The peaceful moments of tranquility that Saena bestowed gradually became addictive.

Once a week. What started as just a few minutes of contact gradually lengthened.

Constantine barely slept properly most days. During those brief moments of peace, he could sleep soundly, and Saena, perhaps pitying him, gradually extended the time she held his hand.

‘No, she probably couldn’t bring herself to let go.’

Since he always showed signs of extreme fatigue and fell asleep, wasn’t it her kindness that couldn’t let go of his hand? Using that kindness, he often pretended to still be asleep even after waking up, just to stay like that longer.

He wasn’t actually someone who could stay in the imperial capital for long.

The Kramer territory was vast, and there was much work to be done.

Nevertheless, he traveled between the capital and his territory every week. He worked very hard the other days for Wednesday.

Similarly, while working hard in Kramer territory all weekend for Wednesday, a messenger bird arrived. It was a letter from Royter, the butler of the townhouse in the imperial capital.

[Your Grace.

A document requesting healing potion arrived from the imperial palace, but as you are not in the capital, I responded that I would first seek permission.

…omitted…

Meanwhile, I learned something that I think I should inform you about.

It appears Lady Debov suffered burns at a tea party held in the imperial palace.

I will find out more details while waiting for your response to this letter.

— From Royter]

…Burns!

Constantine hastily wrapped up what he was doing and immediately took the warp gate.

Royter’s face showed slight surprise at his unexpectedly quick appearance before it disappeared.

“What happened?”

“…A tea party hosted by Marquis Ackroyd’s daughter and Count Dimitri’s daughter was held in the imperial Garden of Masterpieces. Her Highness the Princess also attended.”

Royter diligently reported the information he had gathered. Including that the prince had appeared at the tea party and that he was the one who had spilled tea on Saena.

“Is the prince the one from the imperial family requesting the potion?”

“Yes. It came from the prince’s palace.”

“Hmm.”

The blue-green healing potion is a specialty of Kramer territory. This is because it’s manufactured using byproducts from magical beasts that mainly appear in Kramer territory.

It’s made from extremely difficult-to-handle magical beasts with remarkable regenerative abilities, developed after long research on how to utilize that regenerative power, so it’s only produced by the Kramer family.

Even the imperial family only receives one bottle per year as tribute because it’s so precious, yet the prince had requested one more bottle.

‘What is he plotting?’

Hearing that the prince was involved made him uncomfortable. Somehow, the prince’s appearance didn’t feel coincidental at all.

“Bring me a bottle of potion.”

But there were more urgent matters than pondering that.

“…Will you send it to the imperial palace? Should I prepare proper packaging?”

“No, I’ll take it myself.”

The imperial family gets one bottle per year, as always. No exceptions.

If they want one more bottle, even if they’re the imperial family, they must pay a price.

“Understood.”

Royter quickly grasped his meaning.

“Would you like to change into new clothes? Shall I prepare them?”

“…Yes.”

Of course, his perception was very quick.

* * *

In his heart, he wanted to summon Morev and ride him. Then he could arrive at flying speed. But he rode a horse instead. It was his compromise considering public eyes. He rode a fine steed at very high speed.

He needed no escorts. After all, escorts were merely for show to an Oathkeeper.

Once again, the Debov household was flustered by Constantine’s sudden appearance. Today they seemed particularly bewildered.

As they seemed to hesitate even with guiding him in, he stepped inside directly.

Because he could sense her presence nearby.

Not far in, he saw Saena. He immediately approached and examined her from head to toe. He couldn’t tell where she was injured from just looking.

“I heard you were hurt.”

That was the first thing he asked upon seeing her.

Though it wasn’t a strange question, she hesitated for a while before stumbling. Constantine quickly caught her waist and steadied her.

“…Still clumsy as ever.”

Her peculiar tendency to stumble, fall, and drop things kept drawing his attention. Well, thanks to that, he got chances to get close each time.

Looking at her, there seemed to be no wounds, and perhaps the potion he had given her before had helped. It was good he had left her some medicine.

“…Why did you come here?”

But Saena put up her wall again. Perhaps having developed immunity from facing these walls often, he had gained the skill to act tactfully. And if there was something else he had learned, it was that subtle hints didn’t work with Saena.

Honesty was often the best option.

Constantine immediately told her why he had come there. And he learned why she seemed troubled by his visit.

Her acquaintances were all there.

However, he didn’t back down. He immediately accepted Lady Ackroyd’s perceptive invitation to join them and stepped inside.

It was rather fortunate since Saena looked like she would chase him out any moment.

‘So the Ackroyd youngster was here too.’

It was good he agreed to join. Otherwise, Saena might have spent intimate time with that youngster.

From Constantine’s perspective, Kayan was merely a green boy, but to Saena, he might not be.

Thus, even though he was just a youngster, Constantine found himself being wary, and discovered himself repeatedly making suggestive (and ambiguous) expressions as if he had some relationship with Saena.

Though he thought it childish, he couldn’t control it.

“Kyang!”

In the midst of this, that wolf pup from before burst in again and caused chaos in the reception room, and soon after, a lady with lime blonde hair from some unknown family appeared and further disrupted the atmosphere.

What was interesting was that the wolf pup showed clear hostility towards the lime blonde.

When a wolf with protective energy shows such hostility, it’s highly likely because the target is harmful.

‘I’ll need to investigate this.’

Looking down at the face that had fainted from the wolf pup’s barking, Constantine memorized her features.

He temporarily left the reception room that had become very chaotic from dealing with the fainted lime blonde.

It was because Caligo was making a fuss again with exaggerated screams due to the wolf pup’s energy.

— Aaack! This beast! Master, this is a den of evil! Let’s go back quickly!

Constantine sought the men’s lounge to calm his throbbing headache.

While he was in the men’s lounge, directed there by a guide, smoking tobacco to calm his agitated nerves, that youngster came in. Seeing his somewhat grave expression as he entered, he seemed to have something to say.

Constantine nodded roughly to allow the youngster to sit across from him and continued smoking.

Though he could roughly guess what this was about, there was no reason not to hear him out.

“Do you not know that you are making things difficult for Saena, Your Grace?”

“……”

“Or are you doing it knowingly?”

Constantine looked at the youngster before him with cynical eyes.

Though he wondered if he needed to answer, seeing that resolute expression that seemed quite sincere, he opened his mouth.

“How do you think one should court a woman one likes?”

“…Pardon? Court?”

Upon hearing the question, the youngster suddenly blushed.

“If one is sincere, one should use all conditions at one’s disposal. Just looking won’t make anything fall into your hands.”

“…Are you saying that you’re doing this because you like Saena, Your Grace?”

“……”

“Are you truly sincere?”

Constantine smirked.

“Why are you smiling? Do you mean you’ve been doing this without even liking her?”

He took another drag of his tobacco, exhaled, and spoke.

“Whatever my feelings may be, it’s not something I need to tell you.”

“……”

“Though it’s quite clear that you like Saena.”

“…I!”

At that moment, the door to the men’s lounge suddenly burst open.

“Oh, Kayan? You were here? Your Grace is here too.”

Saena suddenly came in. Her brother and Lady Ackroyd were with her.

The youngster before him seemed flustered, his ears turning red. Though he didn’t know why he was blushing, that issue was instantly forgotten.

As Saena was trying to leave again, she dropped the large wooden box she was carrying, revealing its contents, which clearly looked like a gift from a man to a woman.

And quite an extravagant one at that.

“This looks like Etilenne’s work.”

Etilenne? Even he, who never had clothes made at women’s boutiques, knew that name.

‘…The youngster wasn’t the problem at all.’

It’s the prince. After provocatively dancing in front of him last time to annoy him, now a dress as a gift? What kind of move is this?

‘Is he just trying to irritate me?’

Or is it just a coincidence?

His judgment would differ depending on whether him spilling the tea was really an accident or not, but since he hadn’t seen it himself, Constantine had no way to verify that part.

The only fortunate thing was that Saena’s expression didn’t look very pleased. Compared to how she put up walls against him, she seemed to openly dislike this to an even greater degree.

Nevertheless,

‘This feels disgusting.’