At the dinner table, the atmosphere was lively. Having won the earlier exchange, Enciodes no longer spared a glance at his defeated sister. Instead, he began introducing the dishes to Felix and his secretary, Ines.
For the people of Kjerag, hot, high-calorie food is essential to endure the harsh cold. Their signature dish, slow-stewed meat, has been a staple since childhood, its flavor shaped by generations of different cooking methods. There were also Northern Kjerag–style stir-fried greens and salty milk tea served as a beverage. Though the menu consisted of traditional home-style dishes, this high-end restaurant had clearly taken great care in their preparation, elevating even the simplest recipes into something memorable.
Work was deliberately left off the table. The conversation drifted instead toward lighter topics, even romance. When Enciodes learned that Felix's next destination was Kazdel, he paused briefly before expressing his wish to visit as an ally, hoping to further solidify their partnership.
Enya immediately declared that she would go as well, once again invoking Kjeragandr's guidance. Enciodes, seated at the table, clenched his fists so tightly he nearly lost his composure.
'So you intend to steal my ally?'
Felix responded smoothly, agreeing here, offering reassurance there. The entire meal became an exercise in suppressing laughter until his stomach hurt. Ines, too, struggled to maintain a straight face.
After dinner, they returned to the hotel in a animal drawn taxi. Enciodes and Enya smiled as they bid Felix farewell, bringing the day to a close.
As host, Enciodes believed he had performed admirably, aside from one persistent source of irritation.
"You've overstepped." His tone was cool as he glanced at his sister. "Should I interpret this as Vine-Bear Court's intention?"
"This has nothing to do with Vine-Bear Court. I told you that from the beginning, but you refused to believe me." Enya turned her head away, unwilling to continue the argument.
Enciodes let out a cold laugh. Did they expect him to believe this was truly Kjeragandr's guidance? Of course he did not.
Before leaving, Enya turned slightly and said, "I intend to board the Venus and witness the future of this land with His Highness."
"Is that also Kjeragandr's guidance?" Enciodes asked evenly.
Enya gave a silent nod.
He said nothing more. The two parted without another word.
Watching the siblings separate on tense terms at the hotel entrance, Felix pressed his lips together. What a pair. He understood Enciodes's exhaustion and frustration. In his position, anyone would suspect that the elders of Vine-Bear Court had sent his own sister to compete for influence.
Felix was neither a demon nor the supreme ruler of some Empire. He could not orchestrate some grand three-way balance of power, but managing a single alignment was well within his ability.
After reflecting for a moment, he sighed and turned to Ines, who waited nearby. "Shall we go upstairs for a drink?"
"Good."
She accepted without hesitation.
Enciodes had arranged for Felix to stay in the presidential suite on the top floor. It even featured an open-air hot spring. The room felt almost excessively spacious for him alone.
Only a handful of high-ranking members of Tomorrow's Development stayed here. Even those with considerable status would not casually spend such sums on the most luxurious hotel in Turicum, though each of them could easily afford it.
Ines was no stranger to the world. Had she still been a mercenary, she might have been overwhelmed by a presidential suite like this, uncertain even where to sit. Come to think of it, when she first met His Highness, had she not felt the same mixture of fear and uncertainty?
She had joined Tomorrow's Development relatively late. If Hoederer had not immediately recognized that following His Highness was the right choice, they might still be wandering somewhere without direction.
Hoederer had since reaped the rewards of that decision. Serving as His Highness's executive for so many years was proof of his loyalty.
Ines removed her coat and hung it neatly aside. She watched as His Highness approached the wine cabinet. After scanning the selection, he chose Kjerag's renowned Snowfield Spring. He poured a glass for himself and another for her.
"Your Highness, you seem… pleased?"
Felix took a sip and leaned against the bar. At her question, he looked up and gave a quiet hum in acknowledgment.
"And it seems you are very satisfied with Enciodes."
"Yes." Felix had noticed Ines's earlier hesitation but chose not to comment on it. Some of his subordinates deliberately played dumb in front of him, dulling their sharpness so he would feel at ease and never suspect them. As far as he was concerned, they had watched too many kingdom court dramas. He had never doubted his people, nor had he practiced such paranoia in court. Faced with this behavior, he could only feel speechless.
"Kjerag itself does not account for much in my considerations. Only Enciodes makes it valuable to me." Felix gently swirled the wine in his glass. "Relying solely on tourism, Kjerag's development will remain limited."
Ines blinked. Though he was speaking of Kjerag, she sensed that part of his words were meant for Kazdel as well.
Could Kazdel truly grow stronger by relying only on mercenary work? Unlikely. And if Kazdel could not even become sarkaz's homeland, if they had no home to claim, could it still be called Kazdel?
After three glasses of wine, a faint flush rose to Ines's cheeks. "Your Highness, have you considered increasing the number of seats in the Royal Court Council?"
Felix lifted his gaze and smiled. "Go on."
"Although Tomorrow's Development and Kazdel are nominally one entity, in reality…"
The systems were different. The policymakers and decision-makers were not the same group of senior officials.
"To modernize Kazdel and integrate it into broader diplomacy, I believe it would be wise to invite some of Tomorrow's Development top executives to participate in Kazdel's royal council meetings."
"In that way, Kazdel can move forward under Your Highness's leadership, enlightened by multiple perspectives."
Her suggestion aligned precisely with Felix's own thoughts. He found her reasoning sound, and at the same time wondered whether he should give Ines greater responsibility. She usually presented herself as a capable manager, yet now it was clear she possessed a keen understanding of governance as well.
Perhaps Ines could rise even higher in the future.
He nodded to himself, contemplating what needed to be arranged once they returned to Kazdel. After another sip of Snowfield Spring, he looked up.
Ines was leaning against the bar with one hand. Her cheeks were flushed, her gaze slightly unfocused as she looked at him.
"It's late. You've had too much to drink. Go back and rest."
"Mm…"
She swayed as she stood. Felix glanced at the bottle. Snowfield Spring had tasted crisp and mild at first, almost like a refreshing drink, but its aftereffects were strong. For him, with his stamina, getting drunk would be difficult.
Seeing Ines in this state felt novel, yet he had no intention of teasing her. He stepped forward and offered his arm.
As they reached the living room, Ines stumbled over the carpet and fell against him, covering her mouth.
She looked as though she might be sick.
Felix quickly helped her to the bathroom. She leaned against the wall for a while before the nausea finally subsided. Then, unexpectedly, she began removing her clothes.
"Your Highness."
"…?"
"I'm not drunk." Her face remained flushed and her speech slightly slurred, but her eyes were gradually clearing. "What I said earlier, I said while fully aware."
"Your Highness, I am inviting you to bathe with me."
Felix raised an eyebrow. "In the way I'm thinking?"
Ines, emboldened by the alcohol, seemed more direct than usual. "What else would it mean, Your Highness? If that weren't my intention, why would I have drunk so much?"
"Do you need alcohol to say something like this?" Felix stepped closer, his fingers lightly brushing against her heated skin. "Your intentions are far too obvious."
"Too obvious…?"
He thought of the unspoken measure of her affection, already near its peak. Had they not once agreed to remain comrades and superiors, nothing more? She had claimed it would never cross that boundary. Yet here they were.
"It seems I still lacked a bit of courage. In that regard, perhaps I am not as bold as W."
Ines let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh and slowly opened her arms.
"I struggled for a very long time. I once believed that someone like me would never have warmth again, and that I did not deserve to hope for it. But I could not resist Your Highness's radiance. It was like sunlight breaking into the shadows of my heart, melting the ice of my past."
She met his eyes steadily.
"You made me realize that I, too, can live an ordinary life. That I can find someone… and entrust my heart to them."
"Your Highness… I'm not actually a Sarkaz." Ines smiled faintly as she rested against Felix's shoulder. "I'm a Caprinae. I left my homeland and came to this war-torn Kazdel just to survive. Fortunately, I didn't starve to death."
She lifted her eyes to him. "Someone like me… could I become your woman?"
Felix took her hand gently. "There's no need to say it like that."
Ines gave a soft laugh. "Your Highness is truly sinful. Isn't W enough? Now you want me as well?"
"Do you think I would let you go?" Felix replied calmly. "Since you made your choice, my answer has always been the same."
"And what is that?"
She leaned closer, studying his face. Felix tapped lightly at the corner of her lips. "What do you think?"
Ines responded by lightly biting the tip of his nose before letting out a small snort. "That's more like it. I need to go to shower before we head to the bedroom. I reek of alcohol."
"I don't mind. It smells fine to me."
"…Your Highness, I didn't expect that from you."
"I'm not that old."
"You may be young, but with such a large harem, how is it that you have no children?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Felix considered it for a moment. "The Sankta population tends to remain stable. It seems to be tied to our race. Our numbers haven't changed much over the years. And children in Kazdel are born like explosives waiting to detonate."
"That's a strange way to put it."
Ines turned on the hot water and began bathing. She shifted and leaned back against his chest, her brows knitting slightly. "It does seem to be racial. The Sarkaz special subrace also struggle with reproduction. I heard Luna mention that there are only a few thousand Vampires, and very few new ones are born. And that Lady Banshee from HR once said their entire race numbers less than a thousand, perhaps only three to five hundred."
Felix reflected on it. In a sense, the Sarkaz were already a fractured people who had endured betrayal and division. For them to have expanded this far was impressive in itself.
"Do you truly want children?"
Ines blinked, her eyes shimmering faintly.
"I once thought that Tomorrow's Development future would require an heir, and the same for Kazdel," Felix said quietly. "But then I remembered that I am effectively immortal. There is no urgency." He rested his head lightly against her shoulder, the warmth of her skin and the cascading water enveloping them. "Theresis has lived for centuries without marrying or having children. And Theresa as well. I suppose I can afford to wait."
Ines considered it. Theresis had indeed lived for hundreds of years without any record of a wife. As for Princess Theresa… she had already sacrificed herself. Marriage seemed irrelevant now.
"Still, children represent hope for the future," Felix continued. "In the coming years, we should discuss it carefully. We cannot neglect such matters."
"..."
Ines gave a soft huff, then gently bit his neck, her resolve firm as she moved closer.
She was an adult. She had confessed her feelings. There was no need to hesitate over what came next. At least she was more straightforward than W. She understood her own desires clearly.
His Highness's charm was impossible to resist. And in some ways, she had arrived early, fully aware that many others stood behind her in line.
"Enough talking," she murmured softly. "Just love me properly."