4
Ep 4
Cheon Hyerin entered the room without hesitation.
After dismissing her subordinates, she stood facing him alone.
Her eyes, fixed on me, trembled noticeably.
“…You already know why I came all the way here.”
She didn’t give me a chance to respond before speaking.
As if she couldn’t calm herself, she stopped a couple of steps away.
“…You said… you have feelings for me.”
She took a slow breath and placed her hand over her chest.
For a moment, she couldn’t continue.
Her head seemed dizzy.
She had brought it up again.
“…”
Silence filled the room.
Her ears were burning red, her lips bitten as if she were holding something back with all her strength.
I watched her struggle to maintain composure.
I saved her life, and now she’s here… to kill me?
What am I supposed to do?
If this was the game system at work, there was no reason for her to come except to kill me.
And even if it wasn’t—
There was no way her intentions were good.
Because a sincere confession made no sense.
Think about it.
In a world where only the strong rule, would someone like her fall for someone weaker?
Confess feelings?
To someone she met just yesterday?
I wasn’t particularly handsome.
I wasn’t rich.
I wasn’t especially talented either.
The only thing I had were two useless martial arts I couldn’t even use.
And it’s not like she could have seen through all that.
Fine—let’s say a confession was possible.
Then another problem arises.
If I say I love her, the system would probably kill me.
If I deny it, she might take it as an insult and cut me down on the spot.
A perfect dead end.
“…Damn it.”
She was still staring at me.
The only option I had—
“…I’ll follow the story.”
Even if this was the game world, maybe not everything applied exactly the same.
“……?”
I quietly reached out and brushed her dark hair behind her ear.
Her pale skin instantly flushed.
I could feel the heat through my hand.
Is she… angry?
She tilted her head slightly, confused.
When I touched her again, her expression became conflicted.
“You… you really… must you always…”
Her breath faltered.
She stared at me wide-eyed.
Leaning her head slightly, she exhaled slowly.
“…Is this really something to react like this to?”
Something didn’t add up.
Even after replaying everything in my head—
Ah. Maybe I touched the wrong side?
As I adjusted her hair again,
Her trembling intensified.
Her eyes shook noticeably.
“?”
She opened her lips before I could say anything.
I watched her quietly.
The atmosphere had turned serious.
Then she asked—
“…Do you need to make me yours to be satisfied?”
“…”
What kind of nonsense is that?
////
“…Yujin.”
Cheon Hyerin stared at her reflection in the mirror.
For the first time in her life, she cared about her appearance this much.
Even with light makeup, her beauty stood out.
But it couldn’t hide her emotions.
“…When I face you… I become strange.”
She muttered to herself, her legs unsteady.
If anyone saw her like this, it wouldn’t be brushed off lightly.
At the very least—
She couldn’t let him know how much he affected her.
Soon, she would meet him alone again.
She had to suppress the urge to stay by his side.
“…Why is it only him?”
She had never experienced this before.
Countless men had pursued her.
Drawn to her beauty.
Drawn to her strength.
Even the strongest warriors had tried to get close to her.
And yet—
None of them had ever moved her heart.
But him—
Just thinking of him made her heart race.
“…This must be it.”
She placed a hand over her chest.
It beat steadily.
Perhaps it was because he had saved her life.
If he hadn’t appeared—
She might have faced a terrible fate.
“…Yes.”
That must be it.
She nodded to herself.
If he had shown interest from the start, she wouldn’t feel like this.
But—
At the very end,
When he was about to die,
He revealed his feelings.
“It’s something I have to do.”
That single sentence shook her completely.
Her chest tightened.
Her breathing grew shallow.
She felt ashamed of how much she reacted to his attention.
And yet—
She couldn’t stop.
“…I need to calm down.”
She opened the door slowly.
Took a deep breath.
But—
Her entire body felt like it was burning.
“….”
She tried to speak.
But the words wouldn’t come.
Step by step, she approached him.
“…You said… you have feelings for me.”
“…”
He looked at her, surprised.
Was she mistaken?
Then—
She heard it.
His heartbeat.
Loud.
Fast.
A reaction that only came from excitement.
“…!!”
Her chest dropped.
“I… I…”
She couldn’t continue.
As she stepped closer,
Her heart beat even faster.
She knew this feeling.
She had experienced it herself.
And then—
He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“…!!!!”
The same gesture.
Her face burned instantly.
Something inside her snapped.
The restraint she held—
broke.
“…!”
Her heart raced uncontrollably.
She couldn’t speak.
Heat spread from where he touched her.
Her entire body felt hot.
She just stared at him.
Like someone completely in love.
“…I can’t escape now.”
She realized it.
She was already too deep.
Then—
He reached out again.
This time, brushing hair away from the side with her scar.
She remembered his expression from before.
The way he had looked at her wound with concern.
“….”
This closeness—
It was her first time.
His touch was gentle.
Warm.
Her heart pounded painfully.
“I… I really…”
She struggled to breathe.
“…Do you need to make me yours to be satisfied?”
She asked, her voice trembling.
But—
“…Sword Empress.”
He whispered softly.
His voice alone made her heart pound harder.
She couldn’t meet his eyes.
His hand still lingered in her hair.
That small contact alone overwhelmed her.
“….”
She reached out and held his hand.
Warmth spread through her.
She took a deep breath.
Then asked—
“…How much… do you care for me?”
“…Enough to end up like this.”
He gestured to his battered body.
There was no lie in his expression.
“….”
What woman wouldn’t be shaken by those words?
Her heart pounded violently.
“…Why… your clothes…”
///
“…This might actually work.”
She reacted strongly to everything I said.
So I continued.
To make a stronger impression, I pulled back the blanket.
I was about to show my wounds—
But—
She immediately looked away.
“…You… you should put your clothes on first.”
“?”
“…It’s… too much.”
“…”
“…Why are you half-undressed like that…”
She looked at me as if suspecting something.
…That’s not what I meant.
I wasn’t trying to seduce her like that.