The Estella boutique was bustling with activity for the first time in a while.

“Miss Charlie looks good in pink.”

“Isn’t purple better?”

Isabel now understood why nobles trembled at the mere mention of Hector’s name.

The fear she felt when faced with Hector’s aura was indescribable.

It felt as though her heart was being crushed, and her entire nervous system was screaming for mercy.

Regret washed over her as she realized how ignorant she had been.

She tried to use such a person’s woman for the prosperity of the boutique.

Of course, it wasn’t out of malice. But neither was it out of pure intentions. Perhaps she unconsciously thought of her as beneath her. After all, Charlie had seemed easy to handle.

Hector’s red eyes seemed to see right through her thoughts. Isabel found that more terrifying than his powerful magic.

“But why are they all high-necked? It’s suffocating.”

“That is…”

Isabel stammered at Leon’s comment.

Tanner quickly added.

“She needs dresses suitable for official events. Preferably with full skirts and dignified designs.”

“What kind of events exactly…”

Official events for young ladies varied widely. From simple tea times to royal balls. The formality and design required depended on the event.

At that moment, Leon, struck by an idea, spoke.

“Also, she needs a robe. One with a large hood that can cover her face. This is urgent, so please prioritize it.”

Isabel noted Leon’s request in her schedule.

“A face-covering robe… The length should be to the ankles, right?”

“Yes, and it should be made of sturdy fabric to withstand strong winds.”

For a moment, Isabel’s pen paused.

“…Strong winds?”

“No, we should make the dress first since the period of blessing is coming up.”

Isabel turned to Tanner.

“Dresses take a long time to make. We should make the robe quickly and then move on to the dress.”

Isabel looked back at Leon.

“No, we should start with the dress since it takes longer to make.”

“When will you make the robe then?”

“…”

Their conversation branched out into a full-blown debate. Charlie, who was changing clothes, shivered.

Since it was a free gift, she wasn’t in a position to complain. But if that were the case, shouldn’t it be the same for those two as well?

Moreover, due to Hector, all the female staff except Isabel had been sent outside.

Naturally, male staff were also prohibited from entering.

This meant that Isabel had to handle them alone.

Charlie looked at the exhausted Isabel with pity.

“Please start with the dress.”

“Don’t cut in line. Lord Tanner, I spoke first.”

“Excuse me…”

“I mentioned the dress for official events first.”

“…”

The three were so engrossed in their heated debate that they didn’t notice Charlie had come out.

“Charlie.”

Hector gestured to the distressed Charlie.

“Come here.”

Charlie quickly trotted over to Hector, as if escaping from the other two.

* * *

“…Is your head still not fully grown?”

Hector muttered to himself as he adjusted Charlie’s bonnet, which kept slipping due to her small head.

“…!”

Isabel’s eyes widened at the sight.

Rumors about pheromone insensitivity and liking men had already been dispelled at their first meeting.

Hector had seen her trying to suppress a smile every time Charlie came out in a new outfit.

But seeing him tie ribbons with his rough hands was not just surprising, but shocking.

“What’s wrong with having a small head?”

Charlie gritted her teeth and spoke through ventriloquism, conscious of Isabel.

Hector responded in a low voice, playing along with her.

“Nothing good about it being too small.”

Again. He’s teasing me about not being fully grown and being small!

Charlie’s eyes twitched in irritation. But this time, she felt confident because there was nothing wrong with having a small head.

“What’s wrong with having a small head?”

“It means what’s inside is small too.”

“…”

I’ll pretend it’s an accident and pour a ton of shampoo into his eyes when I wash his hair later.

Charlie glared at Hector, suppressing her boiling anger.

“Don’t scowl. An ugly face gets uglier.”

Hector gently cupped Charlie’s face with one hand.

Her puffed-up cheeks were squished into a comical shape.

“Let go.”

“No.”

“Wait until we get home.”

Her lips, gathered like a fish’s, moved up and down. Seeing this, Hector’s eyes curved into a graceful arc.

“Are you going to hit me?”

Hector, who had been exuding a chilling aura, now looked at Charlie with endless tenderness and affection.

Even Isabel, who was watching, felt her mood soften and smiled involuntarily.

But it was disrespectful to smirk while looking at the Grand Duke.

Isabel quickly turned her gaze to Tanner and spoke.

“If it’s for the period of blessing, the new catalog includes…”

“There was an unfinished one.”

Hector cut off Isabel’s words.

It wasn’t hard to guess what he was referring to. It was surely the dress that exposed the shoulders.

“…?”

All eyes turned to him in confusion.

However, Isabel, who understood Hector’s words perfectly, quickly corrected herself.

“I apologize. It seems there was a mistake including an unfinished design.”

“…”

Hector stared at Isabel for a moment. Then, as Isabel’s hands began to tremble slightly, he looked away and lifted Charlie.

“We’ll buy everything else.”

At that moment, Isabel couldn’t help but lift her head.

“Everything, you say?”

“Even those in the catalog.”

Charlie also looked at Hector in surprise.

She had lost count of how many outfits she had tried on.

And if they included everything in the catalog, it would be an enormous amount.

“By any chance, the accessories too…”

“All of them.”

Hector immediately activated the teleportation magic circle.

As they walked, he suddenly stopped, struck by a thought.

“It would be better to remove the flower decorations from the hats.”

“Pardon?”

“They’re distracting and unnecessary since they don’t even catch the eye.”

* * *

It was late at night, after a peaceful day had passed since Charlie and Hector returned to the mansion.

Hector, who had woken from a light sleep, slowly opened his eyes.

Soon, a familiar scene was reflected in his red eyes.

Following the light seeping through the curtains, his gaze landed on a small door, and his eyes stopped moving.

[The reverence is an honor Your Grace receives.]

Power could be felt in many situations.

Among them, the most distinct display of hierarchical difference was in greetings.

Seeing people bowing at one’s feet was the pinnacle of power, wasn’t it?

Moreover, to show reverence, one had to kneel on one knee, bend their body lower than the other’s waist, and bow their head to show the back of their neck.

This wasn’t just a greeting; it was a sign of submission.

In this empire, only the Emperor, the Grand Duke, and their spouses could receive such reverence.

Thus, reverence was the epitome of power.

People didn’t hesitate to trample others to gain power.

Some sacrificed friends, others family, even risking their own lives.

Just look at those who were desperate to become Hector’s mate and the Grand Duchess.

However, Charlie was rejecting him.

[I am Zero…]

It wasn’t that Hector didn’t know Charlie was far from being vain.

But this was a privilege she was entitled to as his guide. There was no need to feel burdened as she didn’t have to bear any duties or responsibilities.

Nevertheless, even after informing her that it was her rightful claim, Charlie refused.

[I’m just a guide.]

Hector didn’t mention that she was his affiliated guide.

[Lady Maddy Collins has gone missing.]

She was the superior Master who had performed the purification ritual with Hector and had a snowball fight with Charlie.

[The Collins family is hiding this fact.]

The lady was dead.

Hector, the caster of the spell, could sense it.

It was a spell that controlled the mind and caused death if forbidden matters were disclosed. If Kaisis could use it, it was only natural that Hector, who was of the same rank, could use it too.

The contract conditions for the purification ritual with Hector included the clause that the guide, meaning Charlie’s existence, should not be disclosed.

The price for breaking this rule was death. Although they wouldn’t know that the spell would kill them before they even disclosed it.

In any case, the lady did not die from Hector’s spell.

Undoubtedly, she was killed by someone. And it was clear that Kaisis was behind it.

He must have known about Charlie’s existence too. Even if the lady didn’t disclose it, he would have read her thoughts.

That’s why he killed her and why the family was hiding it.

The spies discovered in the ducal territory, the secretive movements of the imperial army, and the lady’s death.

All these incidents pointed to one thing.

Hector, who had arrived at the door, quietly looked down at the doorknob.

[Thank you for your concern. But the reverence is burdensome.]

There was a hint of sadness in Charlie’s pheromones.

Her smile was also a facade.

And there was a clear sense of distance, as if telling him not to come closer.

[I’m fine. I don’t have any occasion to wear it anyway.]

When she refused the magic stone necklace.

[I’m fine. These clothes are enough.]

And today, when she refused Estella’s outfits, saying she didn’t need the ones in the catalog.

[I’ll work hard as a guide in return for the clothes.]

Charlie kept a certain distance from him.

[I’m planning my trip for after I resign.]

As though she was keeping just the right amount of distance so that it wouldn’t matter if she let go at any time.

This was what had been bothering him all along.

“Phew…”

The purification had somewhat alleviated the price of his powers.

So the headaches and the excruciating pain that felt like his body was burning away were gone.

But what was this sensation that felt like his heart was being squeezed?

Hector clutched his chest, which was numb with an unknown pain.