Episode 36: I’m Back
Time passed, and Yohan, having recovered, returned to work as an officer as usual.
When he appeared for the first time in a while, the entire office seemed to brighten as if it had been waiting for his return.
“Oh, he’s here!”
As he opened the door and stepped inside, numerous gazes turned toward him. It felt as if even the lights in the room had grown brighter.
A few female officers waved cautiously, while the male officers nodded slightly in greeting.
“Special-Class Mage Harsen. You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?”
“It’s been a while!”
“Did you take care of yourself well?”
The officers, both male and female, welcomed him, but the female officers showed far greater enthusiasm.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t friendly with the male officers—he simply garnered much more attention from the women.
“It’s good to see you all. I’m honored you remembered me even after such a long time away.”
Yohan flashed a mischievous smile, eliciting delighted laughter from the female officers.
“What’s that supposed to mean!”
“You’ve become cheekier since we last saw you!”
A few of the women lightly patted him, creating small moments of physical contact.
Yohan hadn’t intended to be playful; he simply wanted to avoid awkwardness by keeping the atmosphere light.
“It’s a relief to see everyone in good health.”
“Oh my, now you’re worried about us too?”
“Hehe, of course, we’re doing great!”
When he smiled again, their reactions grew even more enthusiastic.
Was this what women meant by “a funny guy (who’s also handsome)”?
In the past, he might have found himself swept up in the moment, but after living 21 years in his reincarnated life, he was used to it.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave…”
Leaving behind an awkward smile, Yohan returned to his seat, only to find Francia staring at him intently.
“Francia…?”
“Yohan.”
Her voice was cold. She didn’t seem pleased about him laughing and chatting with the other women.
“Why are you here, Francia?”
Realizing the atmosphere was off, Yohan quickly tried to change the subject.
“Your seat was reassigned while you were gone. I may have slightly tampered with the arrangements.”
Francia said with a wink. Her lips curved into a smile, clearly pleased, oblivious to Yohan’s attempt to change the topic.
“Well, that’s nice. Now I get to work alongside you.”
“Fufu. Yohan, you’re quite the sweet-talker.”
She sat down and began organizing the documents on the table. At the same time, she subtly closed the distance, letting her hip brush against Yohan.
“We’ll be working together today.”
“Alright.”
For a few seconds, Yohan and Francia gazed at each other before bursting into light laughter. It was a pleasant moment between them.
“I’ll just review these documents for a moment.”
“Oh, sure. Don’t mind me; focus on your work.”
Smiling softly, Francia began reviewing the backlog of tasks, while Yohan picked up the documents to catch up on the work he had missed.
The office, as part of the Empire’s elite Specialized military force, handled various duties, but for now, these were Yohan’s tasks:
First: Surveillance Reports
The office monitored the activities of noble households, compiling their findings into documents to report to the royal family.
They analyzed political maneuvers, secret alliances, and rivalries among the nobles to ensure the stability of the Empire.
Second: Magical and Weaponry Management Records
As an organization of mages and knights, they needed to maintain and document the special weapons and magical artifacts they used.
This required regular inspections and thorough documentation as part of the paperwork.
Third: Military Strategy and Defense Plans
They drafted and prepared key defense strategies or troop deployment plans for specific regions to ensure rapid response when needed.
Recording Important Diplomatic and Military Matters
At present, with the tense atmosphere surrounding Sanburk, this was the most pressing issue.
Other duties included monitoring noble families for tax evasion, but these were not immediate tasks to handle—nor were they part of Yohan’s responsibilities.
“For now… military documents, huh.”
Though the emperor had firmly declared that war would not occur, there was always a chance that Sanburk, which had been asked to cede territory, might strike first.
While it would be madness to act so rashly, the world was unpredictable, and it was better to be prepared.
As Yohan was reviewing documents, he felt it.
Rustle.
A warm hand brushed against his thigh. Yohan jolted and turned toward Francia.
She maintained a calm expression, flipping through papers as her gentle fingers grazed his thigh, teasingly tracing light patterns with her nails.
The slow, deliberate touch sent tingling sensations through his nerves.
“…Francia?”
Yohan whispered, glancing at her cautiously. His heart pounded. Unsure how to process the situation, his thoughts briefly stalled.
“Yohan, did you enjoy catching up with the female officers earlier?”
It seemed her earlier indifference was just a precursor to this moment.
“…What enjoyment would I gain from that? It was merely polite greetings.”
Yohan’s tone was flat, emphasizing that his earlier exchanges held no deeper meaning.
“Is that so? It looked quite lively to me. Joking around with them is rare for someone as serious as you, isn’t it? Ah, that’s not a complaint, by the way.”
Despite her playful reprimand, she added a gentle reassurance, as if worried she might upset him. Yohan couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“…Why are you smiling?”
Francia asked, her gaze tinged with curiosity and a hint of wariness.
“Because you’re adorable, Francia.”
“Wha…what?!”
Yohan’s tone shifted to casual speech, his low chuckle catching her completely off guard. Francia’s eyes widened, her face quickly flushing red.
“Ah…!”
Realizing the odd noise she’d just made, she panicked and glanced around. Luckily, none of the other officers seemed to have noticed.
“If you suddenly say things like that, even I get flustered.”
“We’re not exactly strangers, are we?”
“Ugh…!”
Yohan’s teasing smile made her falter instantly. She trembled slightly, torn between frustration and delight as her ears burned bright red.
“I like that side of you too, Yohan.”
“I’m aware.”
“How would you know that?”
“You tell me often.”
“…I always end up losing to you.”
Yohan met her gaze, smiling warmly. Francia shivered slightly and subtly shrank back her shoulders.
“…That smile—don’t show it to just anyone.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a smile that charms women.”
“Does that mean I have to stay expressionless?”
“You can smile when you’re with me.”
“…I see.”
“You understand me, right?”
“Not really.”
“Ugh, honestly!”
“I understand.”
Sensing the conversation could drag on endlessly, Yohan chuckled softly. Francia’s remarks were clearly born of harmless jealousy, so he decided to let it slide.
“Wait, just now, you brushed off my words, didn’t you?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Your face said otherwise…”
“Rest assured, I didn’t.”
Yohan reached out and gently patted Francia’s head as she pouted. She leaned into his touch like a contented cat, her eyes closing softly.
“I hate how I always end up giving in like this.”
“So, do you dislike it?”
“…I like it.”
Francia whispered in a small voice and turned her head to hide her flushed face.
Still, the tips of her ears, burning bright red, betrayed her emotions. Did she realize this? Probably not.
***
Under the soft moonlight shining upon the Topaz Palace,
Rudella, as always, was immersed in her duties.
Despite being the Crown Princess-to-be, her workload was overwhelming. It was so much that unless she meticulously scheduled her tasks, she would find herself working late into the night.
“Phew.”
Rudella let out a deep sigh, gripping the edge of her desk. Her thoughts were in disarray.
It wasn’t because of her duties. Her mind was preoccupied with Yohan Harsen—his image, his voice, his touch. She was utterly captivated.
No matter how much she tried to focus on her work, the thought of him lingered, rendering her unable to proceed.
And so, even into the late hours, Rudella was working, or at least trying to.
Her fleeting emotions had transformed into a deep, unrelenting yearning. She clung to her work in an effort to suppress it, but her focus remained elusive.
Feeling parched, Rudella reached for her teacup. The subtle aroma of the new tea wafted to her nose, causing her to pause.
What would Yohan think of this scent? Would he compare it to the fragrance of lilies blooming by her side? Such trivial musings filled her thoughts.
“…This is madness.”
Placing the cup down, she gazed out the window. Beyond the glass lay a garden filled with lilies she had personally nurtured.
Under the moonlight, the lilies shimmered with a silvery glow, and as Rudella admired them, she hesitated once more. The thought of his voice lingering among the drifting petals crossed her mind.
Her wandering thoughts inevitably returned to him.
It was then that Rudella fully realized the gravity of her situation.
This was a deep, serious illness.
As a member of the Bismarck family, her destiny was clear—to become the Crown Princess, and eventually, the Empress overseeing the empire.
But meeting that man had thrown everything into disarray. More specifically, it wasn’t him but her own heart that had betrayed her. She had fallen for him, and that was the root of the problem.
“Sigh.”
Unable to concentrate on anything, Rudella pressed her fingers to her temple.
He kept invading her thoughts.
“If I’m going to keep thinking about him like this, I might as well call for him.”
She didn’t see it as a bother. Hadn’t he said it himself? To take breaks and slack off if necessary? To call for him whenever she needed?
Rudella was merely following his words. This wasn’t a burden, nor was it some trivial obsession.
Shoving her documents to one corner of the desk, Rudella left her office and headed toward her chambers.
Through the corridor windows, the starry night sky stretched vast and serene. Seeing its endless, tranquil expanse made her wonder what it would feel like to gaze at the stars with Yohan by her side.
“Ah…!”
Startled by her own thoughts, Rudella flinched once more. It was frustrating how he managed to surface no matter what she did or saw.
“…If this continues, my feelings will only deepen. I must meet him tomorrow.”
Rudella had always been wary of love. She knew all too well that longing for it only made one vulnerable.
Yet, her longing for him refused to subside. The yearning to be held by Yohan, to stay close to him, constricted her heart and threatened to break her resolve.
“This really is a grave illness.”
As winter approached and the air grew colder, the burning sensation tightening her chest only grew more intense.
Under the moonlight filtering through the window, Rudella suppressed her overwhelming longing for Yohan and made her way to her chambers.
Tomorrow, she would meet him in person.
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