"Wha-what are you... doing... right now?!"
His voice cracked amid the dizzying situation.
Who is that green-haired man I’ve never seen before? He has a lot of scars on his back... A slave? Richard Friedrich brought a slave?
Events continued to unfold as he stood there, bewildered.
The green-haired man, who appeared to be a slave, once again reached for Richard’s nape.
"Wai... wait, Enoch!"
Richard twisted his head away with all his might.
"Stop!"
He shouted.
"I don’t want this!"
"..."
Only then did Enoch stop.
Phew...
I almost got pounced on again. By that damn bastard.
Freed from Enoch, Richard let out a sigh of relief.
But contrary to his relief, Derek had already arrived at every possible misunderstanding.
"Richard Friedrich... You... what...?"
Derek stared at him, his gaze trembling violently.
"You’ve finally done it... Now you’re bringing male slaves in too?"
"..."
Richard squeezed his eyes shut.
Well, since it’s Derek, it doesn’t really matter if he misunderstands me a little... The problem is, it’s unfair.
What do you mean, I brought in a male slave? I was the one who almost got attacked!
Suppressing the urge to scream, Richard calmly opened his mouth.
"Brother. Don’t you recognize him?"
He gestured toward Enoch with his eyes.
"He’s the 4th Prince of the Eloise Kingdom."
Even if he was a prince from another country, Derek should at least have been familiar with his face, but apparently, the idiot didn’t recognize him.
"Eh, eh? A royal?"
Derek blinked stupidly.
"Eh?"
His gaze belatedly fell upon Enoch’s collarbone.
The two-headed dragon crest engraved along the bone.
This was...
The symbol signifying the Eloise bloodline, isn’t it?
Derek’s navy-blue eyes widened.
"My-my apologies for failing to recognize you!"
A step too late, he bowed deeply.
"I am Derek Friedrich, the first son of the Friedrich Marquisate!"
"..."
Enoch’s gaze fixed intently on Derek.
Richard seized the opportunity and added,
"I happened to find him {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} imprisoned at the slave market and rescued him. I don’t live such a promiscuous life..."
That was when it happened.
"Yes, that’s right."
Enoch spoke in a low voice.
"This guy saved me."
His arm naturally draped over Richard’s shoulder.
His green eyes, tinged with a strange smile, swept over him.
"So..."
"...?"
"I fell for him."
Derek’s eyes widened in shock.
"Eh, eh?!"
At the same time, Richard’s gaze trembled faintly.
What?
You fell for me?
Why would you fall for me? If you’re going to fall for someone, it should be the heroine!
Of-of course, I don’t want that either!
"So I’d like you to give us a little more time alone."
"Pfft." Enoch laughed and gestured toward the door with his chin.
"Ah, yes, yes..."
Looking dazed, Derek took a step backward.
Flutter—
A single letter fluttered from his slackened hand.
"Phew..."
After Derek left, Richard let out a sigh of relief. Well, I managed to get past one crisis...
He cast a disgruntled glance sideways.
Enoch was staring at him with a dissatisfied expression.
"You really won’t do it?"
His voice was particularly sharp, as though his pride had been wounded.
"I won’t."
Richard shook his head.
"For now..."
Richard clutched his throbbing head.
It seems utterly impossible to persuade him with words and send him home... How should I coax him?
"Let’s talk later..."
For now, I decided to put the Enoch issue on hold.
I know leaving him alone could cause trouble if I handle this poorly, but that doesn’t seem to be the most urgent matter right now.
"Ha, you’re going to throw away this precious opportunity? The chance to covet the 4th Prince of Eloise?"
Enoch sneered, his pride deeply wounded, but I pretended not to hear him and ignored him.
What’s urgent now...
Richard looked at the letter Derek had dropped.
A letter sealed with a golden seal.
It’s a letter from the Imperial Palace.
Richard picked up the letter and carefully broke the seal.
If it was from the Imperial Palace, there was a high chance the Emperor had sent it.
Since it was unlikely to be about anything trivial, it was best to read it immediately.
He carefully unfolded the letter, taking care not to crumple it.
[To Young Master Friedrich,
Is the matter proceeding smoothly? I send this letter to invite you to the Emperor’s Birthday Celebration Banquet, to be held one month from now.
It would bring me joy if you would grace us with your presence.
P.S. I shall look forward to the gift.
── Laios le Regnantia]
The letter was short and clear.
His birthday celebration banquet would be held soon, and Richard was required to attend.
At the same time...
It’s pressure.
The Emperor’s birthday. It was a long-standing tradition for nobles to present gifts to their Emperor.
Naturally, Richard was expected to offer him one.
However, the fact that he had specifically added the line about looking forward to the gift...
He’s telling me to find the Empress’s body and present it to him by that day.
Richard’s eyes gleamed coldly as he easily discerned the Emperor’s intent.
First, I’ve already obtained the Book of Nullification...
A way to safely release the Empress’s body from the Binding Magic is already prepared.
Next...
I need a way to extract the body without being discovered...
Richard propped his chin on his hand.
"Really... You really won’t do it? Give me just one more chance."
Enoch’s dissatisfied voice reached him, but Richard continued pondering.
He quickly found an answer.
If I have ‘that’ potion, it should work.
There were countless potions in the world. Potions that induced sleep, potions that changed hair color, even potions that changed one’s voice.
"This is your last chance. Your last chance to covet my body."
Among them, what Richard needed now was a ‘potion that changes one’s appearance.’
If I play my cards right, I might be able to twist the Duke around my finger.
Richard smirked.
If only I had that potion.
An exceedingly interesting plan flashed through his mind.
Then, shall I go there?
Richard knew a place that was more than suitable for obtaining such a potion.
"Can’t you hear me? How dare you ignore me right now?"
Remembering ‘that place,’ Richard grabbed a black robe.
"My patience has a li—"
"I’ll be back in a bit."
Thwack—!
Richard swiftly struck the back of Enoch’s neck.
Thump.
Enoch’s body collapsed to the floor.
Richard moved his unconscious body onto the bed, then set off for ‘that place.’
"Why on earth does that bastard keep attracting men? First His Highness the Crown Prince, and now the 4th Prince of Eloise?"
Derek laughed in disbelief. The sight he had witnessed in that bastard’s bedroom just moments ago was still vivid in his mind.
‘This guy saved me.’
Richard Friedrich saved a prince?
‘So... I fell for him.’
What? He fell for him?
What on earth does that bastard have, aside from a somewhat decent face, to make him act like this?
"Ugh."
Feeling inexplicably displeased, Derek ground his lower lip between his teeth.
This feeling...
It must simply be unpleasant to think of Richard Friedrich, who is nothing, acting all high and mighty...
Knock, knock.
A cautious knock came from beyond the door.
"Come in."
Derek spoke irritably as he swept his bangs aside.
"Young Master."
A maid with an unfamiliar face entered the bedroom, carrying a silver tray of desserts.
She’s the new maid who arrived recently, right?
I believe I heard she was a recent hire sent with a recommendation from the Imperial Palace.
Derek tried to calm his irritation as he looked the maid up and down.
"Has something unpleasant happened, perhaps?"
she asked as she placed the beautifully arranged desserts on the table.
"That..."
Derek pressed a hand to his throbbing head.
Even if I pour out my troubles to a lowly maid like her, nothing will change, but I feel like venting this irritation to someone.
Derek opened his mouth.
"So..."
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