Chapter 11

Pope Nicholas opened his eyes and reached for the nightstand beside his bed. With a practiced hand, he lit the lamp, his brow furrowing deeply.

 

‘To think I would dream such a dream…. What is the Celestial Goddess thinking?’

 

Receiving foresights unrelated to the fate of the Order was a nuisance. Or was this a warning that the Empress’s death would cast a dark cloud over the Order’s future?

 

Nicholas had dreamed of the Empire and various kingdoms before. However, he had never actively interfered in any of those prophecies. Changing the future was not only difficult but dangerous.

 

Even Renata, the Goddess of Fate who knew the future of all, did not reveal the future to those she granted power. Paradoxically, this was because she was the deity who loved humans the most. Unlike countless other gods who granted divine power but cared little for how humans lived, Renata watched over the lives of those she empowered.

 

“Hmm….”

 

In his dream, the Empress did not die. She was merely placed in a situation so dangerous she believed her life was hanging by a thread.

 

Unlike his youthful appearance of a teenager, the Pope, who had lived for hundreds of years, could think of a simple way to save her from this crisis. It was possible because he had seen exactly how her enemies moved to harm her from the very beginning.

 

‘The Goddess did not show me the Empress’s death. That may mean…. She would tolerate saving the Empress.’

 

He did not wish for the Empire to be shaken. Just as charity flows from a full granary, the Order’s warehouses only filled when the people were generous. There was no benefit to the Imperial Family becoming unstable.

 

‘The current Imperial Family has a Crown Prince, but the Empress is still the foundation of the Empire. If the Empress does not support him from his side, the Emperor is a man who will waver and repeat foolish choices….’

 

If someone had to die, it would be better for the future of the Luendal Empire if the Emperor died first. The Pope decided on his course of action.

 

 

***

 

 

Once the meal concluded, they were guided to the evening drawing room. Cocktails were offered to the ladies, whiskey to the men, and many noblewomen and young ladies headed to the powder room to touch up their makeup.

 

Olga was one of them. She was confident her makeup hadn’t smeared while eating, but she needed to check.

 

Light chatter filled the powder room as people left one by one. Olga, anxious about Cesare waiting for her, was about to leave early when a maid approached her.

 

“My Lady. A gentleman asked me to deliver this to you….”

 

What the maid held out was a single earring.

 

Olga recognized it immediately. It was identical to a pair she owned. Since she hadn’t lost hers, someone had bought an identical one to play a prank.

 

“I don’t know who it is, but they seem to be mistaken. Look. I haven’t lost an earring.”

 

Her adornments tonight were perfect, and a different pair of earrings hung from her ears. The maid asked cautiously.

 

“Then shall I return this earring to the Marquis?”

 

Olga was certain the meddlesome noblewomen and young ladies in the powder room had their ears pricked up, eavesdropping. The moment her conversation ended, someone would surely call this maid over to find out which Marquis it was.

 

“Do as you please.”

 

Thinking it would be better if the maid coveted the gem and sold it off, Olga spoke coldly. The maid seemed to tuck the earring into her apron.

 

Conscious of the gazes from the noblewomen, Olga announced she was leaving first and exited the powder room. As she stepped into the hallway, her face was twisted with anger.

 

Back in the drawing room, she was told Cesare was viewing the mansion’s collection with other nobles. Some were out in the garden smoking, and a casual card game was starting in the adjoining room.

 

Piano music filled the air, and the drawing room was divided into three groups sipping drinks and chatting. Olga didn’t join them; instead, she scanned the room for Vincent.

 

Vincent, seemingly anticipating she would come looking for him, tugged at Olga’s elbow as she passed a pillar. Olga was startled but didn’t make a sound. She looked around warily, then followed him out of the drawing room and into the corridor.

 

“What is this scheme?”

 

At her lowered, whispered question, Vincent sneered at her.

 

“Is that what you call trying to return a lost item? It’s a pity my pure goodwill is being suspected.”

 

“You have eyes and ears, so you know the situation. I have no intention of meeting you anymore.”

 

“Ah…. That is truly heartbreaking to hear.”

 

Vincent pressed a hand to his chest as if wounded, causing Olga to furrow her brow. She knew for a fact that Vincent, like her, felt not a shred of affection for her.

 

Her green eyes scanned the darkness of the hallway. This corridor had minimal lighting, implying entry was not permitted. Guests likely wouldn’t come this way. Vincent scanned her face as if appraising goods and spoke.

 

“I know this family’s mansion well. I’ve been invited quite a few times. Don’t be afraid; no one will catch us.”

 

Vincent also didn’t want Olga to be caught by Cesare and have the engagement broken. To reduce the risk, he opened a door he had selected in advance.

 

He gestured with his head.

 

“Come in.”

 

The room was dark. It appeared to be a guest room. Olga hesitated, glancing down both ends of the hallway. Vincent chuckled.

 

“Are you not coming in? If this situation is discovered, I’m not the one who will be in trouble, am I?”

 

“…….”

 

Olga glared at Vincent with irritation and stepped into the room. Vincent glanced warily at the hallway one last time before closing the door. She stood looking at the curtained window.

 

“Speak. What do you wa—”

 

Vincent approached and pulled Olga by the waist, closing the distance between them. As Vincent tilted his head as if to kiss her, Olga pressed her fingers against his lips.

 

“Don’t pull stunts that don’t suit you. It’s not as if you lack for women, is it?”

 

“Don’t disparage my pure heart like that. I thought of you quite a bit.”

 

“Ha.”

 

At the contempt in Olga’s voice, Vincent removed the hand he had wrapped around her waist. Olga regretted the darkness of the room. She didn’t particularly want to see Vincent’s detestable face, but seeing his expression would make it easier to figure out what the bastard was plotting.

 

“I am serious. I want our friendship to continue.”

 

“If you want even a trace of our shallow friendship to remain, pretend you don’t know me from now on. Just as I do. It means don’t pull stunts that don’t suit you ever again. Do you understand?”

 

“Olga. We were quite good together. Why end such a good relationship?”

 

At Vincent’s sleazy tone, Olga’s expression turned cold. It was nauseating how Vincent acted as if he knew everything about her just because of a single physical relationship.

 

“What relationship? Vincent…. Surely you aren’t confident enough to think you’re the only toy I’ve played with and discarded?”

 

“Let’s just say I’m confident I had the best firepower among the Princess’s many toys. It’s not bad, a lover like me. …I have many uses. Are you confident the Little Duke can truly satisfy a greedy woman like you?”

 

Cesare had never demanded anything from her yet. The skinship between them was still limited to holding hands while escorting or holding her waist while dancing. Neither a kiss nor an embrace, let alone anything more, had ever been attempted.

 

But Olga wasn’t anxious. It was clear he had no other woman, and he had only just turned his heart toward her.

 

“He is a Swordmaster, so at the very least, he will tire me out. Anything else is a problem for us to solve. You don’t need to interfere.”

 

“Why? If he leaves your side, I can satisfy you. I’m telling you I’m serious. No woman has ever satisfied me as much as you.”

 

“…….”

 

Olga remained silent, looking at Vincent. He judged that her resolve had wavered, even just a little.

 

“The Little Duke is a very busy man…. All I want is not to let go of a magnificent woman like you.”

 

“Don’t lie. You want something, don’t you?”

 

“Haha…. Does the Marquisate of Larkin look like it lacks anything? I’m a person with no dreams of entering politics. What I want, as you know, is a woman who will bring me a Duchy… but there is no such woman in this Empire…. I’m in a position where I have to look for foreign nobility.”

 

“So?”

 

“I need to maintain a modest image going forward, so there’s no woman who fits me as perfectly as you. I also have no desire to lower my standards to find a lover. You are truly the woman worthy of a man like me. Haughty… beautiful… a true woman of class.”

 

There was no human on earth who disliked being praised. Furthermore, Olga was, as he described, a greedy woman.

 

Olga narrowed her eyes and peered into the darkness. She couldn’t tell what expression Vincent was wearing. However, she remembered him drawing the gaze of noblewomen throughout the banquet.

 

A man she didn’t want to eat herself, but felt it was a waste to throw away. Conveniently, he was not a man who wanted to be her husband.

 

“…And if I still say no?”

 

“It’s a shame, but I suppose we’ll have to stop here. I have no intention of making enemies of the Valentine or Tesseia Duchies.”

 

Vincent said this and looked at Olga as if asking, ‘Well?’ His expression was hidden by the dark, but Olga seemed deep in thought.

 

“Fine. I don’t find you entirely disagreeable, so I will think about it. But not now. I’ve only just gotten close to Cesare and am waiting for a proposal. I don’t want to buy any useless suspicion. Do you understand me?”

 

“Of course. I have no intention of interfering with your marriage.”

 

Receiving the answer she wanted, Olga was satisfied. Their enjoyable relationship could continue after she received Cesare’s proposal and held the wedding; it wouldn’t be too late.

 

Just as she was about to turn around to return to the drawing room, fearing Cesare might have returned, Vincent seemed to flinch and look toward the door in the darkness.

 

Knock. Knock.

 

The sound of something hard tapping echoed in the dark. At that steady sound, Olga’s expression froze.

 

‘Did someone overhear us?’

 

Olga looked at Vincent accusingly. He was the one who said this room would be safe, and since he was a man who read presence quite well, irritation and anxiety surged up.

 

“I’ll go out and see. You hide.”

 

It was the moment Vincent whispered to Olga. The door clicked open, and light from the hallway poured in. Olga looked at the person with a face struck by terror.

 

“Cesare….”

 

His name slipped from her lips, she who had only just reached the stage of calling him by name. Vincent thought, ‘I’m screwed.’ As a high-ranking assassin, he assumed he would be able to read the presence of anyone approaching.

 

But Cesare was a Swordmaster, an opponent whose presence even a high-ranking assassin could not fully detect.

 

‘Who approaches with their presence concealed in a house hosting a banquet?!’

 

“There is no need to hide, Princess.”

 

Unexpectedly, Cesare’s voice did not ring cold. He didn’t look angry, and no emotion whatsoever surfaced on his neat, beautiful face.

 

Olga decided to pin her hopes on his expression. He was a Swordmaster with excellent senses, but he might not have heard everything. This was a noble’s mansion; perhaps the bedroom was well soundproofed.

 

“It seems everyone is starting to leave. If you wish for Marquis Larkin to escort you….”

 

“I-I will go with you!”

 

If Vincent Larkin loved Olga, he might have stepped up to escort her in this situation, but he did not love her. Vincent was disappointed that Cesare de Tesseia showed neither anger nor contempt.

 

He slowly scrutinized Cesare’s face, but truly, no rage was contained in Cesare’s eyes.

 

‘Tch.’

 

Vincent tensed for a moment as Cesare’s gaze brushed past him. It was a situation where Cesare could easily challenge him to a duel.

 

If he challenged him, Vincent would have to avoid it, even if it meant being branded a coward. The chances of survival were slim.

 

But Cesare’s gaze was one of simply noting his presence, rather than resentment or irritation. Vincent was conversely enraged by this. It wasn’t even a gaze that acknowledged him as a rival.

 

‘Cesare de Tesseia! Your fiancée has been stolen! And yet you….’

 

He thought the man would be angrier if his favorite sword had been stolen. Olga had already rushed out of the room to Cesare’s side.

 

This was likely only possible because he wasn’t emitting killing intent or anger. She grabbed his hand as if to soothe him, but he merely glanced at her and turned his head, saying nothing.

 

While Vincent stared blankly at them from the darkness, Cesare left the corridor with Olga.

 

“Damn it….”

 

He ground his teeth. All his actions had been revealed to be foolish. To Cesare, Olga was an existence of no value.

 

An existence that couldn’t even provoke a sliver of anger when hearing of his fiancée’s infidelity right before his eyes.

 

Vincent was so furious he wanted to smash something.

 

 

***

 

 

Cesare remained silent while they said their farewells to the Marquis and his wife, the hosts of the party, and boarded the carriage. Olga, feigning calmness, held his hand and climbed into the Tesseia Duchy’s carriage.

 

As the carriage left the Marquis’s estate and reached the entrance of the street where the Valentine mansion was located, Cesare looked at Olga.

 

“Olga.”

 

“Let me speak first. Cesare…. I don’t know what you heard, but it’s a misunderstanding! It’s true I knew Marquis Larkin from before, but it was just friendship. There was no physical relationship.”

 

“…….”

 

Unfortunately for Olga, Cesare had entered that corridor following them much earlier. As their engagement had been long, Cesare wasn’t entirely indifferent to Olga. He knew how to read her presence even from a distance.

 

He sensed her leaving the crowded space with someone heavy, likely a man, and followed.

 

Vincent Larkin was the strongest among those gathered at the banquet, making him easy for Cesare to distinguish. Since he had never heard officially that Olga associated with Vincent, Cesare thought she might have been dragged away against her will and chased after them urgently.

 

And he heard their conversation almost from the very beginning. He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but the result was that he did.

 

The first thing he realized was that he wasn’t angry. He distrusted women, and he had always thought that Olga would eventually betray him and meet another man in secret.

 

That belief had been shaken when he learned that his mother’s infidelity had actually been fabricated. So, he felt sorry for Olga and had been trying to treat her well.

 

But…. Olga was exactly the kind of woman Cesare had distrusted. Upon realizing this, he didn’t feel the same rage he had felt toward his mother in his childhood. Even hearing her spout lies about not sleeping with the other man, his heart only settled into a cold calm.

 

Of course, it wasn’t that he wasn’t displeased at all. The fact that he had been completely unaware of her infidelity was annoying.

 

But she was a relationship he could simply cut off, and that would be the end of it.

 

“Olga. I heard almost everything from the start.”

 

At Cesare’s words, Olga grit her teeth. He seemed unexpectedly calm, which made Olga even more anxious.

 

‘Why isn’t he angry? I am his fiancée.’

 

“…Shall I tell the Duke of Valentine myself? Or will you do it?”

 

“Wh-what are you talking about? Cesare, I’m telling you nothing happened.”

 

“You know proof isn’t needed. The mere fact that I tell my father this is enough to end this engagement….”

 

“No!”

 

Olga raised her voice abruptly, unable to endure it any longer. Cesare looked at her with slight surprise, having never seen this side of her.

 

She looked at Cesare, sitting opposite her, pleadingly. The Tesseia carriage barely shook, so she easily moved to the seat next to him.

 

“I’m telling you it’s not true. It’s really not! No, Cesare. I, I can prove it!”

 

She was almost at her goal. Olga de Valentine did not want to become a woman whose engagement was broken over something trivial like this. Losing Cesare was too great a loss. Because of a human like Vincent Larkin!

 

“The trust between us is already broken. I heard you trading terms with Marquis Larkin…. I do not wish to live the rest of my life trusting you.”

 

Olga tried to grab Cesare’s arm as if clinging to him, but unlike at the mansion earlier, Cesare pushed her arm away. Olga couldn’t believe this situation.

 

“Our engagement has lasted over ten years! And you’re breaking it off over just this? How can you do this?! Do you know what kind of time I’ve endured!”

 

“Olga.”

 

Cesare’s expression hardened slightly. It seemed her anger had finally evoked an unpleasant emotion in him.

 

“Did I insult you?”

 

He had not liked Olga from the start. But showing that was rude, so he tried never to speak of it or show it on his face.

 

He knew the reason for his anger lay within himself, and he believed taking it out on Olga would be a despicable act.

 

Olga stared blankly at Cesare. He asked again.

 

“Did I deceive you and get close to other young ladies?”

 

He had never done so once. It was natural, as he loathed women. Olga hadn’t even been anxious about that aspect of Cesare.

 

“But you were mean to me! Your cold attitude was no different from insulting me! Being escorted only once a month! Does that make sense? Do you know how other ladies slandered me behind my back!”

 

“Then you should have told me, gotten angry, and demanded a breakup. When we got engaged, I asked you, Princess. Must I like you?”

 

At that time, Olga had replied that there was no need for that. Their engagement was political. The Duke of Valentine wanted to make his daughter a Duchess, and the Duke of Tesseia wanted to attach a fiancée with thicker imperial blood to his son.

 

Olga had no choice but to answer that way. She knew if she said she wanted him to like her, Cesare would have rejected her.

 

“Because… I liked you. Because I wanted to be engaged.”

 

Cesare seemed slightly surprised by her confession, but he didn’t seem to fully believe it. To him, it made no sense to sleep with another man while engaged to the man you liked.

 

“I cannot be certain that a child born from you would be mine. There is no reason to maintain a marriage where I must test for paternity every time a child is born.”

 

Around the time Leticia was born, there was no paternity test in the temple, but it had been developed in recent years.

 

While Olga lowered her gaze, her face turning white, the carriage arrived at the Valentine estate. A servant opened the door, but Olga showed no intention of getting out. Cesare stood up to exit first. She hurriedly grabbed his arm.

 

“G-give me time! Just a day, no, a week! I will speak to my father myself, so….”

 

But Cesare had already seen Olga being unreasonable. He noticed she was trying to stall for time, like peeing on frozen feet to warm them.

 

“Cesare, please…. Our engagement has been over ten years. Do you have no feelings for me at all?”

 

“I consider not humiliating you right there on the spot as sufficient courtesy for that time.”

 

At Cesare’s retort, Olga’s expression changed. She threw off Cesare’s hand as if shaking it off and spoke coldly.

 

“Tell my father! No one will believe what you claim. Besides, what noble family would allow a breakup for such a flimsy reason! Even Duke Tesseia will trust me!”

 

“You don’t know my father. My father knows what it is like to live distrusting one’s wife.”

 

As he turned and stepped out of the carriage, Olga ignored the servant’s hand reaching out to help her and got out alone. Cesare was already walking away from the carriage, heading toward the Valentine mansion.

 

“Cesare!! Stop! I said stop….”

 

“What is this commotion, Olga!”

 

Olga’s scream-like shout must have been heard inside the mansion. When Duke Valentine came out in his indoor clothes, Cesare offered a brief bow. The Duke softened his expression upon seeing Cesare, then sent a look of irritation toward Olga.

 

“To have shouting echo into the house in the middle of the night. That is not ladylike, Olga.”

 

“I’m sorry, Father.”

 

She quickly apologized and glanced at Cesare. She intended to run to Cesare and cut him off if necessary.

 

“I apologize for causing a disturbance at this late hour, Duke.”

 

“Young people can have lovers’ quarrels. I don’t think badly of it, Young Duke.”

 

The content was entirely different from what he said to Olga, but Cesare didn’t think deeply of it. That wasn’t what was important right now.

 

“I am sorry to say this, but….”

 

“Cesare!!”

 

Even at her unprecedented screeching, Cesare only gave her a sideways glance. Olga lunged at him, but Cesare’s words were faster.

 

“I cannot continue the engagement with the Princess.”

 

“What? You…. What did you just say?”

 

Duke Valentine looked at Cesare in bewilderment. Olga seemed to be muttering, ‘No….’ The Duke’s face turned grim.

 

“That is not something to be said lightly. Do you know what this relationship represents?”

 

“I witnessed the Princess sharing a secret rendezvous with Marquis Larkin.”

 

“No, no! Father, don’t listen!”

 

Olga screamed in a voice that seemed it would tear, but the Duke was looking at Cesare. Cesare continued calmly to the end.

 

“Listening to their conversation, it seems the relationship has been ongoing for quite some time. Since she spoke of continuing the relationship with him even after marrying me, I decided I must break the engagement.”

 

The Duke’s mouth, which had fallen open naturally, slowly closed and then opened again. He turned his head with a flustered look to face Olga. Olga wore an expression as if her world had collapsed.

 

“What am I hearing, Olga? It’s a lie, right? The Young Duke misunderstood, didn’t he?”

 

“Fa-Father…. That’s right! It’s a misunderstanding! I would never do that! Cesare misunderstood!”

 

“I will send a formal annulment letter as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. Since the cause lies with the Princess, I could claim damages, but considering the fault of dragging this engagement out for over ten years, I wish to end it amicably.”

 

“Cesare!!”

 

Duke Valentine turned his head to the side, lost in thought. Cesare watched the silent man quietly. The Duke was a man who often made rash and foolish choices, but not all his choices were wrong.

 

“Please leave. The annulment… I will discuss it with Duke Tesseia.”

 

At his barely managed reply, Cesare bowed his head briefly and returned to his carriage. Olga glared at him while weeping.

 

“Do you have to go this far?! Think of what you did to me!”

 

“Olga.”

 

Cesare stopped the servant’s hand from closing the carriage door and spoke.

 

“I may have wronged you, Princess, but not to the extent that I should have to live doubting whether my children are Marquis Larkin’s.”

 

At his words, Olga was momentarily speechless. He gestured, and the servant hurriedly closed the door and stepped away. Seeing the Tesseia carriage depart, Duke Valentine raised his head. Olga saw her father striding toward her and hurriedly opened her mouth.

 

“Father, the annulment is absolut—”

 

Slap!

 

Olga’s eyes widened as she was slapped for the first time in her life. She looked at the Duke in shock. The Duke stomped his feet, exploding in rage.

 

“Do you know what I went through to arrange this engagement! And you couldn’t wait and met another man? Are you out of your mind?!”

 

“…It was 10 years.”

 

Olga screamed with a face full of resentment.

 

“You saw how I was treated, so how can you say that!”

 

“How were you treated!! Tell me! Did the Young Duke meet other women? Did he keep a mistress? Did he ever forget a gift on an anniversary? Did he ever sit by while you were insulted at his side?”

 

There was no such thing. Cesare was certainly cold to Olga, but he upheld everything required in a political marriage and treated her with courtesy. The Duke believed in Cesare because of that.

 

He thought that once they married and she became his person, his heart would soften and it would be better than now. After all, he seemed to get along well with his younger siblings.

 

Even if it didn’t get better than now, she would be Duchess Tesseia. She would handle the massive budget of that great family, and he saw his daughter enjoying a similar level of glory by Cesare’s side.

 

Olga also knew that amidst the voices slandering and mocking her, there was envy. She knew why they were so jealous and hateful of her.

 

“If you were going to keep a lover, you should have at least not gotten caught!! You stupid girl! You foolish thing! What am I supposed to say to Duke Tesseia!”

 

He knew that feigning ignorance as Olga suggested wouldn’t work. It would be difficult with any other Ducal family, but this was the Tesseia family. The family closest to the Imperial Family, holding the strongest military power in the Empire aside from the Royals.

 

Holding out against the annulment was nonsense. Seeing her father turn away beating his chest in frustration, Olga realized.

 

In the end, it would be as Cesare said.

 

The premonition that she might end up like Nastasya Renain, or perhaps even more miserable, made Olga feel as if she were suffocating. She wanted to scream, but she had to maintain her dignity, so she quietly bit her lip.

 

‘Cesare…. You think you can end it with me just like this?’

 

She was different from the immature girl of the Renain Marquisate. Olga grabbed her skirts and headed to her room, tears streaming down her face. Thinking that she would make Cesare regret this moment today, without fail.

 

***

 

Unlike usual, when Leticia saw the letter from Godfrey that had arrived after a long silence, she told the servant to leave it. Since parting ways that day, Godfrey’s letters had decreased significantly. He hadn’t stopped sending them altogether, but the frequency had dropped to about twice a month.

 

Leticia still kept them without reading them, but for some reason, this morning she felt an inclination to read this one.

 

‘…Since it has been quite some time since he sent it, perhaps it contains words of resentment toward me.’

 

She was not someone who believed people changed easily. She considered waiting for someone to change as foolish as hoping a tiger would turn into a cat.

 

Ultimately, to get along with him, it meant she would have to change or endure pain, and she found it hard to believe any relationship was worth that much.

 

She was consistently exchanging letters with Cesare. Since the distance between the Capital and the Lyon Duchy was considerable, she tended to send letters even if a reply hadn’t arrived yet.

 

Thinking it might cause trouble if sent under her own name, she used Carlyle’s name and sent them to his office in the Imperial Palace. This was something Carlyle had permitted.

 

‘If a bit more time passes than now….’

 

If they still felt sorry toward her by then, she thought she might be able to forgive Godfrey or Aaron.

 

Though she had no confidence regarding Sebastian.

 

Leticia tore open the envelope with a letter opener and unfolded the contents. Cesare’s flowing script had become quite familiar, but Godfrey’s handwriting, which was close to block printing, felt unfamiliar.

 

[Hello, Leticia. You told me not to send letters, but…. Since I have no way to meet you, I am writing again like this. If this letter becomes a burden to you or brings up unpleasant memories, it is fine if it is burned like the others.]

 

“I never said I burned them.”

 

[The summer in the Capital is rather cool. That is likely why the Imperial Family does not bother leaving for summer vacation. However, the Imperial Knights have become quite lax and often grumble even during training. It is a sight hard to imagine just by looking at their stiff public demeanor.

 

Brother Cesare is taking time out of his busy schedule to meet his fiancée. It seems he intends to propose to her after your wedding.

 

Sebastian claims to be training at the Magic Tower branch, so I do not know where he is, and Father…. I do not know what he is thinking. Occasionally he calls for Isello and goes out, but otherwise, he is always busy with work.]

 

‘Isello? Did he write the name wrong?’

 

In the Lyon Duchy, there were only rumors that the Tesseia Duchy had taken in a foster daughter; rumors about the name hadn’t circulated yet. Even some nobles in the Capital thought the commoner brought into the Tesseia household was a girl, so there was no way Leticia would know of Isello’s existence.

 

Leticia considered asking for Godfrey’s previous letters to check but decided against it. There was no mention of Isella below that point.

 

[…Seeing the young ladies attending the Imperial banquets reminds me of you. I worry that you might suffer from the summer heat in the East, which is hotter than the Capital. Father saw the summer fruits brought into the mansion and agonized over whether to send them to the Lyon Duchy. Various fruits arrived, but since no one knew what fruit you liked, he tried to send them all. If Brother Cesare hadn’t stopped him, saying they might rot on the way and that seasonal fruits would be more plentiful in the Lyon Duchy, he really would have done it.

 

Lately, I often think about what our relationship would have been like if I hadn’t acted so foolishly. There is an age gap, and I am not of an affectionate nature, so we might not have been close, but perhaps we could have been a brother and sister who worried about each other.]

 

‘Even if we were brother and sister, it wasn’t exactly a grand relationship.’

 

There were plenty of estranged siblings, even without any specific bad blood. Especially if one got married like Leticia.

 

Leticia couldn’t understand their psychology of trying to get close to the point of sending letters. Aaron was her father, but Godfrey and Sebastian had been her brothers before, too. She had just thought they only shared their mother’s blood.

 

She started to imagine what it would have been like if there had been no problems between them, but stopped. She felt it would only make the things she lost painful. Forgiveness was still a far-off story for her.

 

“Young Madam, it is time for your lessons.”

 

At the maid’s reminder that the lesson with Julius was approaching, Leticia folded the letter and put it back in the envelope.

 

“Put this in the box where you always keep them.”

 

“Yes, Madam.”

 

Leticia handed over the envelope and turned around. She planned to check the dress she would wear tomorrow after her lesson with Julius ended.

 

 

***

 

 

“I want to break off my engagement with Olga de Valentine.”

 

He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop. It was just that Cesare appeared out of nowhere while Isello was with the Duke and dropped a bomb. Since Cesare was not the type to miss someone sitting on the sofa in the office, he clearly judged it didn’t matter if Isello heard.

 

“Cesare, this is a matter that requires caution.”

 

Aaron’s expression hardened immediately as he spoke. Isello wanted to think, ‘That’s right, that’s right,’ inwardly, but found himself nodding inadvertently. Cesare noticed this and stared blankly in his direction.

 

‘Oops!’

 

As Isello quickly held his head still, Cesare spoke again.

 

“Olga has been having relations with Marquis Larkin.”

 

The second bomb dropped, and silence filled the office. Isello couldn’t bear to look at Cesare and turned his head away. Aaron kept a brief silence before speaking.

 

“…Are you certain?”

 

“She intends to continue the relationship with the Marquis even after marrying me. I heard her discussing it with Marquis Larkin.”

 

‘Hmm. No room for doubt then.’

 

Isello judged that the annulment was a done deal and glanced at Cesare out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t look angry.

 

But Isello was certain that magma was boiling inside him. Even if it was a fiancée he didn’t have much affection for, cheating was bound to make anyone angry.

 

“I will have to speak with the Duke of Valentine.”

 

Aaron’s voice was calm but settled heavily. Isello was sure he was furious and wouldn’t let the Valentine family off easily.

 

“I do not wish to demand damages.”

 

“Is it because of face? We can receive ample compensation while handling it so rumors don’t leak outside.”

 

“You know that my attitude toward Olga was not honorable. Therefore, as compensation for that, I do not wish to go so far as demanding damages.”

 

Aaron didn’t seem pleased with his son’s words. Her infidelity could be seen as mocking not just Cesare, but the entire Tesseia Duchy.

 

Furthermore, Cesare was the son he cherished most, the one who most resembled Theresa among his three sons. He had chosen the Valentine daughter after much deliberation, yet she betrayed them like this…. He was angry at himself for introducing her.

 

“If the Princess accepts the annulment quietly, we shall do so.”

 

At Aaron’s answer, Cesare suspected that his father actually knew Olga’s true nature. He wanted to briefly say, ‘Don’t be too harsh,’ but swallowed the words. Strictly speaking, there was no need for the victim to go out of his way to defend the perpetrator.

 

“…I leave it in your hands.”

 

Cesare said this and turned away. Isello watched Cesare leave the office and slowly stood up. Unlike before, Aaron looked at Isello with a gentle expression.

 

“It seems it will be difficult to keep our promise today.”

 

Aaron had promised to take Isello to the dress shop to buy him clothes. When he told Isello to take the butler instead and buy whatever he wanted, Isello nodded and left.

 

‘Jackpot! It’s much more comfortable going with the butler!’

 

He looked at the closed office door and thought about what would happen to the Valentine family. The Olga he vaguely remembered was not the type of character who would ever admit her faults.

 

‘Not my problem.’

 

Isello hurried toward his room, afraid he might run into Sebastian.

 

 

***

 

 

Empress Grace was contemplating the strange gift sent by the Pope. What the Pope had sent was a large, egg-shaped magical tool. When she sent it to the Imperial Mages to ask its purpose, they said it was a magical tool that activated when the lid was opened.

 

‘It is not a weapon or something containing poison. It seems to be a type that requires a magic stone to be reinserted once used.’

 

Since it was a gift from the Pope, the Imperial Mages did not open it. They only added the explanation that it seemed to be an item for practical use.

 

[When the time comes, this will save Your Majesty’s life. Please keep it with you always until then.]

 

That was what was written on the card attached to the gift. The Empress wanted to send someone to the Pope immediately to ask why he sent such a gift, but she knew the Pope’s personality. It was obvious he would talk in circles without telling her what she wanted to know.

 

Knowing it would be a waste of time engaging in a meaningless battle of nerves, she decided to keep the magical tool in her office for now. Excluding her bedroom, the office was where she spent the most time.

 

‘I know the Pope and the High Priests often receive revelations through dreams. He must have sent it with some thought in mind, so I cannot ignore it….’

 

The last line of the card even stated that she now owed him a life debt, and asked her not to forget this when the time came.

 

‘I feel completely uneasy.’

 

What the Pope wanted was to bring the Saintess into the Order. To put effort into that, he had even traveled personally to the Capital.

 

‘The Lyon Duchy splendidly gave the Pope the slip. It wouldn’t look good for the Pope, who claimed to have come to comfort the residents of the Capital’s Eastern District, to follow them all the way to the Lyon Duchy.’

 

The wedding invitation hadn’t arrived at the Imperial Palace yet, but the Empress was certain they would hold the wedding at the earliest possible date. Seeing that they left the Capital to avoid the Pope, the venue would likely be within the Lyon Duchy….

 

‘The Pope probably doesn’t want to bless that marriage. Offering to bless the wedding is likely just an excuse to buy time.’

 

The Harvest Festival would begin soon. It was customary for all nobles across the country to come up to the Capital to attend the Imperial events during the Harvest Festival, one of the Empire’s largest celebrations.

 

It was confirmed that every member of the Lyon Duchy would attend the Harvest Festival. The Empress was certain the Pope would pull some stunt then. Or perhaps he was already pulling one.

 

The current ‘gift’ was likely a ‘bribe’ to ensure the Imperial Family chose the Order over the Lyon Duchy when that time came.

 

‘Since he says my life depends on it…. I can’t refuse it.’

 

Leticia, the daughter of Tesseia and a Saintess, entering the Order was not a good option for the Imperial Family. The best choice for the Imperial Family was for her to remain the daughter-in-law of the Lyon Duchy as she was now.

 

Since it was already known to the world that she had run away with Terdis and held a wedding, making her the Crown Princess was difficult.

 

Duke Tesseia was loyal to the Imperial Family, but he lost his reason when it came to his late wife, Theresa. Leticia was like the last trace left by Theresa, so there was no telling how his attitude might change if Leticia devoted herself to the Order.

 

So, the safest option was for Leticia to live a peaceful life maintaining her marriage with Terdis. It would be even better if that life softened her heart enough to reconcile with the Duke Tesseia or his other sons.

 

‘Anyway, I should order the security to be tightened for the time being.’

 

The Empress thought this as she headed to her office, surrounded by attendants and escort knights.

 

 

***

 

 

The ball held at the Count Yosel estate was an event attended by most high-ranking nobles residing in the Lyon Duchy. It was the last event held in the Duchy before the Harvest Festival, and Duke Lyon and the Young Duke and Duchess were scheduled to attend.

 

Because of this, many noble families stomped their feet in frustration at not being able to secure an invitation. While high-ranking noble families received invitations without exception, ordinary noble families were not in such a position.

 

Leticia, fully dressed in her gown, checked her reflection in the mirror. Haron and Julius had also decided to attend this ball. Both had received invitations, and Haron insisted on attending as Leticia’s escort knight.

 

‘Even though there’s no need for that.’

 

The wedding was planned for next spring, but a specific date hadn’t been set yet. She suspected the date would likely be decided around the end of this year.

 

Thinking that she could send those uncomfortable two away from the family by then, Leticia hoped that day would come quickly.

 

‘It’s somewhat… subtle.’

 

Julius was kind, and Haron, though gruff, was performing his role as an escort knight properly. Yet, Leticia felt strangely uncomfortable with the two of them. Terdis, too, remained wary of them and never left Leticia’s side.

 

‘Since I’m not Isella, I probably don’t need to be that wary…. But something bothers me.’

 

Leticia sighed as she put on the earrings gifted by Terdis. As a maid approached briefly to fix her makeup, she wondered how far along Terdis was with his preparations.

 

Since Terdis’s preparations were simpler than Leticia’s, he started later. So, he would likely be finished just about now.

 

‘Because Terdis always rushes to finish quickly.’

 

And he would run to Leticia’s side just as she finished getting ready. Not always, but quite often. It seemed Terdis had arrived now as well.

 

Bang!

 

“Tisha!”

 

Terdis, having thrown the door open, ran up to Leticia. He looked like he wanted to embrace her, but seemingly lacking the confidence to do so without wrinkling her dress, he only placed his hands lightly on her waist. Leticia smiled and kissed his cheek as he lowered his head.

 

Terdis fondled Leticia’s cheek with his remaining left hand. He pressed his lips lightly against hers as if wanting to kiss her properly, but merely pressed gently before pulling away.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Holding his hand and leaving the dressing room, she saw the escort knights waiting. Leticia noticed Haron among them. He was one of the invitees, and his attire was different since he did not belong to the Lyon Duchy.

 

“Sir Julius has boarded the carriage first with the Duke.”

 

Terdis nodded lightly at the servant’s report. They were scheduled to ride in a different carriage from Carlyle. It was because their return times might differ.

 

‘It would have been nice if Haron had taken that carriage too.’

 

Due to his position as a high-ranking Paladin and his insistence on being an escort knight, Haron decided to ride in the same carriage as Leticia’s party. Terdis had tried to provide a separate carriage or horse for him because of this, but it was no use.

 

‘Shouldn’t wedding preparations be tiring and busy, yet enjoyable?’

 

Leticia understood why the Pope sent Julius, but the reason for sending Haron was hard to accept. The escort knights provided by the Lyon Duchy were sufficiently strong, and Terdis was always by her side.

 

She held Terdis’s hand and boarded the carriage. Even if Haron, as an escort knight, rode in the same carriage, there was no way he would sit next to her, yet Terdis quickly followed Leticia inside. It was to ensure he sat beside her.

 

Finally, Haron entered and sat opposite Leticia, and the carriage door closed. Terdis glared at Haron sitting across from them with wary eyes, then turned his head toward Leticia.

 

‘They are both swordsmen…. Since they are both Swordmasters, it would be nice if they got along.’

 

Terdis seemed to be hostile solely because they belonged to the Order. Since he would become Duke Lyon in the future, it was problematic for him to show too much hostility toward the Order.

 

His hostility toward the Order and its people stemmed from his desire not to have her taken away, so perhaps once he married her next year, that behavior would soften.

 

Thinking this, Leticia squeezed Terdis’s hand. She loved Terdis, whose cheeks flushed just from that simple action.

 

 

***

 

 

“…I assume preparations are complete?”

 

Count Yosel looked back at the servants with a nervous face. This ball was essentially the final event in the Lyon Duchy before the Harvest Festival. Not only were all the high-ranking nobles attending, but people from all walks of life had been invited. Above all….

 

‘Tonight, ‘that event’ is scheduled to happen.’

 

With a face that couldn’t hide his anxiety, he called the butler to double-check the preparations for the ball. He also checked the room and tableware that would facilitate ‘that event.’

 

No matter how many times he checked, it was nerve-wracking.

 

‘I shouldn’t have gotten involved in something like this.’

 

He had thought about stopping his niece even now, but his younger brother was adamantly supporting his daughter.

 

“It is dangerous! Even if it works, Anita might be the only one to lose her life!”

 

“My daughter will be portrayed as a complete victim. Besides, considering how long the Count Yosel family has been loyal to the Lyon Duchy, would they really kill my daughter?”

 

Of course, Duke Carlyle Lyon, might try to take Anita as a mistress out of respect for the Count Yosel family. The probability was low, but if Anita bore the Young Duke’s seed this night—if a child was conceived—it would be certain.

 

“Anita will surely succeed in carrying the Young Duke’s child! Whether as a mistress or in some other form, once she enters the Lyon household, my daughter will push out the Princess. Would a Princess, raised preciously, be able to endure sharing her husband with a mistress or lover?”

 

If they were lucky, since the official wedding hadn’t taken place yet, they might even be able to drive the Princess away. He had thought the Tesseia Princess might endure it since she was reportedly treated like an illegitimate child before, but in the end, he had given in to this request.

 

It was because he was certain that his brother and niece would commit the act regardless of whether they had his help.

 

Even if he didn’t lay a hand on this, blood was thicker than water. Thinking that his own family would also suffer if things went wrong, he decided to help.

 

“When the Young Duke comes to his senses, he might fly into a rage and try to kill Anita on the spot.”

 

“Brother. Do you know the Young Duke so little? There is no way that man with such a gentle nature would go that far….”

 

His brother laughed, but the Count could not be sure. The Young Duke was deeply infatuated with his current wife, and the Count knew what a man in love was capable of doing.

 

“Anyway, once the incident occurs, hide Anita first. The Tesseia Princess is young, so she might not try to deal with Anita personally, but…. We cannot know how things will unfold.”

 

When Count Yosel warned him repeatedly, his brother answered with a reluctant face that he would do so. The Count slipped a finger into his collar to loosen it and sighed.

 

It was an incredibly anxious affair.

 

“Count, the first carriage has arrived!”

 

At the servant’s announcement, the Count looked at the butler, and the butler signaled the band. The band quickly began to play music.

 

The melody of a slow, soft dance tune spread through the ballroom. It would have been nice if the music could soothe his heart, but his anxiety remained. Even if this plan succeeded, the aftermath was uncertain.

 

‘Please, let my family be safe even after this night ends….’

 

He could only pray to the statue of the Goddess enshrined in a corner of his house.

 

 

***

 

 

By the time the Ducal carriage arrived at Count Yosel’s estate, the ballroom was more than half full. Leticia got off the carriage with Terdis and received Count Yosel’s greeting.

 

‘The Count seems nervous about something.’

 

Haron, watching him from behind Leticia, thought it was strange. Julius, who had arrived earlier, had already gone inside with Carlyle. Haron also went inside with Leticia.

 

Julius and Haron had heard the order from the Pope to seduce Leticia, but they knew nothing about any other schemes from the Order’s side. Julius expected the Order wouldn’t just wait idly, but Haron did not.

 

So, he didn’t think the plot Count Yosel was cooking up had anything to do with the Order. While he observed the atmosphere within the Count’s estate, Terdis led Leticia to the floor.

 

“Let’s greet people appropriately and dance.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Inevitably, a ball held in the Lyon Duchy felt more comfortable to them than an event held at the Imperial Palace in the Capital. Leticia and Terdis exchanged light greetings with various nobles of the Lyon Duchy and entered the center of the ballroom to dance.

 

The atmosphere of the ball here was less about formal power struggles between nobles and more about enjoying themselves lightly before heading up to the Capital.

 

Normally, Count Yosel would have been pleased that so many guests had come to the ball, but he couldn’t be right now.

 

‘To abandon my brother feels difficult because he is family…. But to leave it be, I fear my family will suffer.’

 

“Count. Are you unwell?”

 

At Carlyle’s question, Count Yosel was startled. He had already exchanged greetings with Carlyle, so he thought Carlyle had gone inside the ballroom.

 

“I beg your pardon….”

 

“I say it because your complexion is poor.”

 

Carlyle had heard about Leticia’s dream through Terdis. Judging from past experiences, since it wouldn’t end as a simple dream, he judged there would be some scheme at this ball.

 

‘I hoped Count Yosel wasn’t involved, but looking at his attitude, it seems he is.’

 

“Is there perhaps something you wish to tell me?”

 

The Count Yosel family had been loyal to the Lyon Duchy for over 200 years. His father had devotedly helped the previous Duke. So, Carlyle thought he should give him a chance.

 

Upon hearing Carlyle’s words, a look of hesitation flashed across Count Yosel’s pale face, but only for a moment. He forced a smile and said: “I do not know… what you are talking about.”

 

Even as he answered, he was trembling in fear, wondering what Carlyle knew. His hands, which he thought he had lowered naturally, were covered in cold sweat.

 

“Is that so? That is regrettable.”

 

Saying this, Carlyle slowly walked past him. Count Yosel watched Carlyle’s retreating figure with conflicted eyes but could not bring himself to stop him.

 

 

***

 

 

“Jeff! Jeff!”

 

At the urgent voice of his brother calling him, Jeff frowned and stepped away from the group of nobles. Count Yosel, the master of this mansion, grabbed his arm with a pale face and dragged him to a secluded spot.

 

“What is the matter, Brother?”

 

“We are in trouble! The Duke seems to have noticed something!”

 

Jeff set the wine glass he was holding down on the windowsill. He thought his brother was being scared for no reason.

 

“What do you mean the Duke noticed?”

 

“He gave me a hint. At this rate, we’re in big trouble! We must cancel everything planned for today!”

 

“What exactly did the Duke say to make you act like this?”

 

Count Yosel recited exactly what Carlyle had said in front of Jeff. Jeff looked at his brother with a thoughtful expression.

 

‘There is no way information leaked. The servants don’t know who the target is, and Anita procured that drug together with a trustworthy person…. No, even if they know Anita got the drug, they wouldn’t know who it’s being used on.’

 

“Could he have been speaking of something else? Or perhaps the Duke suspects someone else of corruption and was poking our family among many others.”

 

“Do you not know the Duke’s character! He is not someone to do that.”

 

Although Count Yosel answered that way, his voice held a little less tension. Jeff scanned the left and right of the empty corridor and said:

 

“How could a matter known only to a few tasked with luring him leak out? You know we were sufficiently careful, Brother.”

 

“But I am anxious, Jeff. I keep feeling like things will go wrong.”

 

“If this succeeds, the Order will get the Saintess back, and our family will become in-laws to the Ducal family. And I will gain a Young Duke for a son-in-law.”

 

Strictly speaking, it was his brother’s family, not Count Yosel’s, that would become in-laws, but Jeff said so to cajole his brother.

 

“It is work for the Order; is there any reason for it to go wrong? The Goddess will help us.”

 

Count Yosel had heard that the person who helped his niece was from the Order. But it still weighed on his mind and felt dirty. After all, the Young Duke was a married man, even if the marriage certificate was gone.

 

“Please think of it as saving me and my daughter. Even if this is discovered, the Duke is a good-natured man, isn’t he? It’s not even a scandalous world for a high-ranking noble to take a mistress or lover. He might be angry for a moment, but eventually, he will soften his heart.”

 

At Jeff’s repeated persuasion, Count Yosel steeled himself. As Jeff said, Terdis was the Young Duke and a high-ranking noble. It might even be his duty as someone of royal blood to take many women and have many children.

 

“I wash my hands of this. If things go wrong…. I will claim I was deceived by you, so you had better be prepared.”

 

“I told you not to worry.”

 

He spoke as if cheerful and picked up the glass he had placed on the windowsill. The wine glass was still half full, the liquid sloshing inside.

 

“Even if the Young Duke and the Princess seem on good terms now, it is like a relationship between children. My daughter is clever, so she will surely squeeze in and drive a wedge between them. Just wait and see.”

 

Count Yosel looked at Jeff weakly. He was his brother, and Anita was his niece; he wondered how he could abandon them.

 

‘This is not betraying my liege, the Lyon Duchy. How could giving my niece as a mistress to the Young Duke be harming them?’

 

He tried hard to think that way, but he couldn’t help his heart growing heavy. Especially seeing the Tesseia Princess’s smile shining brightly as she entered the ballroom.

 

 

***

 

 

Chatting with nobles they knew and dancing with Terdis a few times, time seemed to fly. Although Leticia was married, since she hung out with people of a similar age, half of her friends were unmarried.

 

The other half were those who had married earlier than Leticia. Just like the nobles in the Capital, they viewed Leticia running away and marrying Terdis favorably.

 

Although the target of wariness was slightly different, it seemed to be treated as a romantic elopement here as well. Since they hadn’t married against their families’ opposition, they seemed to view it even more positively.

 

‘Do they think it’s the most correct example of a political marriage?’

 

Since she had told quite a few noblewomen and young ladies in the Capital about the events back then, she hadn’t expected people at this ball to ask about it. Those she was close with had already heard the story two or three times.

 

“Lady Leticia….”

 

Just as she stopped dancing with Terdis to cool off for a moment, a group of young ladies approached. They weren’t particularly close to Leticia.

 

Half were young ladies she had only spoken to a few times, and the other half were distant relatives of Terdis or daughters of vassal families who had kept their distance from Leticia.

 

“Could you spare a moment? There is a young lady who wishes to consult with you about something.”

 

“What is it about?”

 

“Well…. It is a matter difficult to discuss in front of gentlemen.”

 

Leticia immediately noticed this was a ploy to separate her from Terdis. Terdis seemed to have realized it as well.

 

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

 

Terdis looked confident. Leticia was slightly anxious, but to know for sure who the culprit was, she had to step into the trap to some extent.

 

Leticia grabbed Terdis’s arm and pulled him closer. Since Terdis lowered his head to match her height, she could easily kiss his cheek. Leticia whispered in a voice that others wouldn’t hear. As a Swordmaster, he would be able to understand even a quiet murmur.

 

“Be careful, okay?”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Terdis also kissed Leticia’s cheek and let her go. When Leticia turned around, she saw the young ladies looking this way in somewhat awkward silence. When Leticia looked back at them, they smiled kindly and surrounded her as if they had never had such eyes.

 

“You two look good together whenever we see you!”

 

“…Countess Yosel has prepared a room for the young ladies. It is directly connected to the ballroom, so you won’t have to go far.”

 

As Haron followed behind as an escort knight, the young ladies cast glancing looks of admiration at him. As they said, the place they intended to use as a consultation room was a lounge next to the ballroom.

 

Leticia left Haron standing in front of the door and followed them into the lounge. Terdis watched Leticia enter the room from where they had parted.

 

‘It’s annoying, but with that Paladin watching, nothing will happen to Leticia.’

 

His eyes shone as he looked at those approaching him. It was common for young lords of familiar vassal families to greet him or strike up a conversation. They always wanted to be close to him.

 

‘Anyway, there are only a few humans I can truly trust.’

 

“Young Duke!”

 

Since the people of the Lyon Duchy—the masters of the Lyon territory—had not yet departed for the Capital, most high-ranking nobles of this region remained here. Therefore, it was safe to say all high-ranking nobles of the Lyon Duchy attended today’s ball.

 

Terdis conversed with young lords of his age as if accustomed to it. Since he had already greeted most of them, everyday talk or news from the Capital was exchanged.

 

“…Aren’t you thirsty? Shall I ask them to bring something, Young Duke?”

 

“No. Not really.”

 

He indifferently refused when one of the young lords asked, but inwardly, he decided to remember his face. It could be meaningless consideration, but he might be saying that under someone’s orders.

 

When Terdis refused, he asked a passing servant for drinks for themselves. In truth, Terdis was neither hungry nor thirsty. He had eaten before leaving in preparation for this, and he was used to training for hours without water, so he wasn’t thirsty.

 

The servant quickly brought champagne, and the young lords passed the glasses around. Terdis lightly refused when offered again.

 

‘He isn’t drinking.’

 

Jeff, watching this from afar, suspected that information really had leaked somewhere. If Duke Carlyle knew this fact, there was no way he wouldn’t have told his son, Terdis.

 

‘That man from the Order explicitly told us never to touch the Saintess, so we can’t feed it to her either….’

 

Furthermore, if they did such a thing to the Tesseia Princess, the Tesseia Duchy wouldn’t stop at just a protest; they might send assassins. The Duke of Tesseia was that kind of man.

 

‘This is difficult.’

 

Anita had asked her close friends to hold Leticia, but they wouldn’t be able to keep her for very long. Leticia held the highest status among them, and she wasn’t a girl to fall for petty tricks.

 

Jeff frowned, recalling Leticia’s work ability, which the vassals had evaluated as quite brilliant. Since she lived in the Lyon Duchy and received education from excellent teachers, he thought that level was natural.

 

“Hey.”

 

He called a servant and gave an instruction. The servant nodded and hurriedly went down to the kitchen. A moment later, glasses were passed around to the young lords with Terdis.

 

“This is liquor served by the Count in gratitude to the young lords who visited this ball.”

 

As heavy wine glasses were passed around, Terdis accepted a glass for now. The eyes of the young lords tasting the wine immediately shone.

 

“The Count is generous! This must be from the year 49 of Zerdy!”

 

“Let’s see….”

 

The young lords enjoyed the drink excitedly, but Terdis only watched without drinking. At that moment, someone approached his side.

 

“Young Duke, what is the matter? Is there a problem with the glass?”

 

Terdis pondered who this guy was. He knew the face of Count Yosel’s son. He was a soldier eight years older than him and wasn’t present right now. He knew he was staying in the Capital with his wife because she was pregnant. Her family home was in the Capital.

 

‘Who is this guy?’

 

“I haven’t seen you before?”

 

“I greeted you earlier; you must have forgotten. I am Dune Tris, Count Yosel’s nephew.”

 

He was Anita’s older brother, older than Terdis. When Anita had her marriage meeting with Terdis, he was the first person to run over at Anita’s scream.

 

When planning with his father, they worried Terdis might recognize Dune, but Terdis didn’t remember his face. After confirming a few times that Terdis didn’t recognize him, they decided to put Dune at the center of the plan.

 

It was the most important role, and they judged it dangerous if information leaked anywhere.

 

“If you don’t like the glass, please have mine. It is a new one I haven’t even touched yet.”

 

He held out his own glass before Terdis could even answer. Terdis stared blankly at his glass.

 

In fact, Terdis knew there were no drugs in the champagne earlier or the wine just now. Pashanoi hanging around his neck had been quiet. But now, when this wine was offered, Pashanoi was vibrating faintly as if in warning.

 

‘It feels strange that a sword spirit detects poison, but….’

 

This guy had once stopped him from being poisoned. If he intended to drink this wine, it would be safer to possess Pashanoi into his body first.

 

“If it’s Tris, is Count Yosel’s younger brother your father?”

 

“That is so, but…?”

 

Terdis smiled brightly and pushed his glass away.

 

“Your heart is commendable, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I don’t particularly like sweet liquor.”

 

“Ah, this is fine, Young Duke. The taste is profound and heavy.”

 

Another young lord chimed in, but Terdis was looking at Dune.

 

“Have you tried it too?”

 

His face was smiling, but his eyes were cold. Dune felt a subtle pressure and lowered his eyes. He hadn’t revealed killing intent yet, but Dune was afraid to meet his gaze.

 

“It is a new glass, so not yet….”

 

“Drink it.”

 

At the voice that fell coldly, the young lords fell silent. Only about three or four young lords here were acquainted with Terdis.

 

Terdis had friends too, but they weren’t here. Since Terdis had to be moved to a designated room once drugged, and his friends would obviously be a hindrance, they had all been cleared away.

 

Because of this, there was no one to stop Terdis no matter what he ordered. Dune swallowed dry saliva and looked down at his glass. In that glass were four drops of the drug his sister Anita had brought.

 

The reason for four drops was that they added one more drop thinking it might not work well on a Swordmaster.

 

‘I-I won’t die if I drink this, but….’

 

“What are you hesitating for? The Young Duke told you to drink.”

 

A young lord unaware of the situation asked the hesitating Dune in bewilderment. They couldn’t understand Dune’s hesitation. To them, Terdis was a fearful existence.

 

Once, Terdis had many friends, but he became distant from most of them when he was possessed by Pashanoi. Just distancing themselves from the Young Duke of Lyon could have been an issue, but half of them had despised and mocked Terdis, saying his appearance was hideous.

 

It was known that they even tried to harm Terdis away from the eyes of adults, only to be counterattacked and soundly beaten by him.

 

Their parents revolted at this and tried to drag Terdis down from the position of Young Duke, only to face Carlyle’s wrath, causing a bloodbath at one point.

 

Those who submitted to Carlyle removed their sons, who were heirs at the time, from their positions and sent them as adopted sons to branch families, and those who resisted to the end died or were chased out of the Duchy.

 

All the young lords gathered here remembered the events of that time. They had fear of the Lyon Duchy carved into their bones, and this was inherited as fear of the Young Duke, Terdis.

 

“Why can’t you drink? Surely there isn’t something in the drink….”

 

Terdis didn’t even need to voice the suspicion. When one of the young lords said this at Dune’s hesitation, Dune quickly brought the glass to his lips.

 

Gulp, gulp.

 

He didn’t drink it all, only about half. He knew it took about 10 minutes for the drug to take effect anyway. So he would be fine for right now.

 

‘W-Why is he drinking that?!’

 

Jeff watched the situation, covering his bewildered face with his hand. The Young Duke wasn’t visible from this position, but there was no way Dune would drink that without reason.

 

‘Did the Duke really notice something?’

 

Dune held the half-empty glass and looked at Terdis.

 

“What would be in the drink? Don’t make things weird. This ball is my Uncle’s Goddess Ball!”

 

He spoke pretending to be calm to a nearby young lord and looked back at Terdis. There was no sign of the drug taking effect yet. He was worried about 10 minutes later, but now that it had come to this, he thought he had to feed that drug to Terdis by any means necessary.

 

‘I didn’t want to go this far!’

 

The person cooperating with Dune or Jeff was the servant serving the drinks. When the drinks came up from the kitchen, the plan was to drug only one glass and inform Dune.

 

He secretly signaled Jeff or the servant who would be watching from inside the ballroom. It was a signal to drug all the glasses, not just one.

 

There was no antidote for this drug. If things went south, he would have to lock himself up somewhere in the Count’s mansion before problems arose.

 

‘Even so, I will make this bastard drink that drug! After going this far, what kind of disgrace would it be if our family doesn’t become in-laws to the Lyon Duchy!’

 

He was a lower noble with insignificant abilities, and he held great dissatisfaction with his lot of inheriting a title in name only.

 

‘If only I can make Anita a Duchess, it won’t be a problem for me to become a noble with a fief!’

 

The young lords, sensing the strange atmosphere despite Dune’s banter, fell silent. The other young lords, excluding those Dune had dragged in, looked like they wanted to escape, but under Terdis’s sharp gaze, they could do neither this nor that and only watched the mood.

 

In the meantime, a servant carrying a large tray filled with glasses approached. This time it was high-proof whiskey. It seemed to be because Terdis said he disliked sweet liquor.

 

Dune made a fuss as if it were a coincidence.

 

“It seems my Uncle knew the Young Duke’s taste and ordered this liquor opened. Please drink. My Uncle’s taste in alcohol is very high-class!”

 

When the servant offered the tray to Terdis first, he remained silent and stared at Dune. Under his icy gaze, Dune felt cold sweat running down his back.

 

“Why are you acting like this…. Didn’t you just see me drink? Surely you aren’t thinking there is something in this liquor too? The Count Yosel family has been loyal to the Lyon Duchy for hundreds of years.”

 

His voice wasn’t loud, but it had the power to unsettle the young lords with them. Most of the young lords here were from vassal families.

 

“I am truly aggrieved, Young Duke! If you are suspicious, please choose a glass yourself and give it to me! I will drink the liquor in that glass too!”

 

If Dune said this, there was only one reaction Terdis, the Young Duke, would show. To pick a glass and make Dune drink it. If he did that, Dune would gladly empty that glass, and Terdis, feeling sorry for doubting him, would end up drinking one of the glasses on this tray.

 

‘If only that happens…. You are like a fish out of water! Because every glass on this tray contains that aphrodisiac!’

 

“Young Lord. Do you know that?”

 

Terdis spoke, tapping the pendant that was still vibrating thinly. Dune looked at him with a tense face.

 

“Know what?”

 

“The spirit called Pashanoi residing in me. The one that saved me from being poisoned at an assassination scene.”

 

“Is, is that so?”

 

It was something Dune didn’t know. Even if he was a child of a vassal family, he was only from a branch family. That fact was known only to Carlyle’s aides or Terdis’s few friends.

 

“Pashanoi can detect poison. And right now, it resides in this necklace by my side.”

 

‘What?’

 

He flinched and looked up at Terdis, who was taller than him. Terdis turned his eyes to the servant standing with the tray.

 

“My Pashanoi has been vibrating and giving warnings since earlier. What do you think this means?”

 

The young lords mobilized by Dune didn’t know the full extent of the plot Dune and his father had cooked up. Dune had only asked them to create a distraction because he intended to get the Young Duke drunk.

 

“Dune, did you order drugs to be put in the drink the Young Duke would consume?!”

 

At Terdis’s words, one of Dune’s friends turned pale and raised his voice. Just getting the Young Duke drunk and assassinating him were entirely different realms. If things went wrong, they could be harmed just for inciting him by Dune’s side.

 

“No! Would I do that?! Th-The Young Duke is misunderstanding!”

 

“Indeed. It’s not just one of these glasses that has the drug. Seeing as Pashanoi vibrates no matter which glass I reach for, it seems it’s in all of them.”

 

Terdis said this while moving his hand as if to pick up a glass in front of the servant. At this, all of Dune’s friends wore grim faces. That meant Dune was willing to sacrifice all of them to kill the Young Duke.

 

“You son of a bitch!!”

 

Originally, Terdis intended to let Dune do whatever he wanted to see how far he would go. But if things flowed as that guy induced, other young lords here would be poisoned, so he revealed the truth about Pashanoi.

 

Enraged by the ‘truth’ Terdis revealed, the young lords grabbed Dune by the collar. Those not close to him backed away from the servant holding the glasses with pale faces.

 

The servant, who was in cahoots with Dune and had personally drugged the liquor, looked at Dune with a helpless expression, then looked toward where Jeff was.

 

“…Young Duke, what is this situation? Surely Dune hasn’t caused trouble for the Young Duke?”

 

Count Yosel wasn’t in this ballroom. He was still greeting guests at the entrance. He had purposely avoided the ballroom, knowing what his brother and nephew would do to the Young Duke inside.

 

“And you are…?”

 

“I am Jeff, Count Yosel’s younger brother.”

 

He purposely didn’t reveal his last name. In a situation where Dune was suspected, he thought it better not to reveal he was his son.

 

“I will apologize on Dune’s behalf.”

 

“Ugh….”

 

Perhaps the drug was finally starting to take effect, as Dune’s face could be seen turning red as if drunk. Jeff was anxious but managed his expression and bowed to Terdis.

 

But before Terdis could step forward, someone threw cold water on the situation: Dune’s friends, who knew Jeff’s identity.

 

“Baron Tris! Do you think an apology will settle this?! This bastard tried to feed poison to us and the Young Duke!!”

 

…Poison? Did he just say poison?

 

At his loud voice, murmurs began to spread from those close to them. Jeff looked at Terdis with a flustered face.

 

Terdis was calm, and someone was walking over from the other side. Carlyle was approaching, leading the Lyon Duchy’s escort knights, not the Count Yosel family’s knights.

 

Jeff turned deathly pale. Just as he was panicking and trying to squeeze out a thought, a tray fell from one side, and the sound of dozens of glass cups shattering loudly was heard.

 

The servant who played the biggest role in this sensed the crisis and tried to flee. At this, Terdis poured out the wine from the glass he was holding and threw the glass at the back of the fleeing servant’s head.

 

Thwack!

 

Even a thin glass cup could become a terrible weapon in the hands of a Swordmaster. The servant was hit in the back of the head, rolled his eyes back, and lost consciousness.

 

It was just as Jeff was about to raise his voice to call his brother, Count Yosel. Dune, who had been clawing at his own throat saying he couldn’t breathe, panted and turned his body.

 

“I can’t…. Hhh, take it anymore…!”

 

He turned his eyes to the surroundings, and in an instant, threw himself at the nearest noblewoman. The noblewoman, who had been watching the situation of ‘Count Yosel’s nephew caught trying to poison the Young Duke’ with great interest, screamed at the sudden action.

 

Dune tried to tear the noblewoman’s dress regardless of the surrounding eyes, but thanks to her husband and daughter rushing in, it ended in an attempt.

 

Of course, the Lyon Duchy’s escort knights who rushed over grabbed him and pulled him up. Dune, out of his mind, tried to lunge at the noblewoman’s daughter who had roughly pulled him off, but was soon struck on the back of the neck by a knight and lost consciousness.

 

“What is this situation, Jeff?”

 

Carlyle knew him. Because he was one of Count Yosel’s younger brothers. At this, Jeff tore at his hair and fell to his knees.

 

 

***

 

 

Leticia was leaving the lounge with the young ladies amidst the commotion. Their eyes were wide with shock at the situation unfolding in the ballroom. They had only been asked to hold onto Leticia and stall for time; they had no idea what was actually going to happen.

 

Anita had confessed her love for the Young Duke to them and asked them to create an opportunity for her to confess. Although they knew her feelings were impure, the young ladies had granted her request partly because it seemed fun and partly out of jealousy toward Leticia.

 

“What is happening?”

 

“Madam, what is going on?”

 

When one of the young ladies spotted a noblewoman she knew and asked, they received shocking news. Count Yosel’s nephew had been caught trying to poison the Young Duke.

 

‘What? Poisoning?’

 

Leticia, the Young Duchess, was already returning to her husband under the protection of her escort knight, Haron, along with her maid. With no mention of Anita, who was supposed to approach the Young Duke, and the ballroom buzzing with talk of her brother Dune, the young ladies turned deathly pale.

 

It was because they realized what kind of mess they had gotten involved in.

 

“What do we do now?”

 

“Wh-what do you mean what do we do? We didn’t know anything!”

 

If they could, they wanted to run to Leticia, who was by the Young Duke’s side over there, and beg that they knew nothing.

 

Duke Lyon had already used his knights to apprehend Dune and a servant who seemed to have played a crucial role in the incident. In the distance, Count Yosel could be seen rushing over in a panic after hearing the news. However, the Duke’s men had already gone out to summon the guards long ago.

 

Although the Count had his own private soldiers within the mansion, with the Young Duke—a Swordmaster—watching, no one could take Dune or the servant away.

 

Count Yosel’s ball ended amidst a scandal that people would talk about for a long time. There was a commotion when Anita, realizing late that things had gone wrong, came out to the ballroom screaming, but people left the venue with very satisfied faces.

 

 

***

 

 

“I did well, didn’t I? Praise me.”

 

As soon as they returned to the ducal residence and went up to the third floor, Terdis clung to Leticia and said this. He had actually wanted to say it in the carriage, but couldn’t because Haron was riding with them on the way back as well.

 

Leticia dismissed the maids and servants and entered the bedchamber with Terdis. With one arm around Leticia, Terdis reached back and quickly closed the door.

 

“You did well. I heard you even caught the servant trying to run away?”

 

“That was nothing.”

 

Terdis openly beamed and bragged. Leticia chuckled and patted Terdis’s head. He loved it whenever Leticia touched him.

 

“You’re going to wash up with me, right?”

 

“Well….”

 

Since she had sent all the maids away, she had to enter the bath alone. She could wash herself perfectly fine, but she had sent them away first thinking Terdis might ask for this. Leticia looked at Terdis, her cheeks flushing.

 

“I’d like that too but…. I feel like you’ll stare too much.”

 

“Let it slide this time. I did well.”

 

Terdis, already clinging tightly to her, lifted Leticia up effortlessly as he spoke. Leticia pinched Terdis’s cheek as if he were being cheeky, but he just giggled and carried her through the living room into the bedroom.

 

Entering the bathroom in an instant, Terdis set Leticia down and began taking off his own clothes first. Leticia also started undoing the ornaments in her hair with careful hands.

 

“Shall I wash your hair?”

 

“It’s okay. It’s a lot of work.”

 

“I’m doing it because I want to.”

 

Terdis, having already stripped off his pants, approached her as he spoke. It sounded like he was saying it for Leticia’s sake, but in reality, it was to save even a little of Leticia’s stamina before they got to the main event.

 

“Then…. Please do.”

 

As she undid the last ornament, her long hair cascaded down. Terdis came up behind Leticia and untied the decorative strings of her dress. As the chest area loosened, he slipped his hands inside and undid the corset strings as well.

 

“It’s complicated, so let’s take it off simply.”

 

“Oka—Wait, ah?!”

 

Her body was lifted swiftly, and the dress and corset fell to the floor. In an instant, her entire upper body was exposed, leaving only her panties and garter belt stockings. Leticia was startled, not realizing Terdis had reached inside the dress to remove her petticoat too.

 

“W-wait a minute…!”

 

“Why?”

 

Terdis was already embracing Leticia and peeling off her stockings. She was flustered by his hands pulling the stockings down, leaving only the garter belt. At Leticia’s gaze, Terdis ran his fingertips along her leg and said:

 

“Because I wanted to touch your bare legs.”

 

Though they had only been married for a few months, she was momentarily speechless at Terdis saying so boldly that he wanted to touch her body. In the meantime, Terdis peeled off the other stocking and untied the strings of her panties.

 

‘He’s leaving the garter belt and taking off the panties?’

 

Before she could say anything, the thin piece of fabric slipped away, causing her to close her legs. Leticia asked with a bright red face.

 

“Y-you said you’d wash my hair! Why take off the underwear?”

 

“It’s comfortable to wash while lying in the tub.”

 

“Then why leave the garter belt?”

 

“Because it’s sexy?”

 

“…….”

 

While Leticia stared silently, their lips met. Though he was cheeky, Leticia opened her mouth and accepted Terdis’s tongue.

 

While the tub filled with water, they finished a light shower. Terdis laid Leticia in the tub and brought over a stand for a basin and the basin itself.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

As Leticia carefully positioned herself lying in the tub, Terdis nodded while looking at her naked body with a heated gaze. Since her long hair was submerged in the basin, Terdis brought a pitcher, poured water, and began washing her hair.

 

“Aren’t you tired, Ter?”

 

“Not at all. After washing your hair, I’ll wash mine, so just relax. Just don’t fall asleep.”

 

“Mhm….”

 

Leticia answered with a sigh. Floating her body in the hot water made her feel alive. Terdis swallowed dry saliva as he scanned Leticia’s naked form half-floating in the bathwater.

 

Since he ravaged her almost every night, traces of Terdis remained all over her naked body. The petal-like marks scattered over her skin, flushed peach from the hot water, were lovely.

 

‘Should I focus on leaving marks over there today?’

 

Even though he touched and loved her all the time, he felt a fresh excitement every time he saw her. The pleasure he could get from Leticia’s body was at a level Terdis found hard to handle, so if she allowed it, he wanted to hold her to his heart’s content even in broad daylight.

 

Scanning her soft, smooth skin with greedy eyes, he finished washing and rinsing her hair. As he carefully dried the water, Leticia gathered it up and pinned it loosely.

 

Since a magic stone was installed in the tub, the water didn’t cool even after staying in it for a long time. Even so, feeling impatient, Terdis washed his hair in a hurry.

 

“I won’t sleep, so take your time.”

 

“Uh-huh….”

 

Terdis quickly rinsed his hair and approached the tub. As he entered the water, it overflowed since it was filled to the brim. When Terdis embraced her, Leticia snuggled into his arms.

 

“Feels good….”

 

“Is it hot? Should we get out right away?”

 

“No. It’s pleasantly hot. Plus, you just got in.”

 

Smiling, Leticia answered, and Terdis pressed his lips urgently against hers, switching their positions. He embraced her from behind so that Terdis was underneath Leticia. Leticia sighed as his relatively cool hands moved along her skin.

 

Terdis checked Leticia’s skin temperature and turned off the magic stone attached to the tub. Staying in hot water too long would cause her temperature to rise. Especially since what they would do next would heat up her body anyway.

 

“Mmm…. This is so good.”

 

Terdis said, hugging Leticia tightly. Since his excited penis was touching her buttocks, Leticia fondled Terdis’s forearm as he held her.

 

“Touch me. You’re excited.”

 

“Huh? I’m fine for a moment.”

 

“Hmm…. Even though you want to do it.”

 

“Ugh….”

 

When Leticia reached back to stroke his thigh and pressed against his penis with her buttocks, Terdis’s face flushed red.

 

“Can we do it right away? I want to keep it inside.”

 

The hands that had been holding her preciously swept over Leticia’s body; one hand went down between her legs, and the other moved over her breasts. Leticia twisted her body as if wanting to press closer to him and said: “Yes…. Since that’s the reward, mmn….”

 

Although he had loosened her up while showering together earlier, considering the size of Terdis’s penis, he would have to spend quite some time preparing her. As two fingers dug inside along with the hot water, Leticia spread her legs slightly.

 

“It’s hot. I want to put it in quickly….”

 

With his whispering breath and urgent yet gentle fingers stirring inside, her body and mind seemed to slowly unravel.

 

Thinking she wanted to kiss him, Leticia caressed Terdis’s arm and the back of his hand. He pressed his lips to Leticia’s shoulder exposed above the water, gently biting and licking her nape.

 

“Ah, ahh…. Mmn….”

 

It felt so good she thought she would melt. Her flesh inside was indeed melting and loosening up. Overflowing liquid wet his fingers and seemed to mix with the water around her thighs and his.

 

Checking that Leticia was sufficiently prepared, Terdis withdrew his fingers, and Leticia sat up and turned around.

 

“I want to do it facing each other. I want to kiss.”

 

At her words, Terdis looked at her with desperate eyes. His penis, no longer pressed by her buttocks, stood hard, demanding something.

 

Their tub wasn’t narrow, so Leticia could position herself adequately even in the water. As she straddled Terdis’s waist and slowly lowered herself, Terdis looked between Leticia’s legs as if aroused.

 

Seeing the narrow gap between her half-spread legs was lovely. Her vulva, descending onto his penis, swallowed the tip as she slowly lowered herself along with her hips.

 

“Mmn…. The water is coming in too….”

 

The tip barely entered, and the shaft slowly stretched the entrance open. Terdis pulled Leticia’s hips as they entered the water, embracing her.

 

“Ah……. Hnn….”

 

Leaning against his chest as she swallowed more than half the shaft, Leticia grimaced at the feeling of being stretched. Every time they inserted, she thought this size was truly cheating.

 

“Take more. You can take it deeper.”

 

“Ah, haah…. Aah, we just started…. Haah….”

 

Kissing her moaning lips, Terdis began to thrust upward as if accustomed to it. Her waist trembled as the deepest part opened further and the tip of his penis entered along with the water.

 

“Mmn, hah! Ah…. Ter…. Mm….”

 

As his tongue entered and tangled stickily with hers, even her moans were swallowed. Terdis pressed his body closer and thrust his hips. The feeling of Leticia’s inner flesh wrapping around him felt unbearable.

 

‘Ah…. Good.’

 

As he sat up, Leticia wrapped her legs around Terdis’s waist as if clinging to his body. Terdis groaned in ecstasy as he moved his hips.

 

Leticia wouldn’t know, but even at this hour, Paladin Haron was waiting not far from their quarters. As a fellow Swordmaster, Terdis knew this.

 

At that distance, he would know what they were doing inside. He probably wouldn’t know the exact position, but he would be able to overhear Leticia’s moans.

 

‘Disgusting bastards.’

 

He didn’t know what Haron was thinking as he stared at their quarters from the garden. Haron would stay vigilant around the area for a long time until Leticia fell asleep, and would return to his room only as dawn approached.

 

Being a Swordmaster, sleeping only 2 or 3 hours would likely suffice.

 

He disliked both Haron and Julius. It was because he noticed they were observing Leticia with the eyes of men looking at a woman.

 

Terdis knew Leticia was very beautiful, but he didn’t think their hearts were moved simply for that reason.

 

They were undoubtedly moving under orders from the Order, specifically from someone high up. Terdis felt angry at that fact and thought he couldn’t forgive them.

 

Because it was surely a scheme to hurt Leticia.

 

Leticia wouldn’t be swayed by them, but unless their feelings were sincere, it was ultimately a ploy to hurt her.

 

“Ah! Aah…. Aahhh!”

 

Reaching her climax, Leticia’s body arched and convulsed faintly. While holding Leticia, who collapsed against him, Terdis ejaculated inside her.

 

He had no intention of letting anyone hurt her. Terdis thought this as he found Leticia’s lips and showered her with hot kisses. He would never let her be taken away.