It had been before their return to the capital.
Luinael, unusually serious, had voiced his concerns, and Shane had responded sincerely.
With a face like his, there wasn’t a person alive who couldn’t be charmed.
“But it’s not easy. He doesn’t care about me at all.”
“What?”
That couldn’t be right.
Shane widened his eyes in disbelief, looking at the dejected Luinael.
“Is that true?”
“Yes…”
“Hmm…”
Shane raised his hand, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
That man, Isaac, the Duke whom Luinael was soon to marry… Shane had never met him personally but had heard the rumors.
The Devil Duke, they called him.
A man surrounded by dark and ominous tales.
Clearly, he wasn’t an ordinary individual.
“What exactly happened?”
“Well…”
When Shane prompted him, Luinael eagerly began to explain.
“Isaac barely looks at my face. Sometimes, he even frowns like he’s annoyed. Other times, he looks genuinely uncomfortable.”
“Hmm…”
“And earlier, I even kissed him on the cheek…”
“You kissed him?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
That fearsome beauty even delivered a kiss, yet he remained unmoved.
As expected, the infamous Devil Duke lived up to his reputation.
Shane nodded gravely, his expression serious.
Avoiding eye contact might be because Luinael’s stunning beauty was too overwhelming, causing him to deliberately avert his gaze.
Shane often used that tactic himself.
But the fact that he frowned or showed visible displeasure was somewhat perplexing.
Shane furrowed his brows, lost in thought.
“Huh? What should I do now?”
“Well…”
It was Shane himself who said that no one could resist that kind of beauty.
And his belief in that statement hadn’t changed.
The issue was that the other party was not the type to succumb to appearances alone.
In that case, perhaps it was time to try a different approach.
Something more traditional, even.
“How about going on a date?”
“A date?”
“Yes.”
Shane nodded earnestly.
Even on the battlefield, Shane had heard countless rumors about the Devil Duke.
News from the capital was always critical to them, as everything they did—even risking their lives in war—was to gain recognition from the imperial family.
The general consensus was that Duke Drake was a stoic and ascetic man.
He had no notable relationships with men or women and acted as though he would live alone for the rest of his life.
To add insult to injury, losing the civil war and being forced to marry the enemy’s kin must have been a humiliating experience for him.
So, no matter how attractive or charming Luinael might be, it was likely difficult for the duke to accept things as they stood.
In such a case, it would be wise to approach him slowly.
“The two of you haven’t gone out together, have you? Excluding that time you were summoned to the imperial palace.”
“That’s… true.”
“Perhaps sharing an activity the Duke enjoys might help improve the atmosphere.”
“Something Isaac enjoys…”
Luinael fell into thought, while Shane watched him intently.
“And before you go out, could you please clear the documents off your desk?”
“Hmm…”
Shane sighed deeply, visibly weary.
Luinael glanced at the papers piled high on his desk for the first time.
“You’ve really had a hard time.”
“Thank you for noticing.”
But what Shane truly wished for was additional manpower.
At this rate, he felt like he might die from overwork.
However, he couldn’t bring himself to voice those thoughts and instead gazed at Luinael with pleading eyes.
The ducal household had been neglected for quite some time, both in its territories and its administrative affairs.
Historically, the title of Grand Duke of Eukrencia was an honorary position granted to imperial family members who failed to ascend to the throne.
It was a role bestowed by the emperor to the sibling or relative he trusted the most.
But for decades, no royal family member had taken on the title of Grand Duke, as everyone was too busy vying for the throne.
The intense civil war that had just ended was proof of that.
As a result, the household had been left vacant for a long time, and key positions remained unfilled.
Luinael, who hadn’t even fully settled in the capital, was severely lacking in manpower.
His supposed “aides” were little more than skilled swordsmen with no aptitude for governance.
This left Shane, the most capable among them, to shoulder all the burden.
Luinael couldn’t ignore the desperate look in Shane’s eyes.
“Manpower will be added soon.”
“Really?”
“Yes, so hang in there until then.”
“Ha… Understood.”
At least Luinael was generous with salaries and incentives, which was some consolation.
Money was everything, after all.
Shane, who had once broken his bones fighting on the battlefield, now lived for financial gain.
His relentless work ethic had earned him the nickname “penny-pincher” among those around him.
‘But the Devil Duke, huh…’
As the head of the ducal family, one would think he’d have a knack for administration.
Both Shane and Luinael were fighters at heart, and handling bureaucratic matters often felt like hitting a wall.
If the former head of the ducal household lent his aid, things would surely be smoother…
‘No, what am I even thinking?’
Although Luinael was deeply infatuated, Shane couldn’t bring himself to trust the Devil Duke.
After all, he was a man who had rebelled against the emperor—a fact that would never change.
Someone needed to stay vigilant, and Shane resolved that it had to be him.
With that, Shane nodded firmly and returned his focus to the mountain of paperwork.
* * *
“Shall we go out today?”
Over breakfast, Luinael casually extended the invitation, and Isaac’s eyes widened.
“Go out?”
“Yes, the weather’s lovely today.”
“…Together?”
“Yes.”
Luinael responded with a radiant smile, causing Isaac to wear an awkward one of his own.
Of course. There was no way he’d be allowed to go out alone.
While marrying Luinael had pardoned his crimes, treason was still a grave offense that would ordinarily condemn one’s entire family to death.
Offering up the ducal household wasn’t enough to absolve him fully.
So, for the time being, it was inevitable that he’d be under strict surveillance.
In truth, aside from his visit to the imperial palace, Isaac had spent his days quietly within the ducal estate.
Gone were the days when he could freely wander outside on his own.
“Sounds good.”
“Let’s leave right after breakfast.”
“Alright.”
Luinael’s excitement bubbled over as he chatted about reserving the capital’s finest clothing and accessory shops.
He resembled a child, chattering away with glee.
Isaac simply nodded along.
If he were the real Isaac, he might have lit up with enthusiasm. But now, none of it mattered. He no longer needed to keep up with society’s latest trends.
Still, if the real Isaac would have enjoyed this, he had to play the part and appear delighted. Isaac forced a smile, raising the corners of his lips to feign anticipation.
After all, the past few days had been spent either in his room, the garden, or on an unpleasant trip to the imperial palace. A change of scenery didn’t sound so bad.
“Thank you for being so thoughtful.”
“No, it’s the least I could do. I’ve been too inattentive.”
“Haha…”
Luinael certainly seemed busy.
Although he made time to visit Isaac occasionally, his aide always looked like he was on the verge of collapse during those moments.
Isaac recalled the brief glimpses he’d had of Shane and took a sip of water.
“Is your work alright?”
“Yes, I cleared my schedule for today.”
“…”
Really?
Luinael had lied with a straight face so often that Isaac found it hard to take his words at face value.
Isaac gave him a skeptical look.
“It’s true. Please trust me.”
“Alright.”
Hopefully, Shane wouldn’t come running in tears later.
Isaac couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of unease.
And… it was about time to start earning points.
Not that he wanted to engage in physical contact with Luinael, but the system left him no choice.
Isaac gritted his teeth.
“Once you’re ready, come downstairs.”
“Got it.”
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