Ko-fi shop has been renewed, you can find the link at the end of the chapter.
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The Role of the Spy
A week had passed since the Crown Prince secluded himself with a maid at the hunting lodge.
The cook and servants, who left early each morning to manage the lodge, kept silent about what they saw and heard, as if bound by an unspoken agreement. However, no one failed to guess what the man and woman left alone there might be doing.
Not only the servants but also the guards made regular visits to the lodge. Felix’s eyes and ears were hidden throughout the desolate hunting grounds. The number of knights, including Captain Arnold, exceeded twenty.
Of course, their purpose was to eliminate any unexpected intruders, but a recent order from the Crown Prince had shifted the mission’s priorities.
“Make sure the maid doesn’t leave the forest. She’s a woman with peculiar abilities, so keep a constant watch on her. If any undesirables approach, deal with them as you see fit.”
Knights focusing on restraining a maid rather than ensuring the safety of the Crown Prince? Arnold had many questions for his lord but quietly obeyed the order.
Another five days passed in this manner. Arnold entered the hunting grounds with news from the secondary palace that needed to be reported to the Crown Prince.
As soon as he stepped into the lodge, the dense scent of intimacy hit his nose. The heavy, musky aroma of a man’s body mingled with the fresh and fragrant scent of a woman’s skin. A faint mix of sweat and the bittersweet scent of night flowers created an erotic atmosphere that instinctively made Arnold tense.
The upright knight made his presence known at the foot of the stairs.
“Your Highness, it’s Arnold.”
“Come up.”
This place, absurdly small compared to the secondary palace, had a staircase that led directly to the bedroom. Reaching the top of the stairs, Arnold swiftly scanned the space. Dresses and headscarves worn by maids, a man’s luxurious silk gown, and trousers were scattered about the room like discarded shells. The bed was near a window, where the moonlight poured in as the curtains had been drawn aside.
His lord lay sprawled beneath the radiant half-moon like a satiated lion. The pale moonlight streamed over his bare, muscular body, which was perfectly proportioned and smooth, like a sculpture.
Arnold swallowed his awe inwardly.
The woman in question lay beside him, curled on her side. Judging by her utter stillness, she seemed to be in a state of near-unconsciousness, deeply asleep.
Resting his head on his palm, the Crown Prince traced a line from the maid’s forehead to her nose bridge with his index finger. Without taking his eyes off the maid, he tilted his head slightly.
“Report.”
“Duke Kristen has sent word that he plans to visit the palace. He mentioned wanting to discuss some matters regarding the banquet scheduled for next week.”
“Three days from now.”
“…Understood. I will inform him to come to the palace in three days.”
“What about the movements of Prince Aizen’s faction?”
“While there are no overt actions, the volume of iron ore traded in Espian, the Montagne family’s territory, has increased by 1.5 times compared to previous years.”
“If the trade records show 1.5 times the usual amount, the actual volume must be closer to double.”
The Crown Prince’s hand moved to the maid’s hair. He combed through the strands of golden hair with his fingers as if preoccupied with the task, yet his words were far from idle.
“That’s highly likely. However, we have yet to determine where such a large quantity of iron ore is being transported. The investigation continues.”
“There are only so many places that require such a large amount of iron.”
In the Karman Empire, it was illegal for nobles to maintain private armies. If Count Montagne were proven to be manufacturing weapons and armor while avoiding the imperial family’s scrutiny, he could be brought to trial immediately.
Montagne was both Prince Aizen’s sword and shield. Although the family lacked centuries of history and honor like other high-ranking noble families, their endless wealth was their lifeline. Officially, they expanded their fortune through moneylending, but rumors suggested their true profits came from thriving brothels.
Naturally, they could never get along with Felix. Thinking of his half-brother and his lackeys, Felix’s noble features grew tense with irritation. To dispel such dirty thoughts, he began stroking the maid’s cheek.
“That’s all I have to report. If there are any further orders….”
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
Instead of a command, an unexpected question was thrown his way.
When one’s lord asked a question, one had to answer unconditionally. Arnold responded as objectively as possible, suppressing his emotions.
“Miss Escalif is undoubtedly a beauty.”
“Yes. She’s very beautiful.”
The Crown Prince’s index finger brushed the maid’s long lashes. In her sleep, the woman turned her head and buried her face in the blanket. Felix pushed her shoulder so her face would turn toward him again.
“She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Amid countless people with average features, Diana stood out as unparalleled. It wasn’t just that her appearance was beautiful. She had an indescribable, unique aura.
A very primal energy that only the most sensitive could perceive. Felix caressed the woman’s cheek and slender arm. Her warmth reminded him of the sun-kissed earth in spring.
As his hand rested on the tip of her nose, her gentle breath brushed against his fingers. From the moisture in her mouth to the reservoir between her legs, there was a pure and refreshing clarity to her.
Stripping away her outdated clothing, which paled compared to her beauty, brought a sense of satisfaction. Diana was no longer a maid, so there was no need for her to wear such shabby garments.
A dress with a comically puffed hem? Something that forced one to waddle awkwardly? No. Something soft, like water slipping through one’s fingers. Water… yes, water. Like blue silk….
“Beautiful.”
Felix repeated the word, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
“Almost too exquisite to capture on a flat canvas.”
“I’ve never heard you say that before.”
Arnold, who was watching the scene, could not hide his surprise.
It had been 15 years since Arnold began serving the crown prince. Originally a knight of the Empress’s guard, he was a talent handpicked from the Kristen Ducal family, the Empress’s family of origin. Knighted at a young age, he was tasked with protecting the young Felix closely in the Empress’s palace.
The boy was exceptional to a point where admiration was inevitable in some respects and alarmingly deficient in others. A glaring lack of sensitivity compared to his talents. From the moment Felix showed interest in brushes and paint, the Empress insisted he focus solely on portraiture.
“That child must learn to observe and analyze people. If he’s innately incapable of loving others, he must at least learn how to tolerate them. If he isn’t taught this now, I already dread the tyranny he might inflict when he becomes the ruler of this country.”
It was thought to be a premature worry. However, it was revealed to be foresight the following year.
The nine-year-old boy’s first piece of work was a corpse hanging from a gallows under the clear midday sky.
“The contrast is striking. Red and blue. The sky and the ground, life and death. Isn’t it harmonious?”
“But Felix. The condemned would have had sacks over their heads during the execution. Why did you… draw their faces?”
“I thought it would be better with the faces. Is that not allowed?”
The Empress, shocked, scolded him harshly. However, the boy merely blinked his angelic eyes and replied:
“It’s just a painting, Mother. It’s not real. It doesn’t matter what happens in a painting, does it?”
“Felix!”
“Besides, it’s mine. Something only I can have. It’s mine.”
“…Then your painting must never become reality.”
“Hmm…”
“Your wishes, desires, thirsts, and impulses—all of them must remain on the canvas. Never bring them into reality. Do you understand?”
Painting was Felix’s way of possessing something in his own manner. Although he had abandoned painting for a while after retreating to the separate palace, he eventually picked up the brush again. While the meaning behind it had slightly shifted, his habit of painting anything he desired or wished to see remained unchanged.
This, too, was the Empress’s foresight. By giving her son, who was born with significant flaws in his character, the restriction of painting, she effectively integrated him into society.
However, looking at this from another angle, Felix was so indifferent to anyone unworthy of being preserved in his paintings that his attitude bordered on callousness.
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