“I won’t do it.”

“Ah, why not?”

“Absolutely not. Do you realize how dangerous the favor you just asked is?”

“Why is it dangerous?”

Askal quietly looked at Rublion, who asked with an innocent expression. Then he let out a deep sigh.

“A unmarried man and woman sleeping in the same room, how many… Hah, what am I saying to a child right now.”

“I know enough!”

Rublion continued speaking, showing clear signs of annoyance.

“That’s why the three of us will sleep together. If only you and the lady sleep together, a baby might be made, so I’m sleeping with you to prevent that.”

A completely unexpected statement came out. Askal dropped the pen he was holding in surprise.

“Babies aren’t made that easily.”

“Then there’s no reason to refuse. If it’s as you say, it’s fine for just the two of you to sleep, but I’m offering to sleep with you!”

“…”

Askal swallowed hard. Had he ever wished for a conversation to end so quickly in recent memory?

“I snore very loudly.”

“That’s fine.”

“I grind my teeth and sometimes swear in my sleep.”

“I said it’s all fine!”

“…I’m not fine with it.”

Rublion shook his head and put his hands on his hips.

“I see. Then if the lady says she understands all of your sleeping habits, you’d be willing to sleep together, right?”

“No, even if she understands, I don’t want to.”

“Wait. I’ll go ask her right away and come back.”

“Where? What are you going to ask!”

A startled Askal jumped to his feet. He pointed at Rublion, who was darting out, and shouted.

“Catch that snake right now!”

The knight standing guard nearby rushed out quickly. Cold sweat trickled down Askal’s forehead.

Not long after, Rublion was brought back, held by the knight’s arm, with his cheeks puffed up like a blowfish.

“This isn’t allowed. That isn’t allowed. Then what exactly is allowed?”

Rublion, meeting Askal’s eyes, was clearly upset. Askal postponed his paperwork and sat across from the child.

“Listen carefully, Rublion.”

Bright golden eyes stared at him intently.

“How would you feel if I suddenly brought a young lady you don’t know well and pushed her into bed, saying the three of us should sleep together?”

“I would feel uncomfortable.”

“Think about how Lady Del would feel about that.”

Rublion’s eyes widened slightly. Askal, sensing an opportunity, continued speaking.

“The lady and I don’t know each other well. It’s not enough to only show good sides, so how would it be if I showed her my snoring or swearing?”

Rublion frowned deeply. Then he rubbed his chin.

“So you’re saying you only want to show good sides to the lady?”

“…Why are you interpreting it that way.”

The corners of his mouth, resembling a small wild leopard, curved up slightly. The child’s cheeks turned slightly red as if realizing something.

Askal became a bit uneasy.

“Hmm, alright. Let’s sleep together another time.”

“A wise choice.”

Askal let out a sigh of relief, trying not to show it.

“Then, I need to tell the lady another wish. Is there anything you want, Your Grace?”

“Anything.”

“Hmm, I can’t think of anything good. What should I do?”

Rublion’s small head tilted from side to side, lost in thought. Askal whispered quietly.

“Anything would be better than sleeping together.”

I was focusing on cleaning the room, hoping the duke would refuse on his own.

‘Oh? It’s already…’

I must have been very focused, as it had gotten dark outside. Since the little one didn’t come rushing in excitedly, it seems the duke understood my intentions and handled it appropriately.

Meanwhile, a maid came to the room saying dinner was prepared. I decided to finish the rest of the cleaning tomorrow and followed her out of the room.

The place I was guided to was the mansion’s banquet hall. From the majestic indoor fountain to the gleaming golden furniture, even the benevolent statue of the primordial god…

‘Ah… This is overwhelming.’

A single table right in the center of the huge banquet hall. On it were a luxurious three-tiered cake and a well-roasted whole duck.

Servants and maids lined up on both sides of the table. And Anna, grinning broadly among them.

“Lady! Welcome!”

Behind the brightly smiling child, the duke with an uneasy expression could be seen. I approached hesitantly.

“It’s your first official day staying at the mansion, so of course we should have a party!”

The little one smoothed his formal attire, which he seemed to have put on with care. His eyes were seeking praise.

“I, I see. Thank you for preparing this.”

I stroked the child’s soft hair. Pleased, the little one quickly approached the table and pulled out a chair with flair.

Quite satisfied with his manners, Rublion held his chin high, showing off his nose bridge, and after confirming that I sat down, he went to his own seat.

Right on cue, the violinists huddled near the statue began to play. The softly resonating music and the dishes truly seemed to welcome me.

“Is the food to your liking?”

The duke, who hadn’t spoken since we met in the banquet hall, asked.

I barely saved the meat that almost got stuck in my throat with a cough and answered.

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

To be honest, I couldn’t really taste it because the atmosphere was so overwhelming, but I didn’t want to say it was bad and make the chef feel wronged.

“The mansion’s chef can make any menu. If there’s anything you want, just order it. I guarantee their skills.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I smiled at the little one who kept grinning. I couldn’t help but smile thinking that this party idea must have come from that small head.

“Oh, and about the wish you said you’d grant, lady. Can I change that?”

“Let’s hear it first?”

The duke’s expression subtly hardened. For this moment, he looked as anxious as I felt.

Feeling a brief sense of camaraderie, I waited for the little one with puffed cheeks to speak. The child looked back and forth between us and said.

“My wish is.”

Just then, the violinists’ performance ended. The banquet hall suddenly fell silent.

“For Your Grace and the lady to go on a date.”

The child’s voice echoed in the large banquet hall. Surprised by the unexpected wish, the duke choked on his wine, and I slipped while piercing a sautéed onion with my fork.

‘A date? With the duke?’

Amidst all this, the word ‘date’ stuck in my ear.

The little one glanced at the duke, who was hurriedly wiping his mouth, and said.

“Since both of you are here, we don’t need to go back and forth to get permission.”

The child interlocked their fingers. Then, resting their elbows on the table, they spoke seriously.

“Now, will you two go on a date? Or shall the three of us sleep together?”

The duke turned his head diagonally and clicked his tongue. Knowing that in such a crucial moment, one shouldn’t lose the initiative, I hastily opened my mouth.

“Whatever Your Grace desires……”

“Whatever the young lady wishes……”

As if we had the same thought, he answered at the same time I did. The duke’s golden eyes glinted as if he couldn’t lose the initiative. Of course, I couldn’t lose it either.

“I’m fine with anything……”

“I’m okay with anything……”

Our words overlapped again. The little one looked at us both with keen interest and asked.

“Are you both agreeing to everything?”

“No.”

“That’s not possible.”

Feeling an intense sense of camaraderie, I hurriedly answered and took the little one’s hand. Then, smiling brightly, I replied.

“As you know, the duke is quite busy. It might be difficult for him to make time for a date with me.”

Hearing my words, the little one’s eyes drooped as they said.

“I suppose that’s true? Then you don’t need to make time, you can grant the wish of sleeping together instead.”

That’s something both the duke and I oppose. Just as I was about to answer that we’d rather go on a date.

“Tomorrow is impossible, but the day after is fine.”

The duke said, lifting his wine glass.

“So go on a date with me.”

I looked at the duke who proposed a date as dryly as if he was ordering a servant. He turned his head and drank his wine as if he had no intention of hearing an answer.

“Yes, let’s do that.”

The little one grinned broadly. I don’t know why they’re happier about it when I was the one who received the date proposal.

‘……It’s my first time receiving a date proposal as if a superior was handing over work.’

It’s a unique experience. Well, as long as you’re happy, little one.

Massive columns that could have been from ancient Greek or Roman mythology supported an arched roof.

Under the roof was an artificial pond, and the woman scattering feed to the fish swimming leisurely in it was beautiful and sensual enough to make anyone who saw her gape in awe.

From her glossy silver hair to her silver eyes that seemed to draw you in if you gazed too long, to the elegant movements of her hands as she spread and gathered them, she was the perfect image of a ruler without a single flaw.

“I report, Your Grace.”

The knight kneeling before her wore a cloak with a lion emblem holding a spear high.

“Duke Artenbach has taken in a noble young lady at his mansion.”

As the knight spoke, her hand suddenly stopped. As she slowly turned, the hem of her dress was stained with blood like embroidery, though whose blood it was, no one knew.

“I assume you’ve also found out who the young lady is?”

“Yes, she is the daughter of Viscount Del.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of her.”

The woman with long silver hair moved languidly. The kneeling knight, sensing her approach, bowed his head even lower.

“Why would he bring the daughter of such a lowly viscount into his mansion……”

She wiped a smudge on her cheek with the back of her hand. A faint red line followed her touch.

“I’m curious, so shouldn’t we find out?”

A chilling aura emanated from her faint smile. The knight’s shoulders trembled slightly before he quickly answered that he would serve with utmost loyalty.

Her nickname was the Goddess’s Sword, given because her silver hair was said to be like a well-tamed blade.

She was the first female duke in the empire and the head of House Lumps, one of the three families that had made their mark on the founding of the empire. She was Artenbach’s archenemy, harboring a terrible love-hate for Askal.