Leo's eyes widened in surprise.
"You… you're a woman."
The woman tilted her head slightly, studying his shocked expression. There was a faint hint of amusement in her brown eyes.
"Why?" she asked calmly. "Is that a problem?"
Leo quickly shook his head.
"No, it's not that." He hesitated for a moment before adding honestly, "But I didn't expect the thief causing so much trouble in the capital to be… a woman."
"Oh?" The woman let out a small, amused sound.
Then she smiled and extended her hand toward him.
"Well, you can stop sitting on the ground now. I'm not trying to hurt you," she said gently. "I was only helping you."
Leo looked at her hand for a brief moment before finally taking it. She pulled him up easily.
Once on his feet, Leo brushed the dust off his clothes, straightening his small robe with a slightly embarrassed expression.
The woman watched him for a moment before asking curiously, "So… why were the royal knights chasing you?"
She crossed her arms lightly.
"Don't tell me you're a thief like me."
Leo immediately shook his head.
"No, I'm not a thief. I'm a—"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her more carefully. Now that he could see her clearly, he noticed the details. Soft peach-colored hair. Warm brown eyes. Fair skin.
She looked nothing like the dangerous criminal the knights had been talking about. But even so… Leo wasn't foolish enough to trust someone he had just met.
"I'm not a thief," he repeated simply.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Oh…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Well, in that case… perhaps I shouldn't have shown you my face."
Before Leo could react, she calmly pulled her hood back over her head and placed the mask back on her face.
"You should go now," she said quietly. "The knights won't catch you anymore."
Without another word, she turned and began walking away down the narrow alley.
Leo stood there for a moment, watching her leave.
Then he suddenly called out. "Wait!...What's your name, lady thief?"
He ran forward after her, turning the corner where she had gone. But when he reached it— She was gone.
Leo looked around the empty street. "…She disappeared."
He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "I didn't even get to say thank you."
Just as he was about to leave—
A large hand suddenly grabbed him from behind and lifted him straight off the ground. "Found you, you little rat!"
Leo gasped in shock as he dangled helplessly in the air.
"You thought you could run away from me?!"
"Let me go!" Leo struggled, kicking his legs. "Put me down!"
Before the knight could say anything else—
A furious shout echoed from behind.
"You fool! What are you doing?!"
The knight froze.
Four royal knights came rushing down the street toward them. In an instant, they drew their swords and pointed the blades directly at the knight's throat.
"Put His Royal Highness down immediately!"
The man's face instantly turned pale. "R-Royal Highness…?"
His eyes slowly moved toward the child he was holding. Leo stared back at him with an annoyed expression.
The knight's hands began trembling. He quickly placed Leo back on the ground before dropping to his knees.
"I—I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness! I didn't know!"
The four royal knights immediately knelt before Leo as well.
"Your Highness, Crown Prince," one of them said respectfully, "are you alright?"
Leo brushed the dust off his sleeves and nodded calmly.
"I'm fine." Then he looked at them curiously. "But who sent you here?"
The knights exchanged a quick glance before answering. "Master Luca sent us to search for Your Highness."
"Does Father know that I disappeared?" Leo asked scared.
"No, Your Highness," the knight replied. "His Majesty does not know. Master Luca specifically ordered us not to inform him."
A relieved smile appeared on Leo's face. "Heh… my uncle always has my back."
The knights allowed themselves small smiles at his words.
Leo then turned toward the direction of the palace.
"Alright," he said casually. "Let's go back."
The knights stood up immediately and surrounded him protectively.
Together, they began walking back toward the royal palace with the Crown Prince safely in their care.
__________________________________
The Royal Palace — Velmoria
Leo's Chamber
The royal knights returned to the palace with Leo, moving carefully through the quieter corridors so that no one would notice the Crown Prince being escorted back.
They had strictly followed Luca's orders. No one must find out that the prince had sneaked out.
Once they reached Leo's chamber, the knights quietly opened the door and let him slip inside before returning to their posts.
The moment Leo stepped into the room, he saw someone waiting.
Luca was standing in the middle of the chamber with his arms crossed, his expression dark with worry.
"Uncle!" Leo called out happily.
But Luca immediately rushed toward him.
"Leo!" he said sharply, grabbing his shoulders. "Are you trying to get yourself into trouble?"
"Why did you run away when your father strictly told you not to leave your room?"
Leo blinked at his uncle's worried expression.
"I didn't run away, Uncle," he said quickly.
Luca narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Then what happened?"
Leo scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I was trying to use my teleportation magic to go to the palace garden…But it didn't work properly," Leo admitted. "So instead… I teleported to the Velmoria market."
Luca stared at him for a moment.
"…Oh." Realization dawned on his face. "So that's what happened."
Leo nodded seriously. "Yes."
Luca let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead.
"Well… forget about that for now," he said, suddenly sounding excited again.."I have something important to tell you."
Luca leaned closer with a grin.
__________________________________
Leo's eyes suddenly lit up with pure excitement. "Did Father say he will get married again?"
Luca smiled proudly. "Yes. He did."
Leo's face instantly brightened with happiness.
"But…" Luca continued, raising a finger. "There is a condition."
"We only have two weeks to find a suitable woman who is willing to accept your father's conditions and become your mother."
Leo thought for a moment. Then he grinned confidently. "Two weeks is enough!"
He clenched his tiny fists with determination. "We should start searching immediately!"
Luca laughed and placed a hand on Leo's shoulder. "That's exactly what I was thinking....We'll start tomorrow."
Leo nodded eagerly. "Where will we go first?"
Luca's eyes gleamed mischievously.."Our first destination...will be the Velmoria market."
Leo blinked in surprise.
"The market?" He looked confused. "Uncle… do you really think we can find someone capable there?"
Luca chuckled softly. "Of course."
Leo tilted his head. "Why?"
Luca smiled faintly. "Because that's where your father met your mother for the first time."
Leo's eyes widened. "Oh…"
Luca folded his arms confidently. "So I'm sure we can find someone there again."
Leo's excitement returned instantly. "Then it's decided!....Let's start tomorrow!"
Luca and Leo looked at each other.
Both of them smiled with the same mischievous excitement—
__________________________________
Royal Palace — Evening
A luxurious royal carriage rolled to a stop in front of the grand gates of the Velmoria palace. The horses slowed, and the coachman quickly stepped down to open the carriage door.
A moment later, Aranel stepped out gracefully.
Her dress swayed slightly in the evening breeze as she looked up at the palace.
At the top of the wide marble stairs, Luca was already waiting.
The moment he saw her, his face lit up with a bright smile.
"Welcome back, sweetheart."
Aranel smiled warmly at him.
Before she could say anything—
Two small figures suddenly jumped out of the carriage behind her.
Nolan and Nayra landed on the ground with excited laughter.
"We're finally home!" Nayra shouted happily.
"Yes! Home!" Nolan echoed with equal excitement.
Luca's face brightened even more. He quickly crouched down on the stairs and spread his arms wide.
"Come here, my little troublemakers," he said dramatically. "Your father missed you two so much!"
Both children grinned and immediately ran toward the palace stairs.
Luca watched them approach with sparkling eyes.
"Come to fathe—"
SMACK.
Both Nolan and Nayra slapped his outstretched arms away without even slowing down.
"Move, Father," Nayra said bluntly as she ran past him. "You're in the way."
The two children dashed past him and rushed straight into the palace. Luca remained frozen on the stairs, his arms still stretched out in the air.
A slow, wounded expression appeared on his face. "…My heart…"
Aranel couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. Walking up the stairs, she gently placed a hand on Luca's shoulder.
"It's alright, sweetheart," she said between laughs. "It's just that… you're not their first priority."
Luca sighed deeply, looking utterly defeated.
Inside the Royal Palace
Nolan and Nayra ran through the long palace hallway, their footsteps echoing loudly as servants stepped aside to avoid them.
They reached a large door and burst inside without knocking.
"Uncle Eyan! I'm back!" Nayra shouted excitedly.
"Me too!" Nolan added.
Inside the room, Eyan immediately looked up from his desk.
The moment he saw them, his serious expression completely melted.
He stood up so quickly that his chair slid back slightly.
Then, instead of waiting, he knelt down on the floor and opened his arms wide.
"Come here, you two."
The children ran toward him with bright laughter and jumped straight into his arms.
Eyan easily lifted both of them.
Nayra wrapped her small arms around his neck and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
"Uncle, I missed you so much!"
Then she leaned back and looked at him seriously.
"Did Uncle miss me too?"
Eyan smiled warmly and kissed her cheek in return.
"Of course I did."
"I missed you very much, sweetheart."
Nayra giggled happily.
Nolan immediately protested. "What about me, Uncle? Did you not miss me?"
Eyan laughed softly and ruffled Nolan's hair. "Of course I missed you too, my little boy."
Nolan beamed proudly.
Just then, a dramatic and deeply wounded voice echoed from the doorway.
"You traitors…"
All three turned to look.
Luca stood there clutching his chest as if his heart had been shattered.
"After everything I've done for you… this is how you repay me?"
He wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.
"I brought you into this world… and you choose him over your own father…"
"I'm heartbroken."
Eyan rolled his eyes.
"Stop acting so dramatic." Then he smirked slightly. "But they like me more than you."
He looked at the two children in his arms. "Right, kids?"
Nolan and Nayra nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
"Uncle is better!"
Luca looked as if he had just been stabbed. He stood there silently with the saddest expression imaginable.
Eyan sighed softly. Then he placed both children gently on the floor.
"Go to your father," he said. "Or he might actually start crying."
The twins looked at each other. Then they nodded. They ran toward Luca.
The moment they reached him, Luca's sad expression instantly disappeared.
His face lit up with joy as he lifted both of them into his arms.
"Now that's more like it!" he said happily.
Nayra suddenly looked back at Eyan with bright curiosity in her eyes.
"Uncle… where is Brother Leo?" she asked eagerly. "I want to see him."
Nolan nodded quickly beside her.
"Me too!"
Eyan smiled faintly at their excitement.
"He's in his room."
The moment the words left his mouth, the twins jumped down from Luca's arms.
Before anyone could stop them, they dashed toward the door.
"Brother Leo!"
"We're coming!"
"Hey—!" Luca called after them, raising his arms dramatically. "What about me?!"
"Where are my welcome kisses?!"
But the twins were already gone, their footsteps echoing loudly down the hallway.
Luca stood there staring at the empty doorway.
"…Unbelievable."
He sighed deeply while Aranel laughed softly beside him.
Leo's Chamber
The door burst open without warning.
"Brother Leo!!"
Nayra's loud voice filled the room.
Leo, who had been sitting quietly in a chair reading a book, immediately looked up.
The moment he saw them, his face lit up with happiness.
"Nayra!"
He quickly got up and ran toward her, pulling her into a warm hug.
"When did you arrive?"
"Just now, Brother!" Nayra said happily.
Nolan quickly ran forward and hugged Leo as well.
"Brother Leo, we missed you so much!"
"At Grandpa's house there was no one to play with," Nolan complained dramatically.
He pulled back and grabbed Leo's hand excitedly.
"Come on! Let's go play outside!"
Nayra jumped happily beside them.
"Yes! Let's go play!"
Leo hesitated slightly.
"I can't go outside," he said reluctantly. "Father told me not to leave the—"
"Leo."
The calm but firm voice instantly made the children freeze.
They turned toward the door.
Eyan was standing there.
He had quietly stepped into the room without anyone noticing.
Leo looked at him nervously for a moment.
But Eyan simply gave a small smile.
"Go play with them."
Leo's eyes instantly brightened.
"Okay, Father!"
The three children immediately ran past him toward the hallway.
Their excited laughter echoed through the palace as they rushed away together.
Eyan watched them go, a faint smile lingering on his face.
__________________________________
Next Day — Velmoria Market
The Velmoria market was already bustling with life.
Merchants called out to customers, children ran through the narrow paths between stalls, and the scent of fresh bread, spices, and flowers filled the air.
At the entrance of the market, two suspiciously dramatic figures stood side by side.
Both were covered with disguise magic, their appearances slightly altered so no one could recognize them.
Luca placed one hand on his hip and looked proudly at the busy market before them.
Beside him, Leo stood with the same serious expression, as if they were about to embark on a very important mission.
Luca looked down at his nephew with determination.
"Now, my dear nephew," he said dramatically, "let us begin our noble quest."
Leo nodded seriously.
"To find me a mother."
With exaggerated confidence, the two of them stepped forward and entered the lively market.
Neither of them noticed that two other men arrived just moments later.
They were dressed in simple commoner clothes, blending easily with the crowd.
Hans looked around cautiously before leaning slightly toward the man beside him.
"Your Majesty… are you sure we can catch that thief today?"
The man beside him—Eyan—kept his gaze fixed on the crowded market streets.
"Don't worry," he said calmly. "Today I will catch that thief no matter what."
Then he slowly turned toward Hans.
"And another thing."
Before Hans could react—
SMACK.
Eyan lightly smacked the back of his head.
"Stop calling me 'Your Majesty.'"
"We came here undercover."
Hans rubbed the back of his head with a pained expression.
"Then how should I address you?"
Eyan crossed his arms.
"Call me brother."
"We're supposed to be two brothers traveling together."
Hans nodded quickly.
"Understood." He straightened confidently. "Alright then… let's go, Your Majes—."
Eyan slowly turned his head toward him.
His expression clearly suggested he was considering hitting him again.
Hans immediately corrected himself.
"I mean… Brother."
Eyan sighed.
Then the two of them also stepped into the crowded Velmoria market—completely unaware that Luca and Leo were already there causing trouble.
__________________________________
After walking through the busy market for some time, Luca and Leo suddenly stopped.
Not far from them, a group of women sat together near a fruit stall, chatting and laughing while enjoying the warm morning sun.
Luca's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Leo," he whispered excitedly, nudging him with his elbow. "Look…"
Leo followed his gaze.
"…Women."
Luca clapped his hands quietly with excitement. "Perfect. Let's go there."
Leo nodded seriously, as if they were about to begin an important diplomatic negotiation.
Together, the two of them walked toward the group.
When they reached them, Luca cleared his throat lightly and gave a small, charming bow.
"Greetings, beautiful ladies."
The women turned to look at him.
Because of the disguise magic, Luca now appeared as an extremely handsome young nobleman.
The moment they saw his face, several of them instantly blushed.
"G-Greetings, my lord," one of them said shyly.
Luca smiled politely.
"I have a small question."
The women leaned closer with curiosity.
"Is any one of you looking for a husband?"
For a second, the women stared at him.
Then suddenly—
Chaos erupted.
"Yes! Me!"
"I need a husband!"
"Please marry me!"
Several women immediately grabbed Luca's arms, clinging to him excitedly.
Luca panicked.
"Wait—no—!...I wasn't asking for myself!"
But the women were already pulling him from different directions.
"Please choose me!"
"I can cook!"
"I can clean!"
Luca struggled helplessly for a moment.
Then he suddenly raised his voice.
"STOP!"
The sharp command froze everyone instantly. The women slowly released his arms.
Luca quickly stepped back and straightened his clothes with a tired sigh.
"I am a married man," he said firmly. "And a father of two children....So please keep your hands away from me."
The women looked visibly disappointed.
"Oh..."
Luca coughed lightly.
"As I was saying, I was asking for a friend."
The women immediately leaned forward again. Then one of them asked curiously,
"Is your friend as handsome as you?"
Luca smiled confidently.
"Oh, he is even more handsome than me."
The moment he said that, the women became excited again.
"Then I agree!"
"Me too!"
"I'll marry him!"
"We all agree!"
They spoke all at once.
Leo watched the entire scene quietly from the side with a very serious expression, as if he were judging candidates.
After the women excitedly agreed, Luca quickly raised both hands to calm them down.
"Wait… wait," he said. "You all should listen to the conditions first."
The women quieted, though their eyes were still shining with excitement.
One of them crossed her arms playfully.
"Alright then, tell us. What kind of man is this friend of yours?"
Luca cleared his throat and spoke carefully.
"My friend was married once," he began. "But unfortunately, his wife passed away."
The women's expressions softened slightly.
"He loved her very much," Luca continued. "Even now, he has not forgotten her."
A few women nodded sympathetically.
"So he is a loyal man," one said.
"Yes," Luca replied. "Very loyal."
"But because of his child, he now needs someone who can take the place of a mother."
The women listened quietly.
Luca hesitated slightly before continuing.
"However… there is something you must understand."
"If you marry him, he will not love you."
The women blinked.
"He will treat you respectfully," Luca said quickly. "You will live comfortably, but…"
"You will not be his wife in the true sense."
"He will never share his heart with another woman."
"He will only remember his late wife."
The women's excitement began to fade.
One of them frowned slightly.
"…So what exactly would we be?"
Luca sighed.
"You would live in his home and take care of his child."
"You would act as the child's mother."
"But the marriage itself would only be a formality."
The group fell silent.
Then one woman suddenly laughed awkwardly.
"That sounds terrible."
Another shook her head.
"So basically we would just be raising someone else's child while the husband ignores us?"
"And we would have to live like that forever?"
A third woman crossed her arms.
"No woman would agree to that."
Luca quickly tried to defend the situation.
"My friend is not a bad man," he said.
"He is actually very kind, and he is also extremely wealthy."
That caught their attention for a moment.
"Wealthy?" one woman asked.
"Yes," Luca said proudly. "Very wealthy...He can provide anything you want—beautiful clothes, jewelry, servants, a luxurious life."
The women exchanged glances.
Then one of them sighed.
"What good is that kind of money?"
Another woman nodded in agreement.
"If all your friend can offer is fortune, then he should look for someone greedy."
A third woman shrugged.
"Only a woman who cares about money would accept such a marriage....Someone desperate for wealth....Not someone who wants a real life."
After the women rejected the offer despite hearing about the wealth, Luca stood there with an awkward smile.
For a moment, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
The women slowly returned to their chatting, but
Luca wasn't ready to give up yet.
He looked at them seriously and cleared his throat again. "Ladies… perhaps I should explain the situation a little more clearly."
The women turned back toward him with mild curiosity.
One of them sighed. "What is it now?"
Luca gently pulled Leo forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"My friend already has a child," he said..."This boy is his son."
The women looked down at Leo.
Leo stood there quietly, his small hands folded behind his back, watching them with calm eyes.
"He lost his mother five years ago," Luca continued softly. "Since then he has been growing up without one."
The women's expressions softened slightly when they heard that.
"So what this child truly needs," Luca said, "is not a wife for his father… but a mother for himself."
Leo remained silent, though his eyes lowered slightly.
The women exchanged glances. One of them sighed sympathetically.
"Poor child…"
But another woman shook her head. "That still doesn't change the conditions you mentioned."
Luca hesitated for a moment. Then he said quietly, "There is something else you should know."
The women looked at him again.
"My friend—…"
"—is the Emperor of Velmoria."
For a moment, the entire group froze.
"…WHAT?"
Luca gestured toward Leo. "And this child… is the Crown Prince Leo Alen Therald."
The realization struck them all at once.
The women gasped in shock. In an instant, they all hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply.
"Y-Your Highness!...Master Luca!...We beg your forgiveness!"
Leo blinked at their sudden reaction.
Luca waved his hand casually.
"Relax, relax. We are currently traveling in disguise."
The women slowly straightened, though they still looked nervous.
Luca crossed his arms and smiled confidently.
"Well?...Now that you know the truth, what is your answer?"
He gestured toward Leo again.
"You could become the Queen of Velmoria."
"You would live in the royal palace, have endless wealth, servants, power—everything."
For a moment, the women looked tempted. But then their expressions slowly changed.
One of them sighed quietly. "That actually makes it even more difficult."
Luca blinked. "…Why?"
Another woman shook her head slowly.
"We have all heard about the Emperor...He is known to be a very cold man."
A third woman nodded. "They say he never allowed any woman to come close to him....And after his wife, Her Majesty died… he became even colder."
Luca's confident expression faltered slightly.
The women looked down at Leo again.
One of them spoke gently. "Your Highness Prince Leo… I understand that you want a mother."
Leo looked up at her silently.
"But no woman would willingly marry a man who is known to be so cold and distant."
Another woman added,
"And a man who becomes angry easily is even harder to live with....It's not easy to control such a man."
A third woman crossed her arms.
"And a marriage without love…" She shook her head firmly. "That is not something most women would accept."
The group slowly stepped back.
"We are sorry...But this is not something we can agree to."
They gave Leo one last sympathetic look before returning to their seats.
Luca stood there, completely stunned.
"…They rejected becoming the Queen."
Leo sighed quietly beside him.
Their mission had clearly become much harder than expected.
.
.
To be continued—