2 – Rebels, You Say…?

Though it was absurd, Elian adapted quickly. This was because, having lived as a member of the Royal Family for 27 years, he was accustomed to being attended to.

He hadn’t known it would involve eating, but it was not much different from being attended to in the Imperial Palace.

Rather, it was convenient as he didn’t have to lift a finger.

‘Separately, it’s not behavior befitting a Royal Family member.’

Simply put, it diminished his dignity. That’s why he had been horrified, but now he wondered what difference it made.

‘Still, this isn’t right.’

Elian asked with a serious expression.

“What are you saying you’ll do for me now?”

“You said you wanted to wash. I’ll help you.”

“…….”

If his hearing was fine, had he heard correctly?

Kirendis had said something absurd to Elian, who had expressed a desire to wash after finishing his meal.

“I’m good at it.”

“Good at what?”

It was utterly preposterous. He could accept being fed, but he couldn’t tolerate being helped with washing. He didn’t want to wash with the help of someone seven years younger.

This was a matter of pride. The bodies of the Royal Family were meant to be tended to only by thoroughly trained and vetted individuals…

“If that’s your intention, I won’t stop you.”

Elian’s eyes widened at his words, as he backed down sooner than expected. He had expected Kirendis to do the same, especially after having served him his meal while his hands were cuffed.

But this time, he stopped him in a different way.

“But Elian. Do you know how to wash yourself?”

“Of course….”

…He didn’t.

Ironically, Elian, who had been an ordinary commoner in his past life, couldn’t wash himself in this world.

More precisely, he didn’t know how to use the bathroom.

Unlike modern times, where convenient amenities abounded, the bathroom system here wasn’t something that worked with the press of a button.

‘Someone always did it for me, so I never paid attention….’

As mentioned, Elian had lived as a member of the Royal Family for 27 years. In an environment where everything was taken care of without him lifting a finger, for 27 years.

This naturally included bathing assistance.

It had always been natural for someone to help him since he was young, and he had even been taught that doing it himself was unbecoming of a Royal Family member, making this situation awkward.

“I can do it if you show me how.”

Yes. He didn’t know the method, but he hadn’t forgotten the act of washing.

Elian proudly straightened his shoulders. But Kirendis, as if he had anticipated this, smiled and said, “There’s no way I’d teach you something like that.”

“…….”

…How did this child grow up to be so wicked?

Elian felt sad. He couldn’t find the cute and adorable child he remembered from the past.

Back then, it was so endearing how he’d tremble at the slightest touch…

“Choose. Will you accept my help, or will you just stay put?”

The now completely un-cute, dark man was threatening Elian.

‘Still, it feels wrong to give up the right to wash, doesn’t it?’

Thinking about it, it was only because Kirendis was the one serving him; it was a familiar situation for Elian. There was nothing new about it.

“Fine. Let’s go, then!”

“You’ve made a good decision. I’ll help you without making you uncomfortable.”

And so, Elian followed Kirendis to the bathroom.

He was so thorough that he even kept the handcuffs on while they moved, making Elian click his tongue.

“You don’t have to do this; I can’t run away.”

“There’s no way. I trust Elian’s competence, so I don’t want to let my guard down even for a moment.”

What was this nonsense now?

He was competent, yes, but what did that have to do with this?

“I’m not a mage or a swordsman, how could I possibly beat you up and escape?”

“You were thinking of beating me up? How cruel.”

“…….”

There was no getting through to him.

Elian was an ordinary person who had only learned basic swordsmanship, while Kirendis was a talented individual who had graduated top of his class from the Swordsmanship Department.

Besides, hadn’t he single-handedly beaten up the entire Imperial Guard?

“Fine. Do as you please….”

Someone had said it was easier to give up. He had no concept of giving up in his vocabulary, but this felt like the right time to try it for the first time in his life.

‘As expected of the protagonist. To make me give up so easily.’

He moved his feet, indulging in pointless thoughts, and soon arrived at the bathroom.

Wondering what to do next, he stood idly, when Kirendis removed the handcuffs.

“Why are you taking them off all of a sudden?”

It wasn’t allowed in the room, but why was it okay in the bathroom?

As he tilted his head, Kirendis laughed as if amused and said,

“You have to take off your clothes. It’s difficult to do that with handcuffs on.”

Ah!

Elian had an epiphany. And he also realized Kirendis’s wicked intentions.

As expected, Kirendis continued with a bright smile,

“Well then, take them off now.”

He was staring intently at Elian. The meaning of his gaze was clear: he wanted to see Elian embarrassed.

That’s why he had offered to feed him and now volunteered to help him bathe.

Finally understanding the intention, Elian confidently began to undress.

‘Did he think I wouldn’t take them off if he told me to?’

They were both men, after all.

Moreover, Elian was accustomed to showing his body to others. A member of the Royal Family who had someone help him not only with bathing but even with dressing.

Honestly, unless he was told to run outside naked, such things weren’t particularly embarrassing.

Tap.

Tap-tap.

Tap.

He unbuttoned his shirt one by one and pulled it off, tossing it onto the floor. As his pale, smooth upper body was revealed, he quickly took off his pants as well.

Kirendis was the one who was taken aback by his swift movements.

“A Royal Family member… you are indeed a Royal Family member.”

“What?”

Elian, who hadn’t heard the quiet murmur, raised his head proudly. He was still wearing his underwear, but he asked as a courtesy, “Should I take this off too?”

“…….”

Kirendis stared at Elian without a word. His eyes looked somewhat troubled. But quickly composing himself, he replied with a low sigh, “That’s fine.”

His short sentence was filled with dissatisfaction. Elian, wondering what could possibly be the cause of his displeasure, was bewildered.

Shouldn’t he be the one feeling dissatisfied!

However, Kirendis began to operate the bathtub with a low sigh.

‘Oh. I should watch carefully.’

Although he was receiving help now, he didn’t intend to rely on Kirendis’s hands forever, so Elian quickly heightened his concentration.

“…….”

But no matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn’t figure out the principle behind its operation.

‘Too fast!’

Yes. The operation was completed in an instant.

It seemed simple, but there were no buttons to press, no levers, nothing.

Yet, water was flowing.

‘Is this a scam?’

Elian scowled and had to accept the grim reality that he had a bath service scheduled for tomorrow as well.

“Haa….”

He let out an involuntary sigh, and Kirendis, who had already filled the tub with bubbles, beckoned him with a smile.

“Come in.”

“I was going to anyway.”

Elian Eshton, 27 years old.

Tears welled up at the fact that he couldn’t operate a bathtub at his age.

He was even sadder that no one had ever taught him.

“Ugh… this is nice.”

Nevertheless, the comfort of the warm water was pleasant. He liked the scent of the bath additive, wherever it came from, and his heart felt soft and relaxed.

At this moment, he felt he could forgive Kirendis’s wicked deeds.

“I’ll wash your hair.”

“You?”

He would even wash his hair?

Since Kirendis seemed intent on providing full service, Elian leaned his head back in the tub, telling him to do as he pleased.

Then, this time, Kirendis operated the shower and turned on the water.

‘Wow… that just comes out too? How does it work?’

It was so fascinating that he stared intently, his vision inverted, and his eyes met Kirendis’s.

Kirendis flinched as if caught doing something.

‘What is it?’

As he tilted his head, a towel covered his face.

“Close your eyes.”

Ohh.

He wondered if Kirendis knew how to do this too, finding it amazing.

Elian finally relaxed his body and leaned back comfortably. As warm water poured over his head, his body naturally grew heavy.

‘Ah, this is nice….’

His fatigue was finally being properly relieved. Elian, who never skipped a half-bath no matter how busy he was, felt even more moved.

‘I haven’t been able to do this for two whole days.’

One day he couldn’t because he had tormented the Knights Order and ministers all night, and the next day he missed it because he was kidnapped in his sleep.

Looking at it this way, he realized he hadn’t washed for two days, gaining a new insight.

‘This is a record.’

He didn’t skip washing, even if he skipped sleep, so the fact that he wasn’t in the Imperial Palace felt real.

‘Speaking of which, he’s good at this.’

As if he had actually learned it, Kirendis’s touch was extraordinary.

The way he lathered his hair and massaged it gently was that of a professional. He knew exactly where to press to relieve tension and fatigue.

‘Wow… why is the protagonist good at this too?’

The world was truly unfair. He wondered if there was anything Kirendis couldn’t do.

Even he, praised as a genius, had many things he couldn’t do, yet Kirendis seemed good at everything.

‘It’s good that he’s good at it.’

Thanks to him, he was enjoying an unexpected luxury and began to fully indulge.

Feeling Kirendis’s touch, he became increasingly absorbed in his massage.

As a swordsman, his fingertips weren’t soft. Yet, there was a sensation of a satisfying scratch.

In fact, he preferred this touch over the ones he received in the Imperial Palace. He let out a satisfied sigh whenever his fingertips brushed against his scalp.

“Haa….”

Kirendis paused at the involuntary sound. Elian found his touch very satisfying and urged him to continue.

“Don’t stop. Keep going.”

“…….”

The massage resumed. Elian, with a relaxed mind, began to feel his touch once more.

And so, the satisfied sighs repeated. In his mind, Kirendis was now a masseuse with incredible skills.

So he could ask without hesitation.

“Kirendis.”

Elian’s voice was already steeped in languor. His melodious voice called out to him, exhaling a small, hot breath.

At that moment, Kirendis’s hand trembled slightly, failing to control its pressure. And precisely then, it overlapped with Elian’s voice.

“Just a little more… Hh… harder….”

Kirendis’s touch froze.

Elian tilted his head. The massage had stopped.

“Kirendis?”

He couldn’t see, so he had no way of knowing why. Elian quietly called his name.

Then, a low sigh escaped from above his head.

“Haa….”

“…?”

Elian, who had no idea what was happening, raised his hand to remove the towel from his face.

“Like this….”

“Hm?”

“Please wait a moment like this.”

“Huh?”

Having said that, Kirendis suddenly disappeared somewhere. The sound of a door opening and closing indicated he had gone outside.

“Did you really leave?”

“…….”

“Really?”

“…….”

“Hey!”

Seriously, what was he supposed to do if he left after just applying the foam?

Elian stood dumbfounded, feeling bewildered. No matter how urgent, shouldn’t he have finished the job before leaving?

‘I’ve seen and experienced everything in my life.’

It was so absurd, something unimaginable in the Imperial Palace.

‘What do I do now?’

The problem was how to handle this situation. It was awkward to try and solve it himself, as he didn’t know how to use the shower.

‘He’ll be back soon, I guess.’

This situation wasn’t so bad either, so it didn’t matter, he thought.

Having made up his mind, Elian waited for Kirendis with a relaxed heart. Fortunately, he didn’t stay away for long.

“Where did you go?”

“I brought towels and clothes to change into.”

“Huh?”

Hearing his reason, he was once again taken aback. Couldn’t he have just finished the job and left?

“You could have finished it and left.”

“What if Elian ran away while I was gone? It’s a safety measure.”

“…….”

He had nothing to say when Kirendis put it that way. Though it was an unnecessary worry.

“Then, I’ll finish it for you.”

“……Okay.”

There was a lingering sense of unease, but he had no choice but to let it go. It was too trivial a matter to question closely.

“You can do the rest yourself, right?”

After finishing, Kirendis hung the showerhead back in its place and stood up.

At first, he seemed like he would do everything for him, but it seemed he lost interest when there was no reaction.

“Of course. What do you take me for?”

“I’ll leave the clothes and towels here. Call me when you’re dressed. I’ll dry your hair.”

“Your hair too? Why skip the clothes?”

“Should I dress you?”

“No thanks?!”

He had spoken out of spite and immediately regretted it. He felt that if he reacted like this, Kirendis might regain his interest.

As expected.

“Hmm. I can’t help it. I guess I’ll have to dress you beautifully…”

“That’s enough! Get out!”

How could he have grown into such an annoying adult?

Elian tried to resist, even throwing the towel in his hand, but Kirendis had already left the bathroom.

“Haa….”

As silence fell in the bathroom, a brief moment of existential crisis washed over him.

‘What am I doing with a child at this age?’

Perhaps it was the environment where he didn’t have to wear a mask.

Elian realized that his emotions were fluctuating wildly, unlike his usual self.

How long had it been since he had been tossed about by such a variety of emotions?

He, who had always been the one wielding influence, found the current situation unfamiliar. Nevertheless…

‘I don’t dislike it.’

Yes. Although he was grumbling, he didn’t dislike it. He even felt like he was enjoying it.

“Absurd.”

He clicked his tongue at his newly discovered duality.

First, he had to put on his clothes perfectly and show that he could do it without help.

“Good.”

Having resolved himself, Elian carefully dried himself with the towel and then picked up his clothes.

However…

“I really didn’t think I’d have to help you.”

“…….”

Elian had to meekly accept Kirendis’s help. The clothes… were different from what he usually wore.

“Elian, you know less than you’d think?”

“What?!”

Elian Eshton, 27 years into his life. This was the first time he had ever heard such a thing.

“It’s because it’s a type of clothing you’ve never seen before!”

“It’s simpler than the clothes you usually wear!”

“…….”

That was true. Noble attire was originally designed to be difficult to put on without assistance.

It was due to a sense of privilege. If nobles were like that, how much more so for royalty?

In comparison, these clothes had a very simple structure. He just didn’t know how to wear them properly.

“Still, I managed to put it on. I can wear it properly now.”

“You should be able to. If you’re not an idiot, how can you not manage this?”

Was he implying he had been an idiot until just now?

Once he lost control, he couldn’t see a way to regain it.

“Haa….”

Elian, uncharacteristically, let out a deep sigh and slumped his shoulders.

Kirendis, who had taken on the role of dressing Elian, meticulously dried Elian’s hair as well.

As he dried it with warm air, Elian seemed sleepy, his hair constantly falling downwards.

After relieving his fatigue with warm water, he seemed drowsy.

‘Cute.’

In his comfortable attire and with his freshly dried hair, he looked younger than usual.

‘How is this twenty-seven years old?’

Kirendis gently laid Elian, who had completely fallen asleep, onto the bed.

His hair scattered messily, revealing his clear forehead. As he carefully tidied his hair, Elian mumbled and burrowed into the pillow.

Seeing that, Kirendis found him cute again and gently poked his cheek.

“Mmm….”

Then, Elian frowned as if annoyed.

“Ah, really….”

He was so cute it was driving him crazy.

He hadn’t expected to find Elian cute, so it was surprising.

To him, Elian was a magnificent and respectable person, someone he wanted to protect. He had never imagined he had such a lovable side.

‘Of course… there were also things that were exactly as I imagined.’

Kirendis recalled what had happened in the bathroom a little while ago.

Elian’s pale white body. It was something he had only ever imagined, so he had a hard time acting nonchalant.

He had pushed through it because he simply wanted to keep looking.

‘My desire was… excessive.’

When he entered puberty, Kirendis’s first subject of nocturnal emissions was Elian.

He had realized he loved him, but he was flustered to realize it had led to sexual desire.

However, the natural physiological phenomenon made him constantly think of Elian and fueled his fantasies.

And then, he had witnessed a similar scene with his own eyes.

The air heated intensely.

Satisfied moans.

Even the urgent voice.

“Haa….”

Kirendis buried his face in the bed with a low sigh. His face was so red he couldn’t possibly lift his head.

He was relieved yet disappointed that Elian hadn’t noticed. It meant Elian wasn’t conscious of him.

Could he endure it?

How long would he have to endure?

His heart grew impatient with the endless waiting. He wanted to reach him quickly. But he couldn’t gauge the distance needed to approach him.

‘No. This is the kind of thing that makes one seem younger. If I’m aiming for a younger man who acts like an older one, I have to lead first.’

Then, could he approach a little closer?

Could he touch him a little more?

Could he even indulge in a little greed… ?

Kirendis fell into deep thought, gazing at Elian, who slept with an angelic face.

‘Could this be heaven?’

Elian’s life was filled with excessively peaceful and languid days.

When he woke up and rolled around in bed, Kirendis would bring him breakfast. Then he’d eat his fill and roll around in bed again.

At lunchtime, he’d eat lunch, and in the afternoon, he’d read books Kirendis brought him. They weren’t the boring books he usually read, but novels focused on entertainment.

After reading for a while like that, it would be evening. Then, he’d have a delicious dinner and enjoy a half-bath.

With his body feeling pleasantly heavy, he’d read the book he hadn’t finished, and before he knew it, he’d fall asleep, and morning would arrive.

Elian liked this life very much.

‘This is what happiness was like.’

He had always liked a busy life, but he was also the type to feel happy only when he had a lazy routine like this.

It was a feeling he had forgotten due to running himself ragged for so long. Because of that, the happiness he hadn’t felt rushed in like a wave.

‘If I knew it would be this good, I should have asked to be kidnapped sooner.’

He knew it was a ridiculous thought, but his condition was at its peak. His heart was also in a generous state.

If he felt this way now, he felt like he could even permit a rebellion.

‘Wait! That’s not it!’

He jolted upright at the dangerous thought that flashed through his mind. But soon, he weakly lay back down.

Whether he did or not, the book in front of him was more important now. It had just reached its climax, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Elian.”

“…….”

“Elian.”

“…….”

“Elian!”

“……Hm?”

Having been too engrossed in his book, Elian belatedly registered the call and turned his head. Kirendis was looking at him with a bewildered expression.

‘Why is he like this again?’

He wondered why Kirendis, who hadn’t visited except during meal times for a while, was here now.

“……Are you alright?”

“What?”

He was genuinely asking because he didn’t know. He needed Kirendis to explain properly to answer, but his words were missing a subject.

“You’ve been locked up all week.”

“Ah.”

Only then did he realize Kirendis was referring to his situation of being kidnapped. Elian turned back to his book and said, “I’m fine? I think I’m actually good at being kidnapped and imprisoned.”

“…….”

Kirendis said nothing, perhaps finding it absurd. But he was sincere.

When else would he get to experience a life like this?

Elian didn’t think this lifestyle would continue. So, he had to enjoy it while he could.

“I really couldn’t imagine you being such a lazy person.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good news.”

“Good news?”

“If you make a lazy person king, the country will fall. You guys should disband.”

He subtly suggested disbandment, but there was no reply. So, he turned his head and saw a brightly smiling face.

Something felt… unsettling.

“I don’t mind if you’re lazy?”

“Hm?”

Wait a moment…

“I’d actually prefer it. Because then I can monopolize you. Just like now.”

“…….”

Elian was flustered. The fact that he didn’t mind a lazy king was one thing, but the statement that it was better because he could monopolize him was another.

“So… you’re saying you’ll continue this lifestyle even after making me king?”

This lifestyle meant performing small services by his side. And this, from the heir of a Duchy.

“As long as I can be by Elian’s side, I can do anything. I’m confident in it.”

“Don’t be confident about things like this…”

He made a remark out of sheer disbelief, and a cheerful laugh burst out.

“No matter how lazy Elian is, he’s still Elian. Given your personality, I don’t think you’ll be able to maintain this lifestyle for long, right?”

“That’s not true? It’s just that I haven’t done it because the circumstances didn’t allow it, not because I couldn’t.”

It was absurd. There wasn’t a single person in the world who disliked resting.

He had inadvertently touched upon his pride in laziness, which he had regained after a long time.

“Hmm. Is that so? I was thinking of going for a walk if you started getting bored soon.”

“……Hm?”

A walk?

Elian’s eyes finally sparkled. While becoming one with the bed was nice, he also enjoyed moving his body.

An activity for rest, not for work.

“Perhaps because the weather is nice today, the sky looks beautiful.”

Elian turned his gaze towards the window. As he said, the sky was blue and beautiful. The sunlight was so bright that the outside world was sparkling.

“And it’s the Harvest Festival, so there should be plenty to see.”

“Harvest Festival?!”

Elian’s eyes sparkled again. He had never experienced a festival in this world.

To be precise, he hadn’t had time for personal hobbies.

He had poured all his time into surviving in the Imperial Palace, which was called a battlefield without swords.

He didn’t regret that time, but now that an opportunity arose, his spirits began to lift.

‘What would a festival in this world be like?’

Since it was the Harvest Festival, they would surely sell a lot of food. There would be countless stalls, and perhaps small performances would be held.

What kind of food would there be?

What kind of goods would they sell?

What kind of performances would be held?

Elian’s heart began to swell with anticipation.

“But you said you weren’t interested, so I suppose it can’t be helped. Shall I get you more books?”

“Ah…”

…Right. I was trying to appeal that I’d be a lazy king.

Elian turned his head and looked at the book he was reading. It had been so interesting just a moment ago, but it quickly became dull.

His heart had already been stolen by the sparkling world; there was no way the letters would enter his eyes.

“Who says that? Give up the idea that only not moving is laziness. It’s all a stereotype.”

“Hmm. Is that so? My thoughts are different.”

“My thoughts are your thoughts. Let’s go.”

Elian, speaking shamelessly, quickly shook his handcuffs, urging him to go.

A chain fixed to one side of the bed frame made a clinking sound. The sight alone conveyed Elian’s feelings well.

Kirendis burst into laughter.

“If Elian says so.”

As permission was granted, Elian’s mood soared. He wanted to go out as soon as possible.

Kirendis helped Elian put on outdoor clothes. He also diligently fastened new handcuffs.

“…….”

…They were short handcuffs, a connecting link that forced them to stay close together.

“Shall we go?”

Unlike Kirendis, who looked delighted, Elian’s expression was souring.

“No, how can we go like this!”

Elian protested, raising his hands high. Every time he waved his hand, Kirendis’s hand moved with it.

He couldn’t hide his astonished expression as he watched their arms move in unison.

“It’s fine. No one will pay attention.”

“They will pay attention?!”

What on earth was Kirendis thinking?

Even in a village unaware of the world’s affairs, walking around in handcuffs would raise suspicion.

They might suspect one of them was a criminal. And given their physiques, Elian was more likely to be the suspect.

It was obvious that Elian would have difficulty overpowering Kirendis.

“Then we can do this.”

Fortunately, Kirendis seemed to have a solution. But even he wasn’t entirely pleased with it.

Kirendis grabbed Elian’s hand firmly and said,

“If we don’t hold hands and lift them up like this, they’ll be hidden by our sleeves, and no one will know.”

“…….”

Was that even a sensible thing to say?

The large hand held Elian firmly, preventing him from escaping. Even just holding him lightly, it was difficult to pull his hand away.

“With this much grip strength, you could remove the handcuffs…”

“I don’t trust myself fundamentally, so I want to borrow the power of tools.”

“I see…”

He muttered softly in a soulless voice, sinking into sadness. The thought of walking through the streets like this made his future seem bleak.

“Is everything settled now? Shall we go?”

“……Yes.”

Still, there was no other choice. Elian’s heart had already been captivated by the sparkle of the outside world. He had no choice but to follow Kirendis.

Thus, they left the room and headed downstairs. For the first time, he could see a space other than his room.

“The lower floor is ordinary?”

“I couldn’t let Elian stay just anywhere. So, I had the second floor renovated separately.”

He wondered if he should be grateful for this, or angry that money was spent on something so unnecessary.

With this kind of facility, it must have cost a lot of money, and Elian, who had the moniker “money ghost,” was quite displeased.

‘We’re not staying here permanently, yet they spent so much money…’

The topic of ‘Is the protagonist’s financial sense okay?’ surfaced in his mind.

Since he was now an adult, he wondered if he should impart wisdom as an elder. But he quickly dismissed the thought.

‘I’ve retired now. I’m no longer the Minister of Finance.’

When he was in charge of the Ministry of Finance, every penny was precious, and he would nag about it, but not anymore. It had become a matter of no concern to him.

With his mind made up, Elian left the house with light steps.

“There are more houses here than I thought?”

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw houses packed closely together. The stone-walled paths, separated by narrow alleys, were so full of houses they looked like a well-made maze.

“It’s often darkest under the lamp.”

It was true. Blending into the ordinariness, it wouldn’t be easy to find.

‘The paths are complicated too.’

Just in case, he tried to memorize the way out, but it was impossible. As time passed, his concentration waned.

He had turned in so many directions that he lost his sense of direction. Given his inherent poor sense of direction, it might have been impossible for Elian from the start.

‘Did they choose this place on purpose…?’

Elian instinctively knew that even if he weren’t bound, he would never be able to get out on his own.

It might be possible with luck, but before that, he would be caught by Kirendis.

‘I should just wait patiently for Jade.’

But why hadn’t there been any news yet?

A week had already passed with no word, so he was worried. Something must have happened.

The most likely possibility was that Marius was interfering to prevent Elian, who was missing, from being found.

‘He’s the type to do that. He must be having a blast.’

Not only retired but also missing. He might be planning to purge the Imperial Palace and fill it with his own people.

‘So, it will take some time?’

Elian had many connections, but his most powerful card was undoubtedly Jade.

Jade Rustas, the captain of the Imperial Guard.

The young captain, who was about to reach the level of Sword Master, was fully trusted by the knights.

Elian followed him only out of fear of his power; Jade was the one he truly respected.

Therefore, Jade was bound to be the biggest obstacle for Marius.

‘The Knights Order, which is supposed to protect the Royal Family, is an enemy. That’s the first place to deal with.’

Having assessed the situation, Elian decided to forget about it for now. Since there was nothing he could do, thinking about it would only give him a headache.

“Wow!”

As they walked and walked through the maze-like paths, they finally arrived at the festival grounds.

It was a new world.

“The festival is incredibly elaborate?!”

Countless stalls.

Colorful flags adorning the sky.

And lively people.

“I told you. It’s the Harvest Festival.”

“Still, I didn’t expect it to be this grand.”

He wondered what kind of livable village could hold such a large festival. Unless it was the capital, holding a festival of this scale would be impossible.

At the very least, an environment where the villagers didn’t starve had to be established, and merchants had to be able to enter the village easily.

Only then could a scale like this be achieved.

“I never thought I’d get to experience something like this here.”

Elian, who had imagined a modest festival, was thrilled as if he had received a great gift.

His demeanor was completely different from his usual sullen one. He was purely excited, like a child.

Kirendis pulled Elian along and said,

“Where do you want to look first?”

“Over there!”

Elian, having completely forgotten his status, pointed at a stall with an excited voice.

They were selling delicious-looking skewers.

‘Festivals mean street food, right?’

The red sauce looked appetizing, making his mouth water. The taste might not be as good as what he ate in the Imperial Palace, but eating it in a place like this was special.

“Welcome. One is 1 silver. Would you like one?”

“Yes!”

He quickly answered and looked at Kirendis. Then, Kirendis chuckled and handed over the money.

‘Ah…’

At that moment, Elian realized how excited he was. He also realized that he had acted in a way unbecoming of royalty due to his sheer joy.

It was an action even an adult wouldn’t take, let alone royalty.

‘Even if Kirendis is comfortable, I should restrain myself.’

He had been told he didn’t need to manage his image, but that didn’t mean he could act like a child.

Considering his age, including his past life, he was old enough to act like an adult.

“Ooh. What’s that? Let’s go, Kirendis.”

“Elian. Let’s go slowly.”

“Slowly? What do you mean slowly? We have to see everything before sunset.”

Elian’s resolve crumbled quickly. He had heard that the festival was only for today.

“If I had known, I would have come out in the morning.”

“There wasn’t much to see in the morning.”

“Still. Wow. What is this?”

There were so many strange items. Although Elian had always used and worn the best, there were many things he was seeing for the first time.

They were mostly commoners’ goods, which he, as royalty, would never have seen.

“This is 8 silver?! Isn’t that too cheap?”

“Young man, you know what you’re looking at. This is practically a giveaway.”

The prices were so low that Elian’s eyes completely lit up.

He couldn’t believe they weren’t using such cheap, high-quality goods in the Imperial Palace. It was an immense waste.

“Look at this. Even here, you’re only thinking about work.”

Kirendis said with a laugh, as if he had heard Elian muttering.

“Work? I was just looking closely because it was interesting.”

“You were thinking about how to procure them. I heard you say it so confidently.”

“…….”

Did I say it that loudly?

Elian couldn’t believe it. He thought Kirendis just had good hearing, but it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

“Your hearing… is quite sharp.”

“You were speaking too loudly. Be careful. You’ll give everything away like this.”

“…….”

What would happen if his identity as royalty, beyond just nobility, and more specifically, Archduke Elian Eshton, were revealed?

He might be able to escape this place, but at that moment, Elian’s image would plummet.

The image of the villain, Iron Blood Archduke Elian Eshton, which he had meticulously built, would vanish like dust.

‘No, no.’

It was too many people to risk. Elian didn’t want to take such a gamble.

“Ahem. Shall we eat something first?”

“Again?”

“Again?!”

“We’ve already eaten so much…”

“That was digested long ago. Let’s go!”

He quickly dismissed Kirendis’s opinion and pulled him along. He felt Kirendis’s footsteps following him, albeit with exasperation.

Fortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t find any more fault.

“Then, shall we buy some dinner ingredients?”

“Dinner?”

As he tilted his head, Kirendis replied with a smile.

“I know a place with a good view. Let’s buy various things and eat there. Like we did on a picnic long ago.”

“Ah…”

A long-forgotten memory surfaced. The last time he had enjoyed a break. The picnic he had enjoyed with Kirendis was remembered by Elian as his last respite.

He had been running so fast ever since, so he often thought of it.

‘I thought that was the last time.’

A time of peace.

A memory that had now faded into the past.

Perhaps because only vague emotions remained, the suggestion didn’t sound bad.

Knowing he would return to a harsh life soon, he also wanted to create one more good memory.

“You remember that? You were just a kid, that’s impressive.”

As Elian spoke teasingly, hiding his emotions, Kirendis replied as if it were obvious.

“I remember everything about Elian. How could I forget?”

The words sounded as if all the memories he’d spent with Elian were precious.

He said he liked me… didn’t he?

Elian thought anew that his feelings might truly be serious.

“What do you want to buy first?”

“Huh? Ah… th-that! That was delicious.”

Although flustered for a moment, Elian quickly composed himself. Nothing changed just because he liked him.

He thought Kirendis’s feelings wouldn’t last long. Given the flow of this world, he believed they would naturally turn towards someone else.

“Oh my. Young man, you’re back again?”

The merchant, with his good memory, greeted them with a hearty laugh.

“It was so delicious. Please pack two for me.”

“Kuh. You know what’s good. Two is enough?”

“Yes. No, make it four.”

As he quickly corrected himself, the owner burst into a hearty laugh and said.

“You’ll have to work hard to feed your younger brother until he’s full. Alright! It’s on the house! I’ll give you one more!”

“Thank… you?”

Elian tilted his head and offered his thanks. It felt like the thanks were directed at Kirendis, not him.

Hmph. I’m twenty-seven, you know.

Even if Kirendis was taller, there was a seven-year age difference, so it was ridiculous.

Elian intended to dismiss it as nothing. But Kirendis seemed to have other plans.

As he handed over the money, he said.

“That’s true. I’m quite worried because my younger brother eats so much.”

Wait a minute!

Elian looked at Kirendis with a bewildered expression. But even more bewildered was the skewer shop owner.

“Still, it’s good that he eats well. He needs to eat well if he’s going to grow up strong like you, young man.”

“He looks like he’s already fully grown. Will he grow any taller?”

“Of course, of course. He’s still far from adulthood, isn’t he? He needs to eat well while he can.”

What?!

Elian looked at the owner with a dumbfounded expression. The owner genuinely believed Elian hadn’t reached adulthood.

His fair skin, his hands that looked like they’d never done a day’s hard labor. His childish behavior as he enjoyed the festival with a gleeful face.

In contrast, Kirendis was clearly a well-trained swordsman, and his demeanor was mature.

For commoners, most of whom worked before adulthood, it was natural for Elian, who looked like a hothouse flower, to appear younger.

Moreover, his casual attire only emphasized the difference.

However, Elian, unaware of this fact, was engulfed in a great shock.

M-me…

Being perceived as young was by no means an advantage for Elian. It was a disadvantage. Given his position, appearing young made him an easy target.

There weren’t many such people anymore, given what he had done, but there were quite a few during his teenage years when he had nothing.

“Me… younger brother…”

Elian muttered his thoughts in frustration, unaware of it. The owner, startled, said.

“Oh my. Is he your friend, not your brother? I apologize. He’s so pretty, I thought he was younger.”

“N-no…”

It would look even worse to correct him and say he was older.

Elian took the skewers from the owner with a glazed look. Then, as if noticing something, he tilted his head.

“Ah…!”

The owner seemed to have a small realization. As he saw them off, he delivered a final blow.

“You’re not friends, but lovers? I apologize. You young people, have a beautiful love.”

“……!”

Elian finally understood.

The fact that two sturdy men were walking around holding hands affectionately…

“The shop owner has a good eye.”

“……”

“He thought we were a couple.”

“……”

“And that I was the older one.”

“……”

Kirendis beamed with a proud smile.

Although there was a brief incident, the evening meal purchase continued peacefully.

Since they couldn’t let go of their clasped hands, they chose to be thoroughly discreet.

Elian began to stick close to Kirendis, and the merchants mistook them for a couple.

However, since no one spoke of it directly like the skewer shop owner, Elian thought he had gotten away with it.

Only Kirendis knew and smiled happily.

Cute.

The way he narrowed his eyes and warily scanned his surroundings was just like a cat.

Yet, holding hands tightly was fatally cute.

It was a good thing I told the villagers my brother was coming.

In fact, the merchants were convinced Elian was his brother because Kirendis had spread rumors to his acquaintances that his brother was coming.

It was a special preparation because Elian’s ideal type was someone older.

It’s a success.

Not only was it a success, but they were even called a couple, so it was no exaggeration to say the plan was a complete triumph.

I hope this makes him conscious of it.

That he had grown into an adult, old enough to be seen as older. And that they could be a couple.

These were all things Elian wasn’t conscious of.

“Wow.”

As they climbed the hill he had scouted earlier, the wind blew, scattering Elian’s hair. With a small gasp of admiration, he was mesmerized by the scenery unfolding before him.

“It’s beautiful.”

The well-ordered village spread out like a panorama. The sight of the entire village bathed in the red sunset was truly spectacular.

This, too, had been prepared for today, and Kirendis, with a satisfied smile, pulled Elian along.

“Come here.”

Elian, who was easily led, was still lost in the village scenery. This allowed Kirendis to easily carry out his plan.

First, he unlocked the handcuffs and arranged the food attractively. Then, he quickly moved behind Elian and re-fastened the handcuffs.

This time, it was the same hand, not the opposite one.

Kirendis then smiled with satisfaction and guided Elian to sit on the ground.

This created a perfect pose. A pose where Elian fit snugly into Kirendis’s embrace.

“……Huh?”

Only then did Elian tilt his head, realizing his position.

“Wait! What is this?!”

While his senses were captivated by the enchanting scenery, something astonishing had happened.

What was this embarrassing posture?!

“You can thank me.”

“What…?”

Elian turned his head in bewilderment. Kirendis, leaning slightly, met his eyes and said.

“You must have been tired from walking around. Lean back and enjoy it comfortably.”

Lean back comfortably?

It wasn’t a welcome offer. He was already embarrassed by being mistaken for a couple, and he didn’t need this kind of pose.

“Hurry up.”

“Ack!”

He lost his balance as Kirendis pulled him by the waist. In doing so, he fell onto Kirendis’s broad chest.

Elian’s mind became complicated.

It’s quite…

Comfortable?

Although he was annoyed by Kirendis’s high-handedness, it was undeniably comfortable. He hadn’t realized how convenient a backrest could be.

“Much better, right?”

“Ahem. It’s not bad.”

“You made a good decision. No one’s watching, so what does it matter?”

He was right. Since no one was watching, what did it matter?

Elian, unaware that his thoughts were heading in a strange direction, became engrossed in the scenery again.

It truly is a beautiful village.

The road planning was particularly well done. The main commercial district was formed around the main roads, and the alleys were also well-maintained, creating a picturesque scene.

And the farmlands are vast.

As expected of a harvest festival, the farmlands were indeed extensive. He thought such a village existed. It seemed like an ideal village.

“How is it?”

“What?”

Elian, picking up a mouth-watering sandwich, asked absently. Kirendis naturally helped him remove the wrapper and asked again.

“The village. How was it?”

“It was good. The people clearly have a relaxed life, their expressions are bright, and it’s nice. More places like this should exist.”

He took a large bite of the sandwich while rambling his brief impressions. The crisp apple flavor was delightful.

Kirendis smiled at Elian’s appearance and leaned his head on him. He could smell Kirendis’s scent filling his nostrils.

“You made it.”

Along with the weight of Kirendis leaning on him, a gentle voice whispered. Elian suddenly felt a tickle on his neck.

“This village. You made it.”

“Huh?”

He tilted his head, unable to comprehend the words. Then, a calm voice continued to explain.

“The people of this village were refugees ten years ago.”

“Oh… really?”

So this village was only ten years old?

More importantly, ten years ago…

Something felt familiar. But he couldn’t grasp what it was.

Refugees…

A memory flickered, just out of reach. It felt like an important word, but he couldn’t recall it.

“Don’t you remember? The first policy you initiated.”

“Ah!”

Elian’s eyes widened as the memory finally returned. How could he have forgotten such an ambitious plan?

On his first anniversary as Minister of Finance, Elian had announced a vast policy to fill the national treasury.

It was a plan to offer tax benefits and partial reimbursement for costs to those who reclaimed wasteland.

Furthermore, he announced subsidies for expanding and improving roads.

“That policy that got so much criticism.”

Elian’s eyes blurred as he recalled that time.

Creating new farmlands and building roads would solve food shortages, stimulate commerce, and stabilize the economy.

But that was all contingent on the successful completion of the project.

Kirendis, as if aware of this, continued with a smile.

“That’s how it was back then.”

“It’s not ‘how it was back then.’ The nobles embezzled the subsidies, and I took all the blame!”

Elian, venting his past grievances, chewed his sandwich vigorously.

It felt like he was taking out his frustration, but Kirendis knew this act, too, was laced with falsehood.

“You knew that would happen, didn’t you? That the nobles would skim the money.”

Elian flinched at the accurate observation.

How did he know?

That’s right. Elian had deliberately let the nobles have their way. They weren’t people who would be moved by a few coins.

Which money would be more tempting: the money that was rightfully theirs, or the money that wasn’t?

Elian had thrown a bait to make them act with enthusiasm.

As a result, the nobles began to measure the laborers’ wages very low and exploit them. Many also worked them excessively to receive their money as quickly as possible.

All under the guise of imperial decree, mixing truth and lies.

As time passed, they began to criticize Elian for implementing a policy that only enriched the nobles.

It was all according to plan.

“Thanks to that, the policy was able to take root quickly. That was your intention, wasn’t it?”

“It was a coincidence.”

It was no coincidence. Elian had deliberately created an environment where the nobles could exploit people.

This was necessary for simultaneous environmental improvements.

It was a forced measure because managing and supervising all the territories alone was impossible.

“And five years later, you pulled a massive double-cross.”

“Hmm… did I?”

That was also true. The simultaneously initiated projects quickly took hold, and new villages emerged.

Elian held most of the power at the time, so he could act boldly.

“You absorbed the farmlands created by the nobles who embezzled the funds into Imperial Family ownership.”

“Ahem. That’s right! I made quite a lot of money back then!”

He nodded with a satisfied expression and took a bite of his sandwich. Though he acted nonchalant, cold sweat trickled down his back.

“You also granted permanent usage rights to those who reclaimed the land.”

“Hmm…”

Permanent usage rights.

While called usage rights, permanent meant giving them the land itself. They had to pay taxes, but the right to use the land permanently was a huge benefit.

They didn’t have to worry about the lord’s whims.

“And the taxes were reasonable too.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

It was far from obvious. It was customary for nobles to demand more money than the Imperial Family required.

In summary, Elian had taken the land diligently prepared by the nobles without lifting a finger and distributed it.

“You know it wasn’t obvious, don’t you?”

“……”

Elian let out a long sigh without a word. He thought, He really is the protagonist, and his heart grew complicated.

I didn’t expect him to see through everything like this.

Elian’s image was poor, both inside and out.

He was a person who developed the country through pro-noble policies, but also a person who betrayed nobles.

As a result, his reputation was poor among both the public and the nobles.

“Don’t look away.”

Kirendis whispered softly. Elian looked at the village with complex eyes.

The expressions, smiles, and vitality of the villagers he had seen today.

All of it was created by Elian, but no one acknowledged it. That was a little sad.

It can’t be helped, since I deliberately pushed for it.

He had chosen a path that would lead to rapid but strong backlash, in order to become the villain. A path where the country would grow, but he would bear all the arrows.

Lost in thought, Kirendis quietly opened his mouth again.

“The people of this village…”

“……”

“Are grateful to you.”

“……”

“……”

“……Huh?”

Grateful?

Elian tried to turn his head, but Kirendis held him tighter, preventing him.

“I don’t understand. Why Elian insists on being the villain.”

“Ah…”

This time, Elian let out a low gasp, having been truly hit by the truth. But Kirendis continued in a displeased tone.

“There are people in this village who criticized Elian, but there are also many who didn’t. Now, everyone likes Elian.”

Refugees.

Thanks to the policy Elian had implemented, the refugee-related problems that had been a headache all disappeared. New villages were created in droves, absorbing the refugees.

The village grew, and thanks to the roads conveniently connected to the capital, the commercial district also expanded.

The villagers who received permanent usage rights from the Imperial Family also operated their reclaimed lands by re-lending them to refugees.

However, this did not erase the painful times Elian had endured due to his policies.

I thought that was all there was to it…

Elian quietly closed his eyes and leaned into Kirendis’s embrace.

A gentle breeze rustled his hair. A peaceful scent wafted to his nose.

“Surely you don’t think the people we met today didn’t recognize you?”

“What are you talking about…”

This time, he turned his head to look at Kirendis’s face, expressing his confusion. Due to their position, their faces were quite close.

Kirendis touched his forehead to Elian’s and said.

“Elian, you’re a fool.”

“What?!”

He had never heard such a thing in his life…

“You’re more famous than you think. Your face appears prominently in newspapers all the time.”

“Oh…?”

Elian finally realized something.

“Of course, some people might not have recognized you because you were dressed so casually, but those with a keen eye would have already recognized you.”

“What?!”

Elian was aghast.

At that moment, his childish actions from earlier that day flashed through his mind.

“Why didn’t you tell me!”

“Because I wanted you to realize it yourself.”

“Realize what? Ah, really…”

I’m ruined. I’m ruined. I’m truly ruined. The image of the Iron Blood Archduke…

“That there are more people in this world who are favorably disposed towards you than you think.”

“……”

The words poured onto the panicking Elian.

They were enough to pierce Elian’s heart in an instant.

“I’m telling you because you don’t want to acknowledge it.”

“……”

“You’re doing well.”

Someday… he was hearing the words he had once said to Kirendis again.

Ah…*

Elian stared blankly into space. He hadn’t wanted anyone to acknowledge him, and he had thought it was fine to be the villain as long as he survived. But…

“You talk well for a kid.”

It was absurd. He hadn’t realized how happy it would be to have someone acknowledge him without him saying anything.

Elian was glad he wasn’t facing Kirendis directly. His expression would surely be strange.

“How can you be a kid when you’re this tall, taller than Elian?”

Kirendis said with a displeased voice.

“You’re an eternal child to me.”

“Where does that exist?”

“Where? That’s just how the world is.”

“In that world today, I’m older than Elian…”

It was a remark meant to lighten the mood, but it was straying further from the intention.

Annoyed for a moment, Elian shoved the sandwich he was eating into Kirendis’s mouth and shouted.

“What on earth did you eat to get this big?! It’s unbelievable. I’m not someone who’d be outdone anywhere.”

This was all because of Elian’s mother.

A woman who rose from a wandering dancer to the position of Empress solely based on her looks.

It couldn’t be helped, inheriting the blood of such a person. Elian had taken after her beautiful looks perfectly.

‘What efforts I’ve made because of this face.’

Elian’s constant cold expression was partly due to his looks.

If he smiled, his impression softened, so he always had to be mindful of that. It wasn’t enough, so he paid close attention to his hairstyle, clothing, and actions.

Still, he thought he was old enough now to live a little more comfortably…

“Haa…”

As he let out a sigh, Kirendis smiled and asked.

“Don’t worry. Elian is cool.”

“That’s not very helpful.”

“Being cool and being young are different things.”

“It still means I look young!”

“Do you hate it that much?”

“Of course…”

He was about to say it, but then he realized he didn’t need to worry about that anymore.

Whether he looked young or not, there was no one who could ignore him now. He had gained the power to not be bound by his appearance.

“Come to think of it, maybe it doesn’t matter?”

“Oh.”

Kirendis looked surprised and pleased. Though Elian didn’t know why he was pleased.

“Then why do you like being told you look older?”

“I told you.”

“Told me what?”

Elian picked up a new sandwich and asked. He just wanted to keep the conversation going.

So he wasn’t prepared at all for the answer.

Kirendis whispered into Elian’s ear, softly enough that he could barely hear.

“Because I like you.”

“Eek.”

Startled, Elian dropped his sandwich and covered his ears.

His face instantly flushed, feeling like it would burst.

“Are you okay? Your face is red.”

“R-red what?! Are your eyes playing tricks on you?”

“Maybe it’s the sunset?”

“Yes! It’s the sunset!”

“I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean you don’t think so? Get away from me!”

Elian thrashed about as if having a fit. But his hands were bound, so he couldn’t escape or change his position.

“Give up. I have no intention of letting you go.”

“Are you crazy?!”

Elian continued to thrash, but Kirendis laughed joyfully until darkness fell, refusing to let him go.

After such a struggle, Elian was completely drained.

He had no choice but to lean back again, becoming a docile cat and feeding himself with his mouth.

He kept eating as if trying to relieve stress through food, to the point Kirendis had to stop him.

‘He’s asleep.’

As he quietly admired the night view, he eventually heard soft, rhythmic breathing.

‘He must have been tired.’

After running around excitedly for more than half a day and then thrashing about, it was understandable that he was tired.

He had probably never expended energy like this before.

‘I wish he could be at ease next to me.’

That’s why he deliberately provoked him, drawing out his words and actions. He didn’t know when he would be able to exchange emotions and converse with Elian like this again.

His position, his environment, his personality wouldn’t allow it.

‘Still, he seems to think of me a little more comfortably, right?’

That was fortunate.

He thought it might be because he had known him since childhood, but that was something that could be changed.

‘He seems to be changing little by little.’

Kirendis recalled the scene where Elian’s face turned red.

He had teased him intentionally, but he hadn’t imagined the reaction would be so intense.

‘It seems to work quite well.’

He had been unsure how to approach him, but he felt like he had found a clue.

Rather than waiting for him to acknowledge his feelings, pushing forward seemed to be more effective.

‘He was so flustered when I said I liked him.’

He regretted not seeing that face directly.

But there would be other opportunities. If not, he would create them.

‘I wish tomorrow would come quickly.’

He wanted to see Elian’s new expressions as soon as possible. He wanted to know how he would react to his words, what he would say, and what emotions he would feel.

At the same time, he wished this moment with Elian could last forever.

‘Still…’

Kirendis deeply inhaled Elian’s scent as he slept and thought.

‘It smells like mint.’

A familiar scent brushed against his nose.

Flash.

When he opened his eyes, morning had dawned.

‘How… did I get here?’

His last memory was falling asleep, exhausted from his struggle with Kirendis.

‘That jerk. He was still holding me the whole time.’

It was comfortable, but he felt embarrassed right after hearing the confession of liking. Even if he tried not to think about it, Elian was human and couldn’t help it.

‘This is troublesome.’

He seemed to be radiating happiness, which was very troublesome. The fact that this happiness stemmed from Elian, and he didn’t hide it, made it even more so.

“Haa…”

As he let out a sigh and got out of bed, his wrists felt light.

“Huh?”

There was nothing restricting him. Elian’s eyes widened, and he waved his hands around.

“They’re gone?”

Yes. They were gone. The handcuffs that had been restraining Elian were gone.

“Does this mean I can escape?”

“As if.”

“……!”

Startled, Elian turned his head. He saw Kirendis, slightly damp with sweat as if he had just finished his morning exercise.

‘Why does he look so cool even when he’s sweaty?’

Protagonists were truly unfair. They should look disheveled after exercising, but he defied that expectation.

Even in a simple t-shirt and pants, his firm arm muscles and the beads of sweat on his forehead enhanced his charm.

‘I want muscles too…’

The fact that his face was so beautiful but his body wasn’t felt unfair.

Elian, with his delicate face and body, felt even more contrasted.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you in love?”

“What?!”

He wasn’t in love, but he had been thinking he was envious, so his body leaped.

“Huh? Really?”

“No!”

“It looks like it.”

“I told you it’s not!”

Elian began to jump around like he had yesterday.

Since yesterday, Kirendis had been dealing with Elian skillfully, as if he had figured out how to handle him.

“It’s okay. Elian is cool enough.”

“You don’t look like you think I’m cool!”

“You caught me.”

He smiled playfully. His mischievous look felt fresh. Suddenly, Elian thought that look suited him.

‘This part is just like when he was young.’

Kirendis’s unique, fresh aura. That’s why he always felt at ease when he was with him.

“I’m going to wash up now. Do you want to wash up with me, Elian?”

“Are you insane?!”

Elian exclaimed in horror. Of course, whether he was truly at ease now, given how he was causing trouble, was a question that needed re-evaluation.

“Elian can take a half-bath, and I can shower next to you.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go to your room!”

“This is my room.”

“Since when?”

“Since today?”

“……”

He started to quibble, and it felt endless. He had never imagined Kirendis would be so sharp-tongued.

‘Or has my own tongue weakened?’

It felt like his stats had decreased.

“Alright. I won’t make things difficult. I’ll go to my room and wash up.”

Kirendis gently brushed Elian’s hair aside and asked.

“You’re going to wash up, right, Elian? Should I run the water? You couldn’t take a half-bath yesterday.”

Hearing his gentle voice, the rising annoyance quickly subsided. Kirendis understood Elian’s preferences too well.

“…Run the water.”

“Wait just a moment.”

And so, with Kirendis’s help, Elian was able to enjoy his morning half-bath.

As he felt warm and relaxed, he felt like lying down and rolling around in bed.

He wondered if he could ever return to his normal life like this, but Elian liked this life.

“Are you done washing? Can I come in?”

“What? No! Don’t come in!”

Kirendis, who had washed up quickly, knocked on the bathroom door.

Elian, flustered, finished his half-bath, quickly dried himself, and put on clothes.

He could now put on clothes that he couldn’t put on by himself before.

‘I’m this capable!’

It was childish to feel proud of such a thing, but Elian was too busy to notice.

When he opened the door…

“Huh?”

Kirendis was looking at Elian with a surprised expression.

Following his gaze, Elian lowered his head…

“Huh?”

The clothes he thought he had put on perfectly were halfway down.

“Why is this happening?”

It happened because Kirendis had rushed him.

“Elian is quite high-maintenance.”

Kirendis chuckled and fixed his clothes properly. It wasn’t a difficult task, but it made him feel embarrassed.

“It’s because you tried to come in.”

“Then what’s wrong with that? I’ve already seen it all.”

“Wh-what…!”

The words were true, as Kirendis had attended to Elian on the first day. But for some reason, he couldn’t act as confidently as he did then.

Was it because he had heard the confession of liking?

It was something he already knew, but there was a big difference between knowing and hearing it directly.

“Done. You look pretty. Can you hold out your hand?”

“…My hand?”

Hiding his suspicion, he carefully extended his hand. There was no point in resisting.

Kirendis praised him and put something on his wrist.

“Good boy. This is a gift.”

“A gift?”

Fortunately, it wasn’t new handcuffs. It was a simple bracelet made of silver. The blue gem in the center seemed to resemble the color of his own eyes.

‘This is bothersome.’

He wondered if Kirendis had chosen this color on purpose, feeling troubled again.

“I made it myself.”

“You made it?”

Startled, he asked, and Kirendis smiled and continued.

“I seem to have a knack for this sort of thing. Could you step back three paces?”

“Back?”

He didn’t know why he was suddenly told to step back, but he cautiously moved his feet.

Then…

“Ack!”

A dull thud as he hit the wall, followed by pain in the back of his head.

“Are you okay? You should go slower. That must hurt. Look. Is it not healing?”

…Is he pouring oil on the fire now?

Elian glared at Kirendis, who was rubbing the back of his head, with hostility.

It was more annoying to have his insides stirred up with a kind expression than to be openly teased.

“You told me to go back!”

“I didn’t know you’d hit it that hard. I’m sorry.”

Since he apologized so readily, Elian had nothing more to say.

Elian turned his head away sharply.

Still, the phenomenon before his eyes was so strange that he tentatively reached out his hand. He felt a transparent wall not far away.

‘Magic?’

It was definitely magic. A shield type, at that. But…

“Why is a shield blocking a person?”

A shield should block things from the outside coming in. But this seemed to be the opposite.

Bewildered, he lightly tapped the transparent wall.

—Tong.

—Tong.

“……”

A very clear sound echoed. It seemed to be truly designed to prevent him from leaving.

“How is it? It’s a Modified Shield Artifact I made.”Modified… style?””

The first question was why he made such a useless thing, and the second was that Kirendis made it.

“You can use magic too?!”

The novel didn’t mention this, so he was truly surprised.

“To be precise, I have a talent for Artifacts.”

Not every mage can create Artifacts. Also, being able to create Artifacts doesn’t mean one is good at magic.

They have different directions, so having talent in both is very rare. However, talent in creating Artifacts is rarer than talent in magic.

This is because if one has talent in magic, they usually pursue the path of incantation magic.

“What is this? If a swordsman can use magic too, isn’t that cheating?”

Creating an Artifact took quite some time, but the difference between being able to create one and not was significant. Especially if that person was a swordsman.

They could create their own Artifacts and use them in combat.

The only downside was the exorbitant cost of materials. But Kirendis was the heir to a Duchy and had plenty of money.

“I can only make simple things, so it’s a bit embarrassing.”

“Even simple things have infinite potential for future development.”

“Right? I seem to have a particular talent for Modified Forms. They turn out well as I imagine them.”

As Kirendis proudly boasted, Elian kept exclaiming in admiration.

Artifacts had existing blueprints, and creating designs from scratch without blueprints was called a Modified Form.

Modified Forms required not only skill but also creativity, which made him think, ‘This is truly the protagonist.’

“That’s why I specially prepared this as a gift.”

“Come to think of it…”

Elian quietly looked down at the bracelet.

Now that he knew, the blue gem was a Magic Stone, and the patterns engraved around it were Magic Circles.

…He tried to take it off again, just in case, but it wouldn’t budge.

“It’s a set with mine!”

Kirendis showed his wrist and boasted. It was the same type of bracelet as the one he gave Elian.

“If we wear these as a set, we can’t be more than 1 meter apart.”

“What?!”

“You don’t think I released you without any preparation, do you?”

“……”

Elian was speechless. He didn’t know whether to applaud his thorough preparation or curse his own foolishness for being so easily tricked.

“It’s more comfortable than handcuffs, isn’t it?”

“Either way, I can’t escape…”

“Do you prefer the handcuffs?”

“Who said that? I’m just saying.”

He was quite impatient, after all.

Elian grumbled softly and tapped the transparent wall, examining it closely. It seemed to be set up so they couldn’t be more than 1 meter apart, just as he said.

“Why 1 meter?”

“My training is still insufficient.”

“Really?”

“I think so?”

“……”

If that’s the case, then what is “I think so?”

It was highly suspicious, but since he said so himself, there was nothing he could do.

“Since everything seems ready, shall we go now?”

“Go? Where?”

Kirendis took his hand and pulled him along.

“I’ll introduce you to my colleagues.”

Colleagues?

Kirendis’s colleagues meant the Rebel Army. He had mentioned the evening before that the Rebel Army executives had arrived in town.

“No!!”

Of course, Elian vehemently refused.

“Why would I meet the Rebel Army? I’m not rebelling.”

“That’s not for Elian to decide.”

“If I don’t decide, who will?”

“We will.”

“Ughhh. I really can’t…”

Elian struggled as much as he could while being dragged along. But once people arrived on the main street, even that became impossible.

“Oh my. You were carried yesterday, and you’re just waking up now.”

“Did you sleep well, young man?”

“I have some leftovers from yesterday. Take some and eat.”

From merchants mentioning things he didn’t remember to merchants handing him food, everyone started greeting him as soon as they saw him.

‘Is this normal? Or do they all recognize me and greet me like this?’

Elian was flustered. If this was normal, it was fine, but if not…

‘I can’t tell just by looking at his face.’

He couldn’t tell if this kindness was truly directed at Elian Eshton or not.

“Thank you. I’ll eat well. Elian. You should say hello.”

“Huh? Oh. Th-thank you. I’ll eat well.”

Elian, repeating Kirendis’s words in a daze, walked with a creaking gait.

He looked like a broken toy soldier. Kirendis chuckled and opened his mouth.

“Are you awkward?”

“……”

“You are awkward.”

“I haven’t said anything yet?!”

Jumping to conclusions was a bad habit. Elian was about to give a lecture but just turned his head away.

Even so, their hands remained clasped.

“You’ll get used to it gradually. The people you’ll meet today also like Elian very much.”

“Me?”

Come to think of it, he wondered why the others had joined the Rebel Army.

After all, he hadn’t done anything particularly extraordinary to join an organization like this.

“Even though they’re a bit eccentric, they respect Elian.”

“That’s truly a tragic matter.”

To be respected by people who had no one else to respect, by humans like himself.

Elian shook his head in disbelief.

“We’ve arrived. This is where we’re meeting today.”

“Here?”

He had wondered where they would meet, but it was an ordinary tavern. A truly ordinary tavern, complete with a proper sign.

“We can… meet here?”

Still, they were the Rebel Army, so was it okay to meet in a place with so many people coming and going?

Worry arose first, but Kirendis had a plan.

“Knowing that, I rented it out for the day.”

“What?”

No, spending money so lavishly again…

“Sigh…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing…”

He told himself he shouldn’t, but habits were truly terrifying.

Elian now had considerable personal wealth and was no longer the Minister of Finance who had to save money.

However, due to long-standing habits, a money-conscious mindset like this would pop up from time to time.

“Shall we go in then?”

“Mmm…”

As they went inside, the appearance of an ordinary tavern unfolded. It was a tavern that seemed to be genuinely in operation, with traces of daily life scattered throughout.

It was quite clean and tidy.

“Oh.”

It was his first time in such a proper tavern, so it was fascinating. Elian looked around and asked, “But why is no one here? Where are the people?”

“They’ll arrive around evening.”

“Evening?”

It was just past lunchtime. There was still a long way to go until evening.

“Then why are we here now?”

“We have something to do here separately.”

“Do… something?”

A sense of foreboding washed over him again.

“Shall we start with a meal?”

“What? What is it that we have to do?”

“It’s a secret for now.”

What on earth could they be doing that required such secrecy?

“Can’t you tell me in advance? Why keep it a secret?”

“Isn’t it more fun when it’s a secret?”

“…It’s not fun.”

Far from being fun, it only amplified his anxiety. He felt like asking if they would take responsibility if he choked on his food.

Something they had to do before meeting the Rebel Army.

‘I just hope it’s nothing I can’t handle.’

Elian was fundamentally a person who liked to plan and execute.

Since he couldn’t do that now, stress was gradually accumulating. And because the Rebel Army was already unpredictable, the degree of stress seemed even greater.

“You don’t need to be so anxious. It’s really nothing much.”

Fortunately, as if sensing Elian’s expression, Kirendis changed his mind and spoke.

“We have to prepare the food before they arrive.”

“Food?”

It was a topic completely unrelated to the Rebel Army, which surprised him. However, Kirendis didn’t seem to think so, puffing out his chest proudly.

“You can’t have a gathering without food.”

“…You’re not expecting me to do that, are you?”

“Yes. Just you, for now.”

That’s a relief, but…

“Why are you doing it?”

Yes. Why would he cook himself?

He doubted if Kirendis could actually cook, and if he could, he wondered why he learned. Kirendis wasn’t of a status that would typically learn to cook.

But Kirendis thought differently and said proudly,

“Since it’s the first meeting introducing Elian, of course, I should take the lead.”

Huh…?

“They say a couple is one body, right? I learned this so I could properly support the busy Elian.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I learned it thoroughly in preparation for when we live together.”

“…”

He was smiling brightly, but the content was absurd.

Elian didn’t know where to begin addressing it. Still, for now…

“Who said we’re a couple? I never agreed to anything like that!”

As he revealed his bewildered feelings, Kirendis replied nonchalantly,

“Don’t worry about trivial matters.”

“It’s not trivial at all!”

“Then let’s not call it trivial.”

“…”

It was a tone used to pacify a pouting child. It was so natural, he wondered if Kirendis had always been like this.

But it wasn’t over yet. He had already planned much and began spouting nonsense.

“I’ve already looked into potential sites for a house where we can live together. When I become Emperor, I’ll have to live in the Imperial Palace, but I’ll still need a place for comfortable rest.”

“…”

“Would you like to hear what I’ve planned to do for Elian, who is tired from work?”

“…”

“First, I’ll cook, and Elian will come over to taste it. Then he’ll smile prettily and say it’s delicious, right? I’ll be entranced and approach Elian to gently kiss…”

“Wait, hold on!”

Elian quickly covered his mouth. He felt like the conversation was heading in an inappropriate direction.

“What on earth are you talking about?!”

Elian was horrified, but he continued calmly.

“This is the important part, so it’s a bit much.”

“What’s too much?! Stop saying such absurd things!”

“Don’t be so definitive. You never know what life will bring.”

“Some things are already decided?!”

“I haven’t decided anything, so it’s fine.”

…It was almost impenetrable. He couldn’t get through to him. Elian finally resorted to a strong tactic and shouted, “I’m a solo practitioner!”

“Yes. Be a solo practitioner. But it would be perfect if you did it in my house.”

“…”

Wasn’t this like a powerful reflector?

No matter how much he shouted, it just bounced back, so he didn’t know what else to say.

“That’s fortunate. When I become Emperor, I’ll have to worry about successors, but I can just adopt.”

“…”

“Don’t worry about me either. I’ve already told them I’ll adopt.”

“What?!”

“It means there’s nothing that can be a problem between us.”

Kirendis was spouting nonsense with a bright smile.

Elian looked at Kirendis with a vacant expression. Then, with a playful smile, he said, “Do you want to live with me?”

Kirendis’s first proposal.

To get straight to the point, his first proposal failed. Elian had turned serious with a cold expression.

But he didn’t get discouraged. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, determined to show his charm.

“You said a domestic man is attractive. And that he looks kind. I practiced really hard, so please watch carefully.”

This was the part where he understood why Kirendis learned to cook.

“It’s all good, but why do I have to wear an apron too?”

Elian asked, pointing at his ridiculous appearance. An apron with a blue ribbon was tied around his waist.

“You might get splattered if you stay next to me.”

“It’s okay if I get splattered…”

“I’m wearing the same thing, so please bear with it a little.”

That’s why I hate it even more…

Kirendis was also wearing an apron, but it suited him incredibly well. It was as if it were made for Kirendis.

‘Is this the protagonist’s buff?’

Compared to him, he didn’t like his own appearance and kept comparing. As he did, this thought came to mind.

‘Standing like this, we really look like newlyweds…’

Elian froze. After a short moment, he realized the crazy thought and was horrified.

‘Am I really going crazy?!’

It seemed Kirendis’s brainwashing was working. Elian shook his head vigorously, trying to think of something else.

‘Right!’

The method he chose was to evaluate Kirendis’s cooking skills. He would watch with a critical eye, to see if he had learned properly…

“You’re really good.”

His knife skills were artistic. It was evident he had practiced a lot.

“I told you I learned.”

Kirendis smiled and moved to another spot. Elian quickly followed, asking, “Did you have time to learn?”

“I did it in my spare time.”

“You were the top student in all subjects, weren’t you?”

“Studying wasn’t difficult.”

As expected of a protagonist.

“But… do you have to keep moving back and forth like that?”

Elian had to move with Kirendis because of the distance restriction. It was bothersome and inconvenient.

But Kirendis thought differently and asked back,

“Why? Are you bored?”

“Well… it’s not that…”

Correction. It wasn’t inconvenient, it was boring.

“Then would you like to try, Elian?”

“Me?”

He was reluctant, but he thought it might be better than just standing there blankly. Still, his hands wouldn’t move due to old habits.

“It’s not as difficult as you think. Here.”

The handle was extended towards Elian. It was nothing, yet a sense of tension arose.

‘Is this… okay for a beginner to hold?’

It was an ordinary kitchen knife, but because Kirendis handled it so skillfully, it looked like an extraordinary tool.

“I’ll help you. Come on.”

As if sensing his hesitation, Kirendis took the knife and placed it in his hand, standing behind him.

“Hold the vegetable, and slice it like this.”

“L-like this?”

With his help, moving his hands, it turned out to be quite manageable.

‘It’s kind of fun, isn’t it?’

He supposed it was because he was learning something he never needed to learn in his life. It felt like his life had gained some leisure.

Thus, Elian became engrossed in preparing the ingredients.

He was so focused that he didn’t even realize they were maintaining the same posture.

‘Cute.’

Kirendis smiled faintly.

He found Elian’s concentrated expression incredibly cute. The fact that he wouldn’t notice even if he were hugged was also cute.

‘Still, I feel a bit disappointed.’

He felt disappointed because Elian seemed unfazed even when they were so close.

It meant he wasn’t a significant enough presence to warrant attention.

‘I wish he would pay attention to me.’

How could he become a presence that commanded attention?

Kirendis moved a little closer. But Elian didn’t budge.

‘How rude.’

Feeling inexplicably annoyed, he suddenly spoke.

“Is Elian okay?”

“What?”

A listless voice replied. Kirendis deliberately pulled himself closer, wrapping his arms around Elian’s waist, and said, “Your posture.”

“What pos…”

Finally realizing their posture, Elian stopped speaking.

‘Huh…?’

He tilted his head. He thought it was a bit excessive for a cooking lesson.

As expected…

“Standing like this really makes us look like newlyweds.”

Unbelievable.

Elian froze stiffly. He had cleared his mind to push away his thoughts, but the situation had become strange.

‘When did this…’

Kirendis’s firm arms were wrapped around his waist, and their faces were incredibly close. The distance was so small that they could hear each other’s breaths, creating a tense atmosphere.

‘Uh…’

He had to push him away. But Kirendis acted first.

“Please pay attention to me.”

The whispered voice, meant to stop Elian, was filled with many emotions.

A desire to be seen.

Feelings for Elian.

And… desire.

“I… am very aware of you.”

When had he grown up so much?

Elian finally realized that Kirendis was no longer a child.

‘It’s hot.’

His gaze was too intense. He felt like he was about to be devoured. The innocent boy was gone. Only a large beast remained, trying to swallow Elian.

‘This is troublesome.’

It was truly troublesome. He had to push him away. He felt he couldn’t stay like this. But at that moment.

“…!”

Kirendis’s lips touched his neck.

For a moment, he couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t move, as if time had stopped.

The soft touch and warmth on his neck were all he could feel.

‘What… happened?’

His mind had stopped like a broken clock. Then, the moment the lips moved away, the clock hands began to turn again.

“Please acknowledge me.”

His low voice and the hands tightly gripping his waist made his face flush.

Seeing that, Kirendis changed the mood and shouted,

“Oh? What’s this? Is it because of me that you’re blushing? Let me see. I want to look.”

He seemed quite excited, even using informal speech as he quickly turned Elian around.

“Don’t hide it. Show me.”

Elian, covering his face which he was sure looked terrible, sank to the floor. Kirendis, who sat down with him, chuckled and said, “Beautiful. So beautiful. What should I do?”

“You…”

He said such embarrassing things so easily. This character was definitely not like this in the novel; the situation was unfolding in a completely unpredictable direction.

“I won’t apologize. Because I don’t regret it.”

His voice tickled Elian’s ears.

His flushed face, his ears, the young man before him, it was all troublesome.

Unpredictable things.

Full of uncertainty.

Yet, feelings that weren’t entirely unpleasant.

‘Ah… really…’

Elian truly thought everything was troublesome.

Kirendis, sensing that, whispered in a gentle voice,

“I love you, Elian. I… like you a lot.”

Those words, sweet as sugar, cruelly shook Elian’s heart.

The most troublesome thing after a love confession is that you have to stay close, unable to escape, even after hearing such words.

‘I’m aware. I’m aware. I’m aware.’

Who knew Kirendis could feel so uncomfortable?

Elian, with an indifferent expression, watched him continue cooking, fidgeting nervously.

The kiss on his neck.

The sweet love confession.

It felt like he had eaten all the sugar in the world, so sweet it would rot his teeth.

‘If I hadn’t known the future, I would have just let it pass.’

The protagonist’s physical contact and love confession were that powerful. It was on a completely different level from holding hands or hugging.

The raw warmth of another person, felt for the first time. But it wasn’t unpleasant.

‘That’s the biggest problem.’

Elian let out a sigh so quiet Kirendis couldn’t hear.

He should have felt repulsion first, but that wasn’t the case at all. Even after realizing it in surprise, the feeling didn’t disappear.

It was just troublesome and embarrassing.

When he thought about it, he wondered if anyone in the world could dislike someone as beautiful and perfect as Kirendis.

He was the protagonist, after all.

‘Right. This is like an undeniable law. An irresistible law set by this world.’

Elian decided to think of it that way. He put his wavering heart and not-unpleasant feelings into a box and locked it tightly.

“You’re spacing out again. The effect seems to be wearing off.”

“Huh?!”

Startled, he turned his head, and Kirendis smiled reassuringly again.

“No, you’re not. You’re still beautiful.”

“You…”

Why did he keep saying things like that?

Elian considered telling him to stop but decided against it. He figured he’d just say more if he did.

“If you’re uncomfortable standing around, would you like to help too?”

“No! Who do you think caused this situation?”

Elian retorted vehemently, but Kirendis was relaxed.

“It’s because of me, right? That’s why I’m offering a solution. If you just stand there, you’ll think of me even more.”

“…”

There was some logic to his words. Elian quietly said without a word,

“…Fine, I’ll help.”

Kirendis, finding his sullen reaction cute, swallowed a laugh and handed him a task.

He regretted being distracted again, but the way to escape was to approach.

‘Moderation is key, moderation.’

Although he had acted out of pique, he knew his limits.

Elian was a very reserved person, so just approaching him could have the opposite effect.

‘It’s amazing that he stopped there.’

How could he stop right there? He wanted to do more, but Kirendis decided to save it for later.

If Elian’s reaction had been even slightly less intense, things might have been different.

‘Should I be glad?’

He had complex feelings, but Elian was cute and beautiful, so it was fine. He felt good just seeing a glimmer of hope.

“…My face feels like it’s going to be pierced.”

Not entirely distracted, Elian said, embarrassed.

His expression was so endearing.

“If it gets pierced, I’ll take responsibility.”

“…”

“I hope it gets pierced. So I can take responsibility.”

“You…”

He had just said they should moderate, but his resolve wavered.

‘Looking at that face, how can I stay still?’

Kirendis thought it was all Elian’s fault. If he didn’t firmly refuse or push him away, he would naturally want to get closer.

“What? Do you have something to say to me?”

“Why would something like that exist? It doesn’t!”

Elian sharply turned his head, stirring the sauce combatatively. It looked like the sauce would splatter everywhere if it continued like this, so I stopped him and said, “It looks like it’s done. Could you let me taste it for a moment?”

“Huh? Uh…….”

Only then did he seem to realize he had taken his anger out on the sauce, and he handed over the bowl with embarrassment.

Kirendis scooped a little with a spoon, dabbed it on the back of his hand, and licked it with his tongue.

“…….”

“It’s delicious. Perfect.”

“…….”

“Elian?”

Elian froze. Kirendis tilted his head, finding his stillness strange, when Elian suddenly startled and yelled back.

“You, you!!”

“Yes?”

I didn’t know why he was angry, but his face was flushed bright red, and he was even pointing accusingly.

Kirendis thought about his own actions that might have caused it, but couldn’t find anything specific. However, Elian’s next words made the reason clear.

“Did you really have to do that?!”

“Do what?”

“Th-that tasting thing……!”

“Ah…….”

Good heavens.

Kirendis was touched. He hadn’t expected Elian to care about him so quickly.

“Ah, what do you mean ‘ah’! If you keep acting like that!”

“Like what?”

“Like…….”

He seemed to have run out of words, his eyes darting around.

Kirendis smiled faintly and thought.

‘Who would think that’s the Iron Blood Archduke?’

Contrary to his moniker, the Iron Blood Archduke, Elian’s true personality seemed to be quite endearing. He reacted with a slight tremor at the slightest touch, which was rewarding.

Even as a child, Elian had treated Kirendis comfortably, but he hadn’t expected this side of him, making it even more enjoyable.

“I don’t know! Just finish what you were doing!”

He seemed to have a lot on his mind, his brow furrowed and his body trembling slightly.

Kirendis decided it was time to stop and finished the cooking.

“Now all that’s left is waiting, so shall we rest for a bit?”

“……Yeah. I guess I need to rest.”

As if exhausted mentally and physically, he shuffled over to the sofa, sat down, and then collapsed onto it.

“Lie down comfortably.”

When I placed his legs on my thighs, he flinched in surprise.

“I won’t do anything.”

“……Really?”

“Of course. I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

He was truly tired, as he drifted off to sleep after saying that. His quick descent into sleep made him look like a child, and a smile lingered on my lips.

‘I said I wouldn’t do anything…….’

But it would be fine as long as he didn’t know.

After confirming Elian was fast asleep, Kirendis gently kissed the back of his hand.

‘Forgive me for this much.’

He softly stroked the spot where his lips had touched and thought with resolve.

‘I’ll wait for you.’

A faint smile spread across his lips.

Murmurs.

The surroundings felt inexplicably noisy. Elian woke up feeling disoriented, having never slept in such a commotion.

‘What…… is this?’

Though awake, his eyes wouldn’t open. He wondered if he was experiencing sleep paralysis, but too lazy to bother, he remained still.

“To have His Highness the Grand Duke this close.”

“Oh my, he’s so cute.”

“Calling him cute is disrespectful. The title ‘handsome’ suits His Highness.”

“You can still say that after seeing him like this?”

“I mean his inner self is handsome.”

“He didn’t deny it.”

“Be quiet. I want to admire him for even a moment until he wakes up.”

“……You guys are still pathetic.”

Who were these chatterboxes?

Elian’s nerves sharpened at the unfamiliar voices.

“Be quiet. Elian might wake up.”

“Wow, look at him calling His Highness by name.”

“He won’t even let us call him by name.”

“If we call him, it’s insubordination. We must be careful.”

“Can’t you just shut up when it’s like this? You’re not helping.”

“It seems he’s already awake?”

“What?!”

“What?!”

“……!!”

Elian’s eyes snapped open. However, he still couldn’t grasp the situation.

It was understandable, given that……

‘Uh…….’

The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was three pairs of eyes.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“……How long are you going to stay like that?”

As silence stretched on, Kirendis, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up. Then, as if on cue, the three people created distance at the speed of light.

‘Even if I was surprised, there was no need to flee like I was avoiding bugs.’

Elian’s expression turned complex as he recognized them as the Rebel Army.

Seeing them recoil in fright, Kirendis’s words didn’t quite resonate.

—You’ll get used to it. The people you’ll see today like Elian very much.

‘That doesn’t look like liking.’

Though disappointed, this was the appropriate reaction.

He was meant to play the villain in this world. Having a good image would only restrict his actions.

‘It’s absurd that I even felt disappointed.’

When had he harbored such expectations again?

Elian clicked his tongue. He was human, after all, and despite trying to be cold, it seemed unavoidable.

However…….

“Don’t pay too much attention to their reactions. They’re just surprised because they’re seeing someone they’ve admired for so long.”

“Surprised?”

As Elian sat up, he realized he had been sleeping with his head on Kirendis’s lap.

‘When did that happen?!’

He had definitely received a promise that nothing would happen……

‘Still, I slept so comfortably. Maybe I’ll let it slide just this once?’

Just a little sleep had completely relieved his fatigue. Elian’s heart softened.

“See. They have different expressions now.”

Kirendis said with a smile, pointing. When Elian turned his head, he saw them looking at him with sparkling eyes.

“…….”

Their gazes were so intense.

Elian subtly shifted his gaze away. However, the burning stares didn’t recede. The good thing was that they weren’t approaching him.

“The executives are this pathetic.”

At that moment, someone approached Elian, unlike the other three. He was a handsome man with dark blue hair and blue eyes.

‘I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere…….’

His demeanor exuded good breeding. That meant he was a noble.

‘A noble…… another noble in the Rebel Army…….’

He wondered which family’s heir he was. He hadn’t expected another mad family, after the Rippen Ducal Family, to step forward claiming to make him king.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lucian Verick.”

Lucian Verick.

Elian recalled information about him. The Verick family served the Second Prince’s maternal relatives and was one of the ancient, prestigious families.

‘Is he switching sides to me because the Second Prince has no hope? Since when?’

Forces existed in the past to make the gentle-natured Second Prince emperor, but they were weak.

He was too frail to become emperor.

He also disliked public activities, so not much was known about him. It was said he was living with his maternal relatives after graduating from the academy.

‘A wise move.’

He wasn’t a threat, but he was still one of the heirs to the throne. Returning to the Imperial Palace would be akin to challenging Marius, so his actions were equivalent to renouncing his claim.

The problem was why the heir of the Verick family, who followed the Second Prince’s maternal relatives, was here.

If he had decided to support Elian, he was in a position to act directly.

‘Is he at odds with his family?’

Only then did Elian, grasping the situation, look at him with a complex expression.

He was trying to gauge what kind of connection they might have had in the past. But…….

“There’s no need to look at me like that. My reason for being here isn’t as grand as theirs.”

Lucian clicked his tongue, looking at the three fools still shining with excitement. His disdain was evident.

“I am simply here because Kirendis and I were academy classmates.”

“Ah…….”

Classmates…….

How close were they to join a rebellion together?

Elian was surprised by Kirendis’s influence. In the novel, he was a character who lived in isolation, alone.

Was this also a change brought about by Kirendis’s altered personality?

“Haa……”

A sigh of displeasure escaped him. Even if his family didn’t join, he was a member of a Count’s family. Moreover, the heir.

If the Count were to suddenly die young, Elian’s influence would grow exponentially.

‘Then, the possibility of the rebellion succeeding becomes too high…….’

The Rippen Ducal Family alone was already overwhelming. He had no desire for more influence to be added.

“Uh, I am Gren Bricks. Do you perhaps remember me?”

“I am Cecilia Fern. Previously, at the merchant guild……”

“Haron.”

As Lucian introduced himself, the other three began to introduce themselves one after another. But the problem started afterward.

“Don’t interrupt me. We’re having a dramatic reunion with His Highness right now.”

“That never happened. I was merely offering my respects to His Highness.”

“You’re still interfering.”

“That never……”

“Your Highness, I was part of the Monster Subjugation 8 years ago……”

“Where do you think you’re sneaking in?”

“I spoke first? I’m first.”

“What do you mean, you’re first? Your Highness, my words first……”

“There’s no need to listen to Cecilia. I’m first……”

“The oldest connection is mine, so I’m first……”

…….

Elian listened to the noisy voices of the three people. As he continued to listen, his ears felt like they were……

bleeding.

The content was all over the place, and it was so loud that he couldn’t figure out what kind of connection he had with them.

“Elian is getting confused. Please sit down for now.”

“Yes. It’s disrespectful to His Highness to keep standing around looking pathetic.”

As Kirendis and Lucian chided them, the three protested and stepped forward.

“What are you talking about!”

“We haven’t done anything yet!”

“That’s right. We haven’t done anything yet.”

“Don’t repeat what I say.”

“I didn’t.”

“Why are you being so annoying?”

“That’s strange. I don’t remember doing that……”

“Here we go again. Aren’t you guys tired of this?”

“What did we do!”

“That’s right.”

When given the chance to speak, the three began to chatter noisily again.

As if this was their daily routine, Kirendis seemed peaceful. Lucian merely shook his head in exasperation.

“……Alright. Shall we move to the table for now?”

The food Kirendis had prepared was on the table. The steam rising from it indicated it had been set down not long ago.

‘I can’t let the food get cold.’

Curious about how great his cooking skills were, Elian got up from his seat. Kirendis followed him. The three trailed behind them and took their seats.

‘Ah, distance control.’

Only then did Elian realize he was still wearing the distance-control bracelet with Kirendis and glared at him.

If Kirendis hadn’t followed him in time, he would have bumped into the invisible wall and been humiliated.

“Why?”

Kirendis pretended not to know what Elian wanted and sat down next to him.

“Haa……”

There was nothing he could do now, so he sighed and turned his head.

Before him, the three sat side-by-side with sparkling eyes. Elian was next to Kirendis, and Lucian sat next to him, guarding their positions.

“Then, shall we hear about the stories that led you to participate in this foolish endeavor?”

Even if flustered, he had to hear the reasons before he could disband them or not.

Elian tried to maintain his composure and pointed to the man opposite him. If he didn’t assign an order, they would likely start their noisy bickering again.

“Alright, you first.”

“Ooh, yeah!”

“Ah, I wanted to speak first!”

“Oh… I lost.”

It was baffling how one cheered, another complained, and another was disappointed.

Elian genuinely doubted if they were the Rebel Army.

‘Aren’t they all insignificant people?’

If so, that would be fortunate.

If he could persuade Kirendis, Lucian would naturally fall away.

Of course, Kirendis seemed like the biggest hurdle, but one was better than four.

Elian began listening to their stories, formulating a plan. However, as the stories continued, his face turned ashen.

“So…….”

Each of their backgrounds was extraordinary.

“You’re the leader of the Wide Mercenary Group, you’re the head of the Essil Merchant Guild, and you’re the Guild Master of the Assassin’s Guild Jen…?”

Each was from an extremely dangerous organization.

The Wide Mercenary Group was the largest mercenary group in the country, and the Essil Merchant Guild was a rising star, a newly formed guild. And the Assassin’s Guild Jen was…….

‘No need to even mention that place.’

It was the top assassin’s guild, appearing even in the novel. A legendary guild that had never failed to hunt its prey.

Of course, it was disbanded after failing to assassinate Kirendis, but it was undoubtedly the most threatening organization as of now.

However, there was one point of confusion. While the others were understandable, the Guild Master of Jen was not this young.

‘Then…….’

There was only one answer.

They had committed an incredible act in the past, enough to alter even the novel’s characters.

The problem was…….

‘I don’t remember any of that!!’

The problem was that he had no memory of it at all.

Elian despaired. He didn’t want to know what he had been doing.

‘I’m ruined. I’m ruined!’

At this rate, he would be forced to become king.

“If you don’t remember, then I suppose I must tell you.”

Gren, the young leader of the large mercenary group, said, puffing out his chest. He proudly flexed his large pectoral muscles, exuding confidence.

“I remember that day in great detail. I remember your words, which were like an edict, Your Highness, down to the last syllable.”

……That was scary in its own way. Eight years ago was a very distant time.

‘He’s bluffing.’

How could a person remember something so long ago so perfectly?

Elian decided to observe their behavior. However, his memory was terrifyingly accurate.

“It was 8 years ago, on a day when a fierce blizzard raged. I participated in the Monster Subjugation led by His Highness Marius.”

Ah…….

Hearing the background, a memory surfaced.

The Monster Subjugation that took place 8 years ago was an event that revealed how dangerous Marius’s fatal flaw was.

At that time, Elian was actively engaged in political activities to secure the position of Minister of Finance, rapidly expanding his influence.

His pace was unprecedentedly fast, which seemed to have made Marius feel threatened.

He implemented a reckless policy, and that was the Monster Subjugation held in the dead of winter.

‘Monster Subjugation in winter. The worst.’

However, the policy passed. At the time, Elian’s faction was weaker than Marius’s, and nobles who had taken bribes sided with Marius.

It was utterly foolish, but there was no way to stop it. All he could do was hope that no problems would arise.

However, Marius was not favored by luck. They were caught in a blizzard during their journey and were stranded.

Injuries began to occur before the battle even started, rendering the subjugation futile.

The problem was that he, who could not tolerate failure, continued the subjugation. He supplemented the insufficient troops with mercenaries.

“Monster Subjugation in winter. The timing was bad, but I participated because public sentiment was so restless.”

It was as he said. To force the Monster Subjugation in winter, a false rumor had been spread that it was dangerous if not dealt with immediately.

People were terrified, and that became Marius’s downfall.

However, mercenaries were not fools, so not many applied for the subjugation force. Thus, they resorted to offering enormous hazard pay.

“You did it for the money, right?”

“Ahem!”

Gren seemed to be the same, letting out an embarrassed cough before continuing.

“An-anyway! We faced a great crisis. We were placed in the Vanguard to lure the monsters to a more advantageous area.”

“Vanguard?”

“Yes! Do you remember?!”

Gren exclaimed. The Vanguard was essentially a position sent to a death trap.

‘Now that I think about it…….’

As memories gradually returned, the events of that time became clearer.

“Even if you don’t remember me, you remember the great undertaking of that time. As expected of Your Highness.”

He said with a wide grin, clearly proud of something.

“Even calling them the Vanguard was no different from being bait. I knew we were being pushed to our deaths.”

Even if I knew, nothing would have changed. The mercenaries were commoners, and the one giving the orders was Royal Family.

Marius tended to treat people’s lives like chess pieces, so he boldly used the mercenaries as bait. Their role was to lure the enemy to a point advantageous for our forces to fight.

“Many comrades died then. But the subjugation force still couldn’t achieve results.”

It was a sad but true fact. Despite using them as bait, Marius’s Monster subjugation results were poor.

“Then! Your Highness appeared before us, leading just a single Guardian knight!!”

Gren shouted, clenching his fist passionately.

“……”

Only then did the pieces of memory fall into place, and he remembered Gren.

The situation had already reached its worst, and the country was on the verge of collapse. Elian judged that extraordinary measures were necessary. However, he had no power to cancel the subjugation, so he took matters into his own hands.

Along with Jade, who was like an Ultimate weapon.

“You took the difficult step out of pity for us!”

Not at all. If the country collapsed, Elian’s life could also be endangered…

“Your Highness scolded us harshly. We were subjected to curses we had never heard before.”

Hmm?

This part was slightly different from the memories he held.

However, the string of curses coming from his mouth were words Elian often used with the Imperial Guard.

“It jolted us awake. Remembering Your Highness’s words, we desperately took up our swords to survive.”

“……”

“As a result, we all survived! We continued to survive after that. With the excellent tactics and training methods Your Highness imparted, we kept surviving!”

“……”

“Ah! The image of Your Highness leading us is still vivid.”

“……”

“Your Highness said, ‘If you want to live, shut up and roll!’ I still can’t forget that charisma.”

…Elian felt like screaming for them to please forget. The middle-aged man, flushed like a girl in love, was also incredibly grotesque.

But the most ridiculous part was what followed.

“I haven’t forgotten a single bit of the training methods you imparted then, and I still practice them diligently. Thanks to that, our mercenary unit was able to grow this much. It’s all thanks to Your Highness.”

“What?!”

Elian was genuinely surprised and jumped up.

“You’re still doing that training?!”

What he had made them do wasn’t training to improve combat ability. It was purely mental fortitude training.

Things like rolling in the snow or ice baths, absurd things. It was meant to foster a tenacious spirit by placing them in extreme situations…

‘Still doing… that…?’

Are they crazy?

Elian truly couldn’t help but think so. Their continued victories weren’t due to superior strategy or training methods.

It was simply their boosted morale. Faced with blinding blizzards and a life-or-death situation, with a superior pushing them to their deaths.

Victory in such circumstances was absurd. So, he had merely boosted their morale.

And yet, they thought the training methods worked and had been doing those absurd things until now…

“This is unbelievable! You remember?! It’s an honor! I still haven’t forgotten the words you spoke then!”

“I… said that?”

He was starting to feel increasingly uneasy. Whatever he had said back then, it was highly likely to be nonsense.

He had to say anything to boost their morale.

As expected. He shouted, mimicking Elian.

“You followed my training well and ultimately won. There must have been those who wished they were dead. But you endured until the end and stand here today. You are already excellent knights, and my knights never lose. Survive tenaciously!”

—Uooooooh!!

“……”

The knights’ cheers from back then seemed to echo. His hands and feet felt like they would curl up and disappear.

While battlefield performance was important, hearing those lines in an unnecessary situation made him want to cover his mouth immediately.

“We realized. That even your harsh words and harsh training were all for our sake, for us insignificant beings!”

“……”

“Your Highness desperately tried to hide it, but you were always watching over us!”

Gren, who had spoken passionately, was met with a round of applause.

“It was a masterpiece.”

“Grand Duke, you’re amazing.”

Two of the three foolish siblings were deeply moved. The remaining one sighed as if bored, and Kirendis…

‘Why are you looking so proud about that!’

He didn’t know why, but he wanted to leave this place quickly.

‘Are the rest of them all like this?’

They were under a huge misunderstanding.

It was true that he had said those things, but it was for survival. It would be a lie to say there wasn’t a shred of goodwill, but he wouldn’t have stepped forward if he had a secure future.

Elian just wanted to live. So, he had desperately struggled, just like them.

‘Because of that incident, I gained the position of Minister of Finance, increasing my chances of survival.’

Ultimately, he had only acted because there was a benefit. But the scale required for survival was so large that it seemed to cause misunderstandings.

‘Still, it’s not entirely hopeless.’

If the mercenary unit joined the Rebel Army for such reasons, he just needed to let them know that Elian had no grand ambitions.

Then, the disappointed ones would naturally disperse.

‘Then the rest too….’

But the stories of the next two were slightly different.

First, Cecilia.

“I worked for my merchant guild?”

Cecilia’s story went back a bit further than Gren’s. It was from the time she founded her merchant guild and raked in money.

It was a time when, combined with the knowledge from the novel and his own, he truly swept in money.

“I wanted to make money. That’s when I met Your Highness. I happened to meet Your Highness and asked. Why do you make so much money when you already have plenty?”

Elian couldn’t recall this memory at all. But what followed were words that Elian would typically say.

[Money is always better the more you have. Most troublesome matters can be resolved with money. There’s a saying that unresolved issues are due to a lack of money. So, it’s good to earn as much as you can. That money will become a solid foundation for me later.]

As he said, Elian’s money became a solid foundation.

With the money earned then, he started a banking business and began lending money to nobles, causing it to grow.

In other words, making money with money.

“Isn’t that a wonderful saying? I was moved. From then on, I started saving money relentlessly. To become independent. Then one day!”

…Elian became uneasy again. He felt something immense was about to come out. But fortunately or unfortunately, a statement that was problematic in a completely different direction emerged.

“I heard it. The true reason Elian-nim is accumulating money.”

“The true… reason?”

“Yes! Elian-nim said this!”

[This country lacks money too much. It means there are too few businessmen. If more businesses operate, the people will work and earn money. So, I must earn more money to lend more. That way, fewer people will starve to death.]

“……”

He remembered. Those words were part of a conversation he had with Jade.

He had said them to explain to Jade the reason why an antagonist needed to exist.

He had added that because the image of the banking industry in this country wasn’t good…

“I never knew Elian-nim had such grand intentions. From then on, I decided to serve Elian-nim. Because with Elian-nim, I too could become very wealthy!”

She was purely captivated by Elian’s miserly tendencies. She seemed to think that if someone with such ideals became king, she could make even more money.

‘How should I resolve this….’

It was a headache. Unlike Gren, persuading Cecilia seemed a bit difficult.

And then, Haron, the master of the Assassin’s Guild.

Among the three, he was the one most fanatically devoted to Elian, a madman.

“Elian-nim is a god!”

Haron shouted, his eyes sparkling.

The reason he shouted so was simple and clear. Elian had once saved his life.

He was a very important figure, so much so that it was a wonder Elian had forgotten him.

He was none other than one of the powerful antagonists appearing in the novel.

‘A monster with a natural talent for assassination.’

The novel described him that way. A monster specialized in killing people.

With gray hair and gray eyes, his sharp gaze like a wolf, he was described as being mad for slaughter.

So, when he came to kill Elian, he recognized him immediately. The fact that he was a character who would eventually die fighting Kirendis.

‘I took a gamble because our situations were similar.’

Once the memory returned, it was vivid, even though it was the oldest memory. The desperate eyes of someone who wanted to die quickly, unlike himself who was struggling to live.

He was an antagonist of a different caliber than Elian. A person who wanted to die but was desperate not to. The young boy looked at Elian with eyes begging to be killed quickly.

“Your Highness said to me.”

[If you want to die like that, use that life for me. If you return as someone worthy of me, I will take that tiresome life.]

The most appealing offer for someone who wanted to die.

But Elian didn’t stop there. He wanted to keep him, who could become a powerful asset, by his side.

So, he added a few more words.

[Think about it until then. Why were you born? Is there anything you want to leave in this world? Even so, if your will remains the same, I will kill you without hesitation.]

“You were the first person to say that to me. Your Highness saw me as a human. That alone was enough. My life was already given to Your Highness then.”

He was told to return, but he came back as the leader of the Assassin’s Guild…

It went according to plan, but why the Rebel Army of all things!

“The Rebel Army? That’s a great joy just to be able to share Elian-nim’s story.”

“……”

In short, he joined the Rebel Army because he needed friends to talk to.

He seemed the hardest to persuade. But in a way, it might be easy. So, he cautiously suggested he withdraw.

But he was resolute.

“It’s absolutely impossible. I want to let everyone know that there is someone with such noble intentions.”

That was the gist of it. His desire to share stories about Elian with more people.

In other words, he intended to make him king and increase his fan club.

‘What is this….’

They chattered excitedly. The topic was Elian’s greatness. He had worried because they were the Rebel Army, but they were unbelievably unhinged.

This appearance was less like the Rebel Army and more like…

‘Right.’

A fan club.

It looked exactly like a fan club for an idol. Elian couldn’t hide his look of exasperation.

“I understand. I also share his aspirations, but seeing those people makes me feel exasperated.”

Lucian said in agreement. By now, he wondered if he too had other reasons.

“Would you like to hear my story too?”

“……”

Elian was silent for a moment. Kirendis aside, he wondered how this noble young master ended up with this group of fools.

But his instincts screamed. Protect your mental state. If he heard more, his mental state might not survive.

Elian’s psychological defenses were thinned to the limit.

“……I’ll refuse.”

Still, the fact that he brought it up suggested he hadn’t joined merely because he was Kirendis’s academy senior.

‘Right. He looks like the most sensible person here, so there must be a great reason.’

Perhaps that’s why he didn’t want to know even more.

“You must have had a hard time listening to their stories. Please eat comfortably now. The food has gotten cold, shall I reheat it?”

Kirendis offered in a gentle voice. But Elian politely refused.

If he moved, Elian would have to follow, and that prospect didn’t seem very appealing.

‘Even if I decided not to care about my image, there’s still a matter of dignity.’

As he nodded, various dishes began to pile up before his eyes.

“Try this too. And this. Ah, this too.”

The way he neatly served food onto the plate was like a mother bird carrying food.

“I can eat by myself.”

When Elian stopped him with a sharp look, Kirendis laughed as if amused and asked, “Really?”

No matter what he thought of him, he was clearly having impudent thoughts.

Elian glared briefly at Kirendis, then defiantly picked up a piece of food and put it in his mouth. He intended to evaluate its quality with cold objectivity. Very coldly.

But…

‘It’s delicious…’

It was delicious. He didn’t know why the protagonist of this world was also good at cooking, but it melted in his mouth.

Elian picked up another piece and chewed it slowly. It was indeed delicious.

‘What an unfair world.’

Elian, who had intended to evaluate it coldly, was now diligently serving himself food. The sharp corners of his eyes quickly softened.

“Eat a lot, Elian.”

Seemingly pleased with his reaction, Kirendis said proudly. Elian, finally realizing his own behavior, felt embarrassed and offered some to the others.

“What are you all waiting for? Eat up.”

Only then did the rebels start eating. They seemed quite hungry, as they ate as if they were trying to hide their tracks.

“Oh, it’s delicious. Kirendis, what can’t you do?”

“It’s so delicious.”

“As expected, Vice-Captain is different.”

“Gren.”

“Ugh.”

He was eating quietly when he heard a strange sound. Elian quietly raised his head.

‘Didn’t he just call him Vice-Captain?’

Isn’t Kirendis the captain?

A question immediately arose in Elian’s mind. But as if to erase the question, an immense amount of food appeared.

“Elian, would you like a drink too?”

It was beer, something he could never drink in the Imperial Palace.

‘This is unbelievable!’

Elian was so moved that he forgot what had just happened. The alcohol, which he had wanted to drink but couldn’t due to his dignity, was before him.

Beer was a drink that even nobles, let alone royalty, never touched, so he couldn’t bring himself to drink it.

He wasn’t much of a drinker, but sometimes, when he was tired and struggling, beer was what he craved.

“I’ll drink it!”

Excited, Elian exclaimed without realizing it, his eyes shining. Everyone seemed surprised, their eyes widening. They were all astonished by the Grand Duke’s unexpected demeanor, which they had never seen before.

But their intentions were the same. They wanted to see more of his private side, which could only be seen in informal settings.

To do that…

“Drink up, Your Highness!”

“I’ll pour you a glass.”

“M-me too!”

“You really have to drink beer outside.”

They were extremely happy.

Elian eventually got drunk.

The beer, which he was drinking for the first time here, and the alcohol he hadn’t had in a long time seemed to wash away all his past hardships.

Elian, who found it difficult to enjoy alcohol given the circumstances, indulged himself freely for the first time in a long while.

While the rebels’ praise was troublesome, he was very happy that they understood his intentions, which he had tried to hide.

“They really don’t know how hard Elian-nim is working for the country.”

“It’s something you can understand if you just think a little, but it’s cruel.”

“That’s right. We must spread the good qualities of Elian-nim far and wide.”

They were now casually calling him by his name and praising him. It was because he, feeling good, had allowed them to use his name.

“How do you know so much?”

Elian asked, smiling foolishly, his mind loosened by the alcohol. Then, they happily chattered, boasting about their devotion.

“There’s nothing we don’t know about Elian-nim.”

“Would you like to hear more?”

“Yes!”

Elian, excited, heard his own good stories from others for the first time, to his heart’s content.

Everything he had done to survive, to make the country strong.

Surprisingly, they had all seen through his intentions. He wondered if they were not just fans, but fanatics.

They genuinely liked Elian and wanted to continue being with him.

“While I’m here because I respect Lord Elian, I’m not a fool who would blindly join the Rebel Army!”

Gren, slightly tipsy, said, patting his chest. Elian, also slightly tipsy, didn’t scold him for talking nonsense but instead said, “Oh?” and listened to what followed.

“On that day eight years ago, I felt it. I thought that if Prince Marius became Emperor, such tragedies might continue to occur!”

Gren’s face, as he shouted this, looked a little bitter. He seemed to be thinking of the mercenaries he had sent away that day.

He thought Gren was a fool, but it seemed that wasn’t exactly the case.

‘It’s not unreasonable to think that way.’

The events of eight years ago had been a painful incident. It was fortunate that it was handled well, or the country might truly have collapsed.

“Ah! If that’s the case, I have one too.”

This time, Cecilia raised her hand. She had claimed it was for money, but it seemed she had some other reason as well.

“Five years ago, there was Prince Marius’s unreasonable tax collection policy, right? I heard that Lord Elian covered the large deficit in taxes with his own funds.”

“Something like that… happened?”

Elian turned his head away, pretending not to know. As she said, there had been an incident where taxes had disappeared in large quantities due to Marius’s poor judgment. This was also a result of Elian’s fiery temper exploding during their confrontation.

Fortunately, Elian was wealthy at the time, so he solved the crisis by generously using his money.

‘Marius’s face was quite a sight back then.’

Elian was human, after all, and couldn’t always look kindly upon him, who constantly provoked him. Moreover, since the issue was resolved with the easy solution of money, he hadn’t thought much of it.

However, Cecilia seemed to think differently.

“How can you entrust the country to someone who can’t see even an inch ahead? No matter how well I do, the money will just keep leaking out.”

“What? Isn’t the conclusion still about money?”

Gren retorted, questioning her.

“It’s different! The result is about money, but the cause is Prince Marius, isn’t it?”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“It’s different?!”

The two, fueled by alcohol, started arguing loudly. They were already noisy, but they became even louder, forcing Elian to turn away.

“Haron, do you have anything else?”

If he had been sober, he would never have asked. But a tipsy Elian wanted to hear. He wanted to hear their stories.

“I do have one, but it’s not as grand a reason as yours.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

Haron had another story too. Elian focused, gulping down his beer.

“The day I first met Lord Elian, the person who gave me the commission was Duke Cheston himself.”

It wasn’t surprising information. If Marius became Emperor, the Duke Cheston family, the maternal relatives of the Empress, would benefit the most.

However, what followed was somewhat unexpected.

“I met Prince Marius that day as well.”

“Marius?”

Haron was only seven when they first met. A truly young age. Elian was also very young, and Marius was only four.

‘He’s been grooming him by his side since then.’

Perhaps that was why the child had gone astray so quickly.

“I still can’t forget the eyes of Prince Marius that I saw that day.”

Eyes?

Elian tilted his head.

“A Monster dwelled within them, different from mine. It was so dark, so dark, that it felt like I would be sucked in just by looking.”

“A Monster, suddenly?”

Wasn’t that too sudden and subjective?

Haron, perhaps knowing this, shrugged and continued.

“It might be my imagination, but I thought it would be unsettling to entrust the country to such a person.”

“Hmm… yes. That’s a bit of a strange reason.”

As he said, it wasn’t a grand reason. Simply put, his gut feeling was bad.

A Monster.

It wasn’t reliable information, so Elian dismissed it without much thought. It seemed Haron had truly joined the Rebel Army solely because of Elian.

But the others didn’t seem to think so.

“I believe him!”

Gren suddenly raised his glass and shouted.

“Even though this guy looks like a fool, he has great intuition.”

“A fool calls a fool a fool.”

Cecilia interjected from the side. Then, Gren, provoked again, started arguing with Cecilia.

Haron was naturally drawn into it, and before long, even Lucian was involved, turning it into a chaotic mess.

“Haha.”

It was so funny to watch. Elian couldn’t help but laugh. Then, the surroundings suddenly quieted down, and all eyes turned to him.

Confused, he tilted his head, and the drinking session resumed.

“Have some, Lord Elian. I’ll pour for you again.”

“Me too, me too!”

“I’ll pour for you too!”

“Yes. Give me a lot.”

For some reason, it felt enjoyable. Elian, for the first time in a long while, revealed his greed and drank. The alcohol tasted so good. No matter how much he drank, it never seemed to end.

And so, the night deepened.

The three, now thoroughly drunk, were chattering excitedly. They sang songs, danced, and even put Elian in a difficult position with a parade of his famous lines.

He wanted to escape at that moment, but he was still enjoying himself. He didn’t dislike the cheerful people.

They were people who, though foolish, moved with their own reasons and beliefs. Their stories were different, but they all looked in the same direction.

‘A desire for a better world.’

Wasn’t that a fundamental reason?

The three continued to chatter noisily in their foolish state, while Lucian chuckled watching them. Kirendis, seemingly accustomed to this scene, smiled quietly and joined them.

It was a pleasant sight. The unpretentious expressions of these people made Elian feel at ease.

They were the Rebel Army, and he should tell them to disband quickly, but today, he felt like being with them.

‘It must be the alcohol…’

Elian recognized that he was drunk. But he didn’t resist. Today, he wanted to be true to his instincts.

“Sleepy…”

He had drunk a lot, and his body felt heavy. Sleepiness washed over him.

Lucian passed out first, while the other three were excitedly engaged in their final showdown.

“Shall we go back?”

Kirendis asked Elian, who was starting to doze off. He hadn’t had a single drop all night, so he shone brightly.

“It’s unfair.”

“What?”

He was bothered by his own pathetic state, now that he was drunk.

Elian stood up with a displeased expression. But the alcohol made his body sway.

“Be careful.”

“…I’m dizzy.”

He hadn’t realized it while sitting, but when he stood up, his vision spun. Elian tried to regain his balance, but it was impossible.

“Let me carry you.”

“…”

Kirendis knelt down, showing his back. Elian hesitated. As royalty, he couldn’t accept such help for trivial matters.

“If you don’t let me carry you, I’ll carry you in my arms.”

“In that case, I have no choice.”

Being carried on his back seemed better than being carried in his arms. Elian obediently entrusted his body to Kirendis’s back.

‘It’s warm.’

In his hazy consciousness, Elian heard Kirendis’s voice saying they would leave now. He also heard a gentle farewell, telling him to go in carefully.

‘Even if they’re foolish… they’re all kind.’

He didn’t know about Lucian, but his evaluation of the other three was already set. They had joined the Rebel Army purely out of their affection for Elian.

This was the first time he felt this way, and it felt a little strange.

“They’re all good people, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

“They are people you led.”

“Yes.”

“This is a space for you.”

“Yes.”

“We want you to be happy.”

“Yes.”

“Are you listening?”

“Mmm…”

Elian was barely listening. He was so drunk that his consciousness had drifted far away.

So, he thought he had fallen asleep. But…

‘Huh…?’

The next morning.

Elian woke up to find he wasn’t wearing the clothes he should have been. Kirendis, his upper body bare, was sleeping soundly beside him.

“…”

Elian wished it were a dream. But as the memories slowly returned, he couldn’t help but scream.

‘What is this?! What is this memory?!’

His face turned bright red.