Oh, Lucy, I wasn't sure whether I should talk about the subsequent event.

  Well, it was when I needed to go to offer the final prayer for the last day of the annual prayer.

  I think you were already there when that happened. It was when I ‘handed’ Aria the Saintess Staff after I asked her to help me walk to the altar. So, there is no need for me to tell you about it here.

  However, I have to tell you how I felt at that time. Although the real meaning behind our action at that time was to warn the imperial family not to try something funny again, it was truly satisfying to be able to ‘hand’ Aria the Saintess Staff in front of everyone. It was like publicly declaring that Aria was my successor.

  I genuinely wish that this wish would be realized. Having Aria as my successor, how promising would the future be? Don’t you agree with me, Lucy?

  When I shared my thoughts with others, they actively supported them, especially your teacher.

  Oh, should I also talk about how those people stepped out and placed Aria under their protection?

  Well, after I told them how those fools from the despicable imperial family tried to force Aria to agree to the engagement with their son when she went to ask them for their signature for Iris that night, they were furious.

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  So, when we discussed how to bar the imperial family from attempting something like that again, your teacher was the one who proposed that idea. And Paul actively supported it.

  So, that was why we expanded the scope without telling you and your mother. Ultimately, it was changed from ‘Aria is under my protection’ to ‘Aria is under our protection.’

  Well, as you knew, at that time, although he and Cardinal were not the same as us, they were the first ones to bow to us.

  Cardinal Peter led the rest of the clergy faction in performing the priest salute to us. Yet, he did not smile like Duke Ellon. Instead, he threw a piercing gaze at the emperor. Yet…

  Yet, what puzzled me the most at that time was how Duke Ellon reacted to it. Could you tell me why he did that? It had been on my mind since that day.

  Why, at that time, as the first one to do it, as he led the Western nobles to lower their heads to us, he let out a satisfied smile. It was a bit chilling at that time, yet I did not feel the oppressive aura he had shown me during our private meeting.

  What was the meaning behind his smile, Lucy?

  Ah, oh, Lucy, you know, in addition to the guardian knight led by your brother, Duke Melbon and his sons also gave the knight salute to Aria. Then they smirked at the emperor. And…

  About your teacher… we don’t have to talk about it.

  You were standing at the far back of the hall, so you might not be able to see his face.

  But he grinned like a fool as he led the Eastern noble, lowering their head to us.

  Oh, I wish you had stood there with me so you could see the emperor's face at that time. The face he showed was as if he were chewing insects. Well, even Duke Raven led the imperial knights to salute us, and the central nobles also followed suit.

  He should have already learned about it. That was the consequence of trying to trap Aria.

  ‘None shall touch Aria.’

  Indeed, this was our strength. We no longer had to depend on Aria’s protection.

  Finally, we became capable of protecting Aria.