Amel had a warm bowl of soup for breakfast before moving around to loosen her body. She stretched her shoulders and arms, and it felt refreshing. She was definitely beginning to recover little by little.

“Cough! Ahem, ahem!”

But Lilline had already lost her voice by morning. Covering her mouth with a clenched fist, she coughed dryly. Her cough sounded dry and harsh.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“My throat feels dry this morning.”

“No wonder. Your voice sounds terrible.”

“I’ll go out and drink some warm water. I keep coughing.”

Amel had wondered if Lilline would be all right after waking up with a hoarse voice that morning.

In the end, Lilline came down with a cold and was bedridden.

“How are you feeling?”

Lilline lay on her side, coughing dryly. After coughing continuously, her breathing had become rather labored. Perhaps her throat was swollen, because each breath came out thin and strained.

Pulling the blanket up to her nose, Lilline spoke weakly.

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

“What are you sorry for? If you’re sick, you should rest.”

“But if I’m like this, who will take care of you?”

“I’m fine, so get plenty of rest. And don’t even think about giving your cold to me.”

They couldn’t go anywhere anyway because of the rain, so Amel gave her time off to rest.

Amel carefully tucked the blanket around Lilline.

“Stay warm and sleep. Don’t kick off the blanket because you’re hot. You caught this cold because you kept kicking off your blanket in your sleep. Did you take your medicine?”

“Yes. I took some from the emergency medicine kit…… Still, I’m glad I’m the only one who got sick. Ahem. My lady, please don’t stay here. You’ll catch my cold.”

Lilline covered her mouth with the blanket and coughed. Her face looked pale beneath the covers.

“I shouldn’t have kept you here when you’re sick. Get some rest.”

Amel closed the door for her and returned to her own room.

She hadn’t expected this situation. She had only considered the possibility of herself falling ill, since she was the one who often suffered from minor ailments. It had never occurred to her that Lilline might become bedridden.

“Are you all right, Lilline?”

“My lady. I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to turn in early and get some sleep.”

And that evening, Lilline ate an early dinner and quickly fell asleep.

Around eight in the evening, Amel went down to the dining room.

She pressed the dining room bell and placed an order with the madam.

“Do you have any wine?”

The night was boring, she had nothing to do, and it was still too early to go to bed.

“Yes! We do! Would you like some?”

“Yes.”

“Here you are, my lady. But it might be a little strong for you. It has a fairly high alcohol content, so please be careful.”

The madam brought out a bottle of wine she had made herself.

The wine was tart and full-bodied. It was also quite strong, and Amel soon felt pleasantly tipsy after just a few sips.

In the end, she drank only two glasses before getting up.

“You’re leaving already, my lady?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you can make it upstairs by yourself?”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

And so, after being seen off by the madam, Amel started back to her room.

‘Why are these stairs so noisy?’

As she climbed the stairs, they creaked beneath her feet. Each step echoed through the stairwell.

Amel paused and looked down at her feet.

A ring?

Where had this ring come from?

“Madillert?”

The House of Madilert.

It was a ring belonging to the Grand Ducal House of Madillert. It served as both a ring and a signet.

‘Did the Grand Duke drop it?’

Amel picked up the ring and glanced around the staircase. She had just reached the second floor.

‘Should something like this really be lying around in a place like this?’

‘Should I take it to his room?’

It was right outside his room, so she could easily have returned it herself.

Besides, it was far too valuable to leave with the madam.

She considered giving it to one of the guards, but then she suddenly remembered the digestive medicine he had given her the previous night.

After all, she had only received his help the day before and hadn’t even thanked him properly.

Amel leaned out into the hallway. Light spilled through the gap between the doors.

‘Is he inside?’

She could hear someone moving around.

He hadn’t been around since this morning. Had he just come back?

She approached carefully.

Amel was about to knock when she noticed that the door was already ajar. Without thinking, she peered inside through the gap.

Cervel hadn’t gone out. He was in his room.

But there was something strange about the scene.

He was sitting on the edge of the desk with his legs spread and his hand on the front of his trousers.

His trousers were neatly worn, and only the front fastening was undone. Even his posture was composed.

This is why it took Amel a moment to realize what was wrong.

His hand was in an unmistakable position.

He had undone his trousers and was vigorously stroking himself.

Slap!

Slap, slap, slap!

He moved his hand sharply up and down over his *rect p*nis, at navel level.

Gripping his shaft tightly, he stroked upwards with a fist-like grip.

Furrowing his brow, he *jaculated, shooting a white fl*id out of the tip of his p*nis. The liquid ran down from the tip and over his hand.

When he shook his hand, droplets fell from his fingers. They gathered into small, round beads on the floor.

Cervel wiped himself with a handkerchief, pulled up his trousers, and fastened the hook.

Then he raised his head.

Their eyes met, but he showed no sign of surprise.

“Still here?”

Only then did Amel finally snap back to her senses.

“……I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Come back?”

The moment Amel turned around, a hand caught her by the back of the neck from behind.

“Miss Amel.”

“Eek!”

When Amel cried out in surprise, he immediately covered her mouth.

“Why did you scream?”

‘Ghk!’

Her throat seized up.

Amel struggled to breathe properly, making strangled little noises. She even started hiccupping.

Cervel gave a slight wink with his left eye.

“Come here for a moment.”

Cervel backed Amel against the wall and locked the door.

“You can keep quiet, can’t you?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Don’t scream. If you do, I’ll cover your mouth again.”

If he did that, he might end up showing her in this state to someone else.

That was the last thing Amel wanted.

Once Amel had calmed down, Cervel removed his hand from her mouth. He placed his hands on his waist and asked.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not another apology. I asked what you were doing here.”

“I was on my way back after having some wine…….”

Amel let her words trail off and held out her hand. Rather than launch into a lengthy explanation, she simply opened her palm to show him the ring.

“It’s a signet ring. I found it on the stairs just outside. I thought it might belong to the Grand Ducal House.”

“Oh. So that’s where it went.”

“Yes.”

“Give it here.”

“Here you are.”

“I’d lost it. Thanks to you, I’ve found it.”

He took only the ring, lifting it away with his fingertips. Amel withdrew her empty hand and lowered her arm.

“Not at all, Your Grace. I’m sorry to have disturbed you so late at night. Since I’ve returned your belongings, I’ll be on my way…….”

Her head was spinning.

Why does this always happen whenever I see him?

Whenever they met, she somehow ended up in an awkward situation, becoming flustered every time.

Amel stared blankly downwards.

His trousers were bulging.

A tent?

It looked as though someone had pitched a tent beneath them. The fabric at the front had formed a rounded bulge.

Cervel tapped his fingers together, making a sharp sound.

Only then did Amel realize her mistake.

“Miss Amel. What are you looking at?”

“Nothing. I wasn’t looking at anything.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Then may I leave now?”

Amel carefully felt around for the doorknob.

The door. Where is the door? The doorknob!

There it was. She found the handle.

“I’ll be leaving now, Your Grace. Please excuse me for disturbing you so late at night.”

Amel was about to leave, but the moment she opened the door, it swung shut.

Thud.

He braced his hand against the door.

“Where are you going?”

His hand blocked her way out.

“Pardon?”

“I asked where you’re going.”

“……I’m going back to my room.”

“To your room? Just like that?”

“It’s late, isn’t it? I should go.”

Cervel quietly looked down at Amel.

After watching her in silence for a moment, he turned his gaze away.

“Um, then may I leave now?”

“Come inside.”

“Pardon?”

He gestured toward the room.

“Come inside.”

“No, no, it’s all right. I was just going back to my room…….”

“You’re just going to leave?”

He tilted his head and gave her a slight wink.

“It’s impolite to send a guest away after she’s come all the way here.”

“I’m really fine.”

“You came all the way here. I can’t do that.”

He gestured toward the room.

“Come inside.”

Cervel slowly turned to look at Amel.

“Aren’t your legs tired? Sit down.”

He sat in the chair first, then motioned for her to take a seat.

“……Where?”

There was only one chair, and nowhere else suitable to sit.

“Do you want the chair?”

“No. Please excuse me for a moment.”

Reluctantly, Amel sat down on the edge of the bed. The corner of the mattress sank beneath her weight.

When Amel sat as far away from him as possible, Cervel gestured toward her.

“Why are you sitting so far away?”

“Pardon?”

“Come closer.”

Amel lifted herself slightly and scooted closer to him. Each time the mattress sank beneath her, the bed creaked.

With the only sound in the quiet room coming from the bed, the situation became awkward for no reason.

“Am I going to eat you?”

“Pardon?”

“You keep flinching.”

Amel awkwardly fiddled with her shoulder, darting her eyes around before offering an apology of her own accord.

“……I’m sorry, Your Grace.”