They say that, a man's greatest temptation is beauty, or so I heard from TV shows and Movies. But when you think about it, it's just lust. Guys easily get driven by their lust. However, lust and temptation are two things that are different, but the same, but different.

***

The day after I arrived in Valeshtyre Royal Capital, I greeted and met a lot of important personalities and nobles to celebrate my official commemoration as an Envoy and as a Representative of Berigious. Of course, that would mean hosting a party.

Since I didn't prepare a mansion beforehand, I couldn't host a backyard party for my guests.

There are some nobles with baron and earl statuses offering their places as venue for my party, but if I choose, it would make the other nobles sour.

In order to escape such dilemma, I decided to use Drukade as my party venue. I didn't need to put a lot of decorations in the Viewing Hall and Top Deck, I just had half of the crew clean the ship while I also help them with magic boosting.

I also decorated some parts of the ship with illusions so they would look better.

Currently, I'm standing above a raised platform with Akkin. We've been standing here for the last three hours because of the visitors that keeps on arriving one after another. Luckily, the sun is setting and the temperature's dropping to my favor. But if it gets even colder, I'll use a heating barrier to even it up.

Akkin is wearing his official Captain's Uniform and groomed his beard so he looks dashing, while I wear my Trench coat Tuxedo combo grey uniform with black and white laced shoulder pads with my emblems on my chest. It's a standard uniform for Envoys. Also, I let Jane groom my hair so it's braided to the back.

She's currently serving the guests with Lapis and the rest of the available crew at the moment.

“Papa, chocolate!”

Also, not forgetting Marie, she's sitting beside me. She's wearing a Violet dress with a small purple hat pair. I say, she looks really cute. By the way, she's handling me finger sized chocolates for quite some time now. I think she doesn't like them anymore.

Well, I should be glad.

“Is she your daughter? You look quite young to be her father.”

One of the noblewomen came to me and ask. She's quite a beauty.

“There were special circumstances, but she is my daughter.”

When we both look at Marie, she then shows a big smile on her face while waving her hand.

“How adorable!”

“Cute!”

It seems that she got herself a crowd. There are many women and girls looking at her with loose expressions. There are even boys and older men that got captivated by her smile. Marie's cuteness knows no bounds! I can totally relate.

While I let the girls admire Marie, I switch my attention to an Old Gentleman coming towards me with his Silver Wolf designed Cane. It's pretty cool.

“Good afternoon, or should I say evening, Chevalier Chardelier? My name is I am Arnel Prothes, head of Prothes household. Can we have a short talk?”

“Prothes? Ah! Viscount Prothes, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. It's a pleasant surprise to meet you here in the Royal Capital.”

Viscount Prothes is actually Viscount Balerisk’s friend. He owns a territory southeast of the kingdom. Not only that, he owns silver mines in that territory so he's quite wealthy. But the real reason why I'm acquainted with him is that he also runs a Magic Scroll Industry. We've been sending letters ever since my name got known because I’m trying to get to his good side to be able to buy high-end powerful scrolls.

“For a young man your age, you’re quite powerful. Even when I was still far away down the stairs, I could already feel the huge intensity of your mana.”

While shaking his hand, I gave him a wry smile without looking away.

“Well, I just happen to be gifted in terms of magic. It's not of a great feat to be honest.”

I just keep my answers vague for obvious reasons. I'm still not sure if the word got out about my [Infinite]. If it did, I wouldn't be surprised if Viscount Prothes would become hostile to me. He's also a magician after all.

“Just being gifted isn't enough to summon something like a moon from nowhere and pass through the barrier like it's nothing. I'm sure you're a genius too.”

“Thank you for that compliment, but it may just be my parental instincts acting up. My daughter was inside the ship after all. And about the barrier, I just found an error in its magic array so I just made use of it.”

“An Error in the barrier? Impossible!”

“I'm not lying. Though it may not be an error to let living things with weight that only birds can pass, but for be to be able to go through it is an unprecedented thing and no countermeasures were prepared. But rest assured, the Barrier is still strong.”

He looked at the sky where the barrier is supposed to be. His face looks like he’s in conflict after I said some intriguing facts.

“Well, leaving that aside, how is your Industry doing?”

I got a bit guilty on what I did so I decided to change the topic.

“You mean my Scroll Workshop? Actually, our business is getting better lately. There must be something going on around. I don’t want to get caught up into some unknown trouble so I limit the supplies of my shops especially on the strong ones.”

“Hmm… Trouble huh.”

Well that was unexpected. I accidentally got myself some valuable information. Maybe I could squeeze out a bit more.

“Are people from Temples also purchasing your scrolls?”

“… Now that you mention it, I did receive requests from the temples to sell them my advanced scrolls.”

The way he says it means he doesn't know about me being a heretic. I guess Viscount Balerishk didn't mention that to him. I should thank that old man with some dwarven liquor when I get back to the academy.

“Well let's leave business aside for now. Today's supposed to be a celebration for your entitlement.”

“Haha, you're right.”

That was quick. I wish I got a bit more info.

He then bows and leaves formally then starts to talk to other people. I should do the same.

I turn to Marie and crouched a bit.

“Don't go running down the stairs, ok?”

“Ok!”

After that, I gave her a pat on the head.

She then leaves her chair and dashes into the people and greeted them with a big smile. Everyone who sees her cheerful smile gets their hearts melted. I know, I understand.

Also, I put a > spell on her when I touched her head. It allows me to know where ever she is within 300 meters. I did that as a precaution.

The only reason I let her walk around is that she gets grumpy when she stays in one place for too long. She also has Lapis following her so it’s fine.

As she disappears into the crowd trotting, I also get off my stage. I'm the only one left since Akkin suddenly disappeared. Where is that dwarf drinking now?

I talked with lots of noblemen and noblewomen. They're quite lively people while talking to me like I'm a president or something. Oh wait, I'm the host.

I even got a lot of kisses on the cheeks from the noble women when I greeted them. I was afraid to have my lips dry halfway after kissing their gloves on their hands.

“Sir Chardelier, you have quite a lovely daughter. I'm curious, who is her mother?”

One of the noble women I talking to asked me while pointing at Marie who's playing hide-and-seek with strangers.

Obviously I can't tell her Marie's real identity, she might pass out from the absurdity.

“Well, it's quite complicated.”

“Ah, I understand. Then her mother's a very lucky concubine. The father's a handsome and powerful man.”

How the hell did it go to that?

“Thank you for the compliment. Her mother's not exactly a concubine, she's a servant of our househo-“

“I like stories like that! Who fell in love first? Is it you or the maid? Please do tell!”

I was still in the middle of talking and one of the girls butted in. Her request enticed the other girls and now they're looking at me with sparkling eyes.

Ah… Fighting the dragon was a lot better than this.

“Please, don't embarrass us like that. I deeply apologize for that, Chevalier Chardelier.”

Thankfully a lifeline was tossed by a stranger who came towards us. It seems he's the father of the two girls. I can guess cause he's fat.

“It's alright. Everyone's curious about it too. By the way, may I know your name? I think this is the first time we met.”

Well, I want to know my savior. I owe him a drink.

“Oh, that's right. My name is Eric Freld Wilt, a fellow Chevalier.”

Hmm… Eric doesn't sound like an name of a Marzenthurian. I suppose he's also like me?

“Are you from earth?” (English)

While shaking his hand, I whispered it to his ears.

He got a bit surprised and then looked at me at the face.

“Are you serious? No way!”

He really got surprised and hugged me while laughing. Man! It's good to meet a fellow earthling.

While we act like long time friends, everyone's eyes turns towards us and becomes puzzled. Well, that's obviously because we're not showing the usual act of a noble towards other nobles.

“It's been a long time since I last met someone from the same place! How long have you been here, kid?”

“Roughly 7 months. It was all too sudden when I got here, but I managed to adjust.”

By the way, we're talking in English so no one can understand us. It did get us everyone's attention, but they continued doing what they were doing as a sign of respect.

On the other hand, Eric seems surprised about what I said.

“Just 7 months and you're already this powerful and rich?”

“I only inherited what my late grandfather owned. This position of mine is something that I continued to pursue in his stead. To be honest, it isn't easy.”

“I see.”

“But what about you? What was your reason in coming here? You look like you've settled down already.”

“Well, just like you, I came here to inherit my father's wealth when I was young. Then I met a woman, she's my reason in staying here.”

“The classic trope huh.”

“Yeah, the classic trope.”

We both had our fill of laughter hearing the rest of our stories. I didn't tell him about my situation because I don't want him to get wrapped up in trouble.

Also, it turns out that he was the owner of the restaurant I ate once here in the Royal Capital when I first came here. Which is also the reason why he is allowed to join my party which supposedly has Barons and above or their sons and daughters as the invited guests.

“By the way, I really liked your restaurant when I first visited here. Even the staff we're nice. Also, give my compliments to the chef. Although that was 2 months ago.”

“You already came to my restaurant?”

“Yes, but I was on Incognito at that time.”

“Hold on, you said something about 2 months ago. If I remember correctly, I received a news about a rich merchant with two wives and a daughter. Was that you?”

“Long story, but yes, that was me.”

I can't help but laugh when I remember that. Eric scratches his head in confusion. After that, he lowers his head like a noble should towards someone superior.

“…uh… It may be rude of me but… are you interested in investing to my Restaurant Business?”

“….. what? But first of all, raise your head.”

After raising his head he scratches the back of his head while looking embarrassed. That only works if you're a cute girl!

“Well, I really wanted to expand my restaurant business. It's been 20 years and I still couldn't establish branches. Business here in the Royal Capital is great, but I want it to be the greatest!”

“Let's just discuss this on some other time, ok? This place isn't good for this kind of talk.”

“Sorry about that. I got too excited there. Hahaha!”

I don't know why, but I always find myself laughing when he laughs. Maybe it's because he sounds like Santa when he does.

Well, if I could gain something from investing there, I probably would.

Then, before I noticed, there are a lot of women surrounding us. Their expressions are, well, blushing.

“Is there a problem?”

Of course, I asked them in Marzenthurian.

Like awakened from day dreaming, they gasped and grabbed their cheeks. However, none of them answered my question.

“Well what do you know? Even with the title of Celestial Magus, you can’t really read the mood. Not too almighty I see.” (Marzenthurian)

Eric laughed once again after saying that.

But now that he pointed it out, I got embarrassed myself too.

“Well, thank you ladies. I appreciate your feelings.”

To hide my embarrassment, I gently bow to the women.

Then all of a sudden, I could hear a trumpet blowing from outside the ship.

Since everyone understands what the sound of the trumpet means, they all freeze from where they stood. After that, everyone neatly arranged themselves and the ones standing on the top deck's entrance immediately went to the crowd to make way.

Next, two knights came through the entrance and one of them rushed to me. When he stood in front of me, suddenly bowed as a sign of respect.

“Princess Thema and Princess Evia are put under your care by his majesty for tonight!”

Okay… this is quite unexpected for Thema to come to me instead of the other way around. What is thing planning. I bet Thema's reluctant about coming here.

After quite some time, I could see Thema walking up the stairs to the top deck. However, like the knight said earlier, another one that is accompanying her.

Sitting on a wooden wheelchair with two knights carrying her, Princess Evia makes her entrance. Before I forget to mention, both of them are wearing amazing dresses. Not only that, there are maids following them.

Of course, as the party's host, it's my duty to greet them.

When I walk to the center of the space created by the crowd, so did Thema and Princess Evia with a maid pushing her wheelchair.

And by the looks of it, Thema looks really like she didn't want to see me. It makes me want to bully her again. Feel tempted to do so.

Well anyway, I bow while taking her hand and kissed it.

“It's a pleasure to finally meet you formally, Princess Thema. You're still as beautiful as the first time we met.”

“Chevalier Chardelier, or should I say, Celestial Magus? You're still as hatefully majestic as before.”

Heh. She really hates my guts. I know she said something under her breath along the way, but I won't point it out.

Ignoring her sass, I switch my attention to Princess Evia. Like Thema, I kissed her hand, except I drop on one knee while giving her a smile.

In contrast to her disability to walk, she has quite an outstanding beauty. If she could stand, I think she would be near Thema's height.

“You look like a goddess waiting for a hero, Princess Evia.”

“A-a goddess?”

Though it's our first meeting, there's no way I'd show that I minded her disability. In fact, she does look the part. The only reason I said ‘Goddess' is because she's already a princess.

I think she wasn't ready for that, her face has turned burning red. I thought that she's used to compliments.

“She doesn't go out often. She doesn't have any resistance against your charms, Chevalier.”

Though Thema's smiling, I could sense her sarcasm from those words.

Still, my attention is still to Evia.

“My deepest apologies, I merely spoke the opinion in my heart. Did it make you uncomfortable, your highness?”

When I ask her that, she calms down a bit. But with pinkish face, she shakes her head in denial. It's cute.

“No, I-it's my fault for not getting used to such flattery.”

“But that was a compliment, your highness.”

“Hyeee?!”

Hyee? That's a new expression.

She covers her reddening face with her hands. I think her face is getting too hot. Steam's literally coming out of her head. I think I may have overdone it.

I give her some space for now. After that, I go to Thema again.

Since the mood has gotten a bit weird over the silence of the deck, I snapped my fingers and made the musicians play some music to lighten up the mood.

After that, everyone resumes to what they were doing, but some remained observing us especially the women.

“It's been a while princess. I see that you have gotten quite beautiful this past 2 months. Are you perhaps, in love?”

“Please spare me from such scandalous thing.”

Because the place has gotten quite noisy, she talks without holding back a bit.

“You sounded a bit stressed. You should relax more.”

“And whose fault do you think it is that I'm stressed? You gave me a job that deprived me of my time for relaxation.”

“Calm down princess, you don't want to show such unsightly look to the people here.”

While saying so, I reach out my hand and open my palm to her. She looks quite puzzled by that act, but it's just me asking her for a short walk.

It took her some moments to realize this. When she did, she reluctantly touches my hand. After that, she stood beside me with her arms around my arm.

“Don't be too surprised, okay?”

“Surprise?”

With a flick of my fingers, we get teleported to the Bridge's roof. I've also decorated it with illusion magic so it's usable for the other people. However, no one came here so it's just me and Thema here. I think everyone else is scared.

Speaking of everyone, everyone is looking for us. When they saw us up in the Bridge's roof, they calmed down especially the knights. I'm not a kidnapper.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Looks like she got shaken after getting brought here. She's backing away while hugging her body with a pale expression.

“Calm down, I just brought you here to have a private talk. That's all.”

“P-private talk?”

Her reactions are like begging to get bullied.

Well, nobody's here, maybe I’ll tease her a bit.

“Yes, just a small private talk.”

I slowly takes steps towards her with my arms behind my back. At that moment, I secretly deployed > to lessen the noise from the deck, > to not let our voices get heard from the deck, and > to prevent the people from looking our direction.

“S-so, just a small talk. But why are you coming towards me?”

“Oh, nothing. It's just that, I'd like to hear your voice a bit closer. Not seeing you for two months made me miss it, and now, that I hear it now, I want more.”

Because of my > that's nullifying the noise downstairs, my footsteps are very audible and became intimidating for Thema.

She kept on making steps backwards with her scared eyes locked at me. I'm quite afraid of her falling down the stairs behind her so I secretly made an invisible barrier behind her.

“Nya! What?”

When her back hit the barrier, she got surprised and made a really cute scream.

“W-what are you trying to do?”

When I stood in front of her, I gently brushed her bangs with the back of my hand.

“Just like I said, just a talk.”

“As far as I know, talking isn't like this!”

After her bangs, I make my hand brush her cheek. At the same time, I lean on the barrier and trapping her. She looks like a mouse caught in a cage with her teary eyes.

“That voice of yours is really beautiful as if it’s a confectionery, it sounds really sweet.”

“W-w-w-w-wha wha wha wha wha! What are you talking about?!”

She tried to look away from me and closed her eyes.

To make her look at me, I grab her chin and turn her face to me. Surprisingly, she didn't resist and it took me a little effort to make her look my way.

“Your voice really sounds sweet. Say, can I have a taste?”

I raise her chin and made me look at me in the same angle.

A while ago, she was trembling like crazy, but now, it seems like it has stopped.

“P-please don't do this.”

For some reason, her teary eyes, rosy cheeks, and trembling lips seem… alluring. I feel like I couldn't look away from her.

I tried to look away from her, but it was only in my head. And slowly, her face—no, our faces approaches each other as our lips are slowly getting close.

I could already smell the sweets she ate from her breath as it mixes with mine that is mixed with fragrant wine.

She closes her eyes, and slowly did I.

Her breathing gets heavier, so did mine.

She grips my shirt tightly, but not pushing or pulling me.

Our lips we're milliliters close from each other.

And then, I……. kissed, the princess.

…

…

“Key?”

All of a sudden, I heard a familiar voice from behind me. And then I realized, I have done something I should have not.

Immediately parting from Thema, I look at the person standing behind me.

To my surprise, it's Jane carrying an empty tray.

“S-sir, d-d-did you just—”

“Wait! This is a misunderstanding! It's not what it looks like.”

No… What? Why…. Why did I kiss the princess?

Slowly, Jane backs away while nodding and shaking all over.

“I-I get it. This is nothing to do with me. I'm really sorry for interrupting!”

“Jane!”

She didn't listen to me and runs down the stairs.

I wanted to run after her, but there's someone here that I shouldn't leave alone.

When I look back to Thema, she's covering her mouth with one hand while grabbing her dress' skirt. It seems that she also has realized what we did.

“I-I kissed you…”

I was just supposed to tease her, but I did something I shouldn't and crossed the line.

“I…. I'm really sorry.”