Chapter 16. The Permissible Line

The night had deepened before she knew it.

Left alone in the drawing room, Iella let her body, drained of energy, slump onto the sofa. She took a long breath, trying to rest for a moment, when there was a knock on the door and Vanessa entered.

Iella quickly straightened up and grasped the now-cold teacup in her hands. Pretending she had been sitting like that all along, she took a sip, then another, of the now-cold tea.

“Did the conversation go well?”

“Well, sort of….”

Iella trailed off, then slowly nodded. As she took another sip and set the cup down, Vanessa let out a faint sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief.”

Vanessa’s reaction was understandable, as she thought the conversation was about the secret outing being discovered and that it had been reported to him. She probably thought they had agreed not to report it to the emperor. In reality, the conversation was about something else entirely.

After receiving Aster’s confirmation that he would accept the deal, she had laid out two conditions.

First, that he keep the events of that night and any future dealings a secret.

Second, that he help her secretly leave the palace once.

Aster, who furrowed his brow, seemingly trying to figure out her intentions, surprisingly didn’t directly ask for reasons. Instead, he set two conditions of his own.

First, that she participate in an illegal auction with him.

Second, that he would help her with her second condition after the auction.

The conditions clearly implied that he couldn’t fully trust Ailexia even with a contract.

[“Wouldn’t it be more trustworthy to become sure accomplices for each other’s secrets?”]

He had kindly pointed out that fact without hiding it. His attitude towards Ailexia remained firm and even more meticulous.

Despite this, Iella accepted the conditions, and the deal was struck.

‘That made him seem more trustworthy.’

In Iella’s mind, she vividly recalled the sharp, contemptuous glint in his silver eyes. His animosity towards Ailexia was so clear that even she could see it.

If he had readily agreed to the deal without hesitation, unlike his earlier cautious and thoughtful demeanor, it would have seemed more suspicious. Well, considering he hadn’t touched the teacup until the end, it seemed like an unnecessary worry.

Her deep pink eyes turned to the teacup across from her, still filled with untouched tea. Even if he didn’t drink it, picking up the cup was a basic etiquette in imperial social circles, but he hadn’t even done that. It was no exaggeration to say he was expressing his dislike with his entire being.

At this point, she suddenly grew curious. What was he so desperate to find?

‘And why does he hate Ailexia so much?’

In fact, thinking of Ailexia’s behavior, it wasn’t strange. But that didn’t seem to be the direct reason he hated Ailexia.

Even when she recalled various reasons she had thought of before, none seemed to fit perfectly.

Considering the clarity of the emotions he displayed, there must have been something that happened…, ah!

‘Was he invited to join the harem?’

That seemed plausible. It explained why he ignored Ailexia at the banquet. Imagine how humiliating an invitation must have been for a Duke like him.

Considering the embarrassing phrases used to describe him in social circles, it was entirely possible that Ailexia found him attractive. After all, hadn’t she thought the same when she saw him? That he was the third most handsome person she had ever seen.

‘Wait, why the third?’

Suddenly, a question squeezed into her thoughts.

Her world was small; she didn’t know many people, and naturally, she hadn’t seen many people handsome enough to rank third.

Hmm, pondering over the unresolved question, Vanessa spoke up just in time.

“Shall I brew a fresh pot of tea if you’re staying longer?”

Vanessa’s face, unusually relaxed, suggested she had been quite worried about whether the secret outing would be reported to the emperor. Iella slowly shook her head and stood up.

‘Well, there must have been someone. Maybe someone I passed by.’

The next night was when she had agreed to the deal with him. It wasn’t the time for such trivial thoughts.

It was better to rest as much as possible and recharge her energy. She would have to remain tense while acting as Ailexia in front of Aster.

Iella let out a deep breath, already feeling drained. She then turned to Vanessa as she grasped the drawing room door handle.

“Vanessa, prepare for another outing the night after tomorrow.”

“What?!”

“It’s fine. This time, the Duke will be with me….”

Vanessa’s voice rose in surprise, mingling with the sound of the door opening. As Iella turned her head with a relaxed smile and a brief explanation, a familiar scent wafted over her.

“Ailexia.”

A fresh, woody scent that always swept her away when he was close.

Reflexively, she took a few steps back. It was an action she made before she even thought about it. Only after seeing the considerable distance she had created did she realize she had moved. It looked like she was trying to protect herself from him.

If she hadn’t reminded herself that Ailexia wouldn’t have backed away like this, she might have taken a few more steps back.

Iella quickly regained her composure, straightening her back and lifting her head with an elegant posture. Even when facing someone much taller than her, she made sure not to give the impression of looking up.

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

Her tone was sharp, as if she was scolding him for his actions. His purple eyes blinked slowly, disappearing behind his eyelids before reappearing. Unlike before, his eyes showed no particular change.

‘…….’

She couldn’t gauge what he was thinking at all.

His gaze, which had been fixed on her deep pink eyes, shifted to the two teacups that were about to be cleared away. His mind recalled the encounter with the Duke in the secluded area of the secondary palace’s garden.

The Duke, with his dark navy hair and silver eyes that matched the moonlight, looked like the noble wolf of the snowy mountains described in rumors.

The Duke’s status was well-known not only in the empire but also in his birthplace, the Kingdom of Bledin, so recognizing him wasn’t difficult. What puzzled him was why the Duke was here.

He knew better than anyone that Ailexia and the Duke didn’t get along. On the rare occasions when Ailexia encountered the Duke, she would summon him in a foul mood and torment him. He had heard countless slanders about the Duke during those times.

‘It doesn’t seem like they’re trying to get along now.’

He recalled the Duke’s face, frowning upon seeing him.

[“Your crude hobby remains unchanged.”]

He remembered the disdainful muttering carried by the wind. But…

After confirming that the tea in the untouched teacup was still full, he discreetly shifted his gaze back to Iella.

“Just.”

After confirming that Ailexia and the Duke still didn’t get along, he couldn’t understand why he had come here.

“I just came by.”

He couldn’t figure it out himself.

“What?”

Meanwhile, Iella was momentarily stunned by his unexpected words.

Until now, every time she had encountered him, he had always seemed on the verge of bursting with swirling emotions, so this calm reaction felt very unfamiliar. Her nerves, which had been on high alert, thinking this time would not pass quietly either, were momentarily unsettled.

How should she take those words?

As if to further confuse her, he lowered his gaze and continued speaking.

“My steps led me here.”

Perhaps because of his low voice, it sounded almost submissive. But it made her snap back to reality. Iella knew well that his feelings were far from submissive.

‘Wait a minute, is the same thing going to happen again?’

Suddenly, she recalled that day. The mysterious voice, the kiss, and the blurred memory that followed.

‘Absolutely not! Even if it’s not my body, I’m the one who suffers the consequences the next day!’

Embarrassment, awkwardness, and dealing with him—she couldn’t repeat the same thing again.

But suddenly, a worry crossed her mind. Would it be okay to avoid him every time this happened in the future? Would Allen get suspicious? She took a step closer to him.

“How presumptuous of you to come uninvited.”

“……”

“Indulgent actions are only amusing the first few times. Isn’t that right?”

Her voice, devoid of inflection, carried a faint hint of weariness and displeasure. In contrast, her heart was pounding fiercely. She was about to do something that required great courage.

Iella steadied her trembling hand, pretending to be calm, and lightly patted his right cheek.

“Don’t overstep your bounds and behave quietly.”

It was an action similar to dealing with a pet dog. Iella herself felt uncomfortable because she had never treated anyone this way and would never normally do such a thing.

But she had no choice if she wanted to find out where the permissible line was. Only then could she prepare accordingly. Besides, if she didn’t take a firm stance like this, she might get swept up by him again, just like last time. So she kept repeating to herself that this was to avoid him, a form of self-defense. It was the only way to feel a little less uncomfortable.

“Vanessa.”

“Yes, yes! Lady Ailexia.”

“What are you doing not seeing him out? Don’t let him enter the secondary palace on his own from now on.”

She called out to Vanessa, who was nervously watching from behind, unable to do anything, without avoiding the persistent gaze directed at her.

At her firm command, Vanessa hurriedly ran over and grabbed his arm.

“You heard her, didn’t you? Please leave quickly.”

But he just stared intently at Iella’s retreating figure. Although his body didn’t budge, his mind was in turmoil.

It wasn’t because she had treated him like a dog. It was the ambivalent emotions he felt when her gentle hand touched his cheek, even as his contempt for her remained unchanged.

Relief, and an inexplicable anxiety.

‘Why, why?’

His large hand curled into a tight fist, veins bulging prominently on the back of his hand.

“If you don’t leave, I’ll get in trouble too.”

Even as his body finally moved under the pressure of her pushing hands, his gaze remained fixed on the closing door. He followed her disappearing figure as if etching it into his corneas.

Finally, the thick wooden door closed tightly with a thud. Only then did he close his eyes, trying to calm his tumultuous heart, when a voice suddenly spoke from beside him.

“At least you didn’t get slapped on the cheek.”

“……”

“Now that it’s come to this, why don’t you stop visiting? You can live more comfortably in the empire. I don’t know how this will sound to you, but if you stay quietly in the harem, considering you came as a hostage, His Majesty’s attention…”

“Without me knowing.”

He cut her off, opening his eyes to cast a sharp gaze at Vanessa.

“It seems the personal maid’s authority has risen significantly.”