By the time Eks arrived at the training ground, Eks tilted his head in confusion. Something feels off…
Most of the women who lingered around the crown prince were desperate to catch his attention. But the woman Eks saw this time didn’t give off that vibe at all.
She seemed rather troubled.
Eks didn’t know why she had entered the imperial palace, but it didn’t seem to be by her own will. Even the smile she showed the crown prince looked uncomfortable. As Eks pondered with arms crossed, a shadow slowly loomed over Eks’s head.
“Gasp.” Eks was startled by the sudden appearance of a sturdy chest. “You scared me! I was surprised!”
“I should be the one saying that.” Orkis looked at Eks with an unperturbed expression. His cold gaze made it clear that he wasn’t pleased to see the uninvited guest.
“You’re working hard from the morning.”
Eks admired Orkis, who was drenched in sweat. Orkis’s solid physique, visible through the training clothes, was impressive even to another man. Despite the sweat and dust messing up Orkis’s hair and clothes, there was an oddly tidy feeling about Orkis.
“What brings you here?”
Eks thought it was probably due to Orkis’s indifferent personality.
“Of course, I came to see you, Kis.”
“Goodbye.”
“It was a joke, a joke!” Eks quickly grabbed his friend’s arm as he tried to walk away. “You and your sister are just alike.”
“Did you meet Peni?” Orkis’s eyes narrowed.
What a bothersome guy.
Despite constantly bickering when they met, Orkis always reacted sensitively when it came to Peonia. Knowing this well, Eks was careful not to speak carelessly about Peonia in front of Orkis.
“I met her briefly earlier.”
Eks added a joke about how calling her Peni brought a cold wind. Orkis just made a face that said, “I knew it.”
“I just ran into her as she was on her way to the Magic Tower. Anyway, my business is with you.”
“What brings you here?” Confirming that nothing was wrong with his sibling, Orkis got to the point. “I don’t recall you saying you were coming.”
“My mother was worried about you.”
Eks’s words made Orkis understand the intention. It seemed Eks had come to check on the progress of the joint project with Seraphie. With the divine treasure had likely piqued the emperor’s curiosity.
“I’ve been quite busy lately,” Orkis answered concisely.
“That’s a very brief answer, don’t you think?” Eks demanded more detailed progress. “I need to report back to my mother, get a bit of praise, and live an even lazier life, you know?”
“You’re already lazy enough,” Orkis replied, adding that as a true friend if he became any lazier, he might as well become a slug.
“I have to live as lazily as possible.” Eks chuckled. “That way, the crown prince won’t be wary of me.”
“…”
“I’ve told him countless times that I have no interest in the throne, but he still doesn’t believe me,” Eks grumbled, scratching the back of the neck with a hand. “And you too.” He added, “You know how much effort I put into making sure the forced succession trial happened.”
It was Eks who helped expedite the approval of the forced succession trial that Seraphie had requested. He had convinced the prince consort that holding the trial would demonstrate the imperial family’s authority to the nobles. The prince consort, in turn, had subtly suggested it to the emperor during their pillow talk. Thanks to that, the emperor added some excitement to the otherwise mundane daily life of the empire, reaping significant benefits. It was also thanks to Eks that Seraphie could stand in the courtroom with the two knights who were her witnesses.
“So remember, Kis, you owe me.”
Eks grumbled for a while about how difficult it was to manipulate the trial without the crown prince noticing.
“Someone who wasn’t even interested at first…”
Eks pressed for a proper update on the progress.
“If I speak, won’t it make the crown prince suspicious of you?”
“That’s why I told you. That the emperor’s favor would allow me to live even more freely.”
“You live such a tiring life.”
“I have to be cautious if I want to survive,” Eks said, waving the twig still in his hand.
“…”
Orkis looked at Eks silently for a moment as if he had a lot to say but chose not to.
“A few days ago, I went to look at the land with the countess,” Orkis reported on the business progress. “It was really just a barren wasteland. It will take some time for the final preparations.”
Recruiting workers would be quick, but building temporary accommodations and other facilities for them to rest and stay was the issue.
“How long will it take?”
“At the earliest, a month and a half.”
“And at the latest?”
“Two months.”
“And if you do it?”
“I’ll finish it within a month.”
Only then did Eks show a satisfied smile. “By the way, it’s fascinating.”
A gust of wind blew past the two men. Eks’s light blond hair fluttered gently, and the sweat droplets on Orkis’s body evaporated.
“There was such a noticeable wasteland on the outskirts of the capital, so why did no one know about it?”
And how did Seraphie find out about it alone?
“Honestly, I don’t really believe in god…”
“Your Highness.” Orkis gently admonished.
The empire had a state religion, and even a prince speaking against it was dangerous.
“…My faith is a bit shaky.” Eks softened his words more than he originally intended. “But looking at Countess Vallidus’s actions, it makes me wonder if a god really is watching over this world.”
The poor Count’s daughter, whom everyone pretended not to notice, was soon to become the most influential person in the empire. Where else in the world could you find such a reversal of fortune?
“The countess is lucky,” Eks said enviously. “She became the head of her family in one go, finding the Land Abandoned by God, and becoming rich,” He muttered in a childish tone, wishing for such luck to come to him too.
“In order for that to happen.” A voice colder than a blade interrupted. “You would have to endure long-term abuse from your father and struggle alone without anyone’s help.”
The endlessly sunken purple eyes glinted sharply.
“Do not speak such words carelessly.”
Eks’s eyes widened. Feeling embarrassed, he quickly corrected himself. “I spoke thoughtlessly. I admit my mistake.” As soon as he admitted it, he realized how big a mistake he had made. And he felt ashamed.
“You’ve committed a great offense against the countess.”
“What’s the point of apologizing to someone who’s not even here?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Eks glanced at Orkis. “Why are you so angry?” Feeling ashamed of the foolish mistake was one thing, but Eks couldn’t understand why Orkis was so furious. It was the first time he had seen Orkis this enraged.
“…”
Orkis remained silent, lips tightly pressed together. Even Orkis himself didn’t know why he was so angry.
Before the trial, Orkis had been the most indifferent to Seraphie. In fact, he had been more worried about Carl, who wanted to help Seraphie.
…Could it be? Eks’s eyes narrowed.
“Orkis,” Eks called Orkis by name and asked. “What kind of person is Countess Vallidus?”
“You saw him in the courtroom, didn’t you?”
“Not that. What kind of person is Count Vallidus from your perspective?”
“…”
Orkis pondered for a moment. Deep wrinkles formed on his usually smooth forehead.
Is he smitten? Eks thought Orkis might have a romantic interest in Countess Vallidus. Having known Orkis since childhood, Eks could easily pick up on his peculiar behavior.
“The countess is…” After a long deliberation, Orkis finally spoke, delivering a shocking answer. “Like a dog.”
“What?” Eks’s jaw dropped at the unexpected description.
“About this big…” Orkis used his large hands to illustrate a small lump in the air, his expression deadly serious. “Isn’t there one about this size?”
“Are you talking about a puppy?”
“No, I mean a dog of this exact size.”
Orkis thought of Seraphie as a small dog—a tiny creature with short fur, lacking strength but full of spirit.
“The countess is like a dog.” Seemed quite pleased with his analogy, a slight smile forming on Orkis’s lips.
“…”
Eks, on the other hand, was utterly shocked by the comparison. Orkis meant it in a good way, describing Seraphie as a dog. It had been a long time since Orkis felt such a human-like affection for someone. But unfortunately,
She must be a crazy woman…!
Eks thought of Seraphie as a mad hunting dog, baring fangs and drooling.
It was a miscommunication.
“T-That must be why she was able to win the trial.”
Eks concluded, thinking Seraphie must have the tenacity of a hunting dog that won’t let go of its prey until it’s dead.
Eks resolved to avoid Seraphie as much as possible. If even Orkis described her as a dog, she must be incredibly tenacious.
* * *
But life didn’t always go as planned.
After leaving Duchy Felicia, Eks didn’t head straight back to the imperial palace but took a detour. The quiet square in the late morning was perfect for a leisurely stroll, and he entered a shop on a whim. Little did he expect to encounter the ‘dog-like’ person there.
“Oh my, Lord Ester!”
But it was someone else who recognized Eks first.
“…Lunie?”
Eks, reacting belatedly, quickly scanned the shop. A crest with peach fruits and flowers was displayed inside. It seemed to be one of the shops owned by the Mars family.
“Why are you here so early in the morning?”
“I was just out for a walk.” Eks brushed it off with a smile but couldn’t help but glance at Lunie’s side.
That woman…
It was obvious without asking. The sky-blue bob cut stood out vividly in Eks’s eyes.
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