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“……Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Mortega’s heart sank. His relationship with Cerden was much more difficult than meeting a woman and dating, or even meeting a friend.
It’s hot and scary.
And it makes me impatient.
“I want to be loyal to Your Highness. Please help me decide what choice I should make. Perhaps Your Highness…… have you regained your sanity?”
“Follow your own judgment.”
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince……”
“It is not I who decides the direction of your loyalty. It is you.”
Cerden smiled smoothly. Mortega felt an unknown sense of defeat. He was clearly standing next to Cerden, but he felt like he had been abandoned.
He felt that Cerden would never give him a place by his side. He felt impatient.
“Do you…… need me?”
Cerden stared at Mortega with strange eyes. Mortega’s lips trembled.
He felt like he would be kicked out at any moment. Is it right to just have a one-sided love like this?
What on earth did he do wrong?
Mortega couldn’t figure it out. He was always sincere, but Cerden was never truthful to him. Mortega’s heart beat faster and faster as he waited for Cerden’s answer.
Cerden’s lips parted.
Mortega stared at them, holding his breath. It was a moment where despair and hope crossed paths.
“As long as you prove your ability, always.”
At those words, his racing heart sank.
* * *
Because there was a secret that shouldn’t be revealed, Cerden and I inevitably preferred closed spaces.
Cerden and I agreed that I would pretend to be an idiot. This was because it was more efficient in allowing me to do what I wanted and to put the Duke Spelman family off guard.
Instead of sending out the servants and closing most of the rooms, I gained freedom.
“Haa.”
My toes, neatly placed on the sofa, curled up. It was sparkling apple wine.
Although the alcohol content wasn’t high, the sweet apple scent was excellent. According to Julia, it was a premium line of apple wine, so the price was outrageous.
‘Have a relaxing evening with Your Highness, the Crown Prince, Your Highness. There should be days like this sometimes.’
She said it was a gift for becoming friends. Friends are good after all. As a modern person who knew the joy of chicken and beer and spicy snails with soju, I was so happy.
My soul, which had tasted alcohol after a long time, was thrilled.
캬. I want chicken and beer!
“How long has it been since I’ve had alcohol?”
I muttered without realizing it. Although it was my first time drinking such high-end alcohol.
“How long has it been? Have you ever had it before?”
“Ah.”
This body shouldn’t have had it before.
“Ahem. I drank it very secretly. Uh, after entering the palace, when everyone was asleep, in the kitchen……”
I made up an excuse, but Cerden seemed to understand.
“It seems a cute thief has been coming and going in the kitchen.”
I chuckled, following Cerden. Still, it’s good that he said I was cute.
“Pour me more.”
I held out my glass to Cerden, who was holding the bottle. Cerden moved and tilted the bottle.
Warm light gathered on his eyelashes, which seemed to have been drawn one by one with a delicate brush. His transparent white skin, and the contrasting red lips.
Cerden’s personal color must be night.
I swallowed, admiring Cerden without realizing that my glass was being filled. This heavy scent mixed with the scent of apple wine was Cerden’s. I don’t know why it feels so strange now that I’m smelling it. I chewed on my lip.
Our eyes met.
Cerden’s blue eyes narrowed. Perhaps because of the light reflected in them, there was a reddish tinge.
“I sometimes…… wonder what you’re thinking every time you look at me like that.”
“……Me?”
“You look at me with eyes that want to devour me.”
My cheeks flushed red at those words. My hands and feet trembled.
Me?
Was it obvious?
Cerden placed the glass and bottle I was holding on the table. His actions were so natural. I followed Cerden with my eyes as if I were possessed.
Cerden intertwined his fingers with mine. It was a simple act, like children holding hands, but it made me feel hot.
He got closer.
“Tell me, Evelyn. What do you want to do to me?”
My lips trembled. What do I want to do to Cerden? I don’t know what this feeling is.
Cerden was unaware, and I had been paying attention to him all along. Getting closer, his smiling face…… his voice too…….
My heart was beating as if it would break my ribs. I think I know a little bit.
Ah. I had been keeping that dangerous man, that man who might kill me, in my eyes.
And I had been keeping him in my heart.
It wasn’t clear what the feeling was. Cerden was still dangerous, and our alliance was temporary.
We had the same enemy, Duke Spelman, but what about after that? Cerden and I had not promised anything about the uncertain future.
We were bound by the name of husband and wife, but it was a marriage in which my will and his were not mixed at all.
We are precarious.
Maybe that’s why I’m more drawn to him.
The perverted devil inside me popped out.
I tilted my head. The strange scent mixed with the scent of apple wine deepened.
Our lips touched.
Soft, crushed, moist flesh intertwined. My heart pounded, pounded, pounded, making me tremble.
‘There’s nothing like this to be honest with each other. I’m not telling you to drink until you’re drunk. Just enough to be honest with each other, moderately.’
The soft voice that taught me how to drink and all the thoughts that were swirling around me were mixed together.
This is definitely not a mistake made while drunk. It was something I did with my own will, and I just got a little help from the atmosphere and alcohol to be more honest.
It was an unforgettable time.
“Ha.”
I took my lips away and couldn’t face him, so I lowered my head. What should I say?
Crazy, Evelyn.
Are you really going to do something?
I don’t know how to fix it. I was about to wiggle my fingers and let go of his hand, but my body was pulled.
“Huh?”
Cerden wrapped his arms around my waist. I realized then that his hands were also hot. My body was already being pulled between his legs.
“You can’t run away after doing that, Evelyn.”
“I, I’m…….”
It was like a tsunami. It felt like I was being swallowed. He opened my lips and seemed to suck in my entire soul.
The sound of teeth clashing against each other echoed strangely. Cerden desperately rummaged through me.
All I could do was grab Cerden.
Cerden rubbed my neck.
His blunt, manicured fingernails scratched through my hair, and we got closer.
“Heuh.”
My lungs felt like they were about to burst. I clung to Cerden and gasped for breath.
“It’s really rude to just run away while looking at me with those eyes.”
Cerden said in a heavy, sunken voice.
I’ve been caught.
He knew everything.
I rested my forehead on Cerden’s neck and took a breath.
Damn it, you pretended not to know even though you knew.
I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them. Was it all intentional? Was he trying to torment me on purpose……?
No, I don’t think he would have done that. I don’t know when he noticed my identity.
Intentional and unintentional things were mixed together.
My thoughts were also messed up. It was just hot.
Cerden put his lips on my forehead.
“If you’re going to look at me with those eyes, be prepared for this much.”
What kind of preparation?
I don’t even dare to ask. I rubbed my head against Cerden. I just wanted to do something because I was out of breath. I never imagined it would really turn out like this.
Life was always in a realm beyond imagination.
“I’m going crazy.”
Cerden muttered quietly. He pulled me closer. Something heavy touched my body. Cerden grazed my ear with his lips.
“I don’t know if you’re doing this knowing. Or if you’re doing this on purpose.”
Our lips met again. Much deeper and stickier than before.
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