Chapter 79: 4.13

"Do you have any affair other than with Prince Javier? And… are you sure that it is a deep love? Your answer will determine my action, Crown Prince Lyon."

General Swordheart was not playing around, and Lyon could sense that. 

Lyon gulped, but he already knew the answer in his heart. He said with determination in his voice, "I love Javier Di Arlingdon since I was a kid, and I will continue loving him."

General Swordheart didn't move for a moment, he kept staring intently at Crown Prince Lyon before sighed. He kneeled in front of Lyon and put his palm on his chest, "Crown Prince Lyon, I am General Irion Swordheart. I am currently Prince Javier's guardian. Since you are Prince Javier's golden circle, then I shall report this to Master Aster." 

"Then, how about Javier? What happened to him?"

"He is just unconscious after triggering his golden circle for the first time. But worry not, he will be fine. But you need to pacify him before we leave Great Arctyr though," General Swordheart said.

"Leaving? Is Javier really okay?" Lyon was worried, because Javier never got sick in his life, "If he is sick or something, I will call my palace doctor for him."

"No, Prince Javier is perfectly healthy. He just needs time with his parents to learn how to control his golden circle first. He can be very dangerous if left unattended. But please, whisper in his ear to pacify him before we are leaving," the General suggested.

The General left the room with the servants. Lyon slowly approached Javier who was lying on the bed. He was unsure what he should say to Javier. But Javier's last words proved that Javier indeed retained that vague memory about Layla's cheating in his head.

[Pupa: Tell him what he wants to hear.]

[What he wants to hear…]

Lyon sat on the edge of the bed, he lowered his body and slowly whispered in Javier's ear, "I will never leave you, trust me, Javi."

There was no response from Javier, but Lyon could feel the air around the room shifted a bit, it reminded him about the strong atmosphere in the garden before. 

Lyon stood from the bed and walked out of the room. General Irion Swordheart nodded courteously and said, "Prince Javier will be leaving tomorrow, please prepare yourself, Your Highness."

"Prepare myself? For what?" Lyon frowned. 

"For your marriage of course, you will be the next Empress of Golden Camellia," General Swordheart said lightly. 

"… MARRIAGE?!" Lyon felt that his world started spinning around when he heard that. He was shocked when General Swordheart said that as if it was just a passing news. 

"Of course, you love Prince Javier and Prince Javier makes you his golden circle, there is no problem here," he said. 

"But I— But…" 

"Alright, Your Highness, we will have to pack many things up, forgive my crude behaviour, but I urge you to leave, because the villa will be very busy."

The servant escorted Lyon back to his carriage and his carriage set off to leave the villa. Lyon was dumbfounded all the way back to Great Palace. 

Yunyu was also dumbfounded by that sudden idea of marriage. 

[This… that… how can it develop into this?]

[Pupa: It's just a plan, but this might be your first marriage, congratulations, Mrs. Lyon Di Arlingdon.]

[Hey! I'm the man! He is the one that will become Javier Hessel Signe!]

[Pupa: So, instead of worrying about the marriage, you are worrying about adapting his surname or not. Your attention span is shorter than a betta fish.]

[I'm not-->

His argument with the system was cut short when the coachman said that they had arrived in Great Palace. Lyon stepped down and walked back to his room. He had mustered his courage to confess, at first, he only wanted to confess and leave. He would bury this feeling slowly, but an unexpected development took him by storm. 

"Marriage…" Lyon kept imagining himself walking on that aisle with Javier. He didn't reject that warm feeling inside his heart, but he felt that it was too fast. Besides, Javier was still technically Layla's boyfriend. 

Lyon was absent minded when Layla pulled his hand and said, "How is it? Have you confessed to Javi?"

Lyon glanced at Layla, he felt a bit guilty and said, "I—I did, but…"

"But what?"

"I—It's nothing Layla," Lyon shook his head, "The detail is not important. But I did confess to him. That's the point."

Layla nodded, the result didn't matter, because in the end, she would have to leave Javier anyway. Since her brother had mustered up the courage to confess to his long time crush, it was her time to have the same courage.

Layla pulled Lyon to her room and then locked it. She took a deep breath and said, "I want to confess about my shameful behaviour, Lyon."

Yunyu already knew about the secret of her unwanted pregnancy, but it was still pitiful when Layla struggled by herself to confess in front of him, "No matter what, I will always be your brother, Layla. Don't worry."

Layla smiled, maybe her twin brother already knew her secret. They were twins after all, they could read each other like a piece of blank paper, "Lyon, I have an illicit affair with the Young Duke of Bertin. I thought it was just a small curiosity at first, when he flirted with me last year, at the Autumn Banquet, I responded. And everything lead to this…"

"Maybe it's my fault for cheating, but Javier never cared about me anyway. You know he talks about whenever we are together? He talks about how he hates you, and how you hate him. But he keeps mentioning about our childhood memories, especially about you two."

"I feel disheartened because Javier never really talk with me as a man, but as a little boy who keeps pestering about his big brother figure. He keeps idolizing you, even though he also hates you."

Layla caressed her belly that had a slight bump and she continued the story, "The last straw between us was when Javier said that he wished he could go back in time and return back to our childhood. Then he would not leave his Big bro Lyon's side, not even once. So Big bro won't hate him."

"My heart seeks refuge with my loved one, Duke of Bertin. Our illicit affair developed until we did shameful activities together, twice. And now… I'm pregnant with his child. The doctor said that I'm already three months pregnant."

Layla walked and leaned on the window sill, "I don't want to kill this baby, and my relationship with my loved one is going strong. That's why…"

"I will run away with my loved one far from the kingdom. I bring shame to the Great Palace," Layla smiled, "I'm sorry that I've disappointed you, Lyon."

Lyon was panicked with Layla's reckless plan. Running away from the Palace as a Princess was a great shame, especially if everyone figured out that it was caused by an illicit affair that led to pregnancy.

"L—Layla, you don't need to run away! You can ask Father and Mother to bestow marriage to you and Duke of Bertin. He is from a noble family, strong and young. If he is also in love with you, then you don't need to worry!" Lyon said. 

Layla shook her head, she had a bitter smile on her face, "Lyon, Aunt Mariette said that Father and Mother went to Golden Camellia under the guise of diplomatic visit, but they are in fact visiting Javier's parents, Uncle Aster and Rama, to talk about the good date for the special day."

"Lyon, Javier and I will get married."