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nThe fact that this region was under the Hill family’s control didn’t pose any concerns to Llewellyn.

nSince Llewellyn had left on a whim, he decided to keep traveling on a whim. And in fact, it was also because he had faith in his own ability. The faith that whatever the sorcerers of the Hill family may try to do to him, that he can easily overcome it.

nLlewellyn knew he was a genius. It was not his own delusion but an open fact. Anyone who had seen the young Duke of Rasiane’s sword would describe him as such.

n‘I even brought a few sacred relics just in case.’

nThe divine power within sacred relics was fatal to sorcerers due to the wicked nature of their mana.

n‘Well…I don’t think I’ll have to use the sacred relics.’

nLlewellyn didn’t think the Hill family’s sorcerers would hurt or kill him.

n‘They wouldn’t…Those bastards would see me as a valuable test subject.’

nEvery high ranking sorcerer in the Mage Tower was aware that Llewellyn was a unique case of having both mana and divine power.

nTherefore, Llewellyn knew the sorcerers would try to capture him to be used as a valuable test subject rather than hurt him.

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n‘Crazy bastards.’

nLlewellyn ridiculed the sorcerers with contempt. By and large, people in the Duchy of Rasiane hated sorcerers. It was the same for him.

nTo him, the sorcerers in the Mage Tower and the Hill family, who had forsaken ethics to seek the truth, were the enemy of Rasiane.

n‘I’m not afraid of the Hill family’s scums.’

nWith spirited thoughts, Llewellyn headed to the beach. As he was enjoying the beautiful beach scenery, he suddenly caught sight of a villa.

nThe villa was not far from the beach. Llewellyn was certain that the villa belonged to the Hill family, but thought it wouldn’t be dangerous to take a quick look.

nThinking so, Llewellyn quickened his steps. The closer he got, the more he could make out the beautiful villa.

n‘This villa is wasted on the Hill family.’

nLlewellyne could smell a gentle scent of roses in the air. Pretending to be a local girl out for a walk, he surveyed the garden of the villa.

nThe view of the garden could be seen over the firmly closed black iron gate. Crimson summer roses were in full bloom everywhere.

nLlewellyn wandered around the villa for some time, but in the end, he couldn’t overcome his curiosity and crossed the wall.

n‘I wonder which sentimental sorcerer had prepared such a beautiful villa.’

nIn his mind, sorcerers were an eccentric, evil, and unsympathetic bunch.

nLlewellyn naturally didn’t think all sorcerers were like that, with the exception of the Hill family’s sorcerers. Even though he had never met a sorcerer from the Hill family in person, he thought as such.

n‘What if they’re disguising the outside to look nice, but committing evil inside?’

nIt was a sudden idea, but Llewellyn thought it was a reasonable guess.

n‘As the Duke of Rasiane, if the sorcerers are committing evil here, they deserve to be punished.’

nLlewellyn bravely went deeper into the garden.

nThe scent of roses deepened as Llewellyn went inside. The roses were not dark but a subtle crimson color.

n‘Who chose these roses?’

nThey were lighter than red, and darker than cherry blossoms. It was precisely such a color. Also, Llewellyn didn’t know if it was a common breed or not, but the scent was very strong.

nFeeling as if he’ll become intoxicated by that sweetness, he pinched his nose and frowned. He thought perhaps the garden full of roses was a trap set up by a sorcerer.

n‘A trap to captivate the heart of their victims…’

n“…?”

nLlewellyn halted his steps when something suddenly caught his sight.

nA young girl was modestly sitting in the middle of the rose garden.

nIt was an enclosed space surrounded by large rose trees with a white bench and a pearly fountain in the middle.

nThe girl, dressed in blue and sitting atop the white bench, was fast asleep.

nHer hair was a deep pink like the roses that surrounded her.

nShe was lightly holding a book, as if she was going to drop it, with her white slender hand.

nThere was a small table next to the bench with the fruits and lemon water that the girl had prepared. The lemon water was sparkling in the sun.

nLlewellyn was taken aback at the unexpected encounter. He thought he’d encounter a sorcerer in a black robe, but what actually appeared in front of him was a girl as beautiful as a porcelain doll.

n‘…This girl, was she captured and taken here?’

nOther than that, it didn’t make sense to him no matter how much he thought.

n‘Why would a girl like this be in a sorcerer’s den…’

n“…”

nLlewellyn, who had been staring at the sleeping girl, slowly approached her.

n‘I’m going to save her if she had been captured…but if she wasn’t…who is she?’

nLlewellyn stopped in front of the girl. Her face looked even more beautiful when he got a closer look.

nThe girl’s slightly golden eyelashes were a little darker than her hair color. Her crimson hair, which curled down, was tied with a blue ribbon. It complimented her light blue dress and silver shoes. The toecap had a precious crystal decoration on it, so Llewellyn was able to tell that the girl had quite a high background.

n‘Doesn’t the head of the Hill’s family have a daughter?’

nThinking about it, Llewellyn had heard such a rumor. Specifically, the daughter of the Mage Tower’s master was so precious that nobody has even seen a strand of her hair.

n‘Is this his daughter?’

nThe thought that it might be this girl had somehow made his blood run cold. He stared at the girl, then nimbly snatched the book she was holding.

nLlewellyn was simply curious what kind of book it was. He thought perhaps she was learning some dangerous accursed magic. Thinking so, he flipped open the book.

nAlthough different from what Llewellyn had expected, he was still shocked.

n“…”

nThe book was full of dessert pictures. There weren’t many words written in it. Taken aback, Llewellyn checked the cover.

n< A collection of all the delicious desserts in the world. >

nLlewellyn was so dumbfounded that he unconsciously sighed when he saw the title.

n“This…”

nSpeechless, Llewellyn placed the book next to the girl. He felt like a fool for thinking she was the daughter of the Mage Tower’s master.

nLlewellyn shook his head and wondered if he should wake the girl, but at that moment, the girl slowly opened her eyes.

nThe girl’s eyes, which were as clear as jewels, became clearly visible.

nIt reminded him of a light ruby he once saw. The girl’s eyes were like that ruby. It was as fair as the sunlight reflected in those eyes.

n“…”

nLlewellyn was immobilized, lost in her eyes.

nAs Llewellyn blinked absentmindedly, the girl sluggishly closed and opened her eyes.

nThen, with a surprised look, she came to her senses and covered her mouth with both hands and yawned loudly.

n‘She’s getting up to stretch, and doing gymnastics?’

nLlewellyn found it absurd. This was the first time he had seen such a case, as he had always been around noblewomen with good manners.

nWhile still doing gymnastics, the girl asked him.

n“Who are you? Are you the daughter of one of the servants that came? By the way, you look very pretty.”

n“I’m…”

nThe girl’s voice was high and clear. It was soft and ticklish like a fluttering butterfly.

nLlewellyn thought that was why. The reason why his throbbing heart had a strange itchy feeling. He felt his cheeks becoming hot for some reason, and this place becoming too much to bear.

nIn the end, gripping his dress, he turned around and started running. Behind him came the bewildered voice of the girl.

n“Huh? Wait a minute! Where are you going all of a sudden?”

nLlewellyn ignored the call and ran vigorously. Forgetting his decorum as Duke of Rasiane, he didn’t know why he ran. He just wanted to shake off the strange feeling.

n‘How long did I run?’

nBefore Llewellyn knew it, he had arrived at the station.

nThere, stood his aides and knights with a slight look of anger. He didn’t know how his position was discovered.

n“…”

nHaving ran madly through the wind, Llewellyn, who had bumped into them dressed as a girl, just stood silently.

nHis heart was still beating fast.

n‘Maybe it’s because I ran with all my might.’

nThinking so, Llewellyn tried to shake off the lingering image of the girl in the rose garden.

n“Let’s return, your grace.”

n“…”

nSaid an aid who approached him. He simply nodded his head.

nThe young Duke and his retainers got on the train together.

nIt carried the boy back as fast as it had arrived.

nThey quickly reached the Duchy of Rasiane. Thus, it was very easy to forget the girl who was like a rose, and what had happened in the rose garden.

n…Or, it should have been easy.

nNonetheless, that was how his breakout in early summer came to an end before his birthday. However, he had a feeling that the scent of roses from that time was still ingrained in his being.

nThe color of summer roses would occasionally linger, perhaps because it was unique and vivid.

nFour years and three months have passed since the Duke of Rasiane’s shocking escape.

nSince then, Llewellyn had often escaped, causing stress to his retainers. However, he never went south to the region controlled by the Hill family again.

nAnd in fact, the pure Duke of Rasiane’s escapes since had always been a short stroll, a day trip, or sightseeing. Such a degree was adorable, so everyone’s mind relaxed.

nEveryone was relieved that their Duke was upright and didn’t gamble, drink alcohol, or lived like a prodigal. Everyone thought as such.

n“This is Her Majesty the Empress’ invitation, your grace.”

nAhead of the coming of age ceremony, the young man will be 18 years old after his birthday. Llewellyn Rasiane grew up splendidly, and was the best husband candidate among not only the royal family, but also royal families from foreign countries.

nFor him to be invited to the Empress’ spring banquet was quite natural. Everyone was curious about the young Duke of Rasiane.

nAnd naturally, the Empress had the Duke in mind for her precious youngest daughter.

n‘It’s a little tiresome.’

nLlewellyn was annoyed by the Empress’ attention.

n“Will you attend the banquet?”

nAsked the steward who brought the invitation. Llewellyn, looking at the Empress’ fancy invitation, casually answered.

n“I guess so.”

n“Yes, then I’ll prepare your formal wear.”

n“Okay.”

n“…Do you have any instructions for me?”

n“Not really…Ah.”

nHaving answered bluntly up to this point, Llewellyn, as if he had just thought of something, added.

n“Have it be blue.”

nTime passed and it became the day of the banquet.

nLlewellyn attended the banquet wearing a blue suit carefully prepared by his retainers.

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nAll eyes were on him as soon as he appeared at the banquet.

nHis conspicuous platinum blond hair gracefully shined under the chandelier lights, and his emerald eyes glittered brightly with a calm air.

nLike always, Llewellyn was unrealistically beautiful, and looked like the incarnation of a deity.

nWith everyone wanting to catch more glimpses of him, a commotion had broken out,

nThey walked with a glint in their eyes towards His Grace, the Duke of Rasiane.

nLuckily, his unceasing popularity died down after a while. He could finally take a breath and quench his dry throat with champagne.

nIt was only when the hectic conversations died down that Llewellyn was able to relax and dwell on what had been on his mind.

n‘I heard they’re going to attend today.’

nAdrian Hill and his sister.

nTranslator’s Note:

n1. Changed mana poisoning to mana congestion.

n2. Changed Duke Rasiane to Duke of Rasiane.

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