“...Alpheus. What is this?”

After a long silence, the princess’s trembling voice broke the stillness. Her tone was cold, but her expression revealed more confusion than anger.

Despite that, the situation was too delicate for anyone to speak out of turn. As I began to feel the weight of the moment, the king stepped forward and spoke first.

“My dear, it seems like there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Dad.”

“What you think is going on is not the case. It’s just a simple social gathering. There’s nothing strange going on, especially with me right here...”

“Father.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll hear about your side of things later.”

The princess used a distant tone to push her father aside, and then, still addressing the women in the room, she spoke sharply.

“I think we should end the gathering here.”

“Y-yes?”

“The evening is getting late, after all.”

She hadn’t even glanced at the clock, yet her commanding attitude made the women bow their heads and hurriedly leave the room.

After seeing them out, the princess finally turned to me and spoke.

“Alpheus. What was that about?”

“The queen was introducing the young ladies of noble families.”

“Only women?”

“It was unintentional, I believe.”

Though it might have sounded like a poor excuse, it was the truth. After all, it wasn’t a meeting I had arranged, nor was its purpose particularly suspicious. In fact, there was no reason for those women to leave as if they had done something wrong.

This whole situation was born out of the king’s mistake, so it would have been unfair to assign blame to anyone. Still, the princess turned her frustration toward me, as she could not blame her father.

“Alpheus. For now, let’s go to my room...”

“Follow me to my room, Alpheus.”

“...Queen Mirian?”

But just then, Mirian stepped forward and approached me. As the princess looked on in shock, Mirian’s slender fingers curled around my wrist.

“It seems I must scold you for behaving improperly in my palace. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I haven’t done anything improper.”

“I didn’t realize the hero had the right to judge the royal court’s propriety.”

“...”

“Follow me.”

Without further argument, she dismissed my explanation and dragged me out of the room. The king and princess, still stunned, did not stop us.

Our steps continued down the hallway, eventually reaching the fifth floor. Upon reaching the highest level of the palace, Mirian paused for a moment to catch her breath.

“...Huff.”

“You’re out of breath.”

“A little.”

“Did you get jealous seeing me with other women?”

“No. I just haven’t walked much lately, so I’m a bit winded.”

“If that’s the case, I could carry you.”

I pretended to turn a corner, moving closer to her, and with just a single step, she pressed herself against the wall and looked up at me.

“Your attitude is rather rude. I came here to scold you.”

“I was simply following the queen’s summons.”

“Even so, a scolding is in order. After all, you’ve made a mistake.”

Her gaze was still as cold as violet. She gave me a swift tap on the head, then suddenly narrowed her eyes.

“You smell like other women.”

“Is that unpleasant?”

“Just a little.”

“Then I suppose I need to make sure your scent overpowers theirs.”

“Your logic is a mess.”

With a reprimanding gesture, she grabbed my chin and gently pushed me away, but her other hand still gripped my wrist.

“However, the conclusion isn’t all bad. I wouldn’t want to bring a man who smells of another woman into my room.”

“Is that so?”

“Bend your head.”

Her whispered words grazed my ear. I lowered my head as instructed, and my hair brushed against her shoulder. If I leaned in just a little, I could taste her soft skin with my lips.

But before that uncontrollable desire could consume me, a sharp voice rang from down the hall.

“Queen Mirian!”

“...That was later than expected.”

“Wait here.”

The voice was, of course, the princess’s. She had rushed up the stairs and was panting, her gaze filled with intense determination.

Yet, Mirian did not push me away. Instead, she grabbed the back of my neck and pulled my head closer.

“Queen Mirian!”

Seeing this, the princess’s voice became rebellious, filled with confusion and growing anger.

“What are you doing? Why are you with Alpheus...”

“Lower your voice.”

“Pardon?”

“You are speaking to the queen of this nation.”

Mirian’s response was just as cold. She gave the princess a chilling look, as if she were addressing an insolent child.

“I understand you’ve been outside for too long, but I fear the maids might think you’re lacking in decorum. If you truly believe in your noble bloodline, you should act accordingly.”

“If that’s how you feel, I apologize. But what is going on here? This doesn’t seem like any kind of reprimanding.”

“It’s just a tangle of feet.”

“Doesn’t that sound like an excuse, or is it just me?”

“Yes, it’s an excuse.”

“...” The princess was momentarily speechless, taken aback by the blunt reply. It took a long while before she managed to speak again.

“This is too much. Right now, standing before Queen Mirian is the princess of the kingdom, and in your arms is the hero who saved it.”

“No, more accurately, I saved you, not the kingdom.”

“From the kingdom’s perspective, it’s the same. I am the kingdom’s only heir.”

“Which is fortunate, considering your carelessness almost caused the royal bloodline to end.”

“...” An interesting turn of words. Using the difference in power to twist responsibility, making the victim feel guilty. It was a cunning and sly move, fitting for a witch.

But I couldn’t help but feel uneasy about her certainty that the princess would be the last heir to the throne.

“If you think so, then you owe the hero quite a bit. Your life, the kingdom’s future, even valuable outside connections. But thinking you can claim his heart too? That might be a bit greedy.”

“Is it a crime for us to love each other, Queen Mirian?”

“I wouldn’t say that. So, whoever the hero loves is none of your business.”

“Alpheus loves me.”

“You think so, do you?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Shall we ask him?”

Mirian took my chin and turned my face toward the princess. A sense of unease flickered across the princess’s face as our eyes met.

Even someone as confident as her couldn’t answer immediately in this situation.

“It’s unnecessary. I already know.”

“You wouldn’t know unless you ask.”

“No. I know Alpheus better than anyone. How many years have I spent with him?”

“You’ve spent so much time with him, you must know me well too, then.”

Her words held weight, and whether the response was positive or negative, I could tell the princess felt it. She answered in a tone that felt oddly disconnected.

“That doesn’t matter.”

“There are parts you can’t know, no matter how much time you spend with someone. Especially when it comes to the vast and deep subject of love.”

“At least, I do.”

“I hope you’re confident, princess.”

“...” “Because I think I know what you don’t.”

Mirian finished her words and tapped my throat lightly.

Then, as if to dive beneath my clothes, she slid her hand down toward my chest.

The princess, no longer silent, stormed toward us, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away.

“Enough of this nonsense. I forgot to tell you earlier, Alpheus is innocent in all of this. The king himself insisted that you not blame him.”

“Well, if the king said so, I suppose I can’t argue.”

“Then I’ll take Alpheus with me. He must have been startled by what happened earlier.”

“Well, I was about to apologize for my misunderstanding, so I’d like to take him to my room.”

“Queen Mirian.”

“But I don’t want to drag this out any longer.”

At last, her fingers loosened from my wrist, and the princess quickly led me toward her room.

Mirian still didn’t fully let go of me.

“Shouldn’t there be a farewell kiss, hero?”

“Wait...”

“That’s not proper.”

Before I could react, her hand was on my chin, pulling my head closer.

Mirian leaned in, about to kiss me, and traced my rough lips with her thumb, bringing it to her own lips.

“Next time, mind your manners.”

“...” “And princess.”

“...Yes, Queen Mirian.”

“Be sure to tell the king about this.”

Her words were almost like a scolding, and with that, she turned and slowly walked away, leaving no trace of regret as she vanished into the hallway.

The princess, not waiting for her shadow to disappear, grabbed my hand and pulled me swiftly to her room.

“Princess.”

“...” “Princess.”

I called out several times, but my voice was drowned by the pounding footsteps. Once we entered the room and the door closed, the princess finally let out the breath she had been holding.

“Hah... Hah...”

“Princess...”

“Hmph...!”

Just as I was about to call her name again, she suddenly shoved me toward the bed. I didn’t resist and was thrown onto the sheets.

She jumped on top of me, immediately kissing me.

“Hah... Mmph... Mmph...”

“Mmph...”

“Hah... Hah... Hah...”

The wild kiss took my breath away, and rough hands followed. Whether I resisted or not, she explored my body, pressing her delicate skin against me.

After a long time, when she finally pulled back, she spoke in a broken tone.

“I’m yours, Alpheus.”

“...Princess.”

“So, you’re mine.”

Her declaration was too bold for a princess. But because she was a princess, she could say such things without hesitation.

Of course, an empty declaration is nothing more than nonsense. So, to make it real, she began to undo her collar.