Episode 1

Prologue

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty Escalante…!"

As he turned the corridor that split into two, a scream-like cry from a noblewoman flew into the back of his head. As he stopped walking without thinking, the sound of quick footsteps and a voice suddenly came closer.

"Excuse me, but could you help us? The Countess has suddenly complained of extreme dizziness and I don't know what to do. There are only weak women here…"

Before any more excuses could be made, Cassel put his half-off gloves back on. A look of boredom crossed his tired face for a moment, but that was it.

Finally, the face of the blunt but kind prince turned around to look at the ladies.

"… … ."

The woman who came closest stared at his face, speechless and lost in thought. Her eyes were instantly enchanted by just a brief glance at him. Just like any other woman in the Ortega court, or a well-fed man of letters.

If it was the former, it would be a little boring, and if it was the latter, it would be utterly nauseating, but the cause was the same anyway: he was too handsome.

And as a child of the most prestigious Ortega family, he has always lived as the most handsome man in Mentosha… .

"ma'am?"

Sometimes it was so great that someone couldn't even speak. If only I could gouge out the old voyeur's eyes someday, it would be the best of a hundred, a hundred out of a hundred.

He smiled neatly over the somewhat blunt-looking impression typical of a naval officer. The firm lines of his lips, which gave off an ascetic feeling in contrast to his dazzling blond hair, softened for a moment. The woman's face fell as it was, and then she shook her head as if she had belatedly remembered her duty.

"… Ah, so! I waited for a gentleman to pass by here who could help me, but no one showed up even after waiting for a long time. How fortunate that Sir Escalante showed up in such a critical time…!"

Cassel's eyes turned from the ordinary lady standing right in front of him to another lady leaning against the wall, panting heavily. Her face was not entirely familiar, but it was somewhat familiar.

The two women standing next to her suddenly started making all sorts of noises. They were waving their hands, fanning themselves… Can you breathe? Can you walk straight? These were clearly questions that she was asked. It felt a bit strange to be asking them now.

If it was truly an emergency, anyone would have rushed to the banquet hall just two minutes away to help the noble countess, but it seems that no one did… … .

"… You really look like you're in a desperate situation."

It really wasn't an emergency at all. From the beginning, they weren't waiting for some kind gentleman to carry the poor woman to her carriage or cabin.

Whenever a banquet is held at the palace, Cassel's departure from the banquet hall and where he usually goes and what route he takes are all calculated.

Because all they were waiting for was Cassel.

Cassel nodded politely and walked towards the countess, who was finally starting to slump down against the wall, and remembered that her husband was the Count of Portillo, who had died a year ago, or perhaps around that time.

She was a free-spirited young widow, and she was the perfect match for a lighthearted get-together.

"Can you stand up by yourself?"

But whoever it was, it was better not to do something rash like reaching out first. Cassel stopped in front of her and simply asked politely and respectfully. The countess blushed slightly at the thought of her face being made up palely.

"I'm sorry, no… ."

"Then would it be okay if I held your arm for a moment?"

Although he had asked about the arm, the countess's entire delicate body was obediently embraced by his arms. It was a rather tedious technique, but since the banquet was more boring at the moment, it was acceptable.

There is no reason to refuse a gift that has come to you on its own.

"Can I move you by carriage?"

When I asked her while slightly lowering her body and supporting her, the countess rolled her eyes as if she was in trouble. Whether it was out of friendship or loyalty, the woman who had been acting as if she was the most diligent caregiver by the countess' side answered instead.

"It's just a simple case of dizziness. You'll feel better if you lie down and rest for a while in a quiet place… Count Portillo's residence is on the outskirts of Mentossa. It'll take a long time to get from the palace even if you leave right now. Let alone from here to the carriage…"

"I think it would be better to move it to the third floor."

Cassel cut the woman off, sparing her the trouble of explaining everything in detail. To the south of the palace, there were several spaces where the nobles enjoying the banquet could rest or lie down for a while.

More precisely, the places where men like him and women like the countess hide. He picked up the countess. None of the women who were so worried about the countess followed him as if it was natural. If someone had been smarter, they would have at least pretended to follow him up the stairs.

Perhaps it was because her husband had died and she had recently enjoyed her freedom. He thought she was still immature, but he didn't bother to give her advice. There was no need for her to tell her how much he had been doing.

It is ridiculous to preach caution when you have been rolling around here and there. The place where Cassel was headed was a place where no one would pass by anyway. As the sound of people disappeared, the countess in his arms cautiously spoke.

"… I'm sorry for the trouble, and I don't know how to repay you for this."

"Helping the weak is the natural thing to do as a soldier of Ortega. Don't expect anything in return."

She was a woman who treated fellow nobles like her servants, scattering crumbs of money and power, let alone being weak, but looking at her struggling to breathe, she was extremely pitiful.

The Countess of Portillo looked up at Cassel, moved as if she had truly become a weakling in distress.

"I am truly touched to think that such a wonderful person is protecting Ortega's territorial waters."

The power of uniforms is so amazing. When you see how sincerity naturally attaches to even a single word spoken in a casual manner, even if the purpose was to spend the night together.

Cassel Escalante de Esposa. This long and honorable name, and this perfect shell. And with the white uniform of the Navy, it was a work of art that God had decided to drool over. Sometimes, it was not surprising that sane noblewomen—or, unhappily, even fellow men—lost their reason and rushed at him.

As someone once said, if it weren't for the great Escalante family, I would have been killed by the sword long ago.

"I heard that you enlisted to follow in the footsteps of your grandfather, who devoted his life to protecting Ortega. You will follow the honorable path that your family has walked for generations… Even so, I was really surprised at first. You are the sole heir to Escalante, and the world, the Nuñera Sea is still a dangerous place where naval battles, big and small, often take place. There was a brief period of peace when your grandfather, the great Admiral Calderon, won a great victory against the Tala people in the Battle of Nuñera, but the pirates of Tala still rise up with each new year… … ."

Traces of her diligent study were evident. She was so engrossed in her uniform that she forgot her made-up face like a sick person and was so moved that she spouted out what she had memorized.

"As a Grande Ortega, I learned that I had duties as well as the honorable rights bestowed by the Imperial House."

"How."

"My grandfather always said, 'To stand in the highest position, comes the greatest responsibility.'"

Cassel spoke as mechanically and neatly as a machine running in a textile mill. The countess gasped for breath as if excited by his neat appearance.

And the moment he thought, 'This is a bit dangerous,' she jumped down to the floor and ran towards him.

"Countess, here—"

"Please, anywhere is fine."

"But at least go into your room."

At every comma, the countess's lips were covering him. He tried to avoid her face here and there and push her towards the nearest door, but she had already forgotten that she was a patient, even if it was fake.

"I don't like it. The room is too dark…."

"Why is it dark?"

"I want to see more uniforms, more uniforms of honor… … ."

She was licking the shoulder straps and collar as if she was a uniform fetishist. Cassel looked down at the woman's half-pulled top and swallowed a sigh.

Why do they all go crazy when they see themselves? Self-reproach bordering on narcissism made him hesitate for a moment, but it was only for a moment.

That was because her barely covered chest was shaking lustfully in the dim light.

Grandes de Ortega. The only heir to the Duke of Escalante, one of the 17 great noble families who had been awarded the honorary title by the Ortega royal family, despite his great background, was so handsome that anyone would lose their sense of humor at first sight, which was no different from God granting him the right to live a lifetime.

And his theory was always that there was no need to bother to throw away the gifts that had already rolled in. Whether it was the shell of a peerless handsome man gifted by God, the love of women, the admiration of people of all ages, or a beautiful woman who took off her clothes in the middle of the hallway and said, "Let's try it out."

Despite being naturally reserved and blunt, he was a tough kid from the start, and when he was fifteen and started to show his manly side, he started hanging out with girls who were well into their adult years. When he was seventeen and a cadet wearing the uniform of the military academy, he was surrounded by followers wherever he went. When he was twenty and enlisted in the navy, he started to get to know more mature women who were more mature and had no trouble following them.

And now, twenty-three, it was the best of times.

Cassel hugged her waist and spun her around, pushing her against the wall. The woman's skills were crude, as she haphazardly kissed him, but her passion, regardless of the location, was worth praising.

So, it is necessary to give a proper reward. Another of his principles was that he would never do anything dangerous in such a dangerous place… .

'Well, maybe once.'

As he cupped her breasts and ran his lips gently along her neckline, the countess's expression twisted into delight. She was carelessly raising the hem of her dress to her waist, but her hands were also obsessive, as she unbuttoned her collar again in case he took off even a little bit of her uniform.

If you rush to take off your clothes, it'll only be a hassle to get them back on, so it's better. I didn't enlist for this, but the fun that comes with it is always nice.

Cassel listened with one ear and the other ear as the Countess babbled about useless things while writhing around, concentrating on her body. The answers came in occasional bursts, a few words at a time. He couldn't quite remember them.

Then, several times, he realized belatedly that the same subject was being repeated in the woman's speech.

The words flowing from the countess's voice, and the thoughts that briefly crossed his mind... This wasn't why he enlisted...

… So, why did I enlist? I asked myself this without thinking, and a scary face came to mind.

"… So to Kyung's fiancée, huh, Kyung, it's such a shame… … . She's too ordinary. Of course, her family is incredibly well-off. She's the daughter of the Ballestena family."

"… … ."

Ines Ballestena. Just thinking about that calm face was suffocating. Cassel frowned at the statuesque face. It was too vivid for what he had pictured in his head. The desire subsided in an instant.

"If your face isn't that pretty, at least your actions should be pretty. Hehe, it would be nice if you had a soft and gentle taste…"

Even gossip was not pleasant. Cassel stared at the wall for a while, then nervously twisted his head and delicately avoided the countess's lips. For a moment, his vision turned to the side.

"… with such a perfect fiancée by your side, and yet such a stiff and boring face? You're not even a nun… … ."

Ines Ballestena was watching them.

With that peculiar stiff, boring, almost chapel-like expression.

It was the first discovery in the 17th year of engagement.