“Oh, Lord! Please take away half of Her Highness’s… Her overwhelming passion that she swings around at any moment!”

“That crazy bastard, seriously.”

Lionel approached Commander Macrom and ruthlessly slapped the back of his head.

“Ouch!”

“Why should I pray for that crazy child? Empress bestows blessings, and why should I pray for such things?”

“Strength overflows from everywhere. Your Highness, I will watch over from now on!”

Commander Macrom pointed at his eyes with two fingers and spoke bravely.

“Sure, someday you might regain your sight and watch over me. Both you and I should get rid of this curse as soon as possible…”

Lionel subtly turned the meaning of the commander’s words and patted his hand on the back of his hand.

“Your Highness, please release my hand. I feel like I’m turning into a statue.”

Commander Macrom also cursed without hesitation.

Then, as he let go of the commander’s hand, Lionel beseeched.
“Clean up the mess. And meeting us here… Keep it a secret from other knights and servants. Understand?”

“I’ll pretend not to know only for today!”

Commander Macrom responded, turning around to look at the place where I was.

It was a warning gaze sent to the Empress’s escort knight who played with the Emperor.

Lionel, as if unable to understand the confident Commander Macrom, raised his index finger and turned his ear.

When I gestured to him to come out quickly, he nodded and walked out of the warehouse, holding my hand, toward the entrance of the ceremonial hall.

The conversation between the two men, which started with a misunderstanding, ended smoothly without any suspicion.

Why does the situation seem so strange?

Duke Martins, who returned after meeting Prince Tesler, was waiting for someone in his bedroom.

When he heard a sound outside the terrace, the Duke quickly pulled back the curtain to check something and hastily opened the door.
“Please come in. I apologize for receiving you in this manner.”

Duke Martins bowed his head and apologized to someone.

“It’s fine.”

The one who entered through the terrace door was Prince Norton.

“Better for me to move than someone without martial arts skills.”

Prince Norton, lowering the half-mask covering his face, patted the Duke’s shoulder.

“To whom… did you hear?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I don’t have the aptitude for martial arts.”

Duke Martins asked with narrowed eyes, as if pressing for an explanation.

“No aptitude? So, have you ever learned it?”

“Yes?”

“I heard you haven’t learned it, right?”

The Duke was greatly surprised at the mumbling words of Prince Norton.

“Oh… I mean, well…”

“Oh, I see. You’re saying you turned it around for the Duke’s dignity, saying you can’t do it.”

The prince chuckled and quietly spoke.

“So, who said that? Was it not Prince Tesler but Princess Lecellia who mentioned it?”
Duke Martins suppressed his irritated feelings and asked, “Why does that matter? The important thing is that I safely made it to the Duke’s room.”

Prince Norton replied, soothing him.

In fact, the talk about Duke Martins was heard through Queen Zelda.

It happened during their conversation while walking through the ebony tree forest path with the queen last night, after leaving the banquet.

Prince Norton brought up the topic of the continental hunting competition and asked about Duke Martins’ participation.

“The Duke is too modest to participate in the hunting competition.”

The Queen unexpectedly made such a statement.

When Prince Norton asked for the reason, the Queen finally revealed that Duke Martins had not learned martial arts.

Could that be true?

The prince wondered if she was joking.

Because, typically, for a nobleman, it was normal to enter a knight academy and complete training for a certain period.

“Well, wouldn’t that be the same on the Northern Continent?”
He continued to have doubts, but since the Queen said so, he just let it pass. However, it turned out that Duke Martins hadn’t just never learned martial arts; he simply had no talent for it. Remembering the conversation with the Queen last night, Prince Norton diverted the topic when his eyes met with the seemingly dejected Duke Martins, although it was a trap topic for himself.

“As you said. Earlier, Princess Lyselia came to visit.”

Seating himself by pulling out a chair from the table, he spoke.

“I expected it, but I didn’t think she’d move so quickly. What did the princess have to say?”

Duke Martins returned to a serious expression and took a seat in front of him.

“She inquired about Rams.”

“Hmm, so that’s what she talked about?”

Norton Prince nodded slowly.

“She mentioned it’s not far from the palace. She’ll probably ask you to reveal the location soon.”
“It’s fortunate that we’ve moved to a safer place.”

“I’m grateful for the warning you gave in advance.”

Prince Norton sincerely expressed his gratitude to the Duke.

“Don’t mention it.”

“And I won’t forget the favor you did for Rams. I’ll make sure to repay it.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”