Hah!

With a rough breath, the woman stretched her arms towards the sky. It seemed as if time had stopped, with only that woman, Olivia Blanchet, moving.

The woman leaped into the clear morning sunlight.

Edgar let out a small sigh.

Her blouse came untucked and lifted up, revealing bare skin. At the same time, she swung the racket fearlessly to hit the ball.

The woman who landed lightly cheered.

Edgar, leaning obliquely against the window frame, gazed down at the woman blankly.

Her fresh cheeks were tinged with the color of roses blooming on a spring day. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

The way she lightly swung the tennis racket looked quite familiar. Following that movement, her hair tied up in a ponytail waved softly.

She had a habit of tapping the toe of her shoe with the racket before serving, and then bouncing the ball on the ground exactly three times.

Once again, a small predator growled.

Like a predator leaping towards its target, the woman jumped up towards the ball she had tossed up once more.

“Haha!”

It seemed as if he could hear the excited breath escaping from her flushed face all the way from here.

There was power in her motion as she cleanly returned the opponent’s ball over the net, with no wasted movement. The woman moved flexibly and smoothly, like a sleek black panther.

But when she grew tired, she would use a two-handed backhand. This was accompanied by the loud cry that had disturbed his peaceful slumber.

Edgar burst out laughing.

In tennis matches, called the sport of gentlemen, it was considered proper etiquette for both spectators and players to remain silent. Moreover, ladies never lost their grace even when returning the ball. They never flung their bodies about in such a manner.

She was a woman with a fearsome dedication to winning.

Edgar’s gaze deepened.

Did Johan’s wife have such talent?

Brit was a country obsessed with roses and tennis. The annual Litten Flower Festival and Dumblin Tennis Tournament, which never seemed to grow tiresome, were prime examples of this.

The newly completed Dumblin Stadium was a project that the House of Lancelot had been awarded and carried out.

The stadium next to the Dumblin Club boasted 19 championship grass courts, 22 practice grass courts, 8 clay courts, and 5 indoor courts. It was truly a world-class facility in terms of scale.

Additionally, there was a museum, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops.

Edgar, with a heart mourning the tennis-obsessed pervert prince, had planned to turn the prince’s domain of Dumblin into a tennis mecca.

And the results of five years of hard work would come to fruition in two months.

Olivia Blanchet, was it.

Edgar’s gaze deepened as he observed the woman darting across the grass.

For that successful start, she could serve as an excellent promotional tool. Especially in the women’s singles division, which had become troublesome due to Princess Anblyn.

The illegitimate child abandoned by Johan Leopold, evidence of infidelity and a beautiful divorcee, the champion of the Dumblin Trophy.

There could be no more dramatic story than this. Her unique playing style would also provide plenty of spectacle.

The question was whether she too was interested in the Dumblin Championship.

Edgar’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

The friendly match between the two ladies soon came to an end. The joy on the victor’s face sparkled as it caught the morning sunlight.

Edgar turned away with a rather satisfied feeling. He walked to the side table, running his fingers through his disheveled hair, and rang the bell. Soon, Gerald entered.

***

“I’ll wash up quickly and head over there. I’ll have scrambled eggs with mushrooms and cheese, and coffee.”

“I’ll prepare it.”

Olivia responded with a bright smile to Elaine’s order. The two had agreed to have a late breakfast together in Olivia’s room.

A smile played on Olivia’s face as she parted ways with Elaine after getting off the elevator. She felt refreshed after moving her body enough to work up a good sweat for the first time in a while.

“Wasn’t it boring?”

“No, it was fun.”

Anne answered with a smile.

Though Olivia had told Elaine that she used to play occasionally with Johan, Anne would know that wasn’t true. She didn’t ask anything.

Anne had been watching over Olivia since she was six years old. Perhaps she vaguely sensed it. The person wearing Olivia’s shell.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“Huh? Oh, no.”

Olivia, who had been walking while looking at Anne’s profile, shook her head.

“Let’s do it together next time. I’ll teach you.”

“That’s impossible. I’d be kicked out before even setting foot on the tennis court.”

Anne, who had been shaking her head, took out the key she had put in her handbag and inserted it into the keyhole as they arrived at the room.

“…Miss. Did I not lock the door?”

“What’s wrong?”

“The door.”

Anne’s face became very stiff.

“…It’s open.”

Olivia and Anne’s eyes widened as they looked at each other.

Anne swallowed and pressed her ear close to the room door.

Someone was inside.

‘What should we do?’

Anne asked Olivia with her eyes.

“Let’s go in.”

“Ah, no. Miss. What if it’s a thief? I’ll go call someone.”

Anne, with an obviously tense expression, whispered just loud enough for only Olivia to hear.

“If it’s a clumsy thief who can’t even lock a door properly, the two of us can easily subdue them. Anne.”

Moreover, it was too bright everywhere for thievery. Unless they were fools, at this time of day.

“Still…”

Anne hesitated.

Olivia, or rather Han Ji-an, was skilled in martial arts and shooting. Though she couldn’t overcome men with much larger builds, it would be a different story if she had a weapon.

Olivia gripped the racket like a bamboo sword, while Anne raised her parasol like a longsword.

The two tense women steadied their breathing and exchanged glances.

One.

Two.

On three, they flung the door open.

“You’re back now.”

“…”

A woman in a maid’s uniform paused what she was doing and bowed her head. Rather, it was Olivia and Anne who were taken aback. Olivia, who regained her composure first, asked Anne.

“Did you put out a sign requesting cleaning?”

“No, Miss.”

Olivia and Anne slowly turned their heads towards the woman.

“I was sent by Lord Lancelot. My name is Mary, and I’ve been assigned to serve you during your stay here. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The woman bowed deeply once more in greeting.

Olivia swept her calm gaze over the neatly arranged room. The clothes, slippers, bedding, and dressing table that had been left in disarray due to their hurried departure. Everything had been tidily put away.

Rather than feeling grateful, she felt discomfort at having her extremely private space invaded.

Olivia placed the racket on the table and stood in front of the woman. This time, Olivia’s meticulous gaze observed the woman.

“Is this service provided to all guests?”

“It’s only provided to VIP guests.”

The tall, thin woman with dark brown hair and eyes answered in a polite but rigid tone.

Olivia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise as she spoke.

“This is my first time here.”

“The criteria for VIPs are determined by Lord Lancelot.”

“I see. Well, that’s very kind indeed.”

No particular signs were felt from the woman. There was no sense of discomfort, as if she had been caught doing something in this room and was now nervous, or as if she was hiding something.

Nevertheless, Olivia did not want a stranger coming and going in this space.

“Would you please relay a message to him?”

“Please go ahead.”

“Tell him I’m grateful for his kind consideration, but I must politely decline. Please convey that.”

The woman, who had raised her bowed head to meet Olivia’s eyes, showed emotion for the first time.

“Have I made some mistake? Or is the room condition not to your liking?”

“It’s extremely perfect. To the point where there’s nothing to criticize.”

“Then why… May I ask the reason?”

“I simply want to rest comfortably.”

“…”

After a brief hesitation, the woman bowed her head.

“I understand. Then, please rest well.”

The maid carefully retreated without turning her back.

Anne went first to the dressing room to check if the International Bank’s guarantee, checkbook, ID, and passport were properly in place in the hidden compartment at the bottom of the trunk. Seeing this, Olivia said with a smile.

“Anne. She was sent directly by the hotel owner. She wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“Still, it doesn’t hurt to check.”

Anne’s principle was to test even a stone bridge before crossing. Even if it had been sent by His Majesty the King of Brit himself, Anne would probably have done the same.

“Alright. I’m hungry, Anne. Please order the same for me as Lady Elaine.”

Olivia said with a smile.

“Yes, Miss.”

Anne went down to the restaurant to place the room service order, and Olivia entered the bathroom.

After a quick shower, Olivia came out to the bedroom wrapped in a flannel robe. Standing by the window with a magnificent view of the Litten cityscape, she was patting her wet hair dry with a towel when there was a knock at the door.

‘She’s early.’

Olivia crossed the room to the door and opened it with a bright smile.

“Welcome…”

For a moment, Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise. It wasn’t Elaine.

Why… here.

Edgar Lancaster Lancelot was looking down at Olivia with interested eyes.

***

The woman was in a robe.

The thin flannel material revealingly outlined the woman’s delicate yet voluptuous body.

Where the front lapels overlapped, dark brown hair, wet from the shower, fell over her snow-white bosom, making his nerves tingle.

To Edgar, women were nothing more and nothing less than objects to satisfy his desires.

That was why he didn’t put any special effort into warming his bed for just one night. There was no need to.

With a similar desire, or perhaps a slightly different kind of desire, he now couldn’t take his eyes off Olivia Blanchet’s body.

A blush rose to her cheeks. Soon it spread to her forehead and neck, and then – bang! The door closed.

“J-Just a moment! Please wait just a moment!”

The woman’s urgent voice came from behind the door, leaving only a faint scent of roses.

The corners of Edgar’s lips curled up slightly.