OPDPS 64

Aeryl waited just long enough to avoid suspicion, then released his pheromones.

‘Look at me.’

Just like when you feel someone’s eyes on your back or hear something shatter and instinctively turn around, the moment Aeryl’s pheromones reached Lady Merel, she turned to look at him. It wasn’t her own will.

But now that their eyes had met, she couldn’t keep ignoring him. She set the letter down and picked up another piece of paper.

“Take this.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Aeryl received the paper. It turned out to be a prescription.

“A pain reliever, I see.”

“You recognize it?”

“Yes. I’m a doctor, after all.”

Lady Merel let out a quiet snort at his reply. What’s so funny?

“Make that medicine for me. By tomorrow morning. I just happened to run out of the batch I’d been taking.”

“I see. Could you tell me what’s bothering you exactly?”

When Aeryl asked, Lady Merel frowned.

“Please refrain from inappropriate questions to the lady.”

One of the lady-in-waiting gave Aeryl a warning. He was dumbfounded.

“I need to know what the symptoms are in order to treat her.”

“Oh, I’ve already been treated. Just bring the medicine.”

Lady Merel spoke up.

“I’m a doctor, not a drugmaker. I can’t prescribe something I don’t understand.”

Feeling displeased, Aeryl answered firmly.

“I’ve been taking it all along—do I need your permission now?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then forget it. I’ll find someone else.”

Lady Merel extended her hand, as if asking for the recipe back.

“You’re being unreasonable. Are you saying a physician is refusing to help the lady of the house? Did someone perhaps order you not to look after her health?”

That same lady-in-waiting from before stepped forward again.

“What do you mean by that?”

“……”

The maid clamped her mouth shut and turned away. The only one who could’ve given such an order concerning Lady Merel was the Grand Duke himself.

‘She’s dragging the Grand Duke into this?’

When Aeryl looked at the lady, their eyes met again. Rather than scolding the maid for speaking nonsense, her expression was questioning—as if asking, ‘Is it true?’ If he refused to make the medicine, they’d probably twist it and claim the Grand Duke told him to neglect her health.

“…Understood. I’ll make it.”

In the end, Aeryl had no choice but to accept her request. It felt like being a puppet trapped in a well-written play.

“By tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Aeryl gave a polite nod and followed the maid out of the parlor.

“I’ll guide you back.”

“Alright.”

Aeryl replied half-heartedly, lost in thought.

‘Is she trying to use me to tarnish the Grand Duke’s name?’

If that was her intent, it was a weak move. How could harming a mere doctor damage the Grand Duke’s reputation? It wasn’t that fragile. There had to be something more.

‘What’s she plotting?’

His instincts, sharpened from court life, told him one thing: Lady Merel was definitely scheming something.

“Hmmm.”

As he mulled it over, he happened to glance at the clock.

“It’s already this late?!”

It was nearly time to meet the Grand Duke. The delay had been caused by the long distance between the East Wing and the Central Wing.

“Sorry, but could you just tell me the way? I need to run.”

“Oh, of course! Just go straight, then turn right, then take the diagonal path…”

Aeryl burned the directions into his mind and took off running.

***

“Your Grace!”

Aeryl gasped, out of breath. He’d run full-speed from the East Wing to the Central Wing. After swinging by the infirmary to grab what he needed, he had no energy left.

“Come here.”

The Grand Duke pulled Aeryl by the arm to sit on the sofa and poured him a glass of water.

“Thank you…”

Aeryl downed the water in one go. The Grand Duke sat beside him, eyes filled with concern.

“There was no need to rush so.”

“I thought I’d be late since I had to go to the East Wing. You know… the ten o’clock rule.”

“Ah, that.”

“You know about it too, Your Grace?”

“It’s been around since before I was born. What was it again? Something like… ‘ghost,’ I think?”

“…A ghost…?”

The Grand Duke nodded. Aeryl let out a high-pitched squeal and clung to the Grand Duke’s arm.

“Do you believe in ghosts, Your Grace?”

“They say there’s a demon crone, right? So ghosts probably exist too! Don’t you think they’re real?”

“I’ve met the former, but never the latter.”

“Uugh. I’m never going out after ten again.”

Aeryl glanced at the clock.

“The time! I’ll start the exam right away!”

As always, Aeryl checked the Grand Duke’s condition in his usual manner. After a few questions and answers, all the necessary procedures were completed.

“Adjusting the medication was a good call. Hm, is there anything else bothering you?”

“No.”

“Alright. Let’s monitor things as they are for now. Then, I’ll be on my way.”

“You’re leaving already?”

The Grand Duke grabbed Aeryl’s wrist just as he tried to stand.

“You’ve been examined and have the medicine. Is there something else you’re curious about?”

“No, not exactly.”

The Grand Duke himself didn’t know why he’d reached out, and inwardly, he felt flustered. His body had moved before his mind could catch up. Why?

“…You don’t have to comply with Lady Merel’s every request. If it feels excessive, you can refuse.”

“Well, something about it was bothering me.”

Aeryl began to explain what had happened earlier in the East Wing and added his own thoughts. It was a sensitive matter concerning someone else’s household, so he spoke cautiously, but the Grand Duke responded indifferently.

“If it’s her, that makes sense. She’s fond of schemes.”

“Is that so?”

“She’s been growing her faction while treating me as an enemy since the previous Grand Duke’s reign. Looks like she’s plotting something again.”

“What do you think she’s after?”

“I don’t know the details, but her goal is always the same.”

“What is it?”

“To make her son the next Grand Duke.”

“Your half-brother?”

Aeryl recalled the boy he had met on the first day. He was called Lord Sorel.

“But isn’t the young lord far too young?”

“He is.”

“And Your Grace is already well respected as the Grand Duke. So how could she possibly make him your successor?”

“In the first year after my father died, she tried to drive me out. Now she’s changed tactics. She’s working hard to get Sorel named as my heir.”

“So that’s a thing that can happen…”

Even the Grand Duke’s household had its own power struggles. Just like his own family.

In the imperial court, the three eldest children were likely still waging their intense, behind-the-scenes battles. Although the eldest had already been named crown prince, he had acted too rashly and ended up under the emperor’s scrutiny, opening opportunities for his siblings.

“But wouldn’t all that be solved if Your Highness got married and had a child?”

“Marriage, huh… Even if I did that, it would only create more unhappy people.”

“…What?”

“Nothing. More than that, I think proving I can function properly as an alpha should come first.”

The Grand Duke blatantly changed the subject. Aeryl had caught a comment that nagged at him, but he figured pressing further would only make things awkward, so he answered in kind.

“No need to worry about that! From what I saw, everything’s working just fine.”

“…From what you saw?”

Startled by the Grand Duke’s murmur, Aeryl flinched.

“N-no, I mean, there was just that one situation where I had to see it! It wasn’t like I was staring at it or anything! I swear!”

It really was just an accident! But now that he was denying it so much, it probably sounded even more suspicious.

“…I see. That happens, I suppose.”

The Grand Duke replied flatly, but he lowered his gaze. …Was he actually embarrassed right now?

Aeryl turned his head and fanned his face.

‘Now that I think about it, this is a private room.’

He suddenly became hyperaware of the fact that they were in the Grand Duke’s bedroom.

‘If anything were to happen here, no one would…’

Smack!

Aeryl slapped himself hard across the face.

‘Get a grip! He’s a patient!’

The Grand Duke looked at him, startled.

“Aeryl?”

“Oh, I’m fine! I just needed to knock some sense into myself!”

“If you’re tired, why don’t you rest?”

“No, thank you! I’ve been given the title of physician, and I want to do my best.”

“…Right.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t ever be neglectful toward Your Grace! Well then, I’ll be going now!”

Aeryl gave a deep bow and left the room quickly.

As the door closed, the Grand Duke smiled without realizing it. The way Aeryl’s face turned redder and redder as his excuses tangled up—and how he couldn’t figure out where to look—was just too funny.

‘Cute.’

The thought slipped out before he knew it.

‘Did I just think he’s cute?’