TPECIAD 05

Chapter 5. A Kiss That Is No Child’s Play (Adults’ Kiss

When the splitting headache that felt like it would shatter her head suddenly disappeared, Elise felt as if she could finally breathe again. Her body was still being held by someone. Though her head was dizzy, her senses were gradually returning. She thought she could hear voices arguing from earlier, but she lacked the strength to open her eyes properly. Who was fighting?

“So, if I were to… kiss my Elise now…”

“Who is going to kiss me?”

Although her head was still ringing and she couldn’t hear everything clearly, it sounded like they were talking about someone having to kiss Elise.

“What are they saying? Why is this story turning into a fairy tale princess story?”

Could it be that, like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, they were trying to wake her with a kiss? No—if it was Roan, the “beast,” then maybe it was possible. At that moment, a low, firm voice she didn’t recognize followed Roan’s words.

“…It won’t end with just one time.”

“Who is that?”

Unaware that Elise was waking up, Roan and the mysterious man continued their conversation. As she slowly regained more strength, her eyes slightly opened.

“Demon, is there truly no other way?”

Demon? Elise recalled the contents of the novel she had read, Empress Psyche.

“Ah! Grand Duke Cremian? Oh! The handsome second male lead?”

In the story, he was a reliable supporter who helped Psyche secure her position as Empress and end up with Roan. He also loved the heroine, but when Psyche chose her path as Empress, he became a devoted man who could only watch her from afar. His feelings were described so poignantly that many fans preferred the second male lead Demon over the main male lead.

“Actually, I liked another second male lead… What was his name again? Mi… right! Mikael!”

At that moment, Roan—who was holding her in his arms—suddenly shouted firmly.

“What do you mean! Didn’t you say a kiss would be enough?”

“Gah!”

Her eyes flew open. She decided to wait until their conversation calmed down a bit before getting up.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

After a moment, Elise called out to Roan in a weak, hoarse voice.

“Elise! You’re awake?”

Roan looked down at her, his eyes already moist.

“Yes, I’m fine now. And since I’m awake, you don’t need to kiss me.”

“…You heard that.”

Roan sounded flustered. When she glanced to the side, she saw a handsome man dressed entirely in black with red eyes standing there. That must be Demon. Oh my, he was handsome. His tall height, broad shoulders, and defined physique immediately drew attention. He radiated presence wherever he stood. Beneath his uniform, his body looked exceptionally well-built.

A red-eyed handsome man with a decadent and sensual aura… he could easily play the role of a powerful vampire duke!

Without realizing it, Elise swallowed.

“Elise, I was truly very worried. I’m sorry. Even though I was by your side, I couldn’t….”

He had failed to save her from the pain. And from the curse as well. His own incompetence felt humiliating and infuriating. The fact that Demon possessed magic he did not only intensified his frustration.

“My head felt like it was going to burst, and I heard a voice.”

“A voice?”

Roan asked, surprised—it was the first he had heard of this.

“Yes. A man told me to come to him… he was calling me.”

Then Demon, who had been silently listening, asked:

“What did that person call you?”

“Wow, that voice is amazing.”

Even in this situation, Elise found herself captivated by his voice. The low, gentle tone resonated like an echo in a cave, sending subtle vibrations through her entire body. With just a single word from Demon, the space felt like it had transformed into another world. It was the most pleasant deep voice she had ever heard.

“Ah, hello? Nice to meet you.”

Though disoriented, Elise wanted to greet him. Whether the real Elise had met the Grand Duke before, she didn’t know. Soon, the Grand Duke bowed in greeting.

“Demon Cremian.”

Elise had no idea what expression she was making. But Roan, watching her, was already filled with worry. Just from his voice, she looked so captivated—if she had to kiss him as well… the thought alone was unbearable.

“If Elise ends up liking Demon…”

Hah, what pointless worry. If that happened, he could simply order Demon to marry someone else by imperial decree. And as for Elise—he would make her happier and more blissful himself.

“That voice seemed to call me ‘beautiful Elise.’”

“…”

Demon remained silent again. His red eyes narrowed slightly, as if assessing something.

“Elise, listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

Roan spoke gently, as if addressing a child.

“Um… I’m actually tired. Could you take me to the bed first?”

It might have seemed improper to say such a thing to the Emperor, but Elise had no strength left in her body. Even speaking was exhausting, and being held on the floor was uncomfortable. Roan, slightly reluctant, finally carried her to the bed and laid her down.

“Don’t be startled and listen carefully.”

Elise nodded, and her long, beautiful silver hair flowed like waves across her chest. Roan’s gaze followed her hair down to her ample chest. Fortunately, her nightwear today was modest. Beneath that thin fabric was her soft, warm, pale body—something only he knew. That fact brought him both relief and a strange sense of superiority. At the same time, unease crept in. Nothing beyond removing the curse should happen between Elise and Demon. The desire to hide her away and keep her to himself kept rising. Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts away and continued.

“You’ve been placed under a curse. And the Grand Duke Cremian here will be the one to lift it.”

“A curse?”

Ah, so that’s why she had suffered so much earlier!

“I really thought I was going to die just now!”

Elise leaned forward, reacting energetically.

“I don’t ever want to experience that again. Please lift my curse quickly, Grand Duke.”

“Elise, we were actually discussing the method of lifting that curse.”

“What is it? It’s not painful, is it?”

She didn’t want anything painful… Perhaps magic was involved?

“It’s not painful, but… it requires a kiss.”

“…What??”

What kind of childish yet oddly suggestive setting was this novel? At this point, Elise began to wonder if Empress Psyche had secretly been a 19+ romance novel she had unknowingly read.

“Well, many fairy tale princesses were awakened from curses with a kiss…”

Thinking that way made it seem less strange. Just a simple kiss—no big deal.

“So if I kiss the Grand Duke, the curse will be lifted?”

“Ah… th-that’s correct.”

Roan was taken aback. She had always been so shy and embarrassed by any physical contact with him, yet now she treated a kiss with Demon as if it were nothing.

“And right in front of me, she’s so casually willing to kiss another man!”

He felt both upset and hurt. But then—

“Please hurry and do it so I can rest.”

Elise closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

Ah… so that’s it. It seemed she had misunderstood what a kiss entailed.

At that moment, Demon stepped closer to Elise. Seeing this, Roan stiffened. Just watching Demon approach her made him feel so guarded that he wasn’t sure he could bear to watch the kiss.

“Pardon me, Lady Elise. This is not a curse that can be lifted with a light kiss.”

“Excuse me?”

“The curse is quite powerful. A child’s playful kiss will not break it.”

“If it’s not a child’s playful kiss…”

“Then does that mean it must be an adult’s serious kiss?”

Elise’s mind went blank. Her thoughts began to blur again into a censored haze. Just imagining it sent shivers down her spine.

“W-wait a moment.”

Unlike before, she now looked like a frightened child. Roan found that sight very reassuring. His earlier frustration quickly faded.

“Does it absolutely have to be a kiss to lift the curse?”

Roan suddenly had an idea.

“Demon, you said physical contact is required, correct?”

“That is correct.”

Elise then asked,

“Physical contact? Then what about hands or other parts?”

Indeed! At Elise’s clever question, Roan almost wanted to applaud her—though Demon’s response quickly cooled his excitement.

“I have already explained to His Majesty. The surest way to break this curse is through the mouth. Other forms of contact may be attempted, but their effectiveness will be limited.”

“But…”

Elise hesitated. The idea of kissing a complete stranger felt embarrassing and uncomfortable. Yet recalling the agony she had just endured made her think a brief kiss might be nothing in comparison.

“It feels like I’m a child trembling before a vaccination.”

Logically, she understood she had to endure a small sting to avoid greater pain—but her body still trembled with the urge to run away. That “sting” now took the form of a kiss.

Seeing Elise hesitate, Roan felt conflicted. He was proud and delighted that she was carefully suggesting alternatives, yet he also knew they couldn’t delay breaking the curse. He felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

“I’m completely and utterly obsessed with Elise.”

That much was certain. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to order her to kiss Demon. Yet he knew the truth—kissing was the most certain way to save her.

“What am I to do? I simply cannot bring myself to command it!”

Roan closed his eyes. He couldn’t bear to watch them come closer.

Then Elise calmly said,

“Let’s start with dating.”

“Dating?”

Both Roan and Demon turned to her. She continued casually,

“If physical contact is required, I’ll do it. But I have one condition.”

Elise was serious, Demon expressionless, while Roan swallowed hard.

“Please ask for permission first. I’ll decide the scope. Let’s start with holding hands.”

Now Demon began to grow curious about her mind. She was so unpredictable that her expressions and words were impossible to anticipate.

“And!”

Her conditions weren’t over yet.

“If we’re going to kiss, we should start with the back of the hand.”

She had always wanted to experience that—a princess-style hand kiss. Since things had come to this, she decided to try everything she had ever wanted.

“In that case, begin with a hand kiss, and then proceed with daily, scheduled, light physical contact to break Elise’s curse.”

Roan gave his command, his gaze silently warning that nothing excessive should occur.

At that, Demon’s brow furrowed.

“That will be difficult, Your Majesty.”

“Difficult? What, is it inconvenient for you to come to the palace every day to see Elise?”

Roan glared at him angrily.

“It’s not that. There are many responsibilities I must handle at the Grand Duke’s estate.”

As the sole head of the Grand Duchy, his duties were vast. He couldn’t visit the palace daily just to save the Emperor’s consort.

“And if we are to lift the curse through means other than a kiss, it will take considerably more time. I cannot stay in the palace that long.”

Roan agreed internally. Waiting until Elise was fully prepared could take an unknown amount of time. And if something happened to her before then, what would be the point?

“…Then is there any better method?”

“Bring Lady Elise to the Grand Duke’s estate.”

So that’s how it was. Roan’s suspicion flared—Demon clearly had ulterior motives. He imagined those red eyes taking Elise away and keeping her for himself.

“That is out of the question! Instead, I will send Elise to the Grand Duchy during the day and have her returned to the palace before nightfall!”

Roan suddenly raised his voice, startling Elise. Demon’s red eyes darkened as he responded coldly:

“Your Majesty. If what happened tonight were to happen again, would that be acceptable?”

Roan inhaled sharply. It felt as if he had been ambushed. Demon was asking whether he would allow Elise to suffer that same agony again in his absence.

“I can’t go through that pain again! I’d rather kiss him!”

Elise shouted as well. Roan’s face turned pale.

Looking at them both, Demon spoke calmly:

“And as you know, the palace is not safe.”

He was right. The one who orchestrated the curse might still be inside the palace. Once again, Roan had to admit it—despite being Emperor, he lacked the power to protect Elise. As much as he hated the idea of sending her away, he had no choice. The thought of being separated from her filled him with dread and agony, yet it was unavoidable.

“…Very well. But in return, you must stake everything to lift Elise’s curse.”

“…Understood.”

At dawn, Elise’s belongings were loaded onto a carriage.

Their destination: the Grand Duke’s estate.