The high-quality ivory ball spun forcefully on the billiard table and collided with another ball. Watching the dazzling trajectory, Shade whistled lowly.

“As expected, I cannot win against Your Highness.”

Caeron, having finished the winning stroke, stood up holding the cue. Shade handed him a glass of whiskey that was on the table.

“To the cold-blooded Grand Duke who shows no mercy even to a long-lost friend.”

At Shade’s playful words, Caeron chuckled and took the whiskey glass.

A homecoming party was being held at the Hilburn Duke’s town house for young duke Shade Hilburn, who had just returned from his Grand Tour.

Knowing Caeron’s fastidious nature that disliked noise, the two were catching up after a long time in a separate billiard room.

“You haven’t changed at all from before and after the tour.”

“What do you mean I haven’t changed? I learned so much. Especially that the world is vast and there are many beautiful women.”

Shade grinned, narrowing his eyes. The future head of the Hilburn duchy appeared refined and charming on the outside, but he was also famous as a libertine of high society who did not restrain himself with women.

“It seems the Duke of Hilburn’s white hair is increasing in proportion to your interest in women.”

“Father is too healthy for his own good. Anyway, tell me in detail about the news that made you rush back during the tour, Your Highness.”

Shade was dying of curiosity about the future Grand Duchess who had captivated his old friend. Unlike himself, Caeron had shown no interest in women whatsoever. He would coldly reject even women who approached him on their own, to the point where onlookers would shudder.

As a Grand Duke who already lacked nothing in status and wealth, there was no need for a political marriage… If he didn’t want an heir, Shade thought he would live his whole life as a bachelor.

When news of the Grand Duke’s marriage reached the Lisandro Empire where he was on his last tour, he couldn’t believe it and doubted his own eyes.

From the very next day, he hurriedly packed his bags and decided to return to the Eupithes Empire. Even though he had been enjoying the social circles of the Lisandro Empire.

‘That young lady was quite a shame…’

Shade felt regretful as he thought of the baroness from the Lisandro Empire with particularly soft skin. It had been quite a stimulating and enjoyable sight to see the woman who acted like a docile cat turn into a sharp wildcat in bed.

“You left behind a cherished woman in Lisandro because of the sudden marriage news.”

“As if such women were only in Lisandro. I’m sure there were some in every country you passed through.”

“Haha. I’m a philanthropist, you know. Unlike me, I’m curious who managed to capture the terribly egotistic Grand Duke.”

The eldest daughter of Count Fluor, whose face was unknown… The name Aidel was different from the Fluor lady he knew.

Shade recalled the Fluor lady who had made her debut as a debutante at the Empire’s Founding Day celebration he had attended just before leaving for his Grand Tour two years ago.

At that time, the sixteen-year-old lady was as fresh as a newly bloomed rose, like her name Roselyn. Though he hadn’t met her since leaving the Eupithes Empire, he had heard that she had now grown up to become the flower of high society.

“The only Fluor lady I know is a woman named Roselyn. I heard the future Grand Duchess is her elder sister, but why have I never seen her in high society?”

“The Countess said it was because she was very shy. I suppose she didn’t want it herself.”

“Very shy? Could it be… that her appearance isn’t very good, so she’s reluctant to go out?”

No way… The Grand Duke, who had the form of a perfect creation, also had excellent artistic taste. He had reasonably suspected that his standards might be so high that no woman other than himself could meet them.

“Tell me quickly! There wasn’t even a single photo in the newspapers, so I’ve been terribly curious!”

“Don’t be interested.”

Caeron cut off Shade’s wheedling words with a cold look. Narrowing his eyes at his attitude, Shade stroked his chin.

“Hmm… It’s the first time I’ve seen Your Highness so defensive.”

‘Defensive.’ There couldn’t be a word less fitting for the Grand Duke.

Shade had been with Caeron since the time he was a prince. He knew better than anyone how Caeron had reigned as a powerful top predator among his noble peers since boyhood.

He had never seen Caeron lose in horseback riding and shooting, which male nobles typically like to compete in, nor in billiards, chess, or cards.

Later, when he became an adult, he rarely participated, perhaps bored of winning every time. Only when Shade strongly urged him would he reluctantly agree to compete, with a face full of annoyance.

‘I’m really curious now. The future Grand Duchess.’

It was fascinating to see Caeron, who had lived without knowing what defense was, react sensitively to even the slightest interest shown to the future Grand Duchess. As if trying to thoroughly protect what was his.

Shade decided he should visit the Grand Duke’s residence soon, ostensibly to deliver a wedding gift. Of course, he thought with a grin that an appropriate time would be when Caeron was coincidentally away from home on business.

“If she decided to enter the Imperial University, I thought she must have an unusual personality. It’s unexpected that she’s very shy?”

“She is a woman with many unexpected aspects.”

Caeron recalled the time when he was drafting the marriage contract last time. The memory of her confidently saying she would do her best in ‘heir production’ sometimes made his body tense up unconsciously.

He would often self-deprecate when he saw himself burning with desire like a novice, eager to hold the wedding and consummate the marriage night.

He wondered and looked forward to whether this blind thirst would be quenched when he truly held her in his arms…

“An unexpected woman, that’s good.”

Shade nodded, thinking of the baroness he had left behind in the Lisandro Empire.

“It’s most thrilling when such demure women become aggressive in bed.”

Shade whispered intimately with a smooth smile on his lips. One of Caeron’s eyebrows rose.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“I misspoke. It’s scary when you glare like that.”

Faced with the sharp glare, Shade laughed good-naturedly and changed the subject.

“Oh, by the way, I heard the 3rd Prince of Lisandro is coming to study at Eupithes Imperial University.”

“The 3rd Prince?”

“Don’t you remember when he came as part of the delegation last time? The twin prince born to the Empress.”

Caeron recalled his time in the Lisandro Empire. He remembered Princess Ophelia, who had been standing in his path wherever he went while staying at the imperial palace. There was a prince who was the twin of that annoying princess.

“Didn’t he tie with you in the shooting competition? Everyone was surprised then, since he looked like a bookworm on the outside.”

With those words, he remembered clearly.

‘Rainien Viel de Lisandro.’

The 3rd Prince, born to the Empress, who was said to live quietly without participating in the imperial competition. When Caeron first saw him, he thought Rainien, with his gentle impression, was a man of weak disposition as rumors said.

However, in the shooting competition held for friendship, Rainien transformed like a beast baring its fangs after shedding its sheep’s clothing. Every time Caeron’s shotgun hit the target, Rainien followed by accurately hitting the target as well.

In the end, the match ended in a draw only when they ran out of clay pigeons. When Rainien approached to shake hands after the competition ended, his face, completely devoid of its usual gentleness, was fierce.

He had said in a low voice as he gripped Caeron’s hand firmly for the handshake:

− Indeed, excellent marksmanship. However, I hope you will consider that someone might be unintentionally hurt by Your Highness’s carelessly fired shots.

− What do you mean?

Rainien silently looked towards where Ophelia was secretly watching the shooting competition. When Caeron’s gaze fell on her, she flinched in surprise and hid her body.

It was a markedly different attitude from how she had been trying so hard to encounter him. Come to think of it, the princess had not appeared before him recently. The point when she changed was…

‘Was it then?’

There had been a persistent marquis’s daughter who had been courting him since he arrived as part of the delegation. She had begged before him, staking her life. Saying that if he didn’t accept her this time, she would rather die.

− Please accept my love. I might die if Your Highness leaves this time.

− Is that all your life is worth? How pathetic. I have no interest in whether such a cheap life lives or dies.

The shocked marquis’s daughter collapsed, but he turned his back coldly. Then he discovered Princess Ophelia watching him and the marquis’s daughter.

With her face turned deathly pale, she looked deeply hurt as if she herself had been the marquis’s daughter. After that, until the moment he left the Lisandro Empire, the princess avoided him.

Caeron’s eyes sharpened like an awl as he finished reminiscing.

“Suddenly studying abroad… It seems the imperial competition in Lisandro has become fierce.”

“That’s right. It looks like the Empress’s side made a move. Even though the 3rd Prince was living quietly, they must have been worried.”

“Indeed… He is more suited for the imperial throne than the 1st or 2nd Prince born to the Empress.”

Caeron nodded as he recalled the arrogant and impudent 1st Prince and the 2nd Prince who was a notorious womanizer.

In contrast, the 3rd Prince Rainien appeared harmless on the outside but was like a crouching beast. He was clearly a man who could demonstrate imperial leadership if he just stood up.

Beasts of the same kind could recognize each other with just a look. He was quite curious whether such a man would continue to hide himself.

“Keep watching the trends in the Lisandro Empire. If the Emperor changes, the political situation will change as well.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Isn’t that why I’m suffering like this?”

In fact, Shade had left on his Grand Tour under the pretext of broadening his horizons by exploring neighboring countries, but in reality, he was continuously reporting their political situations to Caeron.

As a high-ranking noble of Eupithes, it was easier for the young duke to infiltrate the social circles of neighboring countries and gather information. Especially to the charming and sociable young duke, women would not hesitate to pass on even secret stories of major families.

“The 3rd Prince is not an easy person to deal with. If he comes to Eupithes, plant spies around him.”

“I will obey your orders. But… Your Highness.”

Shade’s playful eyes suddenly turned serious. He asked in a much lowered voice.

“How long will you continue to play the role of kingmaker?”

To Shade, Caeron was not only a friend but his true lord. Because he was the man most suited to be Emperor, Shade still could not accept that he had given up the throne to his younger brother and stepped back.

It was Caeron who acted as a pillar behind the young Emperor Pascal, who was still inexperienced due to his young age. From the pinnacle of the House of Nobles, there was no area he was not involved in, from internal politics to responding to external affairs in diplomacy.

“It’s not time yet.”

Caeron quietly shook his head. His blue eyes darkened as he sank into contemplation.