Chapter 9

Did he not want to deal with her at all?

‘I’ve even tried to restrain myself from bringing men in, afraid he’d be more upset. Was he completely disappointed because of that day…?’

So, even as a person.

Swallowing her bitter feelings, Avgenia signed the necessary places on the documents Alexei had prepared.

It started from that day.

Nearly two weeks had passed since that day when a subtle tension had begun to flow between them. It was too much to say it was just awkwardness from a s*xual conversation; her mistake was far greater.

‘I got annoyed at the wrong thing.’

Of course, Alexei could have someone he loved.

He could come to her for relationship advice.

As Ramantus’s only heir, he would someday marry and have children, so naturally he’d have s*x with someone.

But why did that bother her so much?

Their years together were deep, but their feelings weren’t. Feelings deepen through mutual interaction, but Alexei never had any special feelings for her, and above all, his father the Duke supported the First Prince, so their bond was bound to be weak.

‘When Nikolai was born and the Duke switched sides, I thought Alexei would drift away too.’

But Alexei naturally became her aide, and it had already been four years.

Not that their personal bond had deepened much.

It was wrong of her to expect Alexei’s actions to be driven by special feelings. He might have become her aide out of loyalty, or as career experience to control central politics as the future Duke, or simply to be his father’s eyes and ears.

Meanwhile, she was blatantly playing the wanton troublemaker in front of him.

She did it hoping it would reach the Duke’s ears and make him let his guard down, so she couldn’t even act indifferent around Alexei.

‘Right, if you find someone, you should sort out your opposite-s*x friends. Especially if they’re as promiscuous as me. How much must that bother him?’

Yeah, that’s it. Avgenia smiled bitterly to herself as she moved her hand quickly.

‘It’s not because I did something stupid that day. Even if it was, that was just a minor trigger; we were bound to drift apart anyway. Yeah, that’s it.’

‘…But Rozie said there didn’t seem to be anyone.’

Unlike her mechanical hand, Avgenia’s thoughts wandered elsewhere.

A few days ago, Rozie, who had been ordered to track down the woman who stole Alexei’s heart, reported back in a hesitant voice, and it was rather curious.

〈Nothing, nothing. If it’s a married lady, maybe, but with the unmarried young ladies, he barely even greets them.〉

〈Could it be a man?〉

〈If he liked men, would he have asked you about how to satisfy a woman, Your Highness?〉

〈…Ah, right.〉

As she recalled Rozie’s expression, as if wondering why Lexie always seemed to break down when it came to her, Avgenia almost laughed, but she suppressed the smile as she remembered the cold look on the man standing before her.

In truth, it wasn’t funny at all.

‘I never expected to find out that way anyway.’

Love can bloom anywhere, in any way.

It can begin with a single glance, or even a chance touch of fingertips.

〈Why can’t you cry, Your Highness? Who comforts you, Your Highness?〉

With just such a trivial and kind word, someone can become the most precious person in the world…

Avgenia handed the signed documents to Alexei with a sigh-like smile.

“It’d be good to discuss the Lamt district issue with Duke Mishael.”

“I’ll send a messenger.”

“Proceed with everything else as planned.”

“Yes. And, here’s more.”

As Alexei handed over another stack of documents as if he’d been waiting, Avgenia was taken aback.

What’s this? All the urgent matters for this week are done.

Looking through the reports with a hardened gaze…

‘None of these are urgent…?’

‘So he’s been avoiding me because he’s busy? Even though he’s my aide, is it because of something I don’t know?’

Alexei had been out of the office for outside work or whatever, leaving whenever possible for nearly two weeks now.

Avgenia accepted the documents with a hollow smile.

“Why the rush? It’s not like you’re piling up next month’s work. Are you secretly going on a business trip?”

“…”

There was no reply to her joking remark. The small sense of discomfort froze Avgenia in an instant.

He’d usually say, ‘I’m just anxious because you could run off anywhere at any time, Your Highness.’

That would be the usual reply.

Avgenia’s eyes quietly drifted upward.

Alexei’s lips were still tightly closed, and his eyes still avoided her face, but… the look on his face was clearly one of embarrassment.

What’s this? What’s going on?

Trying to forget the anxiety rising inside, Avgenia started to refocus on the documents.

“That, since we’re on the topic…”

Alexei trailed off, making a rustling sound.

No, it couldn’t be. Surely not.

Feeling the suppressed anxiety grow larger, Avgenia slowly lifted her head.

From Alexei’s arms came a neatly sealed envelope.

Avgenia, curling her eyes, asked in a deliberately lively tone.

“An envelope? A letter? What could this be?”

“It’s my resignation.”

Thud. There was no sound to shake her eardrums, but Avgenia knew her heart had just dropped.

Her playful eyes hardened. Alexei, who was trying not to accidentally look at her face, couldn’t see it.

“So… suddenly?”

“My father told me it’s time to go down to the estate.”

Going down to the estate.

It was common knowledge in Gronlant that Ramantus heirs spent their honeymoon period at the estate, as befitting the family’s prestige.

So, in other words…

“Did things work out with that woman?”

Alexei’s lips were tightly sealed.

He’d run simulations thousands of times about presenting his resignation to Avgenia, but never imagined she’d ask about this.

She had always reacted with annoyance at jokes about nighttime matters, so she surely wouldn’t care about his private life.

If she were jealous, maybe, but it would be a lie to say he hadn’t hoped for it. Actually, he wished she would.

But remembering Avgenia’s calm attitude that day, it was clear she would never be jealous, making the whole idea embarrassing even to imagine.

Then why?

Why was she asking?

Now, of all times?

Maybe because he was so lost in confusion, Alexei didn’t notice that all playfulness had long vanished from Avgenia’s voice.

So what Alexei said next, he would soon regret.

“Reporting on my private life isn’t part of an aide’s duties.”

He was shameless, considering he’d asked her how to be good at s*x. Alexei suppressed the urge to bite his tongue in self-mockery.

Idiot.

Why did he have to say something like that?

But even a lord who was about to accept her beloved aide’s resignation couldn’t manage a logical response.

“…Right.”

Right, yes.

She had the duty to share everything with her aide, so she’d always shown herself bringing men in, but she had no right to interfere with Alexei’s private life.

It wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t stop her heart from sinking.

Avgenia barely managed to steady her trembling voice to reply.

“…Until when?”

“I’m thinking until the handover is finished. For your next aide, I recommend either Dame Alexandra or Sir Dmitri from the aide office, but if you’d rather recruit externally, I can post an announcement within the month if needed.”

He must have considered every possible scenario to decide on the most ideal conclusion for Avgenia. He was clever and adorable Lexie, after all.

So it’s not like Avgenia hadn’t known this day would come.

She tried not to let her trembling fingers show as she placed the resignation letter to one side of the desk. She couldn’t manage any reply.

To smile sweetly and say “Is that so,” or jokingly beg him not to quit, or say something she didn’t mean like “How will I live without you,” or tease him for rushing so much… None of the dozens of reactions Alexei had imagined were right this time.

Alexei silently swallowed.

For a while, only the sound of Avgenia shuffling papers filled the office. Occasionally, the scratch of a pen on paper overlapped.

The scene was the same as before, but the atmosphere around them had subtly changed.

Avgenia broke the silence only after signing the last page of the file.

“…Mage Tower business trip.”

Her words were like a period. Her gaze stayed fixed at the end of her last signature.

“For that, Lexie, you’ll come with me.”

Alexei’s brow furrowed as he watched Avgenia’s hands in silence.

He’d been avoiding her because being near her made him feel pathetic and embarrassed about always getting aroused, but now she wanted him on a trip together for several days?

Alexei replied reflexively.

“I recommend Dame Alexandra from the aide office. It might be more comfortable since she’s also a woman…”

“It’s uncomfortable.”

Avgenia lifted her gaze. At last, her vivid pink eyes met Alexei’s, and they no longer wavered.

“You were present at the last meeting with the Mage Tower master, weren’t you?”

“That time…”

“Given the nature of the matter, it looks best if the chief aide goes.”

“…”

Alexei tried hard to hide his confusion behind his usual blank expression. Their gazes held for longer than at any time since that day two weeks ago.

The moment he met those beautifully colored eyes, all the words Avgenia had said to him came flooding back.

In truth, Alexei had spent many nights tormented by desire that couldn’t be soothed by self-pleasure, just remembering Avgenia’s playfully smiling eyes.

He slowly blinked his aching eyelids. All the while, Avgenia’s rosy eyes never left him.

“You know how important this research is.”

Alexei’s blue eyes rippled like a river about to overflow. If Avgenia could read that his confusion was mixed with deep longing, she wouldn’t have been so firm.

“If we finish this well, I think I can let you go with a clear heart.”

“That’s…”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

Avgenia curled her cat-like eyes and smiled sweetly.

So, Alexei had no way to refuse that smile.