Grand Duke Martins entered a dark and deserted alley. He walked briskly and stopped in front of a two-story building at the far corner of the alley. He took off the hood of his robe and looked up at the clinic sign that said, “Dignified Night.”
“It’s the first time since that day.”
The day before the wedding, as soon as he arrived at the Imperial Palace of the Lapion Empire, he had guided Zelda here first. Grand Duke Martins vividly remembered Zelda's expression before she entered the clinic. Even though it was a temporary effect, she was filled with anticipation that she would be able to remove the burn scar on the right side of her face. At that time, he had never imagined that he would be in the same boat as Zelda, with Prince Tesla behind him. The Grand Duke looked around the alley and entered the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
“Welcome, are you here to buy some aphrodisiacs?”
As he entered, a woman who appeared to be the wizard Big's assistant looked Grand Duke Martins up and down and spoke.
'What the heck, that's annoying. Does it say I need aphrodisiac on my face?'
“I came to meet the wizard Big.”
Grand Duke Martins responded curtly.
“Have you made a reservation?”
"No."
“For now, about a week’s worth.”
The female assistant nodded and took a small bottle of sleeping pills from the cupboard where the medicines were kept and placed it on the table.
“I’m sorry. Today is a bad day for you in many ways. We’re out of sleeping pills. These are sleeping pills in powder form. Would you like to get me this?”
“Well, I can’t help it. I’ll buy it.”
“Although it is a powder, it is more effective than pills, so take only half a teaspoon at a time.”
After completing his appointment, Grand Duke Martins turned his robe hood over and left the clinic, then looked back at the female assistant.
“Oh, wait. Does this happen often?”
“No, that’s why it’s a bit strange. Even if he had something to do, he never went out like this without saying anything.”
One of Grand Duke Martins' eyebrows rose at the assistant's words. The Grand Duke left the clinic with a somewhat uneasy feeling.
Prince Tesla was already a little drunk. Grand Duke Martins approached the Prince who was sprawled on the sofa and picked up the bottle of wine that had fallen at his feet.
“Damn it, things have gone wrong. Thanks to Her Majesty the Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil!!”
Prince Tesla sat up again, hurling harsh curses.
“Cunning bitch...”
“Your Highness, this is the Laphion Palace. Please keep your voices down.”
Grand Duke Martins sat down opposite the Prince and said:
“I gave her Bonis.”
“What do you mean?”
“How did she boil Emperor Linel and take Bonis as her maid!”
Prince Tesla, drunk and rambling, gave a detailed account of what had happened at the palace.
“Something like that happened...”
Grand Duke Martin felt secretly delighted.
“I think Emperor Linel is more cunning than the Empress.”
“I saw it well. The Emperor was playing with words with a smiling face and setting a trap. I fell for it innocently. Ha, shit... I shouldn’t have just given it to him so easily, damn it!”
“He is an Emperor with many cunning sides.”
Although Grand Duke Martins appeared to be on Prince Tesla's side, he was secretly re-evaluating Emperor Linel.
“What on earth did Zelda say to the Emperor about Bonis?”
“It would be fortunate if we had only talked about Lady Bonis.”
“Ha, you probably haven’t said anything about the title of Empress yet.”
Prince Tesla said with conviction.
“Why are you so sure?”
“There’s no way the Emperor would have been so nice to me even after knowing that she had been deceiving him. What did that woman say?”
'Tsk tsk tsk, you don't have an eye for people.'
Grand Duke Martin clicked his tongue inwardly. He had never truly loved anyone, and he was a calculating person, so that was the extent of his thinking.
“Honestly, using Lady Bonis as a blackmail card was dangerous from the start.”
"What?"
“If we had touched her wrongly, it would have only increased the Empress’s resentment.”
Prince Tesla was furious, but he also somewhat agreed with the Grand Duke's opinion.
“Zelda is climbing the ranks. Who is the one who gives her such luxury?”
“She didn’t come here because she wanted to be Empress, did she?”
Grand Duke Martins cautiously took Zelda's side.
“Since she didn’t want it, she should cooperate with me even more and prepare to step down from the position of Empress! Don’t you think so?”
“She intended to do that, but I guess she fell in love without realizing it. That’s why she wanted to be by the Emperor’s side...”
Grand Duke Martins muttered quietly as if he were monologuing.
“That’s ridiculous. What kind of love is that? Zelda, you know. She was satisfied with just a little smile from me.”
Grand Duke Martins asked with a pitiful look at Prince Tesla's mistake.
“...When are you talking about the enemy?”
“I took her in as a royal maid because I felt so sorry for her living a life of oppression in Count Toroba’s household, and now she betrayed me like this?”
Prince Tesla continued to mutter angrily to himself as if he had not heard Grand Duke Martins' questions.
“It was you, the Prince, who made this unreasonable request in the first place.”
“Martins, by any chance. Zelda...”
Prince Tesla looked at the Grand Duke with suspicion.
“Is she doing this on purpose?”
"Yes?"
“Just to get my attention.”
“How can the stream of consciousness flow in that direction?”
“It’s the first time since that day.”
The day before the wedding, as soon as he arrived at the Imperial Palace of the Lapion Empire, he had guided Zelda here first. Grand Duke Martins vividly remembered Zelda's expression before she entered the clinic. Even though it was a temporary effect, she was filled with anticipation that she would be able to remove the burn scar on the right side of her face. At that time, he had never imagined that he would be in the same boat as Zelda, with Prince Tesla behind him. The Grand Duke looked around the alley and entered the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
“Welcome, are you here to buy some aphrodisiacs?”
As he entered, a woman who appeared to be the wizard Big's assistant looked Grand Duke Martins up and down and spoke.
'What the heck, that's annoying. Does it say I need aphrodisiac on my face?'
“I came to meet the wizard Big.”
Grand Duke Martins responded curtly.
“Have you made a reservation?”
"No."
“The consultation is taking a while. You’ll have to wait. Are you okay?”
Grand Duke Martins nodded at his assistant's words.
“Then please sit on the sofa.”
“Yeah.”
Duke Martins sat down on the sofa in the waiting room. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes passed, but the door to the examination room did not open. Grand Duke Martins, who had been waiting patiently, got up from the sofa with a bored expression. He was about to ask the female assistant to find out how much longer he would have to wait while handing her a few pennies. But then, the female assistant came out of the manufacturing room muttering.
“That’s strange. I’ve never seen the wizard this long before.”
She went to the door of the examination room and knocked, but there was no sound from inside telling her to come in. She tilted her head and carefully opened the door.
“Huh? Where did you go?”
“What's going on?”
Grand Duke Martins approached her and asked, glancing around the open infirmary.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. It seems the teacher is out for a moment. He’s not at his desk.”
The female assistant, who was looking around the examination room once again, turned to Grand Duke Martins and said.
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Would you like that? There are a few more guests with reservations today, so I don’t think you’ll have to go far.”
Although he had some strange thoughts, Grand Duke Martins had no choice but to return to the sofa. Then, with a face that remembered something, he knocked on the door of the manufacturing room where the female assistant had entered.
“Do you also sell sleeping pills here?”
“Oh, do you have insomnia?”
“I think it’s gotten worse recently, so I’m thinking about taking some sleeping pills.”
“The sleeping pills sold at our clinic can be purchased without a prescription. Would you like to get them for me now?”
“Yes, please give it to me.”
“How much is the amount?”
Grand Duke Martins nodded at his assistant's words.
“Then please sit on the sofa.”
“Yeah.”
Duke Martins sat down on the sofa in the waiting room. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes passed, but the door to the examination room did not open. Grand Duke Martins, who had been waiting patiently, got up from the sofa with a bored expression. He was about to ask the female assistant to find out how much longer he would have to wait while handing her a few pennies. But then, the female assistant came out of the manufacturing room muttering.
“That’s strange. I’ve never seen the wizard this long before.”
She went to the door of the examination room and knocked, but there was no sound from inside telling her to come in. She tilted her head and carefully opened the door.
“Huh? Where did you go?”
“What's going on?”
Grand Duke Martins approached her and asked, glancing around the open infirmary.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. It seems the teacher is out for a moment. He’s not at his desk.”
The female assistant, who was looking around the examination room once again, turned to Grand Duke Martins and said.
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Would you like that? There are a few more guests with reservations today, so I don’t think you’ll have to go far.”
Although he had some strange thoughts, Grand Duke Martins had no choice but to return to the sofa. Then, with a face that remembered something, he knocked on the door of the manufacturing room where the female assistant had entered.
“Do you also sell sleeping pills here?”
“Oh, do you have insomnia?”
“I think it’s gotten worse recently, so I’m thinking about taking some sleeping pills.”
“The sleeping pills sold at our clinic can be purchased without a prescription. Would you like to get them for me now?”
“Yes, please give it to me.”
“How much is the amount?”
“For now, about a week’s worth.”
The female assistant nodded and took a small bottle of sleeping pills from the cupboard where the medicines were kept and placed it on the table.
“I’m sorry. Today is a bad day for you in many ways. We’re out of sleeping pills. These are sleeping pills in powder form. Would you like to get me this?”
“Well, I can’t help it. I’ll buy it.”
“Although it is a powder, it is more effective than pills, so take only half a teaspoon at a time.”
“Yes, how much is it?”
Grand Duke Martins paid for the sleeping pills on the spot and returned to the sofa. Another hour passed. In the meantime, the patients who had made appointments at the clinic, unable to bear the long wait, made new appointments and left. Grand Duke Martins was the only one left, sitting on the sofa as if nailed to the ground.
“I... Sir. It’s almost closing time. I’m sorry, but I think you’ll have to come back tomorrow. Since you haven’t come back yet, I think the teacher has some urgent matter.”
“Hmm, I guess there’s nothing I can do.”
Grand Duke Martins paid for the sleeping pills on the spot and returned to the sofa. Another hour passed. In the meantime, the patients who had made appointments at the clinic, unable to bear the long wait, made new appointments and left. Grand Duke Martins was the only one left, sitting on the sofa as if nailed to the ground.
“I... Sir. It’s almost closing time. I’m sorry, but I think you’ll have to come back tomorrow. Since you haven’t come back yet, I think the teacher has some urgent matter.”
“Hmm, I guess there’s nothing I can do.”
“Shall I make a reservation for you to meet tomorrow?”
“Yes, please do so.”
“Yes, please do so.”
After completing his appointment, Grand Duke Martins turned his robe hood over and left the clinic, then looked back at the female assistant.
“Oh, wait. Does this happen often?”
“No, that’s why it’s a bit strange. Even if he had something to do, he never went out like this without saying anything.”
One of Grand Duke Martins' eyebrows rose at the assistant's words. The Grand Duke left the clinic with a somewhat uneasy feeling.
***
After Grand Duke Martins returned to the villa, he went straight to the Prince's room after hearing the servant say that Prince Tesla was looking for him.
“Are you looking for me, Prince?”
“Are you looking for me, Prince?”
Prince Tesla was already a little drunk. Grand Duke Martins approached the Prince who was sprawled on the sofa and picked up the bottle of wine that had fallen at his feet.
“Damn it, things have gone wrong. Thanks to Her Majesty the Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil!!”
Prince Tesla sat up again, hurling harsh curses.
“Cunning bitch...”
“Your Highness, this is the Laphion Palace. Please keep your voices down.”
Grand Duke Martins sat down opposite the Prince and said:
“I gave her Bonis.”
“What do you mean?”
“How did she boil Emperor Linel and take Bonis as her maid!”
Prince Tesla, drunk and rambling, gave a detailed account of what had happened at the palace.
“Something like that happened...”
Grand Duke Martin felt secretly delighted.
“I think Emperor Linel is more cunning than the Empress.”
“I saw it well. The Emperor was playing with words with a smiling face and setting a trap. I fell for it innocently. Ha, shit... I shouldn’t have just given it to him so easily, damn it!”
“He is an Emperor with many cunning sides.”
Although Grand Duke Martins appeared to be on Prince Tesla's side, he was secretly re-evaluating Emperor Linel.
“What on earth did Zelda say to the Emperor about Bonis?”
“It would be fortunate if we had only talked about Lady Bonis.”
“Ha, you probably haven’t said anything about the title of Empress yet.”
Prince Tesla said with conviction.
“Why are you so sure?”
“There’s no way the Emperor would have been so nice to me even after knowing that she had been deceiving him. What did that woman say?”
'Tsk tsk tsk, you don't have an eye for people.'
Grand Duke Martin clicked his tongue inwardly. He had never truly loved anyone, and he was a calculating person, so that was the extent of his thinking.
“Honestly, using Lady Bonis as a blackmail card was dangerous from the start.”
"What?"
“If we had touched her wrongly, it would have only increased the Empress’s resentment.”
Prince Tesla was furious, but he also somewhat agreed with the Grand Duke's opinion.
“Zelda is climbing the ranks. Who is the one who gives her such luxury?”
“She didn’t come here because she wanted to be Empress, did she?”
Grand Duke Martins cautiously took Zelda's side.
“Since she didn’t want it, she should cooperate with me even more and prepare to step down from the position of Empress! Don’t you think so?”
“She intended to do that, but I guess she fell in love without realizing it. That’s why she wanted to be by the Emperor’s side...”
Grand Duke Martins muttered quietly as if he were monologuing.
“That’s ridiculous. What kind of love is that? Zelda, you know. She was satisfied with just a little smile from me.”
Grand Duke Martins asked with a pitiful look at Prince Tesla's mistake.
“...When are you talking about the enemy?”
“I took her in as a royal maid because I felt so sorry for her living a life of oppression in Count Toroba’s household, and now she betrayed me like this?”
Prince Tesla continued to mutter angrily to himself as if he had not heard Grand Duke Martins' questions.
“It was you, the Prince, who made this unreasonable request in the first place.”
“Martins, by any chance. Zelda...”
Prince Tesla looked at the Grand Duke with suspicion.
“Is she doing this on purpose?”
"Yes?"
“Just to get my attention.”
“How can the stream of consciousness flow in that direction?”
“That’s because you don’t know Zelda.”
“...”
Prince Tesla continued, waving one hand in the air.
“It would have been better to just directly hit the Achilles’ heel in the first place.”
Prince Tesla laughed as he stroked the right side of his face with his hand, where Zelda's burn scar was.
“The Emperor is now saying that she is beautiful, she is beautiful. But would he be able to do the same after seeing the true appearance of Her Majesty the Empress?”
Grand Duke Martins saw through the Prince's intentions.
“Are you thinking of cutting off the supply of magic potions?”
“What are you thinking?”
Prince Tesla smiled strangely. It was the expression he made whenever he had something in mind.
“I’m a guy who acts faster than I think.”
“What... do you mean?”
“Things that are an eyesore to me must be destroyed in a very miserable manner! That way they won’t upset me. Is Sir Ken out there? Sir Ken!”
Prince Tesla ignored the Grand Duke's words again and muttered to himself, then suddenly looked for his escort knight. The bedroom door opened and a knight other than Sir Ken came in.
“Why are you coming in? What is Ken doing?”
“I am sorry to inform you, but I understand that Lord Ken has not returned since he went out this afternoon on the Prince’s orders.”
When he heard that Sir Ken had gone out, Grand Duke Martins suddenly remembered the wizard Big who had disappeared without a word during a treatment at the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
'No way, right?'
Grand Duke Martins shook his head lightly as if trying to clear the ominous thoughts that had just occurred to him.
“Ah, that’s right. I gave instructions.”
Prince Tesla staggered, hitting the side of his head with his fist.
“Then you should do it instead.”
“Give your order, Your Majesty.”
“Tell them to take care of that kid. Don’t leave a trace... Right, it would be cleaner to disguise it as a fire.”
“Are you talking about... now?”
“Yes, right now! Oh, since you’re inside the castle, let’s release the assassination guild we hired earlier. Then we should be able to find you by tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The knight immediately understood what Prince Tesla was talking about and left the bedroom. Grand Duke Martins also had no difficulty guessing who the child Prince Tesla was trying to get rid of.
“Are you... really ordering me to kill Prince Norton’s son right now?”
“Right, why?”
“Wow, Prince, there’s no reason to get rid of that child right now!?”
Prince Tesla, who had been standing unsteadily, bent down and grabbed Grand Duke Martins, who was sitting on the sofa, by the collar.
“You’re right. In fact, there’s no reason to get rid of him at this point. Unless things are going according to plan.”
“But why...!”
“In this shitty situation, there has to be at least one thing that goes my way!”
What a crazy kid. You're finally crossing the line, Tesla. Grand Duke Martins's palms were sweaty. He had to tell Prince Norton about this immediately.
“I think that will appease my anger a little. Don’t you think so, Grand Duke?”
Prince Tesla's dilated pupils had become eerily clear just moments ago.
“Your Highness, I will be heading back now. You seem to have had quite a bit to drink. It’s time for you to rest.”
Grand Duke Martins rose from the sofa. He deliberately took his time so as not to show that he was in a hurry.
“Sit down.”
Prince Tesla pointed his finger at the Grand Duke and said.
“I’m of sound mind. Should we have a glass of wine together? You’ll have nothing to do once you go back to your room anyway.”
“It's late at night.”
“Who doesn’t know it’s late? Why, is there anyone you want to meet at this hour?”
Prince Tesla filled a wine glass with wine and handed it to Grand Duke Martins.
“That’s not true, but...”
“Or let’s drink.”
The sound of wine glasses clinking echoed heavily.
'I'm really going to go crazy.'
He needs to tell Prince Norton this quickly! Today has been a series of troublesome events. He felt like he'd just fall asleep and wake up a few months later.
'My insomnia has gotten worse... Wait a minute.'
At that moment, Grand Duke Martins remembered that he had a bottle of sleeping pills he had bought at the “Dignified Night” clinic in his uniform pocket.
“...”
Prince Tesla continued, waving one hand in the air.
“It would have been better to just directly hit the Achilles’ heel in the first place.”
Prince Tesla laughed as he stroked the right side of his face with his hand, where Zelda's burn scar was.
“The Emperor is now saying that she is beautiful, she is beautiful. But would he be able to do the same after seeing the true appearance of Her Majesty the Empress?”
Grand Duke Martins saw through the Prince's intentions.
“Are you thinking of cutting off the supply of magic potions?”
“What are you thinking?”
Prince Tesla smiled strangely. It was the expression he made whenever he had something in mind.
“I’m a guy who acts faster than I think.”
“What... do you mean?”
“Things that are an eyesore to me must be destroyed in a very miserable manner! That way they won’t upset me. Is Sir Ken out there? Sir Ken!”
Prince Tesla ignored the Grand Duke's words again and muttered to himself, then suddenly looked for his escort knight. The bedroom door opened and a knight other than Sir Ken came in.
“Why are you coming in? What is Ken doing?”
“I am sorry to inform you, but I understand that Lord Ken has not returned since he went out this afternoon on the Prince’s orders.”
When he heard that Sir Ken had gone out, Grand Duke Martins suddenly remembered the wizard Big who had disappeared without a word during a treatment at the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
'No way, right?'
Grand Duke Martins shook his head lightly as if trying to clear the ominous thoughts that had just occurred to him.
“Ah, that’s right. I gave instructions.”
Prince Tesla staggered, hitting the side of his head with his fist.
“Then you should do it instead.”
“Give your order, Your Majesty.”
“Tell them to take care of that kid. Don’t leave a trace... Right, it would be cleaner to disguise it as a fire.”
“Are you talking about... now?”
“Yes, right now! Oh, since you’re inside the castle, let’s release the assassination guild we hired earlier. Then we should be able to find you by tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The knight immediately understood what Prince Tesla was talking about and left the bedroom. Grand Duke Martins also had no difficulty guessing who the child Prince Tesla was trying to get rid of.
“Are you... really ordering me to kill Prince Norton’s son right now?”
“Right, why?”
“Wow, Prince, there’s no reason to get rid of that child right now!?”
Prince Tesla, who had been standing unsteadily, bent down and grabbed Grand Duke Martins, who was sitting on the sofa, by the collar.
“You’re right. In fact, there’s no reason to get rid of him at this point. Unless things are going according to plan.”
“But why...!”
“In this shitty situation, there has to be at least one thing that goes my way!”
What a crazy kid. You're finally crossing the line, Tesla. Grand Duke Martins's palms were sweaty. He had to tell Prince Norton about this immediately.
“I think that will appease my anger a little. Don’t you think so, Grand Duke?”
Prince Tesla's dilated pupils had become eerily clear just moments ago.
“Your Highness, I will be heading back now. You seem to have had quite a bit to drink. It’s time for you to rest.”
Grand Duke Martins rose from the sofa. He deliberately took his time so as not to show that he was in a hurry.
“Sit down.”
Prince Tesla pointed his finger at the Grand Duke and said.
“I’m of sound mind. Should we have a glass of wine together? You’ll have nothing to do once you go back to your room anyway.”
“It's late at night.”
“Who doesn’t know it’s late? Why, is there anyone you want to meet at this hour?”
Prince Tesla filled a wine glass with wine and handed it to Grand Duke Martins.
“That’s not true, but...”
“Or let’s drink.”
The sound of wine glasses clinking echoed heavily.
'I'm really going to go crazy.'
He needs to tell Prince Norton this quickly! Today has been a series of troublesome events. He felt like he'd just fall asleep and wake up a few months later.
'My insomnia has gotten worse... Wait a minute.'
At that moment, Grand Duke Martins remembered that he had a bottle of sleeping pills he had bought at the “Dignified Night” clinic in his uniform pocket.
***
After showering, I sat on the bed and faced him. At some point, before lying down on the bed, Linel developed a habit of kissing my forehead, bridge of my nose, cheek, and nape in that order as a ritual. Most of the time, he would touch my skin with his lips with a devout attitude, but sometimes, when he had something to complain about, his lips would become very angry.
Today was one of those days. He was quite polite when he started kissing me on the forehead. The problem started after that. He gently bit the bridge of my nose and went down to the nape of my neck, nibbling my neck and tormenting me. When I said “Ah!” and tried to move away from him, he began to gently explore my nape again, as if to soothe me. I put Linel’s hair between my fingers and stroked it affectionately. Then he raised his head with an expression that said he couldn't bear it any longer and roughly pushed between my lips.
The more our slickness became entangled, the more thirsty I became. I wanted to quickly lie down on the bed, so I wrapped my arms around his neck and shifted my weight back, relaxing my body. However, just before the back of my head hit the pillow, Linel pulled away from our lips that had been covering each other and sat me upright on the bed again. He wiped his trembling lips with the back of his hand and asked me in a firm tone.
“Zelda, the former acting Empress, there’s something I’m curious about...”
The more our slickness became entangled, the more thirsty I became. I wanted to quickly lie down on the bed, so I wrapped my arms around his neck and shifted my weight back, relaxing my body. However, just before the back of my head hit the pillow, Linel pulled away from our lips that had been covering each other and sat me upright on the bed again. He wiped his trembling lips with the back of his hand and asked me in a firm tone.
“Zelda, the former acting Empress, there’s something I’m curious about...”
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