Episode 72: I Took the Female Lead’s First Time in a Romance Fantasy

Episode 72: Normalisation of depressing romance fantasy #3

After a series of turbulent days, Yohan returned to his duties as a public officer once his vacation ended.

He was greeted by a warm welcome from numerous female officers.

“Special-Class Mage Harsen! No, wait, you’re now Special-Class Mage Lahart, right? It’s been a while!”

“Congratulations on your promotion!”

“It seemed like you had a lot on your plate, but I’m glad everything worked out safely.”

“Is it because you’ve earned the title of Guardian of the Sun? You practically have an aura around you!”

Their eyes were filled with admiration, which was understandable. Just half a year ago, Yohan was nothing more than the third son of a viscount. Now, he had risen to the esteemed rank of a count with the highest honors.

“Haha, thank you all for such an enthusiastic welcome.”

Although Yohan found their gazes a bit overwhelming, he expressed his gratitude without revealing his discomfort.

“So, are you heading straight to the Fervache territory after finishing your duties?”

“When’s the wedding? Haha, we’ll be invited too, right?”

“Oh, that reminds me! Special-Class Mage Lahart, I have something I wanted to ask you…!”

With so much news surrounding him, the female officers bombarded Yohan with a barrage of questions, curious about every detail.

“Everyone, please calm down. I’ll answer your questions one at a time. Here’s what happened…”

Despite the many annoying questions, Yohan patiently addressed their curiosity, skillfully dodging the more difficult ones.

“Special-Class Mage Lahart.”

While Yohan was conversing with the officers, Deputy Commander Ricard approached, bowing his head slightly.

“It’s been a while, Deputy Commander.”

“You’ve had a lot on your plate. Is your health holding up?”

“Things were complicated, but there are no major issues.”

“That’s a relief.”

After the brief exchange of pleasantries, Ricard smiled faintly and got straight to the point.

“The commander has summoned you. He has something to discuss regarding the demonic lair, so you should head to his office immediately.”

The commander’s summons.

“Must be about sealing the demonic lairs.”

Yohan smiled faintly and nodded.

“Understood. I’ll head there right away.”

***

Click.

Yohan opened the door and entered the office.

At the center of the room, seated on the sofa, was Fedelian, his expression cold and stern.

“You’re here.”

“Yes, I was told you summoned me.”

“I have something to inform you about. Take a seat.”

Yohan sat across from Fedelian. Given the friction they had over Yohan’s engagement, the atmosphere was tense.

“…We don’t need to exchange pleasantries, so let’s get straight to the point.”

Fedelian continued.

“A special department will be formed, centered around you as the lead officer.”

“…A special department?”

“Yes. A second division within the Bureau, with the primary goal of sealing the demonic lair.”

Fedelian handed over a document and tilted his head slightly. While his face remained indifferent, the wariness in his demeanor was unmistakable.

“This department will include at least first-class officers who will fully support you, both in terms of experience and as escorts.”

“…Won’t there be assistance from other knight orders?”

Although the public office’s main role was to address the demonic lairs, it was obvious that not all knights could be assigned as support. The numbers simply wouldn’t suffice.

“Originally, the Black Knights of Lenokhohnen were supposed to assist, but as you know, the atmosphere in the Grand Duke’s household isn’t great right now.”

At Fervache’s request, the imperial court reopened the trial.

The subject: the punishment of Young Grand Duke Lenokhohnen.

“The Lenokhohnen household must be in turmoil.”

“Exactly.”

Fedelian answered matter-of-factly, his lips twisting in frustration. He seemed quite drained by the situation. As the crown prince and the commander of the second division, he had no choice but to be entangled in these issues.

“In any case, the initial phase of the demonic lairs’ special department will involve a small, elite team. Keep that in mind.”

“Understood.”

Yohan collected the documents from the table and asked quietly,

“Is there anything else?”

“That’s all.”

“Understood.”

“Wait.”

Just as Yohan was about to leave the office, Fedelian called out to him. Yohan turned back to face him, meeting his gaze. Fedelian’s golden eyes were deeply shadowed.

“Rudella… no, Lady Bismarck has been acting quite strange lately. Do you know the reason?”

“…Why do you keep asking me about your fiancée’s matters? I find it rather puzzling myself.”

“Because she started acting strange after meeting you.”

Fedelian’s gaze fixed on Yohan, cold and penetrating, as if trying to see through him. His expression was as rigid as stone.

“Lady Bismarck began acting strange after meeting you. Eventually, she even abandoned her duties altogether.”

From the Empress to the Emperor and the Senate…

Many had raised questions about Rudella. As her fiancé, Fedelian had to at least make a pretense of concern and looked into the matter, but no substantial leads came of it.

Still, amidst all the uncertainty, one thing was clear: Rudella’s odd behavior had started after she met Yohan.

“I believe her strangeness has something to do with you.”

“…”

Yohan narrowed his eyes. Unlike before, Fedelian’s persistence made it seem as if he was certain about something.

But suspicions alone couldn’t be used as evidence. It was important to maintain a consistent demeanor here.

In a calm and subdued tone, Yohan responded.

“It seems she haven’t gotten over the shock. It’s not just anyone—it’s someone who should never have done such a thing who tried to assassinate her.”

The implication was clear: who wouldn’t be shaken when their own fiancé tried to kill them?

“…My fiancée isn’t someone who would be shaken by something so trivial.”

“Matters of the heart can’t always be discerned from appearances, can they?”

Through this brief exchange, Yohan immediately grasped Fedelian’s view of Rudella. To him, she was someone undeserving of respect or understanding.

The human heart is often complex and subtle, concealing truths behind appearances.

Someone who smiles outwardly may cry inwardly, and someone who seems cold may actually have a warm heart.

“This is all I can say. I know little about Lady Bismarck, after all.”

“…”

Fedelian scrutinized Yohan’s face in silence. Nothing suspicious stood out, but there was something vaguely unsettling about him.

Yet his suspicions were based solely on intuition, leaving him unable to press further.

“…Very well. You may leave.”

“Understood.”

Yohan offered a courteous bow and left the office. He could feel Fedelian’s lingering gaze on his back but chose to ignore it.

***

Fedelian stared wordlessly at the door Yohan had just closed. His gaze was cold, and a deep shadow loomed over his eyes. A sense of foreboding gnawed at the corner of his mind.

“Hmm…”

Suspicious.

Very suspicious.

‘…There’s something here.’

On the surface, everything appeared fine. Rudella would likely return to her duties soon, and life would go back to normal.

But the unease didn’t fade so easily.

‘Something feels off.’

Fedelian couldn’t shake the feeling. He was missing something crucial.

His current suspicions were based purely on intuition, but Fedelian had learned to trust his instincts when they sounded alarms. They were rarely wrong.

‘Go back to the beginning and think.’

The changes in Rudella, who had once been nothing more than a tool and puppet of the Bismarck family, started after she returned from crossing the border for the treaty.

The notable events during that time were Yohan Lahart accompanying her as a bodyguard and the assassination attempt by the Shadows.

But as far as Fedelian knew, Rudella wasn’t someone who would be shaken or wounded by an assassination attempt from her fiancé.

If anything, she would bury her emotions and prioritize her duties over her own feelings.

After all, she had been indoctrinated by the Bismarck family to always serve the Crown Prince, no matter the circumstances.

‘Which leaves only… her relationship with Yohan Lahart.’

Everything began to change after she became involved with Yohan Lahart. She neglected her duties, showed no interest in him as before, and even occasionally seemed distracted and unfocused.

Almost like a girl experiencing her first love.

“Hmm…”

Fedelian furrowed his brows and stroked his chin. He sifted through the key pieces of information in his mind, discarding the irrelevant.

Yohan Lahart’s subtle reactions when Rudella was mentioned.

Rudella’s unexplained absences from the Topaz Palace without notifying anyone of her destination.

The revival of emotions within Rudella after her interactions with Yohan Lahart.

Her faintly peculiar attitude when meeting him…

Hundreds of possible scenarios formed in his mind.

Of course, he didn’t dismiss any possibility outright.

“Could it be?”

Finally, he arrived at an answer.

‘Rudella, have you fallen for Yohan Lahart?’

It was an absurd thought, but not entirely impossible. Her changing demeanor and neglected duties all began after her encounters with him.

‘If that’s true… betrayal.’

To be honest, it was baffling.

For Rudella to betray him?

And for her heart to stray to another man?

Yet his instincts were screaming betrayal. It was the same intuition he had honed from a young age, through navigating the treacherous politics of the Rozino Imperial family.

In an environment as perilous as a frozen lake, surrounded by nobles ready to turn their backs at any moment, such intuition was essential for anyone aspiring to the throne.

Of course, this instinct didn’t sound its alarm without reason. It only manifested when enough information had been gathered and a clear picture formed.

The pieces of information Fedelian had collected so far, the circumstances, and his suspicions all aligned, triggering his gut feeling that something ominous was afoot.

“I can’t ignore this possibility, especially with recent events taking a turn for the worse.”

Fedelian’s golden eyes darkened, his expression turning icy.

Rudella knew too much.

She was aware of his dealings with dark mages, his private assembly of troops in preparation for unforeseen events, his secret transactions with foreign nations, and more.

It was certain she held evidence of these activities. Rudella was far more meticulous than most realized.

Despite knowing this, Fedelian hadn’t acted against her yet because he had never believed she might betray him.

After all, once he ascended to the throne, such evidence would lose its significance.

“It seems I’ll need to investigate thoroughly.”

Fedelian snapped his fingers in the air.

Swish—

A shadowy figure materialized, one capable of perfectly concealing its presence from guards— it was none other than the leader of the Shadows.

“You summoned me?”

“I have a task for you.”

“Speak your command.”

Fedelian gathered mana, heightening his senses. His hearing and mana perception sharpened to their peak as he scanned the area around the office.

He was checking for any recording magic tools that might have been planted. After confirming there was nothing suspicious, he issued his instructions.

“Place a surveillance team on Rudella Bismarck. Focus particularly on her aide. If you detect anything clearly suspicious, you are permitted to abduct and extract information. I leave the judgment to you.”

The shadow knelt, bowing its head deeply.

“Your command will be carried out.”

Swish!

The dark figure vanished in an instant, leaving only an afterimage. Fedelian clasped his hands and rested them on his desk.

‘Rudella. Whatever you’re planning, know this—I never spare traitors.’

And, of course, that included those who even dared to consider betrayal.

||Previous||TOC||Next||