Please, don't tease me, Your Grace.

"So, I mean..." Xion fiddled with his ring. "Can I have some of your mana? I need to study it."

He had expected resistance, maybe skepticism, or at least some kind of question. Instead, what he got was...

A head pat?

Xion blinked, peeking up at the archduke, who gazed down at him with a look that was somewhere between indulgence and helplessness.

The contrast was so unexpected that Xion momentarily forgot how to react, and let the archduke ruffle his hair.

"If you need something just ask. There is no need to hesitate." For you, there is no problem.

Darius took his hand back, satisfied by the mess he had made of those raven-silky strands.

The look in those wide eyes of wanting to be angry but daring not to was so amusing that Darius decided to do it a few more times in the future.