/
Akkard, with a frown on his face, snatched the letter. His purple eyes flickered slightly from side to side, scanning the contents quickly.
Damia couldn’t see the contents of the letter. However, it was enough to see the gradual deepening of a frown between Akkard’s eyebrows.
‘It must be bad news,’
thought Damia. After reading the letter, Akkard put it down with a click and looked at Lessid.
“It seems that His Highness Heinrich will soon be engaged.”
Lessid nodded at his words.
“Yeah, I read it too. His fiancĂ©e is
 It is Miss Teresa, daughter of Marquis Dmitry.”
Damia heard this and her eyes widened.
It was unexpected news. So the Crown Prince was getting engaged?
However, Damia, who was unfamiliar with the capital’s high society, did not know if that was a good thing. On the surface, it would seem like a good thing.
‘After all, it must be difficult for the Crown Prince to leave the seat next to him vacant.’
If so, wouldn’t it be advantageous to strengthen support through engagement? Damia thought so, but in this case, she was wrong.
Both of the men’s expressions darkened with the news.
“
 
 Marquis Dmitry is a typical Neo-classical aristocrat. They are very ardent zealots.”
For Damia, who didn’t know anything, Lessid kindly explained,
“But the Crown Prince is engaged to his daughter, Miss Teresa
 
 It is highly probable he is involved with the High Temple and their Holy War.”
“It can’t be Marquis Dmitry. Never.”
A displeased Akkard grimaced and firmly conveyed his opinion. Teresa Dmitry! From anyone’s point of view, it was clear that the High Temple intended to use the engagement to manipulate the Crown Prince.
Naturally, from the standpoint of Akkard, Heinrich’s right arm, he had no choice but to oppose with a sword. However, Lessid had a different idea.
“Wait a minute.”
Deep in thought, he spit out a word abruptly.
“By the way, Teresa Dmitry
 
 Wasn’t she someone who had been with Lord Akkard in the past?”
As if shit had been thrown in his face Akkard’s countenance sharply contorted.
‘Why is he mentioning that right now?’
He didn’t know how he had found out, but that sly bastard wouldn’t have brought his past for nothing. He must have deliberately brought it up so Damia would hear about it.
‘That was years ago!’
Indeed. Akkard once met with Teresa Dmitry, who was now being considered a candidate for the crown princess. It was around when they both had come of age and become adults, so it was a long time ago.
But Akkard could swear on his name that he Could never label their entanglement as a ‘relationship’ of any sort.
“Nothing happened with Teresa Dmitry.”
Akkard vehemently denied it, but Lessid, who had finally been able to find a weakness of his, could not simply let it go.
“Yes, yes, I suppose so. Ah, I know.”
His voice was thick with sarcasm in a very meaningful tone as if he were saying it for Damia to hear. Akkard couldn’t help but bristle at this and reacted.
“In the first place, Teresa Dmitry believes in chastity before marriage!!”
As is typical with devout religious people, Teresa was cautioned not to have sex before marriage. So, naturally, her and Akkard’s philosophy on love and relationships were as different as heaven and earth.
In the first place, Akkard had never had a proper ‘serious and intimate human relationship.’ His world consisted of only light quests, stealthy flirting, more serious gossip obscenities, and body-bashing sex.
As for everything else, Akkard was, well
 
 he didn’t know.
So, no matter how excellent the beautiful Teresa was, the relationship could not last.
What was the point of something looking tasty if he couldn’t eat it?. So Akkard, exceptionally energetic in his early 20s, quickly lost interest in Teresa.
The two naturally drifted apart without any special memories. From then on, Teresa, like himself, reigned supremely among her devotees, and Akkard lived a profligate life, rolling around with other women.
Had it not been for the letter from Heinrich, he would have continued to forget her.
‘Why is that woman running as a candidate for Crown Princess?’
Akkard frowned and held his breath as he peeked a look at Damia’s eyes.
He was very good at making excuses in front of women. His reasons had always been smooth and confident because he had never taken others seriously, just some replaceable sex partners.
Sometimes he was outraged, and sometimes he made a mistake, and the other became angry. But, no matter who was at fault, he knew very well that the one with more feelings would always lose in such a battle.
But strangely, he couldn’t do that in front of Damia. Akkard broke into a cold sweat, agonizing, while desperately glancing at her face.
“
 
 Hmm.”
Damia’s expression, as usual, could not easily be read. Her long, slightly lowered eyelashes, brooding deep blue eyes, and soft lips didn’t seem to give anything away.
Since she was a pretty complicated woman, Akkard became even more nervous. Unconsciously, he was rubbing his feet against the carpet as he fretted.
‘If only I knew what that woman was thinking.’