Callion held Erna's face firmly in both hands and pressed his lips against hers again. Each time, the red color remaining on Erna's lips transferred to his face.
Despite having said it tasted bad, Callion sucked on her lips all over. When it was truly on the verge of wearing out all her remaining makeup, Erna pushed Callion away.
"You said it tasted bad!"
"It doesn't matter because you're delicious."
"You're crazy!"
Seeing Callion now saying such embarrassing things as if it were nothing, Erna's face turned red, and she hit his arm.
However, noticing the lack of ferocity in that hand, he let out a low laugh. Callion recalled the meeting with Adelaide from a moment ago.
Every single minute and second spent talking with Adelaide was torture for Callion.
He had to exert all his strength to keep from shaking his leg frivolously. The only reason he could suppress his desire and listen to the conversation was that the dialogue between Erna and Adelaide was quite interesting.
To be precise, it was Adelaide's attitude that was amusing.
Callion escorted Erna to the reception room and took her to a seat. Then he spoke to Adelaide, who was standing there blankly.
"What are you doing? Sit down."
Callion cast a look at Adelaide, who was asking for an escort, as if to say, "Can't you even sit by yourself?" This was after treating Erna so preciously just moments ago, as if she would break if touched.
The Marquis of Carnarvon's aide, who was standing behind her, hurriedly escorted Adelaide, and she took her seat, unable to hide her displeasure.
Since it was not a banquet, there was no fan, so he could see her lips trembling slightly, unable to cover them.
In fact, Callion's behavior was not against etiquette, but that did not mean it was polite.
In any case, Adelaide was an envoy representing the nation. Therefore, as a gesture of welcome, it was right for a person of the opposite sex with a status equal to or higher than hers to escort her.
Callion is the only person in Hessengard who is qualified. So, Adelaide secretly thought this was an opportunity to make contact with him. But to think Callion would pretend not to know her so blatantly.
Even so, Adelaide could do nothing. If it had been Havand, he would have pointed out the rudeness and warned him never to come near again, but this was Hessengard, Callion was of higher status than her, and above all...
“...”
Callion, sitting next to Erna, gave off the impression that he wouldn't care at all what Adelaide said.
Desperately trying to control her panic, Adelaide briefly changed her goal.
"Your clothes are very beautiful, Erna."
It was praise, but it contained multiple meanings.
The clothes are beautiful. Then what about the rest?
Furthermore, the fact that he specifically singled out the clothes, when there were many other things to praise, means he wanted to point out that, unlike Callion, she came wearing something other than a ceremonial robe.
At those words, Erna smiled brightly and replied.
“Is that so? I rushed over because I heard you were coming, so I just threw on whatever I usually wear. Thank you for the compliment. If I had known you were coming today, I would have prepared more in advance. I am supposed to wear formal attire, but please understand my mistake of just coming as I was, out of sheer joy at seeing my sister after so long, Adelaide.”
It meant, "I came without formal attire, but don't make a fuss about it. Understand?"
At those words, Adelaide, who was about to blurt out a choked-up remark, clenched her fist while pretending to adjust her skirt.
If she were to take issue with the fact that etiquette was not observed, she would be at a significant disadvantage. For one thing, the established procedure for an envoy was to greet the person coming to meet them at a certain distance from the Grand Duke's castle and enter after a brief physical inspection.
However, ignoring that, Adelaide arrived straight inside the Grand Duke's castle.
If they weigh the severity of the failure to observe etiquette... She was absolutely at a disadvantage.
In the meantime, Callion looked at Erna. He was speaking with his eyes.
Just the way you usually wear it? You're good at lying.
At that look, Erna lightly kicked Callion's leg from under the table, out of sight of the people.
Can't you focus on the conversation? Look away.
And Cedric and Orpheus watched from a distance with intrigued eyes. Orpheus, in particular, felt relieved.
Orpheus recalled the time the Marquis of Carnarvon had visited. Back then, Erna had been trembling the entire way to meet him. Moreover, this time, they were relatives with whom they absolutely could not be on good terms.
Moreover, even before Erna arrived, Adelaide was a person who could not hide her disregard for Erna, starting from her words and attitude toward the servants of the Grand Duke's castle.
In the reception room, Adelaide could not hide her grim expression from the endless wait. Then, perhaps growing bored, she turned her gaze to the attendants and began to speak about Erna.
"You've worked hard taking care of Erna."
Adelaide said this and had the ladies-in-waiting she brought give gold coins to the servants of the Grand Duke's castle as compensation for their hard work.
Naturally, the servants were dumbfounded. Was this how gold coins were handed to the royal servants in Havand?
To be honest, their first thought was that it was vulgar rather than grateful. Moreover, they were all men who took pride in their positions as attendants of the Grand Duke's castle. Receiving alms in this way was not a pleasant matter at all.
On top of that, compensation for all this time? What did we say here?
Having done so, Adelaide kept asking her attendants when Grand Duke Callion would arrive, as if she didn't care at all about the other Grand Dukes of Hessengard.
Adelaide's demeanor in the reception room exuded the natural confidence of someone who had lived a life of praise and adoration.
In Havand, they might have accepted it naturally. However, to the servants of Hessengard, everything about Adelaide was simply uncomfortable. As the servants of the Grand Duke's castle stood in the reception room, they missed Erna and Callion more than ever.
Grand Dukes, please, I beg you, send that woman back to her quarters as soon as possible.
“But Grand Duke Callion...”
In the meantime, Adelaide mentioned Callion's name several times and even asked the servants about him.
Anyone could tell that Adelaide had an excessive interest in Callion.
“I expect to be indebted to Grand Duke Callion a lot while I stay at the Grand Duke’s castle, so please tell me if there is anything he likes or cherishes.”
The servant, troubled by Adelaide's question, looked for someone else to pass the question on to.
Just then, the servant's gaze met Cedric's. Cedric pleaded, sending a desperate look. "No. Don't. Don't call me." But the servant sold him out without hesitation.
“I believe Lord Cedric, Grand Duke Callion's lieutenant, would know such things better than anyone.”
The other servants enthusiastically chimed in in agreement with that answer. Cedric glared at them. Wow, traitors. Just you wait.
Adelaide's gaze turned toward Cedric. Her face signaled, "Hurry up and answer." Cedric opened his mouth, vowing to tell only the truth in response to Adelaide's question.
“Of course it is, Grand Duke Erna.”
"...What?"
“The thing His Excellency cherishes the most... no, it cannot be called ‘the most,’ but in any case, the person Grand Duke Carion cares about the most is Grand Duke Erna.”
Cedric pretended to bow politely while making a V sign with his hand behind his back. Orpheus had to desperately suppress her laughter, keeping her twitching lips shut. Had she been the type to act without regard for time or place, she would have clapped.
“I, I see..."
Adelaide answered with a sour expression.
Just then, Callion entered the reception room.
Upon hearing the story on the way back, Callion promised Cedric that he would surely give him a long vacation later and generously thank him for his hard work today.
“Stay a little distance away. I have to go now.”
While Callion wiped the trace of Erna from his lips with the back of his hand, Erna pushed his chest away and straightened her clothes. When Erna saw herself in the mirror, she looked like she was about to cry. She had worked so hard to get dressed, but it was ruined in an instant.
“...I’ll have to take it off.”
As Erna spoke in a disappointed voice, the corners of Callion's eyes turned up.
"Then were you planning to wear it and go out?"
“Of course. It took hours. I wanted to show it to the wizards too... Hey? What’s wrong?”
Erna screamed in surprise as Callion suddenly approached, spun her around, and quickly unbuttoned the back of her dress. Erna tried to stop him, but Callion quickly unbuttoned all the buttons and pulled her dress down.
As the dress was designed to reveal the chest, as it slid down, her white, round breasts were exposed in the bright sunlight. Erna recoiled in horror and tried to cover her chest with her arms, but Callion grabbed her wrist.
“Why are you hiding it? It’s pretty.”
“...”
Erna gave up saying anything more. Then again, he did seem half-crazed in the reception room.
Callion released one hand and grumbled as he lifted and lowered her breast with his palm as if it were his own.
"So you have to show it only to me."
"Am I walking around naked?"
"Actually, covering it up a little drives people crazy even more."
“...Did you forget that all the wizards are women?”
"You mean they're all women? There's one guy who isn't."
At Callion's words, Erna's face lit up as if she had just remembered.
"I didn't even think about it until you mentioned it."
“Good job. Just forget about it and move on. I was already in a bad mood because you said last time that guy looked like me.”
"Why is that something to be upset about?"
“If he were a guy similar to me, he would be looking at you the way I look at you.”
Erna didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the answer, which seemed to reveal a deep illness.
Lately, the more she got to know Callion, the more absurd his behavior seemed.
"Let go of my hand before I tie you up with the string again."
“Tsk.”
At Erna's threat, Callion released his hand from her wrist. He then lowered his head and kissed her chest. Erna frowned slightly at the sound of the sucking.
"You."
As Callion lifted his head, a red mark remained on the upper part of her chest. Along with it was the red stain of lipstick from her lips.
"Ah, seriously, it's a shame to stop here. Instead, just give me a compliment."
“What praise?”
"You'll probably have to do it."
Callion covered Erna with the bedroom robe hanging on the wall and continued speaking.
"It seems Adelaide has summoned the person I had prepared."
Adelaide looked at a knight bowing deeply in front of her.
“Right, so you are one of Grand Duke Callion's servants.”
"Indeed. It is an honor to meet you, Princess Adelaide."
The knight greeted Adelaide with great courtesy. Adelaide held out her hand to him. The knight trembled slightly and kissed the back of her hand.
This is how it should be.
Adelaide smiled as she looked down at the knight. He was a member of the Order of Knights whom Havand had painstakingly recruited a long time ago. He was also someone who would provide various forms of assistance within the Grand Duke's castle in the future.
Despite having said it tasted bad, Callion sucked on her lips all over. When it was truly on the verge of wearing out all her remaining makeup, Erna pushed Callion away.
"You said it tasted bad!"
"It doesn't matter because you're delicious."
"You're crazy!"
Seeing Callion now saying such embarrassing things as if it were nothing, Erna's face turned red, and she hit his arm.
However, noticing the lack of ferocity in that hand, he let out a low laugh. Callion recalled the meeting with Adelaide from a moment ago.
***
Every single minute and second spent talking with Adelaide was torture for Callion.
He had to exert all his strength to keep from shaking his leg frivolously. The only reason he could suppress his desire and listen to the conversation was that the dialogue between Erna and Adelaide was quite interesting.
To be precise, it was Adelaide's attitude that was amusing.
Callion escorted Erna to the reception room and took her to a seat. Then he spoke to Adelaide, who was standing there blankly.
"What are you doing? Sit down."
Callion cast a look at Adelaide, who was asking for an escort, as if to say, "Can't you even sit by yourself?" This was after treating Erna so preciously just moments ago, as if she would break if touched.
The Marquis of Carnarvon's aide, who was standing behind her, hurriedly escorted Adelaide, and she took her seat, unable to hide her displeasure.
Since it was not a banquet, there was no fan, so he could see her lips trembling slightly, unable to cover them.
In fact, Callion's behavior was not against etiquette, but that did not mean it was polite.
In any case, Adelaide was an envoy representing the nation. Therefore, as a gesture of welcome, it was right for a person of the opposite sex with a status equal to or higher than hers to escort her.
Callion is the only person in Hessengard who is qualified. So, Adelaide secretly thought this was an opportunity to make contact with him. But to think Callion would pretend not to know her so blatantly.
Even so, Adelaide could do nothing. If it had been Havand, he would have pointed out the rudeness and warned him never to come near again, but this was Hessengard, Callion was of higher status than her, and above all...
“...”
Callion, sitting next to Erna, gave off the impression that he wouldn't care at all what Adelaide said.
Desperately trying to control her panic, Adelaide briefly changed her goal.
"Your clothes are very beautiful, Erna."
It was praise, but it contained multiple meanings.
The clothes are beautiful. Then what about the rest?
Furthermore, the fact that he specifically singled out the clothes, when there were many other things to praise, means he wanted to point out that, unlike Callion, she came wearing something other than a ceremonial robe.
At those words, Erna smiled brightly and replied.
“Is that so? I rushed over because I heard you were coming, so I just threw on whatever I usually wear. Thank you for the compliment. If I had known you were coming today, I would have prepared more in advance. I am supposed to wear formal attire, but please understand my mistake of just coming as I was, out of sheer joy at seeing my sister after so long, Adelaide.”
It meant, "I came without formal attire, but don't make a fuss about it. Understand?"
At those words, Adelaide, who was about to blurt out a choked-up remark, clenched her fist while pretending to adjust her skirt.
If she were to take issue with the fact that etiquette was not observed, she would be at a significant disadvantage. For one thing, the established procedure for an envoy was to greet the person coming to meet them at a certain distance from the Grand Duke's castle and enter after a brief physical inspection.
However, ignoring that, Adelaide arrived straight inside the Grand Duke's castle.
If they weigh the severity of the failure to observe etiquette... She was absolutely at a disadvantage.
In the meantime, Callion looked at Erna. He was speaking with his eyes.
Just the way you usually wear it? You're good at lying.
At that look, Erna lightly kicked Callion's leg from under the table, out of sight of the people.
Can't you focus on the conversation? Look away.
And Cedric and Orpheus watched from a distance with intrigued eyes. Orpheus, in particular, felt relieved.
Orpheus recalled the time the Marquis of Carnarvon had visited. Back then, Erna had been trembling the entire way to meet him. Moreover, this time, they were relatives with whom they absolutely could not be on good terms.
Moreover, even before Erna arrived, Adelaide was a person who could not hide her disregard for Erna, starting from her words and attitude toward the servants of the Grand Duke's castle.
In the reception room, Adelaide could not hide her grim expression from the endless wait. Then, perhaps growing bored, she turned her gaze to the attendants and began to speak about Erna.
"You've worked hard taking care of Erna."
Adelaide said this and had the ladies-in-waiting she brought give gold coins to the servants of the Grand Duke's castle as compensation for their hard work.
Naturally, the servants were dumbfounded. Was this how gold coins were handed to the royal servants in Havand?
To be honest, their first thought was that it was vulgar rather than grateful. Moreover, they were all men who took pride in their positions as attendants of the Grand Duke's castle. Receiving alms in this way was not a pleasant matter at all.
On top of that, compensation for all this time? What did we say here?
Having done so, Adelaide kept asking her attendants when Grand Duke Callion would arrive, as if she didn't care at all about the other Grand Dukes of Hessengard.
Adelaide's demeanor in the reception room exuded the natural confidence of someone who had lived a life of praise and adoration.
In Havand, they might have accepted it naturally. However, to the servants of Hessengard, everything about Adelaide was simply uncomfortable. As the servants of the Grand Duke's castle stood in the reception room, they missed Erna and Callion more than ever.
Grand Dukes, please, I beg you, send that woman back to her quarters as soon as possible.
“But Grand Duke Callion...”
In the meantime, Adelaide mentioned Callion's name several times and even asked the servants about him.
Anyone could tell that Adelaide had an excessive interest in Callion.
“I expect to be indebted to Grand Duke Callion a lot while I stay at the Grand Duke’s castle, so please tell me if there is anything he likes or cherishes.”
The servant, troubled by Adelaide's question, looked for someone else to pass the question on to.
Just then, the servant's gaze met Cedric's. Cedric pleaded, sending a desperate look. "No. Don't. Don't call me." But the servant sold him out without hesitation.
“I believe Lord Cedric, Grand Duke Callion's lieutenant, would know such things better than anyone.”
The other servants enthusiastically chimed in in agreement with that answer. Cedric glared at them. Wow, traitors. Just you wait.
Adelaide's gaze turned toward Cedric. Her face signaled, "Hurry up and answer." Cedric opened his mouth, vowing to tell only the truth in response to Adelaide's question.
“Of course it is, Grand Duke Erna.”
"...What?"
“The thing His Excellency cherishes the most... no, it cannot be called ‘the most,’ but in any case, the person Grand Duke Carion cares about the most is Grand Duke Erna.”
Cedric pretended to bow politely while making a V sign with his hand behind his back. Orpheus had to desperately suppress her laughter, keeping her twitching lips shut. Had she been the type to act without regard for time or place, she would have clapped.
“I, I see..."
Adelaide answered with a sour expression.
Just then, Callion entered the reception room.
***
Upon hearing the story on the way back, Callion promised Cedric that he would surely give him a long vacation later and generously thank him for his hard work today.
“Stay a little distance away. I have to go now.”
While Callion wiped the trace of Erna from his lips with the back of his hand, Erna pushed his chest away and straightened her clothes. When Erna saw herself in the mirror, she looked like she was about to cry. She had worked so hard to get dressed, but it was ruined in an instant.
“...I’ll have to take it off.”
As Erna spoke in a disappointed voice, the corners of Callion's eyes turned up.
"Then were you planning to wear it and go out?"
“Of course. It took hours. I wanted to show it to the wizards too... Hey? What’s wrong?”
Erna screamed in surprise as Callion suddenly approached, spun her around, and quickly unbuttoned the back of her dress. Erna tried to stop him, but Callion quickly unbuttoned all the buttons and pulled her dress down.
As the dress was designed to reveal the chest, as it slid down, her white, round breasts were exposed in the bright sunlight. Erna recoiled in horror and tried to cover her chest with her arms, but Callion grabbed her wrist.
“Why are you hiding it? It’s pretty.”
“...”
Erna gave up saying anything more. Then again, he did seem half-crazed in the reception room.
Callion released one hand and grumbled as he lifted and lowered her breast with his palm as if it were his own.
"So you have to show it only to me."
"Am I walking around naked?"
"Actually, covering it up a little drives people crazy even more."
“...Did you forget that all the wizards are women?”
"You mean they're all women? There's one guy who isn't."
At Callion's words, Erna's face lit up as if she had just remembered.
"I didn't even think about it until you mentioned it."
“Good job. Just forget about it and move on. I was already in a bad mood because you said last time that guy looked like me.”
"Why is that something to be upset about?"
“If he were a guy similar to me, he would be looking at you the way I look at you.”
Erna didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the answer, which seemed to reveal a deep illness.
Lately, the more she got to know Callion, the more absurd his behavior seemed.
"Let go of my hand before I tie you up with the string again."
“Tsk.”
At Erna's threat, Callion released his hand from her wrist. He then lowered his head and kissed her chest. Erna frowned slightly at the sound of the sucking.
"You."
As Callion lifted his head, a red mark remained on the upper part of her chest. Along with it was the red stain of lipstick from her lips.
"Ah, seriously, it's a shame to stop here. Instead, just give me a compliment."
“What praise?”
"You'll probably have to do it."
Callion covered Erna with the bedroom robe hanging on the wall and continued speaking.
"It seems Adelaide has summoned the person I had prepared."
***
Adelaide looked at a knight bowing deeply in front of her.
“Right, so you are one of Grand Duke Callion's servants.”
"Indeed. It is an honor to meet you, Princess Adelaide."
The knight greeted Adelaide with great courtesy. Adelaide held out her hand to him. The knight trembled slightly and kissed the back of her hand.
This is how it should be.
Adelaide smiled as she looked down at the knight. He was a member of the Order of Knights whom Havand had painstakingly recruited a long time ago. He was also someone who would provide various forms of assistance within the Grand Duke's castle in the future.
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