“To elaborate, it says that every night, the Viscountess of Wintermore enjoys putting a bit in her husband’s mouth, whipping him, and dripping candle wax on his chest. They say she said this with her own mouth. And… what was it? That innocent noble ladies couldn’t possibly handle someone from the Intelligence Bureau.”

Cedine dropped her potato dish back onto the plate.

“But if they’re willing to learn, they should quietly knock on the door of the Viscount’s residence. Since they missed out on the Viscount of Wintermore, shouldn’t they catch another fine groom? Saying that deep down, many men want to submit to women.”

“……”

“They say you’ve sparked a new educational trend in high society?”

“That’s a lie, right?”

“What is? I’m just repeating what I heard.”

“The part about what I said.”

Cedine realized that when you’re too flabbergasted, words don’t come out properly.

“Two days ago, as I was passing through the park, I saw some ladies gathered and gossiping. Even before I got there, so many people were glancing at me. I thought some rumor must be going around. So I eavesdropped on what they were saying… They were painting me as a masochistic vixen. I was annoyed and just said one thing.”

“What did you say?”

“Why do…”

Somehow, it felt awkward to say it in front of Ivlik. Cedine straightened her shoulders that kept wanting to shrink.

“Why do you think I’m the one being whipped?”

She said it intentionally fast. Ivlik listened without changing his expression. Seeing that he seemed to want her to continue, Cedine sighed.

“Yes, I could have just said it wasn’t true. I know, but I didn’t want to do that. Everyone thinks of honeypot schemes first when they hear about female agents from the Intelligence Bureau. But as you know, Ivlik, what we learn at the Intelligence Bureau isn’t how to seduce men. We learn foreign languages at native level, military science, negotiation tactics, shooting, hand-to-hand combat, code breaking… We even learn how to operate various vehicles. Fighter jets, yachts, cars, trains, trams, even horses.”

If the Royal Academy for Gifted Children was still a place for teaching children, the Intelligence Bureau, which she transferred to at 16, was a place for training future agents.

Just being smart wasn’t enough to survive. With the tight curriculum, bi-weekly exams, grades openly posted on bulletin boards, and additional ideological education. Because of this, even the level-headed Cedine sometimes longed for her days at the academy.

“Without even knowing what kind of person I really am. Without ever having a single conversation with me. I was dumbfounded that they treated me like a young vixen who had ensnared a successful viscount. Moreover, it was the Army Ministry people who had set up the room like that in the first place, but only I…! Was getting criticized.”

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Cedine Liere really had a masochistic tendency and was tied up with ropes and subjected to all sorts of lewd acts from the wedding night.

“It doesn’t make sense that I did it alone, does it? What, did I point a gun at my husband and force him to whip me, and then ej*culate three times? But those people talk as if I have that kind of ability. As if I’m the only vixen.”

“You were frustrated at having to explain that you’re not a vixen.”

“Yes.”

“What’s more annoying is that it’s not even rare for the Intelligence Bureau to order female agents to use honeypot tactics.”

Cedine took a deep breath, her chest swelling greatly.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“The people spouting nonsense about whips and ropes probably know too. They know that the gossip they’re whispering is baseless. But because the slander is fun, because it suits their taste better to label Cedine as a vixen rather than praising her, they keep talking. And Cedine could see all of this.”

Ivlik took a sip of water and continued.

“So instead of explaining, you went even further. Meaning that even if it were true, it’s a matter between a married couple, and if your husband is fine with it, what business is it of yours as third parties. Did I understand correctly?”

“…Yes.”

“Alright. You’ve handled it so well that I don’t even need to intervene.”

At this, Cedine put down her fork and knife. Ivlik asked why she had stopped eating so soon.

“When you praise me like that, it makes me uneasy.”

“Uneasy?”

“Did I do something wrong? I don’t care if the rumor has been blown out of proportion. It’s enough that I said what I wanted to say, to whom I wanted to say it at the time. But if it causes trouble for you, Ivlik, that’s a different matter.”

“Cedine.”

Ivlik, sitting across from her, lowered his voice.

“Look at me.”

“…I’ve been looking at you this whole time.”

“Do I look like a man troubled by distorted rumors?”

Cedine stared blankly at his lips that kept curling up despite his efforts to suppress it, and his eyes that couldn’t hide their delight.

Should I be honest?

“No, you seem to be really enjoying this situation.”

“As expected of an Intelligence Bureau elite course graduate. You read the other person’s expression accurately.”

Cedine smiled at Ivlik’s compliment and resumed eating. The dinner was so delicious that it was a shame to see the food diminish. It was one of the good things about living in the Viscount’s residence again.

Not having to worry about the menu. Not having to carry heavy grocery bags up four flights of stairs. No longer having to make dishes that she was embarrassed to serve to Karen on days when she had to cook. The last one she was truly doubly apologetic for, even to the ingredients that had been grown diligently from the field.

Cedine realized during the time she lived with Karen again in a monthly rental after her regression. That she had become too accustomed to living as Miss Cedine of the Viscount of Wintermore family for the past 6 years. Rather than standing in the kitchen cooking, she’d prefer to decode ciphers all night.

Anyway, Cedine was glad to be able to enjoy the excellent skills of the Viscount’s chef in her daily life again. Even in a situation where her employer and husband might be a future murderer, the dessert with almond cream spread between thin pastry layers, drizzled with maple syrup and powdered sugar, was delicious enough to elicit admiration.

“But while you can recite the history of vibrators, have you never thought about actually using one yourself?”

Cough!

The powdered sugar stuck to her throat. Cedine quickly swallowed some water. The reason for her unsightly coughing while enjoying the dessert was, of course, the man sitting across the table.

“The former is just something I heard in a women’s studies class at school, and the latter… why should I go out of my way to buy and use that? I mean, it’s not like I have an obligation to do so.”

“There may be no obligation, but surely there’s curiosity.”

“……”

“That’s what you have in abundance, Cedine. Curiosity. Inquisitiveness.”

Right. That’s why I married you in this life.

Ivlik, after examining Cedine’s expression, wiped his mouth with a napkin and smiled enigmatically.

“Come to the bedroom after you’ve washed up.”

* * *

“Aaaargh!”

The agonizing scream of a middle-aged man echoed through the basement of the Viscount of Wintermore’s residence. With such a loud noise, it would be natural for everyone in the house to come running. However, not a single person was peeking into the corridor. The mansion had been completely empty since the day before yesterday.

Even if the employees had been there, they wouldn’t have come down to the basement. Not only because Ivlik had issued an entry ban, but also because their ears wouldn’t have heard any sound in the first place.

The sound, as if the man’s very soul was being torn apart, was blocked by thick iron doors and soundproof walls, only echoing within the basement.

“Wintermore! Go to hell, you damn bastard!”

The middle-aged man, restrained to a torture device like a board that could be set at a 90-degree angle, hurled curses. His hair, which he always styled neatly with pomade, was in disarray, and his forehead glistened with cold sweat. Having had four of his teeth pulled out, blood and saliva sprayed from his mouth every time he spoke.

“You madman! Have you gone crazy over a woman to do this to me? You’ve kidnapped and are torturing a royal… a member of the imperial family! Even with the Army Ministry’s protection, you’ll have a hard time surviving.”

Duke Crotsfield shouted, his neck veins bulging.

“This is treason!”

“Jonathan James Crotsfield. Do you admit to your crimes?”

“What’s there to admit! I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s all delusions in your head! Do you think such nonsense will work in front of His Majesty?”

“Jonathan James Crotsfield, I’ll ask again. Do you admit to your crimes?”

“Ptui!”

Duke Crotsfield spat instead of answering. He aimed for Ivlik’s face, but reality didn’t allow even this small act to go his way. The sticky saliva mixed with blood hung down from his chin. The Duke, who had been glaring fiercely at Ivlik, suddenly shook his shoulders and laughed.