Chapter 1: Fake Ideal (5)

Tehis couldn’t answer for the first time since he started drafting the contract.

Despite being the one who set the conditions, he couldn’t give a definite answer because he lacked confidence.

‘How do you even express the emotion of love?’

Having never received warmth from a woman, let alone from his parents, it was impossible for him to properly express it to others. His infamy was so high, and his demeanor so unwelcoming, that no ordinary lady even approached him.

The only woman who had come close was the princess, and he was entering into this contract to avoid marrying her.

In short, for someone like him who was a complete novice at romance, the biggest hurdle was pretending to be in love.

‘Should I read a romance novel or something?’

Reading Tehis’s dilemma, Chloe shrugged her shoulders.

“We’ll practice slowly. For now, just follow my lead, and that should be enough, so relax.”

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I’m only doing this because I’m getting something out of it.

She decided to offer some extra service while she was at it, of course, making sure to get what she needed.

“I’ll come to see you every two weeks as promised. Instead, could you give me the magic stones you were going to use for the warp gate?”

“If you come to see me personally, I should certainly do that. I’ll prepare some high-grade ones instead of small ones.”

Chloe whistled inwardly.

‘I like how straightforward he is.’

Unlike ordinary people who need magic stones to activate magic circles, mages can use them by directly infusing mana. So, she was saving the magic stones.

‘You can never have too many freebies.’

Having gathered everything she needed, she signed the two contracts with a satisfied face. She imbued her name with mana to imprint her unique wavelength and handed the papers to the Grand Duke.

“Here you go. It was a satisfactory contract.”

“Likewise. I look forward to working with you.”

Tehis Escalante.

After signing with his elegant handwriting, he carefully tucked the briefly glowing contracts into his pocket. Knowing that a copy with the same content would automatically be registered at the Mage Tower, he didn’t bother giving her a copy.

“Then I’ll see you in two weeks.”

“Ah, wait. How about we come up with a basic backstory before we part ways?”

“By backstory, you mean……?”

“We’ll have to act as lovers for a while. Wouldn’t it be strange to keep using formal titles? We also need to agree on how we met.”

Tehis nodded, feeling that Chloe’s words made sense.

Knowing that the Grand Duke was listening to her, she subtly suggested.

“I’ve already decided how to address you. Tess, is that okay?”

“…It’s fine.”

Recalling the incident at the Grand Duke’s residence, Tehis couldn’t refuse the nickname.

It was too late to change the nickname she had called him in front of the princess. But just because he couldn’t reject the nickname didn’t mean he could comfortably accept a nickname he had never been called before, causing him to rub the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Call me Chloe. Without the formal title. If you must create a nickname, maybe ‘Lo’?”

“Chloe.”

It was more like he was repeating the name to himself rather than calling her.

Chloe. Nickname, Lo.

Although they had exchanged names earlier, the pronunciation of her name felt surprisingly new when he said it.

‘So, I’ll be pretending to be in a relationship with this woman for a while.’

Tehis, who had lived a life far removed from romance, felt a strange sensation. While he was worried about whether he could do well, he also felt like he was encountering something completely unknown, making it hard to grasp what lay ahead.

‘I guess I’ll have to get some help from Lisa.’

As he resolved to seek help from his aide, who had married after a passionate romance, Chloe’s voice reached him.

“Then, as practice, let’s start now.”

“Yes, Chloe.”

Thinking it was about addressing her, the Grand Duke agreed, only to flinch when the mage suddenly grabbed his arm. He almost instinctively pushed her away but stopped and looked at her with questioning eyes, meeting her bright smile.

“You can’t stiffen up every time I touch you, Tess. I know you’ve spent a long time in the battlefield, but how can we act as lovers if you keep being wary of me?”

“…I understand.”

Closing his tired eyes tightly and then opening them, he carefully placed his hand over Chloe’s.

The calloused hand of a swordsman completely covered the soft hand of the mage.

“You mean I should get used to physical contact with you.”

“Oh…”

A non-verbal exclamation escaped Chloe.

‘This might be fun.’

As a mage who lived and breathed for curiosity, she sparkled with interest.

Tehis Escalante, who she thought was just a stoic figure, was quite something after all.

Feeling that the contract relationship might be more interesting than expected, Chloe smiled brightly.

“That’s right. It would be better if you could also lower your honorifics. Try speaking comfortably, like I do.”

“I’ll try, but…”

Tehis showed reluctance. Treating a mage close to a senior level, and a disciple of Mage Tower Master Isrion, casually was unimaginable for him.

It felt like not showing proper respect to the Princess, but even more dangerous.

‘She’s more dangerous than the Princess.’

Tehis remembered that he hadn’t sensed her presence until she opened the door to the dressing room, even though she looked to be in her mid-twenties at most. He also recalled her actions, as if she had grasped the situation in his study completely.

[The first party and the second party shall not intentionally harm each other.]

This clause, which seemed to show his consideration for her, was actually his measure to protect himself.

He knew what kind of disaster a mage could bring.

‘But I still don’t know why she helped me.’

Tehis, who remained silent for fear of having to pay a price for asking, was met with a demand from Chloe.

“It’s fine to use formal speech, but isn’t it too distant now? Try speaking more affectionately.”

“Yes, Chloe.”

“…”

Is he doing this on purpose?

Chloe stared at the Grand Duke, whose short response was still stiff and formal, and then waved her hand.

“Let’s work on your speech gradually. Our first meeting was after the warp gate inspection a year ago… Oh, right.”

She clapped her hands as she remembered something she had forgotten.

“I went to collect this year’s inspection fee but forgot. Can I visit the Grand Duke’s residence tomorrow? I’ll also pick up the advance payment for the exploration request.”

“I’ll have it ready.”

“I’ll prepare it.”

“…I’ll prepare it.”

Tehis repeated the corrected words.

Chloe tapped his arm as if praising him and checked the time. She remembered the note from Isrion, who had sent a tea set to the reception room through a warp spell but had not shown up himself.

There wasn’t much time left until his return, as he had said he would be back soon.

“Let’s part ways for today since Master will return soon. We’ll continue our conversation tomorrow.”

“Yes, Chloe. See you tomorrow.”

Chloe nodded at the much better sentence than the expected “See you tomorrow, Miss.”

‘It’s a relief that the Grand Duke is smart. It won’t be too hard.’

She smiled slyly and playfully tugged on Tehis’s cravat.

As his neck was pulled, causing him to bend over, Chloe whispered in his ear.

“This is a gift. Keep it well until tomorrow.”

Before the Grand Duke could ask what she meant, she bit his neck.

“…?!”

As he flinched, Chloe pressed down on his shoulder to calm him and buried her lips in his neck. Her bright red tongue tasted the stiff skin.

Tehis, who felt a strange shiver from the slow licking of his bare skin, grabbed her waist. The smooth curves of her body and the weak sucking sensation did nothing to help him calm down.

For someone who had never experienced s*xual contact, let alone a hug, this was an excessive stimulus. But he couldn’t push her away, so he just swallowed hard, trembling.

Without considering the man’s situation, Chloe made a smacking sound and admired her work.

A red kiss mark appeared clearly just below his ear.

“It’s better than I thought. This should make it clear to anyone that you belong to someone.”

“…”

“Tess?”

Worried that she might have gone too far, Chloe blinked as she looked at the man.

A faint heat lingered in the Grand Duke’s ear, covered by one hand.

“…Yes, Chloe. Thank you for your consideration… Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me…”

Chloe, who had been infected by Tehis’s delayed response, answered awkwardly and didn’t say anything until he turned around.

Rather than seeing him off, she watched his back until the door closed and licked her lips.

Indeed.

Indeed, he is…

‘…Cute.’

Strange, was this my preference all along?

She didn’t realize that she had already thought the same thing three times today.

* * *

After that, Chloe’s time passed quickly.

After discussing the Winter Forest exploration request with Isrion and returning to her private room, she found Riel sleeping. After waking her friend, who had merged with the sofa, they had dinner together and then she sent her off. She then spent time in her research lab before going to bed, all flowing smoothly.

The next day arrived.

Waking up early in the morning, Chloe stared at her wardrobe.

‘Wearing a robe wouldn’t be right, would it?’

Even though it was their first meeting as lovers, she sighed, thinking that a robe wouldn’t be appropriate.

But wearing the dress she received from the Grand Duke’s residence felt too much. The girlish pink wasn’t her taste either.

What is the thing that mages, known as the seekers of knowledge, find most bothersome? It is dressing themselves up.

Mages, as a group, would rather read one more line of a thesis than spend time on romance.

Chloe, with her broader range of interests, wasn’t much different. If the contract had required meeting every day instead of just having a meal together every two weeks, she would have refused immediately.

‘He probably set the schedule loosely knowing that.’

Anyway, Chloe, who had little interest in dressing up despite her pretty appearance, thought it was a waste of time to worry about it.

Unless it was a day to go out and prove their relationship by having a meal, she planned to visit briefly, so she chose a simple tunic. If her plain attire bothered him, she thought her fake lover would prepare clothes for her next time.

Having roughly finished her preparations to go out, she answered the beeping communication device.

“What is it?”

“Miss Chloe, a package has arrived from Grand Duke Escalante. It’s quite bulky. Should I send it to your lab?”

“…? Send it to my private room.”