Chapter 9:
“Hyung. What are you doing?”
Damian was startled inside but didn’t show it at all.
“Hm? Nothing.”
“Uung. Hyung, let’s sleep now.”
Damian lifted the whining Herdin and walked to the other side of the bed. He laid Herdin next to Aila to make sure the child wouldn’t fall, and then lay down beside Herdin.
Without even needing a lullaby, Herdin fell asleep the moment he lay down. Damian could hear the soft breathing of the child. He smiled faintly as he looked at Herdin, then propped his head up with one arm and gazed at Aila. Watching the two sleep like this, it felt almost like…
It was the dream he had once vowed to fulfill. The only saving grace was that there was still time. The Emperor had already been persuaded; now only the Durman Duchy remained. Starting with Aila herself, her family would be the biggest obstacle. He sighed instinctively but still held onto a sliver of hope he refused to let go of.
With a smile on his lips, Damian whispered softly.
“Good night, Aila.”
In the stillness of the night, the Emperor recalled his private conversation with his son.
His son had come to him with the joyous news of an engagement to the Durman Duke’s eldest daughter. But his face had been unreadable. The same son who always smiled pleasantly and never asked for anything now came with a request.
“I hope you’ll make the engagement public as soon as possible.”
This wasn’t just any engagement — it was between the Crown Prince and a duke’s daughter. Since it was a union between the Imperial family and one of the highest-ranking nobles, timing was important. Even knowing this, his son was pushing ahead.
“Unless you have a compelling reason, I won’t permit it.”
He spoke firmly. Damian didn’t answer right away. The Emperor waited. Finally, his son responded after a long silence.
“I will bring you a glory worthy of being remembered in history.”
It was a bold statement. Not even an Emperor would dare say such a thing lightly — to give glory to an Emperor. Should he feel pleased or taken aback?
“How arrogant.”
“But you’re curious, aren’t you? About what kind of glory I will bring you.”
The Emperor said nothing. A silent pause. Damian continued in a calm tone.
“Where there is light, there must be shadow.”
“…”
“So, Father, I will give you that shadow.”
The Emperor stared at his son, thoughtful. He was intrigued by Damian’s confident demeanor, completely devoid of hesitation. Shadow, he said. He dared say he’d give his father a shadow. What kind of shadow would that be?
After a moment of contemplation, he answered.
“Very well. I grant you permission.”
As soon as he spoke, his son’s previously stoic face brightened. He decided he would keep an eye on his son. He was still a boy the Emperor wanted to keep close, but somehow, it felt like Damian would leave the nest sooner than expected.
Aila blinked. No, not just blinked—she blinked hard. What on earth was going on?
Damian’s face was right in front of her. His long eyelashes didn’t flutter, remaining perfectly still. Aila blinked again. Damian was sleeping peacefully, his annoyingly handsome face on full display. And in her arms was a small boy — with chubby cheeks and silver hair.
Herdin.
Aila held the boy who was snuggled tightly in her arms and tried to piece things together. This soft feeling under her was clearly a bed. Since she hadn’t left the room, this must be Damian’s bedroom. She had fallen asleep from exhaustion, and sometime while she was asleep, the other two had joined her in bed.
In short… she slept. On the same bed as Damian. A grown man and woman.
In the Imperial Palace, no less.
Aila tried to sit up, but she was blocked — Herdin was nestled against her, making it impossible. And most confusing of all… why was Damian’s arm wrapped around her waist?
Why?
Why was he so close? The bed was plenty big. Why?! This looked exactly like… like a married couple!
Aila shook her head hard. She tried to carefully lift Damian’s arm from around her waist.
“Uung…”
Herdin whined softly. Aila froze and glanced at Damian. Thankfully, he didn’t wake. She gently patted Herdin’s back. The boy mumbled something in her arms — sleepy mumbling, it seemed.
In the end, Aila couldn’t remove Damian’s arm. Would she have to stay like this until he woke? And even if he did wake up — how would she face him after this?
But…
“…It’s been a while, something like this.”
Aila whispered quietly. A small peace amidst a hard life. She decided to enjoy it, just a little. It could’ve been a boring moment — but it wasn’t. Honestly, she hated to admit it, but just looking at Damian’s face was enough to keep her entertained. And the warmth of the little boy in her arms was comforting, too.
How much time passed like that? Then came a sleepy voice.
“Ungh… Noona…?”
Aila looked down. Herdin was blinking up at her with dazed eyes. She touched his soft cheek and asked,
“Did you sleep well, Herdin?”
“Did you sleep well too, Noona?”
“Of course I did.”
“Hyung! Noona’s awake!”
Wait, hold on—!
Before Aila could stop him, Herdin grabbed Damian’s collar with his tiny hand. Damian’s eyelashes fluttered as if about to open. When his eyes finally met hers, Aila could hardly breathe.
Blue lakes, reflecting the moonlight, sparkled as they gazed at her. A ticklish voice rang in her ears.
“Did you sleep well, Aila?”
Foolish and clueless Aila.
Even knowing you can’t catch the moon reflected in a lake, you still end up falling for it again…
They say kids never get tired—and it was true. Even after playing endlessly, Herdin was still full of energy. He had taken a nap too, which didn’t help. Aila sat slumped on the sofa, watching Herdin in a daze.
She shot Damian a sharp glare as he continued to play with the boy.
Finally, Damian turned to her. The two began to speak with their eyes.
‘What?’
‘Can’t you make him sleep or something?’
‘If I could, do you think I’d still be doing this?’
‘…’
Damian’s retort left Aila speechless. He had a point. Aila decided to go extreme.
‘Can’t you use magic or something?’
‘…Disappointed in you, Aila.’
His eyes grew cold. Aila calmly admitted her fault.
‘Okay. That was my bad. In that case…’
Resolve flared in Aila’s eyes. She shot up and left the room, returning after a while with a book in hand. A children’s storybook—just right for Herdin’s level. It was one that both she and Damian used to enjoy, based on ancient myths.
Aila crouched down beside Herdin, who was playing hero with Damian. Currently, Herdin was pretending to be Claudius von Lancaster Helios Epiphanes—the legendary first emperor of the Empire and the Lion King.
“Herdin. Want Noona to read you a storybook?”
“Storybook? No! I wanna play with Hyung more.”
“….”
Who did this child take after to be so stubborn? Aila briefly lost motivation but soon rekindled her resolve. Her goal was clear—and it matched Damian’s.
She wanted to go back to the Academy. It was already dark outside. At this rate, she’d have to spend the night at the palace. She wanted to sleep in her cozy dorm room — where she had lived for four years.
“It’s really fun. And it has your favorite kind of hero in it.”
Herdin’s eyes sparkled a little at her words.
“A hero?”
“Yup. The greatest hero in history.”
Herdin, ever the child, lost interest in his toy sword and shield. He loved hero stories.
“What’s it about?”
“Why don’t you sit down first, Herdin?”
Obedient as ever, Herdin plopped down. Finally freed, Damian trudged over to the sofa and sat down—his expression distant, like Aila’s had been earlier.
Aila sat beside Herdin and opened the book.
“Once upon a time, in a faraway world, humans and gods lived together…”
Unknowingly immersed in the story, Aila was startled by a weight on her lap. She lifted the book slightly and looked down.
As expected, choosing the book was the right call. Herdin was sound asleep, his breaths slow and even.
She gently closed the book and set it beside her, trying not to make a sound. Then she waved at Damian enthusiastically.
But Damian was staring off into space, clearly lost in thought.
Aila whispered, careful not to wake Herdin.
“Hey! Damian!”
He didn’t respond. Aila glanced at the book beside her. Its four sharp corners caught her eye. No — she couldn’t resort to violence. That was too much. This was the last resort, though.
She picked up the book. And tossed it at the sofa.
“…Ah!”
The cover, not the corner, hit Damian square in the back of the head. It wasn’t intentional — but it was a little satisfying. Aila held back a laugh with her hand.
Finally, Damian turned his head toward her and gave her a sharp glare. Aila avoided his gaze and shrugged as if to say she had no choice. Then, stifling all laughter, she pointed at the sleeping Herdin.
