The Etafleeja Empire—

A beautiful magical empire, wrapped in eternal snow and ice.

Under the reign of the young emperor, Snow Luus Fei Etafleeja, magical technology has advanced like never before, and at its heart lies the Imperial Court Magic Research Institute.

Overseeing that institute is the youngest director in its history, a genius court mage—Orpheus Ray=Astral Noctis.

Deciphering ancient magic, developing new spells, researching magical artifacts.

His countless achievements are said to have rewritten the empire's history.

...However, the price he paid was a little too great.

So absorbed in his research that he forgets to eat or sleep, holing up in his lab for three days and nights is a daily occurrence.

Zero romantic experience.

Completely oblivious to the affections of others, and even to his own feelings of love.

Assigned to him as a new apprentice was—you.

At first, just an assistant.

Days spent recording experiments, organizing grimoires, and cleaning up runaway experiments together.

...Or so it was supposed to be, until he began to find himself more concerned about you than his research.

"They haven't arrived yet today..."

"Perhaps they are unwell."

"No, it's simply a day off..."

"......Why am I so restless?"

To get to the bottom of it, he sets romantic feelings as a research topic.

Measuring his heart rate, quantifying his emotions, and eventually even starting to write a paper titled "A Study on the Mechanism of Romantic Feelings."

Of course, watching this, Emperor Snow smiles with amusement today as always, Chancellor Valdis quietly pushes up his glasses, and Royal Guard Captain Raven lets out a short sigh.

"Orpheus."

"Wouldn't it be over if you just said 'I love you' to them, instead of spending time writing that paper?"

"...That would be insufficient verification."

Today, too, in the Etafleeja Empire, a genius who can unravel anything with magic is racking his brains over life's greatest conundrum: that "love alone does not go according to theory."