How to Tame That Gentle Hero - Chapter 9.11

Eldis spoke with rare arrogance. Then he sat Resena on his thigh. As her slender limbs wrapped in dress folds settled on him, he satisfactorily dropped his fingertips gently from Resena’s cheek to her neckline.

“Resena.”

“Yes. Eldis.”

He asked kindly while tracing over Resena’s skin.

“When I return, will you give me another kiss like this?”

Resena slowly nodded.

At those words, Eldis’s expression gradually softened, and he slowly lowered his head to devour Resena’s lips. Resena trembled, unable to come to her senses at the soft, squishy feeling. Determined to possess even that trembling, Eldis consumed Resena again and again.

Only after what seemed like distant minutes did Eldis release Resena. By then, she was tired, and Resena looked at him with dreamy eyes. He quietly fell into contemplation, focusing his gaze on Resena’s face.

“Resena.”

“Yes. Eldis.”

“I’ll go to Lemordus as you said.”

He continued quietly, caressing Resena’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“Even to prevent the world’s destruction as you mentioned, I will confront my own limitations in Lemordus. I’ll fill my most fatal weakness—not suspecting people’s malice—with other beliefs.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s filling in what I needed most. I’ve always thought this aspect of mine was a strength, but I anticipated that in some situations, it could become my greatest weakness.”

“……”

“But people didn’t point that out. All that ever followed me was being revered as the perfect Crown Prince. But I know too. That being perfect means being easily broken.”

Resena gazed silently at Eldis.

She wanted to listen until he had poured out everything in his heart. After all, Eldis was literally risking his life to set foot in the holy land.

“Now, I’ve heard enough praise… And I’m simply facing the challenge of what I haven’t fixed. Relying on my own intuition to distinguish malice is absolutely necessary for me. As you told me before, Resena… If I don’t trust myself in crucial moments, I might lose the people I cherish.”

Resena wrapped her arms around Eldis’s neck and clung tightly to him. His solid body, which readily accepted her delicate frame, felt so dependable at times like this.

Somehow, she thought of Vernas, but being in Eldis’s embrace now, it would be disrespectful to him to think of another man.

“After I return from the holy land Lemordus, let’s go on another date. Then I want to walk with you hand in hand in the imperial palace. After I come back, the Founding Festival will be held… Could you attend it with me then?”

Resena nodded in agreement.

Eldis, looking relieved, made a gentle expression and took Resena’s hand, pressing his lips to her palm.

For a while, he closed his eyes and savored the floral scent emanating from her hand, then gently fluttered his eyelashes as he looked up.

“I love you, Resena.”

“……”

“I wish you felt the same way I do. But I won’t force you. Your heart seems to prefer floating freely rather than being bound to anyone.”

Resena just silently listened to his words. But Resena’s heart was filled with compassion for Eldis, who desperately yearned for her. Though he wanted her so much, her heart was already leaning toward Vernas.

‘But I don’t dislike Eldis either…’

Rather, she liked Eldis. Her feelings for him as a man were developing very slowly. Because of this, Resena often agonized between Vernas and Eldis, making no progress. Both the almost perfect Eldis and Vernas, a commoner and senior knight, had nestled in her heart.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

Eldis cupped Resena’s cheek and kissed her once more. Responding to the kiss, Resena clung tightly to Eldis’s firm chest. Eldis gladly accepted her delicate body, leaning fully into him.

As their deep kiss continued, the sunlight gradually tilted, and the crimson sunset was browning near the horizon. After finishing their kiss while tightly embraced, Resena and Eldis leaned against each other, enjoying the moment as the lengthening sunlight lazily covered the inside of the greenhouse.

A truly peaceful time passed, one that seemed impossible to find anywhere else.

And so, the curtain was rising on the trials necessary to overcome limitations.

All for the sake of returning to Resena’s embrace.

***

“My goodness, Miss. Such things are happening! Most of the imported goods from Amarast have become huge hits! Among them, the candy black tea has been selling well despite being released only recently. Several of our guild shops are already sold out!”

“Ah… Indeed… I only presented it at the tea party, and the response was good there, too. I didn’t expect it to sell out so quickly, though.”

“This is when we should pull hard, Miss! How about contacting Amarast to request importing more of these products?”

Resena chuckled, covering her mouth at the vice guild master’s exaggerated reaction.

“I’ve already requested more items to be pulled, so we can’t do more. Soon, Amarast will unload cargo at the dock via the canal, and once we bring that in, the out-of-stock situation should be somewhat resolved.”

“Ah… Still, it’s a shame. If we import and sell a lot when the tide is coming in, our income would…”

Resena rested her chin on her hand and spoke leisurely.

“Don’t be too greedy. Later, when inventory piles up, it becomes difficult to manage. When inventory accumulates, we have to offer big discounts, which ultimately only reduces our profit margin.”

“…But…”

“The method of selling at low margins in high volume eventually reaches its limit. And, ‘selling at the regular price in a place where it can always be found.’ This is why customers always seek out our Arnasus Guild.”

The vice guild master slumped his shoulders at those words.

Resena burst into laughter at his disappointed appearance. She prettily curved the corners of her eyes as she said.

“Don’t worry. The kind of things that happen to other guilds—suddenly rising and then failing—won’t happen to our guild. At least not while I’m in charge of the guild…”

“Of course, there’s no worry since you’re doing well, Miss… But sometimes I feel it’s a pity you don’t jump into cutthroat competition, which could overwhelmingly monopolize the market.”

Resena just snickered.

“Do you know why cutthroat competition is called ‘cutthroat’? Because you engage in it while giving up your own flesh and blood. If you recklessly jump into such things, you’ll only reduce the guild’s size and net profit.”

“……”

“I’m not interested in benefits that won’t last. We’ll maintain our own approach. That’s the way to lead the guild sustainably and soundly for a long time.”

The vice guild master now seemed completely deflated. Resena raised her hand to have the maid fill the vice guild master’s teacup. After filling her own cup as well, she savored the subtle aroma. The Amarast candy black tea, like a plant grown in the barren desert soil, had a subtle fragrance that blended with the flavoring, filling the mouth with a rich floral scent.

“When you drink it, you understand why people like it.”

Resena took a couple of sips and then put down her cup. Then she began reading the documents again. After reading them, she made some additions and signed, and her assistant, seeing this, gathered the documents from the right side of the desk that were already completed.