We're in a Contract Marriage, But I've Imprinted - Chapter 190
Despite my apology, Diers didn’t listen. He couldn’t take his eyes off my face, nodding silently before suddenly sitting up.
And then, he suddenly jumped into my arms.
“Mom… Miss you.”
“…Mom missed Dia so much.”
“Weally?”
“Of course.”
Diers shook with joy and let out a little laugh in my arms.
“Ung, Mom miss Dia, look in mirror?”
“Huh?”
“Dad said if Miss Mom, look in mirror.”
“Why did he say to look in the mirror?”
“Because Dia look wike Mom. If Dia miss Mom, look in mirror.”
“…I see.”
My heart swelled with emotions, and I couldn’t hold back the tears. Each word from Diers seemed to reveal a loneliness he had quietly endured. Was it right to inflict this kind of pain on him because of the adults’ circumstances?
For now, I pushed those thoughts aside, focused only on Diers, and after a soft conversation, I put him back to sleep.
I saw the first light of dawn and cast a teleportation spell and returned to the Magic Tower.
* * *
Ian observed the surroundings using the magic tool brought by the head butler. His gaze was focused on the sky as he scanned relentlessly, until he noticed something small far in the distance.
It was so small that he almost missed it, but finally, he discovered the Magic Tower and felt a rush of excitement.
Wanting to share the news with his child, he quickly wrapped up his tasks and headed to Diers. He watched him playing alone for a moment, then quietly approached.
“Dia, I think I found your Mom.”
At his gentle words, Diers nodded and replied.
“Me too.”
“Really?”
Ian assumed that when Diers said ‘mom,’ he was referring to the character from the book.
“It must have been nice to meet Mom, Dia.”
“Ung!”
Just the word ‘Mom’ seemed to make Diers’s face soften, and Ian lovingly stroked his cheek before gently lifting him up. He took Diers to his room and began preparing to meet the Emperor.
His injured ankle had nearly healed. After showing impressive recovery, Ian dressed neatly and went to see the Emperor. He noticed the Emperor seemed slightly thinner than before, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.
As soon as Ian entered the audience room, Adrian spoke.
“I’ve been thinking about this for some time. I believe it’s time to abolish these harmful customs. Do you agree with me?”
The Emperor’s words aligned perfectly with Ian’s ultimate goal. He nodded silently, waiting for the Emperor to continue.
.
.
.
#21_ Inevitable Reform
“I intend to prepare thoroughly before making any official announcement. That’s why I need you to do something for me.”
“Go ahead, Your Majesty.”
“I need you to investigate the identities of all the Omegas still in the Empire, even those who are hiding.”
“And once you’ve investigated their identities, what will you do?”
At Ian’s question, Adrian confidently revealed his thoughts after days of contemplation.
“I plan to restore their status.”
“…Their status?”
“Yes. After reviewing the memoirs, records, and history books, it turns out most of the Omegas were of noble birth. After all, there are no commoners among the Alphas either, are there?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Is there a problem with that?”
In fact, Ian agreed with the Emperor’s opinion, but he knew that most nobles would oppose it. He also worried about the process and method of granting titles. Adrian, already knowing his thoughts, spoke up after a pause.
“That’s something I’ve been struggling with as well, but I intend to take a firm stance. For instance, we could just start a war.”
“Excuse me?”
“What? Why are you surprised? It’s a common tactic to shift attention outward when problems arise domestically.”
“That’s a wise decision, Your Majesty.”
Ian agreed with the Emperor’s reasoning. The Aerys Empire had enjoyed a long period of peace, with very few neighboring countries, most of which were small states. This had made it easier to maintain peace, but the gap in power wasn’t so vast that war was out of the question.
They could easily create a justification for it if needed.
“Of course, I don’t actually intend to start a war. Duke, I’d like you to lead the charge in rallying support. Would you be able to handle it?”
“Just give the order, Your Majesty.”
“That’s reassuring. This is why I like you.”
Ian was pleased by the Emperor’s decision. He had always believed that simply protecting Melissa wouldn’t lead to any improvements. Especially after thinking about the little girl he had briefly encountered at the tower, the treatment of Omegas was far from a trivial matter.
His heart beat a little faster, feeling glad that he could finally do something for Melissa and possibly the little girl, who might be his daughter.
* * *
After visiting Diers, I made sure to go see him at regular intervals, though I couldn’t visit every day since the only time I could was late at night. I was worried that Adella might look for me in the middle of the night, and I was also concerned about the impact my frequent visits might have on Diers’s life.
Still, I couldn’t give up seeing Diers. The longing I had suppressed burst out and was growing uncontrollably.
“Are you going to see him again tonight?”
“Yes, please take care of Adella again tonight.”
“Alright.”
Lucia did as I asked. Then, I suddenly became curious. Surely she must have children of her own. Wasn’t she curious about them?
“…Don’t you wonder about your own child, Tower Master?”
Though I hadn’t specified who I was referring to, there was no mistaking it. She looked at me for a moment with an emotionless expression, then answered decisively.
“Yes.”
“I shouldn’t have asked that question…”
“No, it’s fine. It’s something everyone knows, so it doesn’t matter.”
However, despite saying it didn’t matter, Lucia’s expression briefly showed pain. I couldn’t help but add,
“I felt the same way.”
“Hmm?”
“I thought it didn’t matter. I convinced myself that I didn’t want to see him, that way it wouldn’t hurt as much.”
“…”
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