(Asher’s POV)

          After a few days stuck in the bed, the Baron finally rampaged, stating that he wanted to at least stroll around the mansion, despite not being able to escape from it. So that night, I accompanied the Baron while assisting him in his walk.

“W-Whoa...”

He staggered while he walked slowly; clinging onto my arms.

“How can I become this weak just after a few days of not walking? This is embarrassing...” He blushed.

I regarded his features silently. When he’s blushing, it showed on his face, up until his cheeks. “Well, you were not far away from your rigor mortis (A condition where the body stiffen due to the lack of oxygen to the muscles. Duration of rigor mortis differs according to certain conditions.) in your death before, and you also have fever and anaemia, so weakness in your body is to be expected.”

I explained to him as I pulled his body closer me. For some reason, seeing him all vulnerable as he clung onto me made me restless.

“Haha... Sometimes I just couldn’t comprehend the words that you utter to me.” He chuckled.

“Whoa!”

          Suddenly, he tripped on his own feet. His face came tumbling forward; straight onto my chest. I don’t know whether this skipping heartbeat of mine was caused by shock driven by surprise, or by the fact that the Baron touched me.

“Are you alright?”

I asked and helped him stabilize himself.

“I’m okay. Thank you...” He muttered.

After he finally be able to stood up properly, we start slowly walking towards the main balcony.

“I looked like a baby. How embarrassing.” He laughed shyly. I unconsciously grabbed his hand—that was clinging onto my shoulder—and squeezed it.

“Thank you for helping me, your highness. You could just ask any servants to help me for my stroll-”

“Asher.”

“Huh?”

“Call me Asher.”

I said to him and his lips parted a bit, staring at me with his wavering eyes.

“I-I... I can’t do that...!”

He refused while shaking his head; disagreeing my suggestion.

“Why not?” I asked. While still fumbling for words, he still held on to my arms tight as we walked to the door of the balcony.

“B-Because you are the prince and I am just a lowly Baron.”

My eyes twitched. I really hate it when the Baron downgrade himself. I know he is a criminal but still...

“...If you don’t call me Asher, I’m gonna drop you, you know?”

I slowly released my hands from his upper back as I glared at him. I have never thought that I finally resulted in using such childish method just to make him call my name.

“Huh?! What’s with that sudden threat?!”

His eyes widen in shock while frantically holding onto me.

Suddenly it turned into a fight of force as I tried to let go of him while he tried so hard to get a hold on me.

“Y-Your... Prince Asher!”

I stopped struggling, ending the squabble. I smiled while I gazed at his blushing face, mixed in with a troubled expression.

“There, you’ve said it. Won’t it be easier if you just spit it out earlier? We won’t have to struggle like this.”

I said to him while adjusting my hands on his back. He grumbled in embarrassment and I chuckled.

          When we were finally at the balcony, I released him from my grasp little by little as he finally managed to walk by himself. Then, we gazed at the night sky for a while.

“...Prince Asher.”

The Baron spoke after a long time of silence.

“Yes?” I answered and looked at him.

          It might be due to the vibrantly shining moonlight, that when it shone down on him, he looked so stunningly beautiful, even with just simple outfits.

“What is happening in my fief right now?”

He asked. There is a solemn expression on his face. I lowered my gaze to look at him for a while before I gazed towards the sky.

“They were doing excellent. Aran had visited them and stayed there for a few days now and he said that all of them are doing well, even the servants in your house.”

“...I see.”

He answered and smiled. I glanced at him and saw a relieved expression on his face, and I unconsciously sighed in relief.

I am suddenly reminded of my task to interrogate him and to contain him while Aran investigated his fief, so I asked him about the interrogation and when will he be able to do it.

“I’m okay now, so maybe we can start tomorrow?”

He said and smiled, as if he wasn’t worried of anything.

          Aran

“Good morning, Mister Aran.”

          A maid entered my room and opened the curtain for me. As the morning ray made its way inside the room, I squinted my eyes, contemplating of how bright the sun ray is. Was I up too late?

“What time is it?”

I asked groggily.

“It is almost 9 in the morning, Sir.”

The maid answered and smiled.

          Before stepping out from the room, she said that she will bring the change of clothes for me and later my breakfast into while waiting for me to change. I weakly agreed and sluggishly dragged myself out from the bed.

          Due to being too immersed in my paperwork last night, I ended up staying up late. In additional to the investigation of Isaiya, I also have many works to be done as the crown prince’s imperial secretary.

          Not to mention I am sent here while accompanying the servants who initially accompanied the Baron before Prince Asher kidnapped(?) him as one of the representator for the royal family and also a guarantor to the household that the Baron is still okay so that they didn’t start investigating by themselves. That is why, I have been here for the past two weeks.

Work is tough~...

          But then, waking up onto a beautiful scenery really helped me refresh my mind. After I announced that the Baron is suddenly away on the business after the ceremony night, I did not expect the servants to cry happily as if they just won something, and I also did not expect the relieved expression on the townsfolk’s faces when I said that the Baron is still alive.

          Ever since that time, the servants and townsfolk had been busy doing something, led by the head butler and the chief. When I asked them what they were doing, they simply answered,

“We were celebrating the Baron’s return soon.”

They said with a happy smile on their faces.

Would that be possible for them to be able to change that quickly in just a month after the Baron suddenly acted so strange? I noticed them planting many different crops and flowers, and for the past few days, the harvest has been abundant that most of the townsfolk were able to live more comfortably than before.

It may be due to the healer soil’s effect that flourished the crops and plants, but because it was just a mixed soil without any magical effect, the efficiency had been reduced to half. If we managed to mass produce the healer soil, not only the crops harvest increase by twofold, the economy for this fief and the kingdom would also increase.

I suddenly felt like I need to thank the Baron on completing the second half of the research, and was thinking that it was a waste letting him die when he is this brilliant. Luckily, he was mysteriously being brought back to life by such an amazing ritual, so I know that he is a hidden treasure.

“Guess I’ll meet him soon...”

          I said while rubbing my stubbled chin. Being an adult is tough especially when your beard grew fast.

          I remembered the prince had finally finished interrogating the Baron a few days ago and also discussed about the matters of his protection under the royal family.

          It is the first time that I heard the prince giving protection to a noble, because having a status in society render someone to have power above anyone else, so why need protection? Though, I do understand that a Baron doesn’t have that much power if compared to a Marquis.

          I was shocked and also expected the Baron to state that the mastermind was the Ronan Family. The Ronan Marquis had been known to operate illegal trades behind the people’s eyes, and the royal family is actually planning to take down the Ronan Family, but we didn’t have enough concrete evidence of doing so because of that, we suggested the second prince to marry the daughter of the Marquis Family, so that we can at least gain access into their estate.

          Unexpectedly, the second prince fell madly in love with Cecilia so the engagement is annulled and we lost a chance to investigate the Marquis. Then again, Cecilia is also one of the victims of the Marquis’ crimes, so she also has a part in this investigation.

          Now that his highness had finished interrogating the Baron, coincidentally, Cecilia wanted to see him because she wanted to see the person who was involved in a mythical ritual, as she was also among the gifted ones who was under the blessing of the Fairy King.

          So right now, we are arranging the time for Cecilia to meet the Baron.

“Your breakfast, Sir.”

A maid knocked and entered when I allowed her to.

“Thank you.” I said to her as she placed the dishes on a dinner table not far away from the chair set. She smiled and nodded her head. Then, she excused herself from the room.

          As I sat on the chair in front of the table, a thought suddenly struck to me and I look outside the window.

“...Aren’t the servants here looked strangely happy?”

Suddenly I’m creeped out.