For three full years, Prince Kael had never stood up. How could he suddenly walk as if nothing had ever been wrong?
Unless...
Unless his sudden disappearance back then had been to cure his legs.
The more Philip thought about it, the more unsettled he beca. The entire matter felt unbelievable, bordering on absurd.
He had to pass this news back as soon as possible.
Raphael and the others, hearing Nigel address Prince Kael, showed subtle changes in their expressions.
"Prince... Kael?" Reesa’s eyes widened. "You an... a real imperial prince?"
Nigel nodded. "Yes. Prince Yu."
Reesa gasped softly. "Then, Zora... aren’t you Princess Consort?"
Even though Prince Kael had entered the academy as a student, the title of prince was still one of supre nobility.
Zora’s red lips curved slightly, her expression calm.
She had never cared much for such identities.
She had been the general’s daughter for fifteen years. Was that status not noble enough?
Yet for those sa fifteen years, she had lived under scorn and ridicule, trampled upon by countless people.
Because of that, titles and ranks had long lost their aning to her.
Prince Kael felt the sa.
To him, the title of prince was not an honor, but a reminder of humiliation.
Yet it was precisely this faint indifference, this casual disdain toward status, that made the pair appear even loftier in everyone else’s eyes.
Such noble identities, worn so lightly, spoke volus about the depth of their hearts.
Raphael’s thoughts churned violently.
He had once investigated Zora’s past in the General’s Residence, yet he had never uncovered this truth.
So the Zora of today was no longer rely the general’s daughter...
She was a Princess Consort.
"Zora," Raphael said softly, his expression gentle and composed, "since His Highness has just arrived, you should take him around the academy. We’ll head back first."
His smile was warm and bright as usual, revealing nothing of the stirring emotions beneath.
Zora thought for a mont, then nodded. "Alright."
Even if she returned now alone, Prince Kael would still seek her out. Besides, there were indeed things she wished to speak to him about.
Seeing her straightforward response, sothing tightened in Raphael’s chest. Without lingering, he turned and left.
Alaric Von Seraph watched Raphael’s retreating figure, then looked at Zora and Prince Kael standing together, his gaze darkening with complexity.
He had been Raphael’s friend for many years. How could he not understand what the other was feeling?
"Senior," Sylvandria said with a light smile, her voice gentle, "Zora and Prince Kael haven’t seen each other in a long ti. They must have much to talk about. I think we should leave as well."
Alaric Von Seraph nodded faintly. "Alright. Let’s go."
One by one, they departed, leaving behind the pair who had unknowingly stirred the hearts of the entire academy.
"Zora... Nigel, and I will head off too!"
Reesa blinked at Zora with exaggerated enthusiasm, her aning obvious. Everyone said they would not disturb a newly reunited couple. Staying any longer would only make things awkward.
Zora noticed the teasing, ambiguous looks around her, but she did not bother explaining.
At a mont like this, no explanation would be believed anyway.
Since that was the case, she might as well let them misunderstand.
In the blink of an eye, the surroundings emptied out. Only then did Zora feel a trace of helplessness rise in her heart. She turned to look at Prince Kael.
"You’re done with everything already?"
Her voice was light and inquisitive. From what she knew, Prince Kael had been staying in Elysia for three years. The matters he had left behind could not possibly be simple. Resolving them all in such a short ti should not have been easy.
Unless... everything had truly been settled.
If that was the case, his efficiency was terrifying.
"If I didn’t co back," Prince Kael replied lazily, a wicked curve lifting his lips, "I was afraid my wife might run off with soone else."
His low, magnetic voice carried a teasing smile, but beneath that playfulness lurked a seriousness that could not be concealed.
Zora froze.
What nonsense was this man spouting now?
A perfectly normal concern had sohow turned, through his mouth, into sothing scandalous.
Black and White exchanged glances, their expressions full of silent laughter. As expected, this was exactly Prince Kael’s style.
Even Shihtzu in Zora’s arms sneaked a glance at him. This was only the second ti it had seen Prince Kael since that... incident during the bath.
Thinking of that, Shihtzu felt its face grow hot. It quickly buried its head back into Zora’s arms.
A very shy beast indeed.
"Watch your words," Zora said sharply.
She could already imagine those two troublemakers on her head laughing themselves silly.
Seeing her reaction, Prince Kael’s eyes brightened, the smile at his lips becoming even more captivating.
"So even when I’m not by your side, my lady still worries about ?"
Zora choked.
This man was digging a pit.
A very deep pit.
No matter how she answered, she would fall straight into it.
"You’re thinking too much," she replied coldly, her gaze darkening.
Prince Kael seed completely unbothered. The smile on his face remained radiant, his eyes still fixed gently on her.
His hand rested casually on her shoulder. "Today is a good day. Being able to see my lady again... this husband is very pleased."
Zora noticed his hand and imdiately frowned. "Can you let go?"
Prince Kael raised an eyebrow. Though reluctant, he released his grip the mont he saw her expression turn colder.
"When my lady orders... naturally I must listen," he said obediently.
Zora’s brows knit slightly. "Aren’t you getting too carried away with this role? I’m not your lady."
At her words, the smile on Prince Kael’s face faded just a fraction, seriousness surfacing in his eyes.
"Do you not like being my lady?" he asked quietly.
The usually unrestrained Prince Kael looked unexpectedly cautious at that mont, as if worried that even the title he had used might have displeased her.
Just when Zora thought Prince Kael had finally grasped the point, his voice rang out again, light and earnest.
"So... should this Prince call you Princess Consort then?"
"..."
"I am not your Princess Consort," Zora emphasized, each word crisp and clear. "And you are not my Prince, either."
Was this man genuinely unclear about their relationship, or was he deliberately muddying the waters?
Prince Kael reacted swiftly, as if struck by sudden enlightennt. "Oh? Then how about this? Should I call you Zora... or perhaps my precious heart?"
Zora: "..."
"Whichever you like, I’ll call you that. How about it?"
He smiled as he spoke, that dazzling, peerless smile lighting up his handso face like the brightest pearl under the sun, radiant enough to steal one’s breath.
Unfortunately, to the current Zora, that smile felt more like a trap than a blessing.
"Really?" Her red lips curved into a dangerously beautiful smile. "Whatever I like, you’ll call ?"
"Of course," Prince Kael replied smoothly, his eyes shining with sincerity and gentleness. "But calling you simply ’Zora’ doesn’t quite reflect how close we are."
"..."
Zora felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.
She should never have started this conversation in the first place.
When it ca to shalessness, she was hopelessly outmatched by Prince Kael, every single ti.
But at the sa ti, one she wasn’t willing to accept, she doesn’t hate his shaless talk...
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