Esika narrowed her eyes and said.

“Did you deliberately hide your presence and eavesdrop?”

There was only one reason why she hadn’t noticed Resban’s arrival even though he was right in front of her.

Resban had intentionally concealed his aura.

He reached out and cupped Esika’s cheek as he spoke.

“I heard you had a guest and came to check out of curiosity, but it seemed I couldn’t intervene.”

At those exaggerated words, Esika retorted as if telling him not to joke.

“Liar. You’re being sly.”

Resban responded with a slight smile without saying anything.

Esika’s calm voice that had leaked out from behind the door represented her strong resolve.

Esika is a woman who never backs down.

A woman who firmly stands against cowardly malice directed at her, controls the situation, and makes people unable to take their eyes off her.

The thud of the Klaus Duchess collapsing like a wooden block was quite satisfying.

If she had wounded Esika’s heart, the journey back would have been quite dangerous, but that pitiful sight is now just proof of her victory.

Of course, for the crime of making him hear the Duchess’s ugly voice with his own ears, he will also give Callian Klaus some disadvantage.

This thought need not be shared with Esika.

He moved his hand from her cheek to her shoulder, embracing Esika.

And he began to walk with her.

“You must have heard about what happened at the tea party as well?”

To this story too, Resban expressed his affirmation with silence.

Resban’s ears were everywhere in the imperial palace. Though that might not be very pleasing to her.

Esika let out a small sigh.

“I thought so.”

Esika did not get entangled with the Empress at all. Rather, she gave her a taste of her own medicine.

The Empress wouldn’t know. That being dealt with by Esika would be better than having Resban extend his hand.

The reason Resban hadn’t paid attention to matters within the imperial palace until now was because there was much to do outside.

“I believed you would handle it well.”

Esika responded to Resban’s words with a “Hmm.”

“Isn’t it usually the opposite? I used to assign people to watch over those I couldn’t trust.”

“I’d prefer if you thought of it as protection, not assigning people.”

Protection. It was an unfamiliar word to Esika.

She had never received such a thing from a man, neither in her past life nor in this one.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Esika glanced at Resban.

Though she knew he desired and loved her, sometimes she couldn’t understand what Resban was thinking.

Was it because he was a master? Or was it because she had special feelings for him?

“It looks quite organized compared to before. There used to be many things piled up.”

They headed towards the wine room with a terrace where they occasionally had conversations.

Esika stored various kinds of wine there and often gifted them along with Marnel cheese to nobles for strategic benefits.

This shaded place was a bit cool, but neither Esika nor Resban had any gaps for the chill to seep in.

“His Majesty the Emperor said he would send engagement gifts.”

Esika sat in a chair close to the terrace, and Resban took out a bottle of wine and a wine glass from the wine rack.

“It’s a ceremonial procedure. Being old items, they might not meet the eyes of someone practical like you.”

“Still, I heard that one of the four bottles of liquor produced annually in the empire will come, so I cleared some space in advance. The other old things will be sent to my family home; they’ll be happy.”

After being held in Esika’s hand, he poured the wine.

“You’re talking about Hapeis’s prohibition. It has rarity, but it’s better not to expect much from the aroma.”

The red wine filled her glass with a rich fragrance.

“You might think it’s worse than this wine.”

“Surely not. This is just a wine common enough to trip over.”

In the soft light pouring from the terrace, half of her hair shines like silver thread.

Resban looked at her while holding the wine.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t been introduced to your family.”

Esika took a sip of wine and said.

“My father is frail and unable to walk. He’ll probably have difficulty coming to the engagement ceremony. I have two older brothers… Shupert, three years older than me, and Servin, two years older.”

Her childhood memories of playing with them in Frihartz were full of nostalgia.

Back then, she thought her friendship with Yuri would last forever.

“Servin is almost always abroad, and Shupert says he’ll come to Torres for the engagement party, so I’ll introduce you then.”

The corners of Esika’s mouth were turned up.

“My brother is quite worried, but don’t be prejudiced; he’s not originally like that. Anyone would be, since it’s his younger sister’s remarriage.”

Looking at Esika’s expression, Resban’s lips moved slightly.

“At times like this… you look as radiant as a young girl.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean it’s good. I wish you’d make that expression while talking about me.”

Esika looked at Resban with a puzzled expression.

After a moment, Resban took Esika’s half-empty wine glass.

And he took a sip of the wine inside.

His Adam’s apple, revealing his masculinity, ripples.

Esika watched his appearance.

Certainly, Resban is a bit more relaxed by her side.

It’s unthinkable for a member of the imperial family to put their lips on someone else’s glass. Besides the risk of poisoning, there’s also the dignity and decorum of the imperial family.

Even if it belongs to his fiancée.

“How was the war end commemoration ceremony?”

Esika asked, looking at him.

It’s only been a week since they met, but why are there so many things she wants to ask?

She didn’t know the reason herself.

“Ah, the war end commemoration ceremony.”

Resban looked out at the terrace with deep eyes.

There was a war end commemoration ceremony at some point along the changed border.

The residents of the defeated country were relieved that they would no longer be deprived, and it would be a historic day for the empire’s people as well.

The victory in war brings numerous spoils of war while fulfilling the justification of revenge, but in the end, it impoverishes the lives of the people.

“…It must have been quite emotional.”

Esika’s lips moved.

It was a war of reclamation that had continued for over 10 years.

The country’s territory had become even larger than before the fall of the nation, and those who had massacred the imperial family had all paid the price, with even their graves thoroughly dug up.

A faint smile appeared and disappeared on Resban’s lips.

Esika looked at him as if wondering what he was thinking.

After a moment, he opened his mouth.

“For a war-loving crown prince to stop the war, something more attractive than war would be needed.”

His golden eyes were deep.

“There was a time when I didn’t even sneer at the people who babbled about that.”

Esika cleared her throat with a “Hmm” and slightly averted her gaze.

But Resban lowered the hand that had been on her shoulder and grasped her waist as if embracing her.

Firmly enough that Esika couldn’t escape.

Esika met Resban’s eyes.

He was looking at her.

Though everyone said they were the fierce eyes of a war-loving man. Esika hadn’t felt that way about his gaze for some time now.

Perhaps because Resban looked only at Esika differently.

“But those words…”

Resban’s lips moved.

There’s no way to get drunk on one glass of wine, but she felt dizzy.

A low voice seeped into her ear.

“I thought they were right.”

Resban put strength into the arm holding Esika’s waist and lifted her onto his lap.

Her body, so light compared to her inner strength, rose up in a swift motion.

Esika looked at him with a startled expression as she was seated face-to-face on Resban’s lap.

His nose bridge, half-shadowed, looked even higher, and his eyes seemed deeper.

“Throughout the war end commemoration ceremony, I was only thinking about quickly ending this dragging event and coming here.”

His eyelashes seem as long as her own.

She felt like even he could hear the pounding of her heart.

Resban’s lips are red.

“So give me your lips as a reward.”

As her gaze slowly lowered to those lips, Resban’s breath slowly approached.

Just before their lips touched, Esika’s eyebrows quivered slightly.

“…”

His lips gently engulfed Esika’s.

His Adam’s apple moves greatly again, as if drinking something long yearned for.

The scent of wine, whether hers or Resban’s, wafts deeply.

An electrifying current flows through her mind, and her fingers tremble unknowingly.

Perhaps she tried to retreat slightly without realizing it, as Resban’s hand that had been around her waist moves up more firmly.

And it supports her back and firmly wraps around the nape of her neck.

As if hinting that she cannot escape from him.

“…Mmm…”

A faint moan escaped through Esika’s slightly parted teeth but was soon blocked.

Because Resban parted his lips and gently invaded Esika’s mouth.

The scent of wine grows even stronger. Sweet and tangy, it feels intoxicating just from the aroma.

Esika suddenly thought.

That his words about this wine possibly being sweeter than the wine produced only four bottles a year might be true.

His breath enveloped Esika’s.

Does she know? That Resban had been quite anxious since hearing that Esika had gone in to talk with the Klaus Duchess.

From the moment he heard the voice of the Klaus Duchess arguing for reconciliation with Callian, he had been struggling with the urge to break down the door.