1.2 Not Every Summon is Met With Cooperation

“His attitude has changed drastically recently. Until then, he was a man who tormented the caretaker by complaining about everything—that the water temperature wasn’t right, that he didn’t like the pattern on the water glass, that the hem of his trousers was uncomfortable—but suddenly, he has dismissed all attendants.”

“Dismissed the attendants?”

As the Emperor tilted his head, signaling for more detail, the man spoke in a calm voice.

“Yes. He said he would bathe alone as long as the bath was prepared, that he didn’t need help dressing as it was bothersome, and even…”

The man paused as if he were about to deliver shocking news, and the Emperor, growing impatient, nodded quickly and asked.

“Yes, go on.”

“It is said that his severe pickiness regarding food has stopped abruptly.”

This was news that caught the attention of everyone present in the office. Before Duke Transis fell, what was he famous for? While he was renowned as the conqueror of the North, backed by the Quillan Great Estate, he was also a great tycoon who enjoyed different delicacies 365 days a year thanks to tributes brought from all over the country, as his estate stretched not only across the North but also through the granaries of the Central region.

Consequently, even after becoming a fallen noble, his palate remained filthily picky; he had harassed and driven away five caretakers. When a caretaker squeezed a tight budget to barely provide a variety of dishes, he would flip the table, claiming the quality was too low—he was a man whose notoriety never ceased in many ways.

And such a Duke Transis had stopped complaining about food? Even though the caretaker hadn’t changed? It was only natural to suspect that the caretaker was plotting something strange without a single piece of proper evidence.

“My goodness… how surprising.”

At this, the man spoke in an exaggerated tone, as if there were something even more shocking.

“Not only that, but lately, he has developed a hobby he never had any interest in before…”

As the man paused slightly, every ear open in the office waited for him to continue.

“He even harvested the pumpkins in the garden himself. Duke Transis, with his own hands.”

“What?”

The Emperor doubted his own ears. That Duke Transis had harvested crops with his own hands—even after hearing it clearly, he couldn’t believe it.

“If I heard correctly… it sounds like the Duke walked into the field on his own two feet…”

Because in the frozen lake exile site, there was no one capable of carrying an Alpha of the Duke’s sturdy build into a field. As the Emperor trailed off with a doubtful expression, the man answered in a voice that instilled certainty.

“You understood correctly, Your Majesty. He even asked about the sowing method for Osbrand pumpkins. Can you believe it?”

Everyone doubted their ears upon hearing this. The young master of the sterile room, who would throw a fit and demand something to wipe his hands immediately if a speck of dust touched them as if it were the filthiest thing in the world, had harvested crops directly from a field? Was the sun going to rise in the west starting tomorrow?

It would have been more believable if he were researching the Osbrand pumpkins because they contained some magical component to create a magic bomb to send to the Imperial Family.

“Unbelievable. Send an investigator to look into this in detail.”

“I shall follow your orders.”

At the Emperor’s command, the secretary who had delivered the caretaker’s report bowed and turned to leave the office.

The fact that the truth was simply that Hyeon, who had nothing better to do, was merely finding ways to kill time instead of tormenting the caretaker like the real Duke had, was known to no one except Hyeon—now Duke Transis.

A short while later, in the archives where the Imperial Palace investigators gathered to organize records, Marcel, a young investigator who had received the Emperor’s order, let out a long sigh and returned to his room.

No matter how much the Emperor had granted special permission to travel via gate, it wasn’t as if he could return after just a day or two of investigation. He would have to stay for at least a few weeks, and his head throbbed at the thought of spending the golden autumn in such a barren place.

‘Since it is His Majesty’s order, I can’t say I can’t do it.’

Other investigators might have enough seniority to make various excuses and push such tasks onto their juniors, but not Marcel. Being a fledgling who had just become an imperial investigator, there was no way he could pick and choose his assignments. Facing the crisis of having to travel all the way to the frozen lake because he had the least seniority, Marcel felt nothing but bitterness in his mouth.

‘Just you wait. One day I’ll make it big, dump these annoying tasks on my juniors, and won’t step a single foot outside the Imperial Palace.’

Just as Marcel closed his door while dreaming of the future, he sensed a presence inside and shouted loudly, tense.

“Who is it!”

Then, pop, the person who poked their head out from behind the bed was…

“Sigh… have you run away to my room again?”

It was the youngest Imperial Read on Read BL NovelsPrince, who was closely related to the person [stolen content]he had just been stolen contentordered to investigate.

“The detached palace is too noisy, and if I come here, I can be in peace…”

Honestly, he was far too soft-hearted. He was so brave when heading to the battlefield, but the moment he returned to the palace, he became a shy child. Though, in reality, he was still a few years away from adulthood, so he was indeed young.

With this, who could believe he was the Prince called the hero of the South for successfully subjugating the endless monsters surging from an active volcano single-handedly?

He had a tall stature unusual for his age and a handsome appearance, delicate and flawless as if sculpted by Timet, the God of Beauty, but his behavior was no different from a simple mercenary. He was closer to a bright-faced young man than a noble member of the Imperial Family.

“Since you achieved such brilliant military feats in the Delwin mountains but still have no fiancée, it’s no wonder everyone is anxious. If you don’t like that people won’t leave you alone, you should quickly find a good Omega and pair up.”

At Marcel’s textbook remark, the Prince squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears with a groan.

“Even Marcel is talking about that? I don’t want to hear about marriage anymore.”

At the Prince’s exhausted reaction, Marcel replied with a smile.

“You are an Alpha at the age where your rut will soon arrive, you have no proper fiancée, and on top of that, you are a member of the Imperial Family. Did you not expect this much when you entered the Imperial Palace?”

Even to Marcel, the Prince seemed like someone who wouldn’t have thought of such things. The youngest Prince of the Imperial Family, Mikhail Osbrant, was a tragic imperial descendant who had been smuggled out of the Imperial Palace as a child by a servant who harbored a grudge against the Imperial Family.

Born to the Emperor’s second consort, Consort Regina, he was known to the Imperial Family as having been stillborn, but he was smuggled away by another servant who couldn’t bring himself to kill a newborn and was adopted by a hunter in a plain far from the capital.

The hunter took in the young Prince and raised visit our sitehim similarly to his own children, but when a [visit our site]great famine struck due to monsters, he sold the young Prince to visit our sitea mercenary company to reduce the number of mouths to feed.

Thus, the Prince wandered foreign lands as a member of a mercenary company from a young age without knowing who he was. It was no wonder he had no interest in things like Imperial Family norms or engagements.

“Still… since you grew up among rough fellows, it’s not as if you have absolutely no interest.”

The Prince tilted his head with an expression that showed he had no idea what he was talking about.

“What do you mean…?”

“I’m an Alpha too, so let’s speak openly. Are you really not interested? In Omegas, I mean. Once you smell those pheromones when a rut hits, your lower half just…”

“Marcel!”

At Marcel’s wicked joke, the novice-like face of the Prince turned bright red. Who on earth would recognize this greenhorn as the hero of the Delwin mountains? When the Prince shouted, Marcel, who was closer in age to Mikhail’s uncle than his brother, clutched his stomach and laughed in surrender.

“If Marcel keeps talking like that, I’m never going to see your face again.”

Do you call that a threat, Your Highness? At the truly childish complaining, Marcel’s shoulders shook. It was all because His Majesty doted too much on the youngest, whom he had recovered after a long separation, given that he had only three living children, and only two of them were of sound mind.

“Yes, yes, I understand. Still, it would be best to decide on a partner soon. Unless you want to sleep with a different person every rut. The Imperial Family is quite strict, so the palace physician probably won’t prescribe suppressants easily.”

Whenever the topic of Alphas or Omegas came up, the Prince felt like hiding anywhere. It was still unbelievable that he had been suddenly proclaimed a Prince just because he was a descendant of the Imperial Family.

To Mikhail, who had lived believing he was an ordinary commoner [stolen content]Beta, such stories felt like far-fetched jokes. Just as Mikhail’s blush had [visit our site]barely subsided, Marcel threw out another probing question.

“So, is there really no one? Someone you’re interested in. Or maybe an ideal type you want.”

At the question, which was at least less explicit, the Prince answered with a sigh and a troubled expression.

“If I had to pick…”

Probably someone strong, Marcel thought. As Mikhail carefully phrased his sentence to avoid causing misunderstandings, Marcel burst into laughter again.

“I like people who are strong… and strict.”

As others said, he had a personality that was a bit too gentle. Perhaps it was because he had been used to giving up on everything and working with his body since he was young. Naturally, he had always thought he would end up with a strong spouse, like his adoptive mother.

Moreover, now that he was a Prince, once his Elder Brother, the Crown Prince, ascended the throne, he would naturally become the lord of a territory around the capital. He might be okay at fighting, but he had absolutely no talent for administration, so he wanted someone meticulous and strict who could manage the household assets in his stead. He wanted nothing more than that.

“To be a ‘strong person’ by Your Highness’s standards… the Omegas of the whole country would have to train until they could take down a monster with one hand, wouldn’t they?”

At Marcel’s joke, Mikhail cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“A-anyway, enough about me. I heard you received a mission from His Majesty today? What is it about?”

Ugh. The moment he saw the Prince’s sparkling eyes, Marcel avoided his gaze as if things had just become tedious.

“Well… it’s nothing much. Just a business trip to a far-off place.”

Whether that further fueled the Prince’s curiosity, Mikhail’s eyes sparkled again.

“Far? Where?! Is it so far that you have to take a gate?”

Ah, damn it. I shouldn’t have mentioned it from the start. I shouldn’t have said I was going far. The Prince hadn’t been able to leave the palace since he went on a regular monster subjugation earlier this year.

The reason was obvious. The Emperor, who had few children, would never easily allow the Prince to go out unless it was for a position of prestige. The only opportunity for the Prince to leave the palace was when a subjugation order was issued that only a Prince could lead.

“It’s true that I’m taking a gate, but…”

“It’s true, so why? Can’t I go too?”

At the voice filled with anticipation from the Prince, whose whole body had been itching while being in a state of semi-confinement, Marcel refused firmly.

“You cannot. It is a place where Your Highness absolutely cannot accompany me.”

He shouldn’t have blurted that out. Marcel from ten minutes in the future sent countless signals to his past self, but the current Marcel didn’t understand a thing.

“A place where I cannot accompany you? Where on earth is such a place?”

Marcel hesitated for a moment, then, firmly mistaken in thinking that if the Prince knew who he was going to monitor, he would lose interest for the sake of his own life, he answered honestly.

“It’s about Duke Transis. I heard he’s been acting strange lately. I plan to [visit our site]stay at the frozen lake unauthorized copyfor a few weeks [visit our site]to monitor his movements as part of the investigation.”

And at that moment, the Prince’s shoulders flinched.

Isaac Tion Transis. The Prince had heard many things about the man who had once almost swallowed the Empire. Come to think of it, he was also the person who had created the opportunity for Mikhail to be recognized as a Prince. Because he had known Mikhail’s identity, he had kidnapped Mikhail and tried to negotiate the condition of returning him to the Imperial Family, which led to the secret of his birth being revealed.

‘I heard he was exiled.’

Although he was a villain who had targeted his life, like any good-natured protagonist, Mikhail was concerned about him. Not that he wished for someone who tried to kill him to live comfortably and sleep soundly. Still, hearing the occasional notoriety of the frozen lake, he had once naively thought that it might be better to lock him in a capital prison.

‘If he’s in a place like that… it must be suffocating…’

The frigid ice lake had long been a notorious place of exile where high-ranking criminals were imprisoned until death. Once trapped inside, one could never leave until they died. It was such an old place that more than ten prisoners had breathed their last in that dilapidated mansion, and rumors of ghosts were rampant.

Moreover, hadn’t he even received the assassin’s crown for the crime of trying to harm him? Whenever Mikhail thought of him, he continued to be concerned even though he wasn’t the one at fault.

The assassin’s crown. The punishment, also known as the Curse of Lumitas, was the most cruel penalty the Imperial Family handed down instead of the death penalty.

The method of casting the curse was very simple. An Imperial Mage plants the seed of Lumitas in the criminal’s heart. Then, the seed absorbs the criminal’s nutrients and sprouts a thicket of thorns. As the sprout grows, it tightens around the criminal’s heart, and the moment the thorns pierce and burst the heart, the person dies.

The time it takes for the thicket to destroy the heart is as short as three years or as long as ten. During those long years, the criminal must slowly die, writhing in pain as organs are pierced from within the chest.

‘…It must be very painful.’

That wasn’t all. There was another reason why this curse, which was horrific just [unauthorized copy]to [Read on Read BL Novels]imagine, was called the most miserable punishment. There was a way [stolen content]to stop the progression and end the punishment. It was the treasure passed down through generations of the Imperial Family, the Heart of Emil.

The heart left by Emil, the Imperial Guardian Beast. The jewel, which looked like the organ of a giant beast, had the efficacy to wither Lumitas with just a small fragment. If one prostrated themselves before the Imperial Family to beg for forgiveness or negotiated, the punishment could be pardoned. It was a punishment that made one harbor a hope more terrible than that of a death row inmate, knowing there was a way to survive.

No matter how much the man had tried to kill him, Mikhail did not want him to meet such a miserable death because of him. However, managing the national treasure was the authority of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Since he wasn’t ambitious enough to dare covet his Elder Brother’s position just to save him, he had turned a blind eye to matters concerning Duke Transis every time.

But to think that such a man had suddenly changed? Mikhail felt a sudden impulse.

“Why? Did something happen to him?”

At the Prince’s question, Marcel scratched his cheek and answered.

“Who knows? I don’t know either. I’ll have to go there to find out…”

And if he had noticed that the Prince’s eyes sparkled for a moment, the catastrophe that followed would not have happened. Marcel from three days in the future sent desperate distress signals, but it was only natural that the current Marcel didn’t notice.

“So, Your Highness… may I dare ask why you are here?”

Three days later. After arriving at the frozen lake through various twists and turns and being assigned a room to stay in, Marcel’s face drained of color the moment he opened a strangely heavy suitcase.

“Haha… I just didn’t think Marcel would do it if I just asked…”

“……”

And what on earth was that look? Do you think the Duke won’t recognize you like that? [stolen content]Even [Read on Read BL Novels]if three years have passed, do Read on Read BL Novelsyou think that man wouldn’t recognize the Prince?

His golden hair, which looked like melted gold, had been made dark brown with ash, and his eyes were covered by some strange glasses, making him look like a complete idiot. On top of that, he was wearing shabby clothes that only street children would wear. Marcel was appalled by the Prince’s clumsy disguise.

“Do you call that an explanation?”

Marcel felt a chill run down his spine, fearing his head might roll for the crime of daringly smuggling out the Prince, whom the Emperor cherished.

“Please go back immediately! I will send a messenger to the Imperial Palace. I’ll have guards come to pick up Your Highness as quickly as possible…”

The moment Marcel hurriedly tried to take out his portable communication orb, Mikhail screamed and blocked him.

“Ah, wait! I’m curious about Duke Transis’s condition too…! I’ll leave on my own once I’ve checked his status, so just wait a moment!”

Just how on earth was he going to leave on his own. Marcel clutched his throbbing head and sighed. There was no way Marcel could win against this stubborn Prince. Rather than wasting time arguing, it was better to quickly grant the request of this child in a man’s body and send him away.

“What on earth did you tell the palace before following me here?”

When Marcel asked with a headache-inducing expression, Mikhail replied while avoiding his gaze, seemingly feeling apologetic.

“That there was a monster that needed to be subjugated, so I’d be gone for a little while….”

“I’m sure His Majesty will be absolutely thrilled to hear that.”

“He gave me permission to report [visit our site]it after I return if it’s [visit our site]an urgent stolen contentsituation, so it’ll be fine!”

I don’t think so. Swallowing the words he wanted to say, Marcel properly adjusted the glasses Mikhail was wearing.

“Well… I understand that Your Highness might have some lingering feelings toward Duke Transis, and that you’re curious to see how well he’s living. But since that man might try something reckless, you are to stay outside and only watch him from a distance, understood?”

Of course, as long as Marcel could think, he wasn’t worried that a Duke weakened by a curse would threaten a robust Prince who was currently making a name for himself with military achievements. However, one never knows what might happen in life. After Marcel gave this stern warning regarding any unforeseen possibilities, Mikhail readily nodded.

“I’ll be careful. If the Duke seems to recognize me, I’ll keep my mouth shut and pretend to be someone else….”

“Sigh….”

Marcel swallowed another deep sigh and went to the caretaker, requesting that since a squire had accompanied him, they be allowed to share the room next door.

“I see investigators from the Imperial Palace also travel with squires.”

“My work has become quite busy lately, so I needed an extra pair of hands to help.”

The caretaker couple seemed to find it somewhat unusual, but they didn’t harbor any great suspicions, and the matter passed smoothly. Thus, the time Marcel permitted was tomorrow at five in the afternoon. Until then, Mikhail was destined to wait quietly in the room.

‘What should I do until tomorrow….’

While Marcel was wandering around the mansion, using a magic tool to investigate traces of mana for any suspicious signs, someone suddenly opened the door and walked in. Startled, Mikhail looked up to see the caretaker he had seen earlier, who gave instructions to Mikhail, who was sitting leisurely on the bed.

“Hey, if you’ve got nothing to do but rest, take this to the Duke.”

“What?”

The caretaker, with a stubborn expression, pointed to a box filled with books. At a glance, it looked heavy enough that an old man would struggle to lift it alone.

“What are you staring at blankly for? Hurry up and pick it up.”

It seemed a misunderstanding had occurred because Marcel had claimed Mikhail was a squire to keep things quiet. However, it wasn’t exactly the right situation to refuse by saying, ‘I am actually a Prince, so don’t make me do such menial chores!’ so Mikhail obediently got off the bed and lifted the box.

“Ugh.”

“Ah, fortunately, it seems you have some strength. Take this up as well. The study is on the top floor.”

Just as Mikhail lifted the box with ease, another book was shoved on top, nearly making him lose his balance. Fortunately, thanks to being called upon for heavy lifting since childhood, he didn’t collapse and was able to walk steadily.

‘I-is it okay to meet him so suddenly?’

He was utterly bewildered, but at any rate, he no longer had to wait until the time Marcel had promised. With a confused heart—half worried, half expectant—Mikhail headed toward the study where the Duke was. Creak, creak. The floorboards screamed strangely under Mikhail’s steps until they finally stopped. Mikhail was suddenly overcome with worry that his identity might be revealed by his voice.

Should I just not say anything and pretend I can’t speak? Just as his heart was pounding from the unexpectedly fast encounter, a low yet refined voice drifted from beyond the door, as if noticing Mikhail’s presence.

“Come in.”

At that weighty bass, Mikhail opened the door as if possessed. At visit our sitethat moment, a gust of wind blew from the slightly open window toward the door, [unauthorized copy]causing stolen contentthe curtains to flutter behind the Duke, and his hair—black as the dark night sky—swayed along with them.

On that day three years ago when Duke Transis had attempted to assassinate Mikhail, Mikhail had been asleep, unaware of what was happening due to medicine mixed into the food he had eaten the day before. Because the client had told him to fill his stomach before starting the job, he hadn’t declined and had devoured a lavish spread, only to fall fast asleep.

By the time Mikhail opened his eyes again, the situation had already concluded, and he suddenly learned the secret of his birth—that he was actually a Prince. He was then proclaimed as a Prince and had to spend hectic days adjusting. Therefore, Mikhail had only seen the face of the man who had dared to insult the Imperial Family by holding his life in his hands through paintings.

And even then, it was only because he had accidentally discovered a portrait that had been set aside for disposal during the process of distributing valuables seized from the Quillan Great Estate to nobles who had earned merit. The figure in that portrait, which had been strewn among ruined furniture that was too damaged to use after the suppression of the rebellion, looked as if he lived in a different world—authoritative, with not a hint of a smile on his face. His eyes were piercing, as if he could shoot someone dead on the spot, and his ferocious temperament was clearly felt even in the painting.

Because of this, Mikhail thought that if he actually saw Duke Transis, the man would have a face even more ferocious than back then. He figured that if he had been trapped for three years in such a barren land with a sick body, his temper would have worsened, not softened. However, the Duke he actually encountered was too different from what people whispered about.

“…….”

When Mikhail was too shocked to say anything for a moment, a low voice descended with weight.

“A face I haven’t seen before. Are you a servant sent from the Imperial Palace?”

At the question, which felt relaxed rather than urgent or pressing, Mikhail hurriedly nodded.

“It seems Boris asked you to move some luggage; I apologize for making you go through the trouble. Leave what you brought there and go.”

The Duke seemed to have no interest in the young servant who had suddenly delivered the luggage instead of the caretaker. His gaze remained fixed on the book in his hand. He wasn’t wearing glasses in the portrait. Perhaps his eyesight had worsened as his body grew frail; his pupils moved diligently behind small lenses.

“……?”

How long had Mikhail been staring at the man in silence? Read on Read BL NovelsPerhaps finding it suspicious, [unauthorized copy]the man’s gaze slowly shifted toward Mikhail. Now he’s been caught. The moment Mikhail clutched his wildly racing heart, the Duke spoke with a cold, sunken face.

“What are you doing? Did you not hear me tell you to leave?”

At that moment, Mikhail’s face flushed bright red, like a field set on fire to burn the remaining chaff after harvest.

“Ah, yes! I-I’m sorry!”

Scurrying out of the study like a street thug fleeing from a guard, Mikhail felt as if his heart was pounding so hard it might jump out of his mouth. Why am I like this? It’s not like I did something that embarrassing…. Was it guilt for deceiving him, or was it for some other reason? Even though the man had long since disappeared from sight, his chest refused to calm down.

‘Why…. W-why….’

The impression engraved vividly in his mind was far too different from what people said or what was left in paintings. There was a detached leisure in his gestures and attitude, and a strength that couldn’t be hidden by that mournful gaze, as if a ferocious beast had been subdued and bound into obedience.

It was an impression unlike a loser who had once enjoyed glory second only to the Emperor but had lost everything. He thought the man would have nothing left but spite as a reaction to his situation. Instead, he seemed like a ruler who was utterly bored at this moment. Perhaps that was why Mikhail couldn’t help but gaze at his face as if possessed.

Among the people Mikhail had met so far, the most powerful person was undoubtedly the Emperor. However, judging by impression alone, the man possessed an authority that felt even superior to the Emperor’s. Like someone born to rule. Mikhail clutched his barely calmed chest and lay down on the bed that creaked with the sound of wood. Soon, Marcel, who had returned after finishing the simple investigation of the caretaker, frowned upon seeing Mikhail.

“What on earth are you doing?”

Mikhail couldn’t give any answer to Marcel’s question. He simply swallowed a hiccup, like a child who had committed a mistake. I have to meet him again. That was the only thought in Mikhail’s head.

And the opportunity came easily. Although the mansion was modest for a noble’s residence, it wasn’t as small as a farmer’s shed. Including the walking paths, gardens, and fields attached to the island, it was a fairly large area that required the entire island to be investigated. While Marcel was away, Mikhail peeked around the study, stealthily, like a mouse sneaking into a storehouse.

‘I wonder if he’s in there today too…?’

Just as Mikhail was wondering about the situation inside.

“What is it?”

A low voice resonated from behind him.

“Hic, I-I’m sorry!”

The moment he met that cold, sharp gaze, Mikhail found himself running away instinctively. Whenever he stood before him, he became clumsy, as if he had turned into a fool. Once he quickly hurried down the stairs and shut himself back in his permitted space, nothing happened.

I want to know more about him. But there was no way. He was the squire of an investigator dispatched to suspect him, and the man was in a position of being interrogated. It was obvious that he would be an uncomfortable presence. But I still want to know about him! Even the next day, Mikhail couldn’t stop peeking at the study with a foolish face.

“…….”

Let’s just listen a bit to see if there’s someone inside…. Just as Mikhail tried to press his ear against the door, thinking he had hidden his presence well.

“Is it you again?”

A low voice from inside called out to Mikhail. Gasp. He was caught. He hadn’t said a word and had even suppressed his breathing to keep quiet, so how on earth did he notice? As Mikhail startled and stepped back, the old wooden floor screamed with a loud creak, echoing through the area.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but come in.”

Mikhail could not refuse the man’s command. Ignoring his pounding heart, he gripped the doorknob and opened the door to find [stolen content]the visit our siteman waiting for him with a calm yet bored expression. The man’s expression was calm, but it was stiff, as if he were pretending to be angry.

“Did your master tell you to thank me?”

At the interrogating question, Mikhail quickly shook his head.

“No! It’s not that….”

“……?”

Mikhail’s cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment as he trailed off. The man frowned, wondering if it was hot or if climbing the stairs had been such an arduous task for the red-faced Mikhail.

“If not, then explain why you keep lingering around my study.”

The man’s face as he spoke was solemn and quite fierce, making Mikhail feel as if his heart were being squeezed tight. What should I say? He knew perfectly well that an answer like ‘I’m just interested in you’ was out of the question. In that case, he had to give another plausible answer. Holding his breath, Mikhail racked his brain for a moment and then looked up at the desk to avoid his gaze. His clumsy eyes drifted toward the upper right and wandered erratically. As before, the desk was piled high with books.

“…….”

What, what should I say… In an instant, Mikhail blurted out whatever came to mind.

“U-um, I… my master doesn’t like it when I’m in a conspicuous place….”

What does that even mean? If that’s the case, you should just stay shut in a warehouse or something; why are you lingering here? While Mikhail was blaming himself internally, the man narrowed his eyes and scanned Mikhail from head to toe. To hide his identity, Mikhail had put plenty of ash in his hair, his clothes were worn to the point of being tattered, and his shoes were so old that it wouldn’t be strange if the soles tore off at any moment, making him look like a mistreated servant to anyone. Perhaps he looked quite pitiful, as the man let out a short sigh.

“Sigh….”

Then he asked again.

“Then I suppose you aren’t afraid of being seen by me.”

At the man’s words, Mikhail shook his head in rebuttal.

“A-ah, no, it’s not that!”

“Then what is it?”

This time, Mikhail had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths. Feeling that no excuse would make sense, he just fidgeted with his fingers when suddenly, a light sound of a chuckle was heard.

“……?”

Mikhail, who had been looking down at the floor, startled and looked up to see the man sitting calmly in his chair, looking up at Mikhail and asking.

“What is your name?”

At the Duke’s question, Mikhail gave the nickname he had used so naturally until he became a Prince. He looked so intimidated and pitiful, like a squirrel trembling before its natural enemy. The man seemed to have lost any desire to further interrogate or kick him out. Because he looked like a truly clueless child rather than someone who had sneaked in with some suspicious purpose.

“Misha…. You can call me Misha.”

“I see, Misha. Since you seem to be in desperate need of a place to slack off without being noticed, feel free to stay as you wish. There is no one [visit our site]here who would [Read on Read BL Novels]harass you by nitpicking a servant’s attitude.”

It was a sentence clearly mixed with the intention of teasing. The moment his name flowed from the Duke’s neat lips like a metallic sound, Mikhail felt his heart tighten as if he had been hit by the same curse as the Duke, though that was impossible.

Feeling as if his heart would jump out of his mouth if he stayed any longer, Mikhail quickly left the room. He bowed so deeply that his blonde hair, which wasn’t fully covered in ash, showed through in patches, but the Duke didn’t seem to care in the least.

Having barely returned to his room, Mikhail pulled the blanket over himself, held his breath, and closed his eyes tight. Since his eyelids were closed, everything before his eyes should have been darkness. Yet, the scene he had just witnessed continued to linger.

‘I’ve never seen anyone turn a page so elegantly….’

Mikhail Osbrant was a half-baked Prince who had spent only three years in the Imperial Palace. Even then, he had spent most of his time away on subjugation missions fighting monsters, so he had spent less than a year actually interacting with people working in the palace.

This meant that for most of Mikhail’s short life, the people he associated with were those so rough that people of the palace would often recoil, calling them primitive.

Furthermore, the foster mother who raised Mikhail was a woman with a grip strong enough to pull and treat wild goat hides with her bare hands, and his foster father was a man who worked as a hunter in winter and as a mercenary on the battlefield during the fair seasons.

To them, food was anything that wouldn’t kill you when put in your mouth, an energy source that had to be swallowed as if drinking it before someone else could take it. Elegant manners and a leisurely attitude were behaviors unbecoming of their station.

Mikhail had lived his whole life thinking that such rough behavior was natural. After the secret of his birth was suddenly revealed and he became a Prince, he had become able to eat and behave like a human being thanks to the strict education of the Imperial Family, but it was still unfamiliar to him.

The Duke’s touch—though it was merely turning a page—was more graceful than Chief Chamberlain Glanen, who had taught him not to grip a fork like a spear and gulp down meat. It was as if he were demonstrating what a different level of intimidation was through action alone.

The moment he let out a small chuckle while looking at Mikhail, Mikhail felt as if time had stopped. Every moment of his stubborn and solemn face curving softly was vividly captured and engraved in his mind.

While Mikhail was rolling around under the blanket with a dazed Read on Read BL Novelsface, Marcel, who had finished visit our sitetoday’s investigation, opened the door and walked in.

“What is it?”

What’s wrong with him? Did he eat something wrong? When Marcel asked, sensing a strange atmosphere, Mikhail suddenly threw off the blanket and shouted.

“I’m going out for a bit!”

“What?”

“If you follow me, I’ll report everything you skipped in training when we return to the palace, Marcel!”

“Wh-what…!? No, wait a second!”

“I’m not joking, just follow me!”

Before Marcel could stop him, Mikhail dashed out and headed for the study. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to see the Duke’s face again right this instant. He felt that only by seeing it with his own eyes could he distinguish whether what he had been thinking about until a moment ago was a delusion or reality.

“Ah.”

Unfortunately, when Mikhail vigorously flung open the door to the study, no one was there. It was only natural; when Mikhail had left the study, the sun was still high in the sky, but now the sun was dipping below the horizon and twilight was settling in. The Duke couldn’t possibly spend the entire day in the study.