Time passed quickly as I went through my busy daily life.
The Rahardt mansion seemed to have been built quickly, probably because it was directly arranged by the royal family.
It was built by the royal mages and workers from the prestigious architectural guild, so the craftsmanship and quality were unquestionable.
However, aside from the basic furniture and magical tools necessary for daily life, there wasn’t much inside.
“There’s a lot to bring in.”
Rudella, who had been slowly looking around the mansion, nodded. Her gaze was unusual.
“This is the task Yohan entrusted to me after a long time, so I must produce results that match his trust.”
“You don’t have to try so hard…”
“No. I can’t do it halfway when it’s about gaining the trust of the person who will be my husband.”
Rudella closed the distance between herself and Yohan with a subtle smile.
“And this will be our home. Also, Princess Ferbachi must be satisfied, so I need to show off my skills. I can’t tolerate even the slightest flaw.”
Her sky-blue eyes shimmered. It felt like flames were burning in them. Her enthusiasm was rising as if she was fired up.
“Don’t overdo it. You’re not single anymore.”
“I know. Since I’m carrying Yohan’s child, I need to be careful.”
Rudella gently rubbed her lower belly with her delicate hand, smiling contentedly.
“It’s Yohan’s child, the most precious one.”
“…”
Yohan’s heart stirred as he saw her smile. It was the warmest and brightest smile he had seen since meeting Rudella.
“Your smile has become more diverse.”
“…Diverse?”
“It means you look happy.”
Yohan smiled faintly and gently patted Rudella’s head. Her snow-white hair was as soft as touching silk.
“Happiness… yes, I’ve never been as happy as I am now. Since meeting Yohan, I’ve realized that loving someone makes you happy. I have so much to learn from you, Yohan.”
Rudella lightly rested her head on Yohan’s shoulder. There was a quiet tremor in her voice.
“…I’m glad.”
Yohan, feeling awkward, subtly turned his gaze away and stared into the empty space. Sometimes, Rudella would approach him like this, and every time, it made him feel breathless.
It wasn’t in a bad way. It was more like excitement all of a sudden, making his heart feel light and ticklish. It was a new and unfamiliar feeling.
Yohan carefully took Rudella’s hand in his and whispered to her.
“I like you, Rudella. And I’m grateful.”
“…”
At the sound of his voice near her ear, Rudella flinched for a moment but then took a deep breath, slowly nodding with her ears reddening.
“…I like you too.”
She spoke with a voice slightly trembling, looking at Yohan as she opened her mouth again.
“I really like you.”
* * *
Purification Bureau.
An upper institution of the civil service, with the primary purpose of sealing magic caves.
In fact, despite being an upper institution, it wouldn’t function without Yohan, so it will disappear the day he retires.
It’s not much different from the institution the royal family created just for Yohan.
“Therefore, Yohan could make any decision he wanted regarding the Purification Bureau. Whether it was hiring people or deciding who sat where.”
“…”
“…”
So, Eris sat across from Yohan, holding her breath. As someone classified as a top-tier talent, she wouldn’t be kicked out, but…
‘What should I do?’
There was no way around feeling nervous.
She had firmly decided to join the Purification Bureau, but now that she stood before Yohan, she couldn’t say anything. Her body was stiff and unresponsive.
“Highlander Young Lady?”
“Yes, yes?”
“I asked a question…”
“…”
Yohan blinked and stared at Eris. Yet, her response never came. It was no surprise—
‘W-wait, what was the question…?’
He had gotten lost in trivial thoughts and forgot the question!
Goodness! Forgetting a question?
Eris’ face turned pale.
But still, her heart raced, and her fingertips couldn’t stop trembling. Heat kept rising to her face, and her lips repeatedly opened and closed.
Yohan waited a bit longer and then realized she hadn’t heard the question. He asked again.
“…I was asking earlier. Why do you want to join the Purification Bureau, Highlander Young Lady? I thought you had already established yourself as a special inspector.”
Yohan tilted his head in confusion. After asking again, he finally received an answer from Eris.
“…I applied because I wanted to work with the minister who saved my life during my previous mission. And sealing the magic caves is an honorable task, isn’t it…? That’s why I applied…”
Eris’ voice grew quieter the more she spoke. It was a lie. The real reason she joined the Purification Bureau was simply to be involved with Yohan.
“Hmm…”
Yohan nodded slowly after hearing her response. It was understandable. If someone valued honor, they would want to repay a favor and participate in a historical moment.
But still, something felt off.
‘Something’s strange…’
This strange feeling came from Eris’ behavior. She kept avoiding eye contact, and her fingers fidgeted. It reminded him of how Rudella had acted when they first met…
‘…Couldn’t be, right?’
Even though he had saved her life, Yohan concluded that there was not enough reason for Eris to have feelings for him.
After all, they hadn’t known each other for long, and their interactions were few. There had been some moments that could have been a trigger, but…
‘This is tough…’
It was clear that her gaze held some affection. But was that affection coming from admiration or love? He couldn’t tell the difference.
Admiration and love were often a fine line.
Still, sending her away like this would be a shame. Not many people reached the level of a special inspector.
Yohan paused for a moment, contemplating, before making a decision.
“…Alright, Highlander Young Lady. Congratulations on joining the Purification Bureau.”
He accepted Eris into the Purification Bureau.
“Th-thank you…!”
As soon as Yohan made his decision, Eris beamed with a bright smile and stood up. She bowed repeatedly, expressing her gratitude.
“You can start tomorrow, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll let you know your rank and duties then.”
“Yes. Thank you…”
“You may leave now. You’ve worked hard.”
Just as Yohan was about to stand up after the interview, Eris hurriedly called out.
“Minister…!”
“Do you have something to say?”
“U-um…!”
Eris felt her head spin. She had called out to him because she didn’t want the conversation to end so dryly, but now she wasn’t sure what to say.
Then, suddenly…
“Are you very tired these days…?”
Looking at Yohan’s face, she remembered the topic. She hadn’t been able to look at him much before, but now that she saw him, he looked quite haggard.
“…Do I look that way, Highlander Young Lady?”
At his question, Eris cleared her throat, adjusting her posture, and then carefully examined Yohan’s face with slightly widened eyes.
The dark circles under her eyes and the hollow cheeks made her look generally worn out. But that decadent appearance suited her well, and a blush spread across Eris’s cheeks.
It was her favorite face.
“Hmm…”
Eris awkwardly turned her gaze and spoke in a low voice.
“Yes… you seem to be lacking sleep and nutrients.”
“…”
Yohan was at a loss for words. Every time he met someone new, the same things were said: “Are you tired these days?”, “You don’t look well,” “You should probably take some tonic,” and so on.
It was a sign that things were serious.
‘Should I tell Francia…?’
But even if he did, she wouldn’t listen. She was too angry. He had no choice but to hang on until the mission started.
“…It’s fine. I’ve just been busy with work recently.”
Yohan gave a bitter smile and answered casually. He couldn’t tell her it was because he’d been spending every night with Francia.
Eris, convinced, nodded.
“Ah, that makes sense. The purification office was just newly established.”
It wasn’t her business, but anyway.
“Thank you for coming today, Lady Highlander. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, I understand…”
At his words, which were practically a dismissal, Eris’s shoulders slumped.
Of course, Yohan had no idea what she was feeling.
Click.
As Eris left, Yohan collapsed onto the couch in his office. Finally, the last task of the day was done.
‘Now I can rest a bit and head home.’
He needed to get some sleep now. No matter how much Francia helped him recover, the fundamental fatigue wouldn’t go away.
As Yohan’s eyelids slowly began to close and he was about to fall asleep—
“Minister, Minister?”
His assistant, Elena, urgently called for him.
“…What is it?”
“A guest has arrived.”
“A guest?”
Yohan tilted his head in confusion. Who would come to the purification office at this hour?
“Who is it?”
The answer was somewhat shocking.
“It’s Princess Laryana.”
“…”
Yohan instinctively pressed his hand to his forehead. He had forgotten about Laryana. She had been quiet lately, so he assumed she’d lost interest…
“Is she in the parlor?”
“Yes, she’s waiting downstairs.”
“…I’ll go right away.”
Yohan quickly put on his outerwear and headed to the parlor.
Elena accompanied him part of the way but stopped before entering the parlor. Receiving a personal guest had nothing to do with official business.
Click.
When Yohan opened the door, Laryana, sitting gracefully and sipping her tea, came into view. She was as beautiful as ever, but Yohan didn’t show any reaction.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”
“It has, Duke.”
Laryana smiled softly and tilted her head slightly. Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders.
“Please, sit down.”
“…Yes.”
Yohan sat across from her with a creaky movement. Laryana’s maid, waiting by her side, refilled the tea cups.
“I heard there’s been a lot going on. Have you recovered well?”
Laryana asked with a smile, her tone much more polite than usual.
“Yes. I suppose it’s because my fiancée is known as a master of healing magic.”
To prevent any misunderstandings, Yohan purposely mentioned Francia.
“I see.”
Laryana took a sip of her tea.
Yohan asked,
“Is there a reason you came today? If you’d told me, I would have gone to see you.”
“If I’d sent an invitation, you would have ignored it, wouldn’t you? So I came myself. I’m tired of being rejected.”
“…”
Laryana’s golden eyes locked onto Yohan, and there was a challenge in her gaze that sent a chill down his spine.
“Well, the reason I came isn’t anything grand. I just wanted to see you now that you’ve become a duke. I haven’t given up on you yet.”
Laryana smiled again, her golden eyes narrowing in a curve.
“It would be better for you to give up soon.”
“Why is that?”
“……Why you ask? Because I have a fiancée—”
“Polygamy.”
Before Yohan could finish his sentence, Laryana’s cold smile spread. Her voice, soon after, was chilling.
“Princess Ferbaché and Lady Bismarck are both by your side. If you’ve accepted polygamy, it’s not like there’s no place for me, right?”
Laryana’s smile grew even deeper.
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