...

Inside a pavilion, a distinct group of youths enjoyed a peaceful afternoon, sipping tea and nibbling on cake. Laughter and chatter filled the air as Alexander's maids stood nearby with kitchen trolleys brimming with delicious treats, though the maids themselves looked visibly irritated. It was an idyllic scene of relaxation—at least, on the surface.

As Sarah approached, she noticed her siblings and Linuel lounging casually, chatting and gossiping without a care in the world—relaxing as if yesterday's chaos hadn't occurred.

'They're not taking this seriously...' The thought grated on her. Alexander's neck was on the line; meanwhile, their siblings acted like everything was fine. She recalled Alexander's early morning meeting with the maids, where he had dropped quite the black powder bomb.

At first, the maids were delighted to hear of his engagement with her. But typical of Alexander, he'd immediately started planning for every possible outcome, good and bad.

He switched the topic, discussing the probable punishment he could receive if he failed to earn any merits. As such, he instructed them to contact Aurum should the worst case occur so they could receive severance pay. Once back, he hoped that they would return, too.

Alexander liked to plan for every contingency, but it still left Sarah uneasy. She knew he would succeed, but his fear of failure still loomed like a shadow, something she could only share if she started involving herself, too.

'People will soon rely on me too—' A flicker of panic shot through her. Sarah had never led anyone before. No servants. No retainers. But with her engagement to Alexander, she'd become the Mistress, responsible for his people, too, '—This is terrifying.' she admitted to herself.

She gulped, steeling her nerves. She needed to support him in every way she could, starting now.

When she reached the pavilion, everyone fell silent. They made space for her as Narsiz gestured to an empty seat, "Hey, do you want to relax with us after yesterday's turmoil? It was pretty stressful."

Sarah shook her head firmly, "Sorry, I don't have time for this—" She turned immediately toward the maids before anyone could say anything, "—Leave. Go support, Alex. He's probably stressed and still hungry."

The maids didn't hesitate, feeling much calmer. They bowed deeply to Sarah more than usual and promptly left. Their exit stunned the group.

"Why did you send them away?" Linuel asked, clearly annoyed.

Sarah's response was sharp and instant, "Because Alex is under a lot of pressure right now, and he needs our support. If you want servants, get your own." Her smile was thin but carried a warning.

Linuel squinted at her but sighed, finally relenting, "I suppose you're right. It's a bit insensitive to relax while Alex is probably plotting how to burn down an entire island."

The mood shifted as they all looked at each other, suddenly realizing how detached they'd been from the reality of the situation. Seeing their expressions fall, Sarah felt a wave of satisfaction. They needed to understand the stakes.

Who knew how much their parents would restrict Alexander's resources or impose arbitrary limits on him? She'd learned from Alexander's example. It was better to plan for the worst than to be blindsided.

Feeling the shift in the atmosphere, Sarah turned to Narsiz, her voice growing serious, "From this point onward, I will no longer be your personal guard, Narsi."

The group collectively froze. Narsiz was the most shocked, trying to recover, "Wait, excuse me? I think I misheard—" His voice was shaky, "—you're giving up your position? Why? Did I do something wrong?"

Personal guards rarely left their post unless under extreme circumstances. In noble houses like theirs, siblings serving as guards could leave voluntarily, but it was still unusual. For commoners, leaving usually meant permanent injury or being bound by contract.

For Sarah to leave so suddenly was nothing short of a slap to Narsiz's face, a blemish on his pride. Yet she knew he would soon understand since it had nothing to do with him.

Sarah offered a gentle smile, her tone softening, "It has nothing to do with you—" she paused, allowing her emotions to surface, "—I'm engaged to Alex."

The silence that followed was palpable. Every noble youth turned to stare, stunned. Lorient was the first to find her voice, "Congratulations, I guess? So... yesterday wasn't just about calming Alex down?"

Sarah blushed, shaking her head. "No—" she smiled, her voice carrying a hint of pride, "—I confessed to him, and don't worry, I made sure he wasn't manipulated in any way."

The last part was aimed at stopping anyone from pestering Alexander. Sarah quickly learned that supporting him meant more than just standing by his side. She needed to protect his peace, too, to give him the space to do what he did best without unnecessary interference.

Linuel leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, "Wait, he actually... was it a yes, a maybe, or 'we'll see'?"

Sarah's face lit up with happiness, "He said yes! He was so sweet afterward, trying to be all gentle and sensitive—" she giggled, unable to contain her joy as she recounted their time together.

At first, she had been worried. Alexander could be rough and insensitive; she was preparing herself to endure it, but he had changed completely. He was kind, attentive, and considerate—a dream come true.

Their night together had been perfect, and waking up this morning had been even better. She had woken up to flowers and breakfast in bed, her heart nearly bursting with joy. It was everything she had ever wanted.

Alexander had been unusually tactful, sitting beside her, making small talk, and entertaining her in a way that was, for once, almost entirely focused on her.

But his true self emerged after a while—he began talking about his latest experiments and the charity. It wasn't exactly a riveting conversation to her.

Yet, she found herself smiling as he rambled on, especially when she saw the spark in his eyes, the same excitement that came whenever he threw himself into something new. Even when he started explaining complex supply chains for something called Napalm—which he apparently wanted to create—she couldn't help but be charmed by his enthusiasm, not whatever he tried to invent. It was his passion, after all.

Sarah didn't understand half of what he was talking about, but she didn't need to. What mattered was how happy he was. And she loved seeing him that way.

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"—And later, we're going to tell Mom and Dad," she added, glowing with happiness.

Janina squinted at her, still in disbelief, "We're talking about the same Alex, right? The one who took me to the training ground when I was feeling sad and pelted me with earthen bullets? That Alex?"

Alexander's reputation for being socially awkward was well-known. His attempts at comforting others often left them more stressed than they had been before.

But Sarah didn't mind. She adored how he treated her. He had made it very clear that she was different from everyone else, making all the difference.

Sarah chuckled, "Oh, come on. You forgot all about your problems afterward, didn't you?"

Janina rolled her eyes, "Sure, I trained like a madwoman for weeks after that, but I would've preferred tea and a hug."

Turning back to Narsiz, Sarah noticed he was still staring into space, lost in thought, "Narsi, you don't have a problem with me stepping down, do you?"

Narsiz shook himself from his daze, blinking, "No, Yes?... I mean, congratulations! Depending on his mood, you'll either be the wife of the next Merlin or the most wanted fugitive."

Everyone burst out laughing, the tension easing. The lighthearted atmosphere returned, though Sarah knew time was ticking. She couldn't stay much longer; she had things to prepare.

She stood, smiling brightly, "Thanks! Well, I need to change—I need some time to prepare a dress Alex said he loved."

With a lighthearted skip, she turned and hurried toward her room to change, her heart excitedly singing, 'Life couldn't be better!'

As she walked away, however, she couldn't shake the weight pressing down on her. The pressure was new, unfamiliar, but the joy of being with Alexander helped her push through it. She wasn't going to let anything ruin what she had gained.

...

Meanwhile, a young boy with snow-white hair and fur strode purposefully through the estate. His good mood, however, was quickly souring as Ocilia and Ariana followed him relentlessly, offering advice he hadn't asked for.

"Master, let me tell you—" Ocilia was enthusiastic, "—when you touch a woman, there's a certain spot right above the vagina—be a little firmer, trust me. Women love this!"

"Mr. Alexander—" Ariana interrupted, her tone far more formal, "—please don't listen to her. Women prefer gentleness! That spot is very sensitive, and you could easily overstimulate Ms. Sarah!"

Alexander was thoroughly annoyed, flanked by the two women as they rattled off expert advice about handling women. He wasn't sure whether to feel grateful or completely overwhelmed. Either way, he endured them for now, seeing how much fun they had teaching him.

"Master, don't listen to her! She's just sensitive—" She side-eyed Ariana, annoyed by her contradictory advice.

Ariana's voice cut through the air with her usual formal precision, though her fiery tone betrayed her irritation, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I offend my lovely brute of a fiancée? Maybe you should go hunt some boar while I teach Mr. Alexander that relationships are about more than just physical dominance!"

It wasn't just the advice that bothered him. It was their attitudes—the way they talked about relationships. On Orbis, romance, if you could even call it that, was more physical than not.

While mutual affection was important, it was mostly about appearance and resources. It didn't matter if one was a noble or commoner. Both groups focused on those aspects the most—something Alexander could never fully get used to.

It was a missing opportunity because his kin had something biological or spiritual to bond themselves forever, experiencing something like eternal love in a way nobody else could.

As such, he couldn't be happier that Sarah didn't focus on those things. After the chaos subsided and he cleaned himself, they talked for a long time, lying in bed. She never mentioned those things once, only talking about him as a person.

He liked Sarah—a lot. Waking up beside her, seeing her still asleep, had stirred something deep inside him. She was… perfect. Unfortunately, he still had a mental blockade seeing her as his future wife and not his sister, but with time, he knew it would slowly dissolve.

However, experience told him this involved hard work to overcome those irritating feelings. Intellectually, he already understood that nothing terrible would happen, like birthing a three-headed baby, but emotionally, he needed to act—things he would usually do to his girlfriends.

The first step was to be more romantic, which came naturally to him from his past life. She seemed to like it even though she was confused about what it meant and how to feel.

The second step was to involve her in his life, show that she was part of it and that he wasn't ashamed of her, even wanting her there. As such, he introduced her in his weekly meeting with his maids, something he created to listen to their problems—mostly, it meant getting snarky answers that they needed a larger building and more people.

It was a mistake. Word spread faster than wildfire, as seen by how everyone looked at him differently. Cherished and respected, sure, but desirable as a potential partner? That was new and painfully obvious in how he received all those awkward glances.

Worse, those two hyenas also found out very quickly, ruining his mood very quickly, but he at least understood that it was well-meant, even though annoying.

Ocilia raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm, "How about I educate you, too? You may not have issues, Master, but stamina is key. Pausing halfway through is just... frustrating."

Ariana's formal tone cracked under the weight of barely contained hysteria, "Oh my! Is someone complaining about stamina? Patting and licking for an hour isn't enough? How about I smear jelly on you and call in some boar monsters? This may do the trick!"

Ocilia's patience snapped, "Ari, you can barely last ten minutes without complaining about your back! And you've got a [Mystic Skill] for posture! Why do you always want me to sit on your face anyway?!"

Alexander started questioning his life choices, especially his ability to find retainers and disciples, thinking he may have made a terrible choice.

He never signed up for this. He had dealt with hostile negotiations, chaotic battlefield strategies, and far worse. Still, nothing could have prepared him for the sheer absurdity of listening to Ocilia and Ariana bicker about their love life.

Ari blushed in embarrassment, almost screeching, "Are you serious?! I am not the one who needs special toys and potions!"

Ocilia glared at her, her voice furious, "I wouldn't need them if you started training a bit!"

Before the argument could escalate further, which Alexander knew was just foreplay because of his cursed sense of smell, he had had enough. He spun on his heel, glaring at them both.

"Enough!—" His voice sliced through the air, "—I know what a clitoris is, thanks! And if I want to know what Sarah likes, I'll ask her directly. Got it? No need to guess—I want her to feel as comfortable as possible, and for this, I don't need any advice from you!"

Both women paused, their fight momentarily forgotten, as mischievous smiles crept across their faces. Alexander shivered, not liking their expressions.

"Oh, Master, you're so cute! What a considerate husband!" Ocilia teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Ariana grinned slyly, "Mr. Alexander, I think you'll make a wonderful husband! Communication is key, after all! Ask her where she liked to be touched and how firm!"

Sighing heavily, Alexander realized that he couldn't avoid the topic of lovemaking anymore. On Orbis, it was far more acceptable to talk about their desires, whatever they may be, and someone would soon talk about it.

He feared it would be someone with whom he may be uncomfortable, but saying that he knew everything was also not an option. What would he say? That he had read about it? The only thing he hoped was that it wouldn't be his Mother.

His brother described in excruciating detail how his Mother liked to explain that topic, and he wouldn't want to experience it himself.

"Let's change the topic—" he muttered, hoping to steer the conversation away from the chaos he had created, "—It's good you're both here anyway."

Ocilia and Ariana exchanged glances, confused. Alexander cleared his throat, "I need to change before I go to Mom and Dad with Sarah to make it official—" He gulped, seeing the sparkle in their eyes, "—I need help to choose a fitting attire."

Ocilia nodded and turned to Ariana, who smiled brightly, "Of course, Mr. Alexander! Let's get you changed!"

Blushing slightly, Alexander added, "I also want to use some make-up, you know... for Sarah."

It was an odd request for him, but in this world, make-up wasn't just for women—everyone used it. Alexander had learned this far too late. His brother didn't need it, being naturally too handsome, and his Father… well, his Father didn't care about appearances.

But now that he had Sarah, it was time to upgrade from his guy in his thirties without a job look. He needed to show off more, especially since he wasn't representing himself anymore but also Sarah.

He knew that people talked, and if he looked like a slob, it would also be embarrassing for her.

Ariana squealed with excitement, "Oh my! Of course, of course! Let's turn you into a true prince charming!"