A Beautiful Misunderstanding
Roselyn trembled the moment she stepped into the room. She could not bring herself to meet Edrin's eyes.
Ah, even if I'm an envoy... do I really have to go this far?
She was a mage bound to her family.
Her magical prowess and academic achievements as a researcher were easily among the finest on the continent. Her family was respectable enough, and they possessed a decent amount of influence.
Yet, unfortunately, Roselyn's standing within the family was far from secure.
"We have achieved truly monumental results this time, my Lord! Thank you so much!"
"And what am I supposed to do with that? Do you have any idea how much funding you researchers drain from our coffers?"
"Well, that is..."
"Sponsoring your little playtime has its limits. How long do you intend to keep up these games? Honestly, if it weren't for our prior agreement, I would have thrown you out long ago..."
Had the Empire not been ravaged by war, Roselyn could have proudly boasted of the achievements she and the mages under her command had accomplished at the magic tower. While magic towers were common fixtures in any prominent territory of the Empire, Roselyn and her mages were in a league of their own.
With nothing but her raw genius and capability, she had effortlessly surpassed the milestones that court mages of the previous era had spent centuries trying to reach.
However, most of her breakthroughs were difficult to apply practically. Establishing a new magical theory did not instantly translate into the creation of new artifacts or spells.
Had she not been a member of the prestigious Fiorencie family, she might not have even been granted the opportunity to conduct such research in the first place.
Sigh...
In a different era, wealthy nobles with money to burn would have gladly showered researchers like Roselyn with funds, viewing it as a mark of luxury and prestige.
But in these times, no lord had the luxury to squander wealth on such indulgences.
If they did not immediately muster armies to defend their lands, they would be stripped of their titles by monsters or rival lords.
Truly wealthy nobles were scarce, and even those who remained preferred more familiar forms of luxury.
They spent their gold on importing exotic spices or constructing lavish estates.
With war raging across the land, merely maintaining their pre-war standard of living required an astronomical amount of resources.
Thus, Roselyn had inevitably become a white elephant.
Still, this is... just too much.
Consequently, Roselyn's lord sought to utilize her in any way that could benefit the territory.
It was not an unreasonable demand. Roselyn was a high-ranking vassal who possessed noble dignity and a respectable lineage.
While she lacked political acumen and had no need to understand her lord's deeper motives, he summoned her whenever tedious tasks reserved for high-ranking vassals arose.
Though her research was delayed each time, she could not bring herself to refuse.
She knew all too well that the magic tower was viewed with disdain, and she was acutely aware that their funding was slowly drying up.
To offer... my body.
Roselyn had never dreamed such a thing would happen. Yet, to her eyes, the situation was clear.
Edrin was already infamous for being a scoundrel. If he summoned a woman to his chambers after the banquet, she could think of no other reason than that.
I want to... refuse.
However, her lord had explicitly warned her: "Do not, under any circumstances, cause friction with the new Lord of Arcteria."
If Edrin took offense, thinking, How dare she defy my command? it would not only sour relations between their territories but also completely cut off what little support her magic tower still received.
And... he doesn't seem like a bad-looking man, either.
To Roselyn, who spent all her time cooped up in a laboratory, Edrin was the epitome of a dashing young noble.
He was handsome enough to step straight out of the romantic knight novels she occasionally read. If she had to offer herself to someone like him, she felt she could endure it.
I don't have a partner anyway, and if I just think of it as a sacrifice for my research...
He might be a bit rough or dangerous, but she would just have to bear it.
"I did not expect you to come here in person," Edrin said. "I was planning to visit you myself."
"O-Oh, no! Not at all!" Roselyn stammered. "Since the... the Lord summoned me... it is only natural that I come to you."
While Roselyn's status was not particularly low, she possessed virtually no real power.
The Fiorencie family held no territory of their own; they were merely nobles who held bureaucratic posts in the heart of the Empire.
But with the Empire's authority now dragged through the mud, Roselyn had no choice but to view Edrin—who ruled over a vast territory—as her superior.
W-What do I do now?
Meeting his gaze, Roselyn felt her heart flutter so violently she could barely breathe.
"You seem tense. Why don't we start with a cup of tea?"
During the inauguration ceremony, he had looked like a man chosen by the gods themselves to rule this land.
Even Roselyn, who had seen countless nobles, could not help but look at him with awe. He seemed to belong to an entirely different world.
And now, that very man sat before her, wearing a relaxed smile.
From now on... to this man...
Gulping hard, Roselyn slowly gazed at his face.
He was someone who should be looking down on her from a distant, lofty height, yet here he was, so close.
In fact, he felt incredibly familiar. Like an old friend, it felt as though it wouldn't be strange no matter what he did to her—or what she did to him.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm not... not used to this sort of thing... T-Tea is fine! I don't need any!"
"Then, shall we begin our conversation?"
Edrin flashed a mischievous, boyish grin.
It was a terrifyingly pure and charming smile, like someone who could not wait for what was about to happen.
He's looking... at me.
She had always been shut away in her lab. She had never considered herself beautiful, let alone attractive enough to catch the eye of a lord like him.
Her head spun. Unable to regain her composure, Roselyn found herself wishing they would just get it over with quickly.
"A-About that... um... should I take my clothes off now?"
"...Pardon?"
The moment I heard Roselyn's words, I calmly retraced my steps to figure out where I had gone wrong.
Is this a conspiracy? Why? Why here of all places? And through Roselyn?
She was the type to fall victim to a conspiracy, not the type to be used as a pawn in one.
Her academic knowledge might be vast, but she was completely devoid of the cunning and political wits required for intrigue.
A honey trap?
That made no sense. Roselyn was not suited for a honey trap. Though she was beautiful, she lacked the charm and coquetry to seduce a man.
Besides, there was the matter of cost. Roselyn was a talent from a prestigious family. I didn't even want to imagine what kind of price would have to be paid to force her into a honey trap.
Then, I realized I had no time to think.
"D-Don't undress!"
"Y-Yes?"
Her chest was surprisingly ample. Fortunately, noble attire was notoriously difficult to put on and take off, allowing me to stop her before it was too late.
"W-Were you not... planning to hold me?"
"Me?"
"Well... you have become the Lord, and as an envoy who came to congratulate you... using your authority..."
I knew Roselyn was completely ignorant of political dynamics.
Even when I recruited her in the game, she never wasted energy on meaningless political strife or factional squabbles. Her personality was such that she would rather spend that time back in the magic tower doing research.
Still, I never expected her to be this clueless.
"Me? Using my authority? On you, Lady Roselyn?"
It seemed my Charm stat was working a bit too effectively.
I did need to make the citizens of Arcteria view me as an authoritative figure, and it was necessary for the envoys to feel a sense of pressure from the man named Edrin Silverline.
But objectively speaking, my power was nowhere near absolute enough to pull off something like this.
"That is impossible... No, why would I ever do such a thing?"
Doing so would simultaneously insult Roselyn, her family, and the lord she served.
If I were a lord with the power of someone like Valerian, I might have tried, but even then, it would be nothing more than a foolish act of lust that would damage both the territory and my own authority.
"Rather than that, I am interested in your research, Lady Roselyn... or should I say, Master Roselyn. I have wanted to visit you for some time, but the opportunity never arose—"
"R-Really?"
The hesitant Roselyn widened her eyes.
I took a deep breath.
Seducing her with my words was important, but listening to her was even more crucial.
"In that case, the research our magic tower recently published... Ah! That probably hasn't reached Arcteria yet. It's about... the changes in mana flow according to the purity of metallic substances—"
A stream of incomprehensible jargon poured out. I nodded slowly.
It looked like this was going to be a very long, very difficult night.