It had been a while since Lucio called for her for the night after she rejected his invitation a couple of weeks ago. Since Lucas’ disappearances, Noelle had been rejecting Lucio's invitation, but since she had something to talk with Lucio, she agreed to come. Noelle entered Lucio’s room, she saw him reading a book on the bed.

“Welcome, Noelle,” said Lucio.

“Lucio.” Noelle walked closer to the bed.

“How is the Princess?” Lucio stood up from the bed.

“She is getting better, she was distraught by the news of Lucas's disappearance and locked herself away in her room. She refused to eat anything, well I was able to feed some sense into her. I guess I'll be visiting her frequently to make sure she is fine. You know, she didn’t even look after herself, her hai–” Noelle's speech was cut off by Lucio kissing her. Noelle was startled but soon she accepted the kiss and drowned herself in the pleasure.

“There you go again, blabbering about Sophie,” said Lucio.

Noelle's face was red, her face was full of pleasure. “You asked her condition and she is just like my daughter, you know right.”

Lucy's death still haunted Noelle’s memory and she became overprotective of her last daughter, Anita–Anita was the Lorien couple's youngest child. She never forgave herself for letting Lucy suffer and ended up in her death. Now, her twin brother had gone as well and even probably died. Noelle was distraught by these events, when she learned about Lucy’s death she became bedridden for a month, and on Lucas’s disappearance, she was bedridden for almost a couple of weeks.

“I’m glad you decided to come after around a month of leaving me alone,” flirted Lucio.

Noelle leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just need some time to be alone.”

“That’s fine. I know it has been hard for you, even for me. I…” Lucio's expression turned into sadness.

“Hey, It happened. We need to support each other to be strong.”

“I’m sorry I broke my promise.”

Lucio was the second child of the previous Duke and when his older brother had children, it was decided that he would not have to succeed the Duchy. When he met Noelle, she told him she didn't want to be involved with the politics and high society of the Empire. Lucio promised her that she did not need to do that. However, an accident–a suspected assassination plot–happened to his older brother's family, resulting in their death. Lucio immediately was named as the successor of the Duchy, he insisted that his father let Oscar take the position. However, his father would not budge from his decision.

When he told the news to Noelle, he expected she would be mad at him. However, Noelle, who was at that time pregnant with their first children, assured him that she would support and follow Lucio through everything. She accepted the decision of the Duke and then she became Duchess when Lucio succeeded his father. Noelle had regret of becoming a Duchess. She still thought if she did not become a Duchess and lived their life not as high ranking noble, Lucy might still be alive with a bright and joyful expression.

"It's not your fault, Lucio."

"Still–"

Noelle placed her finger to his mouth. "Sshhh, stop blaming yourself."

Lucio kissed her again and then pushed her down into the bed. They kissed for a while and then when Lucio started to undress Noelle, she remembered Sophie's pregnancy.

"W-wait Lucio."

Lucio's expression was in heat. "Noelle, what is it? I can't hold it any longer." Lucio began to kiss her again and tried to undress her.

"Ahhh, N-no it's important. Sophie is pregnant."

Lucio stopped his advance and then sat up on top of her, staring down at her. "What did you say?"

"Sophie is pregnant, she is with Lucas's child. She hasn't told His Majesty, yet. "

Lucio's eyes widened in surprise. He immediately sprung up from the bed and changed his clothes.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"I’m going to the Palace.”

“This late? Who are you going to meet?” Noelle sat up on the bed.

“The Emperor.”

“Won’t he refuse to meet you? I mean he's probably already asleep.”

“Then I will go to his room and wake him up.” Lucio walked to the bed and then kissed Noelle.

Noelle tried to pull Lucio down to the bed, but he did not budge. “Ahh, could you not do it tomorrow?”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“No. You look tired, just go to sleep. You don’t have to wait for me.” Lucas walked to the door and stopped. “Thank you for telling the news.”

Noelle was left alone in the room. She regretted telling him the news, she was angry and annoyed. Lucio called her for the night but then he left her alone.

“Hah”–she touched her lips–” we were almost at the good part. Aghh, why did I tell him just now? I can just tell him tomorrow morning and enjoy the night together. Stupid Noelle.” She punched the pillow on the bed in frustration. Noelle lay down on the bed and then fell asleep soon after that.

Lucio waited for the Emperor, Alexei, in the reception room. A servant asked him to come back tomorrow however he insisted that the Emperor meet him or he would walk to his room and meet him there. The servant then came back to tell Lucio to wait for the Emperor. After a short while, Alexei arrived at the room, he looked sleepy.

“This afternoon I asked to meet you but you refused. Now, late in the evening, you barged into my door to meet me. You better have a good reason for it, Lucio,” said Alexei, he was slightly annoyed with Lucio.

“I do have a good reason to meet you this late.”

“What is it?”

“Have you heard about your daughter's condition?”

“Ah... well, she locked herself in her room since Lucas was missing.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, she did not talk too much to the maids or even her mother.”

“Are you even her father?”

“Quit with your mockery. I heard Noelle visited her today, what did she tell you?”

“Sophie is pregnant.”

Alexei's expression turned serious. “Stop joking, Lucio!”

“I’m not joking. She told Noelle about it, she even said she hasn’t told her parents about the pregnancy to Noelle.”

Alexei was surprised, this was the first time she heard about her pregnancy. “Is it Lucas’?

“Yes.”

Alexei sighed in disbelief and relieved. Her daughter was pregnant before her marriage and her partner was gone. If the public knew about this, the image of the Imperial Family would have fallen. Not only the Imperial Family, but the Lorien's reputation would take a hit as well. However, this was a great opportunity for Lucio, he was meaning to tie Loriens with the Imperial Family, but with the disappearance of Lucas, Lucio was sure the betrothal would be broken off and she would be married to another family. There was no way for Lucio to keep the betrothal and Sophie in his hand when Lucas was gone. Sophie's pregnancy with Lucas’s child however changed the course completely, with this he would be able to have strong ties with the Imperial Family.

“I have an idea to make sure the child is a legitimate child,” said Lucio.

“What is it? They haven’t married yet.”

“That’s true, but a marriage doesn't have to be a grandeur event.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can easily forge a marriage certificate, that’s obvious. Then using her visit to Lorien before Lucas’s disappearance, we could just tell the public that they had married there. Let’s just say they wanted a quiet wedding there.”

“But, I didn’t go there.”

“That’s correct, but the Empress did. We can just say you are busy dealing with the rebels' affair, therefore you couldn’t attend the wedding.”

“I see, that makes sense.”

“Of course.”

Alexei was taught to be careful around Loriens. Even though they were loyal subjects, they were not loyal dogs. They were like hungry vicious dogs, as long as you fed them and gave them whatever they wanted, they would follow you faithfully. However, once you forgot about them or made them mad, they would tear you apart. The Emperor of the Galactic Imperium had always been taught about the phrase ‘Beware of the innocent Lily, behind its beautiful looks is a wicked and dark scent.’

Alexei always felt there was something missing from his memories. Whenever he met Lucas, he always saw a vision of a woman, with a joyful and gleeful expression, standing next to him, who just looked like him. He tried to remember who the girl was, but he could not recall anything. He knew Lucas did not have a twin and the girl in the vision was not of his younger sister, Anita.

“I will be taking Princess Sophie under my care,” said Lucio.

Alexei fumed hearing that. “What did you say!?”

“She carried a child of Lorien. It would be the correct thing for us to take care of her.”

“She is my daughter.”

“She WAS your daughter. Now, she is a wife of a Lorien. She has become Lady of Loriens and will be a mother to Loriens children.”

“How dare you!” Alexei was about to punch Lucio, but before he hit him.

“One year,” said Lucio, nonchalantly.

“What?”

“Until the child is one year old. I will let the Imperial Household take care of Sophie and her child. After that, they will be ours.”

Alexei wanted to say no to his proposal. However, if he kept refusing Lucio and antagonising him, who knew what he would do? Messing with Loriens could spell destruction to his Empire.

"Fine, one year and she is yours."

"Thank you."

Alexei felt her daughter was like a good that he just sold to Lucio. He wanted Sophie to cherish her life fully and live her life according to her wishes. When she asked to be paired with Lucas, Alexei immediately agreed to it and convinced Lucio. Alexei never knew that the situation would be like this; Sophie was pregnant with the child of his missing fiance and his family demanded her and the child to be taken by his family.

"I'll be going back then."

"Alright."

"Alexei, take better care of her, cherish her more, a daughter needs her father. You never knew when she would leave you. Don't make the same mistake as me," said Lucio with a sad expression.

"What? Did anything happen to Anita?"

Lucio smiled at him. "Nothing, just words of advice."

Lucio left the palace and went back to his estate. Alexei then went into Sophie's room and when he arrived there, he saw her sleeping soundly. She looked better than the last time he visited him. Her hair was groomed and a relaxed expression could be seen on her face. It seemed Noelle's visit had made her feel better.