Chapter 41…
The Demon King is Enchanted by the Princess of Heat Haze <side Yoan>.
“What brings you here at this hour? Did something happen?”
Suppressing his distractions, he asked as if nothing was amiss.
“No, I was just thinking… and somehow I couldn’t sleep. The moon was so beautiful, I wanted to gaze at it for a while,”
Felicia said. Her gaze fell upon the beautifully shining moon and the tower bathed in its light.
The very tower where Yoan had been performing his duties until a little while ago.
“I realized that Yoan-sama spends every night there, putting all his power into protecting the country… and I wanted to watch,”
Her earnestness made his head spin. An angel, no, perhaps a goddess. It felt like his patience was being tested.
“It’s not for the country. It’s for you, Felicia.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
“Huh?”
“Because it’s the country where you live, I want to protect it. Everything else doesn’t matter,”
He looked straight at her.
Seeing her cheeks flush a rosy pink, he couldn’t help but reach out to touch her face.
“Yo… Yoan-sama…?”
At his touch, Felicia’s body shivered, and she lowered her eyes in embarrassment. His heart ached at how endearing she was.
“Felicia, if you can’t sleep, shall we stay together until morning?”
“Eh…? Um…”
Her cheek was warm under his hand. The sweet scent she emanated was intoxicating.
Through the long lashes of her lowered eyes, he was drawn to her glistening, amethyst-purple eyes.
—No, I can’t… I mustn’t lose control. I don’t want to make Felicia uncomfortable.
With effort, he pulled his hand away and draped his robe over her slender shoulders.
“The forest nights are cold. You might catch a cold, so it’s best you return to your room now.”
“Y-Yes… I will,”
Felicia nodded shyly, still blushing, her gaze lowered.
(Damn, she’s so cute… I don’t want to leave…)
Yoan clenched his fists as if shaking off desire, gazed at the sky, exhaled deeply, then gently placed his hand on her back and escorted her.
After sending Felicia to her room, he returned to his own.
He collapsed onto his bed, letting out a long sigh.
“Did I ever learn a spell to strengthen self-control…?”
His long-suppressed feelings nearly ran wild, driven by his desire for Felicia. If that happened, she would be scared of him.
For now, he must protect her from danger and capture anyone threatening her life.
(Get a grip, Yoan. What good is becoming a threat yourself? I have to protect Felicia… Ah… Felicia was unbelievably cute…)
Her expression, her voice, the feel of her cheeks, her scent—he recalled it all repeatedly, unable to fall asleep. He tossed and turned many times, tracing the roses sewn into the corner of his pillow cover with his fingertips.
A faint warmth spread through his fingers, bringing back the memory of Felicia’s body heat, and his whole body grew hot.
The next morning, it goes without saying, Yoan’s streak of early rising since Felicia came to the castle was broken.
