Scandalous Wedding Chapter 6.1

Asha was, for once, lost in deep thought.

Usually, he disliked thinking and avoided it as much as possible, but today, it seemed he needed to do some serious reflecting.

And quite earnestly at that.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice himself slipping out of the banquet hall, walking absentmindedly until he bumped his head into a corridor pillar.

Fortunately, Nob, who had been waiting outside, saw him and, startled, pulled Asha back to the inner castle. But even after that, Asha remained immersed in his thoughts.

With a swollen bump on his forehead from the collision, he shed the bothersome jewelry he’d been wearing, changed into a tunic-style nightshirt made of thin fabric, and sat by the window. Frowning, he kept muttering something to himself, tilting his head, then shifting his posture to dive back into thought.

Nob, who was tidying up the clothes and accessories Asha had discarded, glanced at him with a look that said, What’s with him? It was a rare sight.

“Young master, did something happen at the banquet?”

Just to be polite, Nob asked if anything was wrong, but Asha, as if he hadn’t heard Nob’s voice, continued muttering blankly to himself.

Knowing well that Asha, once lost in thought, was oblivious to his surroundings, Nob assumed he was caught up in some strange idea again and looked away. But just as Nob was about to resume his task, Asha’s voice rang out.

“Why can’t men marry each other?”

Nob turned to Asha, his face screaming What nonsense is this? at the serious question Asha had thrown out while frowning.

“…Pardon?”

“Why isn’t marriage allowed between men?” Asha repeated.

“Well, because they can’t have children, isn’t that obvious?” Nob replied immediately, as if it were a silly question. Marriage was about forming a family to have children and continue the lineage, so naturally, if children weren’t possible, marriage wasn’t either—or so Nob’s logic went. Asha, however, countered right away.

“So the purpose of marriage isn’t love, but children?”

At that question, Nob paused his hands and slowly turned to look at Asha.

“…What did you say?”

“Marriage is just a vow between people who love each other to take legal responsibility for one another, isn’t it? So why does it have to be contingent on having children?”

“Because that’s how the species survives,” Nob answered.

“If the sole purpose is species preservation, then the marriage system is terribly unfair and inefficient. If one man can only have children with one woman, it limits the possibilities. For species preservation, and even for the proliferation of superior traits, wouldn’t it be more efficient to forgo marriage altogether and let people conceive freely in a primal way whenever they want? And since some people can’t have children at all, if efficiency is the goal, marriage is practically the worst choice.”

That logic made sense in a way, but it was a bit tricky to agree outright.

Sure, marriage wasn’t only about children. But if someone asked what else it was for…

“Well, it’s not just about children. For nobles, marriage is like a transaction,” Nob said.

At that, Asha’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A transaction? Not with someone you love?”

Nob snorted at Asha’s still-naive remark.

“Young master, you’re too unaware of how the world works.”

“No, it’s written in the legal code,” Asha insisted.

“That’s just the legal code. Do you think a law book would say marriage is a transaction? Books and reality are different.”

“Then you married for a transaction, even though you didn’t love them?”

Nob turned to Asha with an exasperated look at the still-idealistic question.

“I’m a commoner, so I married for love, regardless of family ties.”

“And nobles?”

“That’s just how nobles are, isn’t it? How many noble couples marry for love? It’s all give and take. Your older brother was like that, your younger siblings too. When you were engaged to the princess, was it for love?”

At that, Asha clamped his mouth shut. He hadn’t loved her, though he didn’t dislike her either. He’d thought that after the engagement, they could take their time getting to know each other, and since it was arranged by his family and Kiel, he believed he’d surely come to love her. But he definitely hadn’t been in love.

“Anyway, ideals and reality are different. That’s the way of the world,” Nob said.

“Ideals and reality are different?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s the point of the legal code?”

“Don’t ask me—ask the people who made the laws.”

Having finished folding Asha’s clothes, Nob cut off the conversation as if to say no more questions and began placing the jewel-encrusted accessories into a box. Meanwhile, Asha, still sitting by the window, muttered softly.

“The laws of Prisdeil are fundamentally flawed.”

Nob, startled by the rather bold and irreverent statement from the grand priest’s nephew, stopped handling the accessories and turned to Asha with wide eyes.

“Pardon?”

He was essentially asking, What did you just say? but Asha ignored the question, hopped down from the window, and started walking briskly.

“I need to file a petition regarding the marriage law.”

“What?”

“This system is definitely wrong.”

With that, Asha strode quickly to the door and flung it open. Barefoot, he stepped into the corridor.

Nob, alarmed, rushed after him.

“Young master! Where are you going in your nightshirt? This isn’t the Chester Marquisate or your private residence!”

Nob scrambled after Asha, who was crossing the corridor in embarrassingly thin and short sleepwear, but Asha didn’t seem to hear. Having grown up so freely, he often wandered around the Chester Marquisate or his own residence in just nightclothes, but this was the imperial palace—one of the two places in Prisdeil that valued decorum and etiquette above all. Seeing Asha practically half-dressed and causing a scene in the dead of night, Nob felt a mild wave of dizziness.

Asha’s attire was bad enough, but his sudden talk of petitions and wishes gave Nob a bad feeling.

Thanks to the prodigious education he’d received from his uncle, Rauel, since childhood, Asha was unusually knowledgeable about the law. He often pointed out flawed rulings or nitpicked legal interpretations, sometimes to the point that even the temple told him to back off. For him to storm off like this meant he was about to cause trouble.

Muttering about what kind of calamity this was right after arriving, Nob hurriedly chased after Asha. Then, without realizing it, he roared from deep within.

“Oh, come on!”

* * *

“How did no one notice Alicia entering the banquet hall until it was too late?”

I was busy making steamed buns tickled the tip of someone’s tongue, but thankfully, no one in the special audit team was bold enough to say it.

Being perceptive, they kept their mouths shut, merely wearing expressions of guilt. Honestly, no one had expected Alicia to show up here. Probably not even Kiel.

Since everyone was equally clueless, the silence stretched on until Kiel slowly scanned those seated before him and smiled, his eyes twitching.

Then he asked.

“Do you know what they call this?”

It wasn’t a question meant for them to answer.

It meant Stay quiet and listen because I’m about to tell you. So, they all stayed silent.

“They call this brewing porridge and feeding it to the dog. And I don’t want to brew porridge, let alone feed it to a dog. Why should I hand over what I worked so hard to find to Alicia Paddington?”

Does this even make sense? Kiel was, rare for him, genuinely angry, and Allen, cautiously observing while glancing around, spoke up.

“Your Majesty, I understand your anger, but I think you need to focus on something else right now.”

“What could be more important?”

“The Duke of Paddington wouldn’t have played this card without knowing what kind of piece Alicia is. That means he’s either desperate or has something up his sleeve.”

Kiel had already anticipated that.

Alicia was a wildcard, even for the Paddington Dukedom.

Her unpredictable, uncontrollable nature was trouble enough, but Rubin would know better than to recklessly involve her, given that doing so poorly could let him crush the Paddington Dukedom entirely.

It had only been four years since Kiel ascended the throne, but he’d been wielding real power for over a decade, even during the previous emperor’s reign. And the biggest victim back then had been the Duke of Paddington.

Rubin couldn’t be unaware of how relentless and cunning Kiel was. To act this boldly meant he was hiding something big.

Kiel knew that all too well. But that wasn’t the issue right now.

“Do you think I don’t know that? Tonight, I was supposed to announce that tablet, join hands with Asha for a marriage announcement, and watch the nobles’ faces rot and the Duke of Paddington collapse from a spike in blood pressure. That was my plan. But the Duke ruined my seventeen-year ambition tonight! What were you all doing while this was happening?”

As he spoke, his anger seemed to grow, his voice rising until it became a shout.

Kiel wasn’t just furious about the wide-ranging problems caused by Alicia’s appearance—he was enraged that his meticulously planned marriage announcement had gone up in smoke.

And above all, he was livid that all the attention he and Asha were supposed to receive had been stolen by Alicia.

“Starting today, monitor everyone connected to the Paddington Dukedom. Track their every move and figure out what the Duke is scheming. Don’t miss a thing—shake them down thoroughly. Check every house where their dog’s puppies were sent. Find something, anything, and blow it up big. This time, I’ll crush the Paddington Dukedom for good.”

Until now, Kiel had spared the Paddington Dukedom because he was still unmarried, and his younger brother, Ira, had been wed to Esael from a minor family, leaving his support base weak. As cunning as Kiel was, he knew that annihilating his in-laws would be like opening the door to rebellion.

Rebellions didn’t happen unless an emperor did something outrageously mad to alienate everyone—most stemmed from a weak imperial faction. Kiel hated taking orders and loathed anyone undermining his authority, so strengthening imperial power was the best course, which required a solid foundation.

That’s why he’d tolerated the Paddington Dukedom despite their irritations. But no more. With them acting up, the Chester Marquisate was firmly his ally.

With the Chester Marquisate and the young Grapha scholars’ support, he could burn the Paddington Dukedom to the ground without consequence.

Good timing, even. Dealing with Rubin now, who’d always be a thorn in his side, would be a profitable move.

“Find something within three days. If there’s nothing, make something up.”

Kiel was outright saying that if shaking them down didn’t produce dirt, they should smear some on.

But no one was shocked or flustered. That was just how Kiel operated.

“Understood. We’ll do our utmost to investigate,” Allen replied.

With the Paddington Dukedom making moves, Allen had no energy left to argue with Kiel about approving this marriage or not. Besides, he had his own grudge against them.

About six years ago, at a banquet, the Duke of Paddington had brought up marriage to Kiel. Even back then, Kiel, whose marriage was already delayed, dodged the topic, but Rubin was persistent.

At the time, rumors about Alicia acting erratic hadn’t yet spread, so Rubin casually said, “Why not hold an engagement with Alicia soon?” Kiel’s face had soured. By then, his inner circle already knew that, one way or another, Kiel’s marriage would involve Asha.

It was a ridiculous notion, but knowing Kiel, he’d either change the law or dress as a woman to make it happen. So, half-joking, half-serious, someone had said, “What about Asha, then?” to lighten the mood. Rubin’s response?

“How dare you compare a steamed bun to her?”

That insult to Asha prompted the Marquis of Chester to retort, “Are you insulting our Asha?” and the banquet quickly descended into chaos. Neither Allen, the Marquis, nor Kiel had forgotten that humiliation.

So, this was a chance to settle that score. With interest piled on at usurious rates, compounded, they’d pay it all back.

By any means necessary.

“And for now, Asha will stay in the inner castle, so inform the Marquis of Chester. We don’t know what Alicia might do.”

Allen accepted yet another delay in Asha’s return with resignation.

Figured as much.

“I’ll pass that along. The imperial palace is probably the safest place right now.”

“And…”

Just as Kiel was about to issue the next order, a commotion erupted from the corridor. Frowning at the noisy disturbance, Kiel was about to snap when a sense of déjà vu hit him.

Three years ago, the inner palace had been this loud exactly once—when Alicia had burst in shouting, “Where’s my husband?”

The memory of that nightmare flashed through his mind, and with a Fine, you’ve come to me attitude, Kiel sprang up and headed for the door.

If it was really Alicia, he’d use this as an excuse to ship her off to another continent. Slamming the door open, he saw a crowd pouring into the corridor.

Amid the noisy, chaotic atmosphere, Kiel’s gaze pierced through until he spotted a white figure in fluttering nightclothes, barefoot, crossing the corridor. He blinked.

At first, he thought he’d seen wrong.

A white, plump, pretty, and lovable figure, practically exposing everything with just a palm-sized cloth barely covering the upper body, was striding along. Kiel was sure his eyes were playing tricks.

So he blinked and looked again. The scene hadn’t changed.

No, it had. The white steamed bun raised both hands and ran toward him.

“Your Majesty!”

Now he even heard the voice.

“You’re still awake?”

As Asha ran with arms raised, Kiel instinctively opened his own to catch him, staring down at the figure in his arms with disbelief.

When they were younger, he’d often snuck into the Chester Marquisate at night, so he’d seen Asha’s sleepwear plenty, but as adults, with his position and uncertainty about what he might do, the Marquisate had strongly discouraged late-night visits. So it had been ages since he’d seen Asha like this—especially since, for the past four years, he’d sent Asha to the provinces and, even when visiting, they’d slept separately.

He’d never dreamed he’d see soft, white, tender skin at this hour, in the inner palace corridor no less.

Finally grasping the odd situation, Kiel quickly pulled Asha into a tight embrace and glared at the trailing entourage as if he’d devour them.

At his look, the servants and knights who’d followed to stop Asha froze, then swiftly turned away. They knew the issue wasn’t failing to stop him—it was seeing Asha’s exposed skin.

Satisfied with their quick response, Kiel kissed Asha’s cheek as a greeting.

Then he asked.

“What are you doing in the inner palace? In your nightshirt?”

“I was heading to the imperial library. But why are you here? What about the banquet?”

“…Something urgent came up. But why are you already in sleepwear?”

“I was spacing out at the banquet, bumped my forehead, and came back to the inner castle early.”

“Look here,” Asha said, pointing to a now-subsided bump. Kiel, startled, checked his forehead.

“How’d this happen?”

“I hit a pillar.”

“A pillar?”

Though the swelling had gone down, the still-protruding bump drew a sympathetic look from Kiel, and the audit team sensed tomorrow’s task: finding a way to remove all pillars from the palace.

Ridiculous.

“It’s pretty swollen. Does it hurt?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt. Just a bump.”

“Still, be careful. But why the library?”

At this hour, in that outfit, why the library? It was an unusually sensible question for Kiel, and Asha seemed to remember his purpose.

“Oh! I need to look at some books in the library.”

“Books?”

“Yeah.”

“No way. It’s too late tonight. Tell the servants tomorrow, and they’ll bring them to you. Go back and sleep.”

“But I need to see them now.”

“No.”

Uncharacteristically firm for someone who usually indulged Asha’s every whim, Kiel’s tone made Asha nod reluctantly.

“Fine, I’ll look tomorrow.”

Pleased with the compliant reply, Kiel smiled contentedly, scanning Asha until his gaze stopped at his feet.

He hadn’t even worn shoes in his haste. Focusing on one thing and forgetting everything else—classic Asha.

Worried that running barefoot in the middle of the night might hurt those cute little feet, Kiel scooped Asha up. Instantly, Asha wrapped his arms around Kiel’s neck.

The seamless, natural motion made Kiel’s lips curve upward.

“Let’s get to the bedroom first.”

Holding Asha tightly, Kiel began walking briskly, carrying a grown man with ease.

Though he felt the audit team’s stunned gazes—since the meeting wasn’t over—he figured they’d handle Alicia and Rubin’s situation from what he’d said. If they couldn’t, they didn’t deserve to breathe.

With a glance back as if to say Figure it out, Kiel strode out of the long corridor without hesitation.

* * *

Watching Kiel disappear with Asha in his arms, the audit team members let out a collective sigh the moment he was out of sight.

They’d dodged a bullet for now. Kiel had gathered them to issue orders and chew them out for failing to stop the Paddington Dukedom, but thankfully, it had passed.

“Lucky break,” Krune muttered, rubbing his chest as Kiel vanished. Macgain nodded.

“Good thing Asha’s in the palace.”

“Otherwise, we’d have been roasted all night,” Macgain added, shuddering at the thought. Krune shook his head.

“No, not that.”

“Then what?”

“His Majesty isn’t possessed. If he were, he’d have known Alicia was coming tonight.”

Realizing he was right, everyone nodded in agreement.

They’d half-seriously wondered if Kiel, with all his bizarre antics, might actually be divinely inspired, but apparently not.

Relieved it wasn’t true, they were caught off guard when Allen dropped a chilling realization.

“But… if he’s like this without divine intervention… isn’t that worse?”

If this was his normal state, that was even creepier. The entire team shivered at Allen’s murmur.

“Ugh, that gave me chills! Stop with the creepy talk!” one shouted.

“Allen, shut it! We’ve been trying to ignore that truth!” another added, grabbing Allen’s collar and dragging him to a corner, scolding him for bringing up what they’d avoided.

Allen looked at his friends, who seemed to have lost it, with pity. Too long under Kiel had clearly broken them—especially their minds.

“Face facts. Pretending it’s not true doesn’t make it go away.”

“I want to pretend! Don’t I get that freedom?”

“Exactly! We don’t need to know everything. Sometimes ignorance is better!”

Overwhelmed by their ferocious insistence, Allen raised the white flag.

With the Paddington Dukedom to deal with, pushing reality on these poor souls—who couldn’t even go home—would only make them snap. No wonder Kiel always had the upper hand.

“Fine, fine, calm down… let’s just figure out how to handle Paddington.”

If they wanted to deny reality, it was time to work. As Allen shifted the topic, Macgain, still gripping his collar, let go with a groan.

“Damn Paddington.”

“Yeah, so let’s deal with it quick.”

“I’ve been stuck in the palace for three days straight. I thought I’d finally go home, and now I’m here again?”

“Forget going home and get to work.”

Allen, straightening his clothes, reminded them that the moment they’d sided with Kiel, freedom and days off were gone. The group trudged back to the meeting room, exhausted, and got to work.

Tempered by years under Kiel, they gave up fast.

* * *

Rushing Asha back to the inner castle before anyone else saw, Kiel sat him on the bed as soon as they reached the room and ordered a servant to bring a damp cloth. Checking Asha’s feet carefully, he saw they were covered in dirt but, thankfully, unscratched.

“Even in the palace, you can’t wander barefoot.”

“I was in a hurry and forgot.”

“Why?”

“I need to check some books in the library. Theological Compendium, Scriptures Volume 4, Unofficial Histories, Treatise on Scriptures, Foundations of Marriage Law, Life Before Codified Law, and Why They Chose Codified Law.”

The list of titles sounded familiar—Kiel had definitely come across them before. Tilting his head slightly, he asked.

“Why those all of a sudden?”

“There’s something wrong with Prisdeil’s marriage laws.”

“Like what?”

“From what I remember, same-sex marriage was allowed before the legal code was established. But the codified law ignored the actual marriage practices of the people and explicitly banned same-sex marriage in the marriage law.”

Kiel’s face showed mild surprise. He’d delved into the subject extensively, but this was news to him.

“…Was it?”

“Yeah. In the old language version of Why They Chose Codified Law, it says the legal code wasn’t just a systematization of prior rules—it was altered by Emperor Kapin III’s personal circumstances, with additions and deletions.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But Kapin III was the first and only emperor to effectively have a same-sex marriage. Don’t you sense a contradiction there?”

He did. More than a contradiction, he sensed Kapin III’s mindset.

Though he had no idea what had happened, Kiel instinctively understood him.

“…Go on.”

“This comes from Unofficial Histories, but apparently, Kapin III was about to propose to a vassal when another man proposed first. So, he added that clause to the legal code, which prevented the vassal from marrying the other man. Then, with a special condition in the imperial marriage law, he married the vassal himself.”

Kiel sighed at what was, unmistakably, a capricious lawmaking method his ancestor would’ve employed. Using personal feelings and self-interest to craft and tweak the legal code was so very Kapin-esque. His late father had called him the family’s anomaly, but to Kiel, his father was the odd one out.

The Kapin bloodline clearly carried the belief that no one is above me, everyone below me is my servant, and the world exists for me. Despite this bizarre trait, the Kapins had solidified their imperial standing and held the throne firmly, largely because their strong attachment to their own interests led them to govern the nation well.

Their dislike of sharing also helped centralize power significantly.

As expected of his ancestor. Kiel realized, once again, that he was undeniably a Kapin.

“While Prisdeil’s laws are based on the legal code, the scriptures are the broader foundation. If the scriptures are the root of all laws, then the same-sex marriage ban in the marriage law could be challenged with a petition.”

“A petition?”

“This country’s marriage law is clearly wrong. Laws should be respected, but if they’re flawed, they need to be fixed—before they cause greater harm.”

It was a compelling argument. Though not the governing law in Prisdeil, if the scriptures—the foundation of all laws—contradicted the legal code, a petition was entirely feasible.

The question was whether there was enough evidence to support it.

“…Got the materials?”

“Yeah, I remember them all. It’s clearly stated in Theological Compendium, Chapter 1: everyone has equal marriage rights regardless of sex. Broadly interpreted, that could mean equal marriage and remarriage rights for men and women, but it could also mean banning marriage based on sex is illegal. Given the overall tone of the Compendium, the latter carries more weight.”

Kiel was genuinely impressed by Asha’s sharp, logical explanation. He’d always thought no one was smarter than him, but Asha might just be a tad brighter.

The steamed bun rolling in the garden had evolved into a thinking steamed bun.

“You’re clever.”

The praise, like one might give a small child, made Asha smile shyly.

“I’m a bit lacking in practical matters, but I’m pretty good with legal knowledge.”

Kiel thought it was impressive that Asha even recognized his own shortcomings. Knowing your flaws was no small feat. In every way, Asha was remarkable.

“So, you’re planning to file a petition about the marriage law?”

“Yeah. I’ll carefully review the texts, compile the materials, and submit the petition to the temple. They’ll probably need scholars’ opinions, but with the materials, there shouldn’t be any issues. After that, it’ll move to the political sphere, and it’ll work out somehow.”

Moving to politics meant the ball would be in Kiel’s court—exactly what he’d hoped for. He’d stamp approval the moment he saw it.

Unlike his own somewhat forced arguments, Asha’s were methodical and airtight. Even Rauel, the grand priest who adored his nephew, wouldn’t find fault. And frankly, Asha’s humanities knowledge outshone his own.

With the tablet and supporting evidence, it’d be smooth sailing. Alicia wouldn’t be an issue either.

Suddenly, the frustrating situation felt exciting. As usual—save for the occasional exasperation—Asha was his perfect ally.

“What made you think of such a brilliant idea?”

As Kiel gazed at Asha with adoration, Asha suddenly pursed his lips.

Always either smiling brightly or expressionless, Asha rarely pouted or looked upset. But now, he seemed a little miffed.

Like when someone stole his food as a kid.

It was maddeningly fresh and adorable, yet at the same time, it made his heart sink with a thud.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did someone say something?”

As if ready to seize and behead anyone who dared, Kiel asked urgently. Asha fidgeted, clasping his hands together, then looked up at Kiel. He hesitated, his face showing he wanted to say something.

Normally, Asha never held back, spouting strange, irreverent, or audacious remarks without a second thought. Seeing him hesitate like this was so rare that Kiel blinked in surprise.

“Why?”

“…Well…”

“Well?”

Urging him to speak freely, Kiel pressed, and Asha reluctantly opened his mouth.

It seemed he had a ton to say, but even after parting his lips, he couldn’t quite get the words out. Instead, he just stood there, his plump, red lips slightly open, making little noises. The sight sent a shiver down Kiel’s spine, a thrill that made his back tingle.

Asha’s face, with his lips parted, looked exactly like a baby bird chirping hungrily.

Even that was unchanged from childhood. Whenever Kiel held a cookie or candy out of reach, Asha would make that same face, lips slightly parted, chasing after the treat. He’d follow it with such focus that nothing else existed, sometimes stumbling or spinning in circles until he fell over. It had happened more than a few times.

Even now, but especially as a child, Asha was so lovable that Kiel wanted to gobble him up whole. He was so impossibly beautiful that Kiel had seriously wondered how such a perfectly adorable creature could exist. No answer came. He’d even chased down priests to ask why Asha was so pretty, but they’d just stared at him like he was mad and offered no reply. So, he’d had to come to his own conclusion.

Asha was so perfectly cute because he belonged to Kiel.

Lost in how breathtakingly beautiful he was, Kiel gazed down at Asha and spoke gently.

“If you’ve got something to say, you can say it. What’s going on?”

Coaxing him as if soothing a child, Kiel watched as Asha pursed his lips again, chirping softly. But still hesitant to speak, Asha’s reluctance made Kiel lock eyes with him seriously. Just then, a knock came at the door.

“Your Majesty, the warm cloth is ready.”

Hearing that the awaited cloth had arrived, Kiel swiftly grabbed a large pillow from the bed and placed it on Asha’s lap. After ensuring his knees were fully covered, he nodded slowly.

“Come in.”

At Kiel’s curt command, the door opened cautiously. A servant entered, carrying a white cloth dampened with warm water on a silver tray, and approached the bed. Bowing before Asha and Kiel, the servant spoke.

“I’ll clean your feet, my lord.”

As the servant set the tray on the bed, Kiel waved a hand dismissively.

“No need. I’ll do it. Leave.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I’ll do it.”

Kiel wasn’t about to let some servant handle Asha’s legs, which were bare from the thighs down.

Irritated that the servant was even in the room, Kiel jerked his chin, signaling to get out. The servant hurried out of the room.

Once he was gone, Kiel picked up the warm cloth from the tray. Sitting a short distance from Asha, he issued a brief command.

“Your foot.”

At Kiel’s order, Asha immediately lifted his right foot and held it out. In doing so, the inside of his thigh was blatantly exposed. Oblivious to any embarrassment, Asha’s innocent act of spreading his legs made Kiel feel a rush of dizziness.

His skin was so white and plump.

He was supposed to clean Asha’s foot, but his eyes and hands kept drifting toward the space between his legs. That’s what he wanted to touch, to taste. For a moment, the urge to just give in and go for it surged, but Kiel desperately suppressed it.

He had to hold back.

Until the moment they stood in the most lavish wedding ceremony, strewn with flowers and gold dust, watching the nobles’ faces rot as he and Asha exchanged vows and entered their honeymoon chamber.

Even if he was tempted to act now, Kiel had his own standards, procedures, and sense of formality.

What Kiel hated most was anything sloppy or unnoticed.

He loved things that were grand, flashy, and attention-grabbing, so doing something in secret was out of the question. If he had to put it into words, he preferred saving the best for last, showing it off to a crowd, and savoring it fully.

So, he had to hold back. He wanted to pull Asha into a tight embrace right then, but with superhuman restraint, Kiel stifled the urge and began wiping Asha’s chubby foot with trembling hands.

To distract himself, he started spouting nonsense.

“You can’t run around like this at night. The palace is full of scary things, you know. You might get eaten.”

The teasing, reminiscent of how he’d scared Asha as a kid, made Asha giggle as if tickled. His face seemed to say, I’m not a child to believe that. Kiel, thinking Oh, really?, finished cleaning Asha’s right foot, set it aside, and wiggled his fingers to signal for the left.

“I’m serious.”

Half-joking, Kiel’s words prompted Asha to lift his left leg high, setting his right on the bed, and reply.

“I’m not falling for it anymore.”

Kiel, amused at the cheeky response from his steamed bun, picked up a fresh cloth and started cleaning Asha’s left foot.

“If you don’t believe me, fine. Keep wandering like that and see if you don’t get snatched up without a trace.”

By me, Kiel added silently. It was a funny thought, but in this palace, he was the most dangerous person to Asha.

He’d admit that much. But he excused himself by saying it was fine because it was love.

Yes, love was what mattered.

Finishing with Asha’s left foot and setting it on the bed, Kiel put the cloth aside and whispered in a secretive tone.

“If you don’t believe me, I could show you proof.”

“Proof?”

“Yep.”

Asha’s eyes sparkled as he took the bait Kiel dangled. Curious about what the proof could be, he stared at Kiel. Like the natural con artist he was, Kiel lowered his voice, adjusting his tone expertly.

“Want to know?”

His voice was sly, seductive, tugging at the heartstrings. Asha nodded immediately.

Kiel knew exactly what hooked Asha. His curiosity was insatiable.

“For real?”

As if asking if he was sure he wouldn’t regret it, Kiel kept stoking Asha’s interest. Asha nodded resolutely.

Completely reeled in, Asha leaned closer as Kiel slowly raised a hand, beckoning him with a finger.

Like a fish caught on a hook, Asha naturally moved toward Kiel, pressing his ear to Kiel’s lips. Kiel whispered softly into his ear.

“So, here’s the thing…”

His voice was faint but intimate, making Asha tense his shoulders.

Wondering what it could be, Asha’s heart raced with anticipation, oblivious to Kiel’s hand creeping toward his inner thigh.

“There’s a small cellar in the inner palace…”

At the word cellar, Asha audibly swallowed. Hooked and reeled in with a deadly serious expression, he clenched his fists tightly, waiting for Kiel’s next words.

Meanwhile, Kiel’s hand slipped under the hem of Asha’s nightshirt, inching toward a private spot. Unaware of the mischievous intent as that hand neared his groin, Asha was entirely focused on Kiel.

His obliviousness was almost too much, and Kiel continued slowly.

“That cellar isn’t a place just anyone can enter. Because in there…”

As his voice grew quieter, Asha tensed even more. Just then, with his lips close to Asha’s ear, Kiel gently nipped his earlobe.

Startled by the sensation while so on edge, Asha flinched and pulled away from Kiel.

His skin prickled with goosebumps, and he shot Kiel a reproachful look.

“You were going to bite me again, weren’t you?”

“No way. You’re just too cute.”

With a wicked glint in his eyes, as if he’d devour him whole, Kiel forced a smile.

He lifted the corners of his lips, trying to look as kind and natural as possible.

But his eyes shimmered with desire, and his smile was so forced it looked utterly fake.

Even to oblivious Asha, it was clearly the face of a man with ulterior motives.

So, with a wary expression, Asha stared at Kiel, who stood up with an exaggerated smile.

“Alright, that’s it for today. Part two tomorrow.”

Fearing he’d lose control if he stayed longer, Kiel started to leave. Surprised, Asha hopped off the bed and followed, chattering.

“You’re just leaving?”

“Yeah, I need to rest too.”

As Kiel quickened his pace, Asha caught his arm at the door.

Still clueless, he spoke up.

“Then stay here and sleep.”

Are you trying to kill me? The words surged to Kiel’s throat, but he swallowed them down.

Instead, he gave the most plausible excuse.

“I’m too busy tonight.”

“But it’s a banquet day?”

That’s exactly why he was busier. Thanks to the damned Duke of Paddington.

“There’s work I put off because of the banquet.”

“Still, just rest tonight. You haven’t slept much either, have you?”

Kiel turned to Asha, dumbfounded, as he kept tugging his arm, insisting he stay.

No matter how oblivious, how could he be this oblivious…

Cluelessly urging him to stay, unaware of the restraint Kiel was exercising.

The problem was they’d slept together too often as kids.

“No way. You’re grown now, so you need to get used to sleeping alone.”

“I can sleep alone, but I’m going home tomorrow, so I won’t get to sleep with you then.”

That’s when Kiel realized he hadn’t told Asha yet.

“I was going to mention, but you’ll have to stay in the palace for a while.”

“Why?”

Blinking in confusion, Asha prompted Kiel to dodge with a vague explanation.

“There’s a terrifying woman outside sharpening her knife for you. She wants to pop every steamed bun in existence. She’s a fearsome witch who sets fire to bun shops, and she’s back in the capital. Until we deal with her, you can’t leave.”

Explaining in a way Asha could roughly grasp, Kiel watched as Asha tilted his head.

“But I’m a person?”

“Who said that?”

Amused that a thinking steamed bun would call himself a person, Kiel chuckled and asked. Asha replied innocently.

“I’m only a steamed bun to you.”

Grinning without guile and clinging to Kiel’s arm, Asha was the epitome of lovability.

Maybe because he’d grown up bathed in love from his whole family, he was so affectionate and cute that if lovability took human form, it’d be Asha.

Overwhelmed by a sudden rush of feeling from his lower half, Kiel pulled Asha into a tight embrace again. He kissed his hair.

“Yeah, my steamed bun. So perfectly ripe, it’d be just right to eat now.”

Kiel sighed that too many things were getting in the way of eating this bun.

If not for the damned Dukețial, he’d have announced their marriage tonight, held the ceremony, and had an unforgettable first night.

His anger at his uncle flaring again, Kiel kissed Asha’s forehead once more and gently pried off the arms wrapped around his waist.

“I’ll come back later, so go to sleep. I’ve got urgent things to handle.”

“Okay. Come back for sure.”

“…Sure…”

Mumbling uncertainly that he’d try, Kiel reluctantly stepped out of the room. But as he opened the door, he glanced back wistfully, seeing Asha wave.

Smiling warmly at that face, Kiel’s expression hardened the moment the door closed. He strode off quickly.

With every step, he vowed revenge on the Duke of Paddington.

He’d make him so sick of steamed buns that just seeing their steam would make him gag for life.