NRAL | Chapter 127

Chapter 127

The Enchanting Kiss

Ernst’s green eyes were shaking uncontrollably. He instantly realized what Hilda was about to say, even though he didn’t want to know.

“That?”

But Eleanor’s face remained innocent, completely unaware. She tilted her head curiously and asked Hilda to elaborate. She honestly had no idea what was going on.

Hilda, feeling a bit frustrated, patted her chest and glanced at Ernst for his reaction.

It wasn’t easy for Hilda to talk about this in front of Ernst, but since she’d grown closer to him recently and noticed he seemed to have given up on his feelings for Eleanor, she figured it was okay to say it now.

So, Hilda boldly declared:

“Of course, it’s a kiss!”

This time, Eleanor’s eyes widened in surprise.

Had she heard that right? She briefly considered if she had become hard of hearing, but Hilda, puckering her lips, quickly confirmed what she meant.

“Hilda, Karsian and I aren’t even lovers…”

“If you love someone, that makes you lovers, doesn’t it? Trust me, Miss! A passionate kiss is far more effective than any deep conversation!”

Hilda made kissy sounds and pretended to kiss the air, and Eleanor immediately promised herself she’d never discuss romance with Hilda again.

To be honest, Hilda had softened the suggestion considerably, but she was still speaking in a way that made Eleanor cringe.

***

A kiss. A very unsanitary act where two people press their lips together.

How could such an action possibly help resolve things?

Eleanor couldn’t understand it, no matter how many times she thought about it.

It’s not that she hadn’t kissed a man before. Of course, it wasn’t something she had wanted to do.

Her first kiss, inevitably, had been with Arlo.

When Eleanor turned eighteen, Arlo, now a grown man, had gotten angry at her for not giving herself to him. He criticized her constantly, until finally, her father, Duke Astria, told her to calm him down somehow.

Soon after, Arlo tried to kiss her… and Eleanor couldn’t refuse.

She hated even thinking about it again. It had been wet, unpleasant, and disgusting.

She had never understood why people kissed their lovers, why anyone would find such a disgusting act enjoyable. Wasn’t it incredibly unsanitary?

She’d lived with that thought her whole life, but imagining a kiss with Karsian… somehow, it didn’t seem so bad.

In fact, it almost seemed nice. He always smelled good, was incredibly handsome, had pretty lips, and just holding his hand made her heart race. So maybe a kiss wouldn’t be so bad after all.

But still, she wasn’t insane enough to suddenly kiss him out of nowhere.

Since that day, Karsian had acted as though nothing had happened between them. He was a bit distant, but he treated her kindly and made sure they ate together. However, Eleanor couldn’t shake the feeling that his gaze, his smiles, had become colder compared to before.

Three days had passed like this.

Eleanor decided it was time to break the silence. During dinner, she finally spoke.

“The trial is tomorrow.”

“…I see.”

But her choice of words wasn’t ideal.

Eleanor noticed Karsian’s face grow slightly colder, and she quickly regretted bringing up a topic that still bothered them. She felt so embarrassed that she wanted to bury her face in her soup.

But she couldn’t do that, so she quickly changed the subject.

“Um, Karsian… do you like alcohol?”

“Alcohol? Well, I’m not particularly fond of it, but I drink occasionally.”

“Really? What kind do you prefer?”

“I don’t really have a preference. Why do you ask? Does it have something to do with the trial?”

After all the talk of revenge and trials, even a casual conversation seemed to lead back to them. Eleanor shook her head, realizing she’d made the wrong choice again.

“No, I was just curious… I’m a little nervous about the trial tomorrow, and I thought a small drink after dinner might help. Would you like some wine with me?”

She had tried to keep the conversation casual, as Hilda had once told her that a light drink sometimes helped smooth over awkward situations.

However, Karsian answered firmly, without hesitation.

“We shouldn’t drink yet, not until you’ve fully recovered. You should wait until you’re completely healed.”

“The doctor said I’m almost healed, just a little sore. One drink won’t hurt, right? Please?”

Eleanor gave him a sad look, trying to soften his resolve with her big violet eyes. She often used this look with Hilda, but it was the first time she’d tried it on Karsian.

Maybe that’s why Karsian froze for a moment, almost as if time had stopped.

“…Karsian?”

When Eleanor called him again, Karsian seemed to snap back to reality.

“Fine, just one drink.”

Karsian finally agreed, though he still seemed a little distant.

Eleanor smiled at his response, relieved that she had managed to get her way.

After a while, Karsian instructed his servants to prepare the wine. Eleanor’s room quickly transformed into a perfect setting for their unexpected gathering.

The table was filled with snacks, cheese, and fruit, and a variety of wines were laid out. The room had a softer, warmer glow from the lighting, as if they understood the special mood of the evening.

The reason Eleanor’s room was chosen for the gathering was simple. She felt the dining room was too big for such an intimate occasion.

Eleanor noticed that Karsian looked a little nervous as he arrived.

But Eleanor was so focused on making up with him that she didn’t notice.

“Cheers, Karsian,” she said as she raised her glass, the sweet scent of grapes filling the air.

“Cheers,” Karsian replied, and they clinked their glasses.

Eleanor wasn’t a regular drinker, but the nervousness in the air and the complexity of her thoughts made her drink faster than usual.

As she drank, Hilda’s voice echoed in her mind. Hilda had said that a passionate kiss would be far more effective than a deep conversation.

‘That’s definitely not going to happen.’

It didn’t matter whether it was effective or not, she knew she wasn’t capable of doing something like that. It was better to listen to Ernst’s advice.

Deciding that, Eleanor poured herself another drink, trying to find the courage she needed.

Just as she was about to take another sip, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

It was the first time they’d touched like this since she’d woken up. They hadn’t even brushed past each other.

“…You said just one drink.”

Eleanor looked up at him, surprised. Karsian’s voice was soft, but there was something behind it that made her heart race.

When she raised her gaze to his face, he seemed completely frozen, like he had no idea what to do next.

“…Karsian?”

Eleanor called his name in a confused voice, and that seemed to snap him out of his trance.

“Just one more drink, I understand.”

Karsian’s voice was calm again, but there was still something in his eyes. Eleanor smiled softly, relieved that things were going well.

They finished their meal and the atmosphere felt a little warmer. The awkwardness was still there, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable anymore.

After a while, Karsian sat closer to her, the tension between them easing.

Finally, Eleanor spoke again.

“Karsian, I have something to say to you.”

She hadn’t expected to speak up first, but she did. Karsian’s red eyes flickered in surprise.

She grabbed his hand quickly, not wanting to lose the moment.

“I’m sorry. I was selfish and didn’t think about your feelings…”

“….”

“I didn’t understand how you felt… actually, I never thought about it properly.”

She looked at him, her fingers fiddling nervously. Karsian didn’t look away from her, his gaze still intense.

“But Hilda told me… that you can’t understand the pain of watching someone you love suffer. How terrible it must feel, she said. So I thought about it… What if I were in your position, watching you hurt yourself with a knife, and I couldn’t do anything about it?”

Eleanor’s voice faltered, and her eyes welled up with tears.

“It’s horrible, Karsian. I’d rather be stabbed a hundred times than see you suffer like that.”

She had been so focused on revenge that she hadn’t considered his feelings. She had no excuse for that.

Even though she would make the same choice again, at least now, she understood she had to change.

“I’m sorry, Karsian. This is my first time loving someone properly. I didn’t know what to do. I was inexperienced…”

As she held back tears, Karsian’s face showed pure shock.

He stared at her, his expression unreadable. His lips trembled slightly as he spoke.

“You… love me?”

He asked, as if unable to believe what she had said. Eleanor smiled faintly, amused at his surprise.

She hadn’t said the words directly before, but she had shown it through her actions. How could he not have known?

She gently held his hand and pressed her cheek against his palm, smiling brightly.

“Yes, I love you, Karsian.”

For the first time, she confessed the words she had been holding back for so long.

It wasn’t just her who had endured all this time.

Now, she was finally saying it. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

“I really like you, Karsian.”

And Karsian couldn’t resist anymore. He immediately lowered his head, his long fingers pulling her closer as he kissed her.

The kiss was intense, passionate, and full of emotion, far different from anything she had ever experienced before.

As they kissed, Eleanor realized that everything about this moment felt perfect. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was everything she had wanted.

“Tell me again,” Karsian whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Tell me you love me.”

Eleanor, caught up in the moment, whispered back, “I love you, Karsian.”

And this time, Karsian kissed her again.