The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 64

Tunco

I ate quiet, chiming in to the conversation occasionally, but my mind was uneasy. I needed to speak to Morgan, to assure her that she could believe me. Of all the women 1 had been with. An had never been on the list. But as I turned to face her, I found myself at a loss for words. How do you explain to someone that you've never bad a romantic or physical relationship with a woman claiming to have born your child? The thought of trying to articulate my feelings to Morgan, of confessing my complete lack of interest in Ari, filled me with a sense of dread. It wasn't the truth, but the implications that were:

Ar desires were off-putting, her ambitions even more so.

Kai started to dig into the pudding Morgan ordered for him.

Morgan, sering my discomfort, offered me a reassuring smile. "Its going to be alright, Tsuneo," she said, her voice soft but firm. "All of this will pass You'll ser

Her faith in me and her unwavering support filled me with a sense of warmth and gratitude.

Thank

↑ I murmured, my voice barely audible. I looked at the kid. "Eat up. There's a festival after dinner."

Alestial? The two of them asked

It's supposed to be a celebration.

Morgan smiled. "The never been to a festival... Will there be face painting?"

"And snacka?" kai asked.

"Yes"

They looked at each other, and grinned.

At the last remnants of the feast were cleared away, a surge of excitement swept through The crowd. The air crockled with anticipation as the palace grounds transformed into a vibrant spectacle of light, music, and revelry: H-led them out in the courtyard, noting that the blood had been cleaned up from when i'd returned with Morgan Together, we made our way through the crowd, the weight of the evening seemed momentarily forgotten as we

The portan

now a bustling marketplace, filled with st

stalls offering everything from exotic

ir delicacies to handcrafted trinkets. Morgan, her face- alight with childlike wonder, tugend at my arm, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"It's time to exploer, the declined, her voice filled with a contagious enthusiasm.

She bank. Kal i hand and they headed off. I trailed behind them. I smiled, my heart warming at their infectious py. Together, we ventured into the heart of the festival, the capsd pushing and pulling at us like saves against the shore. The cacophony of sounds, the dazzling array of colors, and the intoxicating scent of food and drink created a sensory overload that was both exhilarating and overwhelming. It had been a long time since I had been In a fettinal, a long time since we'd hail a reason to live one.

My mother had led them bringing the practice back to life during her reign. We wandered through the bustling marketplace, their hands clasped

ther as we nengated the throng of people. Mangan stopped at a stall selling handmade jewelry, her eyes drawn to a delicate necklace adorned with

piece. I pulled a satchel of comms out of my pocket and paid of it, draping it around her neck.

said. "And it is such a small

and lifted up

few coins

CHL

sound. Stalls lined the palace grounds, offering everything from exotic delicacies to handcrafted trinkets. The air was filled with

excitement, pulled me through the throng of people with her and Kal. Their laughter a contagious melody that lifted my spirits. We stopped at a stall selling brightly colored sweets, a dizzying array of

she said, nudging

both of us and paid. My taste buds tingled with the tartness of a

felt a sense of calm, a grounding force that anchored me. I tried to focus on the festivities, but my mind kept turning it over. The secrets I'd carried with me my entire life, ones that I had shared and ones I had not, hung over my mind like a shadow.

was a few

I whispered and

between us. For now, we would enjoy this moment of peace. I grabbed

musicians were performing a lively folk song, I lifted him onto my shoulders so he could look around and over the

and before long, we found ourselves swaying to the rhythm, our bodies moving in unison with the crowd. As we danced, I stole a glance at Morgan. Her laughter, a clear and infectious sound, filled the air.

as well, turning his nose up at the

came to an end almost too quickly before we headed

marketplace, a particularly lively stall caught our attention. A large wooden tub filled with water and floating apples drew a crowd of onlookers, their laughter and cheers adding to

at that," Morgan exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with

I could respond, Kai looked down at me, his face alight with curiosity. "Please?" he pleaded, his eyes wide

at that and lifted him

voice. "Alright, let's give it a try," I said,

we approached the stall,

jovial-looking man with a booming

the apple

announced, his voice echoing through the crowd, First prize for

เท

beautiful princess!"

the onlookers, and I couldn't help winning a prize for

it but

Competition was in my blood,

Kai promised

eyes twinkled, grinning. I believe

eyes widened. She giggled,

Dragon King's Substitute

CH 65

Tsuneo

Let him win?

I looked across the tub as he bounced in place and almost scoffed at myself. I caught her gaze and nodded.

wondered if Morgan's father had ever let her win, or if this was just custom

facing the tub,

into the soft earth. The water had been colder than I had anticipated, cooling the earth further. My robe was probably ruined. Kai kneeled beside the smaller tub of water, his small body

her face a mask of amusement, cheered