“Really… Is this okay?”

“Yeah.”

The magic formula was all complete.

Now, all that’s left is to infuse it with magic power and start.

But Albert was hesitating.

His magic formula wasn’t designed for humans.

Originally, it was made to be applied to objects. He only knew theoretically that this formula could also be used on humans.

Yeah, theoretically.

“Albert. Start.”

Tristan urged him, whether he knew the truth or not.

It was clear there would be excruciating pain.

Albert suggested anesthesia, but Tristan refused, saying he didn’t need it.

It was obvious he would writhe in pain soon.

“…Count. I did warn you.”

“Yeah. I heard enough.”

Finally, Albert, with a resigned heart, sent magic power into the formula.

Zap-!

The formula drawn around the Count’s eyes flashed.

“…?!”

The next moment, Albert couldn’t help but be astonished.

Tristan was lying there too peacefully while the formula activated.

Albert checked the formula just in case.

But the formula was working normally.

Then, Tristan should be experiencing the pain of having his eyes gouged out alive.

He should have been…

‘Why can he look so calm…’

Tristan looked serene.

He was lying on the bed as calmly as if it were his own room, undergoing surgery.

Seeing this, Albert activated the formula again.

Zap-!

Zap-!

Zap-!

The formulas flashed, starting to mutilate Tristan’s eyes.

But Tristan’s reaction was the same.

“Count. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Not at all.”

“Hmm…”

By now, Albert was curious.

Does this man even feel pain?

Albert spoke to his granddaughter assisting him.

“Vanessa. Please activate formulas 3 and 5 now.”

“Huh? Two at once?”

“Yeah. Do it all at once.”

“W-wait! All at once?! The Count might…”

Vanessa glanced at the Count, but he answered indifferently.

“I don’t mind. Do as you wish.”

“…It’s going to get more painful. If it becomes unbearable, let me know, and we’ll pause.”

“Mm.”

The Count nodded.

Albert activated all the formulas.

Vanessa also sent magic power into the formulas.

Zap-!

Zap-!

Zap-!

Perhaps because so many formulas were activated at once.

Even Albert, a legendary craftsman, was so exhausted he couldn’t maintain focus. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

But the Count lay on the bed with the same expression as before.

“Indeed. It’s a bit stinging.”

His left eye was half-separated by the formula.

It was clear that unbearable pain should be tearing his optic nerves apart. Yet, he only felt a sting…

Albert muttered without realizing.

“…Count, do you even feel pain?”

“Of course.”

It was an immediate answer.

But it wasn’t convincing.

“I can’t believe it… You don’t seem like someone enduring pain.”

“People inherently can’t understand others’ pain.”

Tristan spoke in a calm tone to Albert’s words. But there was an inexplicable strength in his blunt words.

“Albert, you’re questioning to understand my pain. Even if you can’t understand, the effort to try is good.”

Tristan was a man hard to figure out.

At first, it was natural to be wary of him.

As the son of Count William Ruelberta, he was also trying to touch taboos.

But Tristan was different from William.

He was trying to correct not only William’s mistakes but also Albert’s.

Even if it meant breaking taboos.

Moreover, he was a man willing to make such sacrifices for his subordinates.

So Albert couldn’t help but question.

Was Tristan really the man who committed atrocities as the rumors said?

Feeling complicated, Albert could only reply like this.

“…Thanks for the compliment.”

Thanks to activating the formulas all at once, the surgery progressed quickly.

Applying ointment and wrapping it with bandages, the Count’s surgery was over.

Even Albert thought it was a successful surgery.

As the Count said, his eyes would likely recover in a few days.

But the problem was his subordinate.

Perhaps out of loyalty, Helga also started the surgery without anesthesia, just like Tristan.

When the formulas activated and the eyes were transplanted, she writhed in pain.

“Stop! It, it doesn’t fit that big!”

“Haha. Just bear with it. It’s almost in.”

“No way! It’s tearing!”

“It won’t tear, don’t worry. Even if it does, grandpa will fix it.”

Vanessa, assisting, spoke amusedly, but Albert, handling delicate formulas, had to sweat profusely.

Unlike the Count, who was quiet throughout the surgery, Helga twisted her body all over.

Albert, inwardly admiring the Count’s foresight in tying Helga down, finally finished all the surgeries.

*

The next morning.

I couldn’t help but grimace at the pain in my left eye.

‘Ugh… What was that about “there’s no pain I can’t endure”…’

Without ‘Patience’ and ‘Pride,’ I might have looked pathetic.

Tristan’s arrogance made anesthesia seem odd, so I boldly refused Albert’s offer.

And immediately regretted it.

Throughout the surgery, the pain beyond imagination made it hard to maintain composure.

No, rather, it was so painful that I remained calm.

I used ‘Patience,’ but the pain was vividly felt.

‘Patience’ wasn’t anesthesia, so I had to experience what it felt like to have my eyes gouged out alive.

It was a horrifying pain, unlike anything I’d ever felt.

“Phew…”

It was so terrible I never want to experience it again.

But I don’t regret it.

This way, a character I was attached to became complete.

Helga’s only weakness, the scar on her left eye, was now gone.

She’ll need time to adjust to her new vision, but she’ll manage quickly.

Now, Helga can become even stronger than in the original.

I was just starting to have such expectations.

Knock knock.

“Count. Are you awake?”

“Yeah.”

I must not be a noble.

The woman who opened the door was Helga, wearing a military coat.

Originally, Wendy, the exclusive maid, should have done this, but Helga took over.

And like me, she had a bandage over her left eye.

“How’s your body?”

“Same as usual.”

Actually, it feels worse than usual… But I can’t show it.

I acted like the usual Tristan with ‘Patience’ and ‘Pride.’

“Is that so…”

Helga clicked her heels and approached me.

She seemed in a good mood.

“Count. Um… I want to show you something.”

“…?”

Helga suddenly started unwrapping the bandage over her eye.

No way… This soon?

“I’m all better now.”

Thanks to Helga’s superhuman recovery and the ointment’s effect, the tightly wrapped bandage slipped off, revealing her new left eye.

“I wanted you to see this first, Count.”

Helga sat on the bed, looking at me with both eyes.

Finally, her left eye opened.

Of course, it was the same black as Tristan’s pupils.

But they were different.

While Tristan’s pupils were cloudy like overcast skies, Helga’s shone like a starry night.

“How is it?”

“…It suits you.”

It was an honest opinion.

Her eyes shone brighter with her own than with Tristan’s.

“Hehe… Really?”

Helga, now with heterochromia, didn’t seem dissatisfied.

No, she seemed to like it.

Was having both eyes open that joyful?

Her smiling face made me forget the pain, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.

“Also, look at this.”

Suddenly, Helga started taking off her stockings.

The black stockings slid down, revealing her smooth, white legs.

Now, no matter how much I looked, there were no scars on her legs.

“How is it? My legs. I’ve been applying ointment every day, so they’re smooth. Hehe…”

“They seem so.”

Helga twisted her legs, showing off to me.

Having a woman with long, bare legs next to me in the morning felt a bit strange.

“Feel free to admire them. This body you gave back to me.”

Helga looked at me with a deep gaze.

“But I won’t show them to just anyone. These precious eyes, these bare legs, I’ll only show them to you, Count.”

Then what’s the point of giving you eyes…?

I wanted to voice that question, but I couldn’t.

Because Helga started unbuttoning her blouse.

“Of course, this body too… I’ll only allow you, Count…”

Without a chance to stop her, Helga took off her blouse.

Usually hidden under her military coat, she had a well-balanced figure.

Without her clothes, her bra-covered chest and scarless abs were revealed.

But apart from that, I furrowed my brow.

“I never ordered you to undress.”

“Sorry, Count. I can’t hold back anymore…”

Helga’s gaze was unusual.

She looked at me with eyes that found her master too lovable.

She took off her clothes one by one, approaching me.

Soon, Helga was in front of me, wearing only her underwear.

Her seductive gaze desired me madly.

“Treat me however you want, confirm that this body is yours. Make me yours!”

“Not only did you act on your own, but now you dare to command me?”

“Today, I’ll become yours…! Then you’ll forgive my mistakes, right? Right…? Right? Hehehehe…”

Wrong.

As if not hearing me, Helga licked her lips and reached for her bra.

Knock knock.

“Um… A guest has arrived…”

A guest this early in the morning?

Before I could ask who, the door burst open.

The maid brought the guest, who entered my room without permission.

And the guest who entered at the worst possible time was completely unexpected.

Her silver hair shone in the sunlight through the curtains.

The most noble woman in the country and Tristan’s former fiancée stood at the door.

“Huhu… Did I interrupt?”