A Never-Ending Maze

Emperor Namus quietly stared at his wife for a while and then put down his spoon. However, instead of speaking up right away, he lifted the goblet of wine on his right and gulped it down in one go as his wife gazed at him with her usual calm expression.

"I used to think that even if I am not a good father to all my sons, I, at least try my best for Hemeri," the Emperor muttered. "But I realized that I hurt him too."

"Your Majesty -"

"You know Hemeri better than anyone, Aleida," the Emperor interrupted his wife and looked at her. "I don't know him as well as you do and I often struggle due to it. Even now, I know he is tired of my intervention but I never know that it is to the point where he feels suffocated over it." Pausing for a moment, he quietly asked, "Do you know about it, Empress?"

He waited but when there was no response from his wife, Namus Van Hale narrowed his eyes and muttered, "It seems like you know."