Chapter 40
‘Eliana’s goal… it lies within House Espensen. If that’s the case… should I simply erase House Espensen from existence?’
Michalis glanced at Eliana’s profile again as she reached for her pen, then firmly closed the open book on his lap with a sharp snap.
‘Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to act as the Emperor’s hunting dog—just this once.’
‘Before logging out, I should prepare a whole batch of healing cards too.’
Eliana, completely unaware of the conclusion Michalis had just reached, remained immersed in her magic card crafting.
“There won’t be anything that requires your protection.”
Because I’ll erase House Espensen from this world first.
“……”
Eliana stilled her hands again and looked at him in silence.
‘The battle has already begun.’
Freya would target the biggest variable first—the “Duchess.”
Now that she had synchronized with Eliana’s body and stolen Michalis away, it was a fight she could no longer avoid.
“Enough for tonight. Come here.”
After watching her for a while, Michalis patted the space beside him.
“You’ll want to rest early. The ennoblement ceremony is tomorrow.”
“…Okay.”
It was nearing ten o’clock. Considering the exhausting preparations ahead, he was right.
As Eliana climbed into bed and pulled up the blanket, Michalis wasted no time in pulling her close, burying his face against the curve of her neck.
“Eliana…”
The sweet scent of her skin filled his senses.
“Not tonight!”
Trapped in his arms in an instant, Eliana pushed against his firm chest and shouted.
“You have anemia! Moving around too much could be dangerous!”
“O-oh, you misunderstand. I only meant to hold you. Just holding.”
Michalis quickly moved the hand tugging at her nightgown’s ribbon to rest gently against her back.
“Um… I can’t breathe.”
Eliana squirmed in his grasp, her head shifting side to side. His tight grip slowly relaxed.
“I didn’t realize I was squeezing that hard.”
Her body was just too delicate. Michalis never seemed to get the pressure right.
“A-and could you not poke me with your leg like that?”
“…It’s a reflex.”
“……”
“Just think of it as… having an extra knee.”
Knee?
Of all places to insist on his dignity, the Duke of Ascher chose a very strange one.
“……”
Eliana had a lot to say—but decided not to say it.
Though they had gone to bed early, peace was nowhere to be found in the deepening night of this newlywed couple.
June 7th, 321st Year of the Empire.
The Duke of Ascher’s estate was bustling from early morning.
It was the day the newly appointed Duke would be officially confirmed by the Emperor himself.
Amidst the whirlwind of preparation, little sparks of joy kept leaking through.
“A congratulatory gift has arrived from the Count of Prezend.”
“Oh, porcelain from the Eastern Empire? Place it over there.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Baron Jonzeganor has sent a floral arrangement.”
“That can go by the window.”
The butler had been moving nonstop since morning, recording the steady stream of gifts from noble houses.
“Another flower delivery? Place it on the table.”
As he double-checked the list, he waved to a man entering the hall with a particularly large flower basket.
“Ah, sir Butler. The sender gave strict instructions that this one be delivered to His Grace personally.”
The man holding the basket looked uneasy, his brows furrowed.
“Delivered personally?”
Setting the ledger aside, the butler examined the man.
He wasn’t shabby, but his overalls were worn—simple, with a sincere demeanor.
“Oh, the florist.”
He recognized him—owner of a flower shop in Wespa for over a decade, known for supplying the region’s finest seeds and floral stock.
“His Grace’s study is the second room on the right, third floor.”
The butler glanced at the flower basket, which seemed unusually heavy, and nodded toward the stairs.
A personal delivery often meant the gift contained more than just flowers—likely a bribe.
And that was a matter only His Grace could handle.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll leave you to your duties, then.”
The man gave a polite bow and climbed the stairs, still carrying the heavy basket.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The moment he reached the third floor, the man’s gentle expression disappeared.
After confirming no one was around, he knocked on the door to the study.
“Your Grace. It’s Fiore.”
“Enter.”
Michalis was at his desk, catching up on the work he’d fallen behind on due to his injury.
“Fiore, Head of the Information Division’s Wespa Branch. Reporting to Your Grace.”
As soon as he stepped in, Fiore set down the flower basket and knelt on one knee.
Codename: Fiore.
Cover identity: Florist.
Reality: Chief of the Duke of Ascher’s Intelligence Division in Wespa.
“Stand. What of the assignment?”
“It was handled without issue.”
Fiore rose smoothly and took out a small box hidden within the flower basket, placing it on Michalis’s desk.
Click.
Michalis immediately picked up the box and opened the lid.
Inside, the blue diamond ring he had commissioned from the jeweler sparkled with a calm, gleaming light.
“How strong is the enchantment?”
“Due to the gem’s small size, it could only hold enough mana equivalent to a mid-grade magic stone.”
“If that’s the limit, then so be it. Good work.”
Michalis closed the box again and turned to Fiore.
“As of now, suspend all intelligence operations in the North.”
He spoke quietly, recalling the contents of the latest report from the northern branch.
The Eliana described in those reports was a completely different person from the one he knew now.
Had she changed after a near-death experience? It was as if she had become an entirely different woman.
Whatever the truth, continuing to investigate her past seemed meaningless.
“Instead, mobilize all available personnel and expand surveillance to include even the household staff of House Espensen.
If anything remotely suspicious occurs, I want it reported immediately.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“That’s all. Return to your duties.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Fiore of the Intelligence Division, taking my leave.”
With that, Fiore’s expression returned to that of the friendly young florist.
He picked up the flower basket beside him and bowed deeply to Michalis.
“…Why are you taking that with you?”
As Fiore turned to leave the study with the basket, he froze at the sound of Michalis’s voice.
“Wasn’t I supposed to make it look like the gift was declined?”
“Leave it.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
He was the branch chief, and yet failed to read his liege’s intentions.
It was a grave mistake.
Fiore, cheeks flushed, bowed again and exited the study in retreat.
“……”
After Fiore left the flower basket and closed the door, Michalis stared at the bouquet in silence for a few seconds before slowly rising from his chair.
Today…
His grip on the heavy basket was solemn, his resolve clear.
I will confess my love to Eliana.
The door to the study clicked shut.
Eliana, meanwhile, was deep into preparations from the early morning.
“Since the dress is navy, how about this sapphire hairpin for your accessories?”
“Hmm… it’s not bad.”
It was her official debut into Wespa’s social circles—a meaningful day.
Five maids, including Amy, swarmed around her, attending to skincare and nail polish simultaneously.
They busily debated which jewelry would match the imperial-appointed ennoblement gown.
“Actually, this amethyst ornament might go better with the cornflower embroidery.”
“You’re right. The color combination looks better than sapphire.”
“Madam, your silver hair makes anything you wear look flawless.”
Knock. Knock.
As one maid held a jewelry box and others fussed over her hair, a heavy knock sounded at the door of the powder room.
“May I come in?”
Startled, the maids widened their eyes when they heard the familiar voice of the Duke.
“Ma’am, I’ll take the face pack off right away!”
One maid hurriedly removed the gauze from Eliana’s face.
“Yes, you may come in.”
Kyaah! Oh my gosh…
As the door opened, and the maids spotted the large flower basket in Michalis’s arms, they silently shrieked.
“Could you all give us the room for a moment?”
Michalis scanned the room with a slightly tense expression and spoke to the maid holding the jewelry box.
“Yes, of course, Your Grace.”
Kyaah, His Grace looks so dashing today…
With flushed faces, the maids giggled inwardly and scurried away with flustered excitement.
“Michal, what’s with the flowers?”
The enormous flower basket was impossible to ignore.
Eliana’s face turned pink at the sight. Centered with soft blue hydrangeas and surrounded by white and pink roses, the bouquet was vibrant and stunning.
“On the way here…”
Michalis trailed off mid-sentence.
If you’re about to say ‘I picked them up on the way,’ I swear to the heavens, please don’t.
Joel’s desperate warning spun around his mind like a mantra.
“Ahem. I saw them and thought of you, Eliana… so I brought them.”
Thinking the basket might be too heavy for her, Michalis stepped into the powder room and gently set it down on the vanity.
“Oh… thank you.”
Maybe it was the sweet floral scent, or maybe it was the sudden gesture—despite having spent most of the night in his arms, Eliana’s heart thumped loudly in her chest.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I feel great.”
The room filled with the gentle scent of flowers, and for a moment, the air between them turned strangely quiet.
“……”
Standing awkwardly in front of the vanity, Michalis swallowed dryly.
Eliana, dressed in a pure white chemise gown, looked so beautiful that his heart started to pound all over again.
“Just have a seat.”
“…Okay.”
Startled by his serious tone, Eliana sat down on the vanity stool and looked up at him, blinking.
It was clear—the Duke of Ascher had something important he wanted to say.
