Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Stay_1 362

Early morning, Red Maple Manor.

Queen Isa opened her eyes, only to find that her lover was no longer at her side, leaving behind only an intoxicating scent.

Lingering in the comfortable bed for a while, Isa gently touched her rounded belly, a happy smile surfacing on her beautiful face.

“Good morning, darling.”

After gently greeting the little life in her belly, Isa left the bed, barefoot and with snow-white delicate feet, walked out of the bedroom to see Colin sitting at the desk in the front hall, engrossed in reading a scroll of parchment.

Upon hearing the movement behind him, Colin turned his head to see Isa in a loose nightgown, smiled and said, “My dear, did I wake you? You should sleep a little more. Also, pregnant women should keep warm and not walk barefoot in the house…”

Queen Isa rolled her eyes prettily, walked over, and sat in Colin’s lap, silencing his rambling with a soft kiss from her alluring red lips.

After some moments of tenderness, Isa curiously looked at the parchment on the table and asked, “What are you reading?”

“A report from Duke Modewen to you.”

Isa didn’t mind that Colin was reading a letter to her from one of her vassals. Instead, she chuckled and said, “Duke Modewen seems to be in a hurry.”

“Well, that’s because you’re still here at Red Maple Manor and reluctant to go back,” Colin teased, playfully patting her smooth, rounded thigh.

As he finished, he too started laughing, perhaps picturing the worried and overwhelmed Duke Modewen, a man known for his affability but lack of ability.

Queen Isa leaned comfortably against Colin’s chest, feeling his strong heartbeat, and with a teasing smile, asked, “Do you think I should return to Silver Moon City immediately?”

Colin glanced at the beautiful smile of the woman in his arms, shook his head, and said, “No, let Duke Modewen continue to worry for a while.”

“And what excuse should we use this time?” Queen Isa asked, smiling, “Previously, I could say that I was waiting for you, but now that you have arrived at Red Maple Manor, how should I reply to Duke Modewen’s letter?”

After a moment’s thought, Colin said, “Just say the carriage broke down and is being repaired.”

“Such an unlikely coincidence…” Queen Isa pouted, somewhat dissatisfied with that idea.

Colin quickly offered another excuse, “Then tell him I don’t want you to endure an uncomfortable ride, so I am preparing to design a shock absorber for your carriage.”

“Can you really design a shock absorber for a carriage?” Queen Isa’s eyes lit up, as she looked at her lover with a radiant smile.

“Of course, I have a brilliant idea,” Colin replied with feigned confidence.

In fact, he was thinking about a spring, but he wasn’t sure if the craftsmen of this era could produce such a thing, hence some uncertainty in his voice.

However, he decided to try later on anyway, since he had nothing else to do.

He knew that Queen Isa’s visit to Red Maple Manor this time served two purposes. First, to see her lover as soon as possible, and second, to give the devious Half-Elves in Silver Moon City an “opportunity” to hatch their plots while she’s away.

Over the past two years, in her efforts to control the Half-Elf Kingdom, Queen Isa had inevitably offended a group of Half-Elf nobles, and even upset nearly all of the Half-Elf merchants over the low prices she offered for supplies to the North Territory.

Although these Half-Elf nobles and merchants displayed obedience to Queen Isa in public, they secretly conspired to overthrow her rule.

That’s why Colin brought the Blood Knight Army with him this time to the Half-Elf Kingdom, in order to completely wipe out the rebellious elements there.

“Do you think Duke Modewen has joined the resistance?” Colin suddenly asked playfully.

“To be honest, I can’t figure it out.” Queen Isa picked up the stack of parchment on the table and read through a series of reports that Duke Modewen had sent her recently. The sincerity and loyalty in those reports didn’t seem feigned at all.

“The Modewen family, as the former Half-Elf royal family, should have ample motivation to rebel against my rule. However, William… heh heh, maybe it’s just like you once said, the lies of an honest man are harder to detect.”

Colin pictured the once naive Prince William in his mind and said, “So, that’s why you let Duke Modewen take charge of Silver Moon City?”

“Exactly, if I can’t unravel his loyalty or treachery, might as well put him in the critical position. If Duke Modewen can withstand this test, I’ll be able to completely trust him in the future.”

“Aren’t you afraid it may backfire, letting the rebel forces gain full control of Silver Moon City?”

“With you around, how could it backfire?” Queen Isa extended her arm around Colin’s neck and cooed with a seductive smile.

Colin laughed heartily, his self-confidence greatly boosted, and immediately kissed Queen Isa’s red lips.

The faint fragrance, the slight sweetness, as always, was unforgettable.

After a while, their lips parted.

Colin patted Isa’s smooth arm and said, “Are you hungry? Let’s go have breakfast.”

Isa immediately stood up from Colin’s arms, tidied up her messy hair, and then holding her lover’s arm, they casually walked out.

“Ha! I knew it, there’s definitely something going on between you two!”

The moment they stepped out, a petite and lively figure suddenly jumped out from a corner, and pointed at Colin and Isa shouting.

“Caught in the act!” Colin looked at the self-satisfied Princess Judy and the shrinking Prince Harrison hiding behind the hallway column, and greeted casually, “Good morning, Princess Judy.”

Seeing that Colin and Isa did not panic as she had expected, Judy lost interest, placed her hands on her waist, and interrogated:

“Hmph! Teacher, I didn’t expect Queen Isa to be your lover!”

“So?” Colin seemed completely unafraid.

Judy puffed her cheeks, hesitated for a moment but did not say anything. Instead, her eyes were constantly darting towards Isa’s protruding belly, the implication was quite obvious.

But Colin, as if oblivious to the young girl’s insinuation, laughed and said, “Let’s go, it’s time for breakfast.”

With that, he walked towards the restaurant arm in arm with Queen Isa.

“Teacher, you… you…” Judy became anxious, finding her teacher to be too careless.

Though it wasn’t a big deal for nobles to have lovers, Queen Isa’s status was exceptional, and she was pregnant now.

If anyone suspected that the child in her belly was Colin’s illegitimate son, it would undoubtedly seriously undermine the legitimacy of the child’s inheritance.

Unfortunately, the little girl was too young to understand Colin and Isa’s plan.

If this had been a year ago, Colin certainly wouldn’t have been so blatant about his intimacy with Queen Isa in public. But now, as the Count of the Empire and the Protector of the North Territory, he no longer needed to hide.

He even hoped that some rumors would spread to Silver Moon City, giving those conspirators more excuses and courage. In this way, he could once and for all eradicate the rebel forces in the Half-Elf Kingdom.

As for the issue of the inheritance rights of the child in Queen Isa’s belly… that wouldn’t be a problem in the face of absolute power.

As long as Colin and Isa were unified in insisting that the child was the legacy of the old king, who would dare to refute it?

“Teacher, Teacher! You need to be more careful…”

Judy hurriedly ran after them, advising with an anxious expression.

Unfortunately, Colin didn’t pay any attention to his student’s well-meant advice and continued to stride forward with his arm around Queen Isa.