Thanasis quite enjoyed using perfectly controlled magical power.

The control device that regulated the magic in his ears was no longer as bothersome as before.

Rather, when he thought about wanting to protect Reniel while wearing that control device, he could control his magic very easily.

He felt several layers of bands on his heart, and when he loosened them slightly, moved them to his fingertips, and released magic, fire ignited on top of them.

It wasn’t difficult to create flames in midair either.

He felt like at this rate, he could melt this entire room when Reniel arrived.

He wanted to see Reniel’s surprised expression.

“I wonder how happy she’ll be.”

He started to get excited at the thought of telling Reniel about his achievements today.

In Thanasis’s opinion, Reniel liked this mansion. And the reason was because of the salary.

But even if he left this place, although he would be despised and treated like a monster, he had a lot of money.

“I might as well get rid of those useless knights and give that much as salary instead.”

Thanasis was someone who used to cut the surrounding servants like eating meals anyway.

If all their wages were combined, it would be an enormous amount of money.

He was very relieved that what Reniel liked was just money, but.

It was also strangely vexing that all she wanted from him was just money.

Suddenly, he wanted to see what his face looked like.

“Have I gotten much worse lately?”

As that thought occurred to him, his mood worsened.

In the imperial palace, everyone thought Thanasis was a monster. Yet when their eyes met, they would blush.

As if following the truth that the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous poison it contains, Thanasis’s beauty was often treated as that dangerous.

However, after being kidnapped to the Le Pelique duchy, he had endured many harsh experiences.

It was only natural that his beauty would have deteriorated.

He worried that his face might have been badly damaged.

Maybe that’s why Reniel reacted so indifferently to him, he thought.

But seeing her shy reaction when he came out after washing, it didn’t seem to be a problem with his appearance.

Then what was the problem?

‘Could she have feelings for Felix Le Pelique?’

‘Is it obvious?’

“But that must certainly be a lie.”

Thanasis recalled their previous conversation but thought it couldn’t be true.

At that time, he had believed those words because he was emotionally disturbed.

But thinking about it carefully, Reniel was trembling like a very frightened person when she said that then.

Moreover, if she truly loved Felix Le Pelique, there was no reason for her to suggest pretending to be dead and leaving.

And right after that conversation, Ianathas came in, right?

Perhaps it would be more reasonable to infer that she was conscious of Ianathas standing in front of the door.

Crunch.

Thinking of Ianathas, Thanasis gritted his teeth.

“That son of a bitch.”

Thanasis shuddered as if his teeth were chattering at the memory of Ianathas.

Then his magic became disturbed again, extinguishing the flames floating in the air.

“Ha.”

He remembered that he could only maintain the flames with concentrated focus, and sighed as he repeatedly created flames again.

While waiting for Reniel to come.

****

Reniel came down to the secret room where Thanasis was at dawn.

She slowly opened the door, put down the items she had brought nearby, and immediately turned on the light.

The suddenly brightened interior made her frown without realizing it.

Then she completely closed the door and headed towards Thanasis with half-opened eyes, gathering her things.

“Come quickly. I’ve been waiting.”

Before telling her this good news, Thanasis wanted to touch her just a little.

He was also quite tired from practicing using magic while she was gone.

“Have you eaten?”

“I can’t eat unless you bring it.”

Reniel placed the food tray on the table with a pitiful expression. Then she said brightly with a smile.

“Ta-da!”

When she removed the cover, underneath was the specialty veal steak of the Le Pelique duchy.

“I’m hurting. Touch me instead of eating.”

“But you said you were hungry.”

“I’m hungry. And I’m in pain. But I want you to resolve the pain right away, while the hunger can be resolved a bit later.”

Thanasis thought his sophistry was strange, but he hoped she would voluntarily come closer and touch him soon.

Although he could forcibly approach her, he didn’t want to. Somehow, it seemed the satisfaction would be different.

“Alright.”

“Take off your ring too.”

“Okay.”

Reniel answered roughly while quickly placing the food and other things on the table.

She tidied up the place, covering the dish again.

Thanasis felt impatient watching her movements.

Perhaps that’s why he kept wanting to check.

“Have I become ugly?”

“Pardon?”

“I want to look in a mirror. Untie me.”

“Ah, yes.”

Reniel thought she had misheard because of his sudden strange question, and took out the key.

Then she began to undo the restraints tied in various ways on his body one by one.

She inserted and turned the key so quickly and easily that not even a finger brushed against him.

Thanasis focused on her fragrant breath emanating from her.

Yet he was somehow vexed by her unconsciously being careful not to touch him.

Her behavior of hurriedly avoiding eye contact whenever their eyes met was puzzling, so he felt he should check his face quickly first.

After all the restraints were undone, he left his seat and headed to the bathroom.

After he disappeared, Reniel organized the items she had brought again.

First, she put the first aid kit on the bed since she would treat him there. And she pulled a small trash can to the foot of the bed.

Soon, Thanasis returned from the bathroom faster than expected.

His hair had become quite calm, as if he had used water. Like he had pressed his hair down with wet hands.

“Please eat.”

Thanasis was very displeased with Reniel’s attitude.

As a result of looking in the mirror, his face was just a bit bruised but almost identical to before.

Her indifference, unshaken even by his appearance, was irritating.

Everyone used to succumb just to his benevolent voice and gaze. But Reniel’s eyes seemed to be full of only other things.

“By the way, did something happen to you?”

When Thanasis asked casually, Reniel pressed her lips together and forced a smile.

“What about Your Highness?”

“If you don’t come, I’m alone locked up in this dark place. What could be different?”

He was now really on the verge of losing patience, as Reniel seemed strangely unable to focus on him at all.

Yet he couldn’t get angry because she reflexively smiled whenever their eyes met.

“Something happened, right?”

“No, it’s not that…”

She headed to the table at his gesture. Then he unexpectedly pulled out a chair for her.

Reniel was flustered as this was the first time, but she sat in the chair he had habitually pulled out while observing his actions.

Thanasis showed her that all his fingers were bruised.

Reniel soon understood his intention and grasped the fork and knife. Then Thanasis opened the food cover and set it aside.

Reniel soon cut the veal steak and handed it to him.

“After you finish eating this, let’s practice again. We should leave as soon as possible.”

Reniel urged him because of what had happened earlier.

She felt really strange as the kiss on Felix’s cheek kept coming to mind.

It seemed like a frightening thing, but that gentle expression he had worn was unforgettable.

It was very troubling and dangerous.

The thought of how much richer she would become soon thanks to the brooch Felix had given her was what kept her going.

She seemed to have become unknowingly very sensitive to such things because she had lived for so long starving in the poorhouse.

“Did Your Highness eat food like this every day?”

“Of course.”

“…I see.”

Reniel suddenly recalled that when she was young, even a single pea on this plate was so precious that she ate it sparingly.

But since she didn’t think money was more precious than life.

She tried to maintain her composure again while looking at Thanasis.

When he stared at her as if watching her reaction, she smiled brightly.

At that moment, Thanasis blurted out words like a sneeze, different from the strategy he had been thinking in his head.

“Let’s leave right now.”

He had actually intended to tease her by almost telling her that he could control his abilities, before finally revealing it.

But when he saw her purple eyes, he completely forgot about that and continued speaking.

“I can now fully control my abilities.”