Chapter 47. Fox-like

“……Phew.”

After trying again and again, a single tear streamed down her cheek. Hearing her sob, he stiffened abruptly. His red eyes trembled slightly, clearly affected.

Iella, who had been worried that she might be encouraging him, keenly observed his reaction and pushed her emotions further.

But no more tears came. As if that single tear was the limit for someone who wasn’t an actress. Iella touched her forehead while looking at her eyes that were only moist and glistening.

‘I’ve failed.’

Originally, tears could come in various situations. They didn’t only appear when sad. Hence, the meaning behind that single tear could lead to many different interpretations.

In other words, contrary to her initial intention, Chase might see it differently, and in the current situation, there was one particular misunderstanding that seemed likely even to someone like her who was unfamiliar with intimate relations.

Tears from pleasure.

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

If she encouraged him now, things would truly become irreversible. These tears were her last line of defense. Iella tried to keep her eyes as moist as possible. This seemed to work.

Next, Iella opened her lips.

‘Perhaps I can speak words that come from being immersed in emotion?’

Like when she had cried out with her hand stretched to stop him, if it came from being overwhelmed by emotion, it should be possible. For that, it would be better to let it out like a sob rather than clear words, right?

“S-stop……”

It worked! Iella inwardly rejoiced as the situation unfolded according to her expectations.

Whether it matched Ailexia’s usual attitude or not was no longer important. What mattered to Iella now was breaking this atmosphere where she had become a mere spectator with only consciousness remaining. And thereby shaking him off.

“Stop… it…”

Whether it was her imagination or not, the more she sobbed, the more she felt like she was regaining control of her body. Starting from her fingertips, strength gradually returned, and she could feel the sensation of his uniform against her touch.

Before she knew it, Iella had become the person involved rather than a third party. Chase’s frozen face filled her field of vision.

‘The sorcery must not have activated properly.’

The fact that her consciousness remained, and that she was overcoming the sorcery’s control with her consciousness—all of this would have been impossible if the sorcery had worked correctly.

Why the sorcery suddenly malfunctioned was unknown, but it was incredibly fortunate.

‘But why isn’t there any response…?’

Yet separately from that, there was strangely no reaction. By now, she expected him to take some action or say something, but it was too quiet. Sensing something odd, Iella examined him.

‘Huh…?’

His eyes were trembling more than before. His lips parted slightly as if to say something, then firmly closed again, and his brows furrowed as if he knew he was being affected.

It was Iella who was surprised by this reaction that exceeded her expectations.

‘It’s working this well?’

She never imagined the Grand Duke would be weak to tears. It made sense, as he seemed like someone who wouldn’t flinch even if stabbed with a knife.

However, Iella simultaneously sensed that this was her chance. That with just one more push, she could escape his grasp.

There was no reason to hesitate. She fluttered her eyes delicately and lowered her gaze as if delivering a finishing blow.

“I hate it… Chase……”

In a voice so faint it might not be heard, so fragile it might disappear at any moment, yet loud enough for him to hear, she called his name, delivering the final touch.

Suddenly, her vision went dark.

“……Fox-like.”

From the smooth leather glove touching her eyelids, Iella realized it was his hand covering her eyes. Chase covered her eyes so she couldn’t see and muttered as if grinding his teeth.

Hearing that, Iella flinched.

‘Was calling his name a mistake?’

But after a while, she felt his touch lifting her up, accompanied by a deep sigh.

While Chase raised her to a sitting position and straightened her disheveled clothes, his hand still covered her eyes. Because of this, her other senses became more acute, making his touch feel even more distinct. Was it just her imagination that it felt somehow tender?

Soon, after neatly arranging her tangled hair, he rested his forehead on her shoulder. Because her dress exposed her shoulders, his breath directly touched her skin.

He stayed like that for a long time, then gently pressed his lips to the bite mark he had left on her pale neck, like a lingering attachment. Then he rubbed his forehead against her before pulling away.

“I truly don’t understand you.”

His hand overlapped hers on the table. Unlike his earlier forceful behavior, the hand that lightly touched hers without intertwining fingers conveyed a gentle warmth.

“I’ve always known everyone else’s thoughts without wanting to, but only you… You make me want to know.”

The overlapping hand moved away. Iella suddenly wondered what expression he was making. But her vision, still covered by his hand, showed nothing.

“You don’t need to toy with me like this or provoke me—I’m already sufficiently obsessed with you. From the day I first met you there until now, always.”

“……”

“I’m easily swayed by even your smallest actions, words, and expressions.”

As you already know well.

After whispering these last words, he completely pulled away. The hand covering her eyes moved away, and the warmth that had built up quickly cooled.

When Iella finally opened her eyes, her vision became even brighter upon meeting the light. She felt the sorcery that had controlled her body dissipate, returning her to normal.

After blinking a couple of times, she turned her head. She saw him already turning away from her and leaving the banquet hall.

Behind him, the silhouette of the boy she had seen under the old tree appeared like an illusion before disappearing.

* * *

After leaving the secondary palace, Chase loosened his cravat with a fierce hand and removed his gloves. Still not satisfied, he roughly pushed his hair back.

But the tearful eyes, that single tear that had overflowed, and his name called in that faint voice filled his mind. He ended up covering his face with his bare hand.

‘Damn woman.’

She knew all too cleverly what made him weak and how.

“…Even the unfamiliar speech pattern follows similar logic.”

Chase recalled their meeting in the study. Though her upturned, seductive eyes were certainly the same as usual, he had sensed something strange from that moment. The woman who normally felt like a thousand-year-old fox seemed just like a cat with its fur standing on end that day. The formal speech that didn’t suit her was the same.

Though curious, he hadn’t paid more attention because what mattered was no longer bringing Bledin’s hostage to his bedroom. Then when he met her again under that old tree, along with the expectation that she might have finally remembered, he felt an instinctive sense of dissonance.

That dissonance became reality when she said she couldn’t remember.

Because Ailexia knew he frequented that place, and therefore never even passed near that area.

‘Not knowing it was all to toy with me.’

Ha, he let out a hollow laugh and ran his dry hand over his face.

[“I hate it… Chase……”]

Judging by her skillful way of teasing him, the dissonance he felt was pointless. What else could it be but fox-like, finally uttering his name that she hadn’t called since their reunion?

“The problem is that I get swayed.”

Though he knew he was playing into her manipulation each time, he couldn’t shake it off. In his world full of noise, only her side was a quiet sanctuary. He desperately needed that quietness.

With a deep sigh, he started walking again. At least he had created a pretext to meet her over the 5 million gold, which was enough for now. It was much better than making meaningless trips to the secondary palace as he had been doing.

However, when he reached the back of the secondary palace where his carriage was parked, his expression hardened coldly.

“His Majesty is waiting for you.”

An uninvited guest was waiting.

* * *

Led to the outdoor garden of the main palace, Chase discovered Helios leisurely drinking tea with his legs crossed.

Noticing him as well, Helios gestured with his chin toward the seat opposite him. Without any other words, Chase first sat in the prepared seat. Soon, a steaming cup of tea was placed before him as well.

Helios put down his teacup only after those serving them had retreated far away.

“It’s been a while, Uncle.”

“……”

“Your complexion looks quite good, so I assume you’ve been well.”

Two pairs of identical blood-red eyes stared at each other. The only two remaining members of the imperial family shared many similarities—the color of their eyes, their cold temperament, and even qualities and aptitudes befitting the imperial throne. With their ages not far apart, they had been compared often when they were young.

Yet there were clear differences despite their similarities.

“It seems Your Majesty hasn’t been well.”

Chase picked up his teacup with a concise mockery. The fragrant aroma wafted from the tea, brewed to such a dark color that poison would go unnoticed.

He brought it to his lips without hesitation. They both knew all too well that mere poison would have no effect. If such things worked, they wouldn’t have become the only surviving members of the imperial family.

“Well, what can I do? With a noisy guest constantly staying and getting on my nerves.”

Chase put down his teacup after taking a few sips. Looking at the man before him, he saw him smiling pretentiously.

“I’d like to present that guest to you, Uncle, but I can’t. It’s only right that the one who needs it takes it.”

Helios, comfortably leaning against the chair’s backrest, slightly furrowed one eyebrow. As if troubled by having to deal with a nuisance.

Then suddenly, a chilling light flashed in his red eyes.

“Unless they walk out on their own feet.”