Like being drawn by a magnet, he sat on the bed and endlessly gazed at Antonio sleeping leaning on his hand.

His navy blue eyes, looking at Antonio’s defenseless expression and plump parted lips, darkened before he knew it.

What thoughts to have about someone sleeping in pain… and towards someone who said they don’t have such feelings for the same sex…

Self-loathing washed over him at the thought that he was no different from Denver, whom he had driven out with his own hands.

But contrary to those feelings, his gaze kept sweeping over every part of Antonio.

He wanted to devour those sleeping lips and overlap himself on top of him.

He wanted to endlessly explore and taste him while keeping him trapped inside himself, unable to escape for even a moment.

Klaus gritted his teeth at the sudden surge of desire and sense of depravity.

This is all because of Antonio sleeping so defenseless. It’s because of his maddening scent.

If only he could possess him, turning his back on the world seemed like nothing.

Klaus’s entire body tensed up as he tried to endure with all his might. And soon, as if reaching the limit of his patience, he exhaled a rough breath.

Desire flickered in Klaus’s dark eyes as he looked at the defenseless Antonio before him.

It felt like he could stake everything if only he could explore him.

Yet on the opposite side of his heart, desire and a sense of depravity constantly clashed at the thought that Antonio might find him disgusting.

His large, trembling hand gently caressed her cheek.

Hot breath escaped him as he lowered his head as if entranced.

And likewise, Antonio’s breath was hot against his palm.

Hot?

Up close, he saw cheeks flushed red and beads of sweat on the forehead.

Only then realizing Antonio’s breathing was uneven, Klaus jerked his head up.

“Outside, is anyone outside! Call the physician!”

At Klaus’s call, the butler, Closet, Melda, Alejandro, and all the servants of the ducal residence woke up.

And the physician summoned at the crack of dawn had to examine Roselia, burning with fever.

Sweating profusely under Klaus’s fierce gaze that seemed to say he’d strangle him if he couldn’t cure her immediately, the physician wore a troubled expression.

“I can’t determine the cause. Everything is normal except for the high fever.”

Klaus’s brow furrowed deeply at the doctor’s cautious words.

“How can it be normal when the fever is so high?”

“Well… you mentioned there have been emotionally difficult events recently, right?”

“That’s right.”

“It might be an illness of the mind.”

Klaus’s expression darkened at the doctor’s words.

Count Berenas’s fainting and Nadia’s incident on top of that… was it indeed too much to bear mentally?

While Klaus was thinking with a serious expression, the doctor looked around carefully and asked cautiously.

“By the way, did you light scented candles in the room? It’s dizzying. It would be good to ventilate.”

Klaus’s expression hardened at the doctor’s words. It seemed he wasn’t the only one feeling it after all.

A sweet fragrance that could muddle one’s mind filled the room.

On the other hand, Closet and the maids only wore puzzled expressions.

As Klaus watched a maid open a window on one side of the room at Closet’s direction, he suddenly recalled the Crown Prince’s words about the Rapelios bloodline.

‘Did you know they have a unique scent?’

This fragrance clearly didn’t seem to be from candles or perfume.

No candles had been lit, and Antonio, sweating profusely, wouldn’t have any perfume scent left on him.

Then this must be Antonio’s natural scent… and it had become overwhelmingly strong since he started falling ill.

Could Antonio be one of the Rapelios bloodline?

He thought that if it was Marquis Yukiliode, known to be of the Rapelios bloodline, he might know about Antonio’s current condition.

Alejandro opened his mouth in bewilderment at Klaus’s sudden action of getting up and putting on his jacket.

“Your Grace, where are you going?”

“I’m thinking of meeting Marquis Yukiliode.”

“Pardon? At this hour?”

“The sun will rise soon, so it seems appropriate.”

Who receives guests as soon as they wake up?

Alejandro had to swallow those words lingering in his mouth. He knew very well that his superior was the type to see things through once he set his mind to it.

In the pre-dawn hours when the sun had not yet risen, Klaus drove his carriage to the Imperial Guest Palace and boldly requested a visit with Marquis Yukiliode.

Rognan, Johannes’s assistant, greeted the duke with a bewildered expression.

Then, after disappearing saying he would relay the message, Rognan soon returned to guide him to the reception room.

In the reception room Rognan led him to, Johannes was sitting at the table waiting for him, impeccably dressed despite the early hour.

As Klaus sat down silently across from him, Johannes smiled gracefully and spoke first.

“What brings the duke here at this early hour…”

Klaus, urgent in mind, cut straight to the point without unnecessary preamble.

“Is Antonio of the Rapelios bloodline?”

For a moment Johannes’s eyes widened, then he quickly composed his expression and stared intently at Klaus.

At his lack of response, Klaus frowned and continued impatiently, uncharacteristically agitated.

“Antonio has been burning with fever since yesterday and can’t regain consciousness. There seems to be a scent coming from his body… I thought it might be related to his current condition.”

After calmly listening to Klaus’s words, Johannes lowered his gaze and quietly opened his mouth.

“If it’s as you describe, then Antonio is indeed of the Rapelios bloodline.”

Klaus’s expression hardened for a moment as his suspicion became fact.

Disbelief was stronger, but a part of him felt like all the questions that had arisen so far were falling into place.

Was Roselia also of the Rapelios bloodline?

That would explain why their scents were similar.

As Klaus’s mind became confused, Johannes calmly continued.

“And Antonio’s current state seems to be just before blooming.”

“Blooming…”

Since information about the Rapelios bloodline was difficult to know except for the imperial family, Klaus frowned and asked quizzically.

Looking at him, Johannes exhaled calmly and slowly continued speaking.

“It’s like a rite of passage that those of the bloodline with scent go through. First, I should go examine his condition in person. If it’s alright with you, shall we go to the duke’s residence right away?”

Though still full of doubts, Antonio’s condition was urgent, so Klaus nodded without argument.

Thus, immediately driving the carriage to the duke’s residence, the two ignored the greetings of the servants and headed straight for Antonio’s room.

As soon as they entered the room, Johannes’s expression hardened at the scent that hit them.

Approaching Roselia’s bedside, Johannes looked down at her with a regretful expression.

If circumstances weren’t like this, she could have received proper education at the marquis’s house and gone through blooming less painfully…

Johannes’s expression grew heavy, feeling it was all due to his own inadequacy.

Gently stroking Roselia’s gaunt cheek, Johannes examined her condition.

Watching him from behind, Klaus gritted his teeth.

Though it was probably just examining her condition, his expression twisted grimly at the feeling of blood rushing backwards and his insides boiling.

It was similar to how he felt before when Roselia was with Johannes.

Unaware of Klaus’s burning feelings, Johannes slowly turned and calmly opened his mouth.

“She will bloom within today or tomorrow. Listen carefully to my explanation from now on.”

Klaus nodded calmly, trying to suppress his uncomfortable feelings.

“Blooming progresses more actively at night. At that time, you must not let anyone into the room. Remember that no matter what sounds you hear, you absolutely must not enter the room.”

“Why is that?”

“At the moment of blooming, one cannot properly control oneself, so the scent cannot be regulated. As you can imagine, that scent is too strong for ordinary people to endure. So no one should be by Antonio’s side.”

Having experienced a scent that made him dizzy just last night, Klaus immediately nodded in agreement.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’d like to examine Antonio’s condition a bit more, would you mind stepping out for a moment?”

Klaus’s brow furrowed at Johannes’s polite question.

“Do I really have to leave?”

Johannes stared intently at Klaus, whose voice held a clearly wary tone.

His gaze seemed to say, surely you’re not jealous at a time like this.

Klaus soon cleared his throat and left, telling him to come out quickly.

After Klaus left the room, Johannes approached Roselia again and sat in the bedside chair, firmly grasping her hand.

“Cecilia. Listen carefully. When it feels like your chest is burning up, don’t try to hold it in. Don’t try to suppress it, you need to release everything.”

Though she was unlikely to properly understand his words while seemingly unconscious, Johannes continued speaking deliberately, as if engraving the content into her mind.

“You’ll feel much better once you release all the scent built up in your chest. So don’t be afraid and let everything go. Do you understand? You’ll endure well.”

Looking pityingly at her labored breathing, Johannes then carefully kissed her forehead.

“I’ll come back to get you once everything is prepared. So wait just a little longer, Cecilia.”

With those final words, Johannes quietly got up and left the room.

Glancing at Klaus waiting with arms crossed in front of the room, he then quietly bowed.

“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Is it alright to leave her like that?”

“At the moment of blooming, one can only overcome the pain oneself. Usually blooming happens when one comes of age… Antonio is rather late. The suppressed energy bursting forth will make the pain more severe.”

Klaus’s brow furrowed slightly at Johannes’s words that the pain would be more severe.

“Pain medication…”

“It’s useless. Even if used, it won’t have any effect.”

Klaus’s expression twisted painfully at the words that there was nothing he could do for Antonio.

Staring intently at Klaus, Johannes spoke calmly.

“If I could, I’d like to stay by her side…”

For a moment, Klaus’s expression, lost in thoughts of Antonio, suddenly crumpled.