THERE WAS A FAMILIAR LEG protruding out of the sofa where Richard was lying yesterday.
Albert and Richard spoke this afternoon, which Elias accidentally overheard.
"You're the only heir of our family. You have a duty to welcome your companion and succeed this family."
"....."
"Your home, and all the things you've enjoyed, they were all given to you as my successor. You don't deserve to be there if you lose your power as the heir."
It was not an ordinary conversation between a grandfather and grandson. In Elias's view, Albert only saw Richard as a stallion to succeed his family, and Richard was resisting his will. That meant he was thinking the same thing as Elias.
There's a saying, "The enemy is an ally."
Elias took courage once more.
If things go well, he might get a strong ally from a Duke with no one on his side.
Of course, he's a temporary ally before the divorce.
"Hello, Duke."
Elias slowly approached the sofa, where Richard was lying, with the idea of greeting him one more time. When he opened his eyes in the morning, Richard had already left the room. And during the day, he couldn't see him. The same happened at dinner time.
"You weren't busy last night, were you? I'll introduce myself again. I am...."
"...Whoa"
"What?"
"It's noisy."
The voice from over the sofa seemed irritated.
'Our Black Dragon seems to be in a very bad mood.'
Elias squinted at the sofa, his lips furrowed. It was impossible to have a conversation with him today.
"Well then... good night."
Elias went to bed and lied down. Richard seemed to be thinking of sleeping on the couch today as well.
Elias, who was thinking about this and that, was looking at the sofa where Richard rested and fell asleep.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───
A FEW DAYS PASSED JUST LIKE THAT. As Albert said, Elias began taking bridal lessons the next day. He was bored with the lecture, but he liked the fact that he had free time for the rest of the day after class.
Elias, who took a class in the morning, had lunch and went to the castle library as usual.
The library of the Rubelin Castle was huge in size and was owned by the first family in the empire. It also has a vast number of books.
It was a place that would give great help to Elias, who was still unfamiliar with the world he was in.
"Hmm, I think I'll read the history books today."
The history book was on the top case of the bookshelf, it was as high as his hand could reach.
Elias struggled, but soon gave up and looked around for a ladder.
If Elias runs into the librarian, it wouldn't be difficult to get the book out, but he hasn't been in since he came in, as he had a long lunch.
However, it was more difficult to go out and bring in the maids and servants outside the library.
"Found it!"
Elias found the ladder and dragged it out from the bookshelf right behind him. He then climbed it and pulled out the book he wanted.
It was then.
In the distance, the library door opened with a sound.
'Who is it?'
There were only two libraries in the castle of Rubelin.
There was an open library for everyone in the castle, and the other library was only for the Lord and his family.
The place where Elias is now was the library only for those with Rubelin's name.
Therefore, the librarian in charge of the library, Albert, Richard, and Elias were the only ones with access to it.
Elias quietly came down from the ladder because he didn't want to run into Albert or Richard.
Then, he crept towards the door with the book in his chest. Anyone who had something to do in the library would soon have gone to look at the bookshelves, so he could leave the library.
But as he was heading for the entrance, he stopped when he found someone lying face-down on a desk near the entrance.
'Richard?'
Richard was lying on his stomach at his desk. Looking at his closed eyes, Elias felt as if he was sleeping.
'Did you not sleep well because you were uncomfortable?'
Come to think of it, no matter how soft the sofa is, it couldn't have been comfortable to sleep on.
Thinking of it, he felt sorry for sleeping proudly on the bed.
'I think it's going to be cold, so at least I could cover him with a blanket.'
Elias, who pondered for a moment, approached Richard with a blanket from nearby.
'I'm afraid to wake Richard up, so I held my guard'
As I approached, I could see Richard's face, who was defenselessly asleep. He had beautiful eyelashes, a straight nose, and red lips for a guy.
His face, still young and energetic, looked perfectly harmless.
The face of the devil that I saw on the first night feels like a completely different person.
"Pretty."
As I admired his face, which I said to be pretty rather than handsome, his closed eyelids opened, showing his blood-colored eyes.
"Hmmm..."
When Elias met the cold-blooded eyes, he froze with the blanket unfolded.
At that moment, Richard's hand snatched Elias's arm roughly.
"What are you doing?"
"I was trying to cover you with a b-blanket... I was afraid you would catch a cold."
Embarrassed, Elias stuttered one beat late and answered.
After staring at Elias with cold eyes, Richard let his arm go with a flutter.
"I don't get colds like that. Only weak people like you get sick."
"......"
"Get out of my way."
Richard beckoned him to go before he lay down on the desk again, turning his head in the opposite direction to Elias.
'Oh, this Black Dragon. Even though I'm trying to get along with him, he's not even trying to cooperate.'
Elias mimicked what Richard said with his mouth, pretending to squeeze Richard.
Then, in good timing, Richard tossed and turned.
Elias was startled and lowered his hand. Fortunately, Richard didn't turn around.
'Well... he's still a kid.'
That's the age where you're in the middle of a storm.
Elias gently covered Richard's shoulder with the blanket he was holding. There was no indication of whether Richard had fallen asleep or he had just given up.
He picked up the book he pulled out and left the library quietly.
As the closing door in the silent library made a sound, Richard's eyes fluttered open and then closed again.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───
THAT NIGHT, RICHARD WHO CAME TO THE BEDROOM, headed for the sofa. Now, he's used to the position as if it were his own bed. It's still uncomfortable, though.
As I laid on the sofa, I heard a rustle from the side of the bed. A small chuck came to my side.
The library was trying to hide its spirit as much as possible, but I could feel it, this time there's no sign of hiding.
In that move, Richard intuitively noticed that Elias had something to say to him.
With closed eyes, Richard said to him, who was approaching him.
"...Just go to sleep already."
But Elias came right in front of him, seemingly unwilling to hear it. Richard opened his mouth with his closed eyes wide open.
"I told you just go to slee–"
"I'm not gonna eat you, so let's sleep in the bed."
"...What?"
Elias said, reaching out to Richard as if he's not frightened.
"I'm just going to sleep while holding hands."
Richard, looking at his hand which was smaller than his, burst into laughter.
"Who's eating who?"
Elias was nervous about Richard's laugh. It wasn't a laugh from pleasure, it was a laugh that seemed trivial.
Richard asked coldly with a stiff look on his face.
"Did the Duke make you do it?"
"What?"
"Tempt me this way?"
Elias was embarrassed.
I thought the reason why Richard was hard on me was because he was the Black Dragon, but I didn't think it was because of that thought.
'By the way, he's referring to his grandfather as the Duke. Do they not get along very well?'
In any case, misunderstandings were not good to accumulate.
Elias made a hasty explanation.
"You seem to be misunderstanding this, but it has nothing to do with the Duke."
"How can I believe that?"
"I don't know if you already know, but I just lost my parents. So when I had nowhere to go, the Duke brought me here."
But even with Elias's explanation, Richard's expression was sour.
"Family history is the dustiest story for those who are caught wrong."
'...There's a lot of mistrust in the world.'
Elias explained his situation in more detail.
"The reason I agreed to this marriage was because I thought it would be better for a 12-year-old child who was all alone and had no reason to live."
"What if the Duke ordered you to say that to seduce me?"
"Is there any difference even if your guess is true?"
"What do you mean?"
"I can't force you. So even if I tempted you, isn't it possible for you to fall for me?"
Elias's words were kind of provocative.
"You just have to hold out well. Are you not confident in your own feelings?"
This time, Richard didn't refute. He wasn't wrong. With Richard's power, Elias would've been defeated.
Elias took the opportunity to bring up the story he had read in the original.
"I heard that the imperial family is aiming for the power of Rubelin and is trying to bring you and Princess Seonha on-line. That is mainly the reason why the Duke brought me here."
There are four families in the Arencia Empire that have contributed to its founding.
Together, the four families who founded the empire to subdue tyranny and make a better country, discussed who would become Emperor.
Among them was the Cairo and the Rubelin family who offered to become Emperors.
They, who were close friends, took an eternal oath after the Cairo family agreed to take the throne.
The house of Cairo is holding a sacred place where it never forgets its people, and the Duke of Rubelin is always on the other hand of the Emperor's side to keep him from tyranny.
The two friends who shared their lives became enemies of each other for a great cause.
Their friendship and loyalty were admired in the history books, but now, after a long time, only checks against each other remained.
The royal family coveted the power of Rubelin to be stronger, and Rubelin cultivated such power to avoid getting eaten by the royal family.
As the relationship continued in the original, Elias was well aware of the relationship between the two families.
"If you don't intend to marry the Royal Highness, someone should be sitting next to you."
When Elias brought up a rather sharp story, a bit of redness rose from Richard's eyes, who looked at him with indifference.
'I thought you were stupid, but you were pretty good.'
When Elias noticed that Richard's eyes had changed, he came to the point.
"I don't hope to have a child with you nor be the Male Dutchess seated with the Young Duke."
"......"
"Please keep the marriage until I become an adult. When I become an adult, I will leave the Duke on my own."
Richard stood up and looked at Elias's soft eyes, who calmly made a proposal while speaking in a determined tone.
"I accept the offer..."
"Only if this promise of you leaving will be fulfilled."