Reynard unfolded the note he received.

We have found all the moles. 17. Awaiting further orders.

The expression of the one rolling the small paper in his hand was unusual. Reynard slowly tapped his temple, lost in thought for a moment, then ordered Powell standing beside him.

“Immediately inform the ‘Second.’ Tell him to leave the moles as they are for now.”

“Understood.”

“Hmm. 17 spies deeply infiltrated…”

Reynard rubbed his chin while looking at the number ’17’ written on the note.

“It’s utterly infuriating, isn’t it?”

“It’s a much higher number than expected. Is it alright to leave them as they are?”

“They’ve been in there for several years. Leaving them for another week won’t cause trouble.”

There was still a lack of information to act on just a single line of this note.

After returning to the Grand Duchy, it was right to receive a proper report from his organization and make a decision. Although it was very infuriating, now was the time to slowly wait and create the perfect bait and snare. The opponent was that meticulous.

It was literally a battle of patience.

Moreover, the other party had a knack for patience. Who would have thought the 3rd Prince had prepared for such a long time? This side also had to approach calmly.

“Instead, contact the ‘Sixth.’ Tell her to set bait that the target can definitely approach.”

“You mean the ‘Sixth’?”

Powell, who rarely questioned his master’s words, frowned.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“No. It’s just that she’s… a bit difficult.”

“Just convey it exactly like that. I’ll talk to her directly about the rest.”

“Understood.”

Reynard burned the note with the candle right next to him and rose. He had to quickly return to his lovely husband left alone in the bedroom.

Thud, thud.

The sound of footsteps faded away.

Watching his master walking out of the room, Powell, who was left alone there, scooped up the ashes from the note with his hand. And he shook it out the pitch-black window. Then, with familiar hands, he tidied up the furniture and utensils and completely extinguished the candle.

Like that, the faithful butler Powell, in other words, the ‘Fourth,’ also fully closed the door and left. It was time to hurry and carry out the rest of the tasks ordered by his master.

*

On a black and deep night without even the sound of seagulls…

Valentin was struggling alone to the point of his head exploding, taking advantage of the moment when Reynard briefly left to talk with a servant. As always, lying in a proper posture on the bed with his hands clasped together. In fact, it was a posture of barely restraining himself from wanting to tear his hair out.

‘I’m going crazy…’

Valentin was recalling what had happened at the candy store in the downtown area earlier in the afternoon.

No, to be precise, he was examining his emotions at that time.

Valentin had never expected to taste such intense emotions about Reynard. It was a very unfamiliar emotion for someone who always laughed carefreely, thinking that what’s good is good. Moreover, towards a specific stranger…

It wasn’t that he simply disliked or was angry at that employee as an individual. She had merely expressed interest and made a pass at the opposite sex, which might be commonplace in this country. Wouldn’t such things have happened in his homeland, Heston, as well? It was just a cultural difference between aristocrats who thought outwardly expressing emotions was unsophisticated and those who didn’t.

‘There’s no way he would look good only in my eyes.’

Even walking on the street, he was someone who drew attention everywhere. That applied to anyone regardless of age or gender. He had something that drew people’s gaze, whether it was his excessively handsome appearance or large build. That quality resembled a certain confidence or nobility beyond simply being good-looking.

So Valentin was not upset with her, but confused because of the ‘realization’ he learned from her.

‘I never knew that facing someone coveting my husband would be so infuriating…’

The unknown emotions that had surged up. The feeling of not knowing what to do as the heat rose to the top of his head… Anger, absurdity, and perplexity. And decisively, it was close to jealousy.

Yes. This was clearly jealousy.

Valentin clearly identified the name of his emotion.

After fully realizing that its identity was jealousy, he quietly looked into his heart, sitting around the edge of that emotion.

Until now, he had thought that he had fallen for Reynard at first sight when they first met. So he had never thought that he didn’t like him. Because his appearance and pheromones, everything about him was his type.

However, he had never once pondered the exact form or depth of that feeling, its color or concentration.

But what is this…?

Due to what happened during the day, he discovered an emotion that was surprisingly thick and viscous, persistent like tar.

‘Jealousy is definitely an emotion that arises because there is affection.’

At that moment, when a passerby revealed desire while looking at Reynard. Why couldn’t he take it lightly like seeing a star loved by the public? Simply because he was his husband?

Yes, I agree that my husband is very cool and handsome. He’s probably the best among males and alphas. He could have joked around, laughing “Hahaha.”

‘But I couldn’t even afford to do that…’

At that moment, it felt like his head would explode from the shock and jealousy.

Valentin clearly realized that the feeling that had only been soft, light, and fluttering had transformed into something quite deep. He didn’t even know when, how, or for what reason it had changed like this.

It was as if a lump of paint in the water had slowly dissolved and spread, changing from a transparent and light color to a deep color at some point.

The color of his heart had become distinctly red. Without him even knowing.

“Valentin.”

As the door opened, the main character who had been stirring up his heart made his appearance. At Reynard’s call, Valentin woke up from his agony and returned to reality.

“Are you tired? Sorry for being late.”

The person who had been gone for less than 30 minutes quickly apologized upon seeing Valentin lying limply on the bed. At that moment, something surged up again. Something lovely that was hot yet seemed to wet the corners of his eyes.

Valentin embraced the waist of the person who had come straight to him.

“Reynard…”

“Hmm?”

The gentle voice was extremely sweet.

“You’re mine, right…?”

The deep red color suddenly realized made Valentin utter a sticky possessiveness.

“Of course. I’m always yours, Valentin.”

To the omega’s sudden question, the alpha gave a very kind and satisfactory answer.

Then it’s done. We owned each other. Valentin hugged his husband’s thick and strong waist even tighter. It was a desperate gesture as if trying to properly realize his heart and emotions and find relief.

The night facing the truth deepens.

* * *

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say you wanted to paint?”

Reynard asked while brushing Valentin’s hair with a brush as he sat in front of the mirror.

“Mmm… That’s right.”

A calm answer came in a voice that seemed to be wandering in a dream. It was the voice of someone who enjoyed brushing more than anyone else.

The silvery-close to bright golden hair softly fell in the large hand. The sensation, thin and smooth as if spinning thread from a cocoon, dug into Reynard’s fingers.

The morning sunlight that had just come in was reflected, making it shine like a jewel as fine as thread. How surprisingly these trivial sensations and moments tickled his heart. Reynard continued his trivial thoughts while feeling everything about Valentin with his five senses.

The potpourri made by drying and tying lavender placed here and there. The fragrant yet natural grass scent coming from it, the cloud-like texture on his hands. And you, the most lovely and beautiful in the world, sitting in front of the mirror with your eyes closed, quietly receiving the brushing.

He quietly felt and remembered everything, clearly capturing the moment in his mind.

Reynard, who had never experienced a sentimental feeling about what he saw, felt, and experienced, was surprised enough to be startled by those things he felt after meeting Valentin. He thought sensitivity was located at the opposite point of his life.

Ruminating on momentary feelings and admiration in his head for a long time and savoring its scent and taste. Everything was so unfamiliar that it was shockingly new.

But even that unfamiliar newness was so good that his heart tingled.

He brought the hair in his hand to his mouth and kissed it.

Valentin, who noticed Reynard coming close even with his eyes closed, leaned back and playfully rubbed the back of his head against that face and neck.

“It’ll get tangled like this.”