“Shh.”

In front of the office.

Tanner raised his index finger to signal for silence as he blocked Leon.

“……Is there something wrong?”

Leon’s expression turned serious as he came to discuss the subjugation expedition.

It was understandable, considering the Emperor’s movements, that everyone, including Tanner, was on high alert in the corridor.

“His Grace is taking a nap.”

Tanner hurriedly explained to prevent any misunderstanding from Leon.

“What? A nap……. Mmph!”

Tanner quickly covered Leon’s mouth as his voice rose.

Afraid they might have woken him, Tanner listened carefully for any signs from inside the office.

Fortunately, there seemed to be no indication that he had woken up.

“Come this way.”

Tanner pulled Leon along.

“Phew–”

Once outside the main building, Leon let out a deep breath he had been holding. Tanner did the same.

“His Grace is taking a nap?”

Hector had never been able to get a proper sleep due to the price of his power.

He could barely manage to sleep after drinking strong liquor, and even then, it wasn’t for long.

But a nap during the day?

Finding it hard to believe, Leon asked again.

“Did he perhaps kill the Emperor without me knowing?”

It would make sense if he was so exhausted from using immense power that he needed a nap.

Tanner replied with a smile.

“He’s just resting with Miss Charlie.”

“With Miss Charlie?”

Realizing his voice had risen, Leon looked around nervously.

“Together?”

“Yes, together.”

Leon’s golden eyes darted around, trying to grasp the situation.

Then, Tanner slyly held out his palm to Leon.

“A thousand trangs.”

Leon furrowed his eyebrows deeply.

“Hey, Lord Tanner. This isn’t right.”

“What do you mean it’s not right? I won, didn’t I?”

Tanner’s fingers wiggled as he urged for the payment of the bet.

“The bet isn’t over yet.”

After Charlie became the purification guide, the two made a certain bet.

It was whether Hector could achieve perfect purification thanks to Charlie.

To add, it was under the premise that they were lovers.

Tanner bet that it was possible, and Leon bet that it wasn’t.

It wasn’t because Leon underestimated Charlie.

In this world, holy power was absolute.

That’s why purification had been difficult until now, hadn’t it?

Moreover, Charlie’s holy power was Silver, while Hector’s holy power was that of a Grand Master.

Of course, one could have affectionate feelings. Even Leon, who looked at Charlie, felt that way.

But there was no way it could be love, or that she could be considered as a romantic partner.

The peak of s*x, ej*culation, was naturally impossible.

“What do you mean it isn’t over?”

“They didn’t even have s*x, it was just a nap, wasn’t it?”

“If they’re at the level of taking a nap together, isn’t that enough? Especially since it’s His Grace we’re talking about.”

“That’s unreasonable. It’s clearly different from the conditions of the bet. And just because they take a nap together, does that make them lovers? If so, then all the knights are my lovers.”

“Is it just that you don’t want to give it?”

Tanner’s eyes narrowed.

Leon turned his head away as if to avoid him.

“How could that be? I just want to be precise. You only win if Hector successfully ejaculates, don’t you?”

Though he said that, Leon felt an uneasy sense of impending loss.

At the same time, he was worried about where to find a thousand trangs.

* * *

Hector was the first to wake up.

Though he had only taken a brief nap in the chair, his body felt much lighter.

For the first time, he felt refreshed upon waking up.

‘Is it because of the pheromones?’

Through the slightly opened curtains, the reddened sunlight streamed in.

As if drawn by something, Hector moved towards Charlie.

Deeply asleep, Charlie didn’t notice his approach.

Hector knelt on one knee beside her head and gazed down at her.

Her small, delicate face was completely relaxed.

A large hand reached out and gently brushed aside the hair tickling her face.

“Mmm–”

At the touch, Charlie stirred.

“……!”

As if he had committed a grave mistake, Hector’s heart sank heavily.

Then, he froze, forgetting even to breathe.

Eventually, Charlie smacked her lips a couple of times and resumed her soft breathing.

Only then did Hector let out the breath he had been holding, and his heart soared again.

Was she dreaming of eating?

It would be nice if it were carrots, though. A silent smile spread across Hector’s face.

As he finished brushing her hair aside and tried to get up, he found himself unable to move.

A memory of her rubbing her face against his hand flashed through his mind, and a desire to feel it again surged.

Unable to resist the sweetness, Hector gently cupped Charlie’s face.

Her skin was so delicate that he worried it might melt at his touch.

The sensation transmitted through his fingertips made Hector’s back tingle. Then the increasingly intense sensation pressed heavily on his heart.

Before he knew it, the smile had vanished from Hector’s face.

A strange light flickered in his red eyes.

Following his instinct, his hand that had slid down her cheek moved towards her red lips.

“……!”

At that moment, Hector dropped his hand and his eyes widened.

Was it because of the astonishing realization? Or because of the lips his fingertips had touched?

Hector’s heart pounded as if it would burst as he looked at Charlie.

* * *

The next day.

Hector stared blankly at the documents, looking dazed.

The letters that jumbled his vision couldn’t settle on his retinas and vanished.

Increased holy power?

It was not only unbelievable but also impossible. It made more sense to say that twenty-two-year-old Charlie had grown taller.

But indeed, Charlie’s holy power had increased.

It wasn’t a misconception or a temporary surge.

Right now, the holy power he sensed from Charlie’s pheromones was proof of that.

Why hadn’t he noticed until now?

It wasn’t just that she wasn’t afraid of him, which made her pheromones stronger.

The days spent with him weren’t short, but they couldn’t be called long either.

Yet in that time, Charlie’s Silver-level holy power had become Gold.

An exact measurement was needed to be sure, but Hector’s judgment as a Grand Master wouldn’t be far off.
It might even be Platinum.

Charlie’s strength varied with her mood.

If so, could she become a Diamond, a Master, or even a Grand Master like himself?

Of course, Charlie’s holy power might stop at its current state.

But once a spark of hope had flown in, it spread like an uncontrollable whirlwind.

“Miss Charlie seems to particularly like ships.”

At that moment, Tanner, who was looking at Charlie’s ship model that was taking shape, remarked.

“They’re cool.”

“Are they? But isn’t that a map next to it?”

Following Tanner’s gaze, Charlie looked at the map she had asked Emma to prepare.

“Oh, this.”

“Why a map…….”

“I’m planning a trip for after I resign.”

At Charlie’s words, Hector’s fingers stiffened.

“What do you mean by that? Resign?”

“When the contract ends……. I’ll resign.”

Charlie carefully answered Hector’s question.

There was no malice or hidden meaning in Charlie’s words. She was just stating the facts as they were.

But Charlie’s words pierced Hector’s heart like a dagger.

It felt as if the ground beneath his feet had disappeared.

“End? What’s ending?”

His face, which had lost its composure, twisted. His low voice even trembled slightly.

Realizing the situation was already out of control, Tanner quietly lowered his head.

On the other hand, Charlie, who didn’t understand what was going on, couldn’t hide her confusion. She couldn’t comprehend Hector’s hurt expression.

“…The contract period.”

“I never said it would end.”

A menacing voice seeped through his clenched teeth.

He wasn’t trying to get angry at Charlie. Rather, Hector was suppressing his explosive emotions.

But he couldn’t stop the aura he was emitting, making the air in the office heavy and oppressive.

Was there some kind of misunderstanding?

Charlie, who had shrunk back, continued speaking.

“It’s just that, when we first made the contract, it was for one year…”

Hector turned to look at Tanner.

* * *