Chapter 10
The next day, Edwin headed to work with a picnic basket in his hand, just like yesterday.
Inside it was a lunchbox enchanted with heating magic.
Before leaving his room, he stood before a large mirror, fixing his hair.
His attendants exchanged curious looks. Edwin rarely cared this much about his appearance.
At that moment, his two older brothers barged into his room.
It was the First Prince, Johannes, and the Second Prince, Harry.
“Edwin, we heard you’ve been going to work at the Ministry of Magic lately?”
“What’s going on with our youngest?”
Edwin looked at them with an unusually serious expression.
“W-What? Why are you looking at us like that?”
Even when angry, Edwin always smiled—so seeing him serious made the two brothers swallow nervously.
Despite being the youngest, Edwin naturally carried an intimidating aura.
Thanks to that, his brothers had never once been able to raise their voices at him.
Johannes and Harry exchanged glances.
‘Did we… come to the wrong place?’
‘I don’t know, but I’m scared.’
Breaking their frightened tension, Edwin finally spoke.
“Well? How is it? Am I handsome?”
“……”
“……”
What… did he just say?
While the two stared blankly, Edwin pointed at his own face.
“I asked if I look nice today. Nice enough to make any woman fall for me.”
…Is he asking them to evaluate his face?
Johannes answered first, nodding.
“Well, of course. You’ve always had the best face among us.”
“Yeah, you’re crazy, but you’re the prettiest among the three of us.”
The First and Second Princes were handsome in their own right.
But Edwin’s radiant beauty was unmatched.
Hearing he was the best-looking of the three, Edwin sighed.
“Obviously.”
“……”
“……”
“Of course I am. That’s not what I asked.”
He sounded frustrated.
“I’m asking if I look better than usual today.”
Both brothers hurriedly nodded.
“Then fine. Move.”
Edwin pushed roughly between them and strode out.
Watching him walk away, Harry scrunched his face.
“Johannes, is that… floral scent coming from Edwin?”
“I think so…?”
A crazy man and flowers…
A dangerous combination.
* * *
After arriving at the Ministry of Magic from the Imperial Palace, Edwin heard a familiar voice.
Dana was standing in front of the Potion Management Department.
She was speaking to Kira with an apologetic expression.
“Sorry, Kira. You arranged it for me, but I thought about it and…”
“It’s fine. A setup meeting can always be replaced.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Hearing her refuse the arranged date made Edwin brighten instantly.
“But… are you okay? You’re not planning on going back to your family, right?”
“No. I just have something to think about.”
As she spoke, Dana’s cheeks grew slightly red.
Edwin’s heart began pounding.
The fact that Dana thought of him first made him endlessly happy.
He was savoring that warm flutter when—
“What are you standing around for?”
Someone poked his back.
It was Leighton.
He poked Edwin with a rolled-up bundle of documents.
“Good morning.”
Edwin greeted flatly.
But Leighton, already in a foul mood from coming to work, didn’t accept the greeting well.
“What part of this morning is good?”
Edwin tilted his head.
Was that a question?
Though annoyed, he answered sincerely like a proper newcomer.
“Well, the weather is nice. And—”
“When did I ask for that?”
Leighton growled and walked into the office.
Tony sprang up to pour him tea, desperately trying to soothe his superior’s bad mood.
Edwin ignored all that and sat beside Dana.
“Good morning, Senior.”
He smiled warmly.
“Good morning.”
Dana also smelled wonderful.
A cozy scent of warm sunlight mixed with wildflowers.
Even though they wore the same perfume, her scent was intoxicating.
While Edwin was completely absorbed in Dana, Leighton sighed loudly from afar.
“You all know we go on field work with the Imperial knights every three months, right?”
Everyone avoided his gaze.
Departments in charge of treatment were required to regularly visit various regional knight orders.
But none of the staff enjoyed these exhausting, unrewarding business trips.
Leighton continued.
“This time it’s the Rune Knight Order…”
Upon hearing “Rune,” Tony’s pupils shook violently.
The notorious knight order led by the Third Prince—filled with lunatics.
He pretended to be busy writing with his fountain pen.
It was, of course, meaningless scribbling.
Kira pretended to pick up a fallen piece of paper and hid under her desk.
Leighton scanned his subordinates with displeasure, and a sly smile formed on his face.
He fixed his gaze on Edwin.
“Hey, rookie!”
“Yes.”
“You go. With your mentor.”
He snickered at Edwin.
“Yes, sir.”
Hearing that, Edwin thought:
‘He’s a better man than I expected.’
He felt grateful toward Leighton—
Because the trip meant more time alone with Dana.
Seeing Edwin oddly excited only worsened Leighton’s mood.
‘What the hell is he smiling for now?’
He was a newcomer Leighton simply could not grow to like.
“What are you smiling at! And stay within the assigned budget!”
“Yes. Should we leave tomorrow?” Dana asked.
Leighton nodded.
Once the employees for the trip were confirmed, everyone silently returned to their work.
Only the sound of fountain pens scratching filled the quiet office.
But someone’s stare irritated Edwin.
‘Should I gouge his eyes out?’
It was Tony, sitting across from Dana.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, as though he had something to say.
That desperate, clingy gaze annoyed Edwin.
* * *
At lunchtime, Edwin was about to call Dana while holding the lunch basket.
“Dana, can we talk?”
Of course, Tony approached first.
“What is it?”
“Just give me a moment.”
Dana gestured to Edwin that she’d be right back.
Everyone else went out for lunch, leaving Edwin alone.
‘This is disgusting.’
He hated seeing someone try to take Dana from him.
Then he heard Dana’s voice from beyond the wall.
“We can talk here.”
Thankfully, they hadn’t gone far.
They spoke in the hallway.
Listening through walls was easy for Edwin.
Tony exaggerated dramatically, sounding pitiful.
“Dana, do you know how dangerous this trip will be? The north probably still hasn’t melted its snow!”
“That’s true.”
“And it’s the Rune Knight Order! That place is filled with maniacs!”
“They’re still people. People who protect us from monsters.”
“I’m just worried about you…”
Look at this guy.
Edwin smirked crookedly.
He wouldn’t even look Leighton in the eye earlier, but now he was pretending to care?
Tony continued.
“There are plenty of other people who could go instead of you.”
“Are you offering to go in my place, Senior?”
“No… someone like Kira…”
“You’re not worried about Kira?”
Dana’s cold tone made Tony sigh.
“To be honest… this isn’t just worry.”
“What is it then?”
As Dana stared at him, Tony cleared his throat.
“I know I might be too much for you. I might seem… beyond what you deserve.”
“……”
“But I really like you. You’re pretty and hardworking.”
…Was this a confession?
Dana’s expression hardened instantly.
But Tony, oblivious, kept talking.
“We can hold the wedding this month. And we should have about five kids.”
He already planned that far?
With a disgusted expression, Dana replied:
“I refuse.”
“With my mother living with us—wait, what?”
Even if she was desperate to marry, Tony was absolutely not an option.
He always tried to curry favor with Leighton and constantly judged women by their appearance.
Being around him made her ears rot.
Tony stared at her in disbelief.
“You’re embarrassed, aren’t you?”
“No. You’re simply not my type.”
“Then what is your type?!”
She had blurted it out just to shut him down.
But now that he asked, Dana hesitated.
At that moment, Edwin floated into her mind—
Always kind, always listening to her…
“A younger blond man.”
“…What?”
Tony, a red-haired older man, blinked.
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not kidding.”
Dana answered firmly.
Right then—
Edwin stepped out of the office with a bright smile.
“Senior, it’s time for lunch.”
Ignoring Tony completely, he took Dana’s hand and walked away.
“Uh… yeah…”
Dana, flustered, followed him.
Tony opened his mouth to yell after them—
But Edwin turned around.
“……”
His red eyes glowed sharply, like lightning striking.
The killing intent was overwhelming.
Experiencing it for the first time, Tony couldn’t utter a single word.
