Chapter 23

‘If someone else developed the contraceptive before me, or if my presentation materials disappeared, that would be a sign…’

Anyway, being an industrial spy only makes sense if the timing is faster than hers. The other side would need to steal and present her development before she could announce it.

But none of those things happened.

Erin checked the materials Ash had prepared for her, just in case, but aside from the section on subject diversity, everything was exactly as she had written—nothing was missing. All she had to do now was present it well in front of the judges and the Duke.

‘Right. I’m not losing anything.’

So all that talk about Ash being a spy was probably just groundless worry. It was likely a lie meant to drive a wedge between her and Ash.

Thinking that, Erin’s mind filled with the content she needed to present before the Duke. It was all about the relationship she and Ash had shared.

‘Even if it’s uncomfortable to reveal my private life to the Duke and the judges, it’s not a lie.’

Still, it was a necessary foundation for her future.

Erin began reciting her presentation in her head again. With a mix of nerves, anxiety, and anticipation, she fidgeted until the carriage stopped in front of the Dukedom.

Tap tap.

Ash got out first and offered his hand to escort her.

Feeling a bit shy, Erin took his hand and stepped down, and Ash gently embraced her waist as she landed, whispering,

“Good luck, Erin.”

Not Doctor, but Erin.

Her ears suddenly grew hot at the sound of her name. She instinctively covered her ear and turned to look at Ash, who gazed at her as if she was the most lovable thing in the world.

“The assistants have to gather separately, so I can’t stay with you.”

“……”

“But if you call, I’ll come running anytime.”

“You don’t have to go that far…”

“And here.”

Ash took off the last glove he was wearing. Erin saw the very ring she’d been worrying about on his index finger and swallowed.

The ruby ring that looked so expensive and precious. The very ring that had made her suspicious of Ash.

What happened next made Erin widen her eyes in shock.

Ash casually took off the ring, lifted Erin’s hand, and slid it onto her ring finger.

“…Ash!”

Erin let out a muffled cry.

Ash had naturally placed the ring he’d worn on his index finger onto Erin’s ring finger.

“If anything happens, use this ring.”

“What?”

“This is a magic tool. It’ll strengthen you.”

“R-really…?”

Erin asked, dazed.

“Why give me something so valuable?”

“If your presentation is about to fail, just slam the table with it and shout.”

“What? Why?”

“If you’re going to get thrown out anyway.”

Ash smiled charmingly and teased,

“After all, I’m the only one who got rushed for the deadline. You should complain if they treat you like this instead of letting you take your time like everyone else.”

“Wow. That’s… actually tempting…”

“Right?”

“But they’ve supported me so far, so maybe I shouldn’t…”

“So what? It’s not like you’ve just been playing around.”

“That’s true…”

As Erin nodded absentmindedly, the ring Ash put on her fit perfectly to her finger. Maybe because it was a magic tool, the size had adjusted itself.

It was still an incredibly valuable ring.

“…Where did you get a magic tool like this?”

Erin quickly closed her mouth after asking. It felt like she was peeling back a layer of truth she didn’t want to see.

Her heart thudded, but Ash just shrugged nonchalantly.

“I borrowed it.”

“Borrowed?”

“We use magic tools for recording in our experiments, don’t we? I got to know the magic tool shop while securing those.”

Now that she heard it, it sounded plausible.

‘Did I really misunderstand him?’

She sighed in relief.

“Anyway, good luck.”

“Ah, right.”

Ash squeezed her waist gently as if reluctant to let go, and his lingering touch slid slowly down her side.

Erin was left dazed by that touch for a moment, but snapped out of it at the voice of the Dukedom’s attendant introducing her at the entrance.

“Lady Erin Leshamur, Doctor of Practical Alchemy and Pharmacy, has arrived!”

Only then did Erin realize where she was. She quickly straightened her posture and entered the banquet hall with her shoulders and eyes firm.

Just as Ash said, she decided she’d break a table if she had to.

【 It was just a clinical trial 】

Unexpectedly, Erin didn’t end up needing to break any tables.

“It feels less tense than I expected.”

“Yeah.”

“Is it because the presentation format changed?”

“I was hoping to meet the Duke in person…”

A few dozen minutes after Erin entered, in the banquet hall.

Under the dazzling chandelier and the banners of the Dukedom’s mansion, several researchers with hunched necks were gathered, whispering.

“Who would have thought this report meeting would just be a written submission…”

Of course, Erin was among them.

“I practiced so much, thinking I’d have to present in front of the judges and the Duke.”

People grumbled and expressed their disappointment.

Erin was a bit deflated after all her preparation, but also relieved.

‘At least I don’t have to talk about my s*x life in front of a crowd.’

Even if she presented the clinical trial subject anonymously, people would suspect she’d faked the experiment.

So Erin planned to honestly reveal that she was the test subject herself.

‘The judges and the Duke might look at me strangely afterward.’

But everything discussed at the report meeting would be kept confidential, so rumors wouldn’t spread outside.

‘I was only prepared to endure a few stares.’

Still, discussing the specifics of frequency and method with strangers was uncomfortable.

For some reason, the meeting’s format had changed to just submitting reports and materials. The Duke had an urgent matter and couldn’t attend.

Because of that, the Duke’s patrons could enjoy music and food together in the banquet hall instead of lining up to report to him.

Erin was able to finish her task by submitting the new medicine and her report to the mansion’s attendants.

‘Honestly, I’m glad.’

She wanted to keep what happened with Ash between them.

Erin carefully touched the ring she was wearing. Luckily, the gemstone was a reddish pink, matching her pink sapphire jewelry.

‘Ash is probably talking with the other assistants right now.’

Some people were still disappointed about the situation.

“Sigh. I wanted to make an impression on His Grace, the Duke.”

“There’ll be another report meeting soon.”

“By the way, what about Baron Ellen’s research…”

“And Lady Walter’s research…”

“I hear there are art patrons over there. Should we go talk to them?”

“That violinist is really handsome.”

The researchers, deflated, chatted and drank among themselves, while Erin relaxed and sipped champagne alone.

“How is your research going,  Lady Leshamur?”

A greasy voice addressed Erin.

Erin glanced over.

“Viscount Talben.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Leshamur.”

Looking at her with a slick face was Viscount Talben, Erin’s classmate from the Academy’s alchemy department.

‘He was one of the applicants for the trial.’

A few months ago, when Erin carefully selected male applicants, Viscount Talben and other male classmates were among them.

She’d found it a bit creepy then.

He was one of those who received sponsorship from Duke Aston, so meeting him here wasn’t surprising—but it made Erin feel even more uncomfortable.

‘What was his real motive for applying?’

He probably didn’t know the female test subject was Erin, but it was still unsettling.

‘He was always unpleasant at the Academy.’

He never studied, just flirted with women, and always seemed to compete with her, sending nasty looks her way.

While Erin gave an awkward smile, Viscount Talben snorted and approached her.

“Time flies. Wasn’t you the star back then, Lady Leshamur?”

“When? I was never that popular.”

“You never missed being top of the Academy…”

“Seriously. It’s been ages since graduation, and you’re still talking about the Academy? Is that all you have to brag about?”

Talben’s lips twitched at her words, then he swallowed something and changed the subject.