Chapter 136
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: A Parting Kiss
Not long after Lord Artban left, a letter arrived from my family.
I began to read the letter, happy to receive it. Seeing my expression subtly darken, Hestia approached me cautiously.
"What is it, my lady? What does the letter say?"
"It seems it's time for me to go back, Hestia."
"Back to the family? But why do you look so..."
"I suppose I've grown attached to this place without realizing it."
Having spent nearly two months at Kiraas Castle, it was understandable. I felt a bittersweet, complex emotion.
I could finally go home, but what weighed on my mind was surely Sage.
"I'm going out for a bit."
"You're going to see the Young Lord of Kiraas, aren't you?"
"Ahaha... Yes."
There was no need to hide it anymore. Everyone knew about my relationship with Sage.
I said I'd be back and left the room.
When I arrived at the office where Sage was likely to be and knocked, the silence within was broken by a flurry of movement before the door was flung open.
Startled, I took a step back and looked up at his aide, Eve.
He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, with dark circles hollowing out his eyes. He looked so pitiful that I couldn't help but worry.
"...Are you all right?"
After a moment's hesitation, I spoke. Eve, who had been hastily straightening his clothes, paused and looked at me as if caught off guard.
"Hello, Lady Aileen. Of course, I am perfectly fine."
"..."
"Are you here to see the Doryeonnim?"
"Yes, I am, but... if he's busy, should I come back later?"
Seeing how unwell Eve looked, I figured Sage must be busy as well.
I glanced over Eve's shoulder as I spoke, but he shook his head, denying it.
"No, he's not busy. Please, come in."
*Can I really go in?*
It was a little strange, but I had something to tell him, so I nodded and stepped inside.
Eve quickly stepped aside, ushering me in.
"Aileen. Welcome."
"Yes. ...Are you sure it's okay for me to come in?"
I asked again, looking around the slightly cluttered interior.
It didn't seem this busy just a few days ago.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Eve began to complain.
"I have no idea what the Doryeonnim is doing all night... but thanks to him, my workload has exploded. I'm dying here."
"What?"
"It's not like we have enough work to pull all-nighters, but he stays up all night, whether it's in his office or his bedroom. It's been over three weeks now. And it's gotten even worse since Lord Artban left..."
"Eve. That's enough. You may leave."
"Yes. Understood."
Eve fled the office as if escaping the moment Sage finished speaking.
His retreat showed just how much he'd been suffering.
Anyway, Sage has been staying up all night?
I had no idea. Why was he skipping sleep?
I approached Sage, who had stood up and was now gesturing for me to sit on the sofa, and stared at him intently.
"Why have you been staying up all night?"
"Just had a few things to do."
"You're lying. ...It's because of me, isn't it?"
Three weeks ago—the timing matched up. It was when Sage started questioning the necklace I wore.
And if he's been staying up all night since then, it must mean he's still trying to uncover the secret I won't tell him.
Plus, Eve said it got worse after Lord Artban left. There was no doubt.
In response to my confident assertion, Sage neither denied it nor confirmed it.
"What brings you to my office? I thought you'd be at the training grounds by now."
"Got something else you want to blow up? Besides, I won't be using the training grounds anymore."
"What do you mean by that?"
Sage paused and asked. I shrugged.
It was bound to happen eventually, so I decided to deliver the news as calmly as possible.
"I'm going back to my family. I counted, and I've been here for almost two months."
"...Has it really been that long?"
"Yeah. Time flies, doesn't it?"
It felt like I'd just arrived yesterday. Now I've come of age and can control my power reasonably well.
There was no reason to remain in the North any longer. That must be why Kaide told me to come back.
Besides, with Diel Artban also gone from the North, now was the perfect time to return to the South.
Hearing that I had to leave, Sage stared at me blankly for a moment before speaking.
"When are you leaving?"
"Hmm. As soon as I'm ready. As quickly as possible. The situation with the East isn't great, after all. It's best to return to the South before something happens, right?"
"Yes. That would be for the best."
...What is this feeling?
I had spoken calmly, but Sage's even calmer reaction made my mood sink strangely.
I thought he'd at least try to ask me not to go, just once, but there was nothing of the sort. In fact, he agreed it was better for me to leave?
"What? Were you hoping I'd leave soon?"
"Of course not."
"Then?"
I narrowed my eyes and pressed him. When I moved closer, sat right next to him, and looked up, Sage flinched back slightly.
Did he just... pull away?
I stared up at him in shock, and his brow furrowed slightly.
"Don't misunderstand, Aileen. It's not what you think."
"And what am I thinking?"
"...Then why do you keep getting closer, as if you know why I'm acting like this?"
...Why he's acting like this? Why did the conversation suddenly turn that way?
I blinked in bewilderment, and Sage let out a low sigh.
Then, with a look of clear distress, he covered his eyes. I studied him slowly.
Looking at him like this, I could see that Sage's pheromones were subtly leaking out, not fully contained.
He seemed to be trying to suppress them, but as a sensory type, I could feel them very clearly.
The pheromones, wavering sensitively and yearningly, were desperate to get out.
What is this...?
I tilted my head and gently took Sage's hand.
In response, his face twisted in distress.
"Sage... why is this happening?"
"Haa... Please, stop it now, Aileen."
The moment our hands touched, his pheromones clung to me as if they had been waiting.
I found it amusing and poked at them. Each time, the pheromones flinched and jumped.
At the same time, the veins on the hand gripping the sofa bulged as if he were enduring the stimulation.
"Don't tell me... is this because of my pheromones?"
Since when? He never let on before.
At my innocent question, Sage muttered something brief before pulling me onto his lap in one swift motion. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, preventing me from pulling away.
As my eyes widened in surprise, Sage buried his face in my shoulder.
"Aileen, ever since you came of age, my pheromones have been like this every day. They try to rush out as if greeting a long-awaited master. It's driving me crazy."
"What?"
"Who knows. You might even hold the solution in your hands."
So... his pheromones have been reacting to me ever since that day?
Then why didn't I know all this time...?
I suppose I was too preoccupied with learning how to control my own pheromones from Hestia.
And I don't usually check the state of other people's pheromones.
I looked down at Sage. My gaze was now slightly higher than his.
"But why didn't you tell me?"
"...How could I tell you that?"
"Why not?"
"You seem to think things are so simple sometimes. But to me, you're incredibly difficult, Aileen."
"..."
"If I told you, what kind of look do you think you'd give me?"
...I had a pretty good idea of what he was worried about. I suppressed a laugh.
"What did the physician say?"
"...That it seems to be related to my coming of age. That my body seems to consider you my mate."
Ah. For some reason, that made sense, and I nodded.
On the day I came of age, Sage had dramatically come of age as well by pouring all of his pheromones into me.
I figured his pheromones might have been influenced by mine in the process.
Thinking back, Sage really could have died. What would he have done if he hadn't come of age? Why did he do something so reckless?
I placed my hands on Sage's shoulders. I saw him squint, as if to ask what I was doing.
"Did you not understand what I said?"
"I did."
"..."
"So what? We're not just friends anymore."
If Sage's pheromones wanted to touch me, then I should just let them. It wasn't a bad thing for me. There was no reason not to.
I gave him a light peck on the lips, and Sage's blue eyes wavered fiercely.
"You..."
"Once I go back, I don't know when I'll see you again."
"..."
"We can at least kiss, can't we?"
Before I could even finish, I felt a hand strongly pulling the back of my head.
I closed my eyes. Softly touching lips parted, and ragged breaths, whose I couldn't tell, were exchanged.
I wrapped my arms around Sage's neck. As I pressed myself into his embrace, he seemed to stiffen for a moment before letting out a low groan.
In a daze, I slowly opened my eyes, only for my vision to flip as I was laid down on the sofa.
His refreshing pheromones began to pour into me without restraint, as if in joy, staining me from the inside. I let out a soft breath.
I could hear Sage's ragged breathing by my ear.
Supporting himself with one arm, he used his other hand, which had been cupping my face, to gently tuck a stray strand of my messy hair behind my ear. He has the presence of mind to do that right now?
Inwardly surprised, I let out a small laugh. Sage made a guttural sound and bit my lip, just hard enough to hurt.
"Ow! That hurts."
"Why are you thinking about something else? Am I not good enough?"
"Huh? Oh... no."
I had no one to compare him to, so I couldn't be sure, but the giddy, ticklish feeling was actually nice.
Not knowing how to answer, I gently pulled him down by the neck and kissed him. The moment our lips touched again, I closed my eyes at the sensation of him delving deeper.
"So, was it the pheromones that kept you from sleeping?"
"That was part of it."
I stroked Sage's hair, who looked strangely languid, and let out a soft chuckle.
"And?"
Was that why he couldn't sleep for three weeks and was looking into all sorts of things?
I thought, looking at the books scattered around the office.
Most of them were written in a language I couldn't recognize.
"What are those books? I can't tell what's written in them."
"It's the language of the ancient Kiraas clan."
"Wow. That looks impressive."
Ancient script. My eyes sparkled with fascination, but Sage shook his head as if to say it wasn't all that special.
"It's a script that's no longer used. Thanks to that, all the forbidden books were recorded in the ancient language."
"Then what's written in those books?"
Sage didn't answer readily.
Hmm, so he's hiding something.
I noticed, but decided to pretend I didn't.
After all, there were only a few things Sage would be looking into behind my back.
If it were anything else, he would have answered without hesitation. It was obvious he was trying to find out what secret I was hiding.
It seems he hasn't given up on that.
Since I couldn't give him an answer either, there was no need to acknowledge it and stir up trouble.
"It might be hard to contact you once I return to the South, Sage."