Chapter 32

Lukas, since he became a surrogate parent to the griffin Albertina at the age of eight, had rarely been able to leave the manor to take care of her.

He had very few opportunities to attend tea parties at other houses, accompanied by the lady.

By the time Albertina had grown and required less attention, Lukas was considering enrolling in the academy, but tensions with a neighboring country escalated.

Lukas received an unusually swift royal order to join the Divine Beast Knights.

There had been suggestions for special enrollment, such as taking long breaks to attend the academy for short periods or attending only in the mornings, but ultimately, the war began, and he had to give up on his plans to enroll.

He had hoped that if the war ended quickly, he might still have a chance to enroll later, but being appointed as the leader of the Divine Beast Knights made that dream impossible. Both in terms of age and position, he was no longer allowed to live freely as a student.

"Lukas has had no chance to make friends, no time to play freely, and no environment to study. He has been fortunate to have trustworthy companions, and he takes pride in that... but he can only act as the hero they expect him to be, even in front of them. He is in a position where he must lead not only his superiors but also older, more experienced knights."

The lady's cheeks were slightly flushed, perhaps from the alcohol.

"The Ambrosius family, as dukes, prioritized the country's needs over their son's feelings. Despite being the most affectionate of the three brothers, Lukas has always played the role of the perfect student without ever expressing his desires. I want to give him as much as possible of what he wants."

"Is that... me?"

"Yes, of course, at first, I was wary. But it turned out to be unfounded. Lukas, who is usually wary of people and has difficulty socializing, likes you. It's only natural. I was delighted... When I asked you what you liked about Lukas, you said he was cute. Knowing that he could be himself and be affectionate with you made me very happy."

"Lady Hermine, you really care about Lord Lukas, don't you?"

Hermine chuckled, placed her glass on the table, and took Viela's hand in both of hers.

"Viela, you must feel the same, right? You haven't been yourself since the expedition started."

"..."

This was the first time Viela felt so concerned about an expedition, even though she had seen off expedition teams before. She couldn't stop worrying about whether he was sleeping well, if he was injured, and if he was eating properly. She was so worried that she had thrown herself into work, only to end up with more free time.

She was constantly thinking about what he might be doing.

"I'm not doubting Lord Lukas. I know he'll be fine, but I can't help worrying if he's safe and if he's not overworking himself."

"I understand. When Lukas returns from the expedition, please praise him a lot and spoil him."

"Yes, but how should I spoil him?"

Should she offer a convenient magical device, a favorite treat, or perhaps a new ribbon?

When Viela asked what Lukas might enjoy, Lady Hermine smiled seductively and playfully.

"Give him a kiss from you."

"Wh-What!? A k-kiss!?"

Taken aback by the unexpected advice, Viela's eyes widened. She wondered if she had heard wrong, but the lady nodded firmly, confirming the kiss.

It might be normal for engaged couples, but Viela and Lukas were in a contractual relationship. She had never imagined kissing him, and she doubted he would be happy about it.

"I think he will definitely be happy. After all, Lukas has never been able to hide how much he likes you. He clearly treats you specially."

Viela almost said it was an act but managed to hold back. The lady, who was skilled at reading people's minds, had seen through Viela's act from the beginning. It was hard to deny her.

Suddenly, a possibility occurred to her.

(Could it be that his warnings about other people, his enthusiasm for remodeling the estate's house, and his constant vigilance are not acts, but because Lord Lukas likes me as more than just a contract? If he's acting on his true feelings—when did it start? It can't have been from the beginning... It must be a lie!)

Viela's body felt like it was on fire, and she was sure steam was coming out of her head. She had forgotten that their engagement was a love match and ended up denying Lukas's feelings again.

Lady Hermine smiled confidently and made a proposal.

"Let's have a contest. If Lukas is happy after you kiss him, I win. If he dislikes it, you win. The loser will grant one wish to Lukas as an apology for misreading his feelings. Since Lukas is being dragged into our contest, let's make the punishment beneficial for him."

Lukas was indeed being dragged into this. Viela nodded, and the lady said, "I look forward to Lukas's return. Good night," before leaving the salon room.

Viela drank water instead of ice wine to cool her head.

"Why did I get into this... What do I have to do again?"

She had accepted the contest in a daze. Calming down, she recalled the details and was stunned.

"Wait, I have to kiss Lord Lukas!? From me!?"

She hoped it was a misunderstanding caused by the alcohol and glanced at a servant standing a bit away. The servant nodded with a smile.

So, the kiss was a certainty. Viela's scream echoed through the salon room.

* * *

"What will I do when Lord Lukas returns..."

Days later, Viela, who was conducting the final inspection of the enchanted equipment, stopped packing the items into the delivery box, her face flushed with embarrassment.

The morning after the night she had drunk, she had tried to withdraw from the contest, but the lady immediately rejected her request. Even the Duke of Ambrosius said, "I look forward to the contest." She had no way out.

"How many more days until he returns?"

It had been exactly three weeks since the expedition started. Normally, they would receive a message that the barrier had been set up, and the expedition team would return to the capital in a few days. However, an unexpected request came to the technical department.

While Viela was labeling the delivery boxes in the warehouse, Director Dressler rushed in, panting, and said, "Viela, I need you to come to a place urgently!"