In the room, Thira was slightly surprised.

Although her relationship with Medea wasn't cold, it wasn't close enough for a late-night tea party either. Moreover, showing up in the dead of night clearly meant discussing something that shouldn't be known to others.

What could it be that others must not know?

Then, Medea's next words changed Thira's expression:

"Theodora, you like Aske, right?"

"Like?" Thira quickly let out a cold laugh, then realized her tone was too stiff, and hastily laughed again with disdain and scorn, as if this question didn't even deserve a response, "Him?"

"Oh." Medea elongated her tone, "That's great. Since you don't like him, it doesn't matter to you if he disbands the mercenary group and leaves for good, right?"

Leave for good?

Thira's ears instantly perked up.

She of course knew Aske was leaving, but leave for good? That can't be right; Miel had said I would have a daughter with him! Wait, does that mean before he leaves, he and I…

"No way, don't tell me you didn't even know he was leaving?" Medea asked with an exaggerated "really?" expression.

"Of course I know," Thira replied calmly, "but how are you so sure he won't come back?"

"Simple, Miel has already observed the timeline," Medea said leisurely, "Most likely, he won't return, and there's only a slight chance he will."

With Thira's intelligence, she instantly understood what Medea was implying:

In other words, when Miel said "Aske and I have a daughter," it was based on a future where "Aske comes back." However, there's also a possibility of "Aske not coming back," and according to Medea, that likelihood seems even greater…

No way! Why, why, why wouldn't he come back!!!

Seeing Thira's face change slightly, Medea was both relieved and slightly envious.

Relieved because Thira indeed also liked Aske, which opened up the possibility of teaming up. Otherwise, after becoming a demigod herself, she could easily restore her country, and Aske's departure wouldn't matter to her.

The envy was because she purposely used this to provoke Thira, feeling a strange sense of helping her NTR herself… Anyway, after such a huge sacrifice, she had to keep him here no matter what this time!

"I have an idea," Medea said, "How about we stop him from leaving?"

"What do you mean?" Thira asked warily, "Stop him from leaving, how?"

"Simple," Medea said, "When he wants to leave, we ambush him and restrain him."

"Wouldn't that be considered betraying the team?" Thira said.

"He's going to disband the team and abandon us, why should I care about this team?" Medea sneered.

"I have to admit, what you said does make some sense," Thira felt a stir but then raised objections, "Don't forget, in terms of pure combat power, even if we team up, we might not be able to defeat him."

"Don't worry about that," Medea said confidently, "I will set certain limits on him."

"Limits?"

"That's right, so how about it?" Medea asked with a smile, "Will you team up with me?"

Thira hesitated slightly, then nodded hesitantly.

............

What is happening to me?

The next day, even at noon, Thira's mind was filled with the conversation from last night with Medea.

She was strangely confused, not sure why she was so bewildered last night, agreeing to team up with Medea.

Was it because she was influenced by the Manipulation Law?

No, that's not right, with the Spirit Talisman her grandfather gave her, it's impossible to be affected without realizing it. But…

Reflecting over and over again, Thira had to admit she could no longer deceive herself.

She really didn't want Aske to leave.

All that about him barely being worthy of her, or him being the best candidate for the Co-Ruling Emperor, or working with him to restore the glory of the Ancient Solomon Empire… it's all fake. Just excuses made up to deceive herself, to satisfy her meaningless pride.

When she was 14, her father, Emperor Constantine, had taken her to meet the Grand Judge Romulus, asking what she thought of this young man. At the time, Theodora immediately understood her father's intent and proudly replied that she wasn't interested in this man.

Her father just gave a meaningful smile, and there were no subsequent introductions of other men.

Then she didn't understand, but now Thira fully understands.

Because her father had already seen that she didn't understand what love was.

Love… is actually a luxurious word for the nobility, especially for those in politics. Because political intrigue requires a lot of interest exchange and binding, and marriage is one of the best tools for that.

If the East Solomon Empire hadn't been destroyed, as an already emperor, she would most likely have chosen someone from her side to marry, to strengthen her rule as emperor.

Whether she liked the person or not wasn't important. If she met someone she liked in the future, she could just have an affair, and everyone would turn a blind eye to it.

Of course, such affairs, based on unstable desires, are mostly just pure lust and can't be true love.

Her father didn't continue to introduce other men to her, probably hoping she could find her own love and not marry someone she didn't know for utilitarian purposes.

However, after her father's unexpected death and the fall of Constantinople, her life was completely shifted from the path of "Theodora" to "Thira":

That was a wild path far from political struggle, just like classic fantasy novels, filled with various mutations, monsters, teammates, and adventures.

And someone she liked.

"Aske…" Thira couldn't help but murmur.

"Huh?" Aske's voice sounded beside her.

Thira was suddenly jolted awake, remembering it was still training time.

Since both she and Sigrdrifa were currently at the bottom of the team in level, Aske had recently been giving them extra lessons one by one.

"What I just said, is there anything you don't understand?" Aske asked, arms crossed.

"No…" Thira instinctively lied, having been too lost in thought earlier to hear what Aske had said.

"Alright then, now practice what I said," Aske nodded.

Thira: .........

"Aske!" She stared at the squad leader's face, suddenly filled with a strange courage, and grabbed his arm.

"Huh?" Aske was puzzled.

"If, I mean if…" Thira bashfully fidgeted, a mix of longing and unease, stammering and whispering, "If I give up the dream of restoration…would you be willing to also give up your dream of going home and stay in this world with me?"

"What are you talking about?" Aske asked, confused, patting her head lightly, joking, "What's wrong, Your Majesty? Why suddenly don't want to restore your kingdom? Want to make the loyal Solomon Imperial Guard weep?"

"No…" Thira shook her head blankly, unable to continue.

So, when did the restoration dream I once held dear cease to be the most important thing?

Because there's a goal I want to achieve even more?

Looks like agreeing last night wasn't wrong, I should still team up with Medea.

"Aske." Thira had also made up her mind.

"Hmm."

"I'm sorry," she spread a beautiful smile, "Actually, I…I like you, and it's been that way for a long, long time."

Aske: ???

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