"I wanted to be a knight, even if it was only for a moment. I was planning on going back to my territory as soon as I passed the test. I can't keep pretending to be my older brother."

Seira only tried to achieve her dream for a few days. It would have been the shortest days of her life once she was a knight, but she thought it was an opportunity to achieve her dream that she had secretly held in her heart. Even if it's just a few days.......

"My brother is innocent. It was me who insisted and came up to the capital. So please......."

Seira grabbed and held on to the edge of his clothes, so Luke swallowed his breath and turned his head.

"I-I'll keep your secret. The Empress also... From the beginning she didn't seem to have any intention of divulging the miss's secret of, so you can rest assured."

"Th—then......."

Luke shook his head at the Emerald eyes filled with anticipation.

"It's too risky to participate in the knight's examinations. Miss, perhaps like me...... Some people will notice that you are a woman. If that happens not only will the lady be in trouble but also our dukedom and Empress could be in trouble."

Coming up to the capital dressed up as a man and participating in the Knight's exams were two different things. Attending the Knight's test and worse—being knighted under a false identity—would be seen as deceiving the Emperor and everyone else.

"Ugh... How did the ducal heir find out? Sir Gerrard didn't even notice."

In fact, Luke wouldn't have guessed if Medea hadn't suggested it. However, Luke decided to be firm.

"Anyone could realize it. You're so beautiful, there was no way I couldn't know....."

Luke realized what he was saying candidly— almost biting his unguarded tongue and shut his mouth abruptly.

"Oh, anyway, send Baron Hestia a letter to send a carriage. You're going back as soon as the carriage arrives."

Luke got up from his seat and offered his hand to Seira. She jumped up on her own without holding on to his hand.

"If you're going to pretend you don't know anyways, please pretend you don't know for a few more days!"

"Lady!"

"It's only been a few months. It's not like I'm going to stay in the capital as a knight.... It's only been a few days!

Luke clicked his tongue in Seira's face, who seemed to heat up in anger. In the midst of this, he couldn't take his eyes off her face—he was sure he was going crazy.

"......If the miss doesn't send a letter, I'll contact the Baron. Please leave now."

Luke turned his back as if he didn't want to talk anymore and the topic was final.

When Seira saw Luke's red-stained ears, she realized: He has taken a fancy on her.

"Even if a carriage arrives I won't go back. If you want to leave the Duke's mansion, I'll look for an inn!"

"Miss, if you come out like that, I won't be able to hide the young lady's secret."

"Didn't you say that if it's known that I dressed up as a man, the dukedom would also be in trouble?"

"If we denounce the miss first before you are caught, then we won't be blamed.

Seira was taken aback by Luke's response. Since the Empress had agreed to hide it, she thought if she left he wouldn't do that.

"You're not going to do that."

"I'll do it if the lady doesn't go back calmly."

"Please don't do that. I can leave the Duke's estate! No one but the Small Duke noticed anyway....."

Luke was annoyed by Seira's stubbornness.

"It'll be too late when someone notices!"

"I'm confident that I won't get caught! They'll never find out!"

She was a woman who had protected her sick brother alone against assassins. Luke didn't think the argument that the Knight's test was too difficult would work on her.

Luke frowned and clenched his teeth.

"Why should I grant the lady such a favor? Why are you being so difficult?

Already the Empress and the Duke of Card were assisting the Hestia Barony. Even Seira knew that she was being shameless and rude to wish for more.

But she simply didn't want to miss this opportunity.

It would happen only once in a lifetime.

"I-I'll do anything! I'll repay you somehow!"

Luke's eyes were shaken by Seira's words.

"What kind of reward can the lady give to me?"

As the heir to the Duke of Card, he was a man who had everything. Although he was only second to the Emperor, he had power, money, and status comparable to that of the Emperor.

But he didn't laugh at her. Seira heistated at Luke's words as he looked at her with a frown.

'What...'

Seira grabbed Luke's collar, pulled him close and covered his lips with hers.

Unlike the fluffy lips in his dream, it felt a little dry, but it was hot and soft.

Luke's startled face turned a bright red.

'T-this lady.... I've been holding it in so far!'

Luke's trembling eyes glared at Seira, alarmed by what she had done.

"Uh, well—"

Suddenly, Luke's lips rushed in and pressed down against Seira's lips and swallowed them.

Luke's arm circled around her waist and while his other hand supported her head, making it impossible to even turn her head.

"Hmm, oh......hnnn....."

Luke's tongue came in every time she opened her lips, tenaciously coveting the insides of Seira's mouth.

From the root of her tongue to the inside of her cheeks, to the gums and the ceiling of her mouth, the tip of Luke's tongue flirted in her mouth, causing Seira to leak spit.

Luke thought even Seira's saliva tasted sweet as both of them became dizzy. His blood was boiling all over his body and he felt he was about to burn.

As he gazed into Seira's fluttering eyes, their breathing was heated, panting, Seira blinked slowly.

Luke slowly removed his lips with a rough breath.

"This kind of thing... you want to do it?"

😑