Inside the hall, Alver observed the Imperial Crown Prince. In comparison to the rumors surrounding him, he appeared bored and uninterested. Their conversation ended the moment he responded bluntly.

"It's too bad I didn't get to meet that cute little redhead in person."

Alver's ears perked up. Is he talking about Rok? Cale once informed him that Rok had encountered their adversary. Cale had warned him about the names he should avoid, but he had no idea the Crown Prince of the Mogoru Empire would be one of them.

He was staring at him and watching everything he did.

"Was it Henituse County?"

"Your Highness, only in Henituse County do redheads exist," Robbit replied, his gaze fixed on Alver's expression. The atmosphere suddenly dropped.

"Your Highness Alver, your expression is crooked."

As he looked at the Mogoru Prince, shivers ran down his spine. He is older than him, but not by much. However, the way this prince speaks gives him a fright.

Damn it. This prince is aware of the twins' attachment to him.

"I heard they're getting married to you."

Saying it in a shitty tone and responding in a shitty way will almost certainly result.

"Yes..."

"It's just a child's passing remark..." Adin smiled at him.

"Unfortunately, we were made for each other."

The temperature plummeted even further. Adin's expression stiffened. Alver smiled as he looked around at the people.

"We've already shared the bed and bathed together, and the Twins call me a wife; we're in a stable and serious relationship."

So cringe-worthy. I have no choice but to lie through my teeth. They're actually in a serious relationship (a contractual one, actually). "Despite my shortcomings, I love them both."

Adin's piercing gaze fell on him. So Alver just went and sat there like a handsome idiot. This bastard can glare at him for as long as he likes.

**

Cale: Hyung-nim, I'm bored.

Rok: It's not. I'm enjoying the love of my life.

Cale frowned. They are literally doing nothing! As in nothing! Rok has always managed in their room, sleeping, eating, and napping! literally doing NOTHING! His older brother even went and wriggled into the blanket and wrap himself like rolls.

Why, of all people, do I have this lazy prick as my Hyung-nim?!

"You'll die young at this rate," Cale said as he stood up. He then picked up his brother, still covered with his beloved blanket like a sack of rice, and brought him to the training hall where Deruth, Ron, and Vicross were training.

"Damn you, Cale!"

"You should exercise!!!" He tosses his brother aside like a sack of rice.

"Cale... you—!"

Flop. Flop.

"What are you two doing again?" Deruth asked, and looks at his cozily wrapped son and to his sweating younger son.

"I'm going to make Hyung work on his little tiddies!" Cale huffed and grabbed the end of the blanket, yanking his brother out of his beloved blanket and mercilessly dropping him on the ground.

Deruth laughs and takes one of the open seats. He watched how the twins bicker.

"You're the elder brother! You're supposed to be a nice and wonderful role model for us!" Cale says, smirking. "And you think a sissy-bodied you can take the Count's seat when you're first in line?"

"I don't even want it! And... you! Gently!" Rok screams, but he continues to roll off the blanket.

"CALE!!!!!!"

"Work your little butt for our nice tiddies, Hyung!" Cale retorts. He drops a wooden sword on his younger brother's lap. Of course, Rok frowned and groaned before dropping to the ground.

"I don't want to! I don't want to!" he screams as he rolls around on the ground.

"Come on, work on those little tiddies!"

"I'm not interested!!! Do it yourself!"

"You need to move those muscles!" Cale exclaims, grabbing Rok's leg. "Come on! Stand up!"

"I refuse! I refuse! I refuse to lie!"

"Then lie there and watch me!" Cale tosses his brother to the ground once more.

Rok groans in annoyance. This little bastard actually dropped him on the ground twice.

"I can do it for the third time," Calw smugly said, smirking as he worked on carrying Hyung-nim and dropping him on the ground once more.

"Ah! Let go! You prick!"

"I am not a prick!! You are!!! A lazy assed prick!"

"You! I'm your older brother!"

"Yes, my lazy ass, prickly hyung-nim!"

"Cale!"

Cale successfully made his older brother move once again. Rok took the small wooden sword and swung it dangerously at Cale. Cale casually fended off his attack and kick, to which Rok casually jumped off.

"You've got moves, heh," Rok teases.

"Well, I'm ahead of Hyung-nim because I've already got my first layer of muscled tiddies!"

"Haha!" Rok laughed as he continued to spar.

Of course, the knights praised how serious their sparring was, but Grandpa Ron was watching them at the same time.

They're becoming more skilled with swords than the Henituse knights' squires. If only their Lord Rok is not a lazy assed one, he may have become skilled like their Lord Cale was.

"Prick! Move those tiddies!"

"Urg! You prickly little brother! Wait! Let me catch...huff, my breath!"

"You love breathing exercises, that's why you get that! Hahahahahhaha!"

"Cale! Don't mock my favorite exercise!" Rok lamented and swung his sword at his brother. Soon.

"Careful..." Deruth said once more but still watches them with a smile. His little pumpkin and little sugar really look good together.

"Pumpkin?"

"Sugar?"

Did I say that out loud? Deruth carefully looks at them. They've already stopped sparring while approaching him.

"Who's pumpkin? Who's sugar?" both of them asked with expectant gazes.

"Little pumpkin... because you're stoic like a Halloween pumpkin," he pats Rok's head. Rok snorted, but he had that small smile on his face.

He pats Cale's head and says, "My little sweet sugar, takes care of his pumpkin Hyung with a smile."

The twins looked at him, but a big, bright smile quickly spread across their faces.

"Sugar!"

"Pumpkin!" they both exclaimed before sprinting off to Ron and Vicross.

The butler and Vicross listened to them earnestly and even patted their heads.

It was a merry afternoon after that. Rok and Cale with their baby brother Bassen wandered around with Deruth around the county after lunch.

"Pumpkin, that looks tasty." Cale calls to his brother. Rok also looked at it and nodded, "Let's try that, Sugar."

Deruth naturally followed them in silence. He was aware that they were dealing with county vendors and doing things on their own. Violan even told him that she had already set up their own accounts and that all profits would be deposited there.

"We must be prepared," Violan said once when she told him about her plans. She was also aware of the dangerous things the twins were doing at the time, but they were silent. "If things get dangerous, we'll take full responsibility, and even then, we can send them off without worrying about them."

If something were to happen to the Kingdom and the County, she is already planning to send Bassen with them.

Deruth can sense the pride in his heart. He has two women who would do anything for the safety of their family. They are strong-willed women who would do anything for the sake of their children. He can't help but be proud of them. One is on the run while protecting the children by drawing enemies away, while the other is still taking precautions in case something happens to the children.

How can Deruth, as a man, a husband, a father, and the lord of a vast land, not respond to their efforts?

He desperately wanted to guard these smiles.

His mumbling stopped when he felt small hands holding his hands. Rok and Cale were standing beside him while holding hands. Bassen was already perched on his Hyunny.

"Done?"

"Rok will definitely eat everything if we stay..."

"As if you didn't like the apple pie and cookies." Rok huffs.

Deruth smiled as they started to walk on their way.

It was when a grey-haired boy appeared, riding his white horse rather than his carriage.

"I see another redhead, little redhead, and we meet again."

Deruth could feel Cale shivering in his place. He looked at Rok, who had taken a defensive stance. Deruth takes a step forward, followed by the twins and Bassen.

"It's good to see you again, Young Lord Din."

"Shouldn't the Count bow down in front of me?"

Deruth almost cursed. The boy was wearing the official emblem of the Mogoru Empire's Crown Prince crest.

This bastard!

"This is an unofficial visit, but I wanted to see my friend before I leave for the Empire... My name is Adin, the Crown Prince of Mogoru Empire, and it's good to see you again, Count Henituse."

Deruth shuddered with that cold stare and cold voice. He felt his children grip his pants tightly. He sighed and bowed his head as one Rowoonian would greet their royalty.

"I greet the Crown Prince of Mogoru Empire..."

This is the main reason he requires a firm foundation.

"What can my humble county do for you?"

"You are in a league of your own, as one would expect from Rowoon Kingdom's most benevolent man!"

This sociopath-like bastard in front of him regarded him as his greatest foe after the First Prince. Those eyes tell him he doesn't like the way Cale and Rok hide behind him.

This obsession is not normal.

"Dad..." Rok's voice made him look at him. "Sugar..."

He looked to his other side and noticed his son had already stiffened up with a pale face. He is almost in a state of panic. His eyes were closed, he was biting his lips hard, and he was barely breathing.

"Sugar..." Cale frowns. He breathes and looks up.

Deruth already had his palm over Cale's head.

"It appears that the other redhead is not used to dealing with royalty..."

"Yes, Your Highness, my children are new to the society."

"Of course they are... They are illegitimate children."

The firm grip on Rok and Cale's hands and heads was palpable. They can tell Deruth was irritated when this jerk referred to them as illegitimates.

"Does it matter where they come from?" Deruth inquired. His voice sounded stiff and sharp.

"I didn't mean to point it out."

"Then don't point it out, Your Highness," Deruth responded. "They are my children, regardless of their origin, so please be careful with your words."

He lets go of Rok's hand and leans on Cale's before taking him in his arms. Cale's property was tucked in his arms after securing it. Bassen leaps off and perches on Rok's arms. Deruth grabbed Rok's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Now that you've seen them, your highness, we must depart... I need to take care of my children."

He bowed down politely.

Rok got chills when he saw how Deruth looked right now. He's furious. He is aware of it. His stare was piercing and frightening.

Adin appeared displeased when he looked up. "Let's go, Dad... Be careful on your way, Your Highness," Rok said as he carefully tucked Bassen.

His tone was stern and commanding. Rok was furious because Cale immediately cowered before him. Deruth also glanced at him and seemed to be taken back.

Deruths looked at him for a moment and noticed Rok talking to the Imperial Prince down. He's not smiling or making any other expression. He's staring at the Imperial Prince, completely dissatisfied with his actions.

"I hope we don't cross paths again."

Rok drags Deruth. They could be accused of contempt, but the Imperial Prince appeared surprised. Deruth noticed Rok's enraged expression as they walked away.

He turned his head to look at the Crown Prince, but instead of scowling or being displeased.

That bastard was smiling.

"I'll kill that bastard." Deruth hears Rok's curses. "I'll make sure of it..."

Rok hates it when his brother is like this. He's overly protective of his siblings.

"Rok."

"I'm fine," Cale says, Rok looks up when he notices Cale looking at him.

"No, you're not," Rok said, "and there's no way you'd be fine."

Deruth looked at Bassen who was watching the entire thing.

"Hyunnim... down't bwe angwy." Bassen cutely said and peppers his Hyunnim with drooly kisses on his cheeks.

Rok paused and frowned. Cale laughed because Rok couldn't say anything at the moment. His nagging has ceased.

Deruth smiled satisfiedly.

I must make my decision now.

If he wants to protect them, he has to be in a position where no one would dare stand in his way.

For his women, for his children...

It's time for him to do whatever he wants with the County and Kingdom.

TBC

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