The atmosphere inside the Emperor's workspace returned to silence for a moment. Calian's request wanting to delay the throne until four or five decades ahead hung in the air, making Rodaz and Elara look at each other.
"That is not a problem!" answered Rodaz finally, breaking the silence with his echoing voice. "But, you also must make me become young again after I officially give this emperor throne to your mother! Do you understand?"
The Emperor stood up from his chair walking around the desk and approaching his nephew with an expression that suddenly changed to be very serious.
Calian, who was still sitting while holding Wolvin on his lap, flinched slightly when looking at his uncle's face who had now leaned down and held both of his shoulders with a fairly strong grip.
"I want to find someone who is truly sincere and loyal like Wolvin." continued Rodaz again, his gaze implying mental exhaustion after years of being trapped in political intrigue and palace betrayal. "After I am free from the burden of the throne, I will look for at least two cute young beastfolk for me to make as a spouse, replacing Harold, to fill my peaceful days in eternity."
Calian could only nod slowly as a sign of understanding. However in his heart, he never expected if his uncle who looked stiff had a retirement dream that was quite wild, namely wanting to marry more than one beastfolk at once.
"A-Are you sure, Uncle?" asked Calian to confirm, feeling the need to give a little warning. "Beastfolk are very jealous you know when it comes to a partner. For example Wolvin. He surely will never accept it if there is another person besides himself standing by his husband's side."
Rodaz released his grip from Calian's shoulders and laughed softly. "Beastfolk naturally only look at two absolute things from their partner: strength and loyalty!" answered Rodaz casually. "If I can prove those two things in their eyes, then those beastfolk will definitely submit and be fully loyal to me without any bloodshed inside the house."
"Uncle Rodaz is right, Darling!" chimed in Wolvin suddenly.
The Night Wolf youth spoke with his eyes closed, still enjoying the soft and warm caress of his husband's hand on his hair. "If one day later you want to marry another person again, actually I also do not mind. I will accept it because I highly acknowledge your absolute strength and loyalty to me... although, of course, I know exactly you will never want to take a second spouse."
Calian looked down, staring at the cute face of his spouse who was bearing a victorious smile.
"You already know the answer, Wolvin." said Calian with a flat yet full of certainty tone. "Even though you allow it, I still will not marry anyone else forever. Just one is already enough for me."
Besides because of your loyalty that is so sincere to me, I also do not want to look for trouble on the bed. continued Calian in his heart, his face remaining flat but his thoughts drifting to his physical reality. Just facing you every day already makes me overwhelmed. What would happen if there is one other hyper person who becomes my spouse? It is certain my waist will break and my rest time will also decrease drastically.
Hearing the verbal answer full of loyalty from his husband, Wolvin smiled even wider and happier. His tail wagged slowly on the sofa.
Rodaz who saw that sweet interaction could only smile faintly. He then turned around, returned to his sofa, and sat with a posture that was much more casual than before.
"So, you are willing to use your time magic to make me stay youthful, right?" demanded Rodaz once again.
"Yes, Uncle. I will do it for you." answered Calian quickly, not wanting to disappoint his uncle who had given many things for his mother. "But, please never tell anyone about my [Time Loop] blessing."
Rodaz nodded in agreement, but his forehead wrinkled slightly. "I understand. But, tomorrow as the newly introduced sole heir, you will definitely be bombarded and asked about what kind of blessing you and also your spouse have by the curious nobles!"
"Just tell them that my son has the [Agile] blessing and Wolvin has the [Guardian] blessing." interrupted Elara suddenly, chiming in on her brother's words with a very calm and calculating tone.
Elara stepped forward, standing beside the work desk. "If those nobles doubt and insist on wanting to see proof of the throne heir's power, just order one of your elite soldiers who has a strong blessing to attack the two of them suddenly in the middle of the hall."
The unexpected alibi and scenario conveyed by Elara instantly made Rodaz smile widely and nod in understanding. The Emperor immediately caught where his sister's train of thought was heading. However, that did not apply to the young married couple who were still sitting on the sofa.
"What do you mean, Mother?" asked Wolvin confusedly, getting up from his sleep on Calian's lap and sitting upright. "How to fake it?"
"Like this, Wolvin..." answered Elara starting to explain in detail. "When a soldier attacks toward Calian with a fake killing intent, you who bear the status as the owner of the [Guardian] blessing will immediately move fast to shield Calian to block that attack with your daggers!"
Elara then turned her head toward her son. "And Calian, right at the fraction of a second when that soldier's sword clashes with Wolvin's daggers, you must use your blessing. Stop the time in that room in an instant, then quickly you walk casually to the back of that attacking soldier, draw your sword, and point it at his neck."
Elara stared at her son with the glinting eyes of a brilliant strategist.
"When you have placed your sword on the neck of the soldier who is blocking Wolvin's attack, immediately release your magic." continued Elara again. "With your 'movement' that seems very fast and invisible, it will make all the nobles present there believe completely that you have a high-level [Agile] blessing. They will never think about time manipulation magic."
Hearing that visual manipulation plan that was very cunning yet genius, Calian was stunned for a moment. However, a doubt reappeared in his mind.
"But Mother, will not showing off strength blatantly in public actually make our identity who will later become an assassin easily discovered?" cut Calian quickly, feeling doubtful about the plan.
"Relax, exactly the opposite. No one will suspect the two of you!" answered Elara with a faint smile full of confidence. "Someone who has a secret duty in the dark exactly must have a fake identity that is very bright under the light. By making them believe that you are an [Agile] user, they will never associate those traceless murder incidents with you."
Hearing the logical explanation and psychological tactics that came out of his mother's mouth, Calian could not argue anymore. He could only nod in agreement. The purple-haired youth understood very well that his mother never planned everything carelessly.
Elara was a grandmaster in hiding identities. Even for a dozen years when she was still holding the status as Maxwell Larvin's wife in the Yornvast Empire, not a single person managed to uncover her disguise.
There, not a single person knew that Elara's original blessing was [Supreme Archmage]. Even not a single person, including Maxwell himself, knew the fact that the woman who became a Duchess was an imperial princess, as well as the rightful heir of the Erthland Empire.
The only lie the Yornvast Empire knew was the fake fact that Elara implanted herself: Elara Larvin was just a former personal guard of the Erthland Emperor who had the [Light Mage] blessing, a light manipulation magic power that was said to make her able to move fast like the speed of light.