03.

The next day, Allen went to the training grounds with a very ferocious face. The atmosphere was so depressing. The knights feared even approaching Allen. He radiated a silent aura suggesting that anyone who touched him would soon be unable to walk on two feet.

Thanks to this, an emergency situation arose within the knight division. The Vicetop faction was confused, not knowing the reason. Only the clueless James said unnecessary things to Allen and got called to the sparring grounds. The Comtop faction knights looked at James, whose eyelids had turned black as night, and thought Allen had heard news of Lea’s affair. Otherwise, a person couldn’t become so dark in just a few days.

Tom gathered the Comtop faction knights. The knights, secretly gathered in the farthest corner of the training grounds away from the Vicetop faction, focused their attention on Tom. He pulled something out of his pocket, seemingly prepared for this moment. The knights’ curiosity shifted in that direction.

“What is this?”

“Shh. The Vicetop faction shouldn’t see this.”

Tom placed his index finger against the knight’s lips. The knight contorted his expression.

“Ptui, what are you doing?”

“Hush. This is our secret weapon.”

“Secret weapon?”

The knights gulped. What Tom revealed was a glass bottle smaller than their palms. The liquid swishing inside shone transparently. A faintly fragrant scent rose through the gap in the lid.

One knight bent forward, flaring his nostrils, following that enchanting scent. Tom moved the bottle aside and smacked the knight’s nose.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. This is for the commander!”

“I just wanted to smell it. You’re being so sensitive.”

“Tsk tsk, you know nothing.”

Tom flicked his finger.

“This is pheromone perfume.”

“Pheromone? The thing that comes from animals?”

“Animals? I’m talking about s*x pheromones.”

When Tom tilted his head, the knights’ eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, that. But there’s perfume like that?”

“It’s perfect for seducing someone.”

It wasn’t available in the capital. Seducing someone with just a scent? This was unfamiliar to them.

“Is it like an aphrodisiac?”

“You could say it’s similar.”

Tom began explaining pheromone perfume to the innocent knights.

A perfume that makes the opposite s*x come running with just one spray. Though it cost a very high price, its effects were so worth it that the money wasn’t wasted at all.

But the capital knights shook their heads after hearing Tom’s explanation. Unfortunately, their commander wasn’t someone who relied on the power of perfume.

“Will the commander really use this perfume?”

“He must want to captivate the vice commander more than anyone. Of course he’ll use it.”

“No matter what, our commander wouldn’t rely on such things.”

“Then should we spray it on him secretly?”

“We might die before that.”

They recalled the morning training. They wondered how betrayed Allen must have felt by Lea to order 1,000 wooden sword strikes and 100 laps around the training grounds. The knights shuddered, remembering Allen who drove them until someone collapsed from exhaustion. Their thighs still ached and their arms were numb.

They couldn’t think of a way to give this groundbreaking item to the commander. Even if they placed it on Allen’s office desk, there was no guarantee he would use it. If the Vicetop faction discovered it, their plan could be completely ruined.

Everyone swallowed hard, looking at the perfume.

“How about this?”

“How?”

“One of us pretends to fall and sprays the perfume on the commander. When he’s with the vice commander.”

The knights unanimously turned down the corners of their mouths at Tom’s suggestion.

“Ha, is that all you could think of? That’s too classic a method. The commander would immediately notice such intentions.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I’ll spray it.”

“You said this is for the commander, huh.”

At the sudden voice, the knights’ bodies simultaneously shifted to one side. A black-haired man resembling Allen, who had somehow joined them unnoticed, looked at each of them with a friendly smile.

The capital knights turned ghostly pale, as if they’d seen a ghost, and began bending their knees one by one. Tom alone shook his head, not understanding what was happening.

“What’s with everyone, did your legs give out? Anyway, whoever you are, this isn’t a place you can enter freely.”

“There’s nowhere I can’t go, though?”

“You’re quite strange. If our commander knew, he’d be shocked—mmph.”

“Tom! What are you saying to His Majesty the Emperor! Please forgive us, Your Majesty!”

Another knight hurriedly pulled Tom’s body down and covered his mouth. This caused Tom’s knees to hit the floor hard, making a loud “thud!” Tom finally understood the situation and gaped. He felt the blood drain from his entire body. He didn’t even think to rub his painful knees and instead pressed his head to the ground.

“Your Majesty! I-I-I have c-c-committed a d-d-deadly sin.”

“Enough. It’s fine, raise your head.”

Tom trembled violently and slightly raised his head while keeping his eyes lowered.

The knight beside him let out a relieved sigh and timidly broke the silence.

“Y-Your Majesty, what brings you to this distant place?”

“I came to see if the First Division Commander is doing well.”

The Emperor, Edner, grinned.

Recently, he had received a letter from Allen full of nonsense about how the North was running fine on its own. He had come up unannounced to check why his brother, who always talked about responsibility, wanted to abandon his position as Grand Duke of the North. But it seemed something quite interesting was happening here, more than he expected.

“If you tell me what you were discussing, I’ll forget your rudeness and spray that perfume on your commander for you.”

Edner was having fun for the first time in a while.

He had hoped Allen would struggle in the North, and the story he heard from the knights was quite entertaining.

“To summarize what you’re saying, the First Division Commander is head over heels for the vice commander, but the vice commander is having an affair with a woman?”

“Yes. That’s right. That’s why Sir Tom brought the pheromone perfume.”

The knights agreed and signaled to Tom.

Tom held out the perfume to Edner while keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. Tom’s hand trembled. He had never even seen the King of the North. He hadn’t even come across the common portraits. So to him, the Emperor of the Empire was too great a presence.

Seeing someone he might see once in a lifetime right before his eyes, Tom’s mind had left and showed no signs of returning.

Edner took the perfume and brought the tip of his nose to the lid. He closed his eyes and smelled it, finding it truly had an attractive scent as described.

“I almost want to keep it for myself.”

“Y-Y-Y-You c-c-can h-h-have it.”

Tom clasped his hands together and bowed. His body trembled like an aspen tree. Edner waved his hand dismissively.

“No. This is what you intended to give to the First Division Commander, isn’t it? Promises must be kept.”

“I-I-I’m h-h-honored.”

“Do you always stutter like this?”

“N-N-N-No.”

It was truly pitiful to watch. The capital knights gave Tom sympathetic looks. They had thought he would be strong-hearted in front of anyone since he spoke so well even in front of noble knights, but that wasn’t the case at all. Tom couldn’t even raise his head.

In truth, the capital knights were somewhat accustomed to the Emperor’s sudden appearances. When they were in the capital, the Emperor visited the knight training grounds almost daily. He especially visited the First Division frequently because Allen was there. Because of this, the knights often had to greet the Emperor even during training.

They were just surprised because they didn’t expect the Emperor to appear in the North without any notice. After a little time passed, they quickly regained their composure.

Finally, one knight stepped forward, unable to just watch. He couldn’t stand by when Tom was from the same Comtop faction.

“Tom seems very nervous. By the way, the vice commander should have been at the border today. Did you happen to see her?”

“Ah, so that blonde knight was the vice commander.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Edner recalled Lea, whom he had met at the border.

With her long hair tied high in a single ponytail hanging down, she somehow exuded an otherworldly atmosphere. Her hair fluttering in the breeze, her unfocused eyes. Her pale skin typical of people from cold regions. Her expressionless face, suggesting she had transcended everything, was different from anyone he had seen before.

‘Was that Allen’s type?’

He couldn’t have known since Allen had never mentioned having feelings for any woman, but it seemed Allen did like beautiful women after all. Allen was still a man, even if he didn’t show it.

Edner stroked his chin and looked down at the pheromone perfume bottle, finding an amusing thought.

Although he felt sorry for the knights and genuinely wished Allen well with his lover, he couldn’t just sit back and watch him achieve love smoothly without any trouble. Allen had always tried to persuade him, saying life was boring and they should conquer the continent. Now that he was finally tasting the bitterness of life, it wouldn’t be fun if he succeeded too easily.

“Ah, if this is sprayed, will everyone be attracted to that pheromone?”

“N-N-N-No, t-t-that’s n-n-not the c-c-case.”

Tom continued speaking while sweating profusely.