Akkia, who had followed Theo, stood in front of the room and scanned the inside. An old wooden desk, a small bed by the window, and a worn-out sofa.

It was an extremely sparse room. As neither of them was particularly short, the small room felt cramped.

‘How are two men supposed to sleep in a place like this.’

Akkia was grumbling inwardly when Theo, who had finished arranging the bedding, gestured to him.

“Elder brother. You can sleep here on the bed!”

‘There he goes with that elder brother talk again.’

When did they become close enough for him to call him elder brother? The duke clicked his tongue briefly and approached the bed.

The bed, which could barely fit one person, looked much smaller than it had from the doorway. Surely they weren’t suggesting two grown men sleep together in this tiny single bed.

Akkia’s narrowed eyes landed on Theo.

“Surely we’re not both sleeping here together?”

“Ah no. I’ll sleep on the sofa here, so don’t worry and sleep comfortably!”

The sofa looked like it could barely seat two people. It seemed far too small for someone as large as Theo to sleep on.

Perhaps noticing Akkia’s gaze, Theo smiled brightly without showing any sign of discomfort.

“Don’t worry about me and lie down comfortably!! Think of it as your home.”

‘My home isn’t this small.’ The words rose to Akkia’s throat, but he awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth.

Thanks to Leah introducing him as her assistant, he had gone from duke to commoner.

‘Well… this is new.’

Where else would he receive such treatment? Besides, Akkia had followed them to Tren without any prior notice.

Lying on the bed at Theo’s insistence, Akkia looked at Theo. The young man who had arranged Akkia’s bedding was now preparing his own spot on the sofa.

“I’ll put out the light.”

Akkia nodded slightly, and Theo blew out the candle that had been illuminating the room.

Darkness swept into the room. The only light came from the sliver of moonlight through the narrow window.

At Haidern Manor, he had never slept comfortably, always thinking someone might threaten him at any moment.

Even the jujube tea Leah brought couldn’t prevent his anxiety and insomnia.

But here it was different.

This shabby, humble orphanage strangely gave Akkia’s heart peace. Just as drowsiness was overtaking him and he was about to close his eyes.

“Elder brother. Are you asleep?”

Akkia opened his half-closed eyes at Theo’s voice calling him. Seriously considering pretending to be asleep, he reluctantly opened his mouth.

“No.”

“That’s good. You know, it’s been so long since I’ve slept with someone like this.”

Akkia snorted at Theo’s words, which sounded as if he was too excited to sleep.

Was sleeping with a man really so thrilling? Theo’s voice continued, sounding flushed as if he were worked up.

“Since you’re older than me, I’m sure you have more experience?”

‘Experience?’

Akkia’s eyebrow twitched. He wasn’t sure what kind of experience Theo meant, but he figured he probably had more of whatever it was than this youngster.

“I suppose so.”

There was an enormous difference starting from their birth as prince and commoner. Theo let out a sigh at Akkia’s response.

“Then… you must have that experience too.”

“That experience?”

“You know. Dating experience!”

“Of course…”

‘I don’t have any.’

Akkia’s lips closed tightly as he was about to answer arrogantly. It was the first time anyone had asked about his dating experience, and the duke was feeling flustered.

From the start, romance had been a luxury for someone whose life had been threatened since childhood.

But he couldn’t honestly tell this youngster that he had never dated a woman.

“Of course?”

Theo’s voice, full of anticipation, urged him to answer. After a moment’s hesitation, Akkia’s mouth moved on its own.

“I do.”

“I knew it! I thought you would, elder brother.”

Hearing Theo’s admiring words, Akkia’s face contorted.

‘What am I doing right now.’

To think this is what he was doing after sneaking out of the mansion. Just as a sense of self-loathing was about to wash over him.

“Then of course you must have done that too…?”

“Done what?”

“You know, that thing… that…”

What on earth was he trying to say this time? Uneasiness welled up at Theo’s shy questioning.

“A, a kiss!”

“…What?”

“Since you’ve dated, of course you must have kissed someone you love! And surely, you’ve also… slept together.”

Sadly, not at all. He hadn’t even properly held a woman’s hand, let alone kissed…

Ah. He had held a hand.

He recalled grabbing Leah’s hand back at the mansion. Of course, it wasn’t with any affectionate meaning.

“The older guys at my workplace said a woman’s lips are like a warm peach. They say it’s very soft and hot and sweet. And also…”

Though he couldn’t see, it was clear Theo’s naive face must be burning red. As if it was too much to listen to anymore, Akkia cut off Theo’s words.

“So what are you trying to say?”

“Well… The thing is, I have a concern these days.”

“Your concern?”

“Ah, no! It’s my close friend’s concern. Oh, I misspoke.”

Akkia felt like he could already guess what this concern was about before even hearing it.

The common repertoire of ‘It’s my close friend’s story.’

He had never seen a concern that actually turned out to be about a friend when it started with words like these.

“You see, my friend likes his childhood friend. They’ve grown up like siblings since they were very young. But it seems the girl doesn’t see my friend as a man at all…”

Akkia laughed dryly, dumbfounded. Anyone could see the childhood friend girl was Leah.

‘No wonder he’s been overly attentive since earlier.’

He frowned as if something was bothering him. But unaware of the duke’s state, Theo continued speaking.

“Do you think it would be alright for my friend to confess his feelings? Or would it be better to take more time and approach slowly? Oh, but the childhood friend girl got a job in a faraway city, so they can’t meet often.”

It seemed Theo hadn’t noticed he had said ‘my feelings’.

“So, I was thinking.”

Theo hesitated, unable to finish his sentence. Akkia sensed something not good in Theo’s hesitation.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of doing something cheesy like a proposal?”

“Th-that’s right… I really want to convey my feelings this time. If she accepts, I’m even thinking of going to the territory where that friend works! Oh, no. It seems my friend is thinking about it. Haha.”

As expected. Hearing the anticipated words, Akkia twisted his lips.

A proposal? If she accepts, you’ll get married and set up house in Haidern territory?

‘This is ridiculous.’

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

Although he hadn’t experienced romance firsthand, he could at least give some advice. But he had no intention of giving proper counseling.

‘What should I do about this.’

After pondering his answer for a moment, he spoke.

“I know how to seduce women.”

“Wh-what?”

“First, try not to stand out too much.”

“Huh?”

Theo’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer. Before the youngster could question it, Akkia continued speaking.

“Everyone gets annoyed if you stand out too much. So it’s better not to be too noticeable. Then something like wistfulness might develop, you know?”

“If that’s the case, I’ve already succeeded halfway since I’m far from her eyes!”

Theo was bright and cheerful at Akkia’s casually made-up words.

“That’s right. And women don’t like men who only look at one person.”

“What?!”

“They prefer men who’ve dated around a bit. They don’t like inexperienced guys. So try to show yourself being friendly with the village women as much as possible.”

Only then did Theo tilt his head dubiously. Seeing Theo’s expression, Akkia looked at him with narrowed eyes and asked.

“Hmm… You’re talking about Leah, right?”

Theo bolted upright in surprise at the unexpected question.

“H-how did you know!”

“How could I not know? It was written all over your face.”

Though it was dark, he could tell Theo’s face had turned red.

“Y-yes. I actually like Leah.”

Then for over ten minutes, he rambled on about why he came to like Leah. The duke listened with one ear and let it go out the other, letting out a regretful sigh.

“But what should we do about this.”

“Wh-why?”

“From what I know, Leah is seeing a man in Haidern territory.”

“…What?!”

Theo’s voice trembled finely, as if he had received a shock. It was quite a pitiful sight, but Akkia’s mouth showed no sign of stopping.

“They seem to suit each other well? The man is quite handsome. He also seems capable enough to take responsibility for Leah.”

He never knew he could lie this well.

The more he spoke, the more Theo’s shoulders drooped.

“I had no idea…”

Seeing Theo on the verge of tears, Akkia felt a twinge of conscience and got up to pat his shoulder.

“There are many women in the world, so don’t be too disappointed. You’ll find a good match someday.”

While swallowing the words ‘But it won’t be Leah.’

Dark night. Unable to sleep, Akkia was strolling in the garden.

It had been over an hour since he finished comforting Theo, and sleep had long since fled. For a moment, he closed his eyes and recalled when he left the mansion.

[As you ordered, I told the head maid that the duke is suffering from the flu. Coincidentally, Bayern has also left on vacation, so none of the mansion staff will enter the duke’s bedroom.] [Well done. You’ll have to suffer a bit in my place.]

As it happened, this was the time when Bayern regularly took his vacation.

Not only the butler, but several staff members had also left on vacation. It was the optimal time for him to quietly slip out of the mansion.

But he couldn’t leave the room empty. He ordered his subordinate to pretend to be him and stay in the room.

No servant would dare enter the duke’s bedroom without permission. Being isolated in the bedroom with a severe flu would be even more reason.

[Why exactly are you going?]

When he expressed his intention to make an unofficial visit to Tren, he couldn’t forget the face of his subordinate looking at him.

‘The reason…’

In truth, Akkia couldn’t define this impulsive choice himself. When Leah said she was going on vacation to Tren, he made the decision as if possessed by something.

‘It was unlike me, I admit.’

It was practically his first act of rebellion. As he was walking through the garden lost in these thoughts.

“Your Grace?”

A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.