As I tucked Young Lord Ethan into bed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. The evening's events had been overwhelming for both of us. "Mommy will sleep with Ethan tonight, so Mommy can protect Ethan from any bad things. How about that?" I asked, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

Ethan's face lit up with a smile. "Of course, Mommy can sleep with me tonight! It'll be fun if Mommy is by my side." I smiled back at him, feeling a warmth in my heart. "Mommy's going to take a shower, and then we'll read a new bedtime story I got from the capital. Wait for me, okay?"

As I headed to my chambers to bathe, my mind began to wander. What was the reason behind the Zoryths' sudden animosity towards us? We had no record of any past conflicts or alliances that would warrant such behavior. Was Marquis Zoryth losing his sanity due to his age? No, that couldn't be it. The most plausible explanation was that they were trying to humiliate the Duchy to gain favor with the Emperor and elevate their status.

After washing up, I headed back to Ethan's chamber, eager to spend some quality time with him. As I opened the door, I was surprised to see Ethan standing by the bed, his eyes shining with excitement. "Mommy, I thought you weren't going to come! I thought you made that promise just to calm me down."

I smiled and opened my arms, and Ethan rushed into them, hugging me warmly. "Of course, why would I lie to my son? Now, let's get into bed, and I'll read you that bedtime story."

As we snuggled up together, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this moment of peace. The warmth of Ethan's body, the sound of his gentle breathing, and the feel of his small hands wrapped around mine – it was moments like these that made all the struggles worth it.

The next morning, I woke up to find Ethan missing from my side. I stretched and yawned, looking around the room. "Huh? Where's Ethan?" I wondered aloud. "He must have woken up early to do something."

As I got dressed and made my way to the dining hall, I heard the sound of laughter and playful shouts. My heart swelled with joy as I entered the hall and saw my family gathered around the table. My brother, Callisto, was carrying Ethan on his shoulders, while my mother tried to scold him playfully. My father sat at the head of the table, laughing heartily.

"Good morning, Mom!" Ethan exclaimed, waving at me. "Uncle Cally said you're wild, Mom! Did you really climb trees when you were little?"

I chuckled and playfully rolled my eyes. "Oh, where did you hear that? Mommy was just a little lively, that's all. Your uncle is just teasing you."

As we sat down to eat, the conversation turned to the events of the previous night. My parents asked about the banquet, and I had to think quickly to come up with a plausible explanation for Duke Claude's absence. "He's... uh... attending to some urgent business, Father. He sends his apologies."

My father nodded understandingly. "I see. Well, we'll have to catch up with him soon. By the way, Celeste, I think it's time we started looking for some young nobles to befriend Ethan. What do you think?"

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my parents. "Actually, Ethan met Princess Penelope from the Obellia Duchy yesterday. She seems like a lovely girl."

My mother's eyes lit up. "Ah, the Princess is known for her excellent taste in friends. She must have taken a liking to Ethan."

As we continued our meal, Callisto began to tease Ethan about having a crush on Princess Penelope. Ethan blushed and protested, and I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

After breakfast, we discussed our departure plans. "We'll be leaving this afternoon, Mother. The Duke's aide has sent the carriage."

My mother's face fell, and my father patted her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, dear. We'll see them again soon. And they'll write to us regularly, won't you, Celeste?"

I nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. "Of course, Father. We'll write as soon as we arrive at the Duchy."

As we finished our meal and prepared to leave, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this moment with my family. Despite the challenges we faced, we had each other's backs, and that was all that mattered.