The Wilgrave Marquis family has been a loyal servant of the Dennox Dukes since the time of the first Duke.

Shane, the second son of the current Marquis, was a close friend who interacted with Reynard from childhood in the Dukedom of Dennox, and was exactly one year junior at the Imperial Naval Academy. Of course, due to Reynard’s extraordinary promotion, there was now a huge gap in rank, which was the thing Shane regretted most in recent years.

“What is this?”

Reynard said, lifting a slightly thick piece of paper wedged between the reports. To Shane’s eyes, it was clear that the simple interrogative exclamation contained not the derision of ‘What is this worthless thing?’ but the meaning of ‘Where did this precious and cute thing come from?’. 

It was a portrait of Valentin.

In the report file, there was a small portrait and three sheets of paper with information.

Specifically, there was a small portrait depicting Valentin’s cute childhood, which didn’t even capture half of his real beauty – it was worth acknowledging Shane’s ability to obtain this in a short time – along with brief personal details and family relations, his specific body measurements that were seemingly unnecessary yet overly stimulating to Reynard’s lust, obtained from information at Madame Delacroix’s dressing room, and what seemed truly unnecessary, a brief description of the Viscount Wiche family’s businesses – despite briefly describing each item, the variety of business fields was so great that it took up almost more than half of the three sheets of paper – and a few words about recent trends.

It was a report that was nothing short of a miracle by Shane, accomplished in just a single day.

But even while looking at it, the person who ordered the work complained.

“There’s not a single thing that’s really needed, is there?”

What the hell is that really necessary thing…? Shane suffered from a feeling like the tinnitus he had from the bomb that exploded right next to him during the last battle was ringing.

“What’s with this kind of information?”

Reynard grumbled in a crooked voice, pointing to the Viscount Wiche family’s business section with his hand, while at the same time tucking the flower-like childhood portrait of Valentin brightly smiling into his breast pocket.

Shane noticed how he carefully tucked it in, as if the edges of the small painting might be damaged. So it was obvious that it would make him even more infuriated in addition to his already frustrated heart.

“That’s really the best I could do, Colonel. What information were you hoping for to say that?”

It was clearly a private-use investigative report unrelated to work duties, as anyone could see.

Did this guy really go crazy after making eye contact with that omega at the ball the other day and going off to dance, never to return…? Shane now crumpled his face without hiding his disrespectful expression toward his superior, like crumpling paper.

It was the National Foundation Day Ball, but in reality, it was an occasion to celebrate and commemorate the Empire’s soldiers who had returned victorious from the long two-year battle.

At such an important event!

The very protagonist of that day who led the most battles to victory!

The person who directly received the most honorary medals from the Emperor and the Imperial Family that day!

There were so many people to greet and network with as a necessity…!

Just an hour after the ball began, he went off to dance with a dazzlingly beautiful omega youth, unclear whether an angel or a doll, and then disappeared without a trace.

How much sweat did he, as his direct aide, shed that day searching for his superior, running around the ballroom, corridors, and various halls…! The sweat-soaked formal wear from that time was still emitting a musty smell as it dried in his official residence.

Senior officers, not just field grade but general officers, and high-ranking nobles…. Everyone was looking for Colonel Reynard Dennox, to the point where the person here really wanted to cry. It was Shane’s lifelong regret that he couldn’t smack the back of the head of his direct superior whom he couldn’t do that to.

Whether he didn’t know his subordinate’s heart or knew but ignored it, pretending not to know at all…. Reynard’s crooked voice cut across the desk.

“The most important things are all missing, like what he likes, where he enjoys going, what he dislikes.”

Since when did a person’s likes and dislikes become the most important part of a personal information report? Shane had no way of knowing.

“It’s utterly pathetic, Major Wilgrave.”

“If you really think I’m pathetic, give back that portrait from your breast pocket right now. Do you know I obtained that with my own money?”

He couldn’t stand it anymore. 

He was Colonel Dennox’s aide, but wasn’t this only applicable within the military?

This task ordered by his superior was not a military matter.

Of course, let’s exclude the unfavorable reality that all aides implicitly handle personal matters and only argue the principled point. Shane reached out his palm toward Reynard, shaking it as if to say hand it over right now, like he did when they were boys.

“Give it right now.”

“Are you not only reaching your hand impudently toward your superior’s chest, but also disobeying orders?”

Reynard said ominously as he rose his huge body from the desk.

Anyone would think some great honor or precious treasure passed down through generations in the family had been touched, given the ferocity. 

Naturally, at those words, the mouth of Shane, a servant of the ducal family to the bone, shut tight like a clam. Crossing a line to some extent when alone together was only possible when Reynard tolerated him.

Reynard grinned meaningfully with one corner of his mouth raised, looking at his loyal subordinate whose mouth immediately clamped shut in attention.

“One week.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll give you a week of vacation.”

Vacation…!

Promotion, money, and vacation – the three things every worker wants most. Among them, the best is paid vacation. The most beautiful thing is also paid vacation.

Especially the precious vacation he hadn’t had a single day of since returning to the capital from the battlefield…! 

All the more so at a busy time like now when work is still piled up like a mountain not long after the war ended…!

Shane felt a sudden welling up of respect and loyalty for his senior and superior, like water springing forth.

Just as he knew Reynard well, Reynard also knew him well, so he could offer a honeyed carrot.

“I’ll give you a week, so investigate more while resting.”

“What?”

…What kind of vacation is that?

Shane’s face, which had been filled with joy upon hearing about a week of vacation, rotted like he had tasted porridge burned and stuck to the bottom of a pot.

“Especially here. What he did while away from the capital is all missing, isn’t it?”

‘This guy seems to be darkly curious about the past of the omega he has his heart set on.’ 

He had a lot to say about that, really unjustly.

“It’s not that I didn’t try that part!”

Resentment was evident in Shane’s voice.

“I don’t know why the servants of a mere count family have such thorough security. They were all so overflowing with loyalty that they wouldn’t open their mouths at all!”

Shane had to experience the feeling of infiltrating the security of some closed-off kingdom to obtain information.

The Viscount Wiche family was making the security and safety even more thorough by all of Valentin’s guardians for his anxiety upon his recent return. But Shane, who had tried to break through that barrier without knowing that fact at all, but ultimately failed as he couldn’t bring himself to pressure civilians with harsh measures given his status as a soldier protecting the nation and imperial citizens, had no choice but to be sacrificed to his superior’s nagging.

“Are you saying with your own mouth that you’re incompetent?”

Again, Shane’s mouth clamped shut like a clam.

Although he may have gotten point deductions in physical tests like fitness and shooting skills, he was someone who had topped all subjects in academics and strategies that involved the mind since his days in the military academy. 

Shane was a navy man to the bone who felt the most hurt pride and competitive spirit when someone pointed out his incompetence. Of course, he also knew Reynard, who understood that best, would have intentionally pointed that out, but even knowing that, it was an unbearable point for Shane when it came to nitpicking his abilities.

“If you want to point out my incompetence, first return the portrait from your breast pocket before saying so.”

You scratched me, so I have to scratch you too. Shane grew increasingly crooked.

“It’s fine, so one week. I’ll give you a week, so investigate properly this time.”

When the portrait was mentioned, Reynard sat back at the desk and looked at the report, changing the subject. 

He spoke so grandiosely about properly figuring out likes, dislikes and hobbies. There was no stalker quite like him.

What the hell will be done…!

Is it all good if it’s just you…?!

Shane felt like he would get an ulcer and indigestion from stress.

Clang.

Just then, the light-hearted sound of capitalism, heavy even just hearing it, fell onto the desk.

“That’s payment for the portrait. Take the rest, eat something delicious and spend it vigorously during your vacation. Good work.”

The dazzling golden color visible from the open part of the small pouch on the desk was undoubtedly not banknotes or bills, but gold coins full of brilliant luster.

Although he too was from the upper nobility since birth and was never in a position to lack money, everyone likes extra money as a rule. Shane liked money second only to vacation, like all other members of society.

“Ahem.”

Hurriedly arranging his brightened face, he picked up the pouch of gold coins that fell on the desk and swiftly pocketed it.

This was the reason he couldn’t hate Reynard, his superior and senior, to the end.

He is strict with reward and punishment to his people. When he wants to give, he never holds back on anything.

“I’ll spend it well.”

“Okay.”

The mission was given, but a vacation is a vacation anyway.

It’s a precious week where he doesn’t need to get up early in the morning.

Plus, this wealth given like a bonus. At a glance, the amount is more than ten times the portrait payment.

Feeling his tinnitus and acute indigestion drastically improve, Shane finished his salute to his superior and turned around in a disciplined manner to leave.

‘He may be a bit crooked and scary, but he’s not a bad person after all.’

Unable to escape the brainwashing he had undergone since childhood, Shane quickly left the headquarters building with lighter steps than when he entered.

It was time to enjoy his vacation along with the mission.