“That’s impossible.”

Ianathas denied his own state. Even to him, it was a truly absurd hypothesis.

Yet, seeing Reniel smiling at him made his heart flutter. He had never experienced such a strange state in his life.

But he soon realized. This confusing state might be due to the ability of the Nuremberg Maiden.

‘Who is the Nuremberg Maiden? Why is she needed?’

‘The missing Nuremberg Maiden is a mana purifier born once a century.’

‘And?’

‘Everyone absorbs mana stones to gain abilities, enduring the curse. If someone who absorbed mana stones kills the mana purifier, they can take the purification ability. Then they can use abilities while purifying mana forever.’

‘Then the side effects from the curse also…’

‘The side effects disappear too.’

‘Is there a way to use the purification ability without killing?’

‘Why bother? There’s no absorption method as perfect as killing.’

Ianathas was recalling a conversation he had with an old information broker when he was searching for ways to cure his lord’s insomnia.

‘Then isn’t the Nuremberg Maiden in danger?’

‘Why do you think so?’

‘There are many people targeting her, but in the end, isn’t she just a woman?’

‘You don’t know anything. The mana purifier usually charms and controls those who absorbed mana stones and are cursed. It’s not for nothing that they say to kill her. When they come to their senses, they’ll be moving like her limbs.’

Ianathas hadn’t believed those words back then.

But now that he was experiencing it, he felt like he understood what it meant.

Reniel was someone who charmed and controlled people with an innocent-looking expression.

And just by being near her, the mana strangely calmed down and his physical condition improved, making him want to treat her even better.

Even his heart was beating irregularly.

He wondered if all of this might be another kind of ability to protect the mana purifier.

“Why are you glaring at me like that again?”

“The jewelry store I recommend is a place you absolutely can’t go to with Assistant Secretary Reniel’s salary anyway.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll go separately. I want to go to a store with a reasonable price range.”

Reniel said that and turned away from Ianathas.

“However.”

Ianathas blocked her way, smiling.

“If you ask nicely, I might recommend a suitable place for you.”

He seemed to have already been charmed. He couldn’t take his eyes off her even when she smiled at him with a fake smile.

Above all, the subtle peach blossom scent emanating from her seemed to drive people crazy.

“I’ll decline. Goodbye.”

Reniel said that and tried to turn around.

“Will you really decline?”

Ianathas, who blocked her way again, glared at her.

Even though he was smiling, Reniel was so scared that she had no choice but to say:

“Then, shall we go together?”

“Say it nicely.”

“…Please, Mr. Ianathas.”

Ianathas felt like he was being utterly defeated every time he tried to be sharp with Reniel.

He wanted to upset her and make her angry. But no matter what he touched, she immediately raised the white flag and apologized with a smile.

He even thought that her personality might have become like this to charm people.

“Shall we go?”

“…Yes.”

In the end, he took her to a jewelry store that offered employee discounts operated by the Duke of Le Pelique’s family.

****

“Oh! Mr. Ianathas?”

Ianathas smiled back at the jewelry store employee who smiled happily upon seeing him.

“What brings you here with a man today? You always come with women.”

“Wow, really?”

Reniel looked at Ianathas with amazement.

Although he thought he had nothing to be ashamed of, he still glared at the employee with a smile, as if telling him to watch his words.

Then the employee immediately changed the subject.

“What brings you here today?”

“This person wanted to buy something here, so I recommended it.”

Ianathas immediately looked at Reniel.

“Ah, yes. I want to purchase earrings for a very tall and handsome man. For the gemstone… My budget isn’t very generous. I’d like to see mid-grade garnets or rubies.”

“Do you think His Lordship would wear such mid-grade gems? Your thinking is too shallow.”

“Is that so? But I don’t have the budget to buy high-grade gems.”

Reniel lowered her gaze with a slightly deflated expression. Then Ianathas grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

“Mr. Ianathas?”

“Follow me.”

She wondered why Ianathas was doing this, but the employee waved his hand nonchalantly, so she bowed and obediently followed him.

Soon, she was dragged by Ianathas into a dark space between the jewelry store and the adjacent building.

Although there were people passing by, no one paid attention to the gap between the buildings as they hurried past.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I usually don’t give out this kind of information. But if it’s for His Lordship, I’ll help.”

“Thank you, I guess…?”

Reniel said that, trailing off, not sure if she should be grateful or not.

“The employees and the owner of the jewelry store we just visited are very fond of women.”

“Just like you, Mr. Ianathas.”

“I…!”

Ianathas felt very wronged by those words, but he couldn’t say anything.

“I can’t help it. And I don’t stop people who like it; I’ve never forced anyone to do anything.”

“I see. You were a playboy.”

Reniel had previously read some information about Ianathas’s penthouse while reviewing documents as an assistant secretary.

Felix often sent the head chef there, so it was possible to infer his lifestyle from the contents written in the relevant documents.

That Ianathas spent happy and promiscuous nights with the female assassins he trained, and in the morning, he ate a special meal prepared by the head chef of the Duke of Le Pelique’s family before going to work.

Since the head chef wrote down in detail what he saw and heard, it was possible to know what kind of conversations Ianathas had with the women.

“I’m not a playboy. I’ve never had a deep relationship with anyone in the first place.”

“Didn’t you share your inner thoughts and kiss them?”

“Unfortunately, I have never kissed anyone. Let alone sharing my inner thoughts.”

“Oh my. That’s even more brazen. Sharing bodies without even kissing.”

Until now, she hadn’t given it much thought, but seeing her expression, Ianathas felt as if he had committed a great sin.

“I’ve never asked for anything first.”

“So the women always proposed it first?”

“Yes.”

“Do you grant everything when asked, Mr. Ianathas?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Ianathas wondered why this topic of conversation had come up, but when he saw her purple eyes, he felt compelled to answer.

“Ah…! Mr. Ianathas?”

He just smiled and snatched the ring from Reniel’s hand.

Seeing the suddenly lengthened hair and the male clothing uncomfortably tight around the chest, he was quite satisfied. He wanted her to feel the suffocation he had felt.

“What’s wrong with enjoying each other? I didn’t ask first, and I just helped them enjoy the pleasure.”

Even as he said that, Ianathas kept making excuses because of the strange way Reniel was looking at him.

“Then are you okay with that, Mr. Ianathas?”

“…With what?”

“I think sharing bodies is an important matter. I asked if you’re okay with doing that with someone who has no feelings whatsoever.”

At that moment, he was caught off guard, as if stabbed in the side.

“Aren’t you lonely?”

Ianathas lost his momentum and silently stared at Reniel.

In fact, the reason he spent nights with women was indeed because of the underlying loneliness.

In a life where he could die at any moment, even deep relationships were a luxury. So he enjoyed that kind of easy relationship, needing warmth without sharing emotions.

Ianathas knew that too.

He was just surprised that Reniel, who knew nothing about male-female relationships or his circumstances, had grasped it.

“What will change if I admit I’m lonely?”

“It will change. If you’re lonely, build good relationships and transform yourself. I’m telling you this because I think that kind of relationship will only hurt you, Mr. Ianathas.”

He wanted to tell her she was overstepping, but he didn’t.

He knew that Reniel saying that was based on concern and goodwill.

And what Ianathas felt was true.

Reniel thought she could at least give advice to the promiscuous and unhappy person at a workplace she would soon leave.

Naturally, there would be no one to give such righteous words to a scary person like Ianathas.

Moreover, unexpectedly, Reniel’s advice took deep root in Ianathas’s heart.

“So you’re saying it’s better for me not to have such light relationships in the future?”

“That’s right.”

Perhaps because of Reniel’s words, Ianathas sighed as if he had realized something.

“You’re overstepping.”

“I apologize.”

Nevertheless, he said that and changed the subject.

“Let’s go choose clothes. I’ll buy them for you. I acknowledge that your insignificant and overstepping advice is well-intentioned.”

“What?”

“It’s better to act as a woman if we go back to the jewelry store. We might be able to buy high-grade gems at mid-grade prices.”

At Ianathas’s words, Reniel grabbed his hand, her eyes shining.

“Let’s go right now! Buy me a dress!”

Reniel’s heart fluttered at the thought of not only buying gems cheaply but also wearing women’s clothing for the first time in her life.

Ianathas’s heart fluttered for a different reason, though.