Today’s party was also Kalcion’s idea.

Remembering how his mother had been miserable at parties, he declared that he would make Selinia the center of the most dazzling party in any country.

The notion that a grand party could make a woman happy still lingered, seemingly never fading.

Selina wasn’t particularly excited about gathering so many people, but she agreed to frequent parties since active trade was vital for the country’s progress. However, she had forgotten that when Kalcion was determined to catch beasts, he would become the one who stopped even the beasts’ seeds.

It was initially meant to consolidate King Selina’s position, but as time went on, personal reasons became more significant. Kalcion was not one to hide what he was proud of. His desire to show off overcame his aversion to people.

Selina spotted a table with only women and walked over slowly.

“Just leave me be.”

“…As you wish.”

With a reluctant look but an obedient demeanor, he accepted her command.

The crowd cheered as Selina took a seat, far beyond the stance of just the king of a nation. She was an object of admiration for all the women. From the tip of her head to her toes, every gesture and expression was carefully noted by everyone.

“Your Majesty, they say if you bake bread with coal, you can have hair and eyes as beautiful as yours. Is that true?”

“…What?”

“Your Majesty, they say to get a collarbone that stretches far like yours is that it has to be broken and put back together. Is that true?”

“…What are you saying?”

This kind of extravagant speculation was a common occurrence in such situations. She couldn’t individually catch and correct them all, but occasionally, it was necessary to draw the line by saying ‘no’ herself.

Just as there were followers who were not just admiring but almost obsessed, Selina was now facing a battle of spirit.

When she suddenly took the throne without proper merit, she had as many followers as opponents. They may not be able to formally protest, but the attacks were laced with discomfort and aimed for an opportunity.

“Did you know that these days, all the noble couples getting married are envying Your Majesty’s married life?”

The one who approached and initiated this conversation was a fairly young nobleman from Aclion. The nobility in Aclion was known for being highly territorial. They seemed to find it hard to accept a king who had appeared out of nowhere, even if it was a foreign country.

“Is that so?”

Selina smiled brightly.

At a private party like this, she could engage in relatively light-hearted conversations with anyone, even a young nobleman.

“Once the succession issue is resolved, you are already leading an almost perfect married life. Well, as long as you two are healthy, there shouldn’t be any issues, right? So, it should be roughly perfect. Ha-ha-ha.”

Nevertheless, there were still things that should not be said, no matter how close of friends they were.

Even if Selina was not the King, it was impolite to speak about such things. Interfering in others’ personal lives, their marriages, and family planning was an intrusion, and it was considered incredibly rude.

The man seemed content with his improper comment and laughed to himself. Instead of getting angry, Selina smiled and asked calmly.

“Are you enjoying the party?”

“Nobody can fail to recognize a party at Silenza castle. I’m even worried I might get carried away and end up losing my mind.”

The man casually responded, carried away in the mood, without any sense of propriety.

“Yes, it’s good to hear that you’re enjoying it as the host of the party. But it’s better to only lose your reason, not your instincts. Losing your instincts would be a problem.”

While Selina maintained a smiling face, there was no warmth in her gaze.

“Instinct?”

“The instinct to live.”

“….”

The man’s raised lips trembled, now slowly descending.

Her looks brought chills down his spine.

He believed that she was beautiful but found it hard to believe that she could be intimidating. The embarrassed man politely folded his hands and bowed his head. Then, laughter erupted from above the man.

“It was a joke.”

“…What?”

“I made a joke because you said something quite funny.”

Selina smiled again, and that’s when the man finally grasped the atmosphere.

Smile. Laugh. That was the message she sent him. Laugh and pass my threat off as a joke. That’s what she meant.

“Aaahh! Yees, uahahaha, I see! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

The man laughed as if his life depended on it. He realized that laughing could be such a strenuous task.

Only now did Selina forgive him, turning her body away.

“Have a good time.”

“Yes, yes! I’m so sorry!”

The man’s exaggerated bow nearly had his nose touching the ground. It was only then that she felt relieved.

Selina was sensitive about her rank.

Even though she usually mingled casually with others, if someone dared to trample over her, she showed no mercy. When she lived as an ordinary person, she was often labeled as having a challenging personality.

But as a king, it seemed to be just the right temperament.

“Yes, Yes! Haha! Hahaha!”

The man laughed vigorously, making the most of it until Selina’s figure disappeared into the distance.

“Hoo.”

Selina sighed and directed her gaze towards the empty space.

“I expected talk of succession would come up already.”

It hadn’t even been a year since they got married. The entire year had been overwhelmingly busy as she worked to establish the foundations of the nation. Naturally, she hadn’t had time to think about succession.

With their first anniversary approaching, talk of succession was starting to emerge.

“It’s only natural that they’d be curious about the affairs of other households.”

“It’s hard to avoid people being interested in the head of the family.”

Kalcion awkwardly chuckled.

“Even so, they wouldn’t dare bring up the topic before nobles from other countries attack you, right?”

They had decided to be equal in their marriage, leaving behind the speech habits they had developed when Selina was a commoner, and Kalcion was the Duke. The transition had left them confused as they were unsure how to address each other. They had decided to address each other informally unless.

Since they were already married, it was necessary to maintain a sense of unity.

They decided to use formal language during official functions, but in their private interactions, they agreed to use informal language and address each other casually.

“By the way, Kalcion, you must be used to pressure about succession, right?”

He was born as the successor to the Renbird family. Marriage and succession were obligations as natural as breathing for him. It was only natural that there had been plenty of nagging and pressure regarding the next generation.

“I am quite used to it.”

“Hmm?”

Kalcion simply shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve kept it in mind, but it never bothered me to the extent of being uncomfortable.”

So, his words were a consolation, advising her not to pay too much attention to what others mentioned. Selina had wisely decided to pretend not to hear those words, even though she had.

No one could live her life for her.

Therefore, all choices in life had to be made by herself.

“Succession…”

If it were the actress Selina, it wouldn’t have been an issue requiring deep thought. But now, she was Selina, the King of Selinia. National succession was a weighty matter. Even though Kalcion told her that she didn’t need to be concerned, it was a responsibility that came with the position.

‘Succession…’

She murmured in her heart once again.

* * *

Children grow up quickly. It felt even faster when she didn’t see them every day.

Selina was slightly taken aback by how much Jerryel had grown and changed in just a few years.

“Long time no see.”

Her speech and voice had matured, and she had a kingly demeanor. Even the way she returned a smile, her eyes full of composure. Jerryel’s appearance seemed almost as mature as Selina’s, making her look a few years older.

“I’ve missed you more than you could imagine. You’re still the same.”

“King Jerryel has grown quite a bit.”

As Selina’s gaze fell upon Jeriel, she seemed mesmerized by the transformation she had undergone.

Noticing her gaze, Jerryel smiled purely in joy. The youthful fussiness that once defined her had been replaced by a sense of maturity.

“Growing older and maturing is only natural. King Selinia has an air of mystery as time passes.”

Selina couldn’t help but feel the moments of disparity between the image of Jerryel in her memories and the real person in front of her.

Jerryel sat with a composed attitude. How much had she struggled and persevered to become the person she was now? The time it took for a young child to become a king was clearly visible, leaving a bittersweet feeling.

Still, who had time to focus on such thoughts? Selina, too, had her own challenges to face as she tried to establish her position as a king.

“There’s no one who lives forever, so eventually, I will wither away.”

“You will remain beautiful.”

Even as their language and behavior had evolved, their core emotions remained the same.

“It feels like I can see your younger self when I hear that.”

“Do you think my feelings could change so easily? I’m still waiting for you to get divorced.”

However, she was not as sincere when she was young. Selina laughed aloud, and Jerryel couldn’t help but smile warmly.

“As much as you’ve grown, I imagine there will be talk of marriage and succession soon.”

Considering they were in similar positions as Kings, she subtly tossed the question to see how Jerryel would respond. Unsurprisingly, she received an immediate reply.

“The moment I ascended the throne, it was total chaos.”

“At your age?”

“Because I’m a king.”

Jerryel seemed nonchalant about it.

“So, how are things for you? I haven’t heard news of your marriage yet.”

“I’m considering having a successor soon.”

A child without a father was called an illegitimate child, but when the mother was the king, things could be different. Regardless of the spouse, it was who the king gave birth to was an indisputable fact.

“Relatives tend to dilute the power, so I’m thinking of taking a few concubines, like kings of other countries do.”

Though she said it lightheartedly, it was all calculated moves as a king. Jerryel’s personal life was inseparable from her life as a king, and she accepted that as a given.

“For now, it seems you’re planning to establish your succession.”

“Succession represents the power that upholds the throne.”

A king’s private life couldn’t remain private. In contrast to being born out of love, they were born as the king’s heir.

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