"GREETINGS, Young Master."

Winter just nodded at Captain Sherwood, captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. The knight was standing in front of the simple carriage that Princess Nia used. Every time Her Royal Highness would visit her mother, they would do it discreetly. The servants of her mother all had their lips sealed by bribe. "Captain Sherwood, is it really safe for Her Royal Highness to visit my mother monthly?"

Last year, he was shocked to see Princess Nia in his mother's mansion. When he asked His Majesty about it, he said he allowed Her Royal Highness to return to the Royal Capital once a month. Of course, it was a "royal secret" that only a few knew about.

Since the royal princess's sin of failing to give the emperor a child because of her infertility, it would be hard for her to return and reclaim her title. Not even His Majesty could pardon her from that sin because if he did that, he would be subjected to the ire of his own people.

And so, Emperor Aku settled in giving the royal princess some sort of freedom.

Since His Majesty holds the temple by its neck, he was able to "convince" them to let Princess Nia leave her confinement once every month.

"Don't worry about it, Young Master. We're being careful," Captain Sherwood assured him. "After Her Royal Highness had tea with Lady Prescott, I will escort her back to the temple. Nobody else will know that the royal princess has been here."

"Ah, I see," he said, not really convinced with that. How could not people realize that it was suspicious for the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights himself to escort an "ordinary" lady? Were people around them dumb or the emperor was just confident that nobody in their right mind would question the captain? "Anyway, I didn't know that my mother is this close to Her Royal Highness."

The captain let out a soft laugh that somehow sounded mocking. Or was it just his imagination? "Yes, Young Master. Lady Nystrom and Her Royal Highness have been good friends way before you were born. In fact, if it wasn't for the royal princess, your mother and your father wouldn't have been together in the first place."

He could easily detect sarcasm but when it comes to Captain Sherwood, he found it hard to decipher if he was being genuine or not. But in the end, he just dropped it since his mother's friendship with the royal princess had nothing to do with him anyway.

"I guess Her Royal Highness will be disappointed once she hears that the people she brought together are now separated," Winter said, then he turned his back on the captain to walk towards his own carriage where Blake and his attendants were waiting. "See you around, Captain Sherwood."

***

WINTER was woken up by her mother's loud shriek.

He got up and stayed still for a while before he realized that the sound was coming from his parents' room.

Mother is here?

He visited his mother just the other day and she didn't tell him that she would visit.

Curious as to why his parents were fighting again, he went out of his room. The head maid and the head butler were already at his door.

"Young Master, we humbly ask you to return to your room," Louisa said with her head hung low.

"The madam is here and she's not in a good condition," David added with a low bow. "Please let the master handle this."

"No," Winter said bluntly. He knew that the head maid and the head butler were just being protective of him. But this time, he wanted to know what was going on with his parents. Especially with his mother who was just calm when he visited her a while ago. "I want to see my mother so get out of my way."

The head maid and the head butler were aware of his mood swings. And so, they politely bowed and got of his way before he snapped at them.

He also asked them to not follow him.

After that, he walked alone towards his parents' room. Whenever the two would fight, their servants wouldn't dare to get near the chamber. It was perfect for him since he didn't have to deal with any of them like how he dealt with Louisa and David.

"How dare you!" his mother yelled angrily. Her voice was so loud that he was able to hear her even though he was standing outside the room. "How dare you abandon me for another woman, Kiho!"

"Tilly," his father said firmly. "I thought you already agreed to the divorce?"

"No!" his mother cried. "How about Winter? I can't let another woman raise my son! I will never allow another woman to be acknowledged as the birth mother of the empire's future emperor! That should be me!"

Ah, so that was why his mother was angry.

His mother didn't really care that his father fell in love with another woman. She didn't care that he would have a stepmother soon. His mother was just afraid to have another woman "harvest" the result of her hard work. And that "hard work" was him.

Mother has become too greedy for power.

It hurt to know that but at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with his mother.

She was just calm the other day…

His mother looked genuine then. Was she acting? He couldn't tell.

Well, I guess my having a split personality is a trait that I inherited from Mother.

"Then, how about we do this?" his father said in his usual cold voice. "If you sign the divorce papers, I swear on my honor that I won't let you get cast aside by the society. You're the only mother that Winter will recognize. You will still be the only mother of the future emperor even if I remarry. Of course, I will still support you even after our divorce."

"I'm richer than you, Kiho."

Winter raised a brow. Mother suddenly sounds gentle.

"Your wealth won't last long judging by how much you splurge on shopping every single day."

"It's my noble duty to keep the economy afloat by spending money," her mother said bluntly. "You wouldn't know because you weren't born a noble. But you know, rich people should spend their money even on useless things."

"That's why I'm telling you that you'd easily go bankrupt if all you do is spend," his father scolded his mother. "If you don't want my money, then allow me to manage your father's businesses in your place. All the profits will go to you. I won't touch your money, not even a single coin. Would that be alright?"

Now Winter was confused. Why does Father sound like he still wants to take care of Mother even though he's the one who asked for divorce?

"If you insist, then I will allow you to take care of me and my businesses," his mother said in her usual haughty tone. "I will sign the divorce papers once I get home. You better keep your promise to me, Kiho."

"Have I ever broken a promise I made to you?"

"Yes, just now," his mother said coldly. "Our marriage was a promise of staying together forever, wasn't it? But you broke it when you chose another woman over me."

"Tilly…"

"I will let you go as long as I stay as Winter's mother," his mother said. "But I just have one last question for you, Kiho."

"What is it?"

"Who's prettier between me and that homewrecker?"

Winter flinched at his mother's words because he knew that it would hurt his father.

Unfortunately, no matter how hellish their marriage was, Mother is right: Father's new woman is still a homewrecker.

"You're prettier, Tilly," his father said softly. "I didn't lie when I told you before that you're the most beautiful to me."

Winter was surprised to hear that from his father.

If that's the case, then why did you fall in love with another woman?

***

"FATHER, you called me?" Winter said when he entered his father's office. Then, he stood in front of his desk with his hands behind his back. "Do you have something to say to me?"

"Your mother was here a while ago," his father, who sat behind the desk, informed him. "But I guess you already know that."

He just nodded as a response.

Well, it wasn't like he could tell his father that he overheard the conversation between his parents. And he didn't get to hear everthing anyway. As soon as his father said that his mother was beautiful, he got goosebumps.

Hearing your parents flirt is gross.

And for him, very confusing. Why did his parents act that way when they just agreed to divorce each other? It made him feel very awkward.

"Your mother already agreed to divorce me as long as you recognize her as your mother," his father said. "Can I ask you a favor? I want you to stay on good terms with your mother and let the whole high society know. I'm sorry for asking you to do this."

"It's okay, Father," he said. "She's still my mother after all."

His father gave him a faint smile that disappeared quickly. "Winter, do you want to meet Lucina?"

Winter shrugged because he already expected that. "I don't mind, Father."

***

AH, THERE she is.

Winter, along with the servants of his father's mansion, await by the main hall for his father and his new… uh, lover?

Anyway…

As soon as his father entered the hall with a beautiful woman attached to his arm, everyone behind him let out a soft gasp. And he understood why.

She has black hair…

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lucina Morganna," his father said firmly. "From now on, she's the new madam of this mansion."

The servants bowed and greeted the woman.

Winter, on the other hand, just gave her a blank look. "Greetings, Lady Morganna."

Lucina Morganna smiled warmly at her. "I've always wanted to meet you, Winter," she said, then she squatted in front of him even though noble ladies weren't supposed to that. "Please feel free to treat me like your own mother, hmm?"

***

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