TRETTHD 23

Chapter 23. Let Me Hear Your Voice

To outsiders, it might’ve looked like a touching reunion, but in reality, Velia and Khalid were spending a late afternoon in Velia’s room in quite a different way.

“Khalid.”

Of course, it was nothing like what others imagined two lovers spending time together would look like.

Those outside were undoubtedly curious about what the two were doing, but in truth, they were deep in a serious meeting, a large map spread out between them.

“Were there any unexpected variables during the subjugation?”

“It went just as you described.”

“That’s a relief.”

Velia chuckled quietly, clearly pleased.

Khalid, who had been quietly watching her, reached out to gently brush the corner of her lips.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Nothing. You just looked… beautiful.”

Seriously?

Since they had spent a night together, Velia had become quite used to these small gestures. She casually brushed it off and returned to the conversation.

“Tell me more details about the subjugation. I honestly thought less than half of Prince Raul’s knights would make it back, but almost all of them returned alive. That wasn’t part of the plan.”

The original plan, just like last time, was to save only Raul and a few knights.

But Khalid had brought nearly all of them back alive. While they were injured, none were critically harmed to the point of being rendered useless.

“I couldn’t just let them die in a pointless power struggle between princes.”

“Don’t let pity sway you.”

Velia’s voice grew a little cold.

After all, those very knights would likely become their enemies in the future. Even if you show kindness now, when it came down to a confrontation with Raul, they would surely draw their swords on the opposing side.

That’s why she worried that this misplaced sympathy might make it harder to bring Raul down later.

“This isn’t about pity.”

Khalid shook his head firmly.

Raul’s knights didn’t serve Raul alone—they were loyal to the empire and the emperor. The same went for the knights under Khalid’s command.

“If I become emperor, they’ll be mine too. That’s why saving even one of them is the right move.”

Velia understood what he meant. But she still wanted to minimize uncertainty. To be blunt, Khalid didn’t have much compared to Raul. That softhearted reasoning just felt naïve.

It almost made her feel like she was playing the villain alone.

“Velia.”

“……”

“Velia, look at me.”

Khalid reached out, gently taking her shoulders to guide her gaze toward him.

“Do you think I’m cold-hearted?” she asked quietly.

Instead of answering, Khalid simply pulled her into a warm embrace.

“You probably say that because you still don’t know me well.”

Velia lifted her head from his chest and looked into his eyes.

“Not all the rumors about me are lies, you know. Have you forgotten who I am?”

A soft chuckle rumbled from his chest.

The way he sweetly said he was dangerous made it hard to believe it. To her, Khalid had always been gentle.

Velia was suddenly reminded of why she had reached out to him in the first place.

Right. Just because he shows weakness around me doesn’t mean he’s someone else.

If she thought back to their first meeting, she would’ve never imagined he’d act this way toward her.

How had she forgotten so easily?

“Raul was badly injured, so I had his knights retreat first. After that, we blocked the water flow and were able to subjugate Alag easily.”

Khalid explained the process matter-of-factly.

“They were already in a weakened state, and we showed up at just the right time to help them.”

“Didn’t Prince Raul find that suspicious?”

“Even if he did, there’s not much he can do. The fact is, he failed—and we saved them when they were on the brink of annihilation.”

The outcome had been excellent.

Thinking that was enough of that topic, Velia nodded and asked about the true prize of this monster subjugation.

“What about the mana stone?”

“Here.”

Khalid handed her a large mana stone, roughly the size of an adult’s fist.

Even among the emperor’s collection, such a size was rare.

If Raul had obtained this instead…

That would’ve been the worst-case scenario.

How had Velia known about this mana stone’s existence?

Was she truly a prophet? Could she really see the future?

Khalid had felt a chill run down his back the moment he got his hands on it.

What if she wasn’t on his side?

He kept having thoughts like that—what if…?

“No one else knows you have this, right?”

“Right.”

“Keep it hidden. You’ll need it later.”

Velia recalled a future memory.

A few years later, a mage from the Tower would invent a new type of magical tool. This mana stone would be essential then.

In her previous life, she had refined it right away and turned it into a basic search tool—only to bitterly regret it later. This time, she’d use it more wisely.

“Oh, and there’s someone I want to introduce you to soon.”

The thought suddenly came to her.

She actually had quite a few things she needed to tell Khalid.

“Someone to introduce me to? Who?”

“Derek Sellon, the master of the information guild Luneth.”

How did she even know the master of an information guild?

At this point, it was almost pointless to be surprised.

But more than that, Khalid latched onto a familiar part of the name.

“Sellon? As in the Marquis Sellon?”

“Yes. He’s the marquis’s illegitimate son. The marquis himself has no idea his son runs an information guild, though.”

“…How do you even know that?”

Velia just smiled silently.

If you want to know everything, bring Raul to his knees first.

Khalid frowned slightly at her quiet smirk.

“How did you meet him?”

His voice was laced with irritation.

It wasn’t Derek being a guild master that bothered him—it was the fact that Velia had met another man in private.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t meet other men alone. I get jealous.”

With that, Khalid casually rested his head on Velia’s lap.

Velia, used to this by now, began gently running her fingers through his hair.

Since that night, the distance between them had shrunk significantly.

Even if he still refuses to fully open his heart to me…

Khalid closed his eyes under the soothing touch of her hand.

“Khalid.”

Her calm, clear voice calling his name made him smile.

A wave of contentment washed over him.

“Aren’t you going to answer?”

“No.”

He answered shamelessly.

So call me again.

“Then I won’t talk either.”

“Keep talking. I want to hear your voice.”

Still with his eyes closed, he asked her again.

Her gentle strokes slowly relaxed him, his body growing lighter.

They’d only been apart for a few days, but the stress and tension he’d built up during that time now felt ridiculous.

“While we were apart, I kept hearing your voice like an illusion.”

“…Liar.”

“It’s true.”

Did he ever tell her he thought he might die from missing her?

Khalid chuckled quietly.

“But it was all just in my head. That made it even more painful.”

He could’ve stayed up all night explaining how hard it had been to hold back from running to her.

“So now, I want to hear it for real. Anything. Just let me hear your voice.”

“…Should I read you a fairy tale or something?”

Velia teased lightly.

Khalid welcomed it and settled more comfortably in her lap.

“If it ends with ‘and they lived happily ever after,’ that’d be perfect.”

Velia let out a soft laugh.

Why did he answer so seriously?

“Khalid.”

“Yeah?”

She looked down at him—smiling softly with his head on her lap—and was suddenly reminded of the day they first met. She never would’ve imagined he’d wear such an expression in front of her.

“Why do you like me?”

“Do you need a reason to care for someone?”

His sincerity made Velia uneasy.

If only he saw her as nothing more than a contract partner—or desired her like Raul had—it would’ve been easier.

Why…?

Maybe she was just a fool—once again falling for someone’s sincerity, only to be hurt in the end.

Maybe Khalid was only pretending to care, just like Raul had.

But if he really did mean it…

“Don’t give me your whole heart.”

Khalid opened his eyes and stared up at her.

Velia quickly covered his eyes with both hands to avoid meeting his gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“Just… forget it.”

If only hearts obeyed reason.

She was already so helplessly shaken by him that it scared her.

How could she be so foolish?

Even knowing the risk, she was still drawn in, heart trembling.

The more Khalid came toward her, the weaker her resolve became.

Pathetic.

Not until Raul was completely destroyed—stripped of everything and brought to ruin.

Don’t waver. Don’t get swept away.

She had a job to do.

There should be no room for anything else.

I can’t afford to…

She wasn’t someone who deserved that luxury.

Velia closed her eyes.

Khalid gently placed his hand over hers, which still covered his eyes.

“Velia.”

“…”

“I told you—it’s okay to run away.”

Why was he being so gentle?

Her eyes burned again.

“Keep turning away. Keep running. I’ll be fine.”

He held her hand tightly.

He couldn’t see her—but through the trembling of her fingers, he could feel her anxiety.

“You’re allowed to.”

“….”

Slowly. Ever so slowly.

He would creep into her heart so gradually she wouldn’t even notice.

“You told me to let you use me. So don’t feel guilty. Don’t let my feelings sway you.”

“But…”

Be more afraid. Be more terrified.

Keep running with that worried look.

“Just like the day you first saw me. Just focus on your goal.”

A smile spread across Khalid’s lips.

“You’re doing well.”

Keep getting shaken. Be so confused you can only think of me.

He hid those thoughts behind his gentle expression.

As his eyelashes brushed her palm, Velia stiffened slightly.

“Just do what you want. I’ll always be by your side.”

Khalid removed her hand from his face.

Then slowly sat up.

“…I feel like I’m doing something terrible to you.”

Khalid bit back a laugh at her choice of words.

Something terrible, really?

It sounded vaguely suggestive.

“If that’s terrible, then I wouldn’t mind more.”

He shrugged playfully, and Velia sighed with a small smile.

Watching her grin, Khalid’s eyes glinted with desire.

“And that terrible thing you mentioned—now it’s my turn to do it.”

And then, he pressed his lips to hers.