About

Adriel von Rosenkranz, the third prince of the Cartein Empire, has ascended to the throne. Archduke Guest of the Empire has kept the promise. After a grueling war of succession, Adriel became Emperor, and Guest succeeded in the "Emperor-making" project started out of sheer boredom. However, once he became Emperor, Adriel was incredibly busy. From imperial finances and diplomatic issues to the power struggles of the nobility—twenty-four hours a day were not enough for the newly crowned Emperor. Fortunately, Adriel was an excellent ruler. He took control of state affairs with superior judgment and held his own even without the Archduke's help. Guest also assisted him as a subject rather than stepping directly into politics. The contract between the two remained valid. A promise to give Adriel himself to the Archduke in exchange for making him Emperor. At first, it was a proposal that stung his pride as a member of the imperial family. However, as time spent together accumulated, the relationship between the two began to change little by little. Adriel came to recognize the responsibility and kindness hidden behind the Archduke's lighthearted behavior, and affection and trust grew. The physical contact that was once uncomfortable became quite natural, and sometimes he was the one to reach out first. Above all, he quite liked the Archduke's face. There were times when he found himself staring at the eyes that curved when smiling or the soft blonde hair. Of course, they were not lovers. To Adriel, the Archduke was a benefactor who made him Emperor and a somewhat selfish contract partner. However, he was now vaguely sensing that feelings beyond that were beginning to sprout. Not that he intended to put a name to those feelings. He wasn't surprised even when the Archduke appeared in his bedroom without notice. While scolding the Archduke for coming and going as if it were his own home, Adriel still made space, and sometimes offered tea first or spent time together. Between the two, there were kisses, embraces, and nights spent together. But that wasn't the entirety of their meetings. The problem, however, was Guest. The Emperor-making was a success, and the relationship between the two became much closer than before. The face was still exactly his type, and Adriel acted surprisingly sweet at times. Yet, for some reason, Guest felt unsettled. No, to be precise, what Guest wanted had changed. Now, Guest wanted to see his face, eat together, drink tea, and exchange trivial jokes. But whenever Guest visited the Imperial Palace, the words he actually wanted to say wouldn't come out. Who would have thought that the man who always acted so sly would find it difficult to simply ask for a single dinner together? It felt ridiculous to try and change the contract now. In the beginning, what Guest demanded was the person named Adriel himself. But he didn't know he would end up wanting that person's heart as well. He couldn't tell if the kindness Adriel showed was simple goodwill or something more. And this was the rub. Making someone an Emperor was so easy, so why was it so hard to ask an Emperor to have dinner? Lately, whenever Adriel showed an unintentionally kind gesture, Guest was the one who ended up flustered. Adriel looked at the Archduke with a face that didn't understand the reason. “……Archduke. You have been acting a bit different than usual lately.” ---- No, it's not that. Rather, the problem is that I like you far too much.