“But… I don’t have a sword.”

Elena blinked, glancing at the branch on the ground. *Does he expect me to use this branch?*

The young lord looked at the branch, then at Elena. Under his gaze, she quickly picked it up.

“Facing an opponent stronger than you physically isn’t easy.”

“Yes.”

Elena lightly swung the branch, mimicking a strike against an imaginary opponent. As he waited for the “opponent” to advance deeply, he used their force to deflect the blow.

“Do you know the basics of movement?”

“Yes.”

“Get into a ready stance.”

Elena’s eyes sparkled with joy at the chance to learn a new technique.

*Yes, I’m just an ordinary noble girl! I’ve only casually mastered swordsmanship! I didn’t ask him to teach me—he offered it himself, so there’s no harm in that.*

“When you strike with the sword, step forward with your left or right foot depending on the direction of the strike.”

Carl demonstrated the stance, moving his hand gracefully.

“When you strike deeply, it’s better to step forward with your right foot.”

As she adjusted her stance, he stood naturally in front of her, also holding a long branch.

“When the opponent pushes with force…”

With his words, he closed the distance quickly. A refreshing wave of fragrance filled the air around her. Startled by the sudden scent, Elena instinctively stepped back, almost suspecting he’d released poison into the air.

“Don’t step back.”

Carl gestured at her movement, assuming she was trying to retreat.

*What is this amazing fragrance?*

Elena stole a glance at his face, her cheeks turning a faint pink. It was different from the scents she usually picked up among knights or her brothers. *Do all high-ranking nobles have such beautiful fragrances?*

She tried to recall if she’d noticed this scent during his earlier training.

On the other side, Carl felt slightly embarrassed by the way Elena kept sniffing the air during his explanation.

*There must be something strange in the air.*

Her occasional nose twitches made him wonder if she’d noticed something. Could she have an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell?

He also wondered if she’d detected the poison one of the servants had placed on his bed—an issue he was aware of but had chosen to ignore.

“I feel wronged.”

Carl was confident his fragrance was far superior to any mysterious poison. But he was irritated by how Elena kept sniffing the air repeatedly.

“Ah, this is crazy.”

Elena felt embarrassed by the fragrance filling the air around her as she stood so close to the young lord. His cool features didn’t align with her taste, but the gentle, refreshing scent emanating from him was delightful and appealed to her greatly. She also noticed a hint of the same fragrance she occasionally smelled on Mary.

*It seems he knows about it and ignores it.*

Elena tried to stop her thoughts from veering into strange directions. Whether Mary, who was responsible for the young lord’s room, was flaunting her figure to seduce him or applying that fragrance to herself, Elena needed to focus on the sword now.

“Ah—”

Elena’s eyes sparkled with joy. With direct guidance, she could grasp the movements much faster.

“Go deeper. Experiencing it is the best way to understand.”

Elena chuckled slightly at the young lord’s words. Then, without hesitation, she pushed forward with force. Once again, the refreshing fragrance filled her nose.

But amid the fresh scent, there was also Mary’s fragrance—the one who threw flirtatious glances at men every day. Without realizing it, Elena frowned and tightened her grip on the branch.

As she pushed forcefully, Carl observed her closely. Then, moving as he’d explained earlier, he effortlessly deflected her branch. The branch vibrated strongly in her hand.

“If that had been a real sword, it would’ve flown out of your hand.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

She felt that with some practice using a real sword, she’d be able to apply this technique in battle quickly. *The young duke is kinder than I expected.*

Elena slightly revised her opinion of the young lord, whom she’d always seen as cold.

“Can you follow the movements?”

“A little.”

Elena nodded and assumed a ready stance. Carl moved slowly so she could follow. She tried to mimic his movements as precisely as possible.

*Her motor skills are better than I expected. And her comprehension is quick too.*

Carl was impressed by Elena’s focus on the movements. After correcting her stance, he noticed her hand trembling slightly, as if she were replaying the move she’d just performed.

The technique he’d taught her wasn’t something a person who’d trained with a sword for just a month could execute. She was definitely a talent worthy of Rowen’s recommendation.

*Maybe I can be a bit friendlier.*

Carl softened his cold expression, revealing a gentle smile he used when needed—a smile that put others at ease whenever they saw it.

“If you have any questions in the future, don’t hesitate to ask me.”

“Really? Can I?”

The words spilled from Elena’s mouth quickly, as if she’d taken the bait. When it came to learning swordsmanship, she lost her composure easily. She didn’t even notice that the young lord was smiling at her brightly. All she could think was, *Why does everything feel so hazy?*

“Of course.”

Carl considered suggesting private training to better assess her skills. But before he could speak, a servant’s voice called out from inside the side wing.

“Elena! Elena!”

As Elena confirmed the voice was calling her, the young lord vanished swiftly.

“Hmm, he’s really fast.”

Impressed by his speed, Elena entered the building. After that, she didn’t meet the young lord, who had promised to teach her swordsmanship.

She was busy managing the side wing and enjoying her free time, while Carl was swamped with work. He wished he could focus solely on family matters as a young duke, but the Emperor was cautiously using him to curb the duke’s family’s power.

And so, their days passed peacefully.

—

*Knock, knock.*

*Knock, knock, knock.*

In the quiet of dawn, Carl slowly opened his eyes at the sound of soft knocking on his bedroom door. The guards were supposed to be stationed outside, but he didn’t sense their movement. His hand reached for the sword hidden under his pillow.

“Hoo.”

His deep sleep had been interrupted for the first time in a while. He took a deep breath and remained lying still.

*It seems the Empress Dowager has sent another assassin.* Despite his clear disinterest in the throne, she was determined to eliminate him.

*Knock, knock.*

The knocking came again. His servant Robin would have burst in without permission. His personal attendant Thomas would knock and call, “My lord?” if there was no response. No one close to him entered his bedroom with such politeness.

Moreover, it wasn’t usual for maids to come at this late hour. *It’s definitely an assassin, but why aren’t they entering?* Carl gripped his sword, wondering if he should get up and open the door. But before he could think further, the uninvited guest moved first.

*Creak.*

The door opened, but no sound of footsteps followed.

“My handsome lord, are you asleep?”

“Tch.”

Carl opened his eyes without hesitation and let out a curse at the assassin’s soft voice. His brow furrowed upon seeing the intruder. He wished the assassin had come covered in fur from head to toe.

“Oh, are you frowning at the sight of my body now?”

A slender woman stood in a tight black assassin’s outfit that clearly revealed her figure. It was Mary, the maid responsible for his room. She showed no shame, boldly displaying her body.

Carl sighed. He hadn’t known that Mary, who had worked in the duke’s household for over five years, was indeed placing poison on his bed. A bitter taste filled his mouth at the realization that he couldn’t even trust those who swore loyalty.

“My lord, it seems the poison I’ve prepared for years didn’t suit your taste. If poison doesn’t please you, how about me?”

“I thought you were just flirting lightly with the servants. I didn’t know you were interested in me too.”

Mary smiled slyly and began approaching his bed with light steps.

“Is it because you’re a sword master that poison doesn’t affect you? How haven’t you died when I’ve been putting poison on your pillow every day?”

“Because the poison wasn’t tasty.”

“Then the poison I placed on the library door handle didn’t suit you either?”

“Hah, you know such things can’t kill me, yet you’re so persistent.”

As Carl rose from the bed, the maid-assassin’s eyes meticulously scanned his body. His toned chest muscles were clearly visible under the loose nightshirt. His broad shoulders and perfect triangular frame made Mary feel a rush of excitement.

Despite her relentless efforts, she hadn’t managed to touch a single hair on him in five years. *How can I kill him in a way that spreads rumors of a grand assassination? It’d be wonderful if this handsome man cried at my feet.*

She smiled wickedly, drew a dagger, and gripped it tightly with both hands. She felt immense satisfaction imagining the wounds she’d inflict on those toned muscles.

Her mood lifted at the sight of the calm Carl. *Of course, no man can resist my body’s charm. Even my lord, who pretends not to care, is surely interested.*

Anticipating her final night with Carl, Mary raised the dagger toward his chest.

“Now, I feel like kil— Ah!”

Swiftly, Carl deflected the dagger, grabbed the maid-assassin’s wrist, and threw her against the wall.

“Stop this nonsense. You won’t die easily. The price for interrupting my sleep is steep, and the price for failing to please me is even steeper.”

*You’re so boring.*

A heavy aura of pressure radiated from him. His deep eyes and powerful presence were enchantingly beautiful, to the point that Mary forgot the situation and was unconsciously drawn to his gaze.