That evening.

Ruyan was glaring at his 1st Division knights who he personally commanded.

Unlike the 2nd Division that was dispatched as Leah’s escort, these were the ones who had been serving continuously at the capital’s Piert mansion.

Naturally, they were unaffected by the sleep magic, and having been Ruyan’s direct subordinates for a long time, they were sharp and efficient.

Ruyan spoke to the knights.

“There are three things you need to keep in mind today.”

He raised his right hand and counted with his fingers.

“First, protect Leah. Second, don’t get caught by anyone.”

Ruyan paused briefly before stating the third point.

“…Third, if I get too wild or collapse, drag me away.”

The nostrils of the knights standing in formation suddenly widened.

“I trust none of my subordinates are crazy enough to want to try insubordination at this opportunity.”

The knights’ nostrils returned to their normal size.

They all lowered their eyes to hide their looks of disappointment.

“You guys… Seems like you’ve had a lot of complaints about me.”

“Not at all!”

“That answer was too short.”

“How could that be! It’s our pride to serve under the Kingdom’s Greatest Swordsman!”

“Well, I am the best swordsman in the kingdom. Hah.”

Ruyan sighed uncharacteristically.

What good was being the kingdom’s greatest swordsman? He couldn’t even go along directly when Leah was jumping into dangerous situations because he was under the sleep magic.

‘Still, I can’t just wait around doing nothing.’

He was planning to surround and guard the secret club with his direct subordinates.

“Prioritize Leah’s safety, and for this operation, follow her orders over mine. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

After the knights received their orders and dispersed, Ruyan headed to Leah’s reception room. Since it was a secret operation, only Janet was guarding the door.

Though just a young maid, her determination to guard this door was no less than his knights’. Ruyan praised her warmly.

“Janet, good work. Is everything ready inside? Can I go in?”

“Yes. But Young Master… don’t be surprised.”

Her tone was rather grave. Ruyan tilted his head as he went inside.

‘What could be surprising?’

Helix was sitting there, waiting with his disguise complete.

Even with just a common brown wig and a simple black mask without any decorations, his handsomeness showed through. Gone was his original appearance of a noble ice prince, replaced somehow by a melancholic atmosphere.

“…Isn’t this dangerous in a different way?”

As Ruyan muttered this.

Creeak.

At the sound of the inner room door connected to the reception room opening, both men jumped to their feet.

***

They were left speechless at Leah’s revealed appearance.

Over skin made pale with thick powder, loosely twisted curling red hair cast shadows. Mascara-enhanced eyelashes made her eyes look languid, and red eyeliner emphasized her eye line as if she’d been crying, making them appear moist.

Bright red lipstick stood out on her luscious lips. Beauty marks were seductively placed beside her nose and below her lip, and her dress with its plunging neckline slid unhesitatingly down to emphasize her slim waist and high slit.

Neither Ruyan nor Helix could maintain their composure.

“Y-y-you, what kind of appearance is that!”

“Leah, h-how can you wear such a revealing dress!”

Leah seemed rather satisfied with their reactions.

“Pretty good, right? I even put padding in my chest!”

“Is that something to be proud of!”

“You don’t need padding, you’re pretty without it.”

Now that’s a man who knows how to say the same thing nicely. Leah laughed brightly at Helix.

“I did it to make the disguise more convincing.”

“You get cold easily, don’t overdo it.”

Ruyan’s face contorted.

“Cold has nothing to do with it. You’re worried about something else.”

That gaze was clearly burning with concern about other men seeing her, rather than the cold. Yet he only spoke politely to Leah, without any ulterior motives.

Helix asked in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“If you don’t know, never mind…”

Somehow, he could only sigh.

Leah clapped her hands together.

“Anyway, let’s get going now.”

Ruyan, who had been sighing, snapped to attention and blocked her way.

“What do you mean anyway? You can’t go looking like that!”

“Little brother, who benefits most if we break the sleep magic?”

“…Our family.”

Ruyan followed along like he was being led to the slaughter.

“Brother, don’t worry too much.”

Leah confidently pushed out her chest and straightened her back.

“If I go to the secret club looking like this and wearing a mask, no one will suspect me, right?”

***

Leah’s assurance was correct.

The problem was Helix.

“What has the world come to?”

He turned pale as soon as they entered the secret club.

Dim lighting. Well-dressed men and women.

But those well-dressed people were quite scantily clad. Behind that pouch, on this sofa, behind that curtain… scantily clad people were rubbing against each other everywhere.

Helix nearly clicked his tongue.

“Even if it’s night and the lighting is dim, to do such things in such an open place…”

It was incomprehensible to his sensibilities.

“…Perhaps I should have entered together with her.”

Helix regretted his decision.

‘If a masked man and woman enter together, we’ll stand out.’

‘I understand. Let’s enter separately.’

He had boldly agreed and entered the secret club first, but once inside, it was more of an alien world than he’d expected.

He grabbed a drink to calm his troubled mind.

“Hohohoho.”

A high-pitched laugh rang out and an unfamiliar hand subtly caressed his waist. Helix nearly spilled his drink.

“My, darling, is this your first time here?”

Why is this unknown woman touching my waist?

While Helix’s eyes shook like an earthquake, the woman’s hand slid slyly along his side and moved to his front.

“My my, feel how firm these abs are.”

The woman’s hand pressed firmly on his stomach.

“Ah-ahem!”

Helix made an old man-like cough and pulled away.

Unlike his cough, his movement was quick. The woman paused before laughing.

“Darling, you have quite a cute side.”

“I do not.”

After firmly stating this, Helix clutched his drink and slowly sidled away.

However, the woman had no intention of letting him go. He was too delicious a prey to leave alone.

‘Wearing a mask means he’s either here for something shady or a low-ranking first-timer who’s just checking the place out.’

Judging by how stiffly he held his drink, he wasn’t here for anything shady. He was definitely a low-ranking first-timer.

‘And looking at how he acts, he’s completely inexperienced. Oh my! A low-ranking inexperienced first-timer, perfect for having fun without any consequences!’

The woman licked her dry lips.

‘And his looks… wow.’

She couldn’t take her eyes off his outstanding features – his jawline and facial features that couldn’t be hidden even by the mask. His tall stature and toned muscular body were also breathtaking.

While scanning Helix’s appearance again, the woman pressed her heated body against his.

“Eek!”

The liquid in Helix’s glass sloshed.

Splash!

The drink spilled on his clothes.

“Oh no, what should we do!”

The woman made a fuss while frantically rubbing Helix’s chest.

“I’ll have to lick it clean.”

“Ah, no, it’s fine…”

The woman whispered while rubbing his wet chest with her hands.

“With my mouth.”

Helix turned ashen.

‘What absurd!’

He fled, clothes and all.

“Darling, where are you going?”

The woman followed, giggling. Her laughter was anxious.

The hunter’s heart was rushing, worried someone else might snatch up this handsome innocent!

Helix shuddered.

“What has the world come to?”

He moved away even faster. He hadn’t anticipated such an unfamiliar situation.

‘What on earth have humans been doing all this time?’

He thought they had only developed their food culture while he was sealed, but it seemed they had developed their nightlife culture as well.

For Helix, who had strived to be a strict, solemn, and serious moral exemplar as a guardian, everything from the secret club to the woman’s behavior was a culture shock.

“Phew.”

His energy was already drained before the operation could properly begin.

“Phewww.”

His throat was parched.

He went to a table and grabbed a new glass, gulping down the drink.

‘What?’

He lifted the glass in surprise to look at it.

‘What is this liquid?’

It had an aromatic flavor, bitter at first taste but gradually becoming subtly sweet.

It was an ecstatic taste that clung to his tongue. Helix unconsciously smacked his lips and tasted it again.

‘Leah must have tried something this delicious.’

Why hadn’t he drunk this while staying at the ducal residence?

He wondered as he took another sip. The more he drank, the more he felt light and relaxed.

‘Is this a fruit drink with special herbs?’

Helix had no idea it was alcohol.

This was understandable, as in Helix’s time there were only two types of alcohol.

Hard liquor that made you pinch your nose and scraped your stomach, and beer like horse piss that you only drank when the water was dirty. Those were the only kinds of alcohol that existed.

Helix carefully tasted the drink again.

‘It really is delicious.’

He felt his startled mind calming down a bit.

Not thinking for a moment that something with such delicate aroma and taste could be alcohol, he continued taking small sips, fascinated.

‘Strange.’

After drinking for a while, Helix noticed something was off. He was feeling unusually good.

‘Does this drink have hallucinogenic effects?’

If so, it was dangerous.

He tried to circulate mana inside his body to clear his mind.

“Cough!”

Helix coughed as if he might cough up blood.

‘I can’t control my mana.’

Of course not, since he wasn’t in his right mind from being drunk.

He should have done it when he was less intoxicated, but he had missed the timing.

‘This isn’t good…’

Yet still feeling tipsy, he shook his head trying to clear it.

“Are you drunk?”

“Looks like he’s completely lost it?”

Helix blinked slowly.

Through his blurry vision, he could see someone approaching.

***

Meanwhile, Leah was searching through the hall of the secret club.

‘They said he always visits here?’

She kept in mind the information Rikeil had given her.

The room that Lord Trow frequently used, and the pr*stitute he had been calling for often lately.

‘Since I can’t enter the noble special rooms with my current identity, let’s first find and watch the pr*stitute.’