TLDOWN 29

CHAPTER 29

Was it the first time?

Contrary to what Lea thought, Akkia was just as troubled.

“This is driving me crazy.”

He’d impulsively followed Theo because it bothered him that he was going to see Lea. But now that he was facing her, he had no idea what to say.

“What the hell did I even do…?”

Under his blank expression, he let out a deep sigh. It was all that brat’s fault.

If that kid hadn’t said such weird things that night, he wouldn’t have done something so reckless.

“That night was more impulsive than even I expected. And then…”

The memory of kissing Lea, as if under a spell, kept him from getting a decent night’s sleep.

Every time he lay in bed, her face seemed to float above him on the ceiling.

If that had been the end of it, maybe it wouldn’t have stuck with him so much. But now, the biggest problem was—

“Why Theo?”

Akkia looked at Lea as she grumbled with a pout full of annoyance. Or more precisely, at her sulking lips.

“I really must be crazy.”

Either that or someone had poisoned his food. His greatest torment now was the overwhelming urge to kiss her again.

He had to admit it to himself—yes, that kiss had been impulsive, but it hadn’t been bad.

No, it was so good he actually wanted to taste it again.

Lea’s lips had been softer and warmer than he’d imagined.

Even a fleeting touch had carried a sweet scent. What would it feel like to really explore that tightly closed mouth?

And this urge haunted him at all hours—every waking moment, and even in his sleep.

Last night, she’d even appeared in his dreams, enough to jolt him awake.

“Excuse me? Duke!”

Lea raised her voice, clearly irritated that he wasn’t responding. He was supposed to answer, but all he could focus on were her still-pouting lips.

Akkia, not wanting her to see his palms were sweating, crossed his arms deliberately.

“I just… came to see what you two were talking about, that’s all.”

Truthfully, he was worried Theo might confess something to her. But of course, he couldn’t say that aloud.

Still, despite his answer, Lea continued to look at him suspiciously.

“Duke… you didn’t… tell Theo about that night, did you?”

She stepped in close and whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

So that’s what she was worried about—whether he had told Theo about the kiss.

Feeling oddly slighted, Akkia’s tone turned sharp.

“That night really got to you, huh? Since you’re so worried about it.”

“I–I mean…!”

She looked flustered, and for some reason, that gave him a bit of peace. He’d wondered if he was the only one dwelling on it.

At times, seeing her act so normal made him question whether he had dreamt the whole thing.

But judging by her current reaction, it clearly bothered her too. Akkia barely managed to hold back a smirk as he asked teasingly:

“Was it your first time, by any chance?”

“No! Of course not! I’ve always been popular, you know. Unlike you, I’ve had lots of confessions!”

Well, she was pretty enough, he supposed. But even so, his mood darkened.

“It was my first kiss, and it wasn’t hers?”

The thought that she might’ve done the same thing with other men made his chest tighten.

That guy who kissed her must’ve felt the same way. Imagining some faceless man sharing the same feeling made him sick.

Still, Akkia casually replied, hiding his emotions expertly:

“Well, I’m not all that different either.”

A boastful lie, of course.

He still didn’t understand why he felt this way.

❀ ❀ ❀

Things with the Magnolia Merchant Guild had more or less wrapped up, and there was no more need for Lea’s help.

The guild had even agreed to assist in producing emergency medicine for the townspeople.

“They’re better than I expected.”

She hadn’t thought they’d support something that didn’t directly profit them.

Thanks to Magnolia’s cooperation, she felt far lighter than when she’d first arrived.

“Now I can finally focus on finding the antidote.”

Sure, it was technically a break, but she couldn’t keep postponing her research.

That’s why Lea was at Trenne’s central library early in the morning. As a village known for herbal medicine, Trenne even had an entire section dedicated to herbology.

All she had to do now was calmly look through the resources here. But then—

“Why?!”

“The library’s bigger than I expected,” came Akkia’s surprised voice from behind her.

“Why did he have to follow me here too?”

She really didn’t want to see his face today.

But he’d insisted on coming, saying she might slack off without supervision. Lea sighed inwardly.

And ‘bigger than expected’? Sure, it wasn’t on par with the Imperial Library, but Trenne’s library was well-known in the area.

It was large for a national library, with an impressive range of books.

“Trenne’s not some backwater city.”

Still, his words bothered her. Somehow, she felt hurt by even his offhand comments.

Of course, she knew he hadn’t meant anything by it. But even so, her feelings were bruised.

“Trenne’s actually a very nice city. It’s just a mess right now because of the flood.”

Lea answered with a small sigh, trying to keep her voice neutral, though it came out rather curt.

“Sure, it can’t compare to the capital or the palace, where you’re from, but still.”

She hadn’t meant to be so sharp.

[Well, I’m not all that different either.]

His words echoed in her mind. How casually he had said it wasn’t his first kiss.

“It was my first, though!”

The memory of that stolen kiss—her first kiss—was enough to make her sit up in bed in the middle of the night.

“It’s so unfair.”

And he never even tried to explain it. On top of that, when he’d asked if it was her first kiss, there was something smug in his expression.

Maybe if she didn’t have to see his face, she could calm down. But since that day, they’d somehow been spending more time together.

Afraid he might notice how her feelings were changing, Lea quickly turned away.

“If there’s a book you’d like to read, please go find it. I’ll look for something to help with antidote development.”

“…”

“Oh, the humanities section is over on the other side. Well, then!”

She primly pointed toward the opposite corner. But as she turned to walk away—

Step. Step.

She heard footsteps behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was him.

“I even showed him where the humanities section is. Why is he following me?”

Unable to ignore it anymore, she whirled around.

“Why are you following me? Your books are over there.”

“I’m not following you,” he replied.

“Then where are you going? This section is for herbology…”

With a faint smirk, Akkia walked past her and gestured with his chin toward the section right beside hers.

“The history section. See?”

And with an arrogant smile, he disappeared into the shelves.

…

…

“Ugh, why is he so irritating?”

Even while pulling out books, Lea couldn’t stop thinking about him.

“Anyone would get the wrong idea if someone followed them that closely!”

She couldn’t forget the look in his eyes—that strange intensity, like he was staring at a dying axe-thrower.

Grumbling, she glanced up at the bookshelf.

Some books were placed too high for her to reach. Spotting a wooden ladder nearby, she pulled it over and climbed up.

“Wow, they got a lot of new releases over the past five years.”

There were plenty of books she hadn’t seen before. She began pulling out those that focused on poisons and antidotes.

Before long, she was cradling a heavy stack in her arms.

As she scanned for more, one title caught her eye:

“How to Use Poison Properly?”

It was a book about toxic herbs. If it was in the antidote section, it likely focused on medicinal use of poisons.

“Mixing medicine from poison? That’s new.”

Intrigued, Lea’s eyes sparkled.

Most herbology books were thick and heavy, practically bricks. But this one was thin and looked like a quick read.

“I can get through this fast.”

She was just starting to descend the ladder when—

“Tsk. So that’s where you were—trying to bring down the whole bookshelf?”

Akkia had come right up to the ladder. He looked at her and the books in her arms with thinly veiled disdain.

Uncrossing his arms, he gestured toward the shelves.

“Just bring what you actually need. You’re not reading all that today.”

“I can read them. I’m a speed-reading master, you know.”

“Who cares if I empty the shelves or read all night?”

Her prickly reply made Akkia’s lips curl.

“Really? Then I’ll just have to see it for myself.”

He gave her a slight nod as if to say, come down.

“That smug look! He’s so annoying I could scream.”

Normally, that smile might have been charming, but right now it looked like the smirk of the world’s worst boss.

Just as Lea took a step down the ladder—

Her foot missed the rung.

“Ah—ahh!”

Books tumbled from her arms with a thud. She felt herself falling, and shut her eyes at the dizzying drop.

Pain should’ve hit her, but instead, warmth and an unfamiliar pressure reached her fingertips.

Then she realized the solid thing nestled between her legs…

…was someone’s thigh.

A familiar voice spoke, just inches away.