CH 9

“The love potion is made from the horn of a unicorn, and unicorns are among the most powerful magical creatures, making them difficult for even the most skilled knights to hunt down.”

“Really?”

“This man leads a mercenary group that specializes in hunting demons, so it might be helpful to make some connections beforehand.”

Stella seemed to eye Linus William as well. The love potion was suitable to calm Lethenia’s raging emotions. Some time ago, Stella had expressed her concern about my deteriorating relationship with Ian and briefly talked about it.

It was known to work for most people for about a year, although it varied from person to person. That was enough time.

After a year, I’d probably just crawl away to a place where I’d never see him again. Stella spoke in a deep voice.

“By the way, even if you get a love potion, it would be a big trouble if it was known that you used such a trick on His Majesty, so I hope you can find another way…… No, I guess it’s the only way for now, sigh.”

Unfortunately, she thought I wanted the love potion to turn Ian’s heart around. I didn’t bother to correct her because I knew she would be disappointed if I told her the truth.

Maybe someday she’ll understand me. I turned my attention back to the lover candidates.

The next one that caught my eye was…… James Caron. A former slave from Xenos.

[Name: James Caron

Occupation: Slave

Age: 17 years old

Special notes: He was the illegitimate son of a wealthy upper-class family in Xenos, but he became a slave after the war. He is not good at physical labor due to his frail constitution. He suffers from stuttering due to shock during the war.]

Looking at his portrait, he has fair skin and golden eyes, and his well-groomed eyebrows give him a somewhat neat appearance.

I also noticed that his green hair color, which is rarely seen around here, was very unique. It added a bit of mystery to his otherwise ordinary appearance, giving him an air of mystery that was almost as ethereal as Lethenia’s silver hair.

Anyway, green hair dye is not commonly found in this era.

“Aren’t a slave from Xenos a bit too much? You told me to pick candidates that meet your conditions regardless of their status, so I put him on the list…… But if you get too close to him, it’s not good for the empress’s reputation.”

If I was worried about my reputation, I wouldn’t have planned this in the first place. However, I was interested in the farm he belongs to.

The farms where the Xenos slaves work are under the control of Duke Bledel. Among them, Brilland Farm was the largest, so the amount of crops collected was significant. If I could get my hands on it, my financial problems might be solved more easily. I read through the next document, thinking that I should learn more about this farm soon.

But…

“Isn’t this more of a problem than the slave from Xenos?”

[Name: Henry Chaild

Occupation: Fortune teller

Age: 30 years old

Special notes: A fortune teller who specializes in psychic counseling, mostly for noblewomen. Known for his bizarre method of predicting the future through physical contact, many noblewomen wait anxiously in line to see him. He is also gaining popularity among those who enjoy sodomy with the aim of free-spirited sex life.]

“Well, that’s true. After investigating so many people…….”

Stella trailed off, sounding very embarrassed. Somehow, there was a suspicious vibe in the air, like fortune-telling was an excuse and physical contact was the main objective.

I took a closer look at the portrait of the man who was supposed to be the fortune-teller. He did look a little more handsome among the candidates.

No, it wasn’t just a bit.

“But is this person…a man?”

“He looks so pretty that you could mistake him for a woman just by looking at the portrait.”

For some reason, I even felt like I had to protect this person because of his slender face. Do the ladies in this world like this kind of style?

“Wouldn’t it be better to see him in person? He might not catch the Empress’s eye, but he is very popular among Asha women.”

It was difficult to readily agree with Stella’s words, but in any case, it wasn’t an important issue. I finished going through the papers and nudged her.

“Stella, casually spread the word that I’m looking for a lover.”

“What? I can’t do that. What if the Emperor finds out?”

“It’s because he needs to know. Don’t forget that you have to spread the word naturally.”

Stella pondered, and for a brief moment showed a variety of facial expressions. Then, as if realizing something, she cautiously brought up her speculation.

“Is it something that stimulates jealousy among men?”

“……… Huh?”

“It’s a method women often use as a weapon to win over their mates. I guess you still care about the Emperor, right?”

“……Yes, something like that.”

Stella was far too intelligent to be an ordinary maid, but she sometimes slipped on the wrong side of the tracks like this. I didn’t want to make excuses, so I didn’t bother to correct her, and avoided her sparkling gaze.

It was only a matter of time before today’s events reached Ian’s ears. It’s too soon to let my guard down, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

I needed to lay the groundwork so that I wouldn’t stimulate Ian’s vigilance after the female lead showed up.

At first, he might think I’m just trying to get his attention. But he’ll see.

Lethenia no longer has any affection for him and will soon leave him for good in search of new happiness. It was the ending I’d always envisioned for Lethenia.

Now I need to make the next move.

Finding a boy named Klaus.

There was still time for the heroine, Rosetine, to appear. If my memory serves me correctly, she will appear at Lethenia’s birthday banquet next year.

Since this year’s birthday is just around the corner, we have about a year to go. Rosetine will be close to death several times before then.

I thought it would be a good idea to find her first, save her from the brink, and establish a friendly relationship with her. Of course, this was all part of my plan to avoid dying at the hands of the male protagonist.

In the original story, Rosetine suffers a head injury as a child, loses her memory, and grows up near the border of the doomed nations of Xenos and Asha. As an adult, she regains her childhood memories through a chance encounter.

She then travels to the Count on her own to prove that she is his true daughter and is reunited with him. 

“I need to find someone as soon as possible.”

It won’t be hard to find him.

[No one knows that the handsome boy named Klaus with orange eyes that seemed to exude a sweet scent, had fine hair resembling pink peony hidden under his black rough hair.]

It was a description from the original. The reason Count Bedos had not found Rosetine for so many years was because she had wandered from place to place and had cross-dressed to protect herself.

***

“I’ve found a few places that might be suitable.”

We were having tea in the palace gardens, basking in the pleasant sunshine. Today, Theo came to report on the settlement sites he was thinking of as a choices.

He still looked sexy as ever, but a bit tired. He placed one hand on his chest and lightly greeted me before sitting across from me.

I recalled my last memory of him. The words he said as he held my hand lingered in my mind. And honestly, it wasn’t just what he said that bothered me. The fact that I was touching an attractive man I’d never met before in my life also bothered me a little bit…….

The subtle awkwardness seemed to be mine alone, and Theo was as relaxed as ever.

I took a little deep breath and pulled myself together. Get a hold of yourself. Right now, the most important thing is to survive here.

Embarrassed by my own thoughts, I couldn’t look straight into his emerald eyes. I kept my gaze fixed on his dimples and spoke.

“I apologize for entrusting such a task to someone who has just returned from a long journey.”

“Even this is an honor for me, if it is for Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“If you’re so sorry, at least pay me well. No matter how close we are, it’s difficult to pamper you like this……. because I’m quite busy.”

The mention of compensation left me speechless for a moment. Theo wasn’t wrong.

It’s only fair to pay for the work that was done. I know better than anyone the frustration of unpaid labor.

Yeah, I’d better make sure of that.

“Ah, compensation. I didn’t think of the obvious. How much…… do you think I should pay you?”

I locked eyes with him, looking very serious, and waiting for an answer. As he studied my expression, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

After a few moments of silence, he let out a small laugh that revealed his deep dimples.

“It’s strange that you take my inane joke so seriously. If you didn’t hurt your head while you were sick for a while, did you change souls with someone?”

“……what?”

What the hell is this guy? Seeing my bewilderment, he gave me an even more amused look.

“You really are a different person than you used to be, though I like you in any guise Her Majesty.”