Last night, Kaius gazed deeply at his wife who was catching snowflakes, with his hands behind his back.

Seeing her catching snow with her whole body without properly fastening her cloak, Kaius gently turned his wife towards him.

Kaius retied the ribbon of the cloak himself and cupped her cheeks, reddened from the cold, with both hands. His image filled her golden eyes shining with joy. He looked into those eyes for a long time. Snowflakes dampened her hair, eyelashes, cheeks, and lips. His touch gently wiped the moisture spreading on her face. As he lowered his head, bewilderment filled Ariel’s eyes.

Her perplexed eyes looked at him as if not knowing what to do. Though he knew it was unlikely, he waited for her small hands to wrap around his neck first. Ariel lightly betrayed his expectations. Unable to readily indulge his desires, Kaius finally withdrew with a quiet sigh. The hands that had cupped her cheeks only let her go after pulling the marten fur hat deep over her head.

Ariel, who was expected to turn towards the heavily falling white snow, unexpectedly remained still. Still looking at him with perplexed eyes.

In the cold, soft snow, their gazes were directed only at each other. For a long time.

Not having embraced her for several days was something difficult for even him to understand. Ariel faithfully followed his words about walks in the sunset and waiting without falling asleep, and he filled his hungry heart with that time. That was enough, and for a while, it was even satisfying.

But since hearing about her childhood kidnapping and Edward saving her, he could not readily indulge only his desires. It was because he realized that no matter how much he learned about her and possessed her body, it was useless.

Now he yearned for something else.

Something that could not be filled with forced walks and physical relationships.

Yes, it was to obtain that something. The touch that embraces and hugs him. The desire for her to come into his arms of her own will, not by contract. The small touch that invariably burrows into his embrace at dawn. The fragrant scent and soft body that draws closer when he wraps her back with his large hands. And the joy it brings.

Kaius now knew this and wanted to possess it. Ariel who wholly sought him, not just seeking warmth.

Even in the returning carriage, Ariel often looked at him silently with perplexed eyes. It was the same until the moment he brought her to the bedroom. Though he had some expectations due to her changed attitude, by the time he visited his wife’s bedroom, she had already fallen into deep sleep. The disappointment at that time flowed out as a deep sigh.

Now, seeing his wife bustling about the greenhouse as if nothing had happened, he felt empty and perplexed once again.

As Kaius habitually took out a cigar to light it, he suddenly realized that he did not have a headache.

The headache that used to come every morning when he opened his eyes had disappeared. It was just so natural that he hadn’t noticed.

Kaius, who put down the cigar he was holding on the desk, turned his gaze back to the greenhouse. His hair gently swayed in the cold wind blowing through the open windows. As he brushed back his disheveled hair, his golden cufflinks sparkled in the winter sunlight.

Now his wife was climbing up a ladder placed against a large tree. She was stretching out her hand with difficulty to pick flowers as white as her skin and carefully placing them in a basket. As he watched the scene with a calm gaze, a polite knock was heard.

“Your Excellency, it’s Lemon.”

The silence meant permission, so Lemon opened the door and entered. Kaius, who had finally taken his eyes off the greenhouse, looked at Lemon approaching the desk.

“Here are the investigation results on Edward Camellon.”

Lemon said in a flat voice as he placed the file on the desk. On the front page of the file was written the name Edward Camellon. Kaius picked up the file and unconsciously turned his body to look for Ariel again.

But in that brief moment, she had disappeared. Only the ladder remained on the tree she had been climbing earlier, and she was not visible anywhere else. He slightly furrowed his brow and checked the wall clock, but it was still time for her to be in the greenhouse.

Surely not. She couldn’t have fallen from the tree, could she?

With a chill running down his spine, Kaius left the office, ignoring Lemon calling him.

It didn’t take long for him to open the door to the greenhouse.

***

After picking the Japaros flowers, Ariel sat on the bench in the changing room to review the characteristics of Aliune once more. Though she took out the Demon World Plant Guide, her eyes were unfocused. It was because her mind was complicated by Kaius’s actions yesterday.

This time too, he said saving her was a husband’s duty. Following that logic, getting compensation from Empress Catherine could be seen in the same context. Fastening her collar when it snowed? That action too, she had learned sufficiently through past experiences that it was simply gentlemanly behavior.

But why?

The deep eyes that looked at her as she caught the snow were vivid in her mind.

Was his words that he didn’t need consideration still true? She didn’t know. As last night was about to come to mind again, Ariel hurriedly shook her head and opened the Demon World Plant Guide.

“It’s because of the first snow. It must be.”

As Ariel nodded her head, her eyes fell on the picture of Aliune, and her mind quickly settled. Rather than wasting time worrying about such useless things, it would be better to prepare more thoroughly to save him.

She could feel that there wasn’t much time left before the dragon eggs hatched. So now she had to focus on waking the dragons and protecting them from being killed by Ludvian again.

As she organized the urgent tasks before her, Ariel’s mind became much calmer.

Meanwhile, the greenhouse door opened silently.

Kaius thoroughly scanned around the tall tree, but when he couldn’t see Ariel, he let out a sigh of relief. Though he was about to turn back now that he confirmed she wasn’t hurt, Kaius changed his mind. Seeing that the door wasn’t locked, Ariel must still be in the greenhouse, and it wouldn’t be bad to see her face for a moment.

As Kaius leisurely looked around, his gaze stopped at the changing room.

***

“Count Calvin, how many Letiana bonds do we have?”

Kaius was on a winning streak after victory in the competition, and accordingly, Emperor Hart’s mood was sinking lower and lower.

“At current market prices, it would be about 1 Hype (about 1 trillion).”

“1 Hype…”

Should I try to blackmail Kaius with that? Seeing how he acted that day, it seems Kaius might be able to pay it back instead. Emperor Hart’s eyes slowly narrowed as he stroked his chin.

“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

“What do you think? Would Kaius pay that money instead?”

“That seems unreasonable. It’s a political marriage, and not enough time has passed for them to become that close.”

“I suppose so?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Emperor Hart nodded slowly, thinking Count Calvin’s words were reasonable.

“Your Majesty, Duke Lantiano has been requesting an audience for days, what should we do?”

It’s obviously about money.

“Tell him I’m busy. More importantly, how are the contacts with the Elia company going? I don’t want to eat any other steak now.”

Emperor Hart couldn’t forget the steak he tasted on the day of the competition. It tasted like walking through a beautiful dream. When he heard that the spices used in it were from the Elia Spices he had been in contact with before, he was so furious.

He should have secured that company first. How did Duke Lantiano fail to find such a company and instead bring useless people to create this worst situation? He was displeased with Kaius, Duke Lantiano, and even Empress Catherine.

Emperor Hart clicked his tongue shortly and glared at Count Calvin. Making him irritated by failing to secure the Elia company. There wasn’t a single person he was pleased with.

“We contacted them, but the answer is the same as before. They say they’re doing their best to increase production.”

“Have you met with the company’s representative?”

It was an obvious question, but Count Calvin’s head slowly bowed and his shoulders hunched.

“The thing is, we can’t identify who the company’s representative is, and only the person handling affairs instead…”

Before he could finish speaking, the desk was slammed with a bang.

“But who the representative is isn’t important. Most decisions are made by the proxy anyway. I heard that even if the representative appears, the answer won’t change.”

Count Calvin quickly added an explanation without even taking a breath. Only then did Emperor Hart calm his excitement and look at him quietly.

“Think of a way to get the spices. If you can’t come up with a good idea, go to Kaius yourself and get them even if you have to kneel.”

***

“So you were here.”

Ariel, who raised her eyes at the low, soft tone, was startled as if about to faint. Kaius quietly watched her hurriedly close the book and stand up to adjust her clothes.

He noticed her appearance that he hadn’t been very conscious of when looking from afar. The loose shirt was quite thick, and the pants clung to her body, revealing her thin legs. Even her tiny feet below legs thinner than his arms. His gaze moving up again, her hair braided into one fell over her chest. Her eyes were full of strength as if displeased by his entrance.

Kaius, who finally took his eyes off her, carefully looked around the changing room. A thick carpet was spread on the bench, and on top of it were thick blankets and cushions, and besides the book she was reading, there were a few other books visible. Next to them were memo pads and pens.

What is this, some kind of personal space?

A chuckle escaped. As he took one more step closer, the tip of his shoe touched the wood of the bench with a tap. At that, Ariel’s face was startled as if his hand had touched her body.