Chapter 4 (Part 2)

Eden’s brow twitched at these muttered words. Allen was a retired Imperial Magician and Eden’s former mentor. To think they would work him so hard just for this ridiculous prank.

As if not noticing his gaze, Gustav continued his explanation with a bright face. The main point was that the contract could be terminated at any time.

“So don’t worry. I can terminate it whenever you want. Ah, before going to the Duke’s residence, make sure to visit the palace once. We should hear your thoughts and catch up.”

Eden, listening to Gustav’s words, blinked slowly while deep in thought.

He wasn’t angry since he was used to Gustav’s mischievous pranks. He felt somewhat relieved that the contract wasn’t real. But more importantly, he wondered if he really wanted to quit here.

It was absurd from the start for someone as busy as Eden to be bound here for fifteen days. His Majesty must know this too, and would probably hint that he could quit here while reading the atmosphere.

It would be right to return to the Duke’s residence as if nothing happened. And from tomorrow, as always, he should fulfill his duties as Duke Felice – handling work, attending Imperial Council meetings, and carrying out His Majesty’s orders.

The heavy eyelids that had been lowered slowly lifted. Between Eden’s lips, which seemed ready to answer in agreement, only a faint, soundless breath escaped. This was because the image of Sienna, who was sleeping unknowingly in the adjacent room, flickered in his mind.

From a purely logical perspective, the current situation held no value for him. However, what neither Gustav nor Eden had anticipated was that the events of the past few days had nearly unraveled the composure and steadfast resolve he had built over the years.

“…A promise is a promise, so I will carry it out to the end, as per the original imperial edict.”

“Hm?”

Gustav craned his neck, peering into the crystal ball while scratching his ear. Did I just mishear that?

“Are you saying you’ll stay there? Until the fortnight is complete?”

“…I cannot treat an imperial edict lightly.”

At first glance, it seemed like the kind of response the rigid Duke Felice might give. However, Gustav, who had observed him for a long time, thought differently. The Emperor’s golden eyes gleamed with a rare sense of excitement.

That’s an excuse. Even from ten steps away, it would sound like an excuse. What’s this? Why on earth is Eden saying he’ll remain at the Academy?

“Is that really true?”

“…….”

Oh? 

Gustav’s lips curled upward as he interjected, noting his nephew’s hesitation to answer. Despite ascending to the throne at a young age and managing state affairs without major difficulties, Gustav’s instincts were once again proving sharp.

“Could it be because of the woman who won you in the auction?”

“…It is not.”

Ah, so it is. 

The faint tremor in those crimson eyes and the slight downturn of his lips, as if in discomfort, betrayed him. It was as if Gustav had struck a nerve. Gustav barely managed to suppress his curiosity to probe further, clearing his throat and adjusting his expression.

“Well, if that’s your wish, then so be it. It would indeed be unbecoming for me, as the Emperor of the Empire, to revoke my own edict.”

As soon as permission was readily granted, a faint sense of relief seemed to flicker in Eden’s red eyes. 

Oh, I see. 

Gustav clenched his fist tightly and muttered a few perfunctory words of encouragement and apology before cutting off the connection to the video sphere.

After confirming that all the magic within the video sphere had dissipated, the Emperor’s lips curled into a wide grin, and he chuckled to himself before summoning an attendant.

“Sienna, was it? The bidder, I mean. Which family’s daughter did you say she was?”

He already knew she wasn’t someone with any glaring flaws or peculiarities. No, if anything, she was a bit unusual.

The Emperor hadn’t entirely neglected preparations for the auction. He had ordered intervention in the event that an unworthy participant or someone who might use the contract as leverage against Eden made a bid.

However, the news he received was entirely unexpected. Instead of the wealthy noble he had anticipated, some student named Sienna, whom he had never heard of before, had won Eden. Then, she suddenly begged to cancel the bid, claiming she didn’t want him.

A bidder who didn’t want Duke Felice. Now, this was getting interesting. Gustav had decided to leave the situation alone and observe for a while, thinking it might lead to something amusing. Who would have thought that his decision would yield such significant results?

Feeling pleased, Gustav chuckled and tapped on the armrest of his chair. Meanwhile, the attendant approached and bowed slightly, answering the Emperor’s question.

“She is of commoner origin and the daughter of the Onyx Trading Company. It has been reported that she is currently enrolled at the Academy along with her younger brother.”

“Onyx Trading Company, is it?”

He had heard of it. Despite being a commoner, the company had risen to the ranks of the most prominent trading companies, which he had thought was quite impressive. As he raised his eyebrows with interest, the attendant continued speaking.

“As for her reputation, there is insufficient information due to her lack of noble status, making it difficult to gather details. However, there have been repeated evaluations that she is an excellent student and a promising talent.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“If you command further investigation, I will uncover every detail.”

“No, leave it be.”

Gustav briefly considered the attendant’s words before waving his hand dismissively. Precautions had to be taken, of course. If Eden were to truly fall head over heels for that woman, he wouldn’t stand idly by if he discovered that Gustav had been snooping into Sienna Onyx’s background. While nothing was certain yet, such thoughts might ultimately prove unnecessary.

Anyway, as long as Eden’s heart had moved in any direction, that was enough. If he continued to live as he had, Gustav had been prepared to step in and pair him with a suitable lady from a noble family. However, the truth was, Gustav had no intention of stopping Eden from bringing home whoever he liked, as long as it made him happy.

The reason Gustav had asked again about Sienna Onyx was simply because he thought it might be necessary to know more about her. That was all. Wishing that his nephew, who was like a brother to him, would find happiness, Gustav cheerfully got up and headed to his office.

* * *

As the old saying goes, “A late wind can blow off a thatched roof.” Eden was now painfully realizing the meaning of those words.

Just catching Sienna’s gaze made his heart pound in an irregular rhythm. His mind was filled with nothing but the desire to relive the events of the previous day, which already felt like a distant memory. Yet, her face, as she slept soundly without moving a finger, looked so calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

“This should mean the potion is fairly stabilized now. By tomorrow, we should be able to test it.”

However, contrary to Eden’s thoughts, Sienna, who was jotting down notes as if nothing had happened, was struggling just as much. She felt so awkward that she wanted to jump out of the window.

Though they had done such things yesterday, she hadn’t fully considered the fact that more than half of the fortnight still remained, or that she would have to face him like this every day.

Moreover, the events of yesterday kept replaying in her mind, making it impossible to focus on her work. As the saying goes, “A thief who learns late is the most dangerous.” Having experienced such blissful sensations, she now found novels and vibrating magical devices utterly unnecessary.

All she could think about was Eden’s perfect body, his weapon-like lower half, and the way he had moved above her, dripping sweat and exhaling breaths soaked in pleasure.

‘Should I just lose my mind and ask him to do it one more time?’

No, look at that emotionless face, as if nothing had happened. To the Duke, yesterday’s events were surely nothing more than a momentary impulse and a mistake born of fulfilling the contract. That had to be it.

Of course, it was because he was Duke Felice, the Empire’s most eligible bachelor. Although there were countless rumors about him being a homosexual or an asexual, she had heard that men often pretended to be decent in public while doing whatever they pleased behind the scenes. Not that it meant the Duke was some kind of libertine, but she doubted he would cling to or dwell on the fact that he had shared a bed with her.

Because she had buried her head in her notebook out of embarrassment, Sienna failed to notice Eden, who was fidgeting with his hands as if he wanted nothing more than to touch her given the chance. His conflicted expression was impossible to hide as he restlessly hovered near her, and he finally managed to speak with difficulty.

“Then, is there nothing to do today either?”

“Yes. But, Your Grace, I think I’ll need to go to the marketplace today….”

It had been unusually quiet recently, but Professor Erba had sent her on an errand early in the morning. He had asked her to pick up an item he had ordered from a magical device shop. Today was the deadline, but he claimed he couldn’t go himself because he was scheduled to go on a family hunt.

In any case, she would have to head to the bustling town closest to the Academy. And that meant she had to take Eden with her. The contract stipulated that he must accompany her whenever she met a third party. She was a little worried, but Eden, seemingly lost in some other thought, nodded absentmindedly with a dazed expression and answered obediently.

“All right.”

“Then I’ll arrange for a carriage to be ready later. I’ll return to the dormitory and plan to leave in about half an hour.”

“…Are you feeling alright?”

As Sienna was explaining the schedule, Eden suddenly asked, catching her off guard and causing her face to flush bright red. She pressed her reddened cheeks with the back of her hand, barely managing to nod.

“I-I’m fine.”

Although her body felt a bit sore whenever she walked and her lower abdomen ached slightly, prompting her to take some medicine, it wasn’t to the point where she couldn’t move.

Perhaps because she hadn’t expected him to care about her, her heart began pounding so loudly that the sound seemed to ring in her ears. The events of the previous day resurfaced vividly in her mind, and a strange sensation tingled in her lower abdomen.

“Then, I-I’ll call for the carriage to wait in front of the dormitory. I’ll see you there later.”

Sienna, unable to hide her flustered expression, stammered as she stepped backward and bowed her head.