Chapter 4

The “Dessert at Night” social gathering was filled with tales of various ladies’ intimate experiences, and as Hazel read er＊tic novels and jotted down her desires one by one, half of her diary was already full.  

She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of having checked off two of those items just last night.  

Although Hazel had received the basic s*x education expected of nobles, it was nowhere near as detailed as the information circulating in the shadows. Whenever she asked questions out of pure curiosity, her tutor would stammer and avoid answering, while Evan would change the subject, saying there was no need to be curious about such things.  

What choice did she have? She had to figure it out on her own. After all, the more forbidden something is, the more curiosity it sparks.  

Thus, it was only natural for her to read er＊tic novels and gather information at risqué social gatherings.  

According to what she heard at these refined social gatherings, there were several types of men when it came to spending the night together. The worst among them, they said, were the avoidant types. Perhaps that described her perfectly.  

“Ay, this is bad.”  

Finally acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Hazel closed her diary.  

Knock, knock.  

A dull sound came from the library door, followed by Sophie’s voice. Hazel quickly hid her diary and pretended to be asleep.  

“Miss, are you in here?”  

Sophie’s quick footsteps approached as she shook Hazel’s shoulder.  

“Miss, did you sleep in here?”  

“Mm. I had a lot of work to do.”  

Feigning a yawn, Hazel rubbed her eyes and straightened her back.  

“Oh my! You should’ve told me; I was so worried!”  

“Sorry, Sophie.”  

Sophie draped a thick blanket over Hazel and let out a sigh of relief.  

“You don’t know how shocked I was when I went to your room.”  

Had she perhaps seen the Duke n*ked?  

“Why?”  

“There was nothing but an empty wine bottle, and the sheets were damp, so I thought something terrible had happened.”  

Thankfully, it seemed the Duke had woken up and left before being discovered.  

“I drank a little last night and couldn’t sleep, so I caught up on some work.”  

“Goodness, isn’t Duke Kaiden overworking you, Miss? He said he came to help at Evan’s request, but all he does is make you work. It’s too much.”  

“No, it’s fine. I get bored at home anyway, so it’s a good thing. It feels great to work again after so long.”  

“Really?”  

“Yeah. Isn’t Evan usually the overbearing one?”  

“That’s true.”  

Sophie nodded as if exasperated, saying she’d tell the kitchen to prepare all the desserts Hazel wanted to eat since Evan wasn’t around.  

Sophie, a maid of the same age, was like a close friend to Hazel, who didn’t have many friends.  

“Has the Duke left for work?”  

“He didn’t go to work, but he went out early and came back. I think he’s gone to training again.”  

“Training? It’s only nine o’clock, but he’s so diligent.”  

And it was a relief. He didn’t seem to know about last night’s events. It was better for them to pass quietly.  

“Miss, you should get ready too.”  

“Alright. Let’s go to my room and get ready.”  

“Yes.”  

Hazel wrapped the blanket tightly around her small shoulders and headed to her room.  

Meanwhile, at that moment, Kaiden was on the verge of exploding from inner turmoil.  

To Kaiden, Hazel was like a younger sister. When he was training with Evan for the Imperial Knight Order, he saw her more often than his own family. When he left the Order to study trade, he even attended Hazel’s national school graduation in Evan’s stead, showing how close they were.  

That’s why Kaiden had always complied with Evan’s annoying demands to speak kindly in front of Hazel, avoid gossiping, and suppress his fiery temper.  

In short, Kaiden had always played the role of a reliable protector for Hazel, not someone who would share intimate moments with her.  

But Hazel was different.  

She wasn’t the same as what Evan had described or the Hazel Kaiden had known. This difference left him confused.  

Her outward appearance was unmistakably Hazel’s, but he couldn’t help but worry if she had fallen victim to some terrible illness or if someone had lured the innocent Hazel into a sinister spell. He hadn’t been able to sleep because of these thoughts.  

“Haah. How did things end up like this?”  

Kaiden stared at the pouch of herbs he had bought at the dawn market.  

He hoped to find something to dispel spells, but such rare remedies were managed by the Empire and couldn’t be found in such markets. Instead, he had bought a few herbs to clear the mind.  

“Haah.”  

The more he looked at the pouch of herbs, the more his worries grew.  

What he had seen in the bathroom was a sight to behold.  

His n*pples were swollen to the point of nearly bursting, and the other side bore long, vertical scratches as if clawed by fingernails. At least his “companion” had been spared from injury, and he felt he should be grateful for that.  

“What on earth happened to Hazel?”  

Kaiden closed his eyes tightly and ran a hand over his forehead.  

The problem was that every time he thought about last night, his body would react uncontrollably. At this point, he couldn’t tell who was possessed by a demon.  

Exhaling deeply, he tried the calming breathing techniques he had learned at the knight school, but instead of calming down, images of Hazel on the bed kept resurfacing.  

Could this be a dreadful spell that even affected the other party?  

“You’ve gone mad. Completely mad, Kaiden.”  

Kaiden donned his training attire and left the mansion. If Evan had been around, he would have called him over for sword training until they were both exhausted, but that wasn’t an option now.  

While Kaiden himself could endure a spell with sheer mental strength, Hazel’s frail body might lose its sanity or suffer severe side effects, potentially leading to death.  

The myriad worries swirling in his mind made his temples throb with pain. Sighing softly, Kaiden grabbed his sword and left the mansion.  

“What’s going on?”  

“I came to deliver a reply in person. By the way, can you lend me a few guards?”  

He needed to clear his mind and carefully think through last night’s events.  

“My, Kaiden. Don’t you think you’re being a bit too informal with the Empire’s princess? And don’t you think it’s quite rude to visit so early in the morning?”  

“Lily, stop nagging and just call someone over already.”  

As Kaiden rattled the golden-embossed scabbard impatiently, Lily reluctantly called over the guards stationed at the edge of the garden.  

Soon, the dull sound of wooden swords clashing filled the air, and one by one, soldiers collapsed onto the lawn.  

“Next.”  

Kaiden gestured with his hand, signaling the hesitant knights to step forward, but the sight of a dozen knights sprawled on the grass made them hesitant.  

Unable to bear watching any longer, Lily set her teacup down with a sharp clink.  

“That’s enough. Our knights are going to drop dead.”  

“The Imperial Guards are still all show and no substance.”  

“Oh my? Kaiden, you’re just as unpleasant as ever.”  

Kaiden irritably tossed his wooden sword onto the lawn and sat across from Lily. The knights quickly scurried over to retrieve the wooden sword.  

Though they moved sluggishly like overfed pigs during training, they now darted around like nimble mice, desperate to survive.  

“They say remedies for dispelling spells are managed by the Empire. Do you have any?”  

“No. That’s been classified as S-rank for about five years now.”  

“So, you don’t have any?”  

“Nope. Well, if you beg me enough, I might look into it for you.”  

“Ridiculous.”  

Kaiden snorted at Lily’s sarcastic offer, thinking that if it were something so easily obtained, he would have already acquired it through trade.  

“Hmm, it’s been two years since I last saw you at the graduation ceremony…?”  

“Mind your own business.”  

“Or could it be that you’ve come running to propose to me?”  

“Not a chance.”  

From Lily’s long observation, there were only two people in the Servian Empire capable of moving Kaiden, whether it was due to his principles or stubbornness.  

Evan and Hazel.  

“It’s Evan’s request.”  

Of course.  

“Is the remedy for Evan too?”  

“That’s none of your concern.”  

Lily rested her chin on her hand, amused by Kaiden’s unusual behavior. His ears were flushed red as he gulped down cold water.  

‘Kaiden, who wouldn’t even blink if someone stripped in front of him, what’s gotten into him?’  

Lily smirked mischievously and asked, 

“Hazel…”  

Just saying her name made Kaiden snap his head around and glare at her. His expression clearly said, “Why are you saying her name?” 

How easy to read.  

“Hazel seems to have a boyfriend.”  

“That’s just rumors.”  

Kaiden shook his head, dismissing the idea as absurd. There was no way Evan wouldn’t know about something so significant.  

“Hmm, then maybe they’re just getting to know each other?”  

“Who is it?”  

“Well, it could be the young lady’s secret. How could I spill it so carelessly?”  

Lily shrugged, bringing her teacup to her lips, showing no intention of revealing anything. Frustrated, Kaiden tapped his scabbard and bounced his leg impatiently.