On an early morning, as fresh sunlight poured through the window, Akkia and Dmitri sat face to face in the study of the Duke of Belarus.

Akkia had come to see Dmitri right after finishing breakfast. Seeing him seeking me out so urgently, there must be some business.

The gaze of the cunning Duke of Belarus fell upon him, as if trying to discern his inner thoughts from Akkia’s eyes.

“So. What did the duke come to tell me so early this morning?”

Dmitri asked, sipping on steaming hot tea. After finishing breakfast, he had thought about calling Leah for teatime in the garden.

He was quite disappointed to have missed a good timing due to Akkia who came first.

“I heard you asked Leah to stay here longer.”

“That’s right. I felt lonely being alone on my daughter’s birthday. I asked her to stay a few more days, is there a problem?”

Akkia’s eyebrows twitched at the shameless look in the eyes of the Duke of Belarus. Clearly Leah was his person, yet Dmitri was trying to draw her into his domain.

‘What on earth is he thinking.’

He couldn’t read any emotion in Dmitri’s snake-like eyes. In the end, Akkia gave up the meaningless exploration and asked bluntly.

“If you happen to have ‘some’ feelings for Leah and are treating her well, it would be better to give up that thought. Wouldn’t it be good to spend your later years comfortably?”

Akkia’s eyes glinted sharply.

The Duke of Belarus stroked his chin, seeing him looking straight into his eyes, though he thought him no different from a youngster.

‘Interesting. So Leah is indeed a special existence to this fellow.’

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be trying to protect her, a mere apothecary, like this. Moreover, Akkia’s eyes were riddled with possessiveness.

“Hmm. Some feelings… I don’t know what you’re thinking, but your apothecary is special to me.”

Akkia mulled over the words of the Duke of Belarus saying Leah was special. Why would Leah, whom he had just met, be special to him?

No matter how he thought about it, it was strange. Why did the Duke of Belarus want Leah to stay here?

As endless questions kept piling up, Dmitri, who had been watching Akkia, muttered inwardly.

‘To think a mere youngster would threaten me.’

The young prince who couldn’t even look him in the eye properly was now facing him eye to eye. The Duke of Belarus suddenly realized quite some time had passed.

The Duke of Belarus, with a peculiar expression, slowly put down the teacup he had picked up.

“Duke Heidern.”

A chilling voice calling Akkia came from Dmitri. The interest flickering in Dmitri’s eyes as he looked at Akkia changed in an instant.

“The sword you hold has a blunt edge. I wonder if you could even properly cut an apple here with such a sword.”

As he said this, Dmitri picked up an apple with a fine color. Though he spoke indirectly, Akkia immediately grasped his meaning.

Dmitri was now asking, ‘Do you have the confidence to protect Leah when you have no power?’

Even if Akkia had recovered his health, to the world he was an incompetent who had everything taken by his cousin brother.

When Dmitri heard a few days ago that Akkia had been buried in a mine in another territory. At that time, he was only slightly surprised by the news of the burial, but didn’t think much of it.

In fact, the life or death of the Duke of Heidern was none of his business.

Moreover, he had been annoyed that the sickly duke was coming all the way to this northern territory.

But this was all before he knew the apothecary named Leah.

‘Leah could have been in trouble too.’

Thinking about it now, it was truly a hair-raising accident. He could have lost that child, who might be his granddaughter, so meaninglessly.

He immediately sent someone to bring the accident report related to the mine collapse. Thus, while Dmitri was examining the collapse accident, he discovered something strange.

‘Someone must have deliberately collapsed the mine entrance.’

Dmitri had recently learned that Cox, the person in charge there, was bringing in rotten wood to embezzle the budget of the place.

By the time he realized it belatedly and tried to take measures, the mine had already collapsed.

Moreover, when Akkia entered the mine, the cause of the entrance collapse was separate from the previous collapse accident.

‘The wooden materials used at the entrance were fine.’

The mine entrance was built hundreds of years ago. During that long time, the support beams had never collapsed even once.

‘But for it to suddenly collapse like this.’

There was only one answer.

‘Someone intended it.’

Dmitri’s gaze, which had become sharp, fell on Akkia. He was clenching his fist tightly, seemingly displeased by what he had said earlier.

Yes. He probably doesn’t want to admit his incompetence.

‘But in the end, he’ll have to admit it.’

It was a fact that Leah had almost been hurt due to that incompetence. An indecipherable smile formed on Dmitri’s lips.

“You told me to develop the hot springs.”

Akkia’s brow twitched at the suddenly changed topic. After unsettling his mind by talking about sword blades, now it’s about the hot spring business.

“As you know, my business sense has already deteriorated a lot. How about you taking charge?”

Akkia stared at the Duke of Belarus sitting across from him.

Although he was talking about hot springs, his eyes seemed completely uninterested in business. As if he was just curious about Akkia’s answer.

“By staying here, I mean.”

This was truly what Dmitri wanted to say. Akkia’s gaze, looking at him, sank in an instant.

‘Like a snake, indeed.’

This man was thinking of keeping Leah by his side under the pretext of developing hot springs.

“It would be difficult to stay here as I have things to do.”

“……”

“There are more than a few unclear points regarding the mine collapse. I need to report to His Majesty urgently.”

As Akkia was determined to pack his bags and leave for the capital with Leah right away.

The corners of Dmitri’s mouth curved into a line. As if very satisfied with Akkia’s answer.

“I see. Indeed, it’s not polite to hold back a busy duke. Then you can return alone.”

For a moment, Akkia felt dazed as if hit on the back of the head. He had believed without doubt that Leah would naturally follow him to the capital.

Seeing the triumphant look in the Duke of Belarus’s eyes, there seemed to be something between the two that he didn’t know about.

Could Leah possibly be related to the Belarus family?

As Akkia was busily connecting thoughts in his head. Suddenly, he recalled the words Dmitri had muttered towards Leah in the garden a few days ago.

Yes. The Duke of Belarus had certainly called Leah ‘Ariel’ while looking at her. That name must be the name of the Belarus princess who died over twenty years ago.

‘Could it be……’

Like scattered puzzle pieces coming together, Akkia’s eyes slowly widened. Only then did Akkia seem to realize what Dmitri’s subtle smile meant, and his face hardened.

If his thoughts were correct… If Leah really was related to the Belarus family.

‘I can’t leave like this.’

After keeping silent for a while, Akkia let out a voice swallowing a sigh.

“I’ll stay.”

He couldn’t leave Leah alone with the Duke of Belarus whose intentions were unclear.

“Is that alright? You said you had an urgent report for His Majesty.”

At Akkia’s reluctant agreement to stay, Dmitri smiled mischievously as if he had expected it.

As if he had anticipated Akkia’s answer.

“I’ll replace the report with a letter.”

Akkia clenched his fist tightly with that answer.

Leah was in the midst of touring the library inside the mansion at the butler’s recommendation.

‘He said I could read any book I wanted, right?’

As befitting a founding contributor of the empire and a noble family, the library shelves were packed with books from old manuscripts to out-of-print books.

Leah’s eyes widened at the sight that seemed to have gathered all the precious books in the world.

‘To think there are so many books.’

It was when an excited Leah was pulling out and skimming through various books. The door of the library, where she had been alone, opened and soon a familiar voice was heard.

Feeling the presence, Leah turned towards the entrance.

“So you were here.”

The Duke of Belarus approached Leah as if he had been looking for her.

“How is it? Do you like the library?”

“Yes! It seems there are many precious books.”

“My wife had a hobby of collecting books.”

Dmitri gazed into the air as if recalling fond old memories. Leah was surprised by the unexpected answer, having thought the duke liked reading.

To think the library, as well-equipped as the capital’s library, was due to the duchess’s hobby.

“By the way, I’d like to give Leah a gift.”

“To me?”

To Leah who asked back in surprise, Dmitri went to a bookshelf and pulled out a book to give her. It was amazing enough that she obtained an apothecary license at such a young age.

He couldn’t express how surprised he was when he received a report that she was also skilled in medicine.

Although it wasn’t certain yet that she was his granddaughter, he wanted to give a gift to Leah who had grown up properly in difficult circumstances.

“This book is……”

“As an apothecary, I believe you’ll know. It’s Dr. Franken’s treatise on herbology.”

Franken was a renowned herbology doctor on par with Professor Rams.

Dmitri had gifted Leah one of the most precious books in the library.

“Such a precious book……”

Leah was at a loss, feeling too honored. She had been at a loss on how to approach the side effects of the new medicine.

She couldn’t obtain the sap of the Reparatio tree right away. To receive such a precious book in this situation.

Leah’s heart began to pound as she held the book to her chest.

“Thank you so much, Duke. I don’t know how to express my gratitude……”

Leah’s voice was filled with emotion. As her face flushed red, Dmitri smiled with satisfaction.

“It’s not much. By the way, did you know that the author of this book is an old friend of mine?”

“What?!”

Leah was surprised for a moment at the fact that Dr. Franken and the Duke of Belarus were close. She gaped at the duke’s following words.

“As it happens, Franken is staying in my territory. If Leah wishes, I can arrange a meeting.”

Leah might have let out a cheer of joy if she hadn’t been in front of the duke. She nodded repeatedly to the Duke of Belarus, too surprised.

‘Perhaps if it’s the doctor, he might know something that could substitute for the Reparatio tree.’

As Leah was rejoicing like that, she suddenly thought of Akkia. Since he was the duke who wanted to return to the capital right away.

“Ah. But…… what should I do? It seems our duke is thinking of returning to the capital urgently.”

“……”

“I want to stay here too.”

At Leah’s voice tinged with regret despite the good opportunity given, Dmitri gently closed his eyes.

“Don’t worry about that.”

And he showed a smile as kind as any in the world.

“Duke Heidern has given permission.”

At the words that Akkia had given permission, Leah’s eyes widened greatly.