Duke, Is This Your First Time?

Chapter 40

***

The day after the special meeting of the nobles faction, Elysia rode the carriage early in the morning and headed to the Imperial Palace with Har.

According to the original plan, she was scheduled to meet Iker today. She really wanted to check what Lulien told her.

But before she could ask the butler to deliver the words to Duke Deimos, the emperor’s servant came. Bringing the emperor’s order to enter the Imperial Palace in the morning.

Elysia reluctantly changed her plan and went to see the emperor first.

“For what matter is he summoning me? No matter how hard I think about it, he usually doesn’t do this.”

Her brows were furrowed as she muttered, and Har opened his mouth bounty while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Crime of making commotion in the capital?”

Elysia displayed a dumbfounded look on her face.

“Are you saying nonsense? If that is the case, he would have summoned me right after the scandal broke out.”

“It is or nothing.”

“I suppose so, but…. The response is too late. And His Majesty didn’t even pay attention to my scandal, right? He never summoned me before.”

“This time Duke Deimos’ life is at stake.”

“……Is that so?”

It might be, Nelia thought.

Because she clearly saw the emperor’s trust in Duke Deimos with her own eyes.

‘As expected, if I mess with a nice man, it would be the end of me.’

Thinking about what to answer if he really summoned her because of her scandal with Iker, she realized only after talking to the emperor alone that the question was more preferable.

“Excuse me?”

After the emperor spoke up, Elysia blinked and unwittingly asked back. She pondered over what she just heard.

Such an act could be seen as disrespectful, but the emperor reiterated again magnanimously as if he knew she would act that way.

“The Marquess is wanted to be Rashian’s shooting tutor.”

Who should be who’s what?

Elysia’s eyes were overcome with shame and disoriented. At the same time, she recalled that the Third Prince was persistent with his request.

She thought it had been resolved because Iker interfered, but he didn’t seem to give up and knew what to say.

‘Did he ask for His Majesty’s help at last?’

Elysia, who inwardly sighed, thought something was wrong.

It was the emperor who had kept the Third Prince hidden and protected him completely. However, she didn’t understand why she was appointed as the shooting tutor just because the Third Prince asked for it.

The fact that she was the head of the noble faction didn’t matter. She could think of this as a chance to get to know him for the future.

The problem was that she was under the control of Duke Russet. So, she looked at him and asked carefully.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but may I ask why you want me to be shooting tutor of His Highness the Third Prince?”

The emperor chuckled at his question. The gray eyes shone with mischief under the golden hair which was similar to the prince.

“Why do you want to leave Rashian under my care, when I can be taken advantage of by Dustin or Duke Russet?”

It’s not like he doesn’t know so why…….

When Elysia looked at the emperor with an awkward gaze, the emperor just stroked his beard and replied casually.

“Because that kid begged me so desperately. He’s not the type who asks for favor. I’m also a father, so how can I not listen to my son’s request?”

“There are many people beside me who are greatly talented in shooting.”

“Honestly, there are not many who have that. The Marquess, who learned from the best shooter in the Empire, is the best among them all.”

“As I said before, I can be taken advantage of by them.”

“They wouldn’t even think of using the Marquess if they have sense. At best, they’re trying to dig up information.”

“Is it alright to pass the information?”

“Did my son ask for a favor without taking it into consideration beforehand?”

“……”

Well, his teacher was Duke Deimos, so there was no way he hadn’t considered it.

The thought that she was speechless and being ruined clouded Elysia’s mind. She couldn’t find the way to get out of this.

Her cat-like eyes, which had always been raised upward, hung loosely in sorrow as the emperor clicked his tongue.

“The Marquess seems reluctant, so I don’t feel at ease either. Should we  proceed like this?”

“Pardon?”

Elysia’s head lifted up after she previously lowered it. The emperor threw the bait he had prepared as her eyes twinkled in anticipation.

The bite which the Marquess had no choice but to bite.

“The Marquess would have to comply with my request when I give you a chance to persuade Rashian and retract the Imperial Order.”

“Do you a favor…….?”

“It’s no fun if I tell you now. It’s not that hard anyway. I mean, it would be as easy as taking a breath for the Marquess. So what will you take?”

Elysia was in a dilemma at the emperor’s sudden offer.

If she were to look at the emperor’s appearance, there was a high chance that it wouldn’t be as easy as breathing despite what the emperor said.

Will she walk on the thorny path that is visible to the eye, or take the invisible one?

Looking at Elysia, who was having an internal battle with herself, the emperor smiled. As if he knew which one she was going to choose.

***

“What the h*ll is he trying to do to me?”

Elysia sighed deeply on her way to the Parvati Palace.

In the end, she chose to do the Emperor’s favor in exchange of being granted an opportunity to persuade Rashian.

It was because she thought the emperor’s request would be more difficult rather than becoming a shooting tutor for the Third Prince.

When she settled her choice, the emperor asked her to go to the Third Prince’s Palace and persuade Rashian by herself, he even added in a mischievous tone.

[He’s quite stubborn like me. So I wish you good luck, Marquess.]

As soon as she heard it, Elysia doubted whether her choice was really good.

Honestly, it would be more appropriate for the emperor to frankly say he was stubborn rather than insinuating it.

‘Come to think about it, His Highness the Third Prince was quite stubborn, too. That’s also obvious.’

It seemed that the way to make the Third Prince would be tough, but that wasn’t enough to bring her down.

She can’t do both, right? At least she would have to hit one of them.

Elysia walked ahead briskly, somehow pushed by her burning determination to persuade the Third Prince. However, Rashian wasn’t the one to greet her when she arrived at Parvati Palace.

“Elly.”

Hearing the call of her nickname, Elysia looked at the approaching handsome man with a baffled expression.

The golden eyes under the jet-black hair felt suave under the sunlight.

‘Why is he here?’

Elysia’s mind was empty for a brief moment and she quickly returned to her senses when recalling the fact that he was the tutor of the Third Prince.

Maybe there was a class today. It seemed that they might have classes today.

In the meantime, Iker was standing right in front of her. Unlike their last meeting, he was dressed neatly in full-dress uniform without any wrinkles in his attire.

But why did she feel like he was secretly hypnotizing her?

It might be due to his grace that was contradictory as well as the strangely sensual atmosphere emitting from him with the flowing ascetic and restrained vibe……

Elysia was unknowingly ogling over Iker’s sculpted face with her eyes, she flinched at the soft voice that sank in her ear.

“Are you here to see His Highness?”

“Yes, I have to talk with him.”

She feigned ignorance by quickly coming up with an excuse and replied before she got carried away at the sight of her opponent.

However, she couldn’t hide the redness on the tips of her heated ears as Iker’s gaze fell on her face.

Elysia, who felt embarrassed and dropped her gaze slightly, looked up again in surprise to his words.

“Then it’s such a shame. His Highness has already left.”

“Pardon?”

“His Majesty seems to have informed us that the Marquess will visit.”

No, before she knew it…… if he had been informed…….

The thought, ‘I’m fooled’ engulfed her mind, and her eyes fluttered as they shook back and forth.

This was the Imperial Palace, and it would be impossible to find the prince if he was hiding.

‘I didn’t expect His Majesty would stab me in the back like this.’

When a sense of betrayal hit Elysia, she heard Iker’s voice again. There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Even so, His Highness might have conscience toward me for asking the Marquess a favor.”

“Your Excellency is on his side as well, isn’t it?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, and Iker turned around with his signature laidback smile.

“I’ll let you have an assumption about it. Follow me.”

Follow him? To where?

Elysia looked back at Iker with embarrassed glint.

He was walking slowly as though he was being considerate of her, who followed him.

“Oh, really……”

Thinking that she felt like being fooled if she were to be involved with this man, she took a deep breath and quickly followed Iker by his side.

Although she did as he said, she thought she should at least know where they were heading to, so Elysia asked in a dissatisfied voice.

“Where are you going?”

“Should I call it a walk} You will find out when we get there.”

He carried out a tender reply with his beautifully furrowed forehead. 

“You’ll find out when we get there. Where are you going?”

With that, Elysia pouted her lips and walked along Iker, her cheeks puffed up slightly and she couldn’t ask inquisitively.

She was complaining to herself for a moment, but soon she was distracted by the beauty of the garden.

Parvati was the most beautiful palace in the Imperial Palace, but it wasn’t just an exaggeration.

The standing trees located throughout the walkway were all fashionable and tall, and the blooming flowers in various colors were dazzling to her eyes.

Perhaps it was due to the subtle forestry scent, the feeling of dissatisfaction disappeared before she realized it, replaced by a faint satisfied smile hung on Elysia’s mouth.

After appreciating the scenery of the garden for a moment, Elysia glanced at Iker who walked right beside her.

She could see his smooth forehead, beautifully shaped eyebrows, and a straight stretched high nose bridge. Long lashes and golden eyes seen underneath them.

He was so handsome that she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She was confident that God would have put their whole heart for days if God were to make him themselves.

Besides, how about his body?

Although she was affected by the side effects of Helis that night, she remembered the man’s body well while he was under her administration.

His body was simply perfect with solid and beautiful muscles. Of course not to mention his supreme long legs.

‘How can I be the first one to look at that?’

No matter how much she thought over it, she was still unable to make sense of it. If that was really his first time, shouldn’t he feel like a noob in a relationship?
 

As she recalled how she took the lead and the words she said to him, the creeping doubt continuously emerged from the depth of Elysia’s heart.

‘There might be women he had dated without causing rumors. Should I ask him?’

As she was wondering if she could ask since the atmosphere was calm and there was no one around, a soft low-pitched voice alight on her head.