The scent of flower petals lingered at the tip of his nose, and a soft yet warm touch rested on his forehead.
Yohan opened his eyes.
Ticklish sunlight streamed in through the window. Judging by the brightness, it seemed to be around noon.
“Ugh…”
He tried to get up, but his body felt stiff and heavy. Perhaps he had been lying down for too long—his back ached.
No, now that he focused on it, there wasn’t a single part of his body that felt comfortable.
In the end, Yohan chose to lie back down.
As he subtly shifted his gaze, he noticed Francia dozing off right beside him.
“Francia?”
His voice came out cracked.
He also felt an intense thirst.
“Mm…?”
Even while nodding off, Francia must have heard his voice. She rubbed her drowsy eyes groggily.
“Haam…”
She stretched lazily and yawned, and at that moment, her eyes met Yohan’s.
“J-Yohan…!”
She quickly widened her eyes and began examining his condition.
“Do you feel any discomfort?”
“I’m fine. Just a bit thirsty.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I’ll get you some water right away.”
Francia took a deep breath to calm herself before picking up a glass of lukewarm water from the table.
Yohan preferred cool, refreshing water, but given that he was a patient, he didn’t complain.
“Can you drink on your own?”
“It’s a little difficult.”
“I’ll help you.”
With Francia’s support, Yohan managed to sit up slightly.
She carefully tilted the glass, helping him drink. Only then did the dryness in his throat subside, making it easier to speak.
“Thank you.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
She smiled softly before placing the glass back on the table.
Yohan slowly leaned against the bedside and asked,
“Where are we?”
“The Cantabile estate. The Margrave said there was a space for patients here, so he brought you over.”
The room Yohan was in was indeed a good place for a patient. The mana in the air was exceptionally pure and rich.
The reason likely lay in the garden visible through the window.
Flowers absorbed mana and released it, further refining its purity.
“Well, not that it matters much when the greatest healer in the empire—no, the entire continent—is right here.”
As Yohan gazed outside, Francia puffed out her chest proudly and smiled.
“Haha, you’re absolutely right.”
Yohan chuckled softly.
It was true. Francia possessed both the power of purification and a divine blessing, making her unparalleled in healing magic.
Even the Holy Nation’s top healers probably couldn’t compare to her.
“By the way, what about Secretary Rudbeckia’s condition?”
“Thanks to your quick response, she’s perfectly fine.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
Yohan let out a breath of relief.
He had been worried about her well-being, but it seemed his concerns were unnecessary.
“And what about the situation?”
“Oh, you mean the Mage Disciples?”
“Yes.”
A high-tier Demon Lair was essentially the dwelling place of the Mage Disciples.
The environment itself was problematic, but more than that, there was a mage who could control that terrible demonic energy.
“The Margrave sent a letter, so the First Bureau’s chief has been dispatched.
They’re working with the Celestial Knights to exterminate the demonic beasts and destroy the Mage Disciples’ base.”
If the Demon Lairs were under the jurisdiction of the Purification Bureau, where Yohan served as minister, then dealing with anti-state organizations like the Mage Disciples fell under the First Bureau’s responsibility.
“It’s the new chief’s first mission, so I’m not sure how well they’ll handle it.
They’re relatively young, after all.”
“Oh, they’re twenty-six, right?”
“Yeah. I heard there are rumors that they are already being called the continent’s next Grand Swordmaster?”
After Cassis was executed, Grand Duke Lenochhonen stepped down as the chief of the First Bureau.
The exact reason was unknown, but it was likely due to disillusionment or grief.
After all, the son he had once designated as his great house’s heir had thrown his life away so foolishly.
‘By the way, the next Grand Swordmaster, huh.’
Since he’s only twenty-six, he probably hasn’t reached the level of an Exalted yet. That means he must have outstanding talent.
‘I can trust him.’
Yohan nodded to himself. There was no reason not to believe. If he had that kind of talent, he must possess power above the elite level.
“Does your back still hurt?”
While Yohan was lost in thought, gently rubbing his chin, Francia asked with a faint smile.
“It still hurts, but it’s better now since I’ve been sitting up.”
“Hehe, that makes sense. You’ve been lying in bed for a whole week, after all.”
“…A week?”
Yohan asked again, wondering if he had misheard.
He had been unconscious for a whole week?
“Yes. You were already exhausted, then got poisoned by demonic magic, and your mana usage was extreme. Ah, just thinking about it makes me want to cry again…”
Francia smiled bitterly and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.
When she saw Yohan unconscious and in tatters, she thought the world had come crashing down.
He had been covered in blood from his mouth and nose, his face so pale it looked almost ghostly.
“Anyway… I’m just glad you’re okay, Yohan.”
Since he had made it back safely, Francia didn’t get angry. She had no right to. She had always hoped Yohan would go to rescue Rudbeckia.
“…”
Yohan quietly looked at Francia. What should he say? An apology didn’t seem like the best choice. It felt wrong to keep pushing himself and then brush it off with an apology every time.
Then, suddenly, something from a book he had read came to mind.
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
“Mm? I thought you’d be apologizing.”
“Well, when it comes to worrying, I think gratitude is better than an apology.”
“Hehe, I think that’s a better approach too.”
Leaning forward, Francia placed a soft kiss on Yohan’s cheek.
He felt the warmth of her breath and the gentle touch of her lips.
“It’s a kiss.”
“It’s a kiss, but on the cheek, not the lips.”
“Hehe, I’ll give you that on the lips next time.”
Francia smiled brightly and gently stroked Yohan’s hand.
“Rest easy.”
* * *
If I had to pick the most beautiful place in Count Cantabil’s residence, without a doubt, it would be Mana’s garden.
The marble fountain, with sparkling water flowing that holds Mana, the rose vines spreading a subtle fragrance, the neatly trimmed shrubs forming a maze, and the rare wildflowers along the paths.
The warm sunlight seeps through the trees filled with Mana, and the dew glistens on the grass. In the distance, the sound of birds chirping and the stream’s gentle flow quietly spread.
How could anyone not feel that this clear air is beautiful?
“Hoo.”
Yohan was leisurely strolling through the garden. The Duke of the Border had told him to rest as long as he could until his body itched to move.
‘It really is different.’
Perhaps because it was a garden flowing with Mana, the effect of rest was much better. Even just a light stroll was making his body feel lighter.
Yohan looked at the pillar standing tall in the center of the garden.
Among the rose vines surrounding it, a bright blue jewel sparkled. The reason Mana flowed here was likely due to that artifact.
‘If I ever return to my domain, should I get something like that and place it in the mansion?’
If so, Mana would flow through the Rahardt garden as well, and Rudella, who loves decorating, would surely have a strong reaction. It wouldn’t be bad to stroll through it with Francia or Rudella either.
‘Alright, I’ll try to get one.’
I’m not sure how to get that artifact… but if I search for it, I might find it? Maybe not before, but now that I’m the Duke of Rahardt, I should be able to.
As Yohan was strolling around the garden, enjoying the view…
“Minister? You’re awake!”
Someone called out to him from the side. It was a familiar voice. When he turned around, he saw Rudbeckia.
“You woke up today. How’s your body feeling?”
“It’s fine, thanks to you, Minister.”
Rudbeckia smiled gently and quickly walked over to stand next to Yohan. She hesitated whether to take his hand, then quickly gave up, worried it might break the mood.
“Were you out for a walk?”
“Yeah. What about you, Assistant Rudbeckia?”
“Me too. I feel like I’d gain weight if I just stayed still.”
Yohan glanced over at Rudbeckia. She was wearing her purification officer uniform, which subtly clung to her body, naturally revealing her curves.
“You could gain a little weight, though. You’re too skinny.”
“That wouldn’t do. You like this kind of body, don’t you, Minister?”
“What’s that…”
He couldn’t bring himself to deny it. Rudbeckia was tall and slender, but with everything in the right places, her body perfectly matched Yohan’s tastes.
“Hehe, was that the right answer?”
“…Assistant Rudbeckia, you seem to know me too well.”
“I do know you well, actually. Though I can’t tell you how.”
Rudbeckia smiled bashfully and continued speaking.
“Do you know how delicious the food here is?”
“Food is delicious?”
“Yes! Especially the venison; it’s amazing.”
“…That’s surprising.”
This was the western region, known for its top-tier game meat. How could they possibly get ingredients that would satisfy even central nobles? Yohan suddenly worried if they might be overdoing it by bringing him here.
“I heard there’s something called Mana deer, a special product only supplied from the west.”
“Did they raise the deer?”
“Yeah. Apparently, there’s an expert who handles them. They say the Duke of the Border treats this person with great respect.”
“Impressive. That must have been tough…”
Yohan nodded with admiration. Honestly, he was amazed. Raising deer to imbue them with Mana and then using them for food.
No wonder the western region has been so well protected.
“If you try it, I think you’ll like it too, Minister.”
“Hm, now that you mention it, I’m looking forward to it.”
“Hehehe.”
As they chatted and walked along the path, Rudbeckia was carefully watching for signs. Yohan was smiling faintly while admiring the garden.
Should I hold his hand here?
Honestly, I want to.
Rudbeckia quickly looked around. There was no one around, likely because the sun was setting. Most garden duties were finished before lunchtime anyway.
“Ahem…”
She cleared her throat, which wasn’t even itchy, and gently brushed her fingers over Yohan’s hand.
“…”
Yohan didn’t pull away. Thoughts swirled in Rudbeckia’s mind. His hand didn’t flinch, and it didn’t pull back.
Could this be a positive sign?
‘I don’t know!’
Suddenly!
Rudbeckia squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed Yohan’s hand. It was big and firm, but warm. Her face turned bright red.
“What is this?”
“Y-yes…?”
Yohan tilted his head and asked. Rudbeckia felt her mind go completely blank. Was she being too hasty? But she thought they were close enough…
“If you’re going to hold it, you should hold it like this.”
When Rudbeckia hesitated, Yohan interlaced his fingers with hers. Their fingers intertwined, and their palms pressed together completely.
Yohan, enjoying the soft sensation of Rudbeckia’s delicate hand, gently caressed her hand with subtle movements.
“Ah, ugh, oh…!”
Rudbeckia, caught off guard by an unexpected reaction, struggled and seemed to freeze like something had broken. Yohan, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile at how cute it looked.
“Assistant Rudbeckia, you have a bit of a careless side.”
“M-me?”
“Yeah. Aren’t you like that right now?”
Yohan raised their interlaced hands and smiled playfully.
“You’re turning completely red just from this little touch.”
Then, he slowly placed a kiss on the back of Rudbeckia’s hand.
“Ah…!”
Rudbeckia completely froze. It felt so good. She was so happy she didn’t know how to react.
But one thing was for sure.
“…It’s true. I become careless in front of you, Minister.”
Because she liked him so much, she became like a fool.
“That seems to be the case.”
Yohan asked.
“But now, are you not going to call me Yohan?”
“W-what? How could you…?”
“When it’s just the two of us like this, call me Yohan. It’s not exactly a formal situation.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah.”
Rudbeckia hesitated before looking up at Yohan, unsure if it was really okay. After a moment of doubt, she carefully spoke.
“…Yohan.”
Yohan’s lips curved into a smile.
“Yeah, that’s much better.”
His blue eyes gazed at Rudbeckia, and once again, he tightly held her hand.
This situation was a pleasant one for Rudbeckia. They had truly grown closer, almost like a couple. However— the sudden closeness made her feel a little confused.
“But aren’t we still in the phase of getting to know each other…?”
“This *is* the time to get to know each other.”
Yohan smiled mischievously.
“A confession is just a confirmation.”
“…”
Rudbeckia lowered her head deeply. Her heart pounded loudly. It felt good, but she was also embarrassed.
Still, she felt relieved.
Unlike before her regression, this time, she would truly be able to accept his heart.
“I hope the confirmation comes quickly.”
Rudbeckia smiled brightly.
It was a happy feeling she would find hard to experience again.