“What?”
Eira felt his heart drop. He had painstakingly raised Janus’s affection to 4, only for it to drop by 3 all at once? Panicking, he immediately summoned Janus’s status window.
<Janus Lehzadeth>
HP: 9,999,999
MP: 32
Physical Attack: ???
Magic Attack: ???
Affection: 4♡ (-3♡)
[View Details]
Eira’s heart pounded as he checked the affection stat. The previous number was still there, but now a separate -3 was noted beside it. This was different from when Nilma Argan’s affection had fluctuated.
…Did he see ‘Solar’s Lord’ and me as separate people?
If that was the case, it was actually a relief—for now. But that (-3) worried him. Does this mean the affection scores might merge later? If Janus eventually realized that Eira = Solar’s Lord, that could be a problem.
What went wrong? He had simply praised the competent and handsome lord of Solar. Could it be that he dislikes good-natured people? But I have a pretty good personality myself…
Confused, he retraced his words. Then, an idea struck him.
Wait… is he jealous?
It made sense—his lover had been praising another man. But that also made no sense. Janus’s affection was at 4. That wasn’t enough to care about something like jealousy. The closest comparison would be Ginas when Eira had first arrived in Solar—polite but indifferent.
It would be nice if it were jealousy, but I shouldn’t get my hopes up.
Either way, he decided it was best not to mention Solar’s Lord again in front of Janus. It might only make things worse. Before the affection dropped any further, Eira quickly changed the subject.
“Let’s stop talking about my lord. Are you just going to sit there?”
He was determined to raise Janus’s affection again. At first, he had only come to share a meal during his short break, but that potential -3 was a painful loss. A few nights of even less sleep won’t kill me…
It wasn’t just about affection. Truthfully, Eira also anticipated their time together. Janus had never disappointed him.
Hiding none of that expectation, he cupped Janus’s face and leaned in. His eagerness slipped through when, instead of a kiss, he instinctively licked Janus’s lips first. The crimson eyes watching him curved slightly in amusement.
A dragon. A real, living dragon is right in front of me.
Eira’s gray eyes gleamed with excitement. No matter how human Janus looked, he wasn’t. Even the absurd 9,999,999 HP felt strangely endearing—though his oddly low MP was a mystery.
To have such soft, warm lips, yet be powerful enough to destroy an entire city…
His hands, once cradling Janus’s cheeks, slid down to gently grasp his throat. He carefully traced his fingers along the skin, tangling them in the fiery red hair. Slowly, deliberately, he ran his tongue along Janus’s lips again. Dragons were hotter than humans—physically, that is. His skin burned pleasantly beneath Eira’s fingertips.
As he licked again, Janus’s lips curved, and his mouth finally parted. A warm tongue flicked out, meeting his in a slow, teasing stroke. A low hum of amusement vibrated against Eira’s lips before Janus devoured him whole.
With a wet sound, their tongues curled together, sliding and pressing. Janus sucked him in deeper, the lewd sound of swallowing making Eira’s knees weak. Heat pooled low in his stomach as his breath hitched.
As his vision blurred in pleasure, an unexpected ding! snapped him out of it.
<Territory Notification>
Chancellor Ginas is looking for the lord to report urgent matters.
“…Are you kidding me?”
Eira, half-undressed and breathless, froze. He considered ignoring it.
But then, another ding!
[Warning: If you do not return to the castle within 30 minutes, support rate will drop by 1–3%.]
His floating pebble hovered nearby, flapping its stubby arms frantically.
Not a support drop…!
For a lord, ignoring this was not an option.
Eira was stuck between two bad choices—losing support or possibly losing Janus’s affection.
In the end, he chose Solar’s survival over his personal life.
Suppressing a sigh, he reached into his spatial pocket and pulled out a small mineral stone. As Janus’s fingers traced down his waist, Eira hesitated only for a second before activating the alarm spell.
A sharp, piercing beeping filled the room.
Janus immediately recoiled. “What the hell is that noise?”
He clamped his hands over his ears, scowling in irritation.
Eira hastily pulled out the small glowing crystal, silencing the alarm before giving Janus an apologetic look. “Sorry. That’s my signal from the castle. They need me back.”
Janus glared at the crystal like it had personally offended him. But thanks to his heightened senses, he was more irritated by the sound than the situation itself. Fortunately, his affection didn’t drop further.
With a disappointed sigh, Janus ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. Work calls, huh?”
He sat up and dressed Eira himself, even fastening his cloak with familiar ease. His hands, usually teasing, were surprisingly careful. He even pulled up Eira’s hood snugly, tucking him in against the cold.
Eira’s chest felt warm for reasons unrelated to body heat.
It was these small gestures that raised affection between people. He realized, suddenly, that his feelings for Janus had deepened.
A faint sense of regret lingered as he turned toward the door. “Next time, I’ll stay longer.”
Janus leaned against the doorframe, lips curling into a lazy smile. “Yeah. Next time.”
Snow had started to fall. The cold didn’t bother Janus—bare-chested as he stood there, completely unfazed. Eira forced himself to walk away.
But in the days that followed, he wouldn’t find another moment to visit.
Chancellor Ginas had called Eira back for one very specific reason.
And that reason was now standing in front of him, gazing coldly at him with unreadable eyes.
“Apologies for the late introduction. My name is Attera de Act.”
The man gave a deliberate, measured nod. His black hair, unusual in Solar, swayed slightly with the movement. Even without opening a status window, Eira could feel the hostility rolling off him.
Still, he checked.
<Attera de Act>
HP: 1,452
MP: 895
Physical Attack: ???
Magic Attack: ???
Affection: -13♡
[View Details]
Minus thirteen.
Eira wasn’t surprised.
Without a word, he barely inclined his head in greeting. Attera’s pale face frosted over in response. He clearly didn’t appreciate Eira’s lack of warmth—but why should Eira care? He was the lord here. Yet this man had waltzed into his castle unannounced.
As Botello poured steaming hot tea, Eira let the silence drag out before finally speaking.
“Attera de Act.”
The same man he had encountered in the slums, wearing pristine white robes, still looking at him with the same thinly veiled contempt.
Had he already known Eira was the lord back then?
Or was he just naturally insufferable?
Eira sipped his tea, unimpressed. I really don’t want to pick a fight with the temple. Most of Solar’s citizens were devout followers of Morunka. Even a minor dispute with the church could tank his support rate.
So, for now, he kept his tone polite.
“The weather’s cold. Since you came all this way, would you care to join me for a meal?”
Attera’s expression didn’t change. “I appreciate the offer, but I have many duties. I must decline.”
Eira smiled. “Oh, that’s a shame. Well, in that case—since you’ve delivered your greetings—you may leave.”
The cold tension in the air sharpened. Neither side backed down.
The air inside the room turned ice cold.
Attera de Act remained perfectly still, his face betraying no emotion. The way he stared at Eira made it clear—he did not consider him his superior.
Ginas, standing beside Eira, had already hardened his expression. He, too, had caught the subtle arrogance in Attera’s words. The man hadn’t even bothered with proper introductions—as if expecting Eira to already know who he was.
And yet, Eira didn’t react with anger. Instead, he leisurely picked up his teacup, his movements deliberately unhurried.
It’s better not to clash with the temple.
Most of Solar’s citizens were devout followers of Morunka. If he openly opposed the church, his support rate would likely drop even further. If Attera had influence over them, that could become a problem.
For now, he needed to be careful.
“Since you came all this way, at least have a meal before you leave.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I have many duties. I must decline.”
The flat, almost dismissive way he spoke made it painfully clear—Attera did not see himself as a mere guest.
Eira set his teacup down, smiling coolly. “Oh? That’s a shame. In that case—since you’ve delivered your greetings—you may leave.”
The air stiffened. Neither side backed down.
Eira remained seated, effortlessly composed, while Attera stayed standing—his silence stretching just long enough to be pointedly rude. His gaze, cold and piercing, studied Eira as if trying to gauge something.
Then, finally, he spoke again.
“…It is concerning that the lord of Solar has not yet visited the temple.”
Ginas frowned slightly. “His Lordship has been busy handling the financial crisis left by his predecessor. Surely, you understand that restoring the territory’s stability must take priority.”
Eira smiled inwardly. A perfect answer. Ginas had phrased it in a way that made Eira’s absence seem justified, while subtly reminding Attera that he was speaking to the lord, not an underling.
But Attera remained unfazed.
“It is precisely because of these hardships that the temple must offer guidance,” he said smoothly. “Our doors are always open, and the people would be comforted to see their lord seeking divine wisdom.”
His words were polite, but the implication was clear.
If you don’t come to the temple soon, it will reflect poorly on you.
Eira chuckled. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to disappoint the faithful.”
Attera’s expression did not change.
Eira leaned back slightly, his fingers lightly tapping against his teacup. “I’ll visit the temple when time allows. I hope you’ll be patient until then.”
“…Of course.”
It was an answer that committed him to nothing.
For the first time, Attera’s lips pressed into a thin line—subtle, but Eira caught it.
A moment later, Attera smoothly changed the subject. “The temple has been distributing supplies to those in need. However, we are currently facing a shortage. Given the circumstances, we hope the lord will consider offering his support.”
Eira almost laughed. So that’s what this is about.
Solar was still in debt. They had only just started making small profits from trade and the quarry. And now, Attera wanted him to fund the temple?
Eira tilted his head, feigning thoughtfulness. “Ah… a shortage, you say. That’s troubling.”
“Yes,” Attera said smoothly. “With winter approaching, the need will only increase.”
Eira knew the temple received donations—not just from the wealthy, but from the corrupt officials he had recently arrested.
And yet, they’re asking for even more?
Eira smiled. “I see. Well, as you know, I have my own responsibilities as lord. I’ll need to assess the territory’s needs first before making any commitments.”
Another non-answer.
Attera studied him again before finally inclining his head. “Understood.”
The conversation was over.
Eira set down his cup. “If there’s nothing else, I won’t keep you.”
“…I will take my leave, then.”
Attera turned, his white robes sweeping across the floor as he moved. Ginas stepped aside, watching him closely.
The moment the doors shut behind him, Ginas let out a breath. “That man is dangerous.”
Eira hummed in agreement. “Yes. And he knows exactly what he’s doing.”
“…He didn’t come just to introduce himself.”
“No,” Eira said lightly. “He came to test me.”
Attera had wanted to see what kind of lord he was dealing with. And now, he had his answer.
Eira smiled. Well then. Let’s see who makes the next move.
Little Pink Starfish 
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