Hearing her son's whisper that sounded so professional like a veteran hitman, Elara fell silent for a second before she finally burst out laughing. The emperor's laughter echoed throughout the throne room, causing the purple-haired youth to pull his face back and feel puzzled by his mother's behavior.
"Why are you laughing out loud like that, Mother?" asked Calian in confusion.
"Hahaha... Forgive me, Calian. I just didn't expect that you could be so impatient like this." answered Elara while trying to subside her laughter. "If so, wait here for a moment. I will head to my workspace first to write down all the details into a parchment for you to study."
Calian nodded in understanding then stepped back and shifted to the left side of the throne stage to make way for his mother who was about to step down.
Elara rose from her throne, walking gracefully and full of confidence across the red carpet as she left the throne room heading to her private workspace. Meanwhile, the purple-haired youth immediately descended the stage, approached Wolvin who had been waiting below all this time, and stood by his spouse's side.
"Darling, you are truly very straight to the point with your mother, huh?" said Wolvin while shaking his head.
"It's better that way, right?" answered Calian casually. "I really dislike beating around the bush when doing a job, especially if it means stalling for time. It was enough that while in the West Pavilion, I wasted too much time in vain weakness. Here, in this new life, I don't want to waste everything again."
Hearing such strong resolve from his husband, Wolvin looked at Calian with full of affection.
"I completely understand your point and your past, Darling. But, outside of this mission, you also must keep training so that your physique gets stronger!" said Wolvin softly.
The Night Wolf youth then brought his face closer to his husband's ear, and whispered in a very spoiled and seductive tone. "To be honest, lately your stamina to entertain me has indeed been increasing and I am very satisfied. But... could you pamper me a bit more often and act dominant when it's just the two of us? Like earlier when you suddenly pulled and sat me on your lap in the room."
Calian widened his eyes slightly hearing his spouse's honest request. He turned his head and looked at the Night Wolf youth's face which was blushing red. He perfectly understood the direction of the conversation and what Wolvin wanted from him.
"I will try to do my best to get used to it." whispered Calian returning the smile. "It's impossible for me to let my spouse, who has always accompanied me until now, feel disappointed."
Hearing that sweet promise, Wolvin took a step back. He walked around to face Calian, then looked at his husband's handsome face from the front. The Night Wolf youth smiled so widely that it showed his pair of fangs and other neat white teeth.
"Darling! You are truly the best husband!" he praised sincerely, his tail wagging slowly again. "I will look forward to your best action later, both when we are hunting... and when we are alone together."
A few moments later, the echo of steady footsteps could be heard. Elara walked back into the throne room, her grand dress rustling as it swept across the red carpet, and went straight to her son and son-in-law who were seen chatting casually below the throne steps.
"This is all the data you requested, Calian." said Elara while handing over a thick parchment scroll tied with a dark red ribbon.
Calian received the parchment scroll. He could feel the weight of the paper, realizing that inside this scroll were the written details of the targets that he and his spouse had to eliminate to cleanse the empire.
However, before Calian had the chance to say thank you, Elara spoke again with a slightly different tone than before.
"But, there is one change of plans that you must know." continued Elara, looking straight at the two of them. "Your uncle will temporarily travel together with you two."
Calian and Wolvin instantly froze. The two of them were beyond shocked to hear the last sentence that their mother had just spoken.
"What?" exclaimed Calian with a look of disbelief on his face, his eyes widening slightly. "Why does Uncle Rodaz want to come with us instead? Wouldn't the presence of a former emperor whose face is highly recognized by almost all officials only make the two of us stand out even more?"
"Darling is right, Mother!" added Wolvin in a tone no less shocked, his wolf ears instantly standing up straight.
The Night Wolf youth had a much more personal concern. "If the former emperor comes with us, my husband's true identity will definitely be exposed as well. What if later he gets approached by many beautiful women or children of other nobles trying to seek favor just because they know my husband is a member of the grand imperial family? I don't want our journey to be filled with people trying to seduce him!"
Hearing the rejection reactions with completely contrasting reasons from the two youths before her, Elara fell silent for a moment. The emperor looked at her son's face who was thinking about stealth tactics, then turned to look at her son-in-law who was thinking about jealousy.
The next second, Elara chuckled warmly. The carefree laughter of the ruler echoed, filling every corner of the magnificent throne room.
"The two of you really do not need to think about things like that." said Elara, trying to stop her laughter because she did not expect Wolvin's concerns to veer in that direction.
"You don't need to worry that your disguise will be blown." continued Elara reassuringly. "Rodaz will only hitch a ride on your journey while still within the capital territory. After you exit the capital's borders, he will separate himself and head somewhere else alone to pursue his ridiculous dream."
"What do you mean by that ridiculous dream, Sister?"
A baritone voice suddenly chimed in from the direction of the throne room's side door. Rodaz stepped closer to the three of them.
The middle-aged man was now no longer wearing a luxurious gold-lined cloak, but instead wore leather clothing and a thick cloak very typical of the appearance of a wanderer or a high-class adventurer.
Rodaz snorted softly hearing his sister's teasing. "It is certain that I must chase what I have to look for, right? After decades of being confined in this palace to manage the country, this is the time for me to get my freedom back."
Elara let out a long sigh. The woman's face showed a mixed expression of feeling resigned to her younger brother's behavior, while also harboring a deep sense of worry like an older sister.
"Just do what you want out there." said the emperor, apparently already too tired and not wanting to argue at length with her stubborn brother. "But remember one thing, I hope you do not bring any trouble or spies again when you return to this palace later, Rodaz."
Hearing that sharp warning, Rodaz merely smiled faintly.
"Rest assured, Sister. I will not do a foolish thing like that again!" answered Rodaz with full conviction. "What's clear is, while I am gone, you must act like a true emperor and never slack off from your work!"
"You don't need to worry about me and just think about yourself on the road!" replied Elara quickly, her eyes glaring sharply yet full of care at her younger brother. "After you successfully find what you are looking for out there, return to the capital immediately! Do you understand?"
"I completely understand, Sister. I will definitely come straight back to this palace again after my search is complete." promised Rodaz in a softer tone.
After the brief argument between the siblings was over, Rodaz turned his head toward Calian and Wolvin, then gave a gesture with his head. "Let's depart now, before the sun gets too high."
Calian secured the parchment scroll into the storage necklace around his spouse's neck.
And then, the three of them bowed their heads and said their goodbyes politely to Elara.
Under Elara's gaze watching from a distance, they turned their bodies and walked together stepping out of the large doors of the throne room.
Today, Calian and Wolvin left the comfort of the Erthland Empire palace, not as a prince and his spouse, but as a pair of adventurers yet also as assassins from behind the shadows.