t, who do you want to go with?”

“Yes? Of course… the person I love.”

“That’s it.”

“……Yes?”

 

 

What is she trying to say?

He was embarrassed by the words that seemed to have no context at all.

 

 

“That girl is holding onto the nobles with love. In some ways, it’s amazing.”

“……I don’t understand. Are you saying the nobles love her?”

“Um….”

 

 

She fell into contemplation again.

 

“What comes to your mind when you say ‘slave of love’?”

“Slave of… love…?”

“It’s different from a typical faction. It’s like a country that moves purely by Terrin’s words. The power of the force is like a country, but even its nature can be said to be a country.”

“So, I’m asking what the secret is.”

“….”

 

 

Cornelia stared at Aran for a moment, then sighed deeply.

 

 

“It’s a very annoying reaction, what does it mean?”

 

Cornelia put her hands on her waist and made a pathetic expression.

 

 

“Do I have to put the key word on Yeoui’s lips for you to understand? How pathetic.”

 

Ppajik.

 

 

Aran, with a large blood vessel mark, pulled her cheeks left and right.

 

 

Jjuuueok.

 

 

It stretched out like mochi.

 

 

“Of course I need you to say the key word to understand!”

“Aheuhha hachi hayeoseo! (It hurts, you cheeky bastard!)”

“Tell me properly.”

 

 

When he let go, her cheeks were swollen red.

 

“Hmph. You’re cheeky for a son!”

“Tell me before I get more cheeky.”

“Hmph.”

 

She took a sulky stance, then finally opened her mouth.

 

 

“That girl is a technician. Just know that.”

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Unni.”

 

 

As her busy schedule was coming to an end, a woman came to Huana’s room.

 

 

“……What brings you here? Are you going to threaten me again?”

“Oh, come on.”

 

She is Ayla.

She is also the mastermind who conspired with Aran to corner Huana.

 

‘That girl… she laughed unpleasantly earlier. There’s definitely something going on.’

 

“Can I sit down?”

 

Ayla sat down on a chair at the round table before permission was even given.

Huana sighed deeply and approached.

 

 

After she sat down, a maid came in and displayed refreshments.

 

“The tea is delicious.”

 

 

Ayla stalled as much as she could, as if she had made up her mind to turn Huana inside out.

All she talked about was that the tea was delicious and the cookies were well-baked, and she didn’t say anything nutritious at all.

 

After wasting 20 minutes like that, Huana finally said something.

 

 

“If you have nothing to say, just go back. I’m not that free.”

“Oh, of course I know. Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“….”

 

 

Huana was furious at Ayla’s sarcasm.

For a moment, a word almost popped out as if she was about to jump, but Ayla made the first move before that.

 

 

 

 

“Unni, you like Narsih, right? I’ll help you. I will.”