I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

A day when all the tumultuous imperial events passed and the peaceful days continued.

As spring passed and the beginning of summer approached, the sun began to rise early in the morning.

In the gardens of the Empress's palace, birds chirped, and sunlight penetrated into the main bedchamber.

It was Raymond who opened his eyes first between the two who were lying on the spacious bed. Blinking slowly, he turned his head and looked at Ellie leaning on his arm.

She hadn’t yet woken up and was breathing softly.

Raymond couldn’t help smiling, gently touching her silvery hair, glistening in the sun.

It's been over a month since they reconciled, but he still didn’t believed that he was sleeping with her and waking up together in the morning.

He was so happy that at times he worried if his mind had been moved.

Once again assuring that it was real, he pressed his lips to her silver hair.

Ellie's unique sweet scent hit him in the nose… A sweet body scent like ripe fruit.

Ellie's body always made his heart beat faster.

Raymond smiled, confirming that this wasn’t a dream.

"Mmm-m."

As soon as he gently brushed her hair, Ellie, who was asleep, hummed weakly. Raymond hesitated and stared at her… Slowly lifting her eyelids, Ellie's mysterious purple eyes were revealed.

"Good morning, Ellie."

Raymond familiarly touched his lips to her forehead.

Kiss.

"Good morning, Ray. Hmm…!"

Ellie basked in the reverie he still had, feeling his touch on her hair.

Then she approached him. As she shifted slightly, her blanket slipped down, revealing her shoulders. Only a fine slip revealed her naked boldly.

The smooth skin of her neck, thin shoulders and curved collarbones.

Last night, the red traces he left behind were etched like fireworks all over her white and fair skin.

The marks satisfied Raymond with a strange sense of satisfaction. As if he had perfectly marked his person.

"Ellie, I love you," Embracing Ellie, Raymond whispered, with his lips pressed against her shoulder.

Ellie laughed at the sweet whisper.

These days he showered her with words of love.

Thinking about Raymond's past and now, it was simply unimaginable.

‘Last night he said he loves me at least a dozen times.’

But here is a new confession, although only a few hours have passed.

She could not help laughing at his boundless love.

"Hey Raymond…"

But her overflowing lover tried to warm her so early in the morning. Her hand, which was stroking her hair, gradually moved down the point, caressed her clavicle bone, and smoothed her waist stiffly.

"Ha, Ellie…" Whispering her name in her ear, he pushed his lips to the back of her soft neck.

The moment he lowered his lips to the red marks he left last night, his body was pushed back.

"No!" Ellie looked at Raymond with a determined expression.

"Why not?" Raymond raised an eyebrow and asked with a shameless face.

‘Why not?' Ellie almost laughed in vain.

However, Raymond put his arm around her waist again with a look he couldn't really understand.

"Ray!"

"Give it a little. I'll finish quickly."

Ellie's cheeks were flushed with such a direct statement.

Unlike Raymond, who is becoming a cunning snake by the day, Ellie hasn't adjusted to something like that yet. Especially when he wanted her so openly.

‘Did he have such a strong sexual desire?'

Ellie, who had almost given up for a moment from his deep eyes and subtle touch, came to her senses and placed a hand on his chest.

"No, you can't, Your Majesty. Today is an important event, so you can't get up late."

Honorifics… She named him by title.

Ellie's words now meant that if he crossed that line, she would be angry.

Ironically, the Emperor feared most of all when the Empress addressed him formally.

‘An important event.’

Ellie's words reminded him of what day it was.

Opening ceremony of the academy for the commoners named after His Highness Carlisle. So it's a shame, but as she said, he couldn't start her day late in the morning.

"…That's how it is. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do."

Raymond stood up from his seat, holding Ellie's hand, full of regret. When he got out of the blanket because he wasn't wearing a shirt, the solid upper body of him was revealed.

Raymond put on his robe and rang the bell next to the bed.

Soon a servant entered the bedroom.

"Have you called, Emperor? …Empress."

"I'll go straight to the dressing room, so you help the Empress get ready."

As always, Raymond will change his clothes and head to the training ground. However, his footsteps were lukewarm today.

Pretending that he was serious about getting to work, he suddenly turned around and rushed to her.

Kiss.

In an effort to appease his desires, he wrapped himself around Ellie's waist and pressed against her. The courtiers hastily lowered their gazes, and Ellie's cheeks, whose eyes widened from the sudden kiss, turned red.

"Cute."

Stroking her cheeks, he was bitten when he saw her eyes turn pale as if she had come to.

"I'll see you later then, Empress."

Raymond hurried out of the bedroom, as if to dodge Ellie's anger.

* * *

"Prince, are you nervous?"

Inside the carriage, going to the inauguration of the construction of the Academy for Commoners. I fondly asked why Carlisle's face grew more and more rigid as the carriage moved on.

Carlisle, who was holding his hands above his knees as if nervous, turned his head towards her.

"…You said that this is a very important event. I'm afraid I'll make a mistake in front of people."

Carlisle, who began his studies in earnest, has become more sensitive to the views of people than in earlier times.

Although he is still young, to some extent he has realized the importance of his seat.

On the one hand, it was a pity that he was now burdened, but I could not rid him of this, because he was the one who would become the Emperor.

And today will be the starting point where the people of the empire will receive his mercy for the first time.

‘You must have been nervous since it was your first time.'

Raymond, seated opposite, said:

"Carlisle, don't worry. Why should you be nervous when you have such a father? Trust him. I will help you so that everything goes well," Raymond smiled at Carlisle as if he had a lot of faith in himself.

After some kind words from Raymond, Carlisle, who had been overwhelmed by the stress for a while, suddenly relaxed.

"Yes. Father is the best."

Raymond leaned over to Carlisle and then whispered and winked at him and said.

"Carlisle is also the best for me."

Carlisle laughed happily.

Raymond, who was stroking Carlisle's head, who was completely relaxed, looked at Ellie.

"Ellie, what's up?"

Somehow, Ellie's expression wasn't satisfying.

"…No. I just got dizzy."

Ellie shook his head like it was nothing. There was no word that she was jealous of the two of them. But Raymond noticed her mind. This is because Ellie would sometimes make a strange face when he and Carlisle got close.

Raymond said with a playful smile.

"Oh, Carlisle… She must be upset because you said that your father is the best.”

"Yes? Oh, mom, are you unhappy?"

Carlisle turned to Ellie with wide eyes.

Ellie was also trapped in her mind and her face was covered in embarrassment.

"No, is not that."

But Carlisle said politely to smooth over the awkwardness:

"You are also the best! I love my mother so much!"

After going through assassination attempts and turmoil, they came to the conclusion that now the child was calming the adult.

At the sight of this, Raymond could hardly contain a burst of laughter.

And when Ellie reproachfully looked at him, the one who created this situation, Raymond cleared his throat and turned his head away.

‘Now that I think about it, you're getting more and more mischievous.'

Ellie stepped gently on Raymond's foot, out of sight of Carlisle.

"Yuck."

Raymond groaned, perhaps in pain, but Ellie smiled tenderly at Carlisle, pretending not to hear him.

“Yes, I also love the Crown Prince very much.”

"I love you too."

The carriage was filled with Raymond's moan and the harmonious laughter of Ellie and Carlisle arrived at the academy venue.

* * *

“His Majesty the Emperor, His Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince, are arriving. Show your respect, everyone."

The knight's cry rang out, and all the commoners who had gathered to watch the ceremony knelt down.

"Everyone, get up."

Raymond's strong and deep voice, which had the magic of a loudspeaker, echoed in the wide space.

Slowly, the people stood up and raised their heads towards the members of the imperial family.

"That's the prince, Your Highness."

"He looks so smart."

“Look at that blackish hair and eyes shining like black stones. He is so cute and charming.”

"It would be great if a beautiful princess wes born."

"Oh, that's right. Now that Her Majesty is back, should we wait for a replenishment in the royal family?"

"There are rumors that the Emperor and his wife are doing well."

"Look at least for yourself, the eyes of the Emperor don’t leave Her Majesty."

"Haha, right. It would be nice if a pretty princess was born…"

The people of the Empire fluttered to their own delight, looking at the imperial family.

Then Raymond stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“Today is a very significant day as the construction of the academy begins. The imperial family will establish an academy named after the Crown Prince to prevent commoners from being discriminated against in learning. And I promise that I will do my best for the learning and peaceful life of commoners, even if the Crown Prince continues my will and becomes Emperor in the future."

Raymond took a moment to catch his breath and continued speaking.

"Then, expand your knowledge in the academy that will be built in the future and distribute it for the benefit of the Empire."

When Raymond finished speaking, the commoners screamed loudly.

"Long live His Majesty and Her Majesty!"

"Long live the Crown Prince!"

The screams of the people covered the entire area from edge to edge.

In this place, a new future was now laid for the Empire.

( END )

Tl/note: This is happy ending of the story, but don’t forget that we have 19 extra chapters!