Chapter 28

But as soon as he pinned on the Imperial Knight badge, he had to head to the border.  

It was only natural for the heir of the Meyer Marquisate, who supported the Crown Prince, to be conscripted into the military.  

It took a full two years to subdue the ever-growing rebel forces and achieve complete victory.  

Every day at the border was a struggle for survival, and just handling the bodies of fallen soldiers left him endlessly busy.  

Upon returning to the capital, he had to run around tirelessly for post-war recovery.  

On top of that, he had to personally handle part of the family’s affairs in preparation for inheriting the title.  

There was no time to entertain other thoughts, but that didn’t mean he never thought about Hazel Hoover.  

Occasionally, he would feel a pang of longing when she came to mind.  

‘I thought it was just that level of feeling.’  

But when he finally faced her, he couldn’t control his emotions.  

Her eyes were still as lovely as they had been back then, and her matured aura, having shed her youthful innocence, captivated him.  

The moment Hazel called his name, it felt as if the ground beneath his feet had collapsed.  

It wasn’t some naive first love from his reckless youth. He had simply wanted to believe it was.  

To him, it was more shocking than a bolt from the blue.  

He thought his feelings weren’t that intense, but meeting Hazel Hoover again shattered that belief in an instant.  

The moment he saw her, he felt as if he had returned to being seventeen.  

The fact that his heart could beat so fast, that just the familiar scent of her perfume could make his chest flutter, and that he couldn’t wait for tomorrow to see her again…  

He had never been so consumed by anyone in his life.  

He had always believed that life was unremarkable, as everything he wanted had been handed to him without effort.  

As the heir of the Meyer Marquisate, he thought it was only natural to inherit the title, and he had lived his life accordingly.  

Yet, his famously stoic demeanor would completely dissolve whenever he stood before her.  

He found himself watching her intently, hoping their eyes would meet by chance, savoring her subtle perfume, and cherishing every little expression of hers.  

‘That’s why I acted that way, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this…’  

On the day he reunited with Hazel, Enoch ended up doing something unthinkable at the Academy.  

He had planned to finish quickly before their scheduled time.  

But he had gotten too excited, and his lower body wouldn’t settle down.  

He had been so focused that he hadn’t even heard the knock on the door.  

The moment he saw Hazel’s pale, shocked face, half of his rationality returned.  

But only for a moment—before he knew it, he had lunged at Hazel, as if something had snapped in his mind.  

After everything was over, he regretted it countless times.  

He couldn’t believe he had ruined everything he had worked so hard to protect with his own hands.  

He was terrified that Hazel would look at him with contempt.  

Enoch lowered his gaze.  

Just thinking about Hazel made his lower body react honestly, swelling again. He let out a bitter laugh.  

When emotions he hadn’t even recognized exploded, Enoch couldn’t control any of his actions.  

The soft flesh that yielded under his touch, her lips parting as she gasped for breath…  

Having tasted her once, he had crossed a river he could never return from.  

Even though there was no point in hiding anything after showing her everything, Enoch still wanted to appear good in Hazel’s eyes.  

Not as a lecherous, depraved pervert, but as a reliable man she could lean on.  

‘…Is that even possible?’  

While Enoch was lost in deep thought, sighing heavily, Theodore watched him closely and asked a maid for a cup of tea.  

“Is pretending not to know who she’s meeting one of your preferences? You seem to have a strange mix of perversion and pure-heartedness.”  

The sound of teeth grinding could be heard, but Theodore wiped away imaginary tears.  

“If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have sent you to the border. Look at you now, a complete fool.”  

“Stop pretending to cry. It’s irritating.”  

“How heartless, accusing a friend of such things when all I feel is concern!”  

“You knew better than anyone that I had no choice, didn’t you?”  

Theodore, who excelled in every way except for his oddly foolish friend, looked at Enoch with pity.  

“I know. That’s why it’s all the more regrettable. If we had a few more capable people, you wouldn’t be in this state. You might even be married with three children by now.”  

Clicking his tongue, Theodore lifted the teacup the maid had brought.  

Enoch didn’t respond, only letting out a deep sigh and running a hand over his face.  

Though he had gone all the way with Hazel Hoover, their relationship hadn’t progressed since. It had ended right there.  

Yes, that’s how it always was with you.  

You never crossed the line.  

The fall of the Hoover Earldom was due to their refusal to change their stance despite shifting political tides, a fact he foolishly forgot.  

It couldn’t be helped that his hidden preferences had been accidentally discovered.  

What could he do about something that had already happened?  

Even now, just recalling her face from that day made his lower body tighten.  

He had deliberately approached her lightly, thinking she seemed reluctant to form a serious relationship with him, but even that didn’t work.  

At this point, he thought it would be nice if they could at least develop a physical relationship, but he seemed to be the only one desperate for it.  

Until now, Enoch had believed that as the heir of the Meyer Marquisate, his role was to assist the Crown Prince and serve as a pillar of the Empire.  

He had vaguely assumed he would marry the daughter of a suitable family for the sake of heirs.  

He had occasionally imagined marrying Hazel Hoover, but he was too immature to think seriously about marriage.  

Moreover, the pressures around him distracted him, leaving his thoughts about her at a standstill.  

“You’d make a fine husband by anyone’s standards. If only you didn’t have those peculiar preferences.”  

“Your Highness.”  

“Did I say anything untrue?”  

Enoch glared at Theodore, who had struck a nerve.  

If he were an ordinary person, he might have approached her without hesitation and expressed his feelings.  

But he couldn’t help it.  

From birth, he had been a deviant, and while his preferences could be hidden, they couldn’t be erased.  

Even when he wanted to treat her normally, he couldn’t help but act differently when he stood before her.  

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Enoch said nothing, and Theodore, looking at him with pity, spoke sincerely.  

“With your looks, a solid family background, and not a single flaw to speak of, plus the fact that you’ve never even been in a relationship before, it’s no wonder you’re so desirable. But Lady Hazel Hoover must be unusually modest.”  

“Please stop.”  

“I’d appreciate it if you’d see this as a friend’s concern.”  

Theodore shrugged and took a sip of tea in response to Enoch’s reproach.  

There wasn’t a single falsehood in his words, leaving Enoch’s expression sour.  

Did Theodore think Enoch didn’t already know all of this?  

He knew, and that made it all the more troubling.  

He knew exactly what kind of man Hazel liked.  

All the male protagonists in the novels she loved had similar personalities.  

But no matter how much he tried to emulate them, he wasn’t confident he could win her heart.  

Ultimately, their relationship depended on Hazel Hoover’s decision.  

If she pushed him away until the end, there was nothing he could do.  

To make matters worse, that day had been his first, but it hadn’t been hers.  

When he realized this, the shock was indescribable.  

He hadn’t assumed she was a virgin, but he hadn’t given it much thought either.  

He had no idea what had happened while he was busy at the border, nor could he say anything about it.  

He couldn’t very well complain, “I’m a virgin, so why aren’t you?” and expect anything other than a slap in the face.