By the time night had fallen, Rowan had returned to the castle. Upon receiving the news in his office, his knees buckled from the shock, and Carl had to guide him to the nearest sofa to sit.
"Y-You must be j-joking… Tessa, Sheila, Noah, and even Hannah?!" At the thought of his youngest daughter being victimized as one of the consequences of his actions, the king fainted.
Lanling deadpanned, as he had predicted this, but Carl and several of Aetheris' advisors panicked nonetheless. He left them to calm their nerves, naturally guiding Haruki to sit in the chair before settling comfortably on his lap.
Haruki chuckled in delight, wrapping his arms around Lanling's waist and greedily inhaling his scent without a care for time or place.
Lanling was exasperated, but his heart fluttered at Haruki's actions. He pursed his lips, suppressing an instinctual moan.