Sealing the Promise with a Kiss
When you're battered and exhausted by the world's chaos, a space to lean on and rest is something irreplaceable, more precious than anything else.
For me, that was my dorm.
Well...
"Dojun, you're back?"
"Yeah, Vivian. You doing okay?"
Because Vivian was there.
Especially on days like today, when I'd been hounded by someone who didn't speak the same language as me.
Vivian, who'd been sitting in the chair, approached me and reached out her arms.
I tried to scoop her up under the armpits like I used to, but it wasn't easy anymore.
She'd grown too big for me to lift that way.
"I told you it's fine to relax—why are you sitting in that spot?"
"I have to sit here so I can see you right when you come in."
Hearing that, I sat in Vivian's usual chair to test it out.
Sure enough, it had a perfect view of the entrance.
So that's why she always sat here—waiting for me?
"Vivian...?"
She started to get up again, but Vivian climbed straight onto my lap.
Leaning back against me, her light weight pressed softly into me.
I wrapped my arms around her waist to keep her from slipping off now that she'd gone all limp.
Her slender body fit perfectly in my hands.
It erased the hard feel of Vivian's stiff chair.
"Vivian, don't you wanna get up soon?"
"..."
Her irregular heartbeat pulled me back to reality.
Figuring it was time, I called out to her, but there was no response.
Maybe she'd fallen asleep? I slipped my hands under her thighs and armpits to lift her—and our eyes met.
Her face was expressionless as always, but somehow, it radiated dissatisfaction.
"What?"
"..."
Vivian turned her head away.
Still, she dutifully wrapped her arms around my neck, adjusting my posture to make it comfortable.
There's my Vivian.
Carrying her to the room, my eyes drifted to the Thousand Changes clutched in her arms.
She always carried it around—maybe she'd noticed something about it?
"Vivian. That thing."
"Yeah? This?"
"Does carrying it around make you feel anything?"
She pondered my question, sinking into thought.
Did she figure something else out?
"It's warm... and sparkly... and holding it like this makes me feel comfy..."
Vivian was Vivian, through and through.
Yeah, where else would my Vivian go?
I ruffled her hair wildly.
Thank goodness she hadn't changed.
If she'd gotten any worse...
My daily life flowed peacefully.
Or at least, I wished it had.
I smiled as much as possible, acted like nothing was wrong, stayed as positive as I could.
I accepted every request, never refused.
I didn't argue against even the most unreasonable demands.
I just took everything like a thoughtless drone, considered things from their perspective, empathized...
I figured that was my karma for possessing this game.
Ruphus had returned—the one who'd vanished before. He even had Ara with him for once.
Was he the one Latynia had mentioned sending to talk?
But something was off about Ruphus.
The lighthearted vibe from our first meeting was gone; his face was stiff and hardened.
"Shin Do-jun."
"What?"
"Follow me."
He didn't even wait for my reply before striding ahead.
The ominous atmosphere reminded me of that incident before.
I hurried after him.
"You went back to the Rasertia Kingdom and came again?"
"..."
"Gonna attend Prism again?"
"..."
I tried chatting, but no response.
He just stared straight ahead with that rigid expression, walking silently.
I glanced at Ara walking beside him, trying to signal her, but she was gesturing something frantically.
...No clue what she was trying to say.
After an intense game of charades, we arrived at Prism's main building.
Following the familiar path, we stopped at the door opposite the dean's office.
"Here again, huh..."
"Go in."
Unable to resist Ruphus's urging, I entered the room.
Latynia was seated there like she owned the place.
"You've arrived?"
"Yeah. What's this about?"
"After consulting with His Majesty the King, it's been decided that I'll continue attending Prism."
"And?"
"You've been recommended as my on-site bodyguard. Starting next semester, please coordinate your lecture schedule with me before finalizing it."
Latynia said it all with a blank face.
I still couldn't get used to that expression, no matter how many times I saw it.
"Fine."
"I'll brief you on the additional details separately. You can go now."
"Okay."
At her dismissal, I turned to leave.
As I opened the door, Ruphus was waiting outside.
"Looks like we're both bodyguards from now on. Nice working with you."
"Hold up. Wait."
I tossed that at him and tried to pass, but he grabbed me.
More to say?
"What?"
"Go back in. There's still more to discuss, right?"
More to discuss...
There was plenty.
But was it my place to say it?
I'd already gone off-script once. What more could I do now?
"I don't have anything else to say to Latynia."
"You caused this, so you deal with it."
"Anyone'd think I did something shady. I actually fixed her up, didn't I?"
"You think Latynia's state right now is normal?"
"What?"
She's a princess—that's normal, right? Being in a political position and all.
"Sigh... Just go in first."
"Why?"
"Get in there, man!"
Pushed by Ruphus, I stumbled back inside.
Latynia was staring blankly out the window.
Still gazing outside, she spoke.
"This settles it, right? Even like this..."
Her face was filled with worry.
The blank expression from moments ago was gone.
She turned to me, and her face hardened.
"Dojun...-ssi? Why..."
"..."
I'd thought everything was back to normal, but it wasn't.
Latynia was agonizing because of what I'd done.
Because of the fallout from my actions.
I shouldn't have given up like that.
I shouldn't have just accepted it.
I needed to take responsibility.
I approached Latynia.
"What are you doing? I'll call for someone!"
She spoke in that stiff tone from before.
But unlike usual, her voice trembled at the end, and her eyes shook.
I closed the distance right up to her.
I could see her eyes quivering with anxiety.
I reached out to her again.
Just like that time—cupping her cheek, hand on her head...
Latynia still looked up at me, unmoving.
I gently pulled her toward me, letting her lean in.
"Ah..."
Letting out a soft gasp, she looked up at me.
Something swirled in her eyes.
I slowly lowered my head.
Latynia closed her eyes, as if anticipating.
This time for sure, I
pressed a light kiss to her lips.
I sat in the chair where Latynia had been, with her now on my lap.
She squirmed shyly at first, but when I wrapped my arm around her waist, she gasped and froze.
In that position, we talked—a lot.
"As you thought, Dojun-ssi, as the legitimate heir to the royal family, I can't get close to you. And you seem to be keeping your distance too... So I had no choice but to give up..."
"Is it because of my status?"
"The royal family is far more political and rigid than you imagine. Getting what you want is practically impossible."
"So you're saying I'm the one you want?"
Her face puffed up at my words.
Finally, I was seeing the real Latynia.
"We were having a serious talk..."
"I am serious."
"Ugh..."
She huffed in frustration, wriggling.
Latynia hadn't changed.
The problem was me.
My thoughts, my actions.
I hugged her tight so she couldn't move and said,
"What if I become someone famous enough to make a name for myself—someone even the king would approve of?"
"You?"
"Yeah."
"No way that's possible... Mmph!"
I silenced her nonsense with my lips.
Only after she'd struggled for a good while and finally quieted did I pull away.
"Pha! What was that?!"
"Aren't you underestimating me a bit too much?"
I'm a possessor.
I know most of what's where in this world, how to get strong fast.
Sure, mod conflicts threw some things off, but I could figure those out slowly.
Reaching a level worthy of Latynia? Piece of cake.
"Don't worry. I'll become someone worthy of you. You don't believe in me?"
"If it's you, Dojun-ssi... I believe you."
Holding her, I sank into thought.
I'd been thinking wrong.
Scared on my own, deciding alone, concluding alone...
I'd been unconsciously pushing Latynia away.
I'd had options but given up anyway.
My assumptions had only hurt her.
"Sorry, Latynia."
"What're you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Just... everything."
"You've changed a bit while I wasn't looking, Dojun-ssi."
"Whose fault is that?"
I shut up her pointless chatter with another kiss.
Only now did it feel like I'd purged all the emotions that had tangled my heart.
Only now did I feel at ease.
My path forward was clear.
No more reason to hesitate.