After returning to the room, the memory was hazy.

It seemed like I had thrown the uncomfortable clothes haphazardly without looking at anything, barely washed, and buried myself in the blanket. A night where I was startled even when the pillowcase touched my lips.

When I staggered up, the sun had already risen high.

Blake was the only one in the room; Belita was not there, and Blake’s condition did not look good in many ways either. It seemed like no one in this room had slept properly.

“Ah, damn it…”

Blake, with dark circles under his eyes, groaned while holding his stomach, his voice gloomy. Jade shook her head, got up, rummaged through her bag, and took out a potion. The reason for his pain was obvious.

“You should have drunk less.”

“The moment I saw the roasted duck, my eyes rolled back…. The alcohol was amazing too. How could I not drink when there were things lined up that I couldn’t easily afford?”

“Did you expect a stomachache too?”

“No, hoo… There was a handsome young man over there, and I wonder what he thought of me…”

“A drunkard, or someone who hasn’t eaten for more than three days.”

Blake made a sad face at the clicking answer. Jade put three spoonfuls of the medicine into water and stirred it. Dark brown smoke rippled and dissolved into the water.

“Drink it. We have two hours left until departure, so you need to come to your senses before then.”

“Thank you. Where were you? I couldn’t see you after a while.”

“Huh? Just, well, outside for a walk…”

Fortunately, the flustered mumbling excuse worked well. Blake nodded.

“That’s a shame. I discovered a really nice white wine! Every time I took a sip, whoa. So you were outside the whole time?”

“Well… The garden was quite well decorated.”

“What was pretty about it? What do they use for landscaping in a place like this? I heard that they sometimes plant flowers of herbs used for medicinal purposes in the garden, is that true?”

“Uh… huh? That… something gr-green…”

Garden? I couldn’t even remember anything like a garden. The feeling of the touching nose bridges or the warmth of him cupping my cheeks was more vivid!

At that moment of cold sweat, Belita quickly opened the door, crawled in, and collapsed on the sofa. Jade quickly called her name to change the subject.

“Belita?”

“Yeah. Ah, I’m so tired I could die.”

“What were you doing coming back now?”

“What are you asking? I was spending some adult time… Ha, they treat us well here. I didn’t expect much since it’s a small place, but they had several rooms emptied out.”

Even without asking more, it was easy to tell what had happened. After all, her disheveled appearance already showed her busy night.

“How was Sir Mitchell?”

“Amazing.”

Blake and Belita had an unfiltered conversation. Blake’s eyes sparkled, seeming to have gotten much better, so Jade went back into the blanket and buried herself.

Their conversation gradually became more tangential and explicit, so she pulled the blanket up, but the content penetrated through the fabric.

“So…”

“Wow, like that every night?”

Hearing Belita’s vivid story reminded her of the wet sounds she had heard yesterday, and her face flushed again. Even her own stuttering voice that she let out every time their lips parted.

Damn it, be more natural! Jade rolled around in agony under the blanket.

“Anyway, I’m telling you, he didn’t rest…. I really like knights. There’s a taste to being embraced.”

“Why did I just drink! That brown curly-haired guy definitely winked at me!”

Listening to Blake’s regretful voice as she hit the ground, Jade suddenly thought of something and poked her head out of the blanket a little.

“Hey, Belita. I’m curious about something. Did you perhaps make promises for the future with Sir Mitchell or…”

Is there anything like that? At Jade’s timid curiosity, Belita laughed.

“My goodness, for a lady from Broen born in the south, you’re quite old-fashioned! Who does that these days? You just enjoy it first!”

“Is that so…? Indeed, it doesn’t seem like anyone does that.”

She mumbled embarrassedly and buried her face in the pillow again. Belita clicked her tongue.

“I’ve heard about Broen, and it seems you’ve lived a really busy life. No wonder, before meeting you in the subjugation squad, I thought even your nose was crooked. Because you never came to parties.”

“Puha! Right, that rumor! I heard it too!”

As Blake giggled, Jade cursed into the pillow with her buried lips. Of course, no one paid attention.

“So why don’t you try living recklessly now, even belatedly. Enjoy dating recklessly too. Usually, a dog has to look like a mad dog for others to start avoiding it. If you’re only too kind, they can’t make use of you.”

It sounded plausible and tempting for a moment, then became confusing again.

“Doesn’t a mad dog get caught?”

“Anyway. Not everyone who approached Sir Leon yesterday came to promise a rosy future. Of course, there might have been people who saw a shining future, but there were also veeeeery many people who just wanted to enjoy a night.”

Belita’s example was valid, and her face looked very serious.

“They really lined up? Even just to talk to him once. Well, if it weren’t for Mitchell, I might have lined up too. I guarantee he would look even more stunning rolling around on the bed. The slightly disheveled look suits him well? Last time when it rained and his hair got wet, it was even more amazing.”

“Gosh, Belita. That’s too much. Sir Leon was our commander-in-chief!”

“Not anymore. Don’t be surprised by this. I assure you, the knights and mercenaries have already had countless conversations like this. Who suits them better as a partner! What’s wrong with us doing it?”

“Well, I guess that’s true too.”

As Blake agreed, Belita primly flipped her hair and looked in the mirror, caressing her skin.

“Yes, that’s right. Anyway, not everyone lives only thinking about the future. Sometimes you have to just enjoy it. Otherwise, life would be boring. It’s no different from just looking at a schedule.”

Somehow, it felt like she had to defend her life. Jade mumbled in a voice half-buried in the pillow.

“I really have to get married…. The conditions for the coming-of-age ceremony include an engagement. The schedule is tight. I don’t have much time to experience many relationships-”

“What? Then that’s even worse. You’ll soon have a leash on! Shouldn’t you enjoy the short time left then!”

Belita took off Jade’s blanket. Behind her, Blake’s grinning face was clearly visible.

“I can tell you’re not the type to fool around after marriage, so it’s now or never. Ha, I don’t tell this to just anyone, but I’ll let you know. Do you know Licene Moretti?”

“I know of him, but…”

“Moretti’s parties are the best. First of all, everyone is somewhat verified, only people who don’t act too clingy are there, and there are many empty rooms! Inside, it’s filled with soft fabrics.”

She didn’t even want to ask what those fabrics were used for.

“No, that’s…”

“I’ll tell Licene. When you go to the capital, you’ll get an invitation, and if you ignore it, I won’t leave you alone.”

Belita looked solemn as if she couldn’t just leave a fool who didn’t know the pleasures of the night alone. Then, without even listening to the answer, she went to wash up.

“This is the first time I’ve talked to Belita for this long, and she’s really fun. I like her.”

“I know…”

Jade answered weakly to Blake’s cheerful words, who had regained her energy at some point, scratched her head, and got up.

Was she thinking too much, as Belita said?

Of course, Belita might have said that because she didn’t clearly know Jade’s situation, but a set routine like a schedule might be one of the reasons why it was sometimes hard to breathe in Broen’s castle.

Even so, the worries didn’t cease. Jade rubbed her lips with the back of her hand. They were slightly swollen and stung.

The subjugation squad didn’t need to go to the capital and greet the king. If anything, it was closer to maintaining and repairing rather than conquering.

Jade decided to take some of her knights and soldiers and leave first as soon as they arrived at the road heading south.

Of course, she had to greet Sir Leon, who had been the commander-in-chief, but it was a little better when she kept her eyes on the floor. She absolutely never acted like that before, but she wanted to tremble.

“Is my face on that floor?”

Axel, whose role as commander-in-chief had ended, asked indifferently.

He was in a slightly cranky state. Understandably so, because Jade had definitely nodded her head at his “see you tomorrow,” hadn’t she?

However, while riding to the point where they split to various corners of the country after leaving Milburn Castle, Jade still avoided him.

As she rode her horse here and there, Axel couldn’t even get close. His horse was so big that it was difficult to get through.

Did she dislike it? No, she kissed his cheek first. And she tried to run away. So he grabbed her and returned the favor, and at that time, she definitely wrapped her arms around his neck.

The man recalled yesterday with a frown but couldn’t find any problems.

Of course, he could roughly grasp her concerns.

Axel had closely watched Jade suffering from nightmares in the Atanase Forest and took care of her on nights when she was struggling with fever.

In addition, when he came out and heard that Jade was the successor of Broen, he could understand perfectly. Jade must be fighting with a clear goal of becoming the family head.

However, what confused Axel was that Jade would sometimes look at him with a jealous gaze as if she liked him, and then become refreshing as if treating a friend. Yesterday, she laughed while looking into his eyes, and the next day, she rejected him.

Due to Jade’s unpredictable behavior, Axel often fell into contemplation.

The reason he was outside was only because of her, but what if she didn’t want him? What if he had misinterpreted her?

However, with that innocent kiss on the cheek yesterday, Jade gave him certainty.

Then the rest was simple to interpret. With the goal of becoming the family head amidst enemies, she must be thinking that it’s difficult to be associated with Axel, whose origins are unclear.

He could understand that part.

Jade was not a fool and clearly recognized the situation. Whether it was Axel from the Atanase Forest or Commander Leon, there wasn’t much that could be of strength to Jade.

However, even if she drew the line like that, she couldn’t stop her emotions at all, so the affection that leaked out through the cracks like a dam with a small leak landed on his cheek.

Knowing that, he was insanely satisfied with just a kiss on the cheek.

But the very next day, again? Did she plaster the cracks with cement overnight or something, not even giving him a single glance?

Somehow, Axel felt like an abandoned husband overnight.