Duke, Is This Your First Time?

“His Majesty has been waiting for you.”

Iker nodded curtly at the words said by Martin, the Emperor’s head attendant, when he arrived at the door of his office.

“Is that so? Though I remembered saying I would have an audience with him tomorrow.”

“You know His Majesty’s nature very well, don’t you? The more urgent the problem is, the sooner he wants it to be resolved.”

“Thanks to that, the people around him are exhausted.”

“I won’t deny it.”

Looking at the smiling Martin, Iker raised his mouth slightly and gestured at the door with his eyes.

“I will convey it to him.”

“Alright.”

When Martin announced his visit, Iker recalled Elysia, who was looking at him with a wavering gaze.

When he walked into her bedroom and kissed her on the back of her hand, her gaze, which was fixed at him, had changed a lot from their first encounter.

Say, wouldn’t he at least get hit on the cheek if he hugged her, or even kissed her? He thought he already gained a little more of her trust than before.

‘It seems that she likes grabbing me by the collar the most.’

There was no way he would fail to notice her hand, which had been rising whenever she got the chance.

He knew what it meant when she held him by the collar and he would be quite glad to be caught by her.

Even so, she still managed to back off when she caught him because she realized that she shouldn’t be carried away by the atmosphere to kiss him and to regret it in the next second.

He wanted to tell her that he didn’t only desire her body.

She also seemed to have noticed his feelings, but he still has a long way to go.

‘It’s better to soak it in slowly. It will get wet at some point if I continue to pile it up like that.’

To the point that the other guys couldn’t even look at her.

Because all he wanted was to make her want all of him.

Iker, whose mouth was slightly bent with his eyes casted down, changed to his cold expression again when the door of the office opened.

As soon as he entered the office, he heard the emperor’s voice as if the man had been expecting him.

“You’re the only person in this empire who dares to keep me waiting, Iker.”

He called him by his name again.

Iker’s thick eyebrows twitched.

There might be strange rumors circulating around if he kept calling his name rather than his official ducal title.

The emperor burst into laughter when noticing the apparent dissatisfaction in his eyes.

“You’re the only one who has a blasphemous look on your face when I call you by your name.”

“I apologize if you’re offended.”

“What’s the use of saying that? Your eyes still remain the same. Right, have you been to the Russet Duchy?”

Iker nodded curtly at the emperor’s  question.

“I have.”

“Looking at your face, things seem to have worked out well. To be honest, this was a surprise to me. It didn’t occur to me that you’d be so eager to take a very active involvement in the matter regarding Marquess Camellia. That’s why I’m asking you.”

Iker’s golden eyes were slightly narrowed at the appearance of the emperor caressing his beard while beating around the bush. It was because he knew what he (the emperor) was going to ask without having to listen to him.

Unsurprisingly, the question that escaped the emperor’s mouth was what he expected.

“Did you two really sleep together?”

At the curious eyes of the emperor, Iker sighed mentally and spoke. “I know that Your Majesty didn’t call me due to the scandal with Marquess of Camellia.”

“Hm~ You must have slept together since you didn’t refute it. Alright, so among you two, who was the first one to seduce?”

“Your Majesty.”

“Tell me. Judging from both of your usual behavior, it’s usually Marquess Camellia.”

“……Can I leave now?”

When Iker let out a muffled sigh in an attempt to turn toward the door, the emperor burst into laughter again and waved his hand.

“I see. I got it. I was a little too playful. But this is your fault. It’s been a while since I made fun of something, right? No. Did I also play the part here? Because I gave you exotic drinks that day.”

“…….”

“Looking at your expression, it seems that I played a part in this indeed. Hohoho. I somehow thought it was weird. Do you know what the Imperial Palace people looked like when I said you seemed to be having a hangover? They had a speechless expression on their face and even thought that you have a fake illness.”

Well, actually it was a fake illness, though.

Iker, thinking that he was so bad at acting, looked up at the emperor’s next words.

The emperor’s voice sank lower, perhaps he thought it was enough to tease him (Iker).

“What do you think of Marquess Camellia?”

The emperor stared at him, and his mischievousness, which was apparent until a moment ago, disappeared as if he had washed it away.

Along with that, Iker’s eyes also became serious.

“I think she’s sufficient if you’re asking about the possibility.”

“I thought so since it’s the Camellia Family. Then, the problem is Duke Russet, but it won’t be easy.”

Again, the emperor began to tap his fingers on the chair’s armrest.

Knowing that it was a habit that came out whenever the emperor was lost in his thoughts, Iker waited quietly.

After a while, the tapping sound stopped and the emperor began to speak again.

“Are you thinking of taking action again this time? No, you’re already taking action, so it’s useless to ask that.”

The emperor, who gave off a smirk as if he just asked useless things, stared straight at Iker. The emperor exuded a heavy sense of intimidation owned only by a ruler.

“Do you think you will succeed this time?”

“I will make it successful.”

Looking at Iker, who answered curtly without an ounce of hesitation, the emperor lifted the corners of his mouth.

“I feel like you’re very determined. Your eyes look like you’re going to risk everything.”

“Would you be relieved if I told you that I have developed a personal greed?”

“Looks like you’re serious. Toward Marquess Camellia.”

Although he didn’t get any answer, the emperor could tell simply by looking at Iker’s eyes.

The fact that the man who has always been taking action carefully seemed determined to risk everything he has to get what he wanted.

“I think it’s time. Rashian and you, and then me. We can’t let this country fall completely into the hands of Duke Russet.”

Gambling has always been dangerous. He had already suffered a bitter defeat once or twice.

Even so, he wanted to take a bold action this time. The emperor was sure that the card in his hand was not bad, or it would be useful enough when he turned it over.

“Then, is it my turn to light up a small fire?”

The emperor’s eyes shone brightly as he made up his mind.

***

Elysia flopped down on the bed after getting dressed in comfortable clothes.

She was very worn out, so she was going to take a bit of rest and went down to the study.

Although she felt very exhausted, the strange thing was she couldn’t fall asleep, perhaps because she was relaxing.

She couldn’t tell if it was because she was too exhausted or due to the joy of being able to keep what she thought she couldn’t.

Of course, she didn’t save it by herself.

Elysia, who was blinking absent-mindedly, raised her right hand and looked at the ring embedded upon her middle finger.

A reddish-golden ring.

Was it simply a coincidence that she felt like it was the combination of her hair color and her eyes?

Her gaze, which was fixated on the ring, slowly trailed down to the back of her hand.

Although there wa sno mark, she thought of having an illusion that the place where his lips touched was constantly burning, she didn’t know why she felt that way.

Was it because of his unexpected request?

[Allow me to call you Elly when we’re alone.]

Only when it’s just the two of them. She would have listened to him even if he asked her to be his secret bed partner, but he wanted her permission to call her by her nickname.

There was no such consideration.

You know how he looked when she, who was stunned, gave him permission to do so?

The beautifully stretched eyes folded graciously, and his charming mouth curved up gently.

It was a smile full of joy as if he finally got what he really wanted as a gift.

When she couldn’t take her eyes off his smile that she had never seen before, he pressed his lips on the back of her hand again.

[I’m happy you granted me permission, Elly.]

As soon as her nickname escaped his mouth, a shiver ran through Elysia’s body.

Just as his low voice coursed through her veins and stimulated her heart.

“Does he really want to date me?”

Elysia, who was unconsciously rubbing the back of her hand, was taken aback when Lulien’s voice came into her hearing along with a knock.

“Elly, can I come in?”

“Oh? Oh, come on in.”

Elysia rose as she quickly pushed off the thought of Iker to the one corner of her head.

As soon as she got up, Lulien opened the door and came in.

“I was intending to go down a little later.”

At Elysia’s words, Lulien smiled and took a seat beside her.

“It’s fine. You must be so exhausted. Just get some rest today.”

“Is there any urgent matter?”

“I will tell you there isn’t so that you can take a rest, okay? More than that, congratulations for getting a miracle. I heard a rough explanation about it from Har.”

Elysia pondered about it again upon hearing Lulien’s remark.

A miracle happened, but she wasn’t the one who caused it, was she? Therefore, her response came out awkward.

“It’s not something I did.”

“You did it. You steered not just anyone else, but Duke Deimos.”

“That……..”

“Don’t tell me if His Excellency was offended because of your doubt to his words and even attended the meeting of the aristocracy faction? And bringing the next magic tower master?”

“That’s true, but…….”

Seeing Elysia’s complicated face, Lulien had an invisible smile.

She thought it was strange since her friend said she had spent the night with Duke Deimos. Her suspicion grew stronger after checking additional information about the duke.

That the man had never been so drunk to lose his rationality until now.

As if to prove that he cherished and relied on him like he (Iker) was his son, so the emperor always called Duke Deimos to stay beside him and drank together whenever rare alcohol came in.

Duke Deimos, who remained in his seat until the emperor got drunk and returned to the palace, wouldn’t have been drunk on that day.

‘When he met Elly, he must have been sober. Well, he might have been a bit tipsy.’

And she was sure that he attended the aristocratic faction’s meeting today and helped Elysia. She didn’t know since when, but he must be interested in Elysia.

He didn’t even miss the chance to accidentally drop by on the night of the banquet.

Thinking that way, she figured out the eyes that were usually cold and indifferent sometimes would gleam intensely whenever they landed on Elysia.

She didn’t think Elysia noticed at all.

‘You don’t have to tell me. I think I can quite sense it myself.’

Wasn’t there a famous line stating that everyone knows? To not interfere in other people’s relationships?

She doesn’t know what kind of relationship they would have in the future, but Lulien spoke up, thinking that her hunch somehow wasn’t bad.

“So, what did he want from you? By any chance, did he want you to be his lover?”

Elysia was taken aback by the mischievous question coming from her friend.