Chapter 18

“Listen carefully, Teumesia. While Riorem was away, that maid came to confirm whether I am truly Princess Peroa. Do you understand what that means?”

“…Looks like you haven’t dealt with all the spies yet. I checked once more after you arrived.”

Teumesia’s voice was calm, but the anger she couldn’t hide still showed through.

I smiled gently.

Even though she was angry at me, I admired that Teumesia focused on the fact there was a spy in this mansion.

I thought it was okay to ask her this much.

“The King of Arete has offered Riorem a reward. Do you have any good ideas? I think you know better than Riorem.”

“Why should I tell you? And how do you even know about that in the first place?”

“Does it matter to you?”

“…You read it? That letter?”

Teumesia’s face stiffened as she spoke.

I tilted my head out of habit.

It wasn’t strange that Teumesia was angry at me.

What I was doing was a very presumptuous act for a slave.

But I didn’t think she was angry because of my attitude.

Rather… it seemed she was furious that I had read the King of Arete’s letter.

‘Ah… now that I think about it.’

At that moment, I suddenly remembered what happened earlier.

Riorem receiving the letter and calling Teumesia, the housekeeper accepting it so naturally.

Even Teumesia opening the bedroom door naturally after the call.

The whole process was very natural, as if it was something everyone was used to.

‘Come to think of it, even the first day we met… it looked perfectly natural that Teumesia entered the bedroom without Riorem.’

I showed her the letter I had been holding.

Riorem still can’t read properly.

Even though countless important letters, including royal orders, must be arriving.

So, how had she been checking the letters until now? Since there could be confidential information, it would have been impossible to let others read the letters carelessly.

There was only one conclusion.

“You used to read Riorem’s letters for her.”

Teumesia did not answer. Instead, she just bit her lip slightly.

If reading letters was originally her job, I understood why she was so angry at me.

Reading someone else’s letters isn’t something that can be done lightly in a usual trust relationship.

Teumesia didn’t like me from the start. She must have been naturally angry that Riorem left me to read important letters.

‘Of course… she might also be angry that I stepped on her territory.’

Either way, I felt it was necessary to remind her of this.

“Listen carefully, Teumesia. I’m worried that Riorem might request ownership of me. That would be troublesome, wouldn’t it? For me, for Riorem, and maybe even for you.”

Silence stretched between us.

It seemed a common trait between a master and a servant not to speak when facing an unpleasant truth.

I whispered without caring.

“So tell me what’s best to receive as a reward. I’m very good at pushing people into corners.”

“So you want to manipulate the general again? Do as you please again?”

Hostility was evident in Teumesia’s voice.

“You’re not needed. No, I don’t need you at all. I can handle it myself.”

Teumesia, having regained her professional demeanor, reached out her hand to me.

“Give me that letter. His Majesty hates having to wait long for replies.”

“How childish.”

“Is it only you who acts like this?”

I obediently handed over the letter.

After securing the letter, Teumesia waited for Riorem.

Watching that, I thought Riorem Velik of the Kingdom of Arete was quite a reasonable person.

To have such a rational aide by his side and use her appropriately.

But as I experienced, the Riorem in this bedroom wasn’t exactly a ‘rational’ man.

A little later, Riorem returned to the bedroom.

In his hands were stationery, ink, a pen, and even a writing board to put the paper on.

‘No wonder it took so long to bring the stationery.’

It looked like he had brought everything he used to write letters with from the duchy.

Teumesia’s eyebrows twitched as she watched Riorem.

“Welcome back, General.”

“Ah, it’s you. Take that maid and interrogate her. She broke into the bedroom while I was away. We need to find out who sent her.”

“Is it enough to just find the mastermind?”

“No, punish her for laying hands on what’s mine.”

“Understood. Anything else?”

“Yes.”

As he said that, Riorem placed the writing board on the bed.

Then he noticed something and asked,

“Where did you put the letter? I need to send it with the reply.”

Instead of answering, I looked at Teumesia.

Riorem’s gaze turned toward Teumesia.

At that cold look, the woman’s shoulders twitched slightly.

Teumesia opened her mouth with as much composure as she could muster.

“I have it.”

“Why?”

“Because, as the General said, the letter must be sent together when replying to His Majesty.”

“Then why aren’t you the one doing it?”

Teumesia swallowed dryly.

“Because I can’t have a stranger write a reply to His Majesty.”

“Have you forgotten that I’m also a stranger?”

“What…! That’s not what I meant, General.”

“Alright, fine. Then leave the letter here. Take her with you.”

Riorem turned his head indifferently.

“But—”

“Didn’t you hear me say leave?”

At that, Teumesia gritted her teeth.

Her gray eyes shot daggers at me. It was as if she was saying,

‘Because of you… because you came here…!’

Her gaze was so blatant that I couldn’t help but chuckle.

It had been a long time since I’d been hated this openly.

In the end, Teumesia put down the letter and left.

Seeing how she grabbed the maid’s neck halfway through woke up made me think the interrogation would be handled thoroughly.

I picked up the pen I had finally gotten after all the trouble and started writing the letter.

The content itself wasn’t anything special.

After all, it only needed to confirm that the letter was received.

Instead, while writing each word, I thought about how to reconnect with Teumesia.

I didn’t know how things worked in the Kingdom of Arete or what kind of reward Riorem truly needed.

‘But I can’t just leave it to Riorem either.’

I glanced at the man watching every move of my hand.

His blue eyes stared at the letters as if licking them.

The tip of my hand holding the pen was so hot I could feel it.

Riorem’s trousers were also noticeably tight.

If his loose indoor pants looked like that, he was probably leaking inside.

I didn’t know what exactly about my writing was provoking Riorem.

But every time the pen slid and filled the paper, his chest swelled heavily.

The air grew taut.

Riorem’s breath mixed with the sound of the pen scratching the paper.

And the moment I stopped writing, the atmosphere paused precariously.

“How should I sign it…? Is just my name enough? Or…”

Riorem looked down at the stationery.

He stared for a long time at the graceful handwriting he had learned as a gentleman, then rang the bell beside the bed.

Soon, a maid chosen by Teumesia entered the room.

“You called?”

“Tell Teumesia to write a reply and send it.”

As he said that, Riorem tossed the king’s letter aside.

Even though I looked at him curiously, he said nothing.

His gaze was still fixed on my hand holding the pen.

The maid, sensing the tense atmosphere in the room, quickly stepped inside.

After picking up the letter, she left the bedroom.

Click.

As the door closed, I looked back at Riorem.

“What are you thinking, Riorem?”

“Keep writing.”

Riorem said through gritted teeth.

Without thinking, I asked,

“What do you mean?”

“Keep writing. Anything.”

As he said that, Riorem undid the button of his trousers.

His firmly erect member popped out with a ‘thunk’ sound.

He grabbed his already dripping shaft, and pale semen oozed from the tip of his glans.

Plop, drip drip.

I silently watched the semen spill onto my hands and the letter.

Ah, of course.

A man who showed such aggression even to his own subordinates and a boy younger than ten wouldn’t just stand by while a letter he didn’t write was being sent to another man by my hand.

‘Though I never expected him to ruin it by ejaculating without even touching himself.’