Once they escaped the Glass Palace gardens, breathing became easier. The scent from all the plants and flowers growing there was fragrant, but sometimes it felt suffocating.

Wherever he walked, restrained greetings from knights were directed at Luca. He was quite the celebrity, and besides, knights were trained never to forget their courteous salutations.

The warm sunlight and drowsy weather all felt unpleasant somehow, as if Prince Liam from earlier was grinning and teasing him. Especially when a man built like a mountain acted coy.

Despite the charm offensive—enough to spark rumors that he’d now captivated not just Duke Aemon but the Samoan prince as well if anyone had witnessed it—the relationship between the two was quite wholesome.

Luca now knew how to handle Liam. The only reason he could even hold a conversation like this was because he knew there was no s*xual ulterior motive behind his actions.

They’d known each other a long time, and contrary to appearances, Liam was quite perceptive. He wouldn’t act rashly.

Of course, there was that dark history when Liam first saw Luca. He’d fallen for the still-adolescent, soft Luca at first sight and pursued him ardently. The greasy lines he’d delivered upon first meeting—things like “Might I have the honor of knowing your beautiful name, if it wouldn’t be too presumptuous?”—along with a wink, had horrified Luca.

After learning Luca was male, and after Luca treated him like he’d chewed on a spider spewing bodily fl*ids, Liam sincerely apologized for his past disgrace. The result was their current relationship, where they could even share meals.

He didn’t want to focus on this sort of thing right now…… In any case, for Liam to speak that seriously meant the situation between the Geta Empire and the Kingdom of Samoa could become quite delicate.

Luca felt immense fatigue. He didn’t want to worry about this right now. Then a voice suddenly surfaced in his mind.

“Come to me.”

His steps toward the laboratory slowed.

The palace should feel familiar by now, but this excessively splendid scenery still didn’t put him at ease.

After using magic he was absolutely forbidden to use, his body became a complete wreck again and Luca was transferred to the infirmary. Normally a noble would go to their residence, but Luca adamantly refused. He was simply moved to a private room in the ward where healers were stationed.

He should really change his quarters from the palace to House Clodence or his own residence, but he didn’t feel like going anywhere else yet.

“Do you want to die again?”

In the ward, when he had no more clots of blood to vomit and no strength left to rise, Claude came to see him.

The price for using his broken body without any safeguards was harsh. He’d used magic by his own choice, not under anyone’s coercion, and Claude had seen who happened to be beside him at that moment. The fury made him want to strangle Luca right then and there.

“Why did you do it?”

Luca didn’t particularly make excuses. He couldn’t say anything. Whatever he said wouldn’t quell Claude’s anger.

“Don’t tell me…… all of this was unavoidable.”

Claude continued.

“Do you have feelings for that woman?”

Claude was swallowing his rage. His jaw moved stiffly and clenched shut.

“Ha.”

Luca scoffed at his words.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know. Maria Certi! Your new ‘supplier.'”

“Your imagination is excessive, Your Grace Claude Aemon. I harbor no feelings whatsoever for her. Her being there that day, at that time, was coincidence.”

Claude focused on the word coincidence Luca had used. The probability of her being at that location when the hotel collapsed. And the probability of the two of them meeting and becoming trapped in the same place, the same position, by chance. Plus the coincidence of him using magic for her because she was injured, yet again by some coincidence.

“So you helped that woman you ‘coincidentally’ met out of pity?”

Silence hung in the hospital room, so profound not even breathing could be heard. Luca found it awkward to face him any longer. Nevertheless, Claude looked at him and spoke.

“There’s something you don’t know. Are you aware that the woman you pity so much is actually using you?”

Claude hid his earlier anger as if it had been a lie and returned to his usual demeanor.

“That woman used you to build connections with the Sackelpine daughter. She attended a party hosted by the Sackelpines to make connections with the children of prestigious nobles. While you lay in bed hovering between life and death.”

Luca’s expression changed in an instant. His haggard face looked ready to collapse at any moment.

“What did you gain while she used you to build those connections and step back into society? A tattered body? Aftereffects from mana running wild?”

“It wasn’t just for that woman. Many people were injured, and some were in critical condition, on the verge of death.”

“Sure, that must be it. So did they express their gratitude to you? Thank you for saving us. Or perhaps, how truly great of a Clodence to sacrifice yourself to the point of destroying your barely recovering body?”

Claude curled up the corner of his mouth slightly. In the end, Luca couldn’t say a word.

“Humans are truly cunning. Show them the slightest convenience and they immediately forget gratitude and try to climb higher. Just like that woman.”

So by now, he should withdraw such pathetic concern.

That Maria Certi had trampled all over the slightest bit of convenience Luca had shown. Claude was saying that woman ultimately couldn’t change the nature the old Maria Certi possessed.

“Maria Certi is just like any other human. I don’t know what words she used to persuade you, but in the end, she’s just another woman trying to use your name and background.”

“You speak as if you know quite well, Claude.”

“Well, where that woman goes and what she does—I don’t even need to investigate to know. She’s acting that obviously.”

She’d crawled her way up like that before, and ultimately her only support was the single fact that she was Luca’s supplier. A quite predictable, obvious reason.

Just being a supplier. Acting so rashly because of that one thing was childish behavior.

“She’s excessively cunning and shrewd. That woman ultimately approached you for her own sake. Perhaps she’s trying to restore House Certi’s honor and step back into society.”

Luca wanted to shout that it wasn’t true. That Maria wasn’t the type to act so shrewdly. Rather, if she heard that, she’d retort, “What honor for a completely ruined house?” But this was just Luca’s thought—even he wasn’t certain.

So Luca only turned his head away, avoiding Claude’s touch. A single tear dropped again, soaking the bed sheet.

“Luca, you’re too soft to deal with a woman like that.”

“You’re saying in the end, nothing remains.”

Luca knew it too, actually. That his body would break like this and ultimately nothing would remain for him.

Even so, he’d used magic because, just as Claude said, Maria’s desperation had shaken his heart ever so slightly.

He’d believed Maria’s pleading was sincere. Because she was his supplier, no one else. He’d had the complacent, soft thought that he could grant this much, couldn’t he? This much of a wish.

“I already knew Maria wouldn’t be grateful to me anyway. You don’t need to inform me like this—I know best what kind of woman Maria is.”

Tears welled up in Luca’s sky-pale eyes. Seeing his tears falling drop by drop, Claude immediately approached and wiped them away.

“Then why are you crying?”

Claude asked.

“Did you have some expectation even though you knew?”

Luca couldn’t answer Claude’s question.

His face, gaunt from losing too much blood, hardened even paler.

The hopeful word “expectation” didn’t suit the relationship between him and Maria. Luca thought so himself. But the sincerity Maria had shown moved him at the time, and he’d wondered if Maria might truly regret what happened back then.

“How ridiculous. Should I say I even feel miserable now? In the end, all that’s left is a tattered body.”

“You don’t need to. Just stop dealing with that kind of woman from now on.”

Luca looked at Claude briefly, then turned his head. Everything was tiresome. Right now, he didn’t even want to receive Claude’s concerned gaze.

“When your body recovers…… come back to House Aemon.”

“……”

“I don’t care who your supplier is. If we’re together, your mana might choose a new supplier.”

“That’s impossible……”

“Come to me. Luca Clodence. That’s the only way you can be safe.”

Claude rose from his seat after delivering his words like a notification.

Before he left, Luca grabbed Claude’s arm one last time.

“Wait.”

Even though it was nothing much, Luca was out of strength and immediately became short of breath. Claude’s gaze fell toward him.

“Let me ask one last thing, Claude. By any chance…… has there been any contact from anywhere?”

Claude’s gaze lingered on Luca for only a brief moment. He gently pulled his arm free from Luca’s grasp and spoke as he left the room.

“There hasn’t been.”