He wept like a sick man appearing at the last leaf, but he showed his teeth, growling more healthily than anyone, thwarted by Leon.

But funnily enough, Lucia, who knew that he would really die young, hesitated and looked at Leon this time.

A sincere look without tricks or distractions, different from Irene’s eyes.

And something hidden and gleaming inside them.

It was her second such look.

‘If you find out, I’ll definitely kill you.’

An absurd threat.

Yes, what’s the reason for getting involved this time?

‘Ah, that’s it. This mission is a special mission from the Emperor and the Grand Duke. Even a supervisor would get much higher points than diplomatic merits if they accomplish this together.’

Lucia remembered the effort he had made to become the general commander before he returned.

Certainly, it wouldn’t be too soon to prepare now for the selection of candidates in a few years.

‘He’s already helping his son. Impressive. Anyway, he would quit before becoming the general commander in this life.’

So, one is a crybaby, and the other is annoying.

She hesitated a little at the request of the crown prince, who rarely had the chance to go out, but for her, now a mother of a child, the choice was made.

Lucia quickly signed with her pen and passed it along with the pen to Leon.

It meant for him to sign.

And just then,

The bell started ringing to signal the five o’clock parliamentary time.

Lucia bowed her head to the crown prince and quickly walked away.

Then, Irene, who had been watching her retreating figure with disappointment, grumbled.

“It’s a shame. We could have been together for three days and nights…….”

It was a small grumble, but Leon, who would not miss those words, clenched his fist.

“……Your Highness. I warn you. Do not say such things where others are present.”

His words had a bite to them.

The crown prince, who was recently divorced, was a man as notorious for his scandals as he was confident in front of women.

Therefore, if he hovers around Lucia, who has a story, it would only create false rumors that she has many men, just like last time.

Leon has been irritated by his behavior since then.

The two glared at each other again.

“A warning? To me? How dare you? Who’s the one who stole like a rogue after acting like a great saint? Someday your sinister insides will be exposed, I hope!”

“I wonder. Consider what you just said, Your Highness. Who would really have such insides?”

“Haha, what are you imagining? I’m still younger than you. It’s a very pure motive, you know? So I mean to start by being friends. Unlike you, slowly like my home, comfortable and cozy!”

Their growling foreheads were now almost colliding.
But for a moment, Leon, who came to his senses at his last words, dropped with a short sigh.

‘…Friend? That’s ridiculous.’

In front of a woman who left no room for doubt, was that really something possible to say?

Rather, it was Leon who lost his spirit due to his careless thought.

“I don’t do friends. I like Miss Lucia as a woman. So… hmm?”

Then, something suddenly slipped out of his hand as he turned it back.

It was Lucia’s pen.

“It’s mine. So.”

“….”

Time stood still at this sudden appearance of the pen’s owner.

“I, I like it too!”

What immediately broke the silence was the cry of the crown prince, who hated to lose.

“I don’t like it.”

“Why!? Why!?”

The crown prince, following the quickly disappearing backside of the girl.

Leon, left alone here, was in a state where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his soul could forcefully fly out into space and be sucked into a black hole right now.