Emma felt a dilemma. On the one hand, she wanted to know more about Therius' family, but on the other hand, she did not want to make the situation awkward between them the next day because Therius unconsciously revealed many of his secrets.

Emma did not expect the man to have such a sad past. She thought, as the Crown Prince, Therius must have an easy life and he was spoiled by the king.

Apparently, she was wrong. In a way, actually, Therius's fate was worse than hers and Haoran's.

Even though Haoran was separated from his mother for six years, they finally managed to meet. Also, if Haoran didn't get sick and his plans could be carried out properly, he would be able to get rid of his father in a few years when he inherited Lee Industries and finally reunited with his mother.

Emma was separated from her mother and father for fifteen years. However, they were still alive, and there was always a possibility for Emma to one day meet them again.

But Therius ...

He could never see his parents again because they both had already pa.s.sed away. 

Slowly Emma felt moved, and her heart was filled with sympathy for the man.

"Then, who took care of you after your parents are gone?" Emma finally asked, after refraining from asking.

"I was sent to live in the palace with my grandparents," said Therius. "My mother is the king's second daughter. She was married to a general, her childhood friend. They loved each other. Maybe that's why they couldn't stand being separated, even by death."

Emma poured wine into her gla.s.s again and tried to hold back tears from welling up in the corners of her eyes. She now felt really sad for Therius. The anger and hatred that she kept for him in her chest slowly disappeared.

Ahh ... it's okay to feel sympathy for him, right? After all, they had agreed to be friends while they were in this s.h.i.+p. If later on, they became enemies again in Akkadia ... let it be.

"Is that why your grandfather appointed you as the crown prince after your uncle's death?" Emma asked Therius again.

Since they were drinking and Therius seemed willing to open up even about his most personal matters, Emma felt no harm in digging out as much information from Therius as possible.

Who knows, she might be able to find useful information that she could use for her benefit after they arrive in Akkadia and became enemies again.

Therius was only on his second gla.s.s but the man was almost drunk, while Emma still felt very fresh and alert. She was on her third gla.s.s now.

"Hmmm ... I think so. My grandfather loved me very much because I became an orphan since I was so young. I was also his first grandson. So, he appointed me as his heir," said Therius.

"But you told me that you need a political marriage to secure the throne from your two cousins ​​who have the support of their extended families," Emma said again. "Doesn't your grandfather's decision carry weight? How could your cousins ​​oppose to it?

"It's not like that. My grandfather is now getting old and he receives a lot of influence from left and right. Lately, it's just getting worse. If I didn't convince my grandfather and the members of the royal council that I deserve the throne, while one of my cousins could show that they are more worthy than me, then the crown prince t.i.tle that I'm holding could be revoked at any time. "

"So, you really want to be in power, don't you?" asked Emma. She glanced at Xion, who was enjoying his wine and ignored the interaction between Therius and Emma. She remembered that Xion did not like politics at all and was not ambitious to get any position. "Why don't you choose a quiet life like Xion and don't have to think about politics? Isn't it a better choice?"

Therius looked at Emma intently and then laughed. Emma was amazed to see the usually stoic man laugh. She just realized that this was the first time she saw Therius laugh, and only now she noticed his cheeks had dimples that showed when he laughed.

Somehow, his laugh made Therius look completely different from his cold and unapproachable persona. He suddenly looked... warm.

"Why are you laughing? Is there something funny? Are you laughing at me?" Emma asked, slightly taking offense. She felt Therius was laughing at her.

"You are naive. I can understand that," Therius finally said after he stopped laughing. "Hmmm, I am not that power-hungry, to be honest. But if I don't maintain my position and later become the king, my life will be in danger. If my cousin took the throne, he would always see me as a threat and try to kill me the first chance he gets. So, I have no choice."

Xion nodded. "I've met his two cousins. They are not pleasant people."

"Oh, is that so?" Emma turned to Xion. "So you think they would kill Therius if they ascended the throne?"

Xion nodded. "That's right. It is undeniable. Therius also must do the same thing and kill them when he takes the throne, to ensure they will not usurp him in the future."

"Gosh ... it's so complicated," Emma commented. She gazed at Therius with a look of surprise. "I don't understand why you can do that to your own family. Aren't you cousins? Why kill each other???"

"That's right. We're cousins, but we've been enemies since we were young too. I never considered them my family," Therius answered nonchalantly.

"Oh..." Emma suddenly wondered what it was like with Thaesi. Was the Thaesi royal family also like Therius' family who wanted to kill each other for power? She could not imagine meeting her cousins and then tried to kill her.

Emma then remembered that Therius intentionally went to earth himself to pick her up because he wanted Emma to help him secure his position as the crown prince. This made Emma somewhat confused. If Therius didn't know about Emma's existence, what would he do to secure the Akkadian throne?

"You told me you got confidential information about my existence from your trusted people. And that is why you deliberately went to earth, to a place so far away from Akkadia, to get me so I could help you secure your throne," Emma said after thinking for a long time. She decided to ask everything she wanted to know while Therius was drunk. "Is that true?"

"It's true."

"Uhm ... then, if I wasn't around, when you weren't aware that Princess Arreya and General Kaos.h.i.+n Stardust had a daughter, how would you secure the Akkadian throne?" Emma asked him attentively.

Therius didn't look surprised by the question. 

"Hmm .. I had planned to marry the Terren princess. Terren is Akkadia's second-largest colony. My marriage with a princess from Terren will not have as big of an impact as the peace with Thaesi, but before I found out about you, it was the best plan I had," Therius answered honestly.

Emma nodded in understanding. "Is that so? So, do you like the Terren princess?"

"Princess Ydwlyna of Terren is a good girl. I believe she will make a good wife," Therius answered. He subconsciously avoided Emma's eyes when answering her question.

"So... you don't like her?" Emma involuntarily held her breath. "How can you marry someone you don't love... or at least you like?"

"For me, political marriage is always on the table. This is not a matter of like or love," Therius responded. "I have to think about the pros and cons of every decision I make ..."

"Your parents love each other. It seems like their marriage is not at all political," said Emma. She looked at Therius fixedly. "Don't you want to be like them?"

"Do you mean whether I want to be so weak like my mother that she could no longer live after the person she loves dies??" Therius asked back, staring at Emma with his topaz eyes. His expression turned cold. "No. I don't want to be someone like that."

"Oh ..." Emma paused at Therius's cold reply. She felt Therius was hurt because his mother chose death after his father pa.s.sed away and left him all alone. That's why he refused to fall in love and let it control him.

Emma remembered how she felt when Haoran fell ill, and the doctor said his chance for recovery was very small. Emma was devastated and felt like she didn't want to live anymore.

All her goals and plans with Haoran became meaningless if Haoran really died. Maybe she also would wish to die with him.

However, if she and Haoran had a child together, she would not have the heart to leave the child all alone in the world. In fact, she would try so hard to survive so she could protect their child.

When her mind drifted to Haoran, Emma's chest became heavy. She looked down to hide her sadness and focused her eyes on the gla.s.s in her hand.

Ah ... why did this birthday party's atmosphere suddenly turn very gloomy?

Ugh... She should stop asking questions, and try to focus on some happy thoughts..

"Emma, I love you."

Emma was startled when she head those four words all of a sudden uttered by Therius.

She raised her face, looking shocked. She stared at the man in front of her with mouth agape.

"Wh-what did you say just now?" Emma asked in a stammer.

She was astounded to suddenly get this unexpected love confession from Therius, shortly after he chided his parents, who married for love.

"I love you," Therius repeated his words. His voice was firm, and his gaze on Emma seemed filled with longing. He continued his words, sounded so earnest. "But I will not let love overcome me and make me do stupid things like my mother."

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