* * *

The Zabre Empire was a land of peace.

Since the narrative focused on Edwin and Kayla, the imperial setting was crafted to be free of major conflicts.

But if one looked closer, even this seemingly idyllic empire harbored its share of issues.

Not everyone was loyal to the crown.

Some, like the fallen noble Hook, held grudges because of past entanglements with the imperial family.

Others bore direct animosity toward the crown prince.

Count Taylor Seth was one such person.

Born to a local noble family with substantial wealth but minimal prestige, Taylor grew up in a region where his influence was unmatched.

He was like a king to the people of his domain, who went to great lengths to avoid displeasing him.

Having been raised with unchecked power and privilege, Taylor naturally developed a haughty demeanor.

Everything had to revolve around him, and he couldn’t stand not possessing something. His life, where everything came easily, eventually grew dull.

Even tormenting his subjects and seizing their belongings brought only fleeting amusement.

This boredom led him to leave his domain for the capital.

Knowing he wouldn’t be immediately recognized, he enrolled in the academy.

His sharp intellect assured him that his abilities would make him stand out, forcing others to acknowledge him.

But things didn’t go as he’d expected.

The academy was filled with equally talented individuals, many from powerful families.

Taylor found himself treated as just another provincial noble, and his pride began to crack.

That’s when the crown prince caught his eye.

Seeing Edwin gave Taylor a new idea: why struggle to climb the ladder when befriending the crown prince could propel him to the top more quickly?

It seemed like a perfect plan—until the crown prince dismissed him with a single, offhand comment.

‘I don’t like the look in his eyes.’

That casual remark was devastating. It toppled the fragile tower of connections Taylor had painstakingly built in the capital.

Bitter and humiliated, he returned to his domain, where he secluded himself in his castle, amassing information about the world.

Now, he’d finally emerged from his lair.

‘He came to find me.’

As Henry locked eyes with Taylor, he clenched his fists subtly, trying not to reveal his unease.

In his distraction, he’d almost forgotten the hand he still held.

He could feel Edwin’s gaze on him, but he didn’t turn away from Taylor.

Taylor’s eyes briefly narrowed as they flicked to their intertwined hands, as if assessing their relationship.

Henry debated letting go but decided there was no point—Taylor had already seen.

“And who are you?” Henry asked, his voice deliberate as he glanced toward the entrance of his estate.

He wanted to make it clear that questioning an uninvited guest was his right.

“Count Taylor Seth,” Taylor replied, bowing his head slightly.

“Henry Timothy.” Henry offered his name while studying Taylor’s expression.

Edwin, unsurprisingly, remained silent, having no intention of revealing his identity.

After the exchange of pleasantries, Henry simply stared at Taylor.

He had no intention of continuing the conversation unnecessarily.

In fact, he already knew what Taylor was likely to do next.

‘In the original story, he approached Kayla first.’

In the novel’s plot, Taylor had cautiously befriended Kayla, waiting for her to lower her guard.

Once close, he’d subtly inquired about a certain treasure.

Henry was certain Taylor intended to approach him in the same manner.

That was exactly what Henry was counting on.

‘I’ll get close to him first and gather as much information as I can.’

Just as Kayla had interacted with Taylor, Henry resolved to respond positively when Taylor approached.

But unlike Kayla, Henry planned to keep his own secrets while prying into Taylor’s.

He’d even prepared topics and items that might intrigue Taylor, investing time and money into the effort.

This unexpected encounter had him feeling both cautious and eager.

“I’ve only recently arrived in the capital and was wandering about when I found myself here. I didn’t realize this was the Timothy estate. My apologies if I caused any offense,” Taylor said with a polite nod toward the imposing mansion.

‘Liar.’

There was no way Taylor didn’t know exactly where he was.

Henry scrutinized Taylor’s face but couldn’t detect any cracks in his composed demeanor.

“Well, perhaps we’ll meet again,” Taylor said lightly, bowing again before walking past Henry.

Henry turned to watch him leave, puzzled.

Why had Taylor left after only a brief introduction?

As he pondered, Edwin broke the silence.

“Wandering into the duke’s estate by accident? How unusual.”

“Indeed. Maybe next time I’ll draw him a map.”

Henry shrugged, realizing this wasn’t their last encounter.

Now that they’d met, their paths would inevitably cross again.

As Henry stood there, contemplating Taylor’s retreating figure, Edwin spoke again.

“Do you know him?”

“You were someone I was supposed to form a connection with.”

Edwin’s pheromones surged as Henry gave a vague response without taking his eyes off Taylor.

Seeing Edwin’s obvious displeasure, Henry finally turned to face him.

“You’ve been practicing pheromone control regularly, right?”

It was Henry subtly pointing out Edwin’s unchecked release of pheromones.

With the waves of it practically tangible, Henry was telling him to tone it down.

Yet Edwin acted like he didn’t hear a word.

“Why were you supposed to connect with Count Taylor Seth?”

“Because he appeared before me, so I figured as much.”

And indeed, that’s how it should have been.

He hadn’t anticipated things would simply fall apart like this.

“You seem to like him.”

“I’ll pretend I do, at least. But don’t misunderstand—don’t get in my way.”

Henry made it clear he didn’t want Edwin interfering with his work involving Taylor.

If Edwin meddled, everything could go up in smoke.

“Not the answer I wanted to hear.”

“Even if you don’t like it, it doesn’t change the fact this is critical for both you and me.”

“In what way?”

“Well…”

Henry hesitated, then shook his head.

Even if he wanted to explain, there wasn’t much he could say to Edwin.

“By the way, did Kayla return to his country?”

At the sudden mention of Kayla’s name, Edwin scowled deeply.

“You have an annoying habit of provoking people.”

Thinking Edwin was jealous, Henry tried to soothe him but got caught off guard by Edwin’s words.

Annoyed, Henry shook their clasped hands wildly as he voiced his dissatisfaction.

“What’s so annoying about it? It just came to mind! That’s a harsh thing to say.”

“There’s no need to bring up someone who fancies you right in front of me.”

“I was surprised to learn Kayla liked me too, but… Wait, how did you know?”

Henry, who was about to protest Edwin’s “annoying” comment, suddenly paused, puzzled.

Kayla had confessed to him, yes, but since he hadn’t seen him again, he’d forgotten about it.

He never expected Edwin to bring it up first.

“Why wouldn’t I know?”

“Well, I figured if I didn’t say anything, you wouldn’t find out.”

“He told me.”

“Kayla did? Oh…”

Henry scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

Before he could react further, Edwin tugged his other hand, forcibly turning Henry toward him.

It looked like he’d need a warm compress for his arm tonight.

Edwin’s grip had been relentless, swinging him around.

Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, Edwin leaned his face dangerously close to Henry’s.

Faced with Edwin’s intense expression, Henry couldn’t muster any complaints about his rough handling and just stared back.

“Try looking away from me. Just try.”

---

“I’ve entered the Duke’s estate.”

The knight’s report reached Taylor’s ears as he sat with his eyes closed in the carriage. He opened them, turning his head slightly.

“I had planned to strike up more conversation after introducing myself.”

Taylor mumbled, scratching his chin as he watched the distant Duke Timothy’s mansion. With Henry now inside the estate, Taylor couldn’t see him, so he pictured the man’s face in his mind instead. He had intentionally left his carriage behind and walked to avoid missing the chance for a natural conversation.

When Henry Timothy finally appeared, Taylor observed him closely, as if trying to figure out who he really was. The gaze Henry returned was sharp and brimming with personality. Taylor already knew of his peculiar temperament, but seeing it firsthand made it clear—Henry left a strong impression.

“He doesn’t look like someone you can approach easily.”

Even after their brief exchange, it was obvious Henry wasn’t needlessly kind to everyone. And then there was Edwin, who exuded an intimidating aura, as though shielding Henry. Watching them together sparked new ideas in Taylor’s mind.

“I’ve changed my plans.”

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