“Wait a minute, you…” Suddenly, I felt that something was strange about this situation.
The ring only had the ability to bring someone to you. It couldn’t tell you who they were with or what they were doing at the moment. In the end, if Redian had been a little clumsy, I could have vanished while having a staring contest with the vassals.
“What did you do with this ring?”
“What…”
“You’re not watching each of my movements, are you?”
Redian, who was slowly touching my hair, smiled faintly. “Would you like that?”
“No, Rere. What were you going to do if I was with the vassals at the time when you summoned me here?”
“You usually come back to your room around this time to finish your remaining work.”
“…”
It was a simple answer compared to my serious question.
“Master, you’ll never get any rest inside the duchy. I have to bring you next to me so you can at least pretend to sleep.”
It was as if he knew my entire daily schedule already.
Well, as soon as I returned to the duchy, I started dealing with the piled-up work.
“It feels like everyone is staring at me from all directions when I’m inside.”
Feeling Redian’s warmth, I seemed to relax and unwind. Especially today, as it had been a long time since I returned to the duchy, I must have been unconsciously tense.
“Besides… the more I think about it, the stranger it seems.”
“What is?”
Redian, who was hugging me from behind, naturally unbuttoned my cardigan.
“Irik.”
“Huh? Irik all of a sudden?” I asked back, leaning my head on his shoulder.
By now, Redian’s touch felt natural and comfortable. We were just barely maintaining the last (?) boundary, but our actions were no different from a married couple sharing the same bed.
“Shouldn’t you send Irik away? He’s not even related to you by blood.”
“Ah…”
Since Luna left, the status of the siblings within the duchy had disappeared. In other words, I didn’t have time to worry about Irik in particular.
“He and I have lived in the same mansion for over ten years. We practically grew up together from a very young age.”
Although we weren’t related by blood, it was true we faced each other almost daily. Therefore, having Irik in the mansion didn’t make me uncomfortable or bothered.
“I don’t think Irik is the problem.”
As he removed the cardigan, my body felt a little more comfortable.
“There are already plenty of rats hiding inside the duchy. Moreover, he sent his sister to the grand duchy, which makes it even more dangerous.”
“Ah, are you saying Irik might be in contact with Luna or conspiring with her?”
His silence indicated that I had understood him correctly.
Irik and Luna…
“No, I don’t think so.” Thinking of Irik’s face from earlier, I chuckled. “He’s the kind of guy who’d do anything to get recognized inside the duchy. He even refused to help his sister inherit the barony, saying he’d rather stay there.”
I didn’t intend to criticize Irik for that. After all, sending Luna away was also to sever the siblings’ relationship.
“Especially Irik…” I scanned through my memories with Irik. “He’s clever but not malicious.”
Compared to Ash Benio, Irik was like a child hungry for love and attention. He only spoke harshly, but whenever Luna caused trouble, he would turn pale.
“Well, Irik is better than someone like Ash, who is cunning to the bone,” I mumbled my thoughts that naturally surfaced.
“Master.”
“Hmm?”
I felt Redian’s lips touch my shoulder.
“Listening to you defend another guy in front of me…”
The soft, scattered silver hair tickled my neck.
“It’s making me feel sick.”
His voice, on the other hand, grew lower and more subdued.
“I should have gouged out that guy’s eyes back then.”
“…”
Based on my countless experiences, I chose to keep my mouth shut. Because I knew it wasn’t just empty talk. He 100% really meant it.
“Anyway, whether it’s Ash Benio or Irik, they’re the same to me.”
Instead, I raised my head while still leaning on Redian.
“What does it matter if they’re the same?”
Our gazes met even closer as he held me from behind.
“I only do this with you.”
“…”
It was a thoughtless remark. But I could sense that Redian’s eyes had turned peculiar.
“What do you mean by ‘this’?”
“Well…”
After a long while of staring into each other’s eyes.
“This kind of thing?”
I lightly kissed Redian’s lips. Despite having fair skin, his lips were so enticingly red.
“I only do it with you anyway.”
“Ha…” Redian, who had been looking down at me for a while, let out a soft laugh. “Really.” Then he quietly muttered. “Who’s the fox here?”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“… It’s nothing.”
However, before the mood became any more peculiar, I turned my head first and didn’t hear his last words.
“By the way, Rere, did you hear what His Majesty said? About the resort destination.”
I had felt it every moment we were together, but now Redian was like a ticking time bomb. So, I had to control the pace.
“What do you think? He told us to go together, right?”
“I like it.”
The hand around my waist tightened slightly.
“By then, everything will be over…”
However, the voice coming from behind me was soft.
“We can quietly rest there, just the two of us.”
Due to the prolonged rainy season, the national foundation festival and the resort destination opening were expected to follow closely. If the festival ended well, we could laugh and spend time at the resort destination, but if not…
“You’ve been so busy all this time.”
His words reminded me of the countless times I’ve experienced.
“You can rest without thinking about anything.”
Yes, if the national foundation festival ended safely, that could happen.
“Why do you look so worried?” Noticing my uneasy expression, Redian asked.
“You know, Rere, those arrogant guys…”
After a moment of contemplation, I spoke.
“They will probably have a painting of Lucifer.”
“…”
What I feared wasn’t whether I would win or lose. No matter how much they struggled, I would win anyway. However, the fact that they had a painting of Lucifer was the problem. It was also obvious how they would use it.
“According to Vallentin, it looks a lot like you. Anyone would recognize it as you.” I turned fully to face Redian. “That’s why I’m worried.”
When the entity in the painting was revealed to the world, Redian would have to bear its weight. Even if he maintained his position as the crown prince, he would be called a devil with cursed blood, released from his seal. And with that fact revealed, the temple could defy him.
“I don’t mind. As long as you don’t abandon me, Master.”
“No, I do care.”
My eyes turned back to the bustling scene outside the window. It wasn’t visible from the duchy, but the crown prince’s palace was clearly preparing for the festival.
“Yeah. No matter how much I think about it, there’s only one way.”
In front of everyone, I had to personally deal with Redian…
“That’s why I don’t mind.”
But then.
“No matter what they do, Master will save me, and I will do anything to protect you.”
Redian gently turned my face back. He locked eyes with mine as if to fix my confused emotions.
“Even if I have to cut my own throat, even if they call me a fallen devil…”
His blue eyes, illuminated by the moonlight, were calmer than ever.
“The only thing I desired was you, Master.”
His voice, like an incantation, echoed in my ears.
“My goddess is finally in my arms…”
As if nothing else mattered, as if he had already achieved everything.
It was a strange thing. The tension that had built up from our serious conversation began to dissipate. Was it because of Redian’s warm embrace?
“Alright, let’s do that.”
I closed my eyes again and nestled into his arms, feeling the drowsiness washing over me.
“But, Master.”
“…Hmm?”
Through my darkened vision, a blue sea unfolded. Ship floating on it and fireworks decorating the sky. Someday, I must go there with Redian…
“Did Vallentin give you that painting?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did he… give it to you?”
“Who knows. Maybe because I mentioned I was curious about it last time.”
His question sounded quite strange, perhaps because my consciousness was slowly becoming drowsy. Was he asking why Vallentin gave the painting to me rather than why he recklessly revealed it out into the world?
“Vallentin probably didn’t expect this to happen. He’s always been the type to send gifts without notice.”
“Ah… I see.”
I felt his hand patting my shoulder as if telling me to sleep.
“From now on, don’t accept anything from anyone other than me, Master.”
“…”
“It could end up being dangerous.”
And after his words of caution to me.
“…Crazy b*stard.”
I heard a voice cursing someone.
* * *
In the secretive dawn, the gates of Grand Duchy Benio were firmly shut. Even among the major nobles who followed the grand duke, only a handful had gathered here today. The reason was…
“…Ho.”
“My goodness.”
Only a single light was illuminating the painting in the dark interior.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
The faces of those who saw the painting up close turned blank.
“When Ash said he had obtained a painting, I thought he had finally gone mad.” Grand Duke Benio, who had his hands behind his back, also looked at the painting. “But seeing it in person, my thoughts changed.”
The entire wall was filled with someone’s painting under the soft light.
“Truly beautiful.”
It was the archangel Lucifer, known as ‘the love of the goddess.’ No one knew who painted it, but it captured even the moment when the wind brushed through his hair.
“They say if you meet his dazzling eyes directly, your soul will be instantly captivated.” Admiring the blue eyes once more, the grand duke turned his gaze. “Just like you all now.”
As the grand duke said, the gathered nobles’ faces turned pale. They were overwhelmed by the painting, unable to take their eyes off or speak. Then, someone finally spoke amidst the frozen silence.
“It’s remarkably…”
“The crown prince resembles him a lot.”
Indeed. The painting of Lucifer, the angel-faced devil, bore a striking resemblance to Redian Hyu Rixon.
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