“It’s called Sound Transmission.”

“…Sound Transmission?”

“You used it in your past life too. It’s a technique that sends words through qi, directly transmitting them to the other person through something like aura.”

“…I see.”

Resban seemed to have regained some memories of Dokying while dreaming about him,

And for some reason, he could understand the meaning even when spoken in the language used in the Central Plains…

But he couldn’t remember the martial arts.

Well, even if he couldn’t remember the martial arts of the Central Plains, he was a Sword Master as the Crown Prince, so he was on par with Dokying from his past life.

“How do you use it?”

Resban, lying on the bed in a languid pose, asked Esika who was combing her long hair.

His golden eyes, shining brightly even in the dim light, showed a hint of curiosity.

Esika smiled gently and used Sound Transmission.

‘Like this.’

As Esika’s words echoed in his mind, Resban’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

He lightly brushed his forehead with his long fingers.

Unlike the sound heard externally, it was a sound transmitted directly.

He rose from the bed and approached Esika.

As his tall figure cast a shadow over Esika, her silver hair seemed to turn a slightly darker color.

Resban placed his hand on Esika’s shoulder.

“…?”

Behind her, as she was combing her hair while looking in the mirror, Resban’s reflection appeared.

His eyebrows were set, and his expression looked serious.

After a moment, his lips moved.

“Did you hear it?”

“…Pardon?”

Esika turned around with a start and met his eyes.

Then she said.

“No.”

Did you just… try Sound Transmission?

Resban furrowed his brows again seeing Esika’s expression.

And he remained with a serious expression for a few seconds.

After a moment, he asked Esika again.

“Did you hear it this time?”

Esika shook her head.

She found it somewhat amusing that Resban was practicing Sound Transmission and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Strange, I definitely felt like I transmitted it to someone.”

Resban was frowning with a serious expression.

She put down her comb and turned to face Resban.

“Sound Transmission is just like speaking. Your lips move, but the sound is directly transmitted to the listener’s ears through aura.”

And she said the next words using Sound Transmission.

“If you’re unfamiliar with aura, it’ll just sound like someone speaking to you, and even if you can’t use aura but can sense it a bit, like a novice knight, you’ll feel like your head is ringing.”

“…I see.”

Esika’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

It was because Resban had successfully used Sound Transmission.

She smiled brightly and said.

“You just succeeded.”

“Did I?”

It was Sound Transmission again.

His lips moved slightly, but his voice wasn’t dispersed outside, only transmitted directly to Esika.

“Well done. The next step is Qi Sound Transmission, where you can speak to someone far away without even moving your lips, but you’ll probably be able to do it soon.”

Resban stared intently at Esika’s excited appearance.

Her eyes were curved like crescent moons, like a young girl’s, and her lips were red.

A lively, joyful expression… this shifts attention to other matters.

“I tried twice earlier, but now that I’ve succeeded, I feel shy to speak again.”

What’s there to be shy about? Was Resban… a man who felt shyness?

Resban slowly leaned his upper body slightly and gently pressed his lips against Esika’s.

Her lips, which had been curved at the ends, trembled slightly before seeming to be sucked into his lips.

“Teach me that too. The one where you can transmit far away without opening your mouth…”

Resban slightly furrowed his brows.

In Esika’s mind, his voice was heard again.

It wasn’t Sound Transmission, but Qi Sound Transmission.

Esika’s blue eyes rippled gently.

She closed her eyes and let her words flow to Resban.

“You’re already doing that too.”

His lips enveloped Esika’s breath, and his hands firmly embraced her waist.

It seemed Resban had no intention of just letting her sleep tonight either.

He embraced her almost every day.

If it weren’t for the excessive official duties, even her body, as a master, would have been worn out.

Now that a new way of playing had emerged, tonight was set to burn even hotter.

When Resban used Qi Sound Transmission to convey words difficult to say out loud, Esika opened her eyes wide in surprise.

She tried to protest something, but Resban lifted her up with a shameless smile and laid her on the bed.

**

That night, Callian headed towards the Imperial Palace wearing a black robe.

He had been invited to the Crown Prince’s birthday party today but didn’t go.

He wasn’t in the mood to go, either.

After entering the palace before and suddenly discovering Esika and following her, he realized he didn’t even have the courage to speak to her now.

But he couldn’t help but hurry to the palace upon receiving news from his old friend.

‘I have an urgent matter to ask about the former Crown Princess. Please come!’

Gaven Pelope, the rake of social circles and the host of Friday’s party.

What could have happened to her?

As Callian entered the palace prison with a stern expression, the soldiers stopped him.

Callian showed his identification and said.

“I’ll just have a brief visit.”

After verifying his identification, the soldiers let him into the prison.

The palace prison was built sturdy for serious offenders to be investigated by the Imperial Investigation Team led by Count Riheim.

And in one of the cells, Gaven was seen crouching with a pitiful expression.

His attire was clearly made of good material prepared for today’s ball, and his hairstyle and shoes were polished to seduce women.

Callian looked down at Gaven with an indifferent expression and asked.

“Why did you call me?”

Startled by those words, Gaven jerked his head up to look at Callian.

“Duke… no, anyway, you came.”

Although their ranks had already been reversed, Gaven used honorifics as he always did.

“I thought our relationship was over.”

“I thought so too. But today, I had to contact you because of an absurd situation I experienced. In the Empire, the person who knows the Crown Princess best would be you, Duke… no, Viscount, who was married to her for three years.”

Though his crimes were pardoned, his rank wasn’t restored.

Still, as he was a nobleman and the head of a noble family, he was treated as a viscount.

Callian frowned unpleasantly and growled.

“Yes, as you say, I know Esika best. But why are you bringing her up?”

Gaven flinched at Callian’s reaction, which seemed to be angrily immersed.

Could he still be in love with that woman? Well… it makes sense.

After all, the Crown Princess is more beautiful than any prostitute attending Friday’s party.

“So… the Crown Princess is using some kind of devilish technique. She clearly speaks, but makes her words only audible to my ears, or inaudible to others.”

“…What?”

“Haven’t you experienced it? When she speaks, and it’s only audible to me and not to others.”

Gaven gripped the bars and looked at Callian desperately.

Tomorrow morning, when Count Riheim arrives for work, a strict investigation will begin.

There would already be witnesses who saw Gaven unilaterally insulting the Crown Princess at the ballroom, so the investigation wouldn’t be difficult, and Gaven would be severely punished.

In the worst-case scenario, he could be greatly disciplined like the friend before him who was ruined and became a beggar.

“…”

“There must have been. You were married for three years, you must have heard it. Right?”

If Callian could testify about such experiences, he could clear his grievances.

He could prove that he wasn’t crazy.

“Think carefully… about her insulting only for me to hear…”

“You must be mad. To dare say such things to me.”

But what came out of Callian’s mouth was a voice of harsh contempt.

He looked down at Gaven, who was crouching and holding the bars, looking at him pleadingly, and said.

“Gaven Pelope.”

Callian spoke in an angry voice.

“Are you daring to say that she seduced you with a secret voice?”

“Th-that’s not it! Th-think carefully, about a voice that others can’t hear, only audible to me.”

“Shut up! Esika is not that kind of woman. If you say one more nonsensical thing, I will surely kill you.”

At that moment, Gaven’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t because of Callian.

It was because a man’s chilling voice echoed in his mind.

‘I love you.’

The moment he heard that voice, goosebumps rose all over his body and his eyes spun as if he was about to faint.

Gaven instantly turned pale and clutched his head, trembling violently.

“Aagh! Aaaagh!!”

Callian, who was about to leave after brushing off his collar, glanced at Gaven.

Gaven was covering his ears and jumping around, not knowing what to do.

He knew that Gaven often took Henomoth at Friday’s parties, and that Henomoth often caused hallucinations or auditory hallucinations, but this was severe.

Gaven was terrified, like someone who had heard something he shouldn’t have.

“H-help me… J-just now, a strange voice!”

Gaven extended one bandaged hand through the bars, his voice trembling.

This voice, which sent chills just from hearing it, somehow resembled the voice of the war-crazed Crown Prince.

Was he really going mad? Gaven trembled and stomped his feet.

“Something strange is ringing in my head. Really, this time it’s not her…”

“Tsk… Pathetic.”

Callian turned away as if there was nothing more to hear.

He felt like he had wasted his time.

Gaven shouted at Callian’s retreating back.

“W-wait, please help…!”

But immediately, that voice struck his head again.

‘I love you very much.’

“Hiiieek!”

Gaven fell back with a scream.

He thought the Crown Princess had used some strange technique, but maybe he really had gone mad, as everyone said.

No, he must have gone mad.

The clear voice in his ears, similar to that terrifying Crown Prince.

The hair standing on end all over his body and his skin turning rough like a chicken’s explained the extreme goosebumps he was feeling.

In the end, he fainted backwards, covering his ears.