Duke, Is This Your First Time?

“What do you mean by lover! It’s not like that.”

Lulien narrowed her eyes at the sight of Elysia, who waved her hands with reddened ears and denied it hastily.

“Hmm~ Judging by you reaction, I guess he asked something from you.”

“That…….”

“I guess you’re too embarrassed to say it. Don’t tell me you’re the one who will be tied to bed this time? Just like you did to the duke that night.”

Elysia, who was miffed, unknowingly took Iker’s side.

“What kind of nonsense is that? There’s no way His Excellency would ask for something like that. He’s the one who backs off when I try to kiss him…….!”

Elysia realized what she just said and shut up quickly, but it was already too late.

Surprised, Lulien’s widened eyes turned toward her.

“Were you going to kiss His Excellency?”

“…….”

She was doomed.

Elysia unknowingly closed her eyes tightly. She was embarrassed and didn’t dare to look at Lulien.

Even so, she thought she should make up an excuse, so she spoke in a faint voice with her eyes casted downward.

“When I met His Excellency, the atmosphere became weird, so my hand unconsciously kept on…….”

“Hmm~”

“It’s just that.”

“Who said so?”

Contrary to her expectation that she would tease her, Elysia asked surreptitiously at Lulien’s calm voice.

“You’re not mad at me?”

“When did I ever get mad at your relationship?”

“We’re not in a relationship.”

“Then what are you two?”

“Hmm…….. Physical attraction?”

After saying that, Elysia felt embarrassed because she felt like became a very bourgeois person.

Lulien most likely thought the same because she looked at her with a pitiful expression and dropped her gaze to Nelia’s hand.

“I wanted to ask you this ever since earlier, what is that ring? I have not seen this on your finger before.”

“Oh, His Excellency gave this to me. It’s a ring that can prevent the side effects of Helis. It doesn’t just prevent the side effects, he also said the color would turn red if the food I eat contains Helis.”

“Wow~ Is it a magic ring?”

“Yeah. I heard the next master of the magic tower made it.”

“You got so many things in the first half of the day. His Excellency has prepared a lot for you, keeping your position as the head of the faction and even gave you a magic ring. So what’s the price for all this?”

Elysia answered quickly, fearing that she might say something weird again if she contemplated as before.

“He asked me to allow him calling me by my nickname. When there are just the two of us.”

“Just that?”

“Yeah.”

“Just as expected of His Excellency.”

Lulien was mentally impressed. It was said that he had a knack for managing people, but his ability seemed to be doing his best in terms of relationships.

Elysia wasn’t the type to get carried away by thoughtless push. She was actually the opposite, the type who would be effectively affected when someone kept pushing her rather slowly and steadily.

As a proof, half of it has already passed over to Duke Deimos. Though Elysia would deny it.

‘Is Elly going to be swayed by the duke at this point? There had been rumors that she was rumored to be a flirt, but to be frank, she has never been in a proper relationship.’

It was true that Elysia met a lot of men to avoid Dustin, who fussed over her. They also spent the night together when she felt like it.

But that was all.

Elysia knew well about her situation and what she must protect. Therefore, there was no way she would give her heart to someone. That kept the meeting and break-up as a simple thing for her.

However, her heart was shaken by her opponent for the first time.

She was a little worried about the infatuation she might have to experience because of him, but she had no intention of stopping him. Because she thought if it was Duke Deimos, he would take care of her well.

Lulien, who was lost in her thoughts, looked up at the sound of Elysia’s voice.

“What do you mean just as expected of His Excellency?”

“It’s nothing. It’s expected of Duke Deimos, who is rumored for his courteousness and gentlemanly behavior.”

Elysia nodded at Lulien’s thoughtful answer.

“His Excellency is a little bit similar to that. On the other hand, there’s a little bit of quiet and a crazy part in him….. Oh, now that I think about it, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“I think there was something my mother wanted to do during her lifetime. Do you happen to know what it is?”

“The former marquess?”

“Yes. Countess  Dolorence said today that she will uphold and protect my mother’s path to the end so that I can walk through it.”

At Elysia’s words, Lulien’s expression changed whimsically.

Even though it was a slight change, she couldn’t have missed it having known Lulien for a long time.

“You know it. What is it? Hurry and tell me.”

“Uhm, I’ll tell you a little bit but it won’t be much help anyway. I just happened to find out about the truth.”

“It’s all right. Tell me whatever it is. It’s okay even if it’s just small things.”

While waiting for Lulien’s answer, Elysia felt her heart pounding.

Isn’t it the secret of her mother that she didn’t have acknowledge of? It was natural of her to be excited.

However, the words that came out of Lulien’s mouth were not what she expected at all.

“Someone saw your mother meet with His Excellency the Duke Deimos in secret not long before she died.”

Elysia’s eyes widened.

“They have met before?”

When she asked back, Lulien nodded.

“I was investigating the carriage accident because it suddenly seemed bizarre to me. That was when I found out. The reason I didn’t tell you was because I was afraid you’re going to just barge into the Dukedom of Deimos and ask him while grabbing him by the collar.”

“……”

Elysia remained silent, quietly avoiding her gaze.

As Lulien said, she would have done more than that if she had known this fact when she and Iker were simply political opponents to each other.

Lulien, who grinned at the sight of her, slowly continued with her words.

“I’m telling you this because I think you’re close enough to ask His Excellency without grabbing him by the collar. That day, your mother shared a conversation with Duke Deimos regarding an issue. And I think they’ve come to a good agreement. It was said that their expressions were bright when they left. He even shook hands with her.”

“You don’t know what the issue they were talking about?”

“I have a rough guess about that, but I’m not so sure.”

Lulien, who stopped talking, reached out and held Elysia’s hand. She looked at her before speaking again.

“So you should go and ask him yourself. What he talked about with your mother that day. To Duke Deimos, who knows the most about it.”

***

Iker’s footsteps halted after he took a slow walk toward the training hall located at the garden of Parvati Palace.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the red sun that fell behind the ridge for a while. No, speaking more precisely, it was the thick shadow of sunset that caught his attention.

The bright red scattering light in the darkening sky reminded him of someone.

‘She must be resting by now. After all, it’s been a tiring day.’

Recalling the moment she entered the conference hall and received the murderous looks pouring onto her, it was obvious how nervous Elysia must have been to deal with the nobles and Marquis Barten without looking at her.

Particularly, the eyes of the Second Prince were as fierce as if it was about to tear her to death. To the point it shook his nerves slightly, as it was able to easily ignore the gazes for most of the time.

‘I now have reasons to get rid of them.’

One day he was planning to shunt Duke Russet and Dustin to the back, but it seemed like it would happen sooner than he expected.

Iker took another step forward.

When he reached the training hall, Rashian, who trained with a wooden sword in hand, caught his eyes.

The brilliant golden-colored hair was soaked in sweat as if he had wielded the wooden sword for at last two hours until now.

Perhaps because the boy was so immersed in his training, Rashian didn’t even notice he came until he got close.

Iker stood after putting a bit of distance and looked at the sword wielded by Rashian.

Satisfaction was apparent in his eyes as they followed the trace of the sword, which had disappeared and was seen again not long after, glided smoothly.

If he trained a bit more, he thought the boy would be able to at least protect himself.

Rashian, who stopped swinging the wooden sword in his hand, turned his head because he sensed his gaze. The Prince, who found Iker, immediately ran up to him.

“Teacher.”

“Are you training again today?”

“Of course. I want to protect myself no matter what happens, at the very least.”

“You have a good mindset.”

Joy flickered in the silver eyes of the prince, as he was praised by his teacher.

“Are you on your way back after paying a visit to Father, Teacher?”

“I am.”

Rashian looked nervous when Iker answered that he was on his way back after meeting the emperor. The Prince, who hesitated for a moment, asked cautiously.

“What did Father say? Do you think he’d listen to my request?”

Although he shouted belligerently, he seemed to have no confidence in the result.

Iker offered a light smile and nodded to Rashian, who was worried that his request might be rejected.

“I think His Majesty has made up his mind. He will light up the fire.”

“It’s a relief to hear that.”

Rashian’s face lit up. At the same time he said so, he was staring at Iker with a determined gaze.

“Then I’m going to make the fire burn them, not me.”

“That’s true.”

Upon hearing his teacher’s answer, the young prince clenched his fists and didn’t say anything for a moment. Looking at his slightly trembling shoulder, Iker asked composedly.

“Are you afraid?”

Being asked by his teacher, Rashian took a deep breath and shook his head.

“It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t afraid. However, I’m going to use that fear as something that would push me to move forward. After all, they have a debt that must be paid back to me.”

There was a glint of firm determination not to back off in Rashian’s silver eyes as he answered so. However the little prince recalled something and had a worried look on his face shortly after.

“Above all that, I’m worried if Marquess Camellia will accept my request. To be honest, looking from the point of view of the Marquess, it’s probably a troublesome and bothersome task for her.”

“I suppose so.”

“Is there any way to prevent the Marquess from refusing the request?”

Iker smiled leisurely at Rashian’s cautious question.

“Don’t worry. Your Highness. The Marquess won’t refuse your request.”

His golden eyes glistened softly with a tinge of red hue while looking at the sunset sky.