The Lark’s Debt

Using the perfect excuse of “post-heat aftereffects,” Ensi compelled Agniele to visit the mansion every morning for an entire week.

Of course, he never explicitly said he was in pain. However, he occasionally furrowed his brow while touching his forehead, burned sun-grass more frequently than usual, or caressed Agniele’s cheek or neck with hands that felt colder than normal.

Agniele was a novice in romance, but he was acutely sensitive to Ensi’s physical condition. Knowing this well, Ensi steadily created situations that Agniele could not ignore.

Even though it was a transparent ploy, Agniele failed to notice anything strange and fell for it completely. Ultimately, he forgot his resolve to research materials at the Imperial Library and was too busy staying by Ensi’s side.

For the past week, Agniele repeated the routine of arriving at Ensi’s mansion early in the morning to care for him and returning to his own home only late at night.

Then came the eighth day after Ensi’s heat ended. Today was a day Agniele had to attend an event he could not miss as an heir, so he was forced to skip his visit.

Hesperon did not miss that gap. Having kept his ears open to the mansion’s affairs, he sought out Ensi as if he had been waiting, carrying a mountain of backlogged work.

“By the way, Young Master. Didn’t you used to hate being pitied for being sick?”

His one and only employer hated being treated with emotions like pity, worry, or sympathy—no matter who it was or what the reason. “Hate” was an understatement; he absolutely detested it.

Hesperon, knowing this all too well, found Ensi’s recent behavior incomprehensible and finally voiced his suppressed curiosity.

“That’s right. I still hate it.”

“Then why on earth are you acting like that with him?”

“Because that’s the only way I can keep his eyes fixed on me?”

Why ask something so obvious? Ensi tilted his head, resting it on his hand. The look he gave Hesperon was filled with the pity one reserves for the ignorant.

Facing that gaze directly, Hesperon let out a dry cough of embarrassment. It was a reason he had suspected inwardly, but hearing it directly from Ensi’s mouth made it feel even more surreal.

“More importantly, let’s get to wor—oh, for goodness’ sake.”

Ensi, who was about to tell him to work instead of asking useless questions, frowned at the loudly ringing artifact.

It was the same artifact that rang whenever Agniele arrived. Since there was no way Agniele, who was attending an event, had come, this time it was truly an uninvited guest.

Ensi’s face twisted in genuine displeasure. His expression was so grim that the familiar spirit, which had manifested itself, trembled slightly upon seeing him.

“What is it?”

Seeing the familiar spirit appear before him, Ensi forced his expression to soften and spoke in a gentle voice. Only then did the spirit approach, settling on top of his head and conjuring a flame in mid-air.

“This is…?”

“Quiet.”

Unlike the startled Hesperon, Ensi accepted the spirit’s sudden action with ease. He had experienced similar situations several times thanks to Donovan.

The flame flickering in the air began to take a specific shape. Though it was entirely red, it wasn’t difficult to recognize the face once the fire drew a complete outline. Watching the shape formed in the air, Ensi let out a light sigh.

“The lark truly has arrived.”

[What should I do?]

The visitor hadn’t come officially, but blocking or attacking them seemed unnecessary since they likely had no hostile intent. It seemed the spirit had come to ask how to handle such a confusing situation.

This meant Donovan had been very meticulous in his instructions when asking the spirit for help. Ensi silently thanked the man who had left to find another clue.

“You can ignore it. I’ll take care of it.”

Ensi stroked the crown of the spirit’s head with his index finger—the spirit who had taken on a task it had never done before simply because it was close to him, and had completed it successfully.

Since it was a spirit that had only recently been born, delicate tasks must have been difficult. How commendable.

“It seems we must welcome a guest.”

“Indeed. Since the work isn’t finished yet… Hesperon, you wait here.”

“Are you planning to guide them to the drawing room?”

“They aren’t close enough to be invited into the bedroom.”

Even though he guessed it wouldn’t happen, Ensi had harbored a sliver of hope that Agniele might visit. Thanks to that, he was already fully dressed and groomed for the day.

Dressed impeccably for receiving a guest, Ensi withdrew his hand from the spirit as the servants began to move tactfully.

“If it weren’t for Count Alemier, I wouldn’t have to deal with such bothersome things…”

To think he had to involve himself in politics just because he was born to such parents. Ensi could only sigh. He wondered what the “lark” had brought this time. Far from expectation, he only felt a headache coming on.

“It’s been a long time, my cute Snow White. Was your excursion enjoyable?”

Ensi’s eyebrows arched sharply at the title he hadn’t heard in a while. “Snow White”—it was a playful nickname Lady Natalia had given him because he harbored a cold chill like snow all year round.

“It has been a while, Lady Natalia. As for the excursion—well, it was enjoyable in its own way.”

It was a prefix he found unpleasant, used only by her.

Sitting on the sofa with a crooked posture, Ensi propped his head on his hand, elbow resting on the armrest. Despite Ensi manifesting his displeasure with his whole body, Lady Natalia covered her mouth with her fan and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

“I’m glad it was enjoyable, but it was so dull while my cute one was away at the Academy.”

“Then the strange gift you sent me must have been a prank committed because you couldn’t overcome that boredom.”

“Oh my, has the package arrived already?”

How fast.

Her wide eyes were terribly artificial. Ensi quietly closed his eyes at the loathsome behavior of the culprit behind the “night guest” incident.

Getting angry at every little thing would only drain his energy. While Ensi reigned in his surging emotions, Lady Natalia brought up a new topic.

“More importantly… I heard that my Snow White is in a relationship with a Lacius. Now, do you think you might need my help?”

Her unusually melodic voice tickled his eardrums. At the mention of Lacius, Ensi, who had maintained a detached attitude, slightly lowered the arm propping up his head.

It wasn’t strange that she knew about the relationship between him and Agniele. He hadn’t even intended to hide it in the first place.

However, there was a specific reason Ensi reacted. The Lady’s proposal just now was practically the Emperor speaking through his mistress, saying he could bridge the gap between the Lacius Duchy and Ensius.

“……I thought His Majesty would find it unpalatable.”

The authority of the Lacius family was already towering. While their power didn’t rival the Imperial family, it also meant the Emperor had no particular reason to help Ensi—who held the purse strings—unite with Lacius.

“Lacius is a loyal servant. Although that loyalty is directed toward the Empire rather than the Imperial family, they do not oppose the throne’s authority. My lover said that at least one such subject should be by his side.”

Isn’t he wonderful?

With a sharp clack, the folded fan tapped the Lady’s flushed cheek. Ensi marveled inwardly at her expression, which was filled with an almost dreamlike ecstasy.

Well, I suppose with that level of acting, she can do more than just occupy the position of the Emperor’s mistress and exert significant influence in politics.

Furthermore, she was a figure who stood in the empty place of the Empress despite being a mistress. She was a very ambitious woman.

“I will take care of it myself.”

Of course, he had no intention of accepting help. Having gained the vital information that the Emperor didn’t mind the union between himself and Lacius was enough for now.

Ensi propped his head back up and maintained his half-reclined posture to show his lack of interest.

“Oh? Why take the long way around when there’s an easy path? Since you’ve passed your first heat safely, I could even persuade the Duchess of Lacius for you.”

So she even knows the reason Lacius opposed me.

Lady Natalia pouted and urged him again like one coaxing a child, but Ensi remained silent. He turned his head away, maintaining a bored expression.

Faced with an attitude that genuinely seemed to reject help, the Lady narrowed her eyes for a split second, scanning Ensi. Soon, she let her gaze drift and smiled, tilting her head.

“I thought the reason you reduced the mana stone mining output was a tantrum to make me get you away from Alemier as soon as possible, but I guess I was wrong?”

“Did I not maintain the Imperial supply levels?”

“But the price of mana stones fluctuated. My lover was quite distressed seeing that.”

“That is the fault of Marquis Centron. Does the majority of the mana stones circulated in the Empire not come from his hands?”

“You certainly have a way with words—”

Since it wasn’t a lie, Lady Natalia glared at Ensi without real malice. The fact that the Imperial family could obtain mana stones smoothly was thanks to Ensius, so they had no choice but to turn a blind eye to his little game with the mining output.

Besides, the reason he acted that way was clear, so there was no reason for the Imperial family to interfere.

“So, what brings such a busy person all the way here?”

“Why, obviously I came to see my cute Snow White.”

“You tell ridiculous lies with such amusement.”

There was no reason for someone who supposedly came just to see his face to use a side door meant for servants instead of the main gate. Furthermore, visiting without even a maid and accompanied only by secret guards meant she had a confidential errand.

“How cold. But well… there’s no benefit in staying long, so let’s finish quickly as you wish.”

Her lips twitched at Ensi’s blunt pointing out of the facts. She pulled a small jewelry box from a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress under her robe and pushed it across the table.

“I’ve come to put you in my debt, Snow White.”

You’ll accept it, right? Natalia opened the firmly closed jewelry box slowly with a fresh, cheerful voice.

Ensi, who had been trying to maintain his poker face at the ominous word “debt,” couldn’t help but furrow his brow hideously the moment he saw the violet gem contained in the box, which was smaller than a woman’s palm.

Indeed, here was the reason the “lark” had offered to actively help with his marriage.