Chapter 8
“His Grace?”
“Still no word from him?”
The blond boy looked up from polishing his sword as he spoke.
He looked to be around sixteen years old.
His delicate features were as beautiful as an angel carved into the statues of the Grand Temple, and there was an unmistakable air of nobility about him.
However…
Every knight serving House Lasiane in the Vilquier Knight Order knew the truth.
Not one among them had lived a harsher life than this boy.
And the words that came out of his mouth were so foul that one might think a demon from the depths of hell had taken up residence inside him.
“He said he’d return in about a month.”
“So stop being impatient.”
The commander of the Vilquier Knight Order answered without taking his eyes off the knights training before him.
His black hair, dark as raven feathers, gleamed with a silvery sheen beneath the sunlight.
Sharp blue eyes swept over every movement the knights made.
The young knight stood, sword in hand, and let out a disappointed sigh.
“The others are boring.”
“His Grace has to be here.”
“The others end up with ten broken bones whenever they spar with you.”
“So try to restrain yourself.”
“Exactly.”
“His Grace is the one who breaks my bones.”
“That’s why I like fighting him.”
At those words—which sounded utterly insane—
The commander merely shook his head expressionlessly.
The blond boy stretched his body with practiced ease before speaking again.
“So His Grace’s definitely going to return with something that can be used against those bastards from the Magic Tower, right?”
“I can look forward to it?”
“…That’s the official reason, at least.”
“‘Official?'”
“Go train.”
The commander offered no further explanation.
Instead, he shoved the boy toward the training grounds.
Compared to how he treated everyone else, the young knight was surprisingly obedient toward the commander.
Without another complaint, he ran toward the other knights.
His blond ponytail shimmered behind him.
As he approached…
The knights abruptly stopped moving.
Fear spread across their faces.
The blond knight smiled sweetly.
“Who wants to spar with me?”
* * *
My breathing grew increasingly ragged.
Strength drained from my entire body until I could barely remain standing.
My trembling legs finally gave way.
Just as I was about to collapse…
The man wrapped an arm tightly around my waist and pulled me against him.
I had no idea how much time had already passed.
It felt like enough time had gone by for him to let me go…
Yet he still held me captive.
“Hah… Rose…”
“Y-Your Grace…”
“Rose…”
“Rose…”
He seemed to be losing more and more of his reason.
I was beginning to feel frightened.
Like someone possessed…
He repeatedly whispered my name while devouring my lips.
As though he’d been born solely for this purpose…
He was completely absorbed in kissing me.
In consuming me.
My entire body trembled beneath the overwhelming sensation of being swallowed whole.
I couldn’t tell whether it was from excitement…
Or fear.
The biggest problem…
Was that I couldn’t push him away either.
The words stop kept rising to my lips…
But my heart wanted the exact opposite.
I loved kissing him so much…
I couldn’t even make the smallest gesture of resistance.
I really had gone insane.
I was worried about the political conflict between our families.
I was worried about Adrian.
I felt guilty toward the heroine.
And yet…
I still couldn’t stop.
A devil whispered inside my heart.
Isn’t it fine…?
It’s only a brief moment of indulgence.
Maybe it really was.
Just a fleeting escape…
At this summer villa.
Once I returned to the Magic Tower…
I might not see him again for over a year.
Maybe even longer.
“Hah…”
The man finally pulled his lips away.
His eyes were hazy.
He gazed at me in a daze.
His emerald eyes overflowed with bliss.
Whether it was because of the kiss…
Or something else…
He seemed completely intoxicated.
As though handling a priceless treasure…
He gently caressed my cheek.
His breathing remained rough.
Every now and then…
The corners of his lips curled upward.
He looked so happy that he barely seemed able to contain himself.
“Rose…”
“You…”
“…”
“You kissed me first.”
He murmured with a smile in his voice…
Then suddenly wrapped me tightly in his arms.
The relentless kiss had already robbed me of all my strength.
I simply collapsed against him.
His large hand repeatedly stroked the back of my head.
Gradually…
That gentle touch calmed me.
I slowly steadied my breathing.
Then…
As my mind finally cleared…
I realized what I’d just done.
‘I’ve completely lost my mind…!’
Still held in his embrace…
I stared wide-eyed as my body trembled.
An enormous wave of shame and regret crashed over me.
What did I just do?
I had kissed the male lead first.
The very man I should have been avoiding.
Thud!
I shoved him away with all my strength.
…Or at least, I tried to.
His chest was so solid…
That despite putting my entire weight into it…
He didn’t budge in the slightest.
Instead…
I was the one pushed backward.
I stood there dumbfounded.
My mouth hanging open as I staggered.
Llewellyn gently caught my shoulders.
“Rose…”
He called my name in a worried voice.
Realizing he could probably feel my trembling…
My face instantly burned red.
I’d kissed him first…
Only to shake like a drenched puppy afterward.
It was unbearably embarrassing.
Placing my trembling hands against his shoulders…
I whispered,
“I-I’m fine…”
“So…”
“Please let me go…”
“I don’t want to.”
“…?”
I stared up at him…
My eyes wide with shock.
That answer had been the last thing I’d expected.
As our gazes met…
His emerald eyes curved softly.
Llewellyn pulled me into another embrace.
“If I let go…”
“You’ll collapse.”
“N-No…”
“What do you mean, no?”
“You’re trembling like this…”
His voice was incredibly gentle.
Slowly…
He stroked my back.
It was hard to believe this was the same man…
Who had kissed me like a starving beast only moments earlier.
I wondered whether I should push him away again.
But eventually…
I gave up.
My hands slowly fell to my sides.
As soon as I stopped resisting…
Llewellyn caressed my cheek…
Then pressed a soft kiss against my forehead.
It was such an affectionate gesture.
The kind lovers shared.
Emotion welled up inside me again.
Did he treat countless other women this way too?
…No.
Wait.
He wasn’t in his right mind.
Why was I doing this with someone who had essentially gone mad?
Guilt washed over me.
‘Enough.’
‘Let’s separate.’
‘Please come back to your senses…’
When I squirmed in his arms…
Llewellyn unexpectedly released me.
I stepped away from him…
Avoiding his gaze.
Thankfully…
My trembling had stopped.
My legs no longer shook.
Still refusing to look at him…
I quietly murmured,
“I’m sorry…”
“…”
“I…”
“I acted too impulsively.”
“It won’t happen again.”
I expected him to answer immediately.
Instead…
Silence lingered.
Slowly…
I raised my head.
Llewellyn was quietly watching me.
His expression unreadable.
Should I just tell him we both needed to sleep…
Then run away?
Just as I hesitated…
He finally spoke.
“To me…”
He spoke slowly…
As though savoring every single word.
“So…”
“You felt an impulse toward me.”
“Rose.”
A broad smile spread across his impossibly handsome face.
He looked genuinely delighted.
He even laughed aloud.
“Haha.”
…Why was he laughing?
I blinked in confusion.
Completely unsure how to respond.
Covering the corner of his mouth with one hand…
He murmured to himself,
“This was worth it.”
“…What?”
I reflexively asked.
Llewellyn smiled sweetly.
“It’s nothing.”
“…?”
“More importantly…”
“It’s getting late.”
“Shall I carry you to your bedroom?”
“N-No!”
I practically screamed.
Frantically waving both hands…
I hurried backward.
For some reason…
That only made Llewellyn laugh even more.
Unlike before…
He didn’t try to close the distance between us.
He simply stood there…
Watching me with a relaxed smile.
Somehow…
The tense atmosphere between us loosened slightly.
Meeting my eyes directly…
Llewellyn took a single step forward.
Only one.
Close enough that he could reach me with an outstretched hand…
But not close enough to embrace me.
He gently gathered a handful of my rose-colored hair.
Then softly kissed it.
Still holding my hair…
He lifted his eyes to meet mine.
“Sleep well, Rose.”
“…”
Something bordering on madness flickered within that intense gaze.
And once again…
I became convinced.
He really had lost his mind.
Receiving such affection from a man beautiful enough to make even the gods jealous…
Should have made my heart flutter.
Instead…
I felt nothing but bewilderment…
And worry.
How…
How was I supposed to return the Duke of Lasiane to his senses?
‘…I don’t know.’
‘I’ll sleep first.’
‘Then I’ll think about it tomorrow.’
Both my body and my mind were utterly exhausted.
More than anything…
I wanted to hide in my room.
Anywhere…
As long as it was somewhere beyond his gaze.
As I slowly stepped backward…
The strands of hair he’d been holding slipped free…
Floating gently through the air.
Avoiding his eyes…
I mumbled,
“Good night.”
Then I quickly turned around…
And hurried upstairs to the second floor.
I entered my favorite attic room in the villa…
Locked the door securely behind me…
And only then did the tension finally leave my body.
Sliding down against the door…
I sank onto the floor.
The attic’s low ceiling gave the small space a strange sense of comfort.
But the turmoil inside my heart refused to settle.
“Hah…”
I buried my face in both hands and sighed deeply.
At this rate…
My heart was going to fall apart.
How much longer would I have to keep worrying every time I saw that man?
‘Maybe…’
‘I shouldn’t have come to the villa at all.’
For the first time…
I regretted coming to this beautiful seaside villa.
The peaceful summer vacation I’d imagined…
Had taken an utterly unexpected turn…
Because of one chance encounter.
* * *
Morning arrived.
My eyes flew open immediately.
In truth…
I’d barely slept three or four hours.
I’d stayed awake until dawn…
Only managing to drift off for a short while.
Even so…
I felt an inexplicable sense of duty.
I had to wake up before that man did.
Yesterday…
I’d run away from him.
But after calming down a little…
Leaving him alone suddenly made me uneasy.
‘He’s crazy!’
‘What if he causes trouble?!’
The contracted beast was supposedly keeping watch over him.
But you never knew.
After all…
He was none other than Duke Llewellyn Lasiane.
Just because he’d lost his mind…
Didn’t mean he’d become weak.
Subduing a single magical beast would be effortless for someone like him.
After quickly brushing my teeth and washing my face…
I changed into a comfortable summer dress…
Then hurried downstairs.
Fortunately…
Llewellyn still seemed to be asleep.
I quietly approached the bedroom I’d given him.
Carefully…
I opened the door.
Peeking through the narrow gap…
I saw Llewellyn sleeping peacefully.
Like an angel.
He lay perfectly straight beneath the blankets.
Watching him…
I suddenly understood why everyone called him…
“A courteous, honest, and upright young gentleman.”
Sadly…
He was currently only half in his right mind…
Thanks to the aftereffects of his mana rampage.
And there was no telling when another episode might strike.
Feeling slightly nervous…
I stepped into the bedroom.
No matter what…
I had to wake him for breakfast.
After that…
There were many questions I wanted to ask him.
Though I had no confidence I’d receive sensible answers.
Quietly…
I approached the bed.
Slowly…
I reached out my hand.
The moment my fingertips touched his bare skin…
A shiver ran through me.
Startled…
I jerked slightly.
After calming myself…
I gently shook him.
“Duke Lasiane.”
“…”
“Your Grace.”
“Please wake up.”
“It’s morning.”
“…”
“Your Grace?”
No matter how many times I called…
There wasn’t the slightest sign he would wake.
Just as I wondered whether I should lightly pinch his cheek…
Llewellyn slowly opened his eyes.
Silently…
He looked at me.
Perhaps it was the morning sunlight…
Or perhaps it was simply because he was too beautiful…
But he dazzled me.
I narrowed my eyes.
For just one careless moment…
A large, powerful hand suddenly seized my wrist.
Before I could even react…
He yanked me onto the bed.
