HMC 13

~Chapter 13~

Before going to teach Rosedale, Cain stopped by Lukas’s office.

“Your Majesty, here’s the report about the spy we were supposed to discuss today.”

Cain lowered his voice and placed the document on Lukas’s desk.

“As you suspected, one of the ministers in the administration was a spy for Maella. We can proceed with a trial—”

“No. Leave him for now.”

“…What?”

Lukas was letting the spy live? Even not executing them immediately was unusually lenient, but just letting them be?

Still focused on his paperwork, Lukas spoke flatly:

“Killing him isn’t interesting. And not very useful either.”

“Ah…”

“Act like we haven’t caught on yet. Don’t give him any important info. Let’s see if we can use him.”

“Understood.”

Now that made sense.

Cain nodded, finally satisfied.

“Cain.”

Lukas finally looked up.

“You’re starting Rosedale’s lessons on Iveria today, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Three days to learn everything? Ridiculous. But thanks to that cursed magical oath, Cain couldn’t speak his true thoughts. All he could do was drown her in intense studying.

“When class is over, tell her I’d like to have dinner together.”

Lukas sounded cheerful—an unusual tone. There were no frowns, no cold expressions.

“…Yes, sir.”

Cain hesitated, then finally asked:

“May I ask something, Your Majesty?”

“Go ahead.”

Lukas continued reviewing his documents. Cain asked carefully:

“That day… why did you follow Lady Rosedale?”

Lukas’s pen froze mid-stroke.

“You’re always cautious. You don’t even drink water outside due to poison risks. You treat all nobles and ministers as possible spies.”

“So why did I follow Rosedale without hesitation? You find it strange?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I just wondered if you even considered the possibility that she approached you on purpose.”

She had claimed she only entered the store because of a loud crash—but Cain couldn’t believe that. A coincidence? With the Emperor?

“Rosi… didn’t waver.”

Lukas smiled faintly.

“Assassins, spies—they all look nervous when they see me. Their eyes tremble like candles in the wind.”

“But Rosi didn’t. She even scolded me, saying I was a bad guy and pointed her finger like a teacher.”

“…”

Cain didn’t interrupt. Lukas looked like he was actually enjoying himself.

“Looking into her eyes, I thought… maybe, with her, I could be a little more normal.”

“…”

“I could breathe easier around her. Sure, the fact she’s a magician helped. But I really wanted her near me.”

Lukas smiled gently. Kind, warm, even playful.

Cain hadn’t seen that smile in over eight years. It made his chest tighten for some reason.

“She looks great in pants. So much that she might change the minds of those old-fashioned nobles who say noblewomen shouldn’t wear them.”

“…”

“Oh, and apparently, she can eat several bowls of food and never get a stomachache. Isn’t that amazing? She basically devoured half the empire.”

“…”

Cain wanted to argue—Isn’t she a runaway slave or something? Who eats that much food? But, damn oath. He couldn’t insult Rosedale no matter what.

“She’s got no prejudice. She sees everything purely. I like that about her.”

Lukas’s face sharpened again, though the warmth remained.

“And despite eating so much, her table manners are perfect. She must’ve had a high-level education, but her clothes and knowledge say otherwise…”

Yes—there were many suspicious things.

She could use magic, didn’t know magic had disappeared, and called a monster a “demon beast” immediately. All strange.

But Lukas decided not to pry further.

“No matter who you are… I’m your friend. I’ll look into your eyes and speak to you honestly.”

No one had ever looked at him with such pure, honest passion.

Someone who accepted him as he was. Who took his hand and pulled him out of his emotional cage. That was Rosedale.

So just this once, he wanted to show that kind of trust to someone who gave it to him freely.

“To live normally. Peacefully.”

“And… those eyes.”

“Eyes?”

“Yeah. Her red eyes. I swear I’ve seen them somewhere before.”

“What do you mean?”

Lukas looked away, unsure.

“It sounds crazy, but her eyes… they looked just like the goddess I saw a few days ago.”

“A goddess?”

“Yeah. She came to my office. She wore a long white dress and held a huge bow. Her pink hair flowed to her waist…”

“And she had wings. Big, white, feathery wings. Like a real deity.”

“…Wings, huh.”

“She smiled at me. I barely saw her, but I remember that smile.”

It made his heart race. He would’ve knelt at her feet—begged to kiss them.

“Your Majesty.”

Cain’s brow furrowed more.

“Did you see this goddess after not sleeping for days?”

“…Are you saying I imagined it?”

“Never, sire. I wouldn’t dare.”

Lukas gave him a sharp look. Cain was just as serious.

“Please get some rest, Your Majesty.”

“…”

It was a bold thing to say, but Lukas couldn’t refute it. He had assumed it was a dream or vision.

He just sighed and picked up his pen again.

“You can go. Rosi’s waiting.”

“Yes. Please rest.”

Cain bowed deeply and left the office.

Out in the hallway, he let out a long sigh.

“This is chaos.”

Eros still hadn’t shown up. And instead of gods, only illusions and strange magicians kept popping up.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rosedale sat at her desk, humming.

“Human food is the best.”

She had a big breakfast. Sure, she cried a bit while eating salad and meat, but no more sobbing like yesterday.

She had decided to fully embrace life as a human—for now.

“Lady Rosedale, would you like more tea?”

“Yes, please. Thanks, Daisy.”

Rosedale glanced fondly at her maids.

Freckled Daisy was young but smart and attentive. She added rose scent to the bath without being told and blushed shyly when thanked.

Rosedale liked her a lot. But one thing that morning didn’t sit right.

“What is this?”

Rosedale frowned deeply at the item before her.

The maids exchanged confused glances. How could a lady not know what that was?

“It’s a corset.”

“A corset?”

“Yes. It shapes your waist and makes the dress look fuller. Very popular in high society.”

“It’s not… a torture device?”

Rosedale narrowed her eyes at it.

It looked like a weapon meant to suffocate someone. Not something a person should wear.

“So not everything in human culture is good…”

She stared at the corset with pure disgust.

But the maids, especially Daisy, looked at her with starry eyes, as if silently pleading: “You’ll wear it, right?”

Rosedale noticed.

“Give it to me.”

She smiled sweetly—almost too sweetly.

“You can’t wear it alone. We’ll help—”

“It’s fine.”

She waved her fingers to hurry them.

The maid hesitated, but eventually handed it over.

FWOOSH—!

The corset went up in flames.

“Lady Rosedale!”

Daisy gasped and trembled. Did she really just burn a corset?

Her posture and grace proved she was educated, but this? This was outrageous.

Corsets were essential for social events. Yet she’d just… incinerated it.

They were so shocked, they forgot she had used magic.

“…”

Silence.

Only Rosedale smiled as she shook off the ashes.

“I don’t need something like this. I’m beautiful just the way I am.”