After Musele briefly left the office for work, Klaus once again read the report he had handed over.

“Really…”

He kept smiling. It wasn’t a mocking smile but a genuinely satisfied one that came out of admiration.

Figuring out what exactly went wrong in the world was by no means an easy task.

A person who could keenly point out the contradictions and absurdities of reality with sharp insight could truly be called the intellectual of the era.

He really made an excellent choice in selecting an aide. Klaus praised himself.

“But…”

He slowly clenched and unclenched the hand that he had shaken hands with Musele earlier. No matter how much he thought about it, the sensation was truly strange.

It wasn’t as delicate and smooth as a woman’s hand, but calling it an adult man’s hand seemed too thin and fragile. Although he claimed to occasionally practice archery, the hand was surprisingly tender.

Come to think of it, he had felt a similar sensation before.

When he casually tapped Klaus’s shoulder in the training ground, an unusually gentle feeling lingered in his hand. Musele’s attitude, more sensitive than usual, was also strange.

At that time, he thought it might be possible and overlooked it, but this time, it wasn’t so.

Klaus smirked.

“Why…”

Why is his hand so thin, and why are his shoulders so soft? It was something he should directly ask the person, but for some reason, doing so felt awkward.

Instinctively, Klaus felt that Musele was very sensitive about his body. Since it was an issue unrelated to his work abilities, he was even more cautious.

Although they had become quite friendly, Klaus was careful not to accidentally touch upon Musele’s possible wounds due to his simple curiosity.

It was better to refrain from asking unnecessary questions.

Yeah. He knew this very well in his head.

“…”

However, for some reason, curiosity kept arising.

What expression would that pretty fellow make if someone told him his shoulders are thin? What kind of expression does he have when he’s out of Klaus’s sight?

Although he pretended to be tough, does he actually have a very affectionate and warm side that shows how much he cares?

The relationship of trust between him and Musele seemed to have been established. However, Klaus was not satisfied with just that. He wanted more.

Not only in public matters but also privately, he wanted to become even closer to Musele.

No, he already thought they were close enough, but he still wished to get even closer.

Klaus’s father always said, “Nobles are both friends and enemies of the imperial family.”

Of course, Musele was also a noble. However, he did not belong to the central nobility who held power. In other words, he was not the type of noble that Klaus’s father worried about, the kind that could become an enemy to the current emperor.

Note: The English translation provided here is a direct and literal translation of the Korean text. Some sentences may sound unnatural or require additional context for smoother readability.
So, Klaus valued Musele. Musele’s way of thinking was different from those Klaus had encountered before, who were relentless in protecting their own interests.

Obtaining Musele was indeed fortunate.

He could never afford to lose him.

“It’s probably better not to ask about unnecessary things.”

Klaus glanced at his palm, seeming regretful.

Eventually, he would find out. Rushing in unnecessarily could only jeopardize the trust he had painstakingly gained.

That night, Klaus went to pay his respects to the imperial couple.

“Father, mother. Your son Klaus has come.”

“Come in, Crown Prince.”

The emperor and empress were relaxing in their bedroom, wearing comfortable clothes.

Klaus, dressed in formal attire, sat in front of his parents.

“Well, Colin. How have you been handling your work these days?”

The emperor kindly inquired. He had delegated a portion of state affairs to the Crown Prince from an early age. It was because he believed that once the Crown Prince became familiar with the governance system of the country, dealing with more subtle political issues would become easier.

Klaus responded with a neat expression.

“I now understand a bit about how each department in the palace communicates. Moreover, having a competent aide is quite reassuring.”

“Oh, I’ve heard the rumors. They say he’s an exceptionally handsome man, right?”

The emperor chuckled and said with a smile, but Klaus replied solemnly.

“I don’t understand why everyone is gossiping about his appearance. He is an extremely capable person regardless of his looks.”

“Haha, people are like that.”

The emperor laughed comfortably.

The empress sighed lightly.

“Ah, do you know what the ladies are saying? They think that with such an attractive aide by your side, the Crown Prince has no interest in women.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

When the emperor raised an eyebrow and asked, Klaus quickly intervened.

“It’s just useless gossip circulating in social circles. I have no urgent plans for marriage, do I?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”