176. Holding hands

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Watching a theater play about the journey of a man who was once a forsaken king, deemed useless by many, but later became a great ruler after enduring many dark trials, Elexon was reminded of Yosan's past. He immediately turned to the man, who was now looking down, uncertain about what was happening.

"Yosan, are you all right?" Elexon asked with concern.

Yosan blinked for a moment, confused by Elexon's question, until he realized the meaning behind it. "I am fine, Uncle. I have learned to control it well," Yosan replied with a smile. He had now managed to control himself better, no longer feeling overly afraid or pressured when recalling his dark past.

Elexon gazed into Yosan's eyes, searching for the real answer. "All right. But if you ever feel unwell, just tell me," Elexon said, gently patting Yosan's head.

Yosan nodded again and focused on the performers, each playing their roles according to the script. However, not long after, at the moment when the lead female character was stabbed by an enemy's sword while protecting the male lead—who immediately broke into tears—a sudden pain struck Yosan.

"Ugh, it hurts," Yosan murmured, clutching his stomach, feeling the pain flare up in the spot where Elexon had struck him a few days ago. He had not felt it since the morning, but perhaps it was due to exhaustion from the day's activities.

Closing his eyes, then opening them, pressing and rubbing the sore spot, inhaling and exhaling repeatedly, Yosan tried to calm himself. He did not want to ruin the moment, knowing how much Reina was enjoying the theater performance. He also did not want to make others worry. Beads of sweat formed, silently witnessing his struggle to endure the pain.

"Not now."

"Isn't the story wonderful, Yosan? So touching, isn't it?" Reina suddenly spoke, without turning to him, just as before. "In the past, the male lead despised the female lead, even hated her. But now, look at him. He loves her so deeply, waiting for so long until he finally realizes his true feelings."

Her words made Yosan lift his gaze and look at her. Reina was watching the male and female leads on stage, her expression a mixture of sadness and joy. At this point, the female lead, who was pregnant, had just regained consciousness after surviving critical months due to her severe injury.

The scene was indeed moving, especially when the male lead expressed his deep regret so earnestly.

"God has truly blessed them, giving them a chance to love each other," Reina said.

For a moment, Yosan shifted his gaze to the stage, watching as the male lead wiped his tears while smiling in relief. There was warmth in that scene, something so pure and touching.

"It must be wonderful to be loved that deeply," Reina continued, her voice softening. "To have someone who will always wait for you, love you unconditionally, no matter how long it takes."

Reina finally turned to Yosan, her eyes reflecting a sincerity that was difficult to put into words.

Yosan smiled, then, without hesitation, held Reina's hand tightly. She did not notice, too absorbed in the theater's atmosphere. But for Yosan, that gesture was enough to convey his feelings.

"You are right," Yosan said softly, "and I want to be the one who does that for you. I will wait, no matter how long it takes."

The play neared its end, adapting a story from a novel. The scenes were almost complete, reaching the part where, years later, the male and female leads had built a small family, walking together across the lush green gardens of the palace.

"Father, Mother, and I often do that together when we have free time," Lia said, pointing at the stage. At some point, the little girl had moved to Nils's lap. Hadn't she been with Elexon earlier?

As the night deepened, the story reached its climax. Under the gentle glow of the moon, the male and female leads gazed into each other's eyes, pledging their eternal love.

Nils nodded slightly before swiftly covering Lia's eyes with his hands when the male and female leads shared a passionate kiss under the moonlight. One of his duties was to shield Lia from content unsuitable for her age.

"Uncle, did the lights go out again?" Lia asked innocently.

"Yes," Nils answered briefly.

"Shouldn't theater plays have age warnings next time?" Nils thought, irritated that the show they watched had elements unsuitable for Lia and other young children.

"Next time, I will order all theater managers to include age warnings for every performance, no matter the story," Nils resolved in his mind, determined to prevent such incidents in the future.

A soft romantic melody played, accompanying the play's conclusion. Applause erupted throughout the theater, along with cheers of praise for the actors and everyone behind the scenes who had brought the story to life so beautifully.

"This is annoying! My tears won't stop flowing," complained a woman in an elegant green dress, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. She was visibly moved by the performance.

"You are crying too?" asked her short-haired companion, half amused.

"How could I not cry? Their story is truly touching!" the woman in the green dress replied. "They suffered so much, yet in the end, they found happiness. It was truly beautiful!"

Not far from them, Reina remained in place, her eyes still fixed on the now-empty stage. Her heart felt warm, as if it had been deeply touched by the story.

"It was amazing," she whispered almost inaudibly.

Beside her, Yosan turned, observing Reina's sincere expression.

"You really love this story, don't you?" he asked gently.

Reina gave a small nod. "Of course. A story about someone who waits faithfully... It is truly touching."

Yosan offered a small smile, unconsciously tightening his grip on Reina's hand. "I understand."

Meanwhile, Lia, still sitting on Nils's lap, let out a small yawn. She rubbed her sleepy eyes with her tiny hands.

"Uncle, I am sleepy," she mumbled weakly.

Nils looked at her for a moment before smiling. "Then let's go home. I will carry you."

Lia did not protest. With her eyes already closing, she allowed Nils to lift her into his arms.

That night, under the starry sky, they left the theater, each carrying emotions stirred by the performance.

As they walked along the theater hall, Reina admired the paintings of the venue's owners from generation to generation. This building had long been known for hosting high-quality performances. However, too engrossed in her observations, she failed to notice where she was heading—straight into the workers' section, where the staff was busy packing up equipment.

Thud!

Without meaning to, Reina bumped into a worker carrying several important props. The items fell, scattering across the floor.

"I am so sorry, Miss! I did not mean to!" the worker exclaimed in a panic, quickly crouching to gather the fallen equipment.

Reina snapped out of her thoughts and immediately knelt down to help. "It's all right. It was my fault for not paying attention. So there is no need to apologize," she said with a warm smile.

The worker hesitated, shocked by the sight of the woman before him. Her simple yet elegant dress indicated that she was of noble or wealthy status.

"That's strange… Wealthy people usually don't bother apologizing. They act arrogantly or blame others instead," he thought in confusion.

But in the next moment, something made him freeze.

Reina's long golden hair shimmered under the light, her sharp golden eyes piercing like an eagle's gaze. A powerful aura radiated from her, sending chills down his spine. In that instant, he realized who she was.

That… That was Reina, the Queen of Lumina!

"Y-Your Majesty?!" he stammered in shock, stumbling backward as the items scattered again.

His face turned pale. He quickly bowed, trembling. "F-Forgive me, Your Majesty! I swear I did not mean to!"

But that was not what shocked him the most.

The Queen of Lumina, known for her authority and cold demeanor… had just apologized to him?

"Could the rumors be true?" he thought, his heart pounding. "Has the once strict and unyielding Queen truly become softer and more compassionate?"

His entire being trembled, still struggling to believe what had just happened.