Chapter 317
Chapter 317
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 317
Chapter Title: Fatal Temptation - Last Chance (2)
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The thought that everything was finally clicking into place.
And for Cheon-seong, it didn’t take long for that thought to become conviction.
Millia’s attitude, her tone, her actions, and even the way she looked at me—it all seemed like a sign.
It was only because I hadn't considered it before that I had been ignoring those signs.
So, I thought I had to give her an answer.
—Because I knew how Millia felt…
Now was the time for me to give her a proper response.
…
After the brief kiss, I felt like I had finally done it.
There was no turning back now; I had already made my move.
“……”
I had no regrets as I watched Millia blink blankly. I had acted as my heart dictated.
And now, all that was left was to face the consequences.
“…Han Cheon-seong?”
When she finally spoke, the chill from moments before was completely gone from her voice.
Seeing her lift her head to stare at me dazedly, I approached her once more.
Slowly.
Then, I naturally cupped her cheek and leaned in again.
“…!”
As I watched Millia’s eyes widen in a daze at my action, my heart took the lead in this moment.
Her black hair tickled my hand, and it felt as though it were tickling my very heart.
A soft touch.
…Our lips met again.
A strange sense of fulfillment welled up inside me as I saw her not rejecting me in the slightest.
And as I kissed her more intensely, I gently pulled her into my embrace.
Gently.
Her slender form… I could feel her whole body, completely limp, and I wanted nothing more than to hold her captive in my arms.
…Was it lust?
Or was it the explosion of longing for what I could never have?
Whatever it was, it felt as though the restraints holding me back had finally broken.
The feelings I had kept tightly suppressed.
Because of the countless crises I had faced and the reality of my situation, I had never tried to get close to Millia.
That was why even I was surprised by this moment.
“…Hah.”
As I gently pulled my lips away, her heated breath washed over me.
And her gaze was completely different from before.
A small laugh escaped me as I saw the look in Millia’s eyes, as if she were endlessly craving me.
‘Had it grown this much?’
I had called her my ideal type, but I had intentionally avoided thinking about Millia.
The various moments we shared.
And the flutter of excitement in those moments.
I tried not to think about them, not to recall them.
Perhaps I was afraid that I would fall for her more, that I would forget reality and simply throw myself at her.
“Millia.”
“…U-uh, yes.”
Her voice wavered as she answered, and even that, I found lovely.
Beneath her short black hair, her trembling eyes were fixed on me.
And since she was no longer trying to avoid me, facing me head-on, I knew how she felt.
So, I thought, I shouldn't hide anything either.
From the very beginning…
“You know, I’m a very greedy person.”
“Greedy…? You don’t seem that way to me at all.”
Millia answered awkwardly, as if she found the whole situation awkward.
Being held in my arms, looking at me, and answering me like this.
And cowardly, I planned to force an answer from her.
Thinking of her heart, which must have yearned for me even more than the feelings I felt now, I would make it impossible for her to give up on me…
“And I’m a very bad person.”
“Why… would you say that?”
“Because I have to tell you first.”
I spoke calmly, imbuing my words with deeper emotion as I gently caressed her cheek.
This was the first time I had ever seen Millia this close.
And now, with the coldness gone, her flushed face was even more beautiful than I had imagined.
…And that made her all the more alluring.
That I had engraved myself upon her, who was looking at me with such pure, affectionate eyes.
“It’s okay, whatever you say. I trust you now…”
But then Millia said something completely unexpected, and I froze.
“You trust me?”
“Yes. You showed me with your actions. How you feel right now. And what you think of me…”
Seeing her speak her heart so cautiously, yet so genuinely, unlike before, made my own heart…
…no, it was shaken to its core.
When Millia had said it was fine for me to be with Luna, I could feel she wasn't being sincere.
And now, I could faintly sense just how much she had truly yearned for me.
Seeing her, all her sorrow and negative feelings toward me gone, a wicked thought rose in my mind.
‘I want to hide it.’
Seeing how much she liked me, that selfish thought surfaced for a moment.
But I couldn't do that.
Because I absolutely must not.
“Millia.”
I called her name again, steeling my resolve.
From this point on, I had to say things that might make her hate me.
Even I knew it was cowardly, how selfishly I was about to force an answer from her.
But I knew.
—A romantic relationship.
And how much the balance between two people could shift…
“……”
Perhaps she sensed the change in my mood. I looked into her eyes as she stared at me wordlessly and spoke again.
“I can’t love only you.”
“……”
I could feel Millia flinch the moment I spoke, but I continued without pause.
“Like I said, it’s not Luna. But I already have people with whom I share my heart.”
I didn’t hesitate.
And I knew just how ridiculous my words must sound to Millia right now.
Even in a world where such relationships were common and accepted, I didn't think it was something one could accept without a second thought.
‘There’s no way.’
A person’s heart just doesn’t work like that.
“Han Cheon-seong…?”
At her dazed call, I took a short breath and spoke.
My heart had acted first, moving to hold on to Millia as she was about to leave me.
And… now that I had her, I had to explain properly.
“I’m prepared to accept whatever choice you make after hearing me out. However… everyone I’m involved with knows this fact. And they still accepted me. No, it would be more accurate to say they demanded me.”
I continued speaking calmly, never avoiding Millia’s eyes.
As she stared at me, I met her gaze and delivered my words.
“Does that mean… there are others besides me?”
“Yes.”
As I answered, their faces flashed through my mind.
And I could no longer give up my relationships with them.
In fact, just a few days ago, I had visited the Magic Tower to seduce someone.
…For someone like me to get involved with another while hiding such things would be unforgivable.
‘So, I have to tell her more.’
I had to tell her everything about myself, right here and now.
Clutch!
Millia suddenly clenched the hem of my clothes.
I could see her eyes cloud over, as if steeped in great confusion… but I simply waited.
The choice was hers.
I had told her the truth about myself, and now all I could do was wait for her decision.
“Then… why did you… hold on to me?”
At her blank question, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
…It was an obvious question.
What was I thinking, holding on to Millia in this situation? The answer was simple.
“Because it was only today that I understood your feelings. And once I knew… I couldn’t just give up on you.”
I was sincere.
…I had found out too late, and our relationship was already in this situation.
And compared to the affection she showed, my own was different. Perhaps my affection could even be called small.
She might be different from the others who had understood.
Even so, I wanted to try.
I wanted to express my feelings and not give up on her like this.
It was a first for me, too.
To approach someone like this, to act first, to let my heart lead the way.
And even now, that feeling hadn’t changed.
Tightly.
I saw Millia biting her lip as she looked at me.
Her eyes, which had been cold and then filled with affection, were now lost in confusion.
And she kept looking at me, biting her lip, lost in anguish.
“……You’re a coward.”
At her reluctant words, I could only manage a faint smile.
As she said, I… was a coward.
Nevertheless, because I didn’t want to lose her, I had approached her and acted on my feelings.
“Someone like me… can you accept me?”
Even as I asked carefully, I thought I was truly selfish.
…Even in this moment of asking,
“You already… know the answer.”
Joy welled up inside me at the sight of Millia giving me her answer with a faint sigh.
And as she said… I knew the answer.
The moment I told her there were others, and even during the conversation that followed, Millia hadn't tried to leave my embrace…
Perhaps from the moment I understood her feelings, I had known she would give this answer.
“I like you.”
“…But I only like you.”
Seeing Millia reply with a hollow laugh, I leaned my head toward her again.
This approach was of a completely different nature than the previous kiss.
“Ah…”
She seemed surprised again by my action, but seeing her carefully trying to meet my advance, I moved toward her a little more slowly.
I could see Millia’s gaze fixed blankly on my lips.
A gaze filled with affection and eyes filled with heat…
Looking at her, a clear emotion welled up. It was an undeniable joy.
The joy that Millia hadn't rejected me.
A soft touch.
And so, I could kiss her once again.
Softly…
Feeling her soft lips press against mine, I held her a little tighter.
‘There’s no turning back now.’
This was the last chance.
The chance for her to reject me. The moment she didn't reject even this, I no longer had any intention of letting Millia go.
“Eub…!?”
As I kissed her more intensely, Millia seemed to struggle and tapped my chest, but I only held her even tighter.
“……”
And before long, her resistance disappeared completely.
Instead, it was as if she was trying to accept my kiss even more.
Slowly…
She just wrapped her arms around my waist.