How many times have I encountered that butterfly now?

After seeing it several times, Alicia now felt happy and unconsciously stepped towards where the butterfly was.

‘I thought it was a rare species, but seeing it in the imperial palace garden too, maybe it’s not so rare after all.’

“Alicia?”

“……”

Without responding to Eric’s call, Alicia entered the maze as if entranced.

“Wait. Alicia.”

A flustered Eric followed Alicia inside.

After turning twice between the green walls, Alicia reached out towards the butterfly.

Just before touching the butterfly, Eric felt something strange and pulled her arm first.

“Alicia. What’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

Only then did Alicia turn her head to look at Eric.

“What is it?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? I called you several times.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s dark and secluded here. It could be dangerous to just walk in.”

Alicia tilted her head at Eric’s words. She hadn’t heard anything at all.

The only thing she had heard was one thing.

“Oh, so you were telling me to be careful?”

“Huh?”

Eric stared at Alicia with a subtle expression.

He felt a tiny, indescribable uneasiness, but wanting Alicia to enjoy the banquet without worry, Eric forcefully shook off the anxiety and smiled mischievously.

“That’s right. You should be careful. Especially in secluded places like this.”

“What?”

“Aren’t you scared? Boldly entering a place like this suddenly.”

“Well, I’m with you, so…”

“Ah, then perhaps you did it on purpose?”

At the low, resonant, subtle words, Alicia looked around in embarrassment.

Unlike how it looked from the outside, the inside of the green wall maze was gloomy and dark despite the lanterns, just as Eric said.

But rather than being scared, it felt somewhat strange.

“That’s not it—”

Alicia tried to retort as if wronged, but stopped short at Eric’s face being closer than expected.

“What were you expecting?”

“No, well…”

As Alicia took a step back, Eric took a step forward.

“If you’ve made up your mind to seduce, you should do it properly.”

“…… Would you fall for it if I seduced you?”

“Gladly.”

Alicia took another step back, and Eric took another step closer.

“I guarantee it.”

“?”

“It wouldn’t even take a second for me to fall.”

As Alicia took another step back, her back touched the green wall.

Eric smiled deeply and took another step closer.

As the gap closed again, Alicia glanced behind her, and Eric reached out to place his hand on the wall.

“You’re not trying to run away now, are you?”

“It’s not like I have anywhere to go now anyway.”

“What should we do? I can still go further.”

Eric took another step closer, bending his arm that was resting on the wall until his elbow touched it.

The two faces were close enough for their breaths to touch, and their noses were almost touching.

“Are we still far? I’m all ready to fall.”

With her heart about to burst from tension, Alicia unconsciously swallowed.

Though she hadn’t come in with that intention, honestly, after coming to her senses, she had expected something like this might happen.

But seduction? What should she do?

The contents of the book Jena had lent her flashed through Alicia’s mind in an instant.

She remembered everything she had seen, but the problem was that she couldn’t decide which of those numerous actions she should take.

Eric’s lips curved slightly as he watched Alicia fidgeting with her lips in contemplation.

Just a tiny signal would be enough.

No, what signal? This itself was seduction enough, so was there any need to wait?

Without hesitation, Eric leaned in towards Alicia’s lips.

At that moment.

“Ugh…… hnng.”

“?”

Eric paused as a strange groaning sound came from somewhere, and Alicia opened her eyes that she had closed.

Eric gestured to Alicia to be quiet, then lifted his head to look around.

‘Did someone get hurt? Surely not.’

It didn’t seem likely there would be an intruder given the tight security of the imperial palace, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.

Moreover, the peculiar energy he had felt earlier, which his senses had become sensitive to after dealing with spirit techniques, mana, and magic due to the Zero Knights issue, was concerning.

But looking around, there was no sign of anything strange.

‘Am I being too sensitive these days?’

Just as Eric’s vigilance was about to ease, another strange sound grated on his nerves.

“Hnngh—”

“Ah ah, a little more…… ngh.”

Bizarre sounds came from beyond the wall.

Eric and Alicia froze in shock for a moment.

Staying quiet for a while, it seemed the lewd sounds weren’t just coming from beyond the wall.

Eric and Alicia, who hadn’t properly attended the banquet, didn’t know.

That the secluded spots of the imperial palace were already being aptly utilized as places for lovers or secret rendezvous for men and women who had met eyes here.

Especially maze-like gardens like this one.

“……”

“……”

The two stood there silently for a while.

The mood was already ruined, and the tension had completely dissipated.

“Let’s go back.”

“Alright.”

Embarrassed even by the sounds, Eric hurriedly took Alicia’s hand and moved.

As they exited the garden maze and walked a bit more to return to the banquet hall, a familiar voice was heard.

“Alicia. Elder brother.”

“?”

“I was just looking for you, elder brother. Fortunately, we met quickly.”

Chase was walking towards the two from ahead.

As Alicia was about to approach with a welcoming smile, Eric curtly asked first.

“Looking for me? Why?”

“His Majesty is looking for you. So the prince is also searching.”

“What? Did something happen in the meantime?”

No wonder that strange energy from earlier had been bothering him.

Eric’s expression quickly became serious.

But Chase denied Eric’s question while smiling as usual.

“It’s not that anything happened. He was briefly talking with Marquis O’Brien about the Valois matter earlier and then asked for you.”

“Valois? Today of all days? He wants to talk about it here and now?”

“Yes. Today of all days, here and now.”

Chase grinned.

Somehow Chase’s smirking face was annoying, but it didn’t seem like he was lying.

Alicia, who had been listening from the side, quietly tugged on Eric’s arm.

“Eric. Shouldn’t you go quickly if His Majesty has called for you?”

“……”

“You should go right now.”

As Eric turned his gaze intently towards Chase, Chase smiled broadly.

“I’ll protect Alicia well, so don’t worry and go, elder brother.”

I’d rather entrust a fish to a cat.

Eric watched Chase for a moment before reluctantly opening his mouth.

“Then I’ll leave her to you, Chase.”

“Don’t worry, elder brother.”

Chase waved his hand with a mischievous smile.

As Eric stared at Chase with a displeased expression, Alicia finally pushed Eric’s hesitating back.

“We can’t keep His Imperial Majesty waiting, can we? Go quickly and come back.”

“…… Alright.”

Eric, who had been reluctantly taking steps, stopped and brought his face close to Alicia’s ear.

Startled, Alicia heard Eric whisper softly.

“I’ll be back.”

After quickly kissing Alicia’s flushed cheek at those simple words, Eric swiftly walked into the banquet hall.

Alicia put her hand on the cheek he had kissed and blankly watched his retreating figure.

She felt embarrassed that even such a light touch made the spot where he had kissed feel like it was burning red.

“……”

Chase, who had been watching Alicia from the side, reached out his hand towards the back of her head.

Alicia, who had flinched when Eric approached earlier, stood still looking at Chase blankly even as he reached out and came close.

To Chase, even that aspect of Alicia was upsetting.

Moreover.

“What is it?”

Chase was also upset by Alicia’s calm, nonchalant voice as she asked.

“Nothing.”

Chase clenched the leaf he had removed from the back of Alicia’s hair without showing it to her.

It was similar in shape to the leaves attached to the green walls of the garden.

No, it must be the same leaf.

What could a man and woman be doing in a secluded green wall maze?

His insides were boiling.

But he had to endure.

“Alicia. We should still dance our waltz, right?”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

Alicia smiled brightly as she placed her hand on the arm Chase offered.

“It reminds me of the old days. Right, Chase?”

Chase nodded and forced a smile as he looked at Alicia, who was smiling as she recalled her debut.

If he could go back to that time, he wouldn’t make the mistake of leaving Alicia and going to the Valois Empire.

No, before that, he would at least try to confess, which he had hesitated to do countless times.

No, even if he confessed now, would this cruel lingering attachment disappear?

“Let’s go, Alicia. Elder brother asked so earnestly, I have no choice but to stay by your side until he returns.”

But in the end, Chase could only speak as a good friend, as he always had.

Unable to step forward or back away, just like usual.

There were two men watching Alicia and Chase enter the banquet hall from the garden.

They were dressed splendidly in lavish clothes, like nobles attending the banquet.

“Is that the woman?”

“Yes. Alicia Lancaster.”

“Will it really be alright? Isn’t that woman Count Russell’s fiancée? If something goes wrong and Count Russell goes berserk, won’t we really die?”

“It’s not like we’re doing anything bad. We’re just testing a magic spell, that’s all.”

The man beside him, who was talking nonchalantly, kept talking anxiously.

“But why did they specifically designate that woman? It makes me uneasy.”

“We’ve never gone wrong by following that person’s words. We’ve used magic several times now without getting caught.”

“That’s true.”

“We just need to do as we’re told. They’re the ones who gave us an opportunity when we had nothing to do after losing our spirit artist qualifications.”

At those words, the anxious man nodded as if he had made up his mind.

“But why that woman? If it’s just testing a spell, anyone would do, right?”

“How would I know? That person must have some thoughts. And please, just shut up and do as you’re told. If you’re going to grumble like this every time, you might as well quit altogether.”

“Who said anything about quitting? I’m just curious, that’s all.”

As his companion glared at him, the grumbling man quickly asked in an enthusiastic tone.

“So what do we do now?”

“What do you mean what do we do? That person said they’d send that woman our way somehow, so we just have to wait until then.”