* * *
It was Ashard who found Eren pacing in the room alone.
Without hesitation, he approached and pressed one cheek with his hand, tilting Eren’s face up.
The squished cheek wobbled softly under his touch.
“It’s been less than five minutes since we got separated, Your Grace.”
Maybe still feeling guilty about losing him in town a few days ago, Ashard had been following Eren around nearly every day.
The moment Eren was out of sight, he’d summon all the servants to ask where he went.
“Five minutes is more than enough time for someone to disappear.”
Ashard’s grip unconsciously tightened in frustration.
Feeling the faint pressure on his cheek, Eren puffed out his face, as if to say stop it.
“But we’re inside the estate.”
Yes, they were inside.
And yet, what was so urgent that he had to rush around so much even within the mansion?
Reluctantly, Ashard let him go.
Recently, the number of letters from the emperor had increased.
Kidnapping was rampant, targeting not only commoners but even nobles, who were then sold as sex slaves to foreign lands.
The dark alleyways were the most dangerous spots—exactly where Ashard had found Eren.
If he had arrived just a little later, it would’ve been Eren who got kidnapped.
Whether Eren realized how dangerous it had been or not, Ashard couldn’t help but feel anxious watching him roam around so carefreely.
No one would dare infiltrate the Fridit mansion… or so one would hope.
But Ashard figured it wouldn’t hurt to prepare for the worst.
If someone involved in that incident had seen Eren’s face, he might still vanish—even within these walls.
A beautiful and valuable “product” like him was certainly worth the risk.
“Still, stay by my side.”
Ashard kept the truth from Eren, worried it might scare him.
As long as they stuck together, the mansion should be safe.
Just in case, Ashard pulled something from his pocket and handed it to him.
“Don’t lose this. I need to be able to track your location.”
What he offered was a small ring embedded with amber.
Judging by the shine, it was a high-grade gem.
“Location?”
“It has a tracking spell on it. And a teleportation spell, too. So wear it.”
Ashard slipped the ring onto Eren’s finger, showing his own matching one on his left hand as if to say, ‘See? I’m wearing mine too.’
The ring sparkled brilliantly on Eren’s left ring finger.
‘Is he doing this on purpose or just clueless…?’
Rings on the left ring finger had a certain implication, but it didn’t seem like Ashard had considered that at all.
He smiled innocently, with no hint of ulterior motive.
Eren’s expression instantly turned cold.
“I already have one.”
Meeting Ashard’s puzzled gaze, Eren pulled a ring from his pocket and held it out.
Then, right in front of him, he slid it onto the same finger, above the ring Ashard had just put on.
“Something about not being able to live without me, or whatever.”
Eren smiled sweetly, now wearing two rings, and spoke coyly, as if wondering why Ashard looked so irritated.
Staring intently at the second ring, Ashard suddenly snatched it off Eren’s finger.
“Why would you—”
“If the rings have conflicting magic, it could interfere with activation.”
Muttering in annoyance, Ashard tossed the ring to the ground and, without hesitation, crushed it underfoot.
The ring shattered into sparkling shards under his boot.
“One is enough.”
He whispered sweetly with a smile.
Eren’s eyes widened, looking at him like he’d gone mad.
He only meant to mess with him a little—how did it escalate to having his artifact destroyed into glittering pieces? His face went slack with disbelief.
‘Do you even know how much that cost?!’
He had never lived in poverty, but he still knew the value of money.
Artifacts made with wearable jewels—especially those with practical use—were highly valuable.
From what Eren knew, one of those rings was worth at least 20 gold coins.
Given that mansion servants earned about 2 gold coins a month, it would take ten months’ wages to buy just one.
Recalling the time he threw gold coins at the men trying to catch him during his escape, Eren grumbled with resentment.
“Did you really have to destroy it? I could’ve just left it behind…”
“Oh, you should’ve told me if you weren’t going to wear it. I assumed you would—since it seemed like a gift from someone important.”
What kind of nonsense is that!?
He wanted to yell at him to pay for it, but couldn’t bring himself to say it.
It was expensive, yes, but he hadn’t planned to use it anyway.
Even in the alley days ago, he had it on him but never thought to activate it.
Left unused, it would’ve just been pretty trash.
And besides, Ashard had given him something equally—no, more—valuable.
Complaining now would only make him look petty.
“Still, it was mine. You can’t just break it without asking—”
“Sorry.”
The quick, casual apology left Eren speechless.
Why did it feel like he’d just been completely played?
In the end, he couldn’t say anything else.
“Your Grace, a letter from the Imperial Palace.”
As the fire faded from Eren’s eyes, a servant who’d been watching quietly stepped forward and bowed.
Ashard, who’d received dozens of letters over the past few days, scowled and waved a hand.
The gesture meant “if it’s not urgent, take it away,” but the servant hesitated and offered the letter anyway—not to Ashard, but to Eren.
Blinking in surprise, Eren stared at the golden envelope handed to him.
“…Me?”
“Someone from the imperial palace brought a letter and said to deliver it to you, Eren-nim.”
Ashard glanced sideways at the letter for a moment, then snatched it away before Eren could take it.
Tearing it open, he wondered if His Majesty the Emperor had spouted yet another outrageous remark.
“……”
Ashard read through the contents and only after confirming that it was entirely different from what he had expected, did he hand the letter to Eren.
The envelope seemed to be from the Emperor.
That’s what he thought—until he checked more closely.
“Uncle!”
A voice called out to Ashard.
The speaker was Melody.
Though her tone was the same as usual, there was a strange sense of urgency laced within it.
She seemed to have come in a hurry, her breath ragged and her usually composed appearance disheveled.
Melody, who never once showed signs of strain despite the heavy workload, now wore a hardened expression.
Ashard frowned and asked,
“What’s going on?”
“…I think you should urgently go to the palace.”
“I was planning to anyway. His Majesty sent a letter.”
“That’s not it…”
What is she hesitating to say?
Concern flashed in Ashard’s usually indifferent eyes—concern directed at him.
Eren noticed and was puzzled by it.
…What’s going on?
Empress Luan muttered as she stared endlessly at the unopened door.
Ever since the Emperor had started insisting that Eren should become his consort, he had visited the Empress daily, almost as if seeking forgiveness.
Though the Empress knew well how talented and desirable Eren was, she had not said anything specific about the matter.
Even so, the door to her chambers had worn thin from constant opening.
It wasn’t until she angrily declared that she’d start using separate bedchambers that the frequency of his visits slightly decreased—but just barely.
Yet today, not once had the doors to the Empress’s quarters opened.
* * *
