Maybe Kyle should have redirected his worry elsewhere.
Because while the Imperial Crown Prince sohow looked eerily fine, soone else was most definitely not having such a grand ti.
Even sharing the sa surna didn’t guarantee equal treatnt.
While one young Kyros was peacefully resting from the exhaustion, another Kyros had woken up through sheer instinct.
The instinct of a husband who just knew his wife was watching.
And judging.
With that look that scread "couch."
Duke Leander, realizing he had once again woken up in the dical bay, could only croak out weakly, "What...happened?"
Duchess Alia’s eyes narrowed, her arms crossed, her voice smooth and sharp all at once.
"Which part are you asking about?" she replied coldly. "About your son, or about how you fainted again and almost triggered a round two of that entire ordeal?"
Leander jolted upright, his eyes wide and his head suddenly spinning from the abruptness.
"?!"
"What?! Did it happen again? Where’s Luca?!"
"He’s next door," she said simply, though her tone held no warmth. "And no, it didn’t happen again. Only because he couldn’t see you from where he was, and passed out soon after. He’s resting. His vitals are stable now."
It was good news. It should have been a relief. But sohow, Leander couldn’t relax—not when Alia was standing there looking like divine judgnt incarnate.
He swallowed hard, then looked up at her, feeling like a scolded puppy.
"I... I’m sorry," he stamred, his voice small and pathetic, that lump in his throat getting even bigger.
Alia’s eyebrow arched, and Leander winced, sweat beading at his temple despite the room being deathly cold.
He knew exactly why.
"I-I promise I know what I’m apologizing for!" he added hastily.
Because, as a husband of many years, he knew better than to let that go unsaid. Alia hated empty apologies more than anything. She always said if he didn’t know what he was apologizing for, then he might as well dig his own grave.
He’d learned his lesson.
And if he truly didn’t know, it was always better to ask.
But this ti...he thought he was well aware of his shortcomings.
"I’m sorry for reacting like that," he admitted quietly. "And I’m sorry for scaring him. And for almost doing it again."
The mory of Luca’s terrified eyes made his chest ache.
But Alia’s response surprised him.
"You’re entitled to react to what you feel," she said calmly. "You don’t have to apologize for that."
Alia’s gaze softened just slightly, and Leander let out the smallest breath of relief.
But if he didn’t have to apologize for that...?
Leander blinked, confused.
"Then what?"
Her eyes flashed.
"What you do have to apologize for," she continued, "is reacting like that when you had all the chances to figure it out beforehand. How could you miss it when it was right in front of you?!"
Leander gasped, as if stabbed.
"In front of ?!" he squeaked, his voice breaking.
Alia only sighed and gave him a look that sohow made him feel smaller than his son.
"Leander. They’ve been bonded since before you were reunited."
Leander’s mouth fell open.
"WHAT?!" he yelled. "How could that even be possible?!"
"If anything," Alia said dryly, "it was only Butler Gary and the people you sent who saw him before he ended up married. Both of us missed it. But the difference is, he’s been right in front of you this whole ti, and you still didn’t realize!"
Leander looked like he’d been struck by lightning.
"And now you’re reacting like this?"
"Wait," he said shakily, tilting his head like a confused puppy. "Are you saying you’ve known all this ti and didn’t tell ?!"
He looked genuinely hurt, as if she’d betrayed him.
How could she not tell him sothing this important?!
But before his tears could even fall, Alia’s eyes narrowed and she hissed like an angry cat.
"I learned about it when they rescued ," she snapped. "And I didn’t tell you because I wanted to see how long it would take for you to open your eyes! No one hid it from you! You just never asked! And based on what our son said, you even lectured him on how not to beco a scumbag!"
"If anything, I wouldn’t be surprised if he thought you actually knew about it the entire ti!"
Leander flushed scarlet.
"B-but that’s just good advice for any relationship! Not marriage! Especially not a life bond!"
"He’s too young to be in a relationship! He’s my baby!"
Alia’s lips curled into a wicked smile.
"OHOHO! Now...now you must apologize for being a hypocrite," she said smoothly.
Leander’s jaw dropped, finding all of her words to be incredulous.
"Do you rember how young we were when we started seeing each other? Do you rember when you first proposed?!"
Leander opened his mouth.
"But...that’s different!" he argued weakly.
Alia arched an eyebrow.
"Pray tell. How is it different?" she deadpanned.
Leander’s shoulders slumped.
"Well...he’s still our baby," he muttered. "He hasn’t had the ti to mature—"
Alia’s eyes glinted like a blade.
"And between you and our ’baby’," she cut in, "who was the one who decided to fill the planet with statues of him? Who was the one who wanted to declare a public holiday for every achievent he made? Oh, and which mature father would snatch said baby randomly?!"
Leander’s lips trembled, but he said nothing.
"And are you seriously telling ," she continued, "that the boy who is currently carrying the fate of humanity on his shoulders for so ti now isn’t mature enough?"
Leander swallowed hard.
"No...but still..." he whispered.
Alia softened slightly, though her gaze was still sharp.
"You’re right about one thing," she said. "Luca never had the chance to be a proper kid. He matured too fast, and in ways we couldn’t expect. He needs help in so areas, yes. But in more ways than either of us, he’s already far more mature than we ever were."
She let that sink in before continuing.
"I was livid the first ti I learned about it. But what cald down...was his belief in us."
Leander blinked, startled.
"Huh?"
"Your son genuinely believes that we hung the moon," she said softly. "He thinks we’re great, understanding, trustworthy. And I’m not about to let you ruin that for yourself."
Leander perked up at the praise.
But then deflated just as quickly as Alia hit him with the next blow.
"We already suck as adults. And as parents. Surely you’re not about to sink even lower because you refuse to listen first?"
Leander winced.
"Lia...what do you an?"
Alia’s expression was calm, but her voice was firm.
"Your son was able to say all that earlier because he genuinely believed his father wouldn’t have a ltdown."
"Even now, if you asked him, he’d probably be too honest and you’d regret it. He isn’t like us. I don’t even know how we managed to produce soone like him, but his experiences shaped him differently. He wears his heart on his sleeve."
She leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing.
"So if you’re not careful about how you react, you’ll hurt him before you get to even explain yourself. That’s why we’re doing this here. You can react all you want now. But once we have that family eting, you’d better have it together."
Her smile was bright, but it sent a chill down Leander’s spine.
"So if you’re going to faint again, my dear husband," she finished sweetly, "you’d better make sure you do it here."
Leander gulped.
Because that smile was not one you argued with.
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