After the training session, Rensley went to the office as instructed by Gezell.
However, despite knocking on the door, there was no response. Rensley pressed his ear against the door, trying to sense any sound from inside, but there was none.
‘He clearly told me to come to the office, not the research lab,’ Rensley thought to himself. He hesitated for a moment and then decided to open the door. The unlocked door creaked open. Silently, he stepped inside.
It seemed like a discussion was ongoing, as the conference table was cluttered with papers and books. The organized chaos indicated that people hadn’t been absent for long. Rensley, contemplating what to do, decided to wait. If the Grand Duke himself asked him to come to the office, there was no reason for him to go.
Unlike the research lab–which was frequented like his room–the office was different. It was used by high-ranking knights responsible for state affairs, Anton the commander, staff members, and not primarily for magical studies.
While the underground research lab had a cozy chair and was cluttered with piled books, alchemical ingredients, and mechanical devices, the office had a conference table, stiff wooden chairs, documents with complicated language, and a banner representing the Duke’s authority. The atmosphere felt more solemn, and Rensley wasn’t particularly fond of such formal spaces.
As he sat quietly in a corner on one of the chairs, he noticed something he hadn’t seen before during his numerous visits. Wrapped in a red velvet cloth, it was quite large and flat. Curious, Rensley leaned forward, trying to guess what it might be.
“If it’s that size… it can’t be a book, perhaps a new magical device, or something to be hung on the wall… maybe a painting…”
Then suddenly, a thought struck him. Could it be the item Gezell wanted to show him?
“Do not mention that matter again. I will handle it myself.”
“But, Your Grace…”
Voices from outside the door interrupted his thoughts. Rensley quickly got up. When the door opened, Gezell and a few unfamiliar attendants entered.
“Who’s this?”
One of the attendants standing beside the Grand Duke frowned and asked. Gezell raised his hand to pacify him.
“He’s a knight. I called him, so there’s no need to be on guard. The meeting is over; everyone, please leave.”
“Your Grace, please consider what our hearts are telling you.”
Gezell sighed as if tired and furrowed his brow slightly.
“Understood, so for now, withdraw.”
Rensley silently observed. It seemed like a serious discussion, but he couldn’t grasp what it was about. Soon, the office was empty, leaving only Gezell and Rensley.
“Sorry for calling you and making you wait. There was a brief dispute with the attendants.”
“Is there some significant issue?”
“No. Old attendants tend to have baseless worries. It’s nothing to concern yourself with.”
Gezell glanced around the office, then turned back to Rensley, approaching him.
“Now, shall we leave?”
“But you mentioned you had something to show…”
“I didn’t ask you to come to the office for this. It’s just closer from here.”
Rensley glanced at the item wrapped in velvet. It seemed that the item Gezell wanted to show wasn’t this. Without any questions, Rensley followed Gezell as he took the lead.
Gezell headed towards the courtyard where he had prepared for sword training during the entrance exams. Recently, the Duke had been building something there, claiming it would be completed soon.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
‘I don’t know much about architecture, but why would he want my opinion?’ wondered Rensley.
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Today, the two of them walked through the long corridor. As they passed through the brick wall that separated the courtyard, the view was significantly different from the last time Rensley saw it.
A new structure had emerged in what used to be just landscaped with grass and trees. Witnessing the sight before him, Rensley couldn’t help but admire.
“Your Grace! It’s truly splendid.”
“How about it? Does it look good?”
“It’s more than good. Isn’t it a waste to put such a thing in the secluded backyard?”
Rensley, holding his breath, moved ahead of Gezell. The structure, which the Grand Duke had personally supervised for some time, appeared to be a small annex.
It wouldn’t be surprising if that was all. It was common to build simple annexes for taking tea or resting in the palace garden. However, what Gezell had built was not a simple resting place.
“I’ve never seen a building like this.”
Rensley’s eyes sparkled as he walked around the building made entirely of glass, from the roof to the walls. Glass was expensive, and the larger the size, the higher the cost. While the Roudken Castle, the residence of the Grand Duke, had glass windows in every room as befitting a noble, many common houses often had wooden shutters or leather coverings instead of glass windows. But to make an entire building with glass, especially in this size…
The backyard was chilly, but the sunlight streamed in well, and the transparent glass walls sparkled like sunlit golden rivers. Rensley, captivated by the dazzling light, looked back at Gezell.
“Why build such an expensive building here?”
“Come here. You’ll understand when you go inside.”
Gezell took Rensley’s hand again and walked ahead. Rensley followed him in a hurry, like an excited child.
As they opened the door and entered, the interior was more spacious than expected. It was not the typical simple cabin with stone-tiled floors, a tea table, and comfortable chairs that Rensley had imagined. The glass walls allowed the sunlight to fill the room in stark contrast to the outside weather. It felt like the temperature inside was being regulated by some device rather than just sunlight.
Beneath the glass wall, what caught the eye was not a table or chairs but rather well-cultivated plants. Although not fully ripe, familiar fruits were placed before them, and Rensley murmured in amazement.
“Tomatoes…”
“I’ve heard you lamenting several times about the difficulty of getting them, so I decided to make some.”
Gezell took Rensley’s hand again and moved forward.
“In Aldrant, it’s hard to grow them, but I planted only the crops that can be grown on a small scale here. Unfortunately, it’s challenging to have larger fruit tree varieties for now. With more research, we might find a solution.”
The glass house Gezell built was a greenhouse where plants could be cultivated.
Approaching as if entranced, Rensley picked a tomato and took a sniff. The fresh, invigorating scent was indeed real.
“Initially, I used magic to accelerate the growth, but after the first harvest, it might be better to let them grow naturally… If you want to continue harvesting, just infuse some magic. It won’t be an issue to distribute magic privately in a greenhouse like this.”
“Your Grace…”
“Actually, because you expressed a desire to swim, I wanted to build a small pool here… But, our craftsmanship might struggle to maintain water temperature and clarity. Let’s postpone that for now. When spring comes, you can go to the hot springs, and you can enjoy it then.”
When spring comes…
Rensley couldn’t decide on an immediate response. He covered his mouth, contemplating what expression to wear.
Half of him wanted to shower Gezell’s neck with kisses, while the other half wanted to scold him for even considering such extravagance. The conflicting feelings waged a fierce battle within him. The struggle of his emotions left Rensley with an awkward smile.
“Have you spent too much royal funds just for me? I feel like I’ve become a bad Duchess.”
“It’s just a small greenhouse. It hasn’t been decorated like a flower garden, and it’s an attempt to grow vegetables from different regions that could also be useful for Aldrant.”
Gezell approached the tomato plant. Rensley, who had been looking at the tomato in his hand until then, turned his head.
Meeting the eyes of the man standing beside him, within the sharp and solemn impression reminiscent of a statue in the center of a church, curiosity peeked through the pumpkin-colored irises, revealing a curiosity as if it were a gem that occasionally revealed itself from a depth too profound for people to casually mine.
“How about it? Do you think this is comparable to items from Cornia in your eyes?”
“No.”
Rensley shook his head. The internal conflict seemed to have resolved by now. Rensley smiled more broadly, placing his hand on Gezell’s neck and pulling him closer.
He felt the wide and firm chest, the warmth of the body. When Gezell’s arms wrapped around him, it felt like immersing oneself in a bath. Rensley closed his eyes as if his body had been submerged in water. Facing Gezell’s question, Rensley whispered his answer.
“Nothing in the world can compare to the grace you bestow upon me.”
The reason for lowering his voice was to avoid revealing the slight tremor in his words. As soon as he finished speaking, he tightly closed his lips, fearing that his quivering chin might be exposed.
It was a strange feeling for Rensley, something he had never experienced before. While it was natural for a person to feel down or melancholic when going through sad or disappointing events, what was the reason for suppressing tears after receiving such excessive treatment? This time, it was Gezell’s voice that brought an awkward feeling.
“The word ‘grace’ seems inappropriate. It was just a thought as a return gift for the delicious meals you’ve always made for me. I was also curious about the dishes from Cornia that you often talk about.”
“Then let’s call it a gift.”
Rensley raised his face, which had been buried against Gezell’s chest. With laughter tinged with joy, he faced the man he was hugging.
At this moment, he wished that only happiness and joy would fill the eyes and lips that gazed at him. He hoped that none of the small worries or the vague sadness, the ambiguous concerns, would be transmitted to him, at least for now. So that the radiance Gezell gave as a gift would not be overshadowed.
‘Just hearing about it brings joy.’
Gezell’s face was filled with a gentle warmth. It was evident that any trivial and complex emotions hadn’t been conveyed at all. Relieved, Rensley embraced him once again.
The sunlight passing through the large glass wall cast a transparent veil over their heads and shoulders, spreading all the way to the floor. The fruits basking in warmth, the young leaves and vines quietly growing in this moment emitted the fresh scent of vibrant life.
Spring didn’t need to be awaited; it was already here. Instead of waiting for ripe fruit, the two kissed as if savoring each other’s lips.
Rensley, nestled within the black cloak, bit Gezell’s lower lip. Despite the appearance of a man with a firm and imposing demeanor, there were many soft and tender aspects. The lips, the delicate flesh beneath, the eyelids that dipped slightly below the eyebrows, the earlobe, and the soft expressions that swayed like a gentle breeze when looking at him—all held a plush quality.
Glass may break easily, but Rensley hoped the spring within wouldn’t end so easily. Therefore, he didn’t rush. After lightly nibbling on the lips, he extended his tongue to lick, repeating the process.
Gezell’s low moan suddenly emanated from the sturdy neck of the lord, who had been quietly offering his lips. The man, usually polite, somewhat forcefully parted Rensley’s lips with his tongue.
Feeling the smooth flesh inside his mouth, Rensley sighed without words. Where could things have gone wrong? Gezell had previously mentioned that Rensley was the only one with whom he shared nights. His impatience and fierceness, traits that occasionally would surface, might be because of Rensley’s wrongly instilled habits.
The invading tongue twirled inside his mouth, melting the smooth flesh. Even with closed eyes, the feeling of blurred vision was peculiar. A tingling dizziness gradually ascended through his body, and intertwined lips released a mixed moan through the entwined lips.
“Ah, hmm…”
Recently, even a simple kiss made his waist tremble, so the habit of the sensation growing back spread to Rensley as well. He anxiously grasped Gezell’s arms.
“Your Grace… Wait a moment…”
“Is it difficult for you?”
Gezell raised his head. Supporting the waist that seemed to lose strength with one arm, his large and bony hand gently caressed Rensley’s cheek.
“Shall we go to the bedroom?”
“But it’s not evening yet.”
“I don’t usually distinguish between day and night.”
“Then, it’s harmful to your health…”
As they exchanged meaningless banter, Rensley blushed. It was more embarrassing to be looked at as if he were nursing some precious item. At times like this, Gezell’s gaze became increasingly explicit.
‘Don’t look at me like that.’
Suppressing the desire to escape, Rensley swallowed hard and hugged him again. Okay, let’s go to the bedroom. That would be better. As he was about to answer that way—
“Your Grace. Are you here?”
Suddenly, the voice of a third person interjected, startling Rensley, who cowered up to his shoulders. He lowered his head as if he were caught at the scene of an affair. However, it was Rensley’s self-blame alone, and there was no particular reason to hide.
Even so, Gezell, as if enveloping Rensley with his cloak, pulled him in. The vision became dark. A stern voice from above Rensley’s head echoed softly.
“What’s going on?”
“I apologize if we interrupted your break. We heard you were in the north yard, so we came to see…”
“It’s okay; go about your business.”
“General Frida has sent a message. She requests a prompt delivery, so I came to inform you, despite the intrusion.”
“I’ll head to the office. Let’s talk there. You go ahead. I’ll be there soon.”
“Understood.”
The sound of the knight commander turning away could be felt. Perhaps waiting for him to completely disappear, Gezell didn’t immediately release Rensley. After a moment, the surroundings brightened again. When Rensley raised his head with a hesitant posture, Gezell lowered his voice apologetically.
“I’ll deploy guards separately to prevent people from entering recklessly. I didn’t pay enough attention today.”
“It’s okay. Fortunately, it was before the game unfolded.”
As Rensley joked, Gezell also smiled lightly.
“You’ve heard, I need to go back. Lately, the defense of the battlements has been disorderly, so we need to exchange news frequently.”
“Go quickly. I’ll explore more here and then head to the room.”
“Sure. I’ll visit your room once the work is done.”
Their lips lightly met once again, and Gezell took the first step. Before closing the greenhouse door, Rensley waved to him. As he disappeared, Rensley’s shoulders relaxed. Relieved from tension, he pulled a small chair placed in the greenhouse and sat down in front of the tomato tree. When left alone, the magic of spring dissipated, and practical concerns settled in like a heavy stone.
A greenhouse for a trainee knight—how many would consider such a thing reasonable? Of course, this was the lord’s space, and few people could actually come and go. Nevertheless…
‘Anyway, it’s not your fault. Shall I give you some water?’
Rensley filled a copper watering pot with water. As he tilted the spout, the earthy scent, moistening the soil quickly, brought a pleasant feeling. Taking care of the plants momentarily eased his mind. It was warm during the day with the sunlight, but it should be fine at night as well. With such thoughts, he watered the plants evenly.
Rensley shouldn’t recklessly ask for anything , this man would turn up the whole world to give him that OMG ! 🤭
Lucky boi , you’re going to be showered in LOVE (◕ᴗ◕✿)
This is also why the main art has TOMATOES in it lol
They’re getting comfortable and sweeter each chapter. Thankyou to all ✨✨
ur welcomeee <333
☺