Chapter 136: Without an Excuse
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 136: Without an Excuse
The wall of ice that had been forged and tempered within me, piercing me with its sharp edges, slowly began to liquefy, losing its form entirely.
Why did he always say the things I hadn't even realized I wanted to hear most?
"Loik..." Annette began in a soft, gentle voice. "You’re more diligent and responsible than anyone I know. Even the knights said so—that there isn't a soul in the North who doesn't respect the Grand Duke. Besides, you’re always so kind and sweet to me... I can't tell you how lucky I feel that you're the one I married."
If you’re truly that lucky... won't you let me be your husband for the rest of our lives?
Loik ducked his head, fighting the impulse to lay his heart bare. His melted emotions had risen all the way to his throat, but he forced himself to swallow them back down.
I don't want to burden Annette.
Hadn't he promised himself never to speak those words until the curse was completely broken?
"...Thank you," he managed to say, his voice strained and low. "For saying that."
"I mean it."
Her red lips, parted like flower petals, were glistening and moist.
I want to devour those lips right now.
Loik swallowed hard as a heat spread rapidly from the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure he could stop himself if he kissed her now. At her sweet call, the veins in his neck stood out prominently.
He was just about to reach for her, unable to restrain his energy any longer, when—
"Your Highness! Are you there?"
A maid’s voice echoed from deeper within the temple. Loik exercised a Herculean amount of patience, curling his reaching hand into a tight fist.
"Cecilia?"
"I’ve come to prepare your bed!"
"I’ll be right there!"
Annette sprang to her feet. The wet towel clung to her body, revealing her soft curves in stark detail. She pulled the towel up bashfully, but that only served to highlight the milky skin of her thighs.
"I’ll head in first!"
Loik, the veins bulging in his fist, forced his lips into an awkward smile. "I’ll be out in a moment."
"See you later!"
Annette hurried back into the temple.
"You could have gone to sleep first," she said to the maid.
"Reta gave me strict instructions!"
The conversation between Annette and the maid gradually faded as they moved further inside.
"She nagged me so much about taking good care of Your Highness in her stead...!"
Soon, even the sound of Annette’s giggling vanished completely.
Loik grabbed a handful of snow from the water's edge and rubbed it roughly over his face. The white snow melted instantly against his skin, trickling down his neck. Everywhere Annette had touched him felt as though it were burning.
Was this level of cold not enough?
Lately, his body had been heating up frequently. Especially when he tried to hold back his desire to touch her, his body would boil over as if in rebellion. It felt similar to a mana overload, but the sensation was closer to arousal than discomfort.
Eventually, Loik climbed out of the water to cool his heat. There, standing barefoot in the snow with only towels wrapped around their waists, were his knights, shivering uncontrollably.
Ah, right. These guys were here.
"C-Captain...!"
"C-Can we g-g-go in now?" Teor asked, his teeth chattering as he clutched his own arms.
"It’s a good thing you’re all gathered here."
Loik cracked his neck from side to side and picked up his sword.
"Let's have a spar. It's been a while."
"Come at me three at a time."
"S-So suddenly?"
"Wait, weren't we supposed to be b-bonding in the hot spring...!"
"We’re practically naked right now...!"
The knights' lamentations were soon replaced by heavy breathing and screams of agony.
*
Cecilia didn't head to the guest quarters until she had personally seen to my pajamas.
The room I was staying in was a VIP suite inside the temple. According to Miel, it was the place where Venemus, the head priest from the Grand Temple, had stayed until he entered his eternal rest.
A few old booklets and volumes were tucked away on a bookshelf in the corner. It was a bit too early to go straight to bed, so I pulled out a book with a luxurious red cover.
What is this? Just a notebook?
The book contained a disorganized jumble of records on various subjects the priest had studied, diary entries, and verses from the scriptures. The handwriting was so poor it was difficult to make out the words.
I was about to close it, finding the deciphering too tedious, when a passage in the corner caught my eye.
[The Dragon’s Imprint]
Driven by curiosity, I read on.
[A dragon takes only one mate in its lifetime. When the destined partner appears, the dragon enters a state of heat, and physical stability is only achieved once the imprint is made. A mate who has been imprinted upon can share the dragon’s life force, mana, and even their thoughts and emotions. Once the mate appears, intense physical reactions occur regardless of the dragon’s will until the imprint is completed. Representative characteristics include a sharp rise in body temperature and glowing eyes.]
Turning a few more pages, I found another entry.
[The Elfberry is the only fruit capable of intoxicating a dragon. This is why it bears the name of the 'Elf,' a mythical being considered the dragon’s natural enemy. The legend of a hero who fed a dragon Elfberries and stole its gems while it was drunk is, in a sense, based on fact.]
That was the extent of what I could find about dragons for now.
There might be more useful information in here.
Between the dragon’s cryptic words from before and my possession of this body, it was clear that everything was connected to dragons. I had already been planning to look into it further.
Recalling those massive, glinting gold eyes from that day made a shiver run down my spine. My mind was already restless from being in an unfamiliar bed...
I wonder if Loik is back?
My cheeks flushed at the memory of him in the hot spring. Honestly. It wasn't like he was a statue; how could a man’s body be that perfect? It was practically cheating for his abs to be so defined that they cast shadows.
Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since we’d kissed.
Loik seems to have been holding back lately to be mindful of my feelings...
What if he has another overload because we haven't had physical contact in too long?
Maybe tonight, I could just...
This was absolutely not out of lust. I was truly just worried about Loik. Let’s go with that.
Hiding my ulterior motives, I peeked into the room next door where Loik was staying, but it was empty.
It’s been a while. Is he really still at the hot spring?
I wandered around and eventually ended up in the hallway. As I passed the chapel, I saw a snow-covered cloister through the ceiling windows, softly reflecting the moonlight. Drawn by the holy atmosphere, I stepped out into the corridor.
In the center of the cloister, where the paths crossed, was a small spring. Water bubbled up gently from the source. On a high altar in the middle of the spring sat a golden cup with a wide rim.
Wow, that looks like real gold... Does no one steal it even though it’s just sitting there?
The stones embedded in the base of the cup looked like real gems, too. Given the cup was there, I assumed the spring water was drinkable. I was thirsty after eating so much spicy tomato stew earlier.
I picked up the golden cup. The base rattled slightly as it lifted off the altar, as if it hadn't been moved in a long time. Perhaps because of the moonlight, the cup seemed to flash with a sudden glint.
After rinsing the cup a few times in the spring, I caught the rising water and drank. The water was incredibly cool and sweet. A refreshing sensation washed over me, as if clearing away all my internal congestion. Was the water especially delicious because of the serene atmosphere?
I was admiring the cup as I set it down when Loik appeared from the other side of the cloister.
Crunch.
His elegant steps through the snow were as natural and fluid as if he were the master of the temple.
"Are you not asleep yet?" Loik asked tenderly, brushing back his damp hair. The white moonlight settled beautifully over his handsome face.
"Have you been at the hot spring this whole time?"
"I was sparring with the knights for a bit."
"At this hour?"
Loik brushed off the question and changed the subject. "And why are you out here, Annette? Dressed so thinly, no less."
His large hand wrapped gently around my arm as he chided me, asking when I would ever start wearing a robe.
"I was looking for you, Loik."
Loik’s eyes widened in surprise. "Did you have something to say to me?"
My shoulders trembled slightly at the touch of his hot hand, which contrasted sharply with the cool breeze.
"I just... wanted to see you."
The large hand that had been softly rubbing my arm went still. Loik looked down at me with a dazed expression.
"You... were looking for me because you wanted to see me?"
Was that such a strange thing to say?
He looked at me with a gaze so deep I couldn't read its meaning. As I stared back at him, a bit puzzled by his reaction, Loik slowly pulled me into his arms.
He buried his hot face against the crook of my neck. His strong arms tightened around me in a gentle squeeze. I fidgeted slightly at the heat, which felt so good against the cold wind.
...It’s warm. It feels nice.
Loik, whose warm breath had been tickling my neck, lifted his head to meet my eyes. His pupils, sparkling like obsidian, shone even brighter than usual tonight.
He whispered in a low, deep voice.
"May I... kiss you?"
Finally, after all this time...!
Before I knew it, I was gripping Loik’s sleeve tightly.
"Does it hurt today, too?" I asked, the usual ritualistic question.
Loik carefully tucked a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. His hand traveled slowly down until it reached my mouth. His calloused thumb gently brushed against my lips.
"I just want to."