TFAR 30

chapter 30

The Crown Prince’s Return

Normally, Serena would have been excited with the harvest festival approaching, but now she couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning endlessly.

Anna understood her feelings perfectly, but this was one problem no one could intervene in. All she could do was watch.

“Ugh…”

Finally bored of tossing in bed, Serena sat up abruptly. There was hardly any part of Lucas she could think of without feeling irritated, but what frustrated her most now was that his face and voice kept replaying in her mind.

“Why…? I’ve lived perfectly fine for six years… so why…?”

She had trusted too much that no one would want a wife like her. Even if Lucas remembered her, she thought he would give up quickly if she behaved as usual.

“Could he… be one of those perverts who enjoys being hit by a woman?”

After several sleepless nights, all kinds of thoughts arose. Otherwise, she could not understand how he could smile even after she kicked him in the shin.

And he had left the duke’s residence without punishing her, strolling away as if nothing happened.

“That makes me angry too.”

Serena clenched her fist in frustration. He had forced through a marriage that would shape her life, then left so casually—without even a word.

“So… are we getting married, or not?”

Since he left, each night had been filled with the same torment. In Astelle, she had been able to control everything with her own decisions, but now, the unpredictable factor of Lucas made everything uncertain.

“Ugh, my head hurts…”

Though there were no traces of Lucas in the duke’s residence anymore, his words and actions still replayed in Serena’s mind:

• “Let’s get married.”
  Bold and straightforward.

• “You will want me too, eventually.”
  Arrogant and infuriating, the image refused to leave her thoughts.

“Two more hits should’ve been enough…”

The conclusion was the same today, and she still wouldn’t sleep. The six years’ worth of delayed anxieties made her suffer greatly.

As Lucas had predicted, the entire capital buzzed with excitement over the crown prince’s return. He changed into his formal uniform at a noble’s residence near the city and rode in a carriage emblazoned with the royal crest.

“Take one more round.”

To fully convey the crown prince’s return, he toured the streets where the influential nobles lived. Of course, he planned to respond soon to the citizens gathered at the palace gate.

“All rounds complete. Let’s return to the bridge.”

Lucas nodded. At the bridge leading to the palace, he planned to leave the carriage and ride on horseback.

While the royal carriage symbolized status, he judged that showing his strong and imposing figure in person would have a greater impact.

“Your Highness!”

“The crown prince has returned!”

Riding alongside Cedric, Lucas followed the predetermined route. The cheering citizens hailed the proud heir of the empire with hope-filled voices.

“Look at how strong and healthy he is!”

“Truly, he is the pride of our empire! All those rumors were lies.”

“Rumors? What rumors?”

The Tern royal family’s crown prince, long known for his strength, had been rumored to be frail and smaller than peer nobles—but that had long been forgotten.

“He is to marry the Duke’s daughter soon.”

“A festival! A glorious day for the empire!”

Even if someone remembered the rumors, Lucas’s confident appearance erased any doubt. Announcing the prince’s return in advance had been a clever move.

“Your Highness, we welcome you.”

Upon entering the palace and reaching his quarters, the courtiers all bowed to greet him.

“It’s good to see familiar faces.”

Lucas jumped lightly from his horse, smiling at Chamberlain Jackson and Head Maid Matilda.

“Your Highness!”

Matilda, his former nanny, couldn’t hold back tears as she rushed forward, repeatedly confirming Lucas’s astonishing growth.

“How have you become so strong… my word…”

Though Lucas had always shown signs of brilliance as a child, seeing him fully grown made her question whether it was really the same boy.

“How pleased and surprised Your Majesties will be to see him. Truly… he has returned well.”

Matilda quickly composed herself, but Lucas, knowing her affection, held her hand firmly, deepening her emotion.

“Your Highness…”

“You all endured a lot while I was away.”

Even the stern chamberlain nodded, moved. The six years without the crown prince had been extremely difficult.

Rumors had circulated: that he was a reckless boy who neglected his duties, or that he had been too weak and had to hide away to recover. Everyone had suffered in their hearts.

“But now that I’m back, I will make it up to you all. And soon, my wife will return as well, so look forward to nothing but joy.”

Lucas’s confident, commanding presence washed away all the courtiers’ worries. Even without a word, everyone rejoiced at the crown prince’s bright future and the secure heir of the empire.

“Your Highness, Their Majesties await you. Please proceed to the audience chamber first.”

“…Very well.”

Returning to the palace after six years felt both familiar and strange. People and places were the same, but time and he himself had changed so much.

“I will guide you.”

The chamberlain immediately took his role seriously. Lucas nodded in acknowledgment and confidently led the long procession to the audience chamber, as if nothing had changed.

“Your Highness has arrived. You may now meet Their Majesties.”

The knights guarding the audience chamber bowed and stepped aside. The emperor’s chamberlain cleared his throat and finally announced the joyous news after six long years:

“Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the Empress, the Crown Prince has returned and requests an audience.”

Seeing everyone smiling, Lucas nodded in satisfaction. Even a grown man could not help but feel anticipation at meeting his family after six years.

“Let them in.”

The heavy doors opened, revealing a scene unchanged from his memory.

Walking along the long red carpet, he finally saw the throne atop the steps and his parents seated together.

“Father, Mother, I have returned.”

Unlike when he left, he bowed gracefully before looking up at them.

The indifferent emperor blinked in disbelief at Lucas’s matured figure, while the empress reached out with tearful eyes.

“It’s all right, Mother. I am no longer a child.”

Though he felt glad to see them, Lucas had to show his authority as crown prince. He could not yet fall into his mother’s arms. There would be plenty of time for that.

“No?”

Suddenly, a small child appeared from behind the throne, trying to assert her presence, waddling down the steps.

The emperor, without realizing it, followed her unsteady steps with his eyes. Seeing his son after six years, his gaze softened with affection.

“Who… are you?”

The small girl, with brown hair and beautiful eyes like Adeline, clutched Lucas’s clothes.

Then Lucas remembered the news he had momentarily forgotten: three years after he left, the palace had been shaken by a major event—this very child.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

The girl shook her head vigorously.

“I… know who you are.”

“Who…?”

Lucas scooped the girl into his arms. Used to being held, she let out a delighted laugh.

“You must be Luana.”

“Yes… Luana. I know now… It’s my brother.”

Though seeing him for the first time, she welcomed him warmly. Lucas realized how much the empress had spoken of him.

“You are clever.”

Gently setting Luana down, she waddled back up the stairs into the emperor’s arms.

“You’ll be even smarter than him.”

Finally, the emperor spoke to Lucas.

“Who would ignore their parents for six years?”

To the emperor and empress, Lucas was their only son and heir. No matter how ambitious he was, six years was a long absence.

“Without Luana, how lonely the Empress must have been.”

“You blame me, Your Majesty. You longed for Lucas more than anyone else.”

“Me? I only needed Luana.”

Despite the emperor’s serious objection, Luana laughed and clapped her hands.

“The past years were necessary for my growth. Now that I’ve returned, I will fulfill my duties as crown prince.”

It was reassuring and dependable. Adeline marveled at how much the child had grown into a capable young man.

“Well… it’s enough that you now understand your duties.”

The emperor was very pleased with his son’s growth, but this was as much praise as he could give. Though lenient with the empress and princess, he was strict with his son.

“First, as part of those duties, I will finally hold the wedding I postponed.”

Lucas declared with a confident, charming smile.