Silence fell between the two once again.
For a long while, only the steady clatter of hooves echoed, while Aries fell deep into thought, completely unconcerned about whether Raymund was wary of him or not.
‘How can I ease Seiana’s heart?’
Though Seiana tried not to show it, Aries had sensed her wariness.
‘She looks soft and fragile—like she’d collapse backward with just a push—but she’s actually solid…’
It wasn’t easy, which was bothersome, but that’s exactly what made it appealing.
He didn’t like partners who were like dolls, only saying yes to everything. What Aries needed was someone who reminded him of his ordinary past life—not a maid who’d blindly obey him.
‘To make up for the bad first impression… maybe a gift would be best?’
Because the simplest way to open someone’s heart was often through a material gesture.
The problem was, Seiana came from a household that lacked for nothing.
Any decent item, the Count had probably already placed in his daughter’s hands.
It wasn’t like he could ask Raymund, either.
Even if Aries gave her something Seiana liked and didn’t already have, Raymund wouldn’t just sit by and let Aries give it first.
‘This is tough.’
If he gave her something she already had, she might not say anything, but inside she’d feel unimpressed.
So it had to be something rare and hard to get…
‘But I can’t give her something only royalty is allowed to have… Ah!’
A sudden thought popped into his head, and the previously distressed face of Aries instantly lit up.
He’d just remembered something rare and hard to obtain.
Raymund, noticing Aries smiling to himself, narrowed his eyes.
Since he’d been on alert the whole time, he immediately picked up on the change in Aries.
“What are you thinking about?”
Raymund’s voice was low, clearly suspicious that Aries was plotting something.
It was a warning that he wouldn’t just sit by and watch—but Aries only scoffed.
After all, the two of them were essentially rivals for Seiana’s affection, and Aries had no reason to share anything that might win her favor.
He tried to ignore Raymund, but the man’s wariness had reached its peak—he wasn’t going to let it slide.
《Tell me. What were you planning?》
“Ugh!”
Aries suddenly felt like an ant—an ant watching a giant press its massive finger down on him from above.
It felt like his whole body was being crushed, and he had the urge to bow his head toward the person before him.
“You bastard.”
《I said, speak.》
“You’re using your power of domination just to get an answer…”
It was ridiculous.
Raymund’s unique power wasn’t just the ability to use others’ abilities as if they were his own.
He had another ability as well.
Pure domination.
The power to make someone obey, whether they wanted to or not.
Since becoming an ability user, Raymund had only used this power once—except for now.
Partly because it made his body feel unwell, but mostly because it disgusted him.
Aries’s powers—like manipulating attraction and repulsion or teleportation—could resemble magic and weren’t so off-putting.
But domination?
That was different.
If used strongly, it could easily turn someone into a puppet.
As a royal, Raymund rarely had reason to use it.
And whenever he did, he felt like even more of a monster, which is why he avoided using his power.
Yet he used it now—just to make Aries open his mouth.
For Seiana’s safety.
Aries tried to resist, but Raymund’s persistent pressure finally broke his will.
“Did you know? Seiana loves fairies. She cherishes them. Lately, there’s this new book by a rising adventurer named Misskit that’s popular—it’s about fairies. I don’t believe in that stuff, of course, but Seiana does. Isn’t that adorable?”
“She seriously talks with the girls in her group about how to become friends with fairies. I want to make up for today’s mistake by giving her something related to fairies. Imagine how happy she’d be? If I gave her something rare, maybe she’d start seeing me as her closest friend. So…”
Aries spilled the words like a chattering woodpecker.
His tone was friendly and full of eager emotion, but his face looked like he was mad—his expression all scrunched up.
Raymund had been listening carefully, wondering what wicked plot Aries was hatching.
But once the topic of fairies came up, he was caught off guard.
For a moment, he felt sorry for misunderstanding—but then, the rest of Aries’s explanation made his eyes narrow in interest.
Raymund wanted to give Seiana only the best and most precious things.
There was no way he could just sit back and watch Aries gift her something rare.
“Don’t steal my idea!”
《So what’s the item about fairies? How are you going to get it?》
“You… evil devil!”
Having spilled everything, Aries turned red with fury and huffed, but Raymund didn’t care.
Though Aries was furious about being robbed of his idea and forced to give up his plan, he had no way to resist the power of domination.
He explained in detail what the item was and how he planned to get it, then warned in a hurry:
“If you steal my idea, I’ll kill you!”
Even when Aries blew up in fury—his hair practically standing on end—Raymund just snorted in amusement.
The only ways to get what Aries wanted were either to ask the Imperial Family or the House of Esteban.
But since Aries hated her own family, she’d never go to the Duke’s household.
That meant she had no choice but to rely on the Imperial Family.
“You’re not even getting it with your own power. You’re using someone else’s help.”
“You’re no different!”
“Still, I’m not like you. I’m part of the Imperial Family, at least.”
He was royalty, after all.
The Imperial Palace was his home.
So if both of them issued the same request, Raymund’s would naturally be prioritized.
If Raymund gave the order to ignore Aries’s request, she wouldn’t receive anything.
Raymund chuckled.
Aries read the ridicule in his laughter and fumed, but he brushed it off with a single line:
“Then go use your family’s power too.”
The Esteban family would likely treat Aries’s request with more importance than Raymund’s.
Normally, Aries would’ve growled in outrage at the suggestion of using her family’s influence.
But this time, she stayed quiet.
She even looked like she was seriously considering it.
Inside the now-silent carriage, Raymund leaned back in his seat, breathing heavily.
Using his power repeatedly had taken a toll on his body, but he was satisfied with the result.
‘Fairies, huh.’
Raymund let out a small laugh.
He never would’ve guessed that mature Seiana believed in such cute things.
There were old books in the Imperial Palace claiming fairies existed, but modern scholars said those were either delusions or that fairies were extinct.
Raymund had also believed fairies didn’t exist, but…
‘If it’s what Seiana wants, I’ll find her a fairy specimen if I have to.’
The world was wide.
Maybe, somewhere, one still existed.
Upon returning to the Imperial Palace, Raymund gave an order to gather all information on adventurer Misskit and fairies.
The loyal servants of the palace moved instantly.
And elsewhere—
“Fairies?”
That command ended up reaching someone else’s ears.
***
“Hello, Seiana.”
“…Lady?”
“Oh, come on. I told you to call me Ari.”
When she said “see you next time,” Esteban’s lady really did show up soon after.
Together with Raymond, no less.
Since both of them clearly insisted they had nothing going on between them, I didn’t feel as uncomfortable as before, but there was still something oddly unsettling about her.
For some reason, the way she clung to me excessively felt burdensome.
‘Why me?’
Someone would surely jump at the chance to grovel at the feet of someone like Lady Esteban, even if they were unattractive.
And Esteban’s lady was even a beauty—so her obsession with me made no sense.
‘Even though I haven’t completely hidden my discomfort…’
People who are always placed on a pedestal can’t stand being disregarded.
Their pride won’t allow it.
Yet the lady clung to me as if she had no pride at all.
There must be some hidden agenda.
That’s what I thought.
“By the way, I was rude last time. So I brought you a gift to apologize.”
I knew it!
She’s trying to buy me with money!
But I’ve never lived in poverty, so I opened my eyes wide, unfazed.
Even if that box she’s pulling out contained a diamond the size of a fist, I promised myself I wouldn’t even blink.
‘I won’t give in that easily.’
But what’s this?
What came out wasn’t what I expected at all.
There was an old book, a small sketchbook slightly larger than a palm, and some colorful trinkets that looked like miniaturized baby toys.
They were too modest to be considered a bribe, so I stood there puzzled.
Then Lady Esteban began to explain.
“These are things fairies like. I figured you’d already have the latest Miss Kit book, so I got different stuff. Seiana, you like fairies, right?”
Hmm…?
Not particularly, though?
It was hard to respond, so I just lowered my gaze a little, and the lady kept on talking.