Chapter 12

As memories of the previous day resurfaced, Ehan felt his mind, once cleared through training, becoming clouded once again.

Desire.

His body yearned for that feeling once more, consumed by the desire to relive the experience. Unfortunately...

[It’s called artificial ‘Ambrosia.’ In ancient times, it was a legendary elixir said to cure all curses and diseases. Recently, the recipe was recovered, and the royal family has started manufacturing it. The ingredients used are all rare enough that only the royal family can obtain them. The creation of the final product is something only royal apothecaries can accomplish. And I, myself, am the primary investor and overseer of its restoration. If you follow my instructions, I promise that when the final Ambrosia is completed, you’ll be the first to receive it. Think of it as a gift from an elder sister to her younger brother. You needn’t refuse, hoho.]

There was no way that witch would just give something like that so easily.

‘That damned woman, she played me well.’

Ambrosia. The name of the liquid he had consumed the day before. It was merely an unfinished version, with only 1% of the efficacy of the completed product. And yet, even with that 1%, Ehan had witnessed a miracle.

He had seen the recovery of what he had long considered a permanent impairment.

“Huuu...”

Having given up hope for so long, the sudden rekindling of possibility was enough to ignite all his desires. Ehan had to take a moment to close his eyes, meditating to calm his racing thoughts.

…If he didn’t quell the bubbling anger from his past, he felt like he might explode.

‘Those bastards...!’

Grit.

Suppressing his fury was no easy task.

During his time being raised as an assassin, Ehan had consumed many poisons. It was part of his training to build resistance, and back then, without the memories of his past life, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy who obediently followed orders.

One day, an incident occurred. One of the trainees had consumed the wrong type of poison, causing a disaster.

[What the hell is wrong with him!?]

[That poison… it’s one of the ingredients used to make aphrodisiacs, isn’t it?]

[What an idiot.]

One of the trainees had attacked a female officer in a frenzied state and ended up dead. After that incident, the organization began to see the sexual desires of its trainees as a potential problem.

The three great desires: sleep, hunger, and lust.

These primal urges caused issues within the organization, much like they would in any group, whether in his past or present life.

If the organization had been a normal guild or association, they might have dealt with it flexibly. But Ehan had been part of an assassin's organization, where suppressing desires was paramount.

Thus...

[We’ll just castrate them all.]

[Shall we cut it off?]

[No, they might die from the surgery. Use a curse poison instead.]

The curse poison was a mystical toxin, created through sorcery. It didn’t cause immediate harm but left lasting damage. While it wasn’t fatal and could be cured by a priest if treated promptly, it was rare and potent enough that the organization had it and used it to control their members thoroughly.

You can probably guess what happened next.

Ehan was made to drink that cursed poison. He spent three days bedridden, and by the end of it, most of the trainees—who were known as “Numbers”—had their sexual desires “eliminated.” In truth, the desire still existed, but they were incapable of acting on it.

…Because nothing worked.

However, none of them saw this as a problem at the time.

Why?

They were children, completely uneducated. And there was no one around to tell them that this was something that should be treated. As a result, the condition was left as a permanent impairment.

Ehan was no different.

He never imagined that the organization would collapse years later or that, by sheer coincidence, he would regain the memories of his previous life. When he did regain his memories and realized that his body was, in fact, disabled...

“Ugh…!!”

…The rage that surged within him still boiled over whenever he thought about it.

Thirty years in his past life, thirty years in this one. Sixty years in total of living as a man deprived of normal human functions.

However, as time passed, he became so focused on becoming stronger that he stopped paying attention to his condition. Occasionally, when one of his comrades would boast about their lovers or wives, his heart would ache, but he would just beat them up in a “fair sparring session” to feel better.

But now, Ehan had realized something.

He hadn’t overcome the pain. He had merely given up. And now, with the possibility of recovery in sight, his mind was spinning.

Flash!

“...It would’ve been easier if I hadn’t known. What am I supposed to do now?”

One thing he couldn’t understand was how she had found out about his shameful secret. Where had the information come from? He had never told anyone.

"That woman is terrifying."

Crash!

“Ouch!”

“…Could you stop falling over? Just stay still.”

“Hehe, I can’t do that! The Crown Princess sent me to assist you, Sir Knight! I’ll do my best!”

“…There’s really no need.”

“Just leave it to me!”

“...”

Another mystery. Why had the Crown Princess sent this airheaded maid to him?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘…Was she sent to spy on me?’

Crash!

“Aah! I’m so sorry! I broke the dishes!”

“...”

…Probably not.

Ehan quietly stood up.

There were still many unanswered questions, but if he stayed here any longer...

‘That woman will destroy everything in my house.’

Ehan rushed to save what remained of his belongings.

The White Lion Palace.

It was a palace where only the heir to the throne could reside. It was a temporary residence for the heir before moving into the White Dragon Palace, the king's palace.

And in this palace, Isis Irene de Pendragon, the current heir, was caring for her child.

"Aaauu."

“You’ve got quite a strong grip. Unlike your father, who’s practically a walking corpse, you seem very healthy.”

“Uu?”

Despite her unfiltered words in front of the child, fortunately, the baby didn’t understand her. It was a blessing that he was only five months old.

But Isis wasn’t alone.

“Haha, Princess, how could you speak ill of his father in front of him? I fear young Prince Arthur will pick up your mannerisms.”

“Silence, old man. Do not meddle in my parenting.”

“Haha, but is that really parenting?”

“Of course. It’s the finest education a woman like me can provide.”

“...Your confidence is remarkable.”

“Hmph.”

Albert, an aura user and the royal family’s head steward, was the only one who could speak so informally to her. It was a special privilege that she allowed him to call her “Princess” instead of “Your Highness.”

And with that privilege came the freedom to ask more personal questions.

“But Princess, how did you know that Sir Ehan needed Ambrosia?”

Albert was genuinely curious. Ehan had never once shown any sign of weakness or vulnerability to anyone. Even the royal intelligence network, which knew about his upbringing and the fact that he had been sold into slavery and raised by an organization, had never discovered such an affliction.

Yet, somehow, only the Crown Princess seemed to know.

“Hmph, are you implying that I might have shared a bed with my sworn brother?”

“P-Princess...”

Albert’s face reddened in embarrassment, his expression one of disbelief at how casually she could say something like that. Isis, however, remained calm, sipping her tea without a care.

And then, slowly, she explained.

“My dear sworn brother has never once shown any… interest in me.”

“...?”

“He has never once been aroused in my presence, despite how beautiful I am.”

“…Excuse me?”

Albert wondered if he had misheard. Surely, his aura-user hearing wasn’t failing him. But the words coming from the Crown Princess’s mouth seemed utterly inappropriate.

And yet, she continued unabashed.

“I am the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Even as I age, that fact does not change. No man has ever been able to resist me, all of them reduced to panting dogs at my feet. But my sworn brother? Never once.”

“...Are you serious?”

Albert couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

For someone to deduce such a deeply hidden secret just because Ehan hadn’t shown interest in her?

But Isis was entirely serious.

"Since my sworn brother does not have such feelings for men, I was confident there was only one explanation. He must have some sort of physical issue."

“…And you figured all this out based on that?”

“Of course. My beauty is unparalleled.”

“...Your self-confidence is extraordinary.”

“It’s simply a fact!”

“…Haha.”

Albert was at a loss for words.

To think that she had uncovered a secret that not even the royal intelligence unit could figure out, all because of her ego.

Albert couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Ehan.

‘...Poor guy, how did he end up with her?’

Still, Albert reasoned, Ehan would likely benefit from this arrangement as well. In the end, it would be mutually beneficial for both parties.

“Haha.”

Albert let out a small chuckle, resigning himself to the absurdity of it all.

“But Princess, why did you send Layra to Sir Ehan?”

“Ah, the maid?”

The maid that she had suddenly sent to work for Ehan, rather than the royal palace. What could her intentions be?

Had she perhaps discarded Layra?

“To motivate him.”

“…What?”

“He’s still hesitating about whether to accept my ‘request.’ But if he spends enough time living with a young woman, don’t you think he’ll feel his body stir? He’ll realize that accepting my request is in his best interest.”

“...”

“She may not be the sharpest, but her looks are decent enough. She’ll certainly be enough to cause him some mental anguish.”

“...You really are cruel.”

Albert shook his head, pitying Ehan once more.

How had he ended up in such a situation?

The old steward sighed at the cunning and ruthlessness of the master he served.