Adrian, who was peering over Kirshan’s shoulder at the complex manufacturing process written on paper, asked.

“How is it? Will the princess’s brand disappear cleanly? Without any scars?”

Instead of Kirshan, who was too focused to answer, Cain grumbled.

“Ha, until recently you were desperate to chase her away, why did you suddenly change like that?”

“It’s amazing. She lost her family and country overnight. On top of that, she was branded as a slave. Not only that. Her family members weren’t even put in Adelia’s coffin, but were thrown into a well. Despite such a situation, that princess didn’t cry once and risked her life to save people and the forest. She could have just knelt before her lord and begged for help, but that princess didn’t do that.”

Adrian clasped his hands together as if praying and raised his head. His eyes, directed towards the ceiling, sparkled brightly.

“I’m amazed. It’s thrilling. I like it. There won’t be another woman like her. She’s the best.”

While clicking my tongue in disbelief at that sight of devotion, Adrian suddenly turned to Cain.

“I think I should make a knight’s vow to that princess, right? That princess seems worthy of receiving my vow, doesn’t she? There won’t be another woman as amazing as her. Right?”

“Give it up. I think the princess won’t like it… Who in this world would want to receive your vow? If you really want to do something for the princess, it would be better to shut your mouth and crouch somewhere out of her sight.”

“This is real!”

Adrian lunged at Cain, but as Cain slightly dodged, he ended up hitting a flask with his arm and breaking it. At the clanging sound of breaking glass, Kirshan sighed.

“Would you please go outside to fight?”

“Tell me, Kirshan. Can you cleanly remove the princess’s brand?”

“I think it might be possible…”

“Why? What’s the problem? Tell me, I’ll get whatever you need.”

“There’s nothing more I need here. But I’m not sure if the princess can endure it. There are cases where sleeping pills cause side effects when combined with herbs that promote new tissue growth, so we can’t use sleeping pills. We’ll have to rely only on anesthetics, but since we need to carve quite deeply into the flesh, I don’t think it will completely eliminate the pain.”

“What? It’s just a matter of enduring pain. I think that princess would agree without a second thought. Want to bet?”

Adrian asked excitedly. Kirshan stared at him blankly and then smirked.

“Let’s not. I don’t think it would be much of a bet.”

+++

Roxiana gazed at him sleeping soundly in her bed.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a soft bed. I’m in your care, Princess.”

He lay down in the very spot where Roxiana usually sleeps, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep, breathing evenly. Roxiana pulled a chair next to the bed and sat there.

There was no particular reason to be close to him. Just being near Roxiana was enough to calm his flames. So it would have been fine to leave the bedroom and do something else, but for some reason, she couldn’t leave.

“Usually so big and scary, but looking at you asleep, you’re like a child. Right?”

Roxiana asked Lion. The enormous wolf had climbed onto the bed and settled right next to Floyd, looking at his face with a strange gaze.

“What a curious person. How can he always be so cheerful while sleeping on a hard bed with nothing because of the fire? Don’t you find this man curious too?”

Lion snorted. The wolf probably wouldn’t do that, but that’s how it looked to Roxiana.

Roxiana jumped up in surprise when Lion suddenly hit Floyd’s head with his large front paw.

“Lion!”

Worried that Floyd might have woken up, she checked on him, but fortunately, he only slightly furrowed his brow without waking. Roxiana bent down and brought her face close to Lion on the other side of Floyd, whispering.

“What are you doing? Why did you do such a bad thing?”

The wolf snorted once more, then gracefully jumped off the bed and trotted away. Roxiana was puzzled, not understanding why Lion acted that way, and turned back to Floyd.

He slept for quite a long time, and Roxiana stayed by his side throughout. When the orange sunset light coming through the window cast deep shadows on his face, Floyd opened his eyes.

He felt around the pillow and blanket as if not knowing what had happened, then suddenly sat up. The blanket that had been covering him up to his chin slipped down.

He noticed Roxiana sitting beside the bed and opened his eyes wide, then let out a small breath as if remembering what happened before he fell asleep.

“I slept for too long.”

His voice, husky from sleep, was lower than usual and pleasant to hear.

“You must have been very tired.”

“It’s not like that…”

He fiddled with the soft blanket and chuckled.

“No, I guess I was. To think I can only sleep well by your side, Princess, I might end up seeking your bedroom every day at this rate.”

“Anytime.”

Roxiana was more surprised by her own words, but without showing it, she added.

“If Your Highness can sleep comfortably, you’re welcome anytime.”

Floyd, who had been staring blankly at Roxiana, rubbed his face with both hands.

“Princess, you really are… how should I put it…”

He removed his hands from his face and met Roxiana’s eyes.

“Should I say impudent, or should I say insolent.”

Truly thinking so, Roxiana blushed. For some reason, she seemed to be acting unlike herself more often in front of him.

“Ah, come to think of it, you once said you’d become a seductive enchantress. You’ve succeeded, Princess.”

He got off the bed and stood in front of her, but Roxiana couldn’t raise her deeply bowed head. Although she had decided to act more freely in front of him, the words she had just spoken seemed too vulgar.

To so blatantly try to lure him into bed.

Even though she had said it just wishing for him to sleep comfortably, it wasn’t something a lady should say.

When Roxiana didn’t respond for a long time, he bent down and gently lifted her chin with his thumb and index finger. He gazed intently into her eyes and whispered.

“I know you’re doing this because you want something from me. I know, but still… I think I might get addicted.”

Captured by his eyes, she couldn’t say anything. It felt like she would be swallowed by his sticky gray eyes. Like dark clouds of unknown thickness completely conquering the sky, Roxiana too was conquered by him.

‘Perhaps…’

The impulse that being swallowed might be better suddenly emerged.

If swallowed by those ashen cloud-like eyes, wouldn’t she be able to live without any thoughts, pain, or regrets? Forgetting everything and just drifting like moisture in the clouds, like a water spirit, couldn’t she spend time like that?

She wanted to be at ease.

Only then did Roxiana realize that she wasn’t at ease at all.

Though she tried to spend each day diligently and smiled every day, the deep-seated sadness in her heart didn’t fade at all. The longing tinged with sorrow grew deeper with each passing day.

She missed her family. She wanted to return to the days surrounded by loving warmth.

Even knowing she could no longer see them, knowing that no matter how much she wished it wouldn’t come true, she couldn’t let go of the vain hope that if she did well with the tasks given to her, she might be able to meet her family as a reward.

Roxiana raised her trembling hand and gently pushed his chest away.

“Your joke goes too far, Your Highness.”

Her voice trembled.

“Does it seem like a joke?”

“…Yes.”

“I see. I wish this was a joke too…”

He suddenly ruffled his hair vigorously with both hands.

“I’m sorry. Having slept deeply for the first time in a while, my head isn’t working well. I should talk after I’m fully awake.”

He seemed confused, but Roxiana was also confused and couldn’t observe his expression.

“Ah, let’s have dinner together. I have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, should I go to the training grounds again this time?”

“No, this time at the main palace dining hall. Only the heads of the knighthood will come.”

After he left the bedroom, Roxiana slumped down on the bed. Feeling an inexplicable deep fatigue, she lay down on the bed.

The blanket he had been covering himself with for a long time still had his scent. Despite having been in the interior of the continent for a long time, he smelled of the sea.

+++

Floyd frowned as he left Lily Palace.

“I think I might get addicted.”

He doubted whether those impulsively uttered words really came from his own mouth. His face flushed hot.

‘You crazy bastard.’

He couldn’t understand what nonsense he had spouted to Roxiana. Whenever she was in front of him, his mind became a jumbled mess as if under some enchantment spell.

Just seeing her sitting quietly was enough to do this, but her words saying he could visit her bedroom anytime were so terribly tempting that he really couldn’t maintain his sanity.

It would probably be a proposal without much meaning to her. A proposal made out of pity for a ruler of a country who sleeps without even a blanket.

Nevertheless, her voice was sweet, her gaze was alluring, and her lips looked so moist and heated that he was almost overwhelmed by an extremely damp and sticky desire.

The existence called Roxiana Evelyn Franche was that sweet.

“Ah, this is not good.”

Floyd wasn’t trying to be nice to her in hopes of her attending to his bedchamber or anything like that. Floyd didn’t want anything from her.

‘But the princess is different.’

Roxiana kept trying to repay Floyd’s kindness. And her way of repaying was too extreme. Risking her own life, or offering Floyd her bed. In any case, it was too intense and bounced around in all directions, making it impossible to grasp.

Unable to grasp it, he couldn’t take his eyes off her, and unable to look away, his mind became completely filled with Roxiana, feeling tossed about.

Floyd muttered again while vigorously messing up his hair.

“This really isn’t good.”