A person with an appearance as if he had met all the women and omegas in the empire wouldn’t be a relationship virgin…. Could it be that until now, even though he disliked it, there were too many people automatically sticking to him? So he had lived without ever feeling the need to have a conversation while considering an omega?

Indeed… Seeing how he naturally followed a clumsy seduction that day and spent the night together, he seemed to be someone familiar with one-night stands or such light affairs.

Whether he knew or not that Valentin was going through some confusion in his mind, Reynard continued to speak.

“Today, I want to formally treat you to a meal to apologize for the rudeness that time.”

“…Formally?”

What’s different about formally treating? Valentin tilted his head with a flushed face, not knowing what Reynard was talking about. Was he referring to a formal banquet, not a light meal like last time?

“I’m inviting you to the Dennox ducal residence. Last time, I rushed to a nearby official residence, but that won’t happen again in the future.”

He added an apology, saying that the military residence was a place he occasionally stopped by just to sleep, so it didn’t have proper servants or items. Valentin was so surprised by the words “ducal residence” that he missed the meaningful words “in the future”.

“What? The ducal residence? Are you referring to the Dennox ducal family’s townhouse?”

It was a place as historic as the imperial palace. The ducal family was the founding meritorious family that led the founding of the country together with the imperial family and was related by blood to the first emperor.

“That’s right.”

“Right now?”

Valentin asked again in disbelief.

Such an incredible place right now?

Without prior arrangements or invitations?

Perfectly forgetting that he himself had visited the imperial palace today without an invitation and threw a fit to meet the empress, Valentin once again widened his eyes as round as a rabbit’s.

“That’s right.”

Looking at such Valentin, Reynard gave the same affirmative answer each time. He didn’t seem bored despite having to repeat the same answer.

As if even such a trivial annoyance was welcome because everything was precious.

Bump, bump.

The carriage busily ran on the well-polished cobblestone street of the historic Longford Street.

And so, Valentin was carried to the capital’s ducal residence with his jaw dropped in surprise.

Not knowing that Reynard was chuckling while looking at his expression with his mouth open stupidly as if drooling.

* * *

“Welcome.”

As the carriage door opened and Reynard got out first, a voice welcoming the master was heard from behind him.

It seemed the attendant who had been with the coachman before they took the Dennox family’s carriage from the imperial palace had departed first to greet them. Valentin spread his slightly wrinkled clothes in the carriage with his palm to show a neat appearance.

The servants of the ducal residence greeted them by lining up in the lobby and bowing, as if they had prepared and eagerly awaited their arrival, and the elderly head butler delivered a welcoming speech as a representative of the servants.

“Welcome to the Luthion House.”

The formal greeting continued, mentioning the name of the ducal family’s townhouse, which was named after the first Duke.

As soon as Valentin got out of the carriage, holding Reynard’s arm and receiving an escort, he was astounded by the tremendous procession.

‘Why is the scale like this…?’

If he hadn’t known anything, he would have thought the emperor was coming today after seeing this unified greeting from the servants.

It was too much of a welcome for a new face that was notorious in the neighborhood. However, as someone who had received perfect manner education while growing up, he couldn’t show such an appearance!

“Ahem. Thank you for the welcome.”

Valentin arrogantly raised his nose and lowered his eyes in reverse, taking vigorous steps.

I, Valentin Wiche. It’s been a while since I’ve been in high society, but this much is simple.

“That’s not the way.”

It wasn’t simple at all.

Reynard said, slightly pulling the hand of Valentin, who had taken such an arrogant attitude that he tried to walk in the wrong direction without knowing the way.

“Ah….”

Then, as if your hand’s only destination from earlier to now was solely here, he naturally hooked it on his arm again and moved his steps in the right direction.

“Be careful.”

He kept paying attention even while escorting on the flat marble-paved path without any obstacles. It seemed like he would gently carry a person and walk unsteadily if Valentin just allowed it. Just like he had done it several times before. As if dealing with a child who walked clumsily. Or like luggage.

No… Although he certainly almost went to the wrong place like a fool a little while ago, he wasn’t stupid enough to trip on such a well-polished path….

‘So embarrassing….’

Somehow, he kept unintentionally showing only foolish appearances. He felt like he had greatly stimulated the protective instinct of the alpha walking beside him. Valentin blushed slightly in embarrassment.

“Are you cold?”

“No…. It’s April.”

Ignoring the countless butlers and footmen lined up, Reynard personally took off Valentin’s hat and tailcoat.

‘Wow….’

Valentin took in the sight of the ducal residence he was visiting for the first time as he passed through the mansion’s lobby.

It had an ancient and old feeling like the imperial palace, but it was a classic architectural style that was heavy and weighty rather than splendid, just like the atmosphere felt from Reynard himself. He thought such a feeling was only possible in a chapel built hundreds of years ago…. Valentin walked, scanning the stone pillars with his eyes.

“The mansion is very impressive.”

“Next time, I’ll bring you when it’s bright and give you a proper tour.”

Valentin, distracted by looking around the elegant interior, nodded as if enchanted, not properly recognizing the words “next time”.

After busily looking around the interior, the heavy doors of the great dining hall they had arrived at were opened by footmen on both sides. Valentin peeked inside through the opening doors.

A table large enough to comfortably seat at least thirty people. And the huge hall that made the table look very small. Large and beautiful chandeliers descending from the ceiling to right above the table. Unlike recently built mansions, it was an elegant and huge place that was better described as a medieval great hall.

Valentin’s mouth opened even wider than a little while ago.

“Are there any other guests besides us today?”

“No?”

A denial that came without even a 0.1 second hesitation.

“It’s just the two of us.”

And a clear confirmation.

At those words, Valentin forgot even his fear of the dried persimmon and raised his head. And he asked with round eyes.

“We’re eating in the great dining hall…? Just the two of us?”

“Is there a problem?”

Is it because this person is a soldier…? Always having group meals in the military…?

Valentin pointed to the long table in the great dining hall, which was as large as the mansion’s scale, with his hands and head gestures, as if asking if he didn’t know the problem we were facing.

The table was so long that it could hold a banquet for thirty guests, let alone two people. And the tableware set at both ends of the table was such that the two people would have to shout to have a conversation with each other. This isn’t Beauty and the Beast…. Recalling a familiar children’s cartoon, Valentin blew out a “Phew” with his mouth, and his bangs rose and fell with the wind.

Reynard, who had been blankly watching that sight, tilted his head slightly as if not understanding, and Valentin carefully explained while watching his reaction.

“It’s too much when we’re not even holding a formal banquet.”

It looked like they had to immediately give it a title and greet guests.

Somehow feeling like there were often times when the focus of conversation or thoughts didn’t match, Valentin sighed again and calmly opened his mouth. It seemed he had to explain everything one by one for this person to understand.

“Why would we use the great dining hall for just the two of us…?”

“Still, it’s to formally treat you to a banquet.”

Valentin shook his head to stop him from speaking.

“No matter how formal the banquet is, it’s too much. At this rate, we won’t even be able to have a conversation.”

Valentin, who was disgusted by the excessive scale of the dining room despite not even intending to have a cozy chat in the first place, shook the arm of Reynard that he was holding onto. Seeing his massive arm swinging like a pendulum in the air from the pulling force, Valentin accurately requested.

“Please let us have a cozy meal in a smaller place.”

His original personality was coming out.

* * *

At Valentin’s words that he wanted to have a meal on a smaller scale rather than something grandiose like this, Reynard let out a short exclamation.

“Ah.”

And only then did he have an expression as if he understood what he was saying.

“And there are too many servers. The thought of all these people standing by while we eat….”

As expected of servants from a family at the very top of the great nobles….

Valentin made a disgusted face upon seeing dozens of servants and maids who seemed to overflow with excessive formality and strictness. Only then did Reynard nod as if he had noticed the nuance of the words.

“Indeed, that’s right.”

“Please move us to a smaller place. A place suitable for two people to have a meal. And four or five servers would be more than enough.”