「You can hear people’s thoughts, can’t you, Grand Duke?」

Allen opened his eyes wide at the sudden voice resonating in his head. For the first time, he heard Ian’s thoughts.

“It’s a troublesome yet enviable ability.”

“…Then do you also know why I have this magic, Marquis?”

“Probably someone among your ancestors had magical power. Magic is hereditary, you know.”

Allen thought he should look up the royal records when he next went to the capital. He felt he might discover how to handle this annoying ability. Ian spoke as if he had seen through Allen’s thoughts.

“If you give up Lea, I’ll teach you how to control your magic.”

Ian was insufferable until the end.

“I don’t need it, so go back now.”

Allen suppressed his rising murderous intent and drove Ian out of the North.

* * *

The North was bustling with festivities. It was a celebration commemorating the capture of the rebels. Various foods and entertainments were prepared in the square. Minstrels played instruments and sang songs of victory. The knights were enjoying their rare vacation to the fullest.

Lea was also out in the midst of the festival with Allen. In truth, Lea didn’t want to be alone with the Commander. Since the battle, she kept recalling what Allen had said.

‘Think about living with me for the rest of your life.’

Lea shook her head repeatedly. The Commander’s words during the battle surely didn’t have much significance, but her head kept replaying that scene over and over like it was broken.

Even though it had become warm enough to clearly feel spring these days, it was night now. The wind was certainly chilly, but her face was burning, and her throat was parched. Lea gulped down a cold drink with a little alcohol mixed in. But the heat didn’t subside.

“Are you bothered?”

Allen bent his face toward Lea and asked. He wore a somewhat smiling expression. Lea didn’t answer and turned her eyes here and there, then quickly pointed at a statue with her hand.

“This looks strange.”

Allen looked at the statue and curved his lips upward. The statue was made by an excellent Northern sculptor who had used him as a model. It was delicately carved without any flaws that anyone could see, but Lea pointed precisely between the statue’s legs and expressed her dissatisfaction.

“Shouldn’t this part be bigger?”

“Why?”

“Well, that’s……”

Lea stopped mid-sentence. Her head felt dizzy, and her eyes spun around. Normally, Allen would scold her for making lewd jokes, but strangely, he just smiled. So the embarrassment returned to her.

“Commander… aren’t you, b-big?”

“Thankfully, you remember the size.”

“Pardon?”

“I thought you’d forgotten everything about my shape and size since you haven’t been accommodating me.”

Lea’s face began to burn like the sun.

The Commander had changed. Originally, she should be the relaxed one while he writhed in shame, but their positions had reversed. Lea withdrew her hand and brought it to her face to hide her expression.

But Allen was already making chuckling sounds.

“Commander, did you drink something wrong?”

“Why, do I look handsome?”

“Commander, you’ve always been handso—”

Lea couldn’t finish her sentence. Allen kissed her on the cheek. Lea placed her hand on her ticklish cheek and opened her mouth. Her head spun. Allen placed his hand on hers and lowered his head again. Lea tightly closed her eyes.

A small voice came to her ear.

“I love you.”

“……”

Lea’s eyes flew open. She thought she had misheard. But the same words dug into her ear.

“I love you, Lea.”

Lea froze and couldn’t move a finger. She had heard correctly. Allen removed his lips from her ear and smiled. It was a dazzling smile that left her unable to think. Lea stammered and rolled her eyes.

“I love you.”

This time it shook her heart. The moonlight seemed to shine only on Allen. Allen repeated the same words several times and buried his face in Lea’s neck. Lea twisted her head, not knowing what to do. Both the hair tickling her chin and the breath touching her collarbone made her unable to move.

Allen took her hand and placed a light kiss on the back of it. Lea’s body trembled slightly.

“I’ll give time to our clueless Lea.”

“……”

“But I have an impatient personality.”

Allen raised his head. He was still holding her hand. He played with Lea’s ring finger and continued speaking.

“Think about it until tomorrow evening.”

“What, do you mean?”

Lea parted her lips with difficulty. Allen pressed his lips to her finger this time.

“Find out how you feel.”

After that, Lea couldn’t properly enjoy the festival. She felt like she was walking in a dream. Knights who passed by called out to her and said something, but nothing entered her ears. When merchants sold items, she foolishly bought them without asking or questioning.

If Allen hadn’t been beside her, stopping her unnecessary spending, Lea would have spent all her money today.

Thus, the bewildering night passed.

* * *

The words “I love you” weren’t such unfamiliar words to Lea. When she was very young, her parents said them to her. Growing up, her siblings constantly said them to her. Later, the knights would shout “I love you, Vice Commander!” if training ended early.

But the word “love” she heard last night was very unfamiliar. It was such a novel word that she tossed and turned in bed all night thinking about it, and it was scary enough to make her heart drop.

Lea vaguely felt that the love Allen uttered was different from the meaning she had known. The actions the Commander had been doing toward her came to mind one by one, making the meaning of love more and more tangible as time passed. Lea kept rubbing her chest.

‘This doesn’t make sense.’

Yes, it was strange. The Commander was a nobleman. Moreover, he was a Grand Duke, said to be second only to the Emperor in status. She couldn’t believe that such a person would love her, a commoner and insignificant person.

She wondered if she had dreamed it, but the Commander had left a message saying he would wait in the office.

Lea felt like her head would explode. This was practically the first time she had thought so much. Her head spun from constantly thinking of just one person.

Clearly, neither the Knight Division nor the Emperor would approve of this.

“Vice Commander! You dropped your sword.”

Lea startled and picked up her sword.

“That’s the hundredth time. You’ve never done this before. Is something wrong?”

James asked with concern. Lea shook her head, insisting she was fine. But it was shocking. No matter how much her heart wavered, she had never dropped her sword. And now, a hundred times.

Lea eventually stopped training and put away her sword. James approached her.

“Is it because of the Commander?”

“Wh-what?”

When James lowered his voice and acted knowingly, Lea dropped her scabbard on the floor this time. James picked it up and returned it to her, saying.

“So… is it true?”

“…You know too?”

“Keuph.”

Suddenly James covered his mouth and whimpered.

“Vice Commander, you absolutely must not lose.”

“Hmm?”

Lea tilted her head to the side. She couldn’t understand James’s words. Did he mean not to lose her loving feelings?

James looked at Lea’s weakened wrist with pity and said.

“The Commander hasn’t let go since the battle ended, right?”

“…But, what’s the problem?”

Lea nodded her head for now. Allen did often embrace her, so that wasn’t wrong. James’s face immediately turned pale.

“These days, the Comtop faction’s momentum is tremendous.”

“Comtop faction?”

Lea narrowed her brow at the unfamiliar word. It seemed like she might have heard it somewhere before.

“Yes! The Commander keeps smiling, which clearly… ahem.”

James suddenly cleared his throat and shook his head, saying he couldn’t say more. Lea couldn’t contain her curiosity.

“What comes next?”

“H-how could I tell you that? Anyway, this situation can’t continue.”

James blushed and discreetly handed something to her.

“The knights and I bought this during the festival. They say it suddenly gives you strength.”

“What kind of strength?”

“Ahem. You’ll understand when you see the effect.”

James handed it over and quickly disappeared. Behind James, she could see the knights. When they made eye contact with her, they jumped in surprise and ran away.

Lea stared blankly at the vial of perfume in her hand. There was small writing on the bottle. She narrowed her eyes to read it, and the sentence became clear.

‘Tightly squeeze the man you love.’

Heart shapes were drawn before and after the sentence. Lea put the bottle in her pocket, her hands trembling.

The man you love.

‘Find out how you feel.’

Allen’s voice echoed in her ear. Lea finally realized her feelings through a single vial of perfume—feelings that even the knights already knew.

Lea immediately ran to the office.

She might hate other men, but she could mix bodies with the Commander. She still didn’t know why. She just liked being embraced in his warm arms. When their heated bodies overlapped and she received his, she felt so good she couldn’t think.

Perhaps she had liked him from the first moment they met.

Lea opened the office door. She saw Allen processing documents. Her heart skipped beats when she saw him. The sunlight leaking through the window illuminated him. Allen sensed her presence and looked up. Lea couldn’t properly open her eyes.

The Commander seemed to be emitting light.

“Commander!”

“Yes.”

She called him but couldn’t continue. Lea walked firmly toward him. Her gait was strange from nervousness. But Allen waited for her with a beautiful smile.

Lea stood in front of Allen and inhaled. Words wandered in her throat.

“Um……”

「I like you too.」

Her thoughts flowed out first.

“So lo… mmph.”

Lea tried to say it out loud but was blocked. Allen swallowed her voice, making it impossible to speak. Lea stopped moving at the lips pressed against hers and quietly closed her eyes. The thought that had leaked once burst forth and headed toward Allen.

「I love you too, Commander.」

He was so intoxicated by Lea’s sweet thoughts that he explored her lips without realizing the sun was setting.

「I love you. I really, really love you.」

“Yes, I love you too, Lea.”

Finally, their hearts connected.

Allen kissed Lea once more.