Leah, who had boasted to the Duke that she would take responsibility, succeeded in developing a virility drug not long after.

“This should do it!”

Leah shook the bottle with a satisfied look, having secured the safety of the drug through several volunteers.

Leah first planned to sell it to the nobles of the Empire through Magnolia. And at a very high price.

‘Once word spreads among the nobles that it’s good, commoners and even people from other countries will seek out this drug.’

I heard the Empire’s low birth rate problem has been serious lately. With this drug she made, she could solve a national problem and make money to help the Duke.

It was truly an ingenious idea, whoever thought of it. She left the room, smiling proudly to herself.

“Why are you grinning like that? You look foolish.”

But just as Leah was about to turn the corner, a familiar voice from behind stopped her. Rikel had been there, one corner of his mouth curled up slightly.

No, rather than that. To say she looked foolish. Was he becoming more like his master after sticking so close to the Duke?

“Who are you calling foolish?”

Leah frowned deeply. Rikel pointed his index finger at Leah and replied.

“You.”

‘This guy, really.’

It was starting again.

Ever since returning from the execution grounds, Rikel would pick a fight with her like this whenever the Duke wasn’t around.

But since she was in a very good mood right now, she could generously tolerate Rikel’s petty provocation.

‘Even if I make a lot of money, I won’t give any to you, Rikel.’

Imagining the near future, Leah smiled triumphantly.

“If you knew what I developed, you wouldn’t say that. Do you know what this is?”

She shook the coral-colored bottle in her hand towards Rikel. At first indifferent, Rikel eventually showed interest.

“What is it?”

“A virility drug.”

“…What?”

As if he couldn’t believe what he heard, he asked again with a bewildered expression.

“Then don’t tell me… You’re going to make money by selling that drug?”

“Yes. So sell it at Magnolia. Targeting the nobles.”

In this world too, interest in men’s virility was intense. Because of that, foods said to be good for it were openly known, but their effects were questionable.

‘Here, the very concept of taking medicine for virility doesn’t exist.’

Surely when the existence of this drug becomes known, it could generate a lot of interest.

If a large merchant group like Magnolia vouches for and sells it, there would be less doubt about its safety. Leah spoke with an overflowing attitude of confidence.

“It’s best to sell to the old nobility first. And when word of mouth starts to spread, promote it as a drug that nobles seek out. Then commoners and nobles alike will flock to it.”

Rikel scrutinized the drug Leah handed over with suspicious eyes.

“But does this really work? You’re not trying to scam people, are you?”

‘A scam, he says.’

Offended by the sudden accusation of quackery, Leah glared at him with a sidelong glance.

“If you’re curious, try it yourself. From the looks of it, you seem to really need it.”

“Ha! You think I need it? Are you serious? This is truly a first for me. Really! It’s the first time I’ve ever heard such a thing.”

He repeatedly clicked his tongue as if he’d heard nonsense.

“I’m more than sufficient without taking such drugs. Rather, if I took that drug, it would be a big problem.”

Rikel shrugged his shoulders at Leah. He displayed quite a bit of confidence, but there was no way to verify it.

Leah looked him up and down and nodded.

“Since you insist so strongly, I’ll believe you. Not that there’s any way to check.”

Though they were as close as anyone when ganging up to criticize the Duke, at other times they were busy growling at each other like this.

Rikel, who had taken a hit from Leah, retorted while grabbing the back of his neck.

“Why don’t you give it to the Duke instead of me?”

At Rikel’s words, Leah, who had been stroking her chin with her finger, quietly muttered.

“Well. The Duke is…”

Just as she was about to say ‘He probably doesn’t need it,’ an unexpected voice came from behind Leah.

“I don’t need such things.”

Akkia looked down at the letter received from the Imperial Palace in place of Rikel. Rikel, who had been with him in the study, said he would go out for a moment but didn’t return.

Where on earth did he go? Thanks to him, Akkia, who was in the study, had to come down to the mansion’s entrance to receive the letter.

‘Asking me to visit the Imperial Palace.’

The letter contained an imperial order from the Emperor to Leah. It seems they intend to summon her to the palace after she refused to become the Imperial pharmacist.

Akkia moved his steps to find Leah. Seeing she wasn’t in the lab or bedroom, it seemed she had gone out for a walk.

On the way to the garden, circling the mansion. Akkia kept recalling Leah who had boldly said yesterday that she would take responsibility for him.

‘What does she think she’s preparing to say she’ll take responsibility?’

Does she know how much a townhouse of the Duke’s family costs?

Judging by her eyes alone, Leah had looked triumphant as if she could buy not just a townhouse but even a palace. Akkia let out a low chuckle.

‘Well, it feels nice.’

Who would dare say they’d take responsibility for an Imperial Duke? The word ‘responsibility’ that he hadn’t heard in quite a while tickled Akkia’s chest.

Just as he was about to turn the corner in such a good mood.

“But does this really work? You’re not trying to scam people, are you?”

“If you’re curious, try it yourself. From the looks of it, you seem to really need it.”

“I’m more than sufficient without taking such drugs. Rather, if I took that drug, it would be a big problem.”

Akkia stopped at the familiar voices he heard. He had been wondering where Leah had gone since she hadn’t been seen since morning.

It seemed she had been doing something with Rikel in this secluded place. However, seeing the two who looked quite close, Akkia’s mood instantly sank.

‘When did they get so friendly?’

Come to think of it, it was from just before leaving for the capital, wasn’t it? Ever since Bayern was escorted to the capital like that, the two seemed to have grown noticeably closer.

Akkia’s eyes darkened as he stood at the corner, watching the two.

“Since you insist so strongly, I’ll believe you. Not that there’s any way to check.”

“Why don’t you give it to the Duke instead of me?”

‘To me?’

Akkia was irritated by the fact that Rikel was even a comparison in the first place.

‘Who dares to compare with whom?’

In that moment of indignant feelings welling up, Akkia stepped forward in front of the two.

“I don’t need such things.”

Startled by the Duke’s sudden appearance, the two were shocked as if caught in a secret conversation.

“D-Duke, what brings you here?”

Seeing Rikel staring at him with wide eyes, Akkia felt inexplicably annoyed.

“This is my house. Why? Were you having a conversation I shouldn’t have heard?”

“No! It’s not like that, but…”

Rikel swallowed the words ‘It’s just that you rarely come out for walks.’

The Duke’s tightly set lips clearly showed he was in a bad mood.

“Rikel. What time do you think it is, that you’re slacking off here?”

“Ah… well.”

“No excuses. Have the documents on my desk in the study sorted within an hour.”

“What?! Within an hour?”

Rikel’s mouth gaped open at Akkia’s order that was little more than unreasonable.

“Hurry. A minute has already passed.”

Only then did Rikel seem to come to his senses, disappearing with hurried steps. Leah glanced at the Duke.

Seeing how he treated Rikel, he seemed thoroughly irritated about something. She was about to quietly leave her spot, watching carefully lest any sparks fly her way.

“You seem to have no shame? Talking about virility in front of another man.”

Hearing the low, sunken voice, Leah whirled towards the Duke.

“Why should that be shameful? I did what I should as a medical professional. Sexual desire is a very physiological and instinctive need.”

“What?”

Akkia burst into a laugh at Leah’s brazen response. Does that mean she’s not embarrassed to talk about sexual desire with Rikel now?

Even he felt his face burning just listening. It was obvious how it would sound to that Rikel fellow who had zero experience with women.

“How do you think such a conversation sounds to a man…!”

Just as Akkia was about to raise his voice in a surge of emotion.

“Duke. I’m asking this just in case, but…”

Leah, who had cut off the Duke’s words midway, tilted her head curiously.

She felt as if the Duke’s heated reaction to seeing her with Rikel might be jealousy.

“Are you perhaps jealous?”

The Duke seemed momentarily speechless at Leah’s direct question, then shortly after, he parted his lips as if dumbfounded.

“Me? What do I lack that I would be jealous?”

And of his subordinate Rikel, at that!

“As I said, I really don’t need the drug. Well, you should know that best.”

“…”

“Isn’t that right?”

It was Akkia approaching Leah with mischievous eyes. Leah’s face flushed red as she immediately understood what he meant.

And just as she was about to flee, unable to bear the Duke’s gaze.

“Where are you trying to go?”

Leah met Akkia’s gaze right in front of her face.

‘Ugh.’

It had been hard to make eye contact since the Duke’s transformation after taking the new drug. Especially this close.

“I don’t think I have time to slack off either… I was going to develop some medicine.”

Leah continued speaking while looking only at her wrist held by the Duke. Whether it was the lab or bedroom. Anywhere would be fine, as long as this man wasn’t there, she thought.

“Huh. More importantly, Leah. Someone from the Imperial Palace came.”

“What? Did the reply to yesterday’s letter come so quickly?”

Leah asked the Duke in surprise, then opened the letter he handed over.

[Pharmacist Leah. I had hoped you would take on the role of my personal physician, which I regret very much. Still, I would like you to give me at least one examination.]

The letter stamped with the Emperor’s seal was clean and without unnecessary words. The contents of the letter were asking her to visit the palace if she had no intention of working there.

“I suppose I should go at least this much, right?”

Refusing the Emperor’s request any further would be a crime of disrespect. Shadows fell across Akkia’s face as he looked at the letter Leah had received.

Akkia also knew that this request from the Emperor was one that Leah could not refuse.