‘He did it.’
‘He really did it.’
Gerard and Hector exchanged glances, silently sharing their thoughts. Just look at that gleaming face—he had the look of a man who had spent a satisfying night with his wife.
‘Our lord finally? Really?’
Gerard felt an unfamiliar sensation as he observed Lexion, who was genuinely relaxed rather than merely acting. He had served him since childhood, but this was a first.
Lexion’s languid eyes lowered to the child who had just muttered “pervert.” Then, he moved his hand.
“Ahhh!”
Ashid let out a startled cry as his body was suddenly lifted into the air, instinctively grabbing onto the man’s broad shoulders.
“What are you doing?!”
Despite being seven years old and fairly big for his age, the child was effortlessly hoisted up. Lexion tilted his head, watching the little one hiss like an angry kitten.
“Because you look cute when you’re sulking?”
“Put me down!”
As Lexion smiled, trying to soothe the fuming child, Milena’s expression turned odd.
“Lexion, are you alright?”
Wondering if he was unwell again, she stepped closer. Lexion, who had been gently lifting and lowering Ashid like a floating balloon, suddenly froze.
The overwhelming presence that usually kept people at bay evaporated the moment Lexion saw Milena. His gaze was so intense that she flinched.
A predator’s aura. The subdued pressure that had been quietly dominating the space disappeared entirely.
Sensing something strange, Ashid hastily grabbed onto Lexion’s robe, but it was too late.
“Hello, darling. Did you sleep well?”
His already dazed-looking eyes narrowed suggestively. His crimson irises gleamed, as if ready to embrace everything. As Milena stood frozen, bewildered by his unusual behavior, he leaned in.
Without any warning—he was about to kiss her.
Just as his lips were about to brush against her cheek—
“Get away, you pervert!”
With a loud thud, he was sent flying.
“Ashid!”
The impact of the child’s body slamming into him was considerable. Completely caught off guard, Lexion toppled forward—straight into Milena’s arms. Or rather, onto her shoulder.
To everyone’s surprise, Lexion was unconscious.
“Good grief.”
Before his full weight could collapse onto Milena, a large, middle-aged man swiftly caught him. Hector lifted the limp Lexion into his arms, cradling him as if he were a princess.
Looking down at him with concern, the physician gave a simple diagnosis.
“He’s drunk.”
And thoroughly so. A man who could handle even the strongest liquors had succumbed to white magic. Tsk.
“What?”
“It seems he’s been overly exposed to a sedative.”
To be precise, he was drunk on his wife.
As Hector carried Lexion upstairs, Gerard shrugged as if it were nothing and headed toward the kitchen.
Now, only two people remained on the quiet first floor.
Milena turned to Ashid. The child, knowing he had done something wrong, fidgeted with his fingers.
She didn’t even know where to begin. His choice of words, his behavior—no matter how noble his status, how could he be so rude and impolite? This was her failure for not teaching him properly. It was the responsibility of the adults around him to correct it.
“I didn’t think Uncle would pass out from my body slam…”
Was that his way of admitting fault? He had reverted back to calling Lexion ‘Uncle.’ Even so, Milena’s face remained stern.
“I was wrong, Aunt.”
“For what?”
“For calling Uncle a pervert.”
“And?”
“Um… and?”
Was there anything else?
Ashid’s large pink eyes rolled as if in deep thought. Did he really not know, or was he pretending?
With a sigh, Milena ruffled the child’s dark hair.
“Is it okay to be rude to adults?”
“Nooo, it’s not.”
“But Uncle made a move on Aunt first,” he muttered, pouting.
“Now, now, let’s not be too harsh. Here, have something to eat, Madam.”
The scent of roasted food made her turn her head. At some point, Gerard had set the table with a spread of dishes.
He sided with Ashid.
“If the young master got upset, well, that must mean it’s all~ our lord’s fault.”
“Gerard, I thought you were Lexion’s subordinate.”
He seemed to take the lead in criticizing Lexion. Though, perhaps, that just showed how close they were.
“Yes, I’m his closest subordinate, but I still have to speak the truth. Holding back what you really think will only make you sick.”
At Gerard’s playful remark, Milena held back a chuckle and turned to Ashid.
He was still just a seven-year-old boy. His expressions were appropriate for his age, but she maintained her stern stance.
“You must apologize to Lexion. Understand?”
Ashid pouted but nodded. He clearly didn’t want to, making no effort to hide it.
Lexion slept for an entire day.
Even by the next morning, he hadn’t emerged from his room.
Milena knocked on the door, and when no response came, she reached for the handle to open it.
“Ah, Madam. I advise against going in.”
Hector spoke up as he exited the room across the hall.
“Huh?”
“As husband and wife, a little distance might be necessary at times.”
Seeing her puzzled expression, Hector stroked his graying beard. How should he explain this? After a moment of thought, he spoke.
“Madam, would you mind having a word with me?”
“Alright.”
Milena glanced at Lexion’s door before following Hector.
“Is Lexion okay?”
“Yes, he’s perfectly fine. He’s just so deeply asleep that he can’t wake up.”
“But he had bandages on, and Ashid slammed into him—”
“No need to worry about that. If anything, it was our lord’s fault for letting his guard down while drunk.”
Wow, these people really don’t hold back on Lexion.
“But, Madam… I’ll be blunt because I’m not good at sugarcoating things. Do you have any family members associated with the temple?”
“What?”
“Or, do you feel any magic within yourself?”
What was he talking about? Something inside her? Magic?
Blinking in confusion, she looked at Hector as if he were a scam artist.
“Magic? You’re saying I have magic?”
“Every human has a minuscule amount of magic, like how we breathe air without noticing. But in your case, something that had been suppressed inside you has suddenly emerged. And the amount is substantial.”
She struggled to follow the conversation. Magic inside her? She had never even considered the possibility.
“Does that mean I can use magic like wizards?”
Despite the confusion, she was intrigued. She didn’t even realize she had started speaking informally.
“Hmm. I already explained this to the young master as well, but having magic and being able to wield it are two different things.”
Unlike Ashid, she wasn’t disappointed. Since she hadn’t known about magic in the first place, it didn’t bother her.
“So, what’s the point of this conversation?”
“Are you aware that our lord uses magic?”
“Yes.”
“Then has he ever collapsed after making contact with you?”
At the mention of ‘contact,’ a particular memory flashed in her mind.
A simple but intense kiss.
“Ah, I see. Well, this is confidential, but our lord has an excessive amount of magic. He needs divine power to suppress it.”
Hector continued explaining, watching as Milena attentively listened.
“You see, Madam, divine power and magic are now coexisting within you.”
“So, to sum it up, Lexion fainted because of me?”
Hector shook his head.
“Strictly speaking, it’s his own fault. He absorbed too much because he liked it, and now he’s paying the price.”
“But, Hector, I don’t feel any magic.”
“That’s natural. You never knew it existed. You’ll need to consciously observe and become aware of it.”
Hector could see white magic leaking from her slightly parted lips.
‘No wonder our lord lost his mind.’
He could only imagine what kind of reckless behavior Lexion had engaged in with his wife.
