Chapter 2

‘As expected, I shouldn’t have come.’

Although he forced himself to come to the masquerade ball at the Emperor’s urging to “enjoy life in the capital,” to him, this place was even more uncomfortable than a battlefield filled with blood and flesh.

Nobles, pretending to be elegant but wearing revealing clothes, waged their own war with glasses and masks instead of swords and helmets.

The way they pressed their chests against arms or drew close under the old excuse of brushing dust from hair was truly shocking to Baron, who had grown up in the conservative North.

“Phew…….”

Whether it was because of the intense heat inside or the embarrassing scenes unfolding before his eyes, Baron felt his body heating up for some time now. He tried to ignore the young ladies throwing glances at him and walked into a corner of the ballroom.

‘They say he’s only ever lived on the battlefield, and it must be true.’

Arisha, who had been watching Baron standing alone like an ugly duckling, let out a small laugh. She had been curious about what kind of man the Grand Duke—who had defeated all the nomads invading from the North—would be, but the man before her was just a country noble from the North.

‘Maybe I should talk to him.’

The ball was just starting to get boring anyway, so she thought it might be nice to have a conversation for a while. Stories from the war in the North might even be interesting.

“Is this your first time at a place like this? You look uncomfortable.”

Baron’s eyes twitched slightly at Arisha’s words as she spoke, her beautiful platinum-blonde hair cascading down to her waist. It was because her dress exposed her upper chest. Even though it was less revealing than what other young ladies in the ballroom wore, Baron’s cheeks instantly turned red.

“I’m not used to social gatherings.”  

As Baron wondered how to avoid this uncomfortable conversation, he shuddered at the heat rising from just below his chest.

“!”

Seeing Baron’s eyes suddenly widen and his body flinch, Arisha grabbed his arm with a startled expression.

“You don’t look well. Are you sick?”

“Hh…”

Clutching his spinning head, Baron squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. He tried to snap himself out of it, but it was no use. His body kept getting hotter, to the point where even standing was becoming difficult.

‘Is it poison?’

He considered the possibility of poisoning, but his body’s reaction was different from when he had ingested poison. There was no numbness, and all his nerves were intact. The problem was that those nerves were not numb but overly sensitive.

‘It’s not poison. Then why……’

While Baron was confused and flustered, Arisha was already putting together the cause. Judging by his suddenly heated body, dizziness, and the obvious bulge forming on Baron’s thigh, it was clear that one of the young ladies at the ball had played a trick.

Supporting his faltering body, Arisha quickly whispered in Baron’s ear.

“Let’s go out to the terrace first,”

“Terrace……?”

“The cool air will help you feel better.”

At those words, Baron nodded, breathing heavily. He thought the freezing wind of the North might bring him to his senses, but for now, even a bit of cool air was desperately needed.

Since Arisha knew the layout of the ballroom better, she guided him, saying, “This way.” Baron used all his strength to follow her. With every step, he barely managed to steady his breathing, and finally, upon reaching the terrace, he gripped the railing and exhaled rough breaths.

“What did you drink here?”  

After closing the terrace door and drawing the curtains, Arisha asked. Baron recalled that earlier, one young lady had handed him a glass of punch.

“A punch… given by a certain young lady… I did drink a glass of it….”

“That’s why you’re like this.”

Nodding knowingly, Arisha looked at him. The cool night breeze calmed the heat in his body for a moment, but soon the heat surged again, and Baron twisted his head, breathing in agony.

“Ha, what does that have to do with…….”

Barely managing to speak, Baron saw Arisha click her tongue. The war hero who had ruled the northern mountains was suffering from such a cheap trick—though she had no real connection to him, she couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry.

“You’re quite naïve. At a masquerade ball, you shouldn’t accept just anything. Who knows what could be in the food or drink.”

Only then did Baron understand the strange reaction in his body, and his eyes widened.

“You mean… something was put in that drink……?”

“Most likely. It was probably a magic potion to arouse you.”

Feeling frustrated, Baron bit his lip and nervously undid a few buttons on his shirt. If he had consumed a magic potion, a bit of cold air wouldn’t be enough to calm this excitement.

Wondering how to overcome this ordeal, Baron decided first to send the young lady who had brought him to the terrace away and spoke to Arisha.

“You should… go now. I’ll repay your kindness for helping me later.”

Baron barely managed to hold onto his senses as he spoke, and Arisha made a small sound. Although it was hard to see with the mask on, it was clear that his eyes were already flushed with excessive excitement.

Moreover, the presence of his aroused state was already obvious, visible even through his trousers.

“What will you do after I leave?”

“…What?”

“If you don’t know, the magic potion in the punch was probably made by the mage Krola. It’s popular among young ladies in the capital these days.”

Even though Arisha already knew the Grand Duke’s identity, she deliberately called him “young lord.” It was a small courtesy for someone struggling to control himself under the influence.

“So what does that mean……?”

“If you drank that mage’s potion, you won’t be able to calm down just by handling it yourself.”

“…….”

“Oh, and in case you’re curious, mage Krola doesn’t sell an antidote for this potion. That way, sales go up.”

Baron clenched his teeth so hard it made a sound. Not being able to calm down on his own, and with no antidote for the potion—this was a disaster.

“So you’re saying… I have to……”

“It means you need to have relations.”

After her kind explanation, Arisha even gave a sweet smile, making Baron squeeze his eyes shut. His head had felt foggy and dizzy since earlier, and his lower body was acting without regard for his reason.

The most torturous part was that the young lady’s chest in front of him seemed overly stimulating. Her pale skin, not inferior even to those from the North, the subtle scent of roses, and the olive eyes looking up at him all felt as if they were seducing him.

“Perhaps there are young ladies at this ball who would like to engage with you, Your Grace. Especially the one who gave you the punch is probably searching for you desperately.”

At the mention of the young lady who gave him the punch, veins bulged on the back of Baron’s hand. Remembering the red hair of the culprit, his fists clenched on their own.

“Being with one of those young ladies could be a solution.”

Baron’s face, hidden behind the mask, twisted in frustration. The thought of showing this ridiculous state to someone else was humiliating. If any more witnesses appeared, this disgraceful image might spread throughout society.

“Or, I could help you instead.”  

At those unexpected words, Baron’s eyes widened. Help him? Even though he knew what she meant, Baron swallowed hard instead of answering.

This was not what he had imagined a relationship between a man and a woman would be. He had always pictured making vows of love in front of countless witnesses, receiving their blessings, and finally spending the first night together in the bed where they would share their lives forever after a sacred wedding.

Arisha, watching Baron lost in thought, approached him with light steps. As the scent of roses grew stronger, Baron’s shoulders flinched.

“If you don’t like it… shall I leave?”

As soon as those words left her mouth, Baron felt the thread of his rationality snap.  

In an instant, he grabbed the back of Arisha’s head and captured her lips. 

Her lips seemed to curve upward slightly, but Baron, lost in the moment, had no mind to notice as he explored her mouth. Accepting Baron’s tongue, which moved like a fierce serpent, Arisha reached out with one hand and drew the curtain so that no one outside could see into the terrace.