Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: Shura Field (4)
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●
There were all sorts of ridiculous incidents in the game besides that.
But in the end, the result was this.
[ 1st Place: Beatrix & Dawood Couple! ] [ A magic stone ring has been created! Cherish it forever! ]
Along with those words, a pair of rings floated up from the game board.
The quality was ridiculously good. Even though they were fakes, they looked just like real wedding rings to anyone who didn't know better.
Then.
The rings that had been ejected from the game board flew toward me and Beatrix respectively.
With a ping, they snapped right onto our fingers.
“...”
“...”
Of course, it was just game effects. But the sense of crisis on my face and Beatrix's had reached its peak.
No, seriously.
Who knows what might happen...!
In fact, the moment she saw that ring.
Elnor squeezed her eyes shut.
As if she couldn't bear to look.
She took a deep breath, swept her face once.
“I'm going to get some air for a bit.”
Those words dropped onto the table.
To me, who had been barely holding on like blowing air into a fully inflated balloon, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Truth be told, in this nail-biting atmosphere, it wouldn't be strange if it burst at any moment. Still, if it actually happened, it was an event no one would be happy about.
She said she was getting some air, but anyone could see it clearly meant she was leaving and heading home.
But before I could say anything to stop her, Elnor had already shot up and was walking toward the exit.
Her gait radiated a chill that screamed "leave me alone."
As I hesitated, unconsciously freezing in place while trying to grab her, Elnor vanished toward the exit.
Should I chase after her?
What if I make her even angrier?
I hesitated for a moment with those thoughts.
“...!”
No.
What am I doing?
At least in situations like this, the answer should be crystal clear.
If she's mad because of me, I obviously need to apologize.
“Beatrix.”
“...What?”
“Please handle the aftermath.”
It was a loaded statement, but thankfully, she was sharp enough to get it right away.
“Hero. Want to talk with me for a sec?”
“...Pardon?”
“About the harvest festival. I bet you'd find it interesting.”
Just seeing Eliya immediately draw her attention as I bolted off proved it.
[What are you doing?]
‘Going to convince her!’
Meanwhile, I sprinted down the corridor.
The servants in the Tristan Ducal House gave me strange looks, but I ignored them and kept running.
I'd been training lately, so my stamina had improved quite a bit, but Elnor was in a league of her own among superhumans. Her physical abilities were on another level.
In that short time, had she already left the vast ducal residence? I spotted her climbing into a carriage stamped with the family crest outside the terrace.
“Wai...”
But before I could even finish calling her name, the carriage carrying Elnor sped off.
I barely suppressed a torrent of curses rising in my throat and looked around.
Running over there to grab her right now was impossible.
So, how do I catch up?
That's when something caught the edge of my vision.
“...”
Well.
It's probably dangerous, but.
Since when have I ever cared about that?
●
Elnor stepped down from the carriage after a long ride and let out a sigh as she gazed up at the sky.
The low hill behind the Tristan Ducal House had been her secret spot since childhood.
Whenever she felt depressed or stifled, she'd come here and stare at the sky for a long time.
‘...What am I doing?’
Elnor thought as she looked at the sky where the sun was slowly setting.
She knew better than anyone that this was immature.
It was just a game, after all. She also knew that both Beatrix and Dawood had been watching her reactions the whole time.
“...”
But.
Still. Even so.
She closed her eyes and stroked the ring on her finger.
The same ring that was on Dawood's hand.
It was supposed to be a token shared only between him and her. No matter how another woman tried to interfere, it was the 'connection' that only she possessed exclusively with him.
The feeling of that being encroached upon by someone else.
Even if it was just a game, she couldn't tolerate it.
Her chest ached. Tears threatened to fall. Just imagining it made her heart sink into her body.
So, she'd stormed out in a fit of anger.
She just couldn't bear to keep that sight in her eyes.
“...”
She sighed and swept her face down.
Well. She could sit here for a while and then go back in; it might feel better.
Without seeing anyone. Especially Dawood.
Elnor vowed that to herself with another sigh.
“Elnor!”
In that sense.
When she heard Dawood's voice calling her.
If she felt a secret joy, or even relief, deep down, that in itself was irritating.
It felt like she'd unconsciously hoped he'd chase after her.
“...”
Well.
She'd just resolved not to face him so her anger wouldn't flare up when she saw his face.
But hearing his voice made her pounding heart feel extremely uncomfortable.
Especially since she'd never once wavered from a decision she'd made until now.
“...”
Still, Elnor barely held back the expression that was about to soften unconsciously and turned toward Dawood.
She'd be cold to him this time.
Drive this man away coolly. Express her feelings straightforwardly and make him snap out of it once and for all.
That was the plan.
But.
“Dawood? What happened to you?!”
The moment she looked at him, a near-scream escaped Elnor.
And it wasn't unfounded; he looked like he'd just fought a battle.
Covered in dust, with dark bruises all over his body.
Blood dripped steadily from his torn palms, and fine scratches like cracks covered his face and body, beaded with blood.
"No, I couldn't catch the carriage, so..."
Dawood said awkwardly, pointing behind him with his thumb.
A horse.
Not just any horse—a warhorse.
The kind that kicks anyone who isn't its owner the moment they approach, but he'd clearly kept getting kicked by it while somehow taming it enough to chase after her.
For an ordinary person, it was dangerous enough to kill them a hundred times over.
"I had to ride that to catch up..."
“Are you insane?!”
Elnor cut him off and raised her voice in outrage.
“We could’ve talked later! What kind of idiotic thing is that? Don’t you value your own body?!”
“...No, I've actually ridden horses decently before—”
“Is that even something to say!”
At her genuine outburst, Dawood flinched and shut his mouth.
In fact, the sternness in Elnor's eyes as she said it was no joke.
She marched over with angry steps, then began inspecting his wounds all over, turning his body this way and that.
Meticulously checking if any were splitting open further or if they'd heal quickly. She brought her face close, examining every scratch on his body, then clicked her tongue and said.
“Get treated first. We’ll talk later...”
“I'm sorry.”
“...”
Elnor bit her lip slightly and stepped back a bit from Dawood.
With her gaze lowered a little, she said softly.
“Sorry for what.”
“Everything that would make you mad at me.”
Her first thought was something incredibly obvious like 'Do you even know why I'm mad?', amazingly enough.
But Elnor preferred more direct answers.
“With my fiancé right there, another woman causing a scene over you. Sitting there quietly isn't exactly praiseworthy.”
“Yes.”
“It’s not anger, just...”
“Yes.”
“A little disappointment. Toward you.”
“Yes.”
Her mouth burned like it was on fire.
She was the one arguing, yet somehow she felt oddly like the one in the wrong.
They say in relationships, the one who falls first loses, but anyone could see this was a perfectly valid reason for her to be mad at Dawood.
“...”
And the moment she saw Dawood's face staring straight at her, Elnor realized why.
‘...Ah, I see.’
She already knew it herself.
With this man, at least.
She was absolutely in the inferior position.
From head to toe. Body. Heart. Everything.
She'd long ago pawned it all to him.
So even venting dissatisfaction like this made her anxious. Worried that hearing it might hurt his feelings.
She couldn't even demand the obvious, to the point where she'd give him anything that was hers.
She'd fallen that deeply.
“I'm sorry.”
And no wonder. He'd wrecked his body performing feats just to catch up to a slightly sulky girl.
It's hard not to fall for someone ready to bleed profusely the moment they sense you're upset.
“...I see.”
Elnor hesitated in her response, then lifted only her eyes while keeping her head down to check Dawood's complexion.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“...How much do you like me? I mean.”
“...”
Dawood's eyes widened round, and heat rushed to Elnor's face.
She was the one who found saying things like this most embarrassing.
But even so.
She deserved some payback for making her feel slighted. It was a line she'd crafted to tease him a bit.
“...Convince me satisfactorily, and I'll forgive you.”
And at those words.
Dawood raised his hand to lightly touch the corner of his mouth.
An effort to avoid grinning right after apologizing.
“Elnor.”
“...What.”
Dawood smiled and walked toward her step by step.
“If you call me, I’ll—"
Elnor's attempt to continue was cut short.
Probably.
Because Dawood, who had approached step by step, suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace without a word.
And not stopping there, his face drew close in an instant.
“...-!”
A familiar sensation.
She'd experienced it a few times.
But paradoxically, one she could never get used to.
The feeling of Dawood's and her lips meeting, tongues and saliva mingling—that described it best.
Sticky, pulling, hot, gooey, thick.
As a flush crept up to Elnor's ears, Dawood slowly pulled his lips away and spoke in a low voice.
“...Is that answer enough?”
“...”
Elnor trembled and lowered her head.
“You, really, really—”
She half-sobbed, clenching her fists.
Finally, Elnor pounded on Dawood's chest.
“You're too much! Trying to brush everything off like this...!”
She could pulverize a human to mincemeat with one punch if she wanted, but her pounding on Dawood's chest was like lightly tapping with a cotton swab.
Even as she felt this embarrassed. This aggrieved.
Not a shred of real force, worried he might get hurt.
So, he did it once more.
Lips met lips again. Before they could tangle, Elnor let out a cute little gasp.
“...Haa.”
They stayed like that for a long while.
With a sigh, Dawood's face pulled away again.
All Elnor could do was.
Stand there stiffly, fist still clenched, right before striking his chest, her entire face burning red.
“...Will you forgive me?”
Dawood said with an awkward smile.
Elnor looked at him with stiff, unoiled-machine-like movements.
Tears soon glistened at the corners of her eyes.
She always ended up yielding to this man like this, and it frustrated her to no end.
“...Dawood.”
Elnor huffed and opened her mouth.
“At the harvest festival, just you wait.”
“...”
“I'll get my revenge then, with interest, plenty of it.”
“...”
So.
It seemed like forgiveness.
But the phrasing felt a little off.