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Chapter 14
“You don’t have to worry about being wrong. Even if you make mistakes, you’re still my precious nephew.”
“…”
Lexin’s eyes wavered, as if he couldn’t believe those words had come out of my mouth.
It felt like chewing gravel, but the more I repeated such words, the easier it became.
“If you’re that worried, I’ll come help you every night.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
Lexin’s face immediately lit up at my response. He was still just a child, after all.
Seeing his innocent smile, I couldn’t help but laugh too.
“Come to think of it, you two really do look alike.”
“Hm?”
Mileta looked back and forth between us and smiled gently. She pointed to her eyes with a finger.
“Especially your eyes. They curve the same way when you smile.”
Like Lexin, my eyes were also purple. The realization struck me—perhaps because I’d never really thought about us looking alike.
“Don’t you think so, Sir Ericksen?”
“…”
Mileta asked with feigned innocence, despite knowing full well how awkward things were between Ericksen and me.
Ericksen didn’t answer easily.
He didn’t want to disappoint Lexin by denying it, nor did he want to go along with Mileta’s obvious bait.
Well, at least he didn’t outright deny it. That’s already something.
Even that was a big change.
“Sir Ericksen, do I really look like Aunt Zeneia?”
Even Ericksen couldn’t ignore the words of the young lord he served.
“…I suppose the color is similar.”
“Even you think so, Sir?”
Lexin said brightly. Only then did Ericksen reluctantly nod.
“Shall we try again, then?”
“Yes! Let’s try again.”
Lexin resumed reading the ancient language. His pronunciation was much more natural than before.
It had been three days since I started visiting the imperial palace each night to help Lexin with his ancient language studies.
As I neared the bedchamber, I saw Mileta anxiously pacing the hallway.
“Mileta? What’s wrong?”
“Um, Lady Zeneia, it’s just that—”
“Zeneia!”
Before Mileta could finish, someone burst out of the room.
A blur of pink hair fluttered before me. It was Maxim Dolan.
“…Maxim? What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean, Zeneia? I came because I missed you.”
His bashful tone was all too familiar. He was a man who knew how to make the most of his charming looks.
The complete opposite of Axyon. If Axyon had a knightly build and a chiseled, intense handsomeness, Maxim had a soft, adorable look and hair color that evoked protectiveness.
But that’s all in the past.
I couldn’t for the life of me understand what I ever saw in him.
“It’s really late. You should leave for today.”
Of course, there would be no “next time.”
I said it hoping he’d get the hint. Maxim drooped his eyes, putting on his best I’m hurt expression.
“…Are you tired of me?”
Ugh. I felt a surge of irritation at his words. Tired? Honestly, yes.
Why had I kept Maxim around before? Thinking of my past self made me cringe.
It must’ve been some kind of spell, or I couldn’t explain it.
I forced a smile and said, “I’ve just been tired from work lately.”
“Then let me give you a massage?”
“That’s not nec—”
“I’ll massage you until you fall asleep!”
Maxim looked both excited and determined, as if this were his life’s mission. Determined not to get pulled into his nonsense, I firmly shook my head.
“Maxim, stop this nonsense—”
“Zeneia.”
I didn’t even get to finish. The voice that cut me off made my body tremble like I was hearing a hallucination.
But it wasn’t a hallucination—it was Axyon.
Maxim looked past me to someone behind. His face froze.
I turned my head, tense like prey caught in a snare.
Axyon was really there. Why was he here at this hour? Before I could figure it out, he strode up beside me.
“…Grand Duke Dierik.”
“Is the lesson finished?”
“Huh? Oh… yes.”
Axyon ignored Maxim like he didn’t even notice he was there. It was awkward—even for me. I figured I should remove myself from between the two of them.
Just as I turned to send Maxim away again—
Axyon’s arm suddenly wrapped around my waist.
“You must be tired. Let me give you that massage.”
He touched my waist like it was something he’d done countless times. A ticklish sensation rose from where his palm met my side.
Maxim Dolan stared at Axyon’s hand in disbelief.
“Si—Axyon, I—”
I fumbled for words, but before I could say anything, Axyon leaned down.
His lips brushed my temple gently.
“Zeneia, let’s go.”
My face flushed red in an instant. Flustered, I rushed into the bedroom without even saying goodbye to Maxim.
Mileta followed me into the room. Axyon only turned his eyes to the man before him after she disappeared inside.
Maxim had never experienced such an intense gaze before. His lips trembled slightly as if bound.
He used to think he was Axyon’s equal—not just because of his looks, but because of his own abilities.
But now he thought: maybe it was better not to have powers if they only brought harm to others.
“If Lady Zeneia is unwell, wouldn’t I be more suit—”
“Don’t say her name.”
Axyon’s voice chilled. Just like he told Zeneia the other day—he felt an overwhelming urge to throw this man into a fire.
He didn’t want to bother with polite warnings.
If not for the possibility of hurting Zeneia, he’d have already crushed the wrist that had dared to touch her.
Maybe sensing the danger, Maxim began to back away.
“Maxim Dolan.”
“Wh-why are you—ugh.”
Axyon hadn’t moved a step closer, but that didn’t matter.
He could do plenty without moving.
Like letting dark obsidian-like scales emerge from his neck and shoulder.
To Axyon, this was as natural as breathing.
No one had seen the current generation of the Dierik power up close—until now.
Just revealing a glimpse of his scales made Maxim collapse pathetically. He had some divine power, but barely enough to be useful.
Axyon, looking down on him like trash, walked slowly past.
As he neared, Maxim felt an unfamiliar chill at the back of his neck.
“If you come like this again, I’ll break your legs.”
“…Y-you can’t be—”
“If you think you can heal them with that pathetic divine power, feel free to try.”
With that, Axyon disappeared into the inner chamber.
Maxim blushed in shame—not from what had happened, but from collapsing so easily just from a minor show of force.
It was a humiliation he had never experienced—even if no one else had seen it.
He tried to stand, but his legs kept giving out.
“Damn it!!”
At his uncharacteristic curse, Mileta appeared behind him.
“Shall I call a servant to assist you?”
If anyone saw him like this, the whole palace would know by morning. That could not be allowed.
“No! Absolutely not!”
At his shout, Mileta nodded, as if waiting for that answer.
“Understood.”
She walked away without hesitation, disappearing from his view. Maxim Dolan, left alone in the hallway, trembled in fury and humiliation. No one came to help him.
Mileta had already admitted it was her fault. She tried to stop Maxim, but he was insistent.
I comforted her briefly, then sank into the bath she’d prepared.
Even though his touch had only brushed over my clothes, it felt like skin-to-skin contact. The sensation still lingered vividly.
I had forgotten to send Maxim away and ran into the room—because of that touch.
But seriously, what was Axyon doing here at this hour?
It wasn’t late enough to sleep, but it wasn’t a normal time to come visit either.
I dried my hair, thinking about it. But something was off—Mileta didn’t take the towel as she usually would.
“…Mileta?”
“…Zeneia.”
Not a hallucination.
Startled, I looked up and saw Axyon sitting on my bed, watching me.
He had waited all that time while I soaked in the bath.
When I emerged dripping wet, Axyon looked away in surprise—then looked back, drawn in again.
I had taken such a long bath to calm my pounding heart after what he’d done earlier. I thought he would have left by now.
But Axyon was still in my room.
I was just as surprised as he was.
