* * *
Despite his reluctance, Henry had shown up at the appointed time and chosen the books with care.
“By the way, who’s the teacher you called?”
“You’ll see when they arrive.”
How hard could it be to answer that?
After all, they’d just met that morning and were now meeting again a few hours later.
Henry wasn’t expecting anyone special, thinking it wouldn’t matter much as he wasn’t too thrilled about attending lessons with Edwin in the first place.
However, when the man entered, Henry sat up in surprise.
The man walking in had long brown hair tied back, glasses perched on his gentle face—a figure Henry recognized instantly.
‘Count Ariat? What is he doing here…?’
Even though Edwin had told him to see for himself, Henry hadn’t anticipated recognizing the teacher so easily.
He didn’t know all the nobles, but this man was an exception.
A famed scholar whom the emperor sought to keep close, Count Ariat hailed from the empire’s top tactician family, known for his sharp mind.
Despite being close in age to Edwin and Henry, he had already distinguished himself and was as renowned as Edwin.
But Henry had another reason for knowing Count Ariat well.
Together with Kayla, he had significantly aided in helping Edwin manage his pheromones.
He had also served as a solid pillar of support for Kayla, securing her place in the empire.
This person held a high rank among the supporting characters.
Yet, fate had a peculiar way of working.
Henry had assumed he’d only run into Count Ariat by chance in the future, so to meet him here felt strangely surreal.
“It’s a rare sight to see both young lords of a duchy in one place.”
Count Ariat greeted them with a friendly smile, snapping Henry out of his shock, who then hastily returned the greeting.
“I never expected to see you here, Count Ariat.”
Henry didn’t hide his surprise.
After all, this was someone the emperor coveted as an asset.
The idea that he would come here to teach them pheromone control was unexpected.
“Did you happen to hear the reason for this visit?” Henry asked.
“I heard both young lords wanted to take lessons on traits—is that right?” Count Ariat asked kindly, causing Henry to nod in bewilderment.
“Yes… that’s correct, but…”
The class Henry had in mind was typically one young boys, just beginning to manifest their traits, might take.
He hadn’t expected someone as accomplished as Count Ariat, who would likely be overqualified.
It was like bringing a butcher’s cleaver to cut a chicken.
‘Edwin’s the real issue here for calling Count Ariat.’
He should have chosen someone more fitting.
Regaining his composure, Henry cast a sidelong glare at Edwin, who ignored him and turned to Count Ariat.
“The lesson will last an hour, and the topic is traits. You’re free to structure it as you see fit, Count.”
“Is it alright if I conduct a test as well?”
Count Ariat adjusted his glasses, looking intrigued.
Though he’d be teaching an established method of pheromone control to full-grown adults, he appeared to find no issue with it.
No wonder he’d agreed to the lesson from the start.
“That’s fine.”
Edwin replied, signaling he was leaving the lesson entirely up to Count Ariat and then fell silent.
Henry, awkwardly caught between the two, had to keep his expression from crumbling.
After all, he was supposed to be here just to make Edwin happy… so why did this involve him too?
And a test, really?
“Let’s end here for today. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Count Ariat closed his book, signaling the end of the lesson with a pleasant smile.
He looked at the two young lords who had paid close attention from beginning to end with a satisfied expression, then left the room.
Henry, who had been reluctantly dragged to the lesson, found himself surprisingly engrossed in Count Ariat’s class, and belatedly slapped his forehead in shock.
“Why was I listening so intently?”
No matter how interesting the lesson was, it was almost absurd that he had gotten so absorbed.
“Well, it’s better than being bored.”
Settling his thoughts, Henry cast a sidelong glance at Edwin.
Having finished the lesson, it was now his turn to speak.
“Are you planning to just hold onto that pheromone stone without using it? Just going to keep it in storage?”
Edwin looked at him with a gaze that seemed to say, ‘Go on, then.’
“I thought about it last night.”
After being bested twice by Edwin, Henry had spent the night seething into his pillow, struggling to quell his frustration.
Once in the carriage, and again at dawn.
He’d fallen for Edwin’s scheme to keep the pheromone stone to himself.
“That pheromone stone was something I found and brought out myself, after all.”
“So?”
“Since losing it midway was my fault, I won’t demand it back recklessly. But instead….”
Henry’s eyes showed traces of careful thought, evidence of his struggle to figure out a way to reclaim the stone.
“When you feel that I’ve genuinely helped you, give it back to me.”
Edwin’s eyes sparkled with a hint of incomprehension, which Henry understood.
Even he found his own standard a bit vague.
“Ask for it when you feel guilty about keeping it.”
“What are you scheming?”
“I just want to get it back fair and square.”
Henry shrugged, as if it were no big deal.
“I bet seeing me go to all this trouble will change your mind.”
In truth, his plan was inspired by the days when Edwin had disliked him.
He planned to hover around, making comments like, “It’s all for you,” or, “What can I do without that pheromone stone?” in the hopes that Edwin would eventually relent.
“An ambiguous condition was exactly what I needed to pull off all that,” he thought.
With that, Henry proposed his crafty condition to Edwin, hoping not to push him too hard and drive him away.
This was his strategy up to the moment he faced Edwin, and now, all that remained was Edwin’s response.
If Edwin refused, Henry was prepared to act just as uncooperative.
Edwin, pondering Henry’s intentions, finally stood up with resolve.
“I can practically hear the noisy gears turning in your little head. Go ahead, give it your best shot.”
Henry watched Edwin’s smirk as he passed by, his expression exuding the shamelessness of a host abandoning his guest.
Henry forced a smile.
Reacting now would mean letting Edwin win.
This was far from the first time he’d witnessed Edwin’s self-indulgence, so he bit back his irritation to calm himself.
“You’ll see.”
Let’s see how he responds.
Edwin sneered inwardly at Henry’s shallow ploy.
Normally, it would be him asking Henry for help.
He’d even added a condition, assuming that if Henry ended up helping him enough, he might give back the pheromone stone out of guilt.
But before he’d even said anything, Henry had already offered his assistance.
He was practically begging to stick around.
To Edwin, who wanted nothing more than to keep Henry nearby, it felt like Henry had dug his own grave.
There was no reason to stop him as he dug himself in deeper.
If anything, it was intriguing to see what Henry would try next.
But then…
“I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have Count Ariat as my teacher. It’s all thanks to Edwin. I owe him for helping me meet someone as amazing as the Count.”
Henry’s honeyed words dripped out, causing Edwin’s pheromones to seep out bit by bit.
Was he always this good at flattering others?
The Henry who usually thought himself above everyone else?
“I’m equally pleased to finally meet you, Young Master Timothy. I’d only heard of you before.”
“I’m almost regretful we only had lessons together. If we’d had tea beforehand, we might have become closer sooner.”
* * *
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Lol, the jalous Edwin 🤣🤣
Haha jealousy
I smell….. jealousy here
Someone is jealous
😂😂😂
Thanks.
Edwin, we can smell it!!! C: