Chapter 95


After the conversation in the reception room ended, Edgar headed to Ariel’s room for a private chat with her.

Sitting alone, without even Shuri, who would have expected him to come, she greeted Edgar with her dignified demeanor.

“What are you so surprised about?”

“Do I look like I’m surprised? You could at least give me a heads-up.”

With a playful expression echoing his own, a faint laugh formed at the corner of Edgar’s mouth.

How could she have such a carefree look on her face when this is such an important matter? He felt like giving her a light punch on the forehead for her nonchalance.

It felt almost foolish to be the one getting nervous in front of her composed demeanor, as if she had presented him a small surprise gift.

“Anyway… is it true? That you’re inheriting the family head position.”

“Yeah. It wasn’t my request; my father suggested it.”

“His Highness himself?”

“Why? You don’t believe it?”

Edgar honestly nodded at Ariel’s counter-question.

Of course, he didn’t think Yulken would be swayed by Ariel’s childishness, but he also didn’t expect that the suggestion would come from the other side initially.

Being the head of a Ducal family isn’t something one just gets by playing tag, and it wouldn’t be a simple matter for a girl who has just completed her coming-of-age ceremony to take that position.

Not to mention, it wouldn’t be easy to make such a decision without some solid reason, even if it might seem like he was overestimating Ariel’s abilities.

Suddenly curious about Yulken’s intentions, Edgar continued.

“Tch, what’s this? I thought you’d be happy.”

“Happiness and surprise are two different things. Plus, being a steward? What the hell is going on?”

Since becoming Ariel’s lover, Edgar had learned a bit about official duties from Elpelt, though he hadn’t received any thorough training yet since he wasn’t part of the Robeheim family.

Occasionally, Elpelt would invite him over to teach him a few things.

At the time, he had reluctantly learned it because Elpelt said it might be useful, but looking back now, Edgar speculated that it was probably Yulken’s intention.

It wouldn’t make sense for the current head’s steward to teach duties to a mere lover, after all.

Perhaps since then, Yulken had been secretly planning to position Edgar as the next steward.

“You said you’d think positively in front of Father, but was it all a lie?”

“Not at all. It just means I’m too flabbergasted to believe it.”

Regardless of whether Yulken had carefully planned it or not, what had happened was still a sudden occurrence for Edgar, leaving him dumbfounded.

Even though it’s called steward, outside the Robeheim family, the role positions you as the second most powerful individual in this clan.

He needed the education, character, and the ability that matched such a position.

Edgar had never thought of himself as someone fit for it.

‘There’s no way I’d dream of such a thing.’

Nevertheless, there was a reason he didn’t outright refuse.

First, he worried it would come off as disrespectful to Yulken, who trusted him and gave him this opportunity.

Secondly, he had a somewhat petty and personal desire to always walk beside Ariel, not just as a lover but as a friend she had once known.

Although he had indeed gained the position of a lover, he wanted to become a man who could walk alongside Ariel in both personal and professional aspects.

That was the initial goal that brought Edgar all the way to this far-off Hespania.

In other words, if he could use this opportunity to develop his abilities, it would be an undeniably great outcome.

Thus, he wanted to grasp this chance first. There would be time to prove himself later after honing his skills.

“Anyway, it’s not like I have to do anything right away, is it? For now, just learn the ropes slowly and help me out.”

“Right, I shouldn’t think too hastily.”

Edgar sat across from Ariel, making sure not to show any signs of being overwhelmed. There were more questions he wanted to ask, and among them, this one stood out as the most important.

“By the way, what’s this ‘subservience pact’ thing?”

As Edgar asked about a term that Yulken had mentioned during their previous audience, Ariel’s expression shifted subtly.

“Oh… that? It’s one of our family traditions. Have you ever seen a unique pattern on the back of my father’s left hand?”

“The pattern… oh.”

Yulken often wore gloves, making it hard to see, but Edgar remembered catching a glimpse of it once.

He must have seen it when he went to meet Yulken on Ariel’s request.

It was a bit blurry in his memory, but he thought it probable.

“And on the other hand is the proof of his marriage to my mother. If you look closely, it looks different.”

“I’ve seen the proof of marriage. But since His Highness is right-handed, I rarely got to see the one on his left.”

“Anyway, that’s the pattern that appears when going through the subservience pact. It’s also inscribed on Elpelt’s hand.”

“I haven’t seen the one on Lord Elpelt’s hand, but… I get what it means.”

For Yulken, Elpelt was someone he trusted the most, a comrade he could rely on in battle.

Thus, a pact formed with him would mean it’s a sort of sign conferred only to the true confidant of the head of the Robeheim family.

The fact that this was brought up in front of Edgar suggested an obvious reason that he could guess.

“Do you want us to enter into a subservience pact together?”

“…Probably. Honestly, I’d rather not.”

“Why’s that?”

Edgar expressed his confusion at her somewhat unexpected response.

Regardless of its precise value, the ‘subservience pact’ undoubtedly serves as a clear marker of their relationship.

Yet, she was showing signs of rejection.

If it were the Ariel he knew, he would have thought she would readily accept it.

“I understand why my father is worried. Unlike him, I don’t have much influence, and I certainly lack the ability to enter into a subservience pact.”

“…….”

“However, you’re my lover; you’re not my subordinate. I don’t want to force that on you due to my shortcomings.”

It was then that Edgar finally grasped what she was trying to convey.

And compared to his nonchalance about the issue, it became clear that Ariel had contemplated the pact much more deeply and seriously.

A faint smile graced Edgar’s lips as he realized this.

Even with their newfound romantic relationship, there were still moments of teasing, but when it came down to it, she was the only one who genuinely cared for him.

Feeling a warm sensation in his chest, he gently placed his hand over Ariel’s hand resting on the table.

“What are you making such a fuss about?”

“Fuss? I’m more serious than anyone!”

Ariel pouted, crossing her arms, and Edgar tenderly ruffled her hair.

“No one’s saying you’re not serious. I’m just saying don’t take the subservience pact too heavily.”

“It’s a family tradition. How can I not take it seriously?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Sometimes he found her incredibly clever, but looking at this side of her made him think she was genuinely innocent.

The symbolism of the subservience pact is certainly serious.

Edgar, who hadn’t heard the details, certainly didn’t ignore that fact.

However, he wouldn’t think that the pact would somehow vindicate everything.

After all, it was merely a symbol to clarify the master-servant relationship—nothing would suddenly change between them because of the pact.

“In any case, knowing your nature, you wouldn’t keep someone you can’t trust by your side… and even less so a subservience pact.”

“You know me well.”

“Why are you boasting? You should have built a few more trustworthy allies.”

Finally, after adding a remark, Ariel smacked Edgar on the forehead.

With a sulking pout and a slight smirk, he cleared his throat to lighten the mood and continued speaking.

“Anyway, what I’m saying is there’s no need to get tangled up in the subservience pact or whatever title appears on the surface; you and I can just act as we always do.”

“Just as we always do…?”

“Yeah. Just think of it as having a slightly different wedding ceremony.”

With his usual playful smile, Edgar brushed it off lightly.

Is there really such a thing as a wedding where you swear eternity by sharing blood and magic?

Ariel chuckled slightly at that absurdity, but somewhere deep down, she thought it was a typical response from him.

‘Well, that’s a fair point,’ she reflected.

The pact isn’t light. Their relationship is profoundly rooted.

Even if it’s a subservience pact traditionally bound by master-servant ties, it was like a sword bestowed only upon those deemed most trustworthy by the head of the Ducal House.

Ariel believed there was only one person suited for that in her life.

She had never considered anyone else, nor would she in the future.

Therefore, she thought it wouldn’t be a bad choice to strengthen their bond through this opportunity.

In fact, she felt foolish for having been solely fixated on the subservience pact without contemplating its true meaning.

“…You should prepare yourself. The moment we enter into the subservience pact, you become my subject. Get ready to call me His Highness.”

She had previously stated she didn’t want to put him in such a position as her lover, but now she seemed to twist her words provocatively.

Of course, it was all likely in jest, but the problem was that something in her statement sparked a thought in Edgar’s mind.

“Your Highness?”

“Why? You can’t say it, right?”

Just as Ariel provocatively challenged him to quit while he was ahead, Edgar gave a strange smile and shrugged his shoulders.

‘Your Highness.’

It seemed she thought Edgar could never utter such a title. However, to him, it was merely a convenient excuse.

Hoping that Ariel wouldn’t retract her words, Edgar wore a dark, devilish smile.

Princess Ariel. It was a title that seemed to fit surprisingly well.