《Harmless Obsession for the Captivating Male Lead》 Chapter 1 ¡°Come here, Rose. You promised to help me.¡± Said a dazzlingly beautiful man while reaching out to her. Even in the darkness with the dimly litmp, his beauty remained vivid. The soft and fair tinum blond hair glistened, and the clear emerald eyes were like jewels. The man was as beautiful as a flower in heaven. Rosenia knew she should never fall in love with this man, but her heart still beat fast. ncing at him, Rosenia timidly took a step closer. Then, a mournful sigh came out of his mouth. ¡°Rose,e closer. That¡¯s the only way for us to make contact.¡± ¡°¡­Can I just hold your hand this time?¡± As Rosenia hesitated and earnestly asked, his handsome mouth slightly raised, then he spoke. ¡°Do you just want to hold hands? Really?¡± ¡­No, it can¡¯t be. How can she just want to hold hands with someone as beautiful as him? ¡®But, getting any closer with you will be awkward¡­!¡¯ Because he is the main character of this world and she is the younger sister of the viin! Rosenia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it and just shook her head. Somehow he interpreted her reaction differently, so with a relieved smile, he spoke. ¡°Right. I¡¯m d this is not a one-sided love.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Did she hear wrong? Who likes who? When Rosenia looked at him with her eyes widened, he tilted his head as if confused. ¡°You still don¡¯t know? My heart?¡± He asked her in a disbelieving voice. Rosenia just stared at him dumbfoundedly. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, you actually mean it?¡¯ ¡®Ah, that would be nice.¡¯ ¡°Rosenia, I like you¡­¡± ¡®Thest few days, the many nights we shared. All the words you whispered to me during that time¡­?¡¯ ¡®I thought you were just drunk in the moment¡­?¡¯ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I didn¡¯t say it carelessly during sex.¡± As if frustrated, he heaved a sigh. Rosenia absentmindedly blinked, then she came to her senses and asked softly. ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°Well?¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re going to talk about sex¡­do you mean that?¡± ¡°¡­Talk about sex?¡± Suddenly the atmosphere became as cold as winter. Without realizing it, Rosenia staggered backwards, then he sighed again and stood up. Then he approached her and said clearly. ¡°Our rtionship, Rose.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Once we¡¯ve started, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± After approaching her, he grabbed her arms with a wry smile and pulled her in. Falling into his arms, Rosenia looked up at him with her eyes wide open. tinum blond hair as gentle as the moonlight, clear and distinct eyes like the greatest emerald. A beautiful man, like a gift from god, looked down at her lovingly and smiled softly. ¡°Rose, from now on you¡¯ll continue to bear me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be mine alone to bear.¡± Slowly lowering his head, he gently kissed her on the cheek. When his lips, which had moved to the side, touched her ears, a warm breath flicked her ears and seeped in. ¡°So, I will continue to kiss only you¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that ce, hm¡­¡± ¡°And touch you as much as I please.¡± Rosenia soon came upon his bluish eyes, which were filled with ecstasy. Looking at him like she was possessed, in a very small voice, she spoke. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rosenia replied defeatedly. Smiling brightly as if he had heard the answer he wanted, he lowered his head and kissed her. Layer byyer, Rosenia heard the rustling of clothes being removed. As his hand skillfully caressed her, Rosenia shuddered each time his lips sank into her exposed skin. Leaving everything to him, she wondered how it turned out like this. It has been 20 years since she was reincarnated into this novel, ¡®The Duke¡¯s Lone Companion.¡¯ Chapter 2 A three year old. Too young to make sense of reality. Nheless, a three year old suddenly became aware of herself. Without any forewarning. Rosenia was just shaking her toy¡­ ¡®No way¡­!¡¯ Memories began to be entangled in her head. It was none other than the memories from her previous life. The memories made her see reality differently. For example, the world Rosenia was reincarnated in is actually a novel, and she¡¯s the younger sister of the viin who will one day die by the male lead¡¯s hands! ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ Thud. The snake-shaped toy Rosenia had been holding in her hand fell to the floor. At the noise, her wicked older brother, who was sitting next to her and reading a book, looked at her. His crimson eyes glowed unnaturally as he nced over at her apathetically. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How can someone ask a three year old in that manner? I tried to hide my chills while putting on a smile.¡¯ Then, her wicked older brother, Adrian, snorted as if dumbfounded and magically lifted the toy snake. A normal three year old would have gasped. And Rosenia would have been surprised too, if not for the memories from her previous life making her feel uneasy at such a sight. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re using gravity distorting magic so easily¡­You¡¯re only seven years old.¡¯ As Rosenia had expected, the talent of the viin in the original novel is terrifying. With trembling hands, Rosenia grabbed the toy snake floating in the air. Her wicked old brother, who is four years older, will one day seed their father and be the youngest member in the Mage Tower. But perhaps because of his evil nature¡­he will be killed by the male lead for causing all kinds of harm to the world! ¡®As for me, I¡¯ll die along with him.¡¯ At a loss for words, Rosenia listlessly shook the toy snake and let out a deep sigh. She thought she¡¯d be reincarnated with a golden spoon, but it turns out to be a stic spoon. If the plot follows the original story, her death is as good as certain. Rosenia will pitifully die by association because of her wicked older brother. Suddenly, Rosenia thought of how she could survive. Like the heroine in many of the romance novels Rosenia had read in her previous life, she thought she could tame the viin. Her evil brother, the crazy person over there, who was reading magic books even old schrs would find difficult. ¡®Kill¡­this damn guy¡­?¡¯ ¡®The three year old me¡­?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Are you hungry?¡± There was no fluctuation in his tone. His face was expressionless, and his crimson eyes were cold. Rosenia didn¡¯t doubt that he is the same as in the original novel, a cold-blooded psychopathic viin. ¡®How am I supposed to tame him?¡¯ ¡®Damn it, I quit. Let¡¯s just quickly die.¡¯ Rosenia threw the toy at his face, hoping that her wicked older brother will soon kill her. The long toy snake urately hit her wicked older brother¡¯s face. Rosenia was certain he would kill her after that humiliation. ¡®Alright, go ahead and kill me.¡¯ Having resigned herself, Rosenia waited for his magic attack toe. Her only wish was for him to kill her quickly and painlessly. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll show at least that much mercy to your own little sister, right?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± However, no matter how long Rosenia waited, the attack didn¡¯te. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Rosenia crept up and timidly looked at her wicked older brother. He was deep in thought as he stared at her, then he said something out of her expectation. ¡°You wanted to learn gravitational distortion magic?¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡®No, I just threw a toy in your face with all my might.¡¯ ¡°As expected of my little sister¡­You¡¯re also a genius.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®This damn guy, what are you saying¡­¡¯ Her wicked older brother sat her on hisp, then he opened up an easier gravity magic book than the one he had been reading. ¡®Are you going to ask me to read these tiny letters?¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re a genius, you won¡¯t find this difficult, right?¡± ¡®You crazy bastard¡­How old do you think I am?¡¯ It was clear that the fact Rosenia is a three year old has never crossed his mind. Inwardly cursing her ancestors, she looked down at the book. Although Rosenia didn¡¯t know if she could read this difficult magic book, she knew she had to pass this test if she is to have any hope of getting close to her wicked old brother. Rosenia touched the first page with her tiny hands and began to read slowly with her poor pronunciation. ¡°Fishy, to cat gavty dishortion mashic, the mana paf¡­¡± ¡®Firstly, to cast gravity distortion magic, the mana path¡­¡¯ Surprisingly, Rosenia found that she didn¡¯t have any trouble reading the letters. ¡®O-oh my god, am I a genius? Or is this my golden spoon? If not, perhaps it¡¯s thanks to my memories from my previous life.¡¯ The problem now was whether her wicked older brother understood what Rosenia had recited or not. For a three year old to read this much was simply incredible, but it was inevitable that her pronunciation would be poor. And sadly, her wicked older brother, who has a screw loose, seems to not have muchmon sense. ¡®My pronunciation as a three year old, I wonder if this damn guy understood¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡­¡± Her wicked older brother, Adrian, stared at her profoundly, then he spoke in a slightly stunned voice. ¡°You¡¯re a genius.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As a three year old, Rosenia knew her pronunciation would be poor, but unexpectedly her older brother was able to understand everything she had said. So just like that, Rosenia was able to pass Adrian¡¯s first test. A stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune. Adrian seemed quite pleased with the fact that she is a genius just like him. Ever since that incident, Adrian¡¯s actions changed and he would take her with him wherever he went to show her the world. Not only that, Adrian even told their father that he would oversee her magic education himself. Rosenia gave her father a frantic look right then and there. ¡®Father, don¡¯t allow this! Don¡¯t leave me to this lunatic!¡¯ ¡°Rosenia seems eager to learn from you.¡± ¡®What? No!¡¯ ¡®Idiot father! Did you not see your daughter¡¯s eyes?!¡¯ ¡°I guess it¡¯s because Rose loves me.¡± ¡®No, when did I¡­?! You¡¯ve got it wrong!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m d that you two are getting along. Then please look after Rose¡¯s education. Adrian.¡± ¡®Oh, no way¡­! No, I don¡¯t want to learn from my older brother who is a viin!¡¯ Rosenia quickly ran to her father¡¯s side to grab the hem of his pants and begged. ¡°Aye!¡± ¡°Huh? You can¡¯t wait to learn?¡± ¡®No, I don¡¯t want to! Did he not hear me say no?¡¯ ¡°Rosenia¡¯s enthusiasm for learning is great. Go ahead and teach her, Adrian.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ Adrian came and lifted her up. Rosenia had no choice but to grab him by the cor and curse him inwardly. ¡°You damn viin¡­ How much are you going to ignore me?¡¯ ¡®Just wait. Now that it hase to this, I¡¯ll tame you and make you wipe my foot!¡¯ With a firm determination, Rosenia had been doing her best to tame Adrian ever since. Thanks to her hard work, he grew up with a rtively mild temperament. That is, whenpared to the original plot. In other words, it is rtive. Adrian¡¯s nature didn¡¯t change much from when he was 7 to now when he is 24 years old. He is still cold-blooded, but now has be the youngest sorcerer elected to the Mage Tower and has made a name for himself. And Rosenia was now known as Adrian¡¯s precious younger sister hidden in the mage tower. ¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯m Rapunzel¡­¡¯ His overprotectiveness is so intense that even though Rosenia is almost 20 years old now, she hasn¡¯t even properly set foot out into the real world. Adrian would apany Rosenia everywhere she went. ¡®I only wanted to tame him a little bit, but¡­did I overdo it?¡¯ Adrian had a very serious sisterplex. ¡®I need some fresh air!¡¯ It was almost summer and Rosenia wanted to visit the vi by the seaside. However, Adrian was too busy to go. That was precisely the problem. Adrian, who always tries to apany Rosenia wherever she went, did not allow her to go down to the vi by herself. This time too, Rosenia begged him, but he just calmly smiled and dismissed it, saying ¡®No way.¡¯ She was outright denied. ¡®Damn it, you crazy bastard with a sisterplex!¡¯ Rosenia tore a paper into pieces while imaging Adrian¡¯s jet ck hair. Living with a person who has a sisterplex was so stressful that tearing up papers like this from time to time became her hobby. ¡®It¡¯s so stuffy staying in the tower during summer! Is there any way?¡¯ Feeling dizzy, Roseniaid down in the middle of the room with a deep sigh. The pieces of paper were scattered like feathers. ¡®Is there really no way¡­?¡¯ Out of nowhere, an unthinkable opportunity appeared. At the Emperor¡¯s request, Adrian had to go investigate the beast outbreak in the Southern Coast. ¡®Suffering at the hands of my older brother who has a sisterplex, did God find pity on me?¡¯ ¡°Brother! Let mee with you!¡± Boom! Rosenia shouted loudly as she broke through Adrian¡¯s office door. Having mastered gravitational distortion and strength magic since she was three years old, she has be so powerful that her breaking the door whenever she was excited is amon urrence. Rosenia gave an embarrassed smile as she ced the broken door upright against the wall. Adrian looked at her dumbfoundedly. ¡°Haha, isn¡¯t the door a little weak? You should have something stronger, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking at her with his crimson eyes, he scoffed. ¡®It¡¯s unfortunate that this human in demon skin is very handsome.¡¯ Jet ck hair, red pupils, and snowy white skin created a mysterious atmosphere as if he was not from this world. ¡°You also want to investigate the beasts?¡± ¡°Uh¡­do I have to? I just want to go to the vi and y! I couldn¡¯t gost summer. I don¡¯t want to be stuck in the tower again this year.¡± At her words, Adrian gave her a deep look as if he were briefly thinking of something. Then, after some time, he spoke. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you along.¡± ¡°Wow! Thank you, brother! I love you!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡®I love you.¡¯ Adrian was weak to such words. To be exact, he was weak to her saying it. It was when Rosenia was around three years old that she discovered this magic spell. It was when she said ¡®I love you¡¯ to Adrian for the first time. It gave her goosebumps when the words left her mouth and she thought she was going to die for saying it. However, it was Adrian¡¯s birthday that day and she thought she should give him something special other than presents. ¡®That¡¯s how I¡¯ll be able to change this wicked older brother into a human being!¡¯ ¡®The first time he heard ¡®I love you¡¯ from his younger sister, his reaction¡­It¡¯s so funny thinking about it again. His face was as red as an apple. This very same Adrian.¡¯ ¡®Huhu, even now¡­¡¯ Rosenia has used the words ¡®I love you¡¯ for over a decade. Perhaps that¡¯s why Adrian has gotten used to it, but his ears still turned red. This time as well Rosenia checked the tips of Adrian¡¯s fluffy ears andughed wickedly to herself. ¡®This damn guy will never know. The fact that his lovely, cute, and beloved sister is actually the reincarnation of a ck-hearted person. ¡¯ ¡®Huhuhu¡­¡¯ While inwardlyughing, Adrian gave a short cough, then returned to his calm expression and spoke. ¡°So you will just stay at the vi. Absolutely don¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± ¡°Yes, got it!¡± Rosenia had already decided to sneak out and look around the market. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a familiar for protection, so take it with you everywhere. When you go to the bathroom, when you go shower, and even when you sleep.¡± ¡®You crazy bastard¡­¡¯ Rosenia smiled lovingly and nodded like a good little sister. ¡°¡­Then go pack your bags. We leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yay! Thank you so much, brother!¡± Excited to travel to the Southern Coast, Rosenia shot back to her room like an arrow and started packing. White sandy beach, open sea, and a beautiful seaside vi along the coast. Not even in her wildest dream could Rosenia have imagined who she would meet there. Chapter 3 ¡°Wow, it¡¯s the sea, the sea!¡± Seeing the sea, Rosenia jumped up like a fish out of water. Rosenia was certain Adrian wasughing at her from behind, but she didn¡¯t care and continued to frolic around. She was just happy to see the sea after a long time. Picking up pretty shells, soaking her feet in the surging waves, and making crude sand castles; after ying enthusiastically, the sun was beginning to set. ¡°Brother! I¡¯m hungry!¡± Having forgotten where she left her shoes, she ran barefoot towards Adrian. Adrian was sitting on a mat under a tent by the shore set up by the servants and reading leisurely. He nced at her, then closed the book and stood up. Next, he strode towards her and lifted her up. ¡°Heuk.¡± ¡°Where did you leave your shoes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. I forgot.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± Carrying her in his arms, they steadily headed for the vi. Rosenia enjoyed the cool evening breeze while swinging her bare feet in his arms. ¡®What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡¯ Her stomach was slowly growling. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Be patient. We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry~.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Adrian didn¡¯t throw her off even though he had an annoyed look on his face and that surprised her. She is certain the original Adrian would have left her on the spot. ¡®Though a little scary, he hasn¡¯tmitted any evil acts. Is the rehabilitation a sess?¡¯ Looking pleased with herself, she saw Adrian frowned as if he was annoyed. Nheless, she smiled brightly. They soon reached the garden of the vi. Adrian carefullyid her down on a wooden chair. The wooden table in front of her was full of cooked dishes. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Eat slowly. Don¡¯t eat like a pig.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s dig in!¡± Adrian warned her, but she was so hungry that she easily ignored it and began to excitedly eat the feast. Grilled salted pork, spicy marinated chicken legs, and assorted mushrooms were arranged colorfully. Everything was so delicious that Rosenia almost cried. When she put it into her mouth and gulped it down in one breath, Adrian who sat across from her shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re a pig.¡± ¡°What¡­!¡± When Rosenia was insulted and became indignant, Adrian stuffed more food into her mouth. Rosenia widened her eyes and mumbled inwardly. It was a skillfully grilled beef tenderloin. ¡°Delicious¡­¡± ¡°¡­Eat a lot.¡± With such a full stomach, Rosenia leisurely took a long bath and went to bed. Tomorrow morning Adrian will head south and out to sea by boat. He has to fulfill the Emperor¡¯s request of investigating the sea. Rosenia will have the vi all to herself starting tomorrow. ¡®It¡¯s going to be a little lonely without Adrian around¡­Just kidding, I¡¯m free! How long has it been?¡¯ Her heart fluttered and throbbed with excitement at the thought of enjoying her newfound freedom. ¡®What shall I do tomorrow?¡¯ Smiling under the cozy nket, Rosenia fell asleep at some point. That night Rosenia had a terrible dream. She dreamed that Adrian said, ¡®You¡¯ll be locked up for 10 years if you get into trouble.¡¯
¡°Goodbye, brother. Be careful.¡± He scoffed at her usual goodbye. Particrly, at the ¡®careful¡¯ part. Adrian Hill, the sole owner of the mage tower, which stands tall in the center of the world, once said, ¡®there is no reason I have to be careful.¡¯ Every man, beast, and animal in the world can be swept away by his hands or trampled beneath his feet. ¡®Such a terrifying viin.¡¯ Though Rosenia thought as such in her heart, she smiled gently at Adrian. Without warning, Adrian stroked her hair. ¡®Ugh, you bastard! Do you think I¡¯m a dog or something?!¡¯ ¡°Take care of yourself. Don¡¯t wander around needlessly. Just stay at the vi.¡± Jeez, you crazy old brother with a sisterplex¡­ Rosenia was certain that he would never let her date or marry. Though, she has no such ns at the moment¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. It¡¯s fun just hanging out at the vi. Besides, where would I even go? It¡¯s going to be fine, I¡¯ll behave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Adrian red at her with a look of distrust, then slowly turned around. She waved at him with an innocent face. ¡®Go on, hurry up and leave¡­! Quickly, so I can gain my freedom!¡¯ ¡®Even better if youe back in a month.¡¯ ¡®Maybe that¡¯s how long it¡¯ll take?¡¯ Rosenia walked back to her room in the vi with a smile. Meanwhile, Adrian¡¯s familiar clung to her side as it followed her. ¡®This damn familiar¡­What am I supposed to do with this thing around?¡¯ ¡®Hmm¡­!¡¯ Touching her chin and looking at the familiar in the form of a ck wolf, she quickly came up with an idea. ¡®Let¡¯s bribe it.¡¯ Familiars liked mana balls for its high concentration of mana. It¡¯s like sweet cotton candy to them. Her mana was quite strong, so it was simple for her to make a mana ball. Rosenia made one on the spot and held it in front of the familiar. Its¡¯ eyes sparkled after sniffing the blue hazy sphere. It seemed to be asking ¡®are you giving this to me?¡¯ as it looked at her. ¡®Is this a familiar or a dog¡­?¡¯ ¡°You want it?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± After Rosenia asked the familiar with a big smile, it twirled its tail. She grinned at the very dog-like reaction from the familiar. Moving the mana ball around in the air teasingly, Rosenia spoke to it. ¡°It would be a waste just giving this to you¡­¡± ¡°Krkuu¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really a dog?¡± ¡°Kuu¡­¡± Like a splitting image of a dog, itid on the floor with its head down and timidly wagged its tail. Adrian had given her a dog. In any case, Rosenia had to bribe this familiar. That way, even if she explores the market, the familiar won¡¯t tell Adrian everything. Bringing the mana ball right under the nose of the familiar, Rosenia spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you if you want to eat it. But..¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a condition. You have to listen to my request.¡± The familiar tilted its head as if asking, ¡®What¡¯s the condition?¡¯ Although familiars can¡¯t talk, they¡¯re a higher life form, so they¡¯re very good at understanding people. Rosenia continued with a grin. ¡°No matter where I go, or what I do, or who I meet, you must not report everything to Adrian. Speak to me first if you do.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And in return, I¡¯ll give this to you. No, not only this, but I¡¯ll make you mana balls all summer long. Deal?¡± At her tempting offer, the familiar seemed to be considering it. After a while, the familiar made a ¡®woof¡¯ sound as it raised its head. Its answer was yes. ¡°Okay, is that a deal?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± With that, Rosenia seeded in bribing it. After Rosenia gave the mana ball to the familiar, it rolled around excitedly, showing that it enjoyed it very much. ¡®Is this really a familiar¡­?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m going to the market now. You want toe?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± The familiar sprang up and wagged its tail. It was shaking its tail so fast that Rosenia couldn¡¯t even see it. ¡®It also want to look around the market?¡¯ Rosenia put on a thin outer garment while petting the familiar. And just in case, she grabbed a small umbre before heading out. It was a clear day, but the Southern Coast is known to rain during the summer. And although Rosenia was sturdy, she would often catch a cold after staying in the rain. She wanted to avoid the rain as much as possible to enjoy this summer to the fullest. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be such a waste if I caught a cold and had toy down for a few days¡­?! The freedom I finally obtained!¡¯ ¡°I will buy some delicious fruit skewers at the market. Do you want me to buy you one too?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°What kind of dog eats fruit skewers?¡± ¡°Kuu¡­¡± Rosenia took her time walking to the market while having fun teasing the innocent familiar. The market was very close, as it was a five minute walk from the vi. As soon as Rosenia arrived, there was a lot ofmotion as she had expected. However, Rosenia was very happy to be in such a crowded ce. In other words, a ce with a lot of ¡®ordinary¡¯ people. ¡®Finally, civilization!¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s nothing but oddballs in the tower. It makes me sick thinking about it.¡¯ To her, sorcerers were divided into two categories. A little crazy and a lot crazy. Either way, it was the same to her. ¡®They¡¯re all crazy.¡¯ Being stuck among such people suffocated her and she thought she would go crazy. So to experience something normal like this market made her happy. Walking around the market with light steps, Rosenia looked at the stalls and ate delicious food. Rosenia also bought some lovely ss jewelries that were a bit crude. She liked them even though Adrian hated such things. That¡¯s why she often bought things like this without him knowing. ¡®Oh, is it going to rain?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s only been a couple of hours since I visited the market.¡¯ With a patter, a drop of rain fell from the seemingly cloudy sky. It was likely to rain soon. That being the case, Rosenia quickly returned to the vi with the familiar. And sure enough, as soon as Rosenia reached the vi, there was a loud roar as the rain began to pour. ¡®I knew this would happen!¡¯ Rosenia quickly opened her umbre and ran to the vi. However, in the middle of the garden at the vi was someone lying awkwardly on the ground. ¡®How did such a person find himself at another person¡¯s home in such a state?¡¯ Shaking her head, she slowly approached. At her arrival, the uninvited guestid motionless on his stomach. Tapping the fairly big man with her sandal, Rosenia spoke. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is private property. You can¡¯t just break in like this.¡± Looking closely, Rosenia found that the uninvited guest was a tall man with tinum blond hair. His height appears to be around 185cm. It was roughly Adrian¡¯s height. ¡®The man¡¯s head is in the ground, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be stuck. If I leave him like this, the rain will rise, and this man might die from suffocation¡­Do I have to save him?¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s a criminal on the run, what should I do?¡¯ If the man is dangerous, then Rosenia has no choice but to leave the matter to her familiar. It could only be considered his misfortune to have copsed on the Hill¡¯s property. Rosenia kept tapping the man¡¯s body with her toes, and then with a slight push he was flipped over¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Shocked, her eyes widened and her body stiffened. The man had an extremely handsome face. It was dirtied with mud and rainwater, but nevertheless, his beauty didn¡¯t diminish. His tinum blond hair was wet from the rain, but it remained glossy, and his skin was as smooth as jade. His high nose had a graceful curve, and his eyshes were long and dense. His lips were well proportioned and perfectly shaped. ¡°Wow, such a beauty¡­¡± Rosenia muttered in admiration as the familiar beside her roared, keeping its guard against the man. She knew Adrian¡¯s familiar could discern things that might be a threat to its master. ¡®Who the hell is this guy?¡¯ ¡®Anyway, this face¡­Haven¡¯t I seen it somewhere before?¡¯ The familiar bit the edge of her dress, urging her to be careful. However, she inched closer and scanned the man¡¯s face. ¡®Come to think of it¡­he looks familiar.¡¯ Sorting through her memories, she seems to recall a young face¡­ ¡®¡­Heuk!¡¯ The moment Rosenia suddenly remembered who the man was, she almost dropped the umbre in her hand. ¡®Oh my god! Rosenia had met him before. To be precise, at the royal pce¡¯s banquet held four years ago. Adrian usually doesn¡¯t take her to such ces, but that particr day Rosenia was able to tour the royal ce. And this man, albeit older now, Rosenia had seen him from afar that time. Even from afar, the young man was dazzling. Not only did Rosenia not dare to approach him, he is someone she knew she couldn¡¯t approach. Because ¨C ¡®Why is the male lead here?!¡¯ ¨C it was the male lead. Not only that, it was the viin¡¯s rival who might kill her older brother and her one day! Chapter 4 The hugely popr and highly praised romance fantasy novel, ¡®The Duke¡¯s Lone Companion.¡¯ A ¡®contracted love story¡¯ between a beautifulmoner girl with divine power, Sierra, and the Empire¡¯s one and only Duke, Llewellyn Rasiane. Although the novel was rather clich¨¦, it was extremely charming, which made even the boring clich¨¦s bearable. It was due to the out-of-this-world charming male lead, Llewellyn. [Will you please look at me? I¡¯ll do anything for you¡­] The raw mournful plea from the heart. [Don¡¯t leave me¡­You¡¯re my everything and my world¡­Without you, I¡­] Rosenia was a big fan of the male lead! Her obsessiveness got to the point where she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. [You can look forward to it. I studied hard for tonight¡¯s sake.] Because the male lead had never embraced a woman before, Rosenia couldn¡¯t help but to shed tears of envy at the female lead. ¡®C-crazy! This is so good! Ack!¡¯ In her previous life, perhaps because Rosenia had gotten so excited thinking about the male lead, she fell off her bed while rolling, hit her head on the edge of her desk, and died. ¡®I don¡¯t remember exactly, but since that is thest memory I have of my previous life¡­Anyway, that¡¯s not what matters.¡¯ A wicked family who will constantlymit evil against Llewellyn¡­ In other words, the Hill family, led by Adrian, the greatest viin in the original plot. And she, who is the Hill¡¯s family young miss. Adrian Hill¡¯s one and only younger sister, Rosenia Hill. This man lying here, their fated rival, such a man may one day end her life! ¡®But he¡¯s so handsome!¡¯ ¡®Llewellyn Rasiane, Duke of Rasiane, be grateful for your beauty.¡¯ If he was even 2% less handsome, Rosenia would have left him to die¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t let such a handsome man die¡­¡¯ ¡°Heup, up you go.¡± ¡°Woof, woof!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Using strength magic, Rosenia entered the vi with the male lead in her arms. The familiar continuously warned her, but as soon as Rosenia threatened to not give it any more mana balls, it immediately lowered its tail. Rosenia thought perhaps this thing is actually loyal to mana balls and not its master. At any rate, Rosenia went straight to the living room andid down the male lead onto the couch. With him being wet like this, the bed would have gotten dirty, so Rosenia chose to sacrifice the couch for the time being. She ns to move him to the bedroom once he¡¯s clean. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s undress him first¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± As Rosenia rolled up her sleeves, her body abruptly froze. ¡®Oh, the clothes¡­So, do I have to take off his clothes? Since it rained a lot, his underwear must be wet, right? Then, his underwear too¡­!¡¯ ¡®Damn it, too shameless¡­!¡¯ Although it couldn¡¯t be helped, Rosenia still can¡¯t believe that she has to undress a man herself¡­She just prayed that she would be able to control herself and not do something perverted. With trembling hands, Rosenia slowly began unbuttoning his white shirt¡­ ¡®Is it just me¡­or does it look like his shirt is going to burst at any moment?¡¯ ¡®What kind of sculpted body is this?¡¯ ¡®Does the male lead have the physique of a protagonist?¡¯ His muscle looked incredibly firm. ¡®I¡¯m not crazy for wanting to touch it, right? Right? It¡¯s not that I¡¯m perverted!¡¯ Rosenia was certain if anyone sees such a sight, they would have the same thought too. As Rosenia tried to unbutton his shirt with trembling hands, her eyes subconsciously became glued to his exposed abdomen¡­it was surreal. ¡®The hell, how many crunches do you do?¡¯ ¡®How can a body look like this? Is this all from the protagonist buff?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s so handsome, but he¡¯s got such a nice body too¡­!¡¯ Rosenia now felt relieved that she rarely attended banquets and had no chance to meet the male lead. It was certain that Rosenia would have fallen for this man otherwise. He was too handsome and charming. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡®Great, the shirt is off. Next¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡®P-pants¡­I have to take it off, but¡­¡¯ ¡®How will I take off his pants without touching? Too shameless!¡¯ It was driving her crazy, but what could she do? At a loss, her hands wandered over to the man¡¯s pants. Rosenia knew she had to take off all his wet clothes so she could change him into clean new ones¡­ ¡®Could I just leave his pants and underwear like this? But what if he catches a cold?¡¯ ¡®It looks like he¡¯s very healthy, but there are no rules that say healthy people can¡¯t catch a cold¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­Wait a minute, why don¡¯t I use magic to take it off?¡¯¡¯ ¡°¡­ ¡° Rosenia dropped her hands in a daze. ¡®Am I a fool? Can¡¯t I use magic? So why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯ ¡®This is all the Duke¡¯s fault for being so handsome.¡¯ ming his handsome face for clouding her mind, Rosenia took a small step back from the couch and sighed. Anyhow, Rosenia was d that with magic she can take off his clothes without her hands or looking. She turned her back to him and slowly cast her magic. It was easy enough for her to undress the man without looking. In a sh, the man was stripped, dried with a towel, and changed into one of Adrian¡¯s biggest tunic. ¡®I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a little difficult putting on his pants¡­Let¡¯s just leave it like this for now.¡¯ Turning around slowly and a little flustered, Rosenia checked the man¡¯s condition ¡®¡­I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the biggest tunic Adrian has, so why is it so tight? Why are your muscles so dense?¡¯ ¡®Also, frankly speaking, the tunic looks like a dress.¡¯ ¡®Is this man¡¯s dignity going to be okay?¡¯ ¡®Haha¡­whatever. You should thank me for bringing you here and not leaving you out to die, Duke.¡¯ ¡°Heup.¡± Rosenia carried him into the bedroom using strength magic. The bedroom on the first floor is Adrian¡¯s, so he¡¯ll be mad when he finds outter, but¡­there was no helping it. No matter how powerful her strength magic is and how much control she has, it would still be hard for her to carry a big man up the second floor. ¡®If I slip a little and fall, I feel like I¡¯ll be crushed under this guy.¡¯ Then she might faint. In more ways than one. ¡®Anyway, you¡¯re not wearing any underwear¡­it¡¯s going to be fine, right? Later I¡¯ll have to buy you one at the market.¡¯ Afterall, Rosenia couldn¡¯t lend him Adrian¡¯s underwear¡­ ¡°Oh my god, this is hard.¡± After arriving in the bedroom, Rosenia threw the man on the bed. The mattress greatly shook at the added weight. In addition, the tunic he wore was slightly raised, revealing his robust thighs clearly. Rosenia quickly pulled down the tunic, then covered him up to his neck with a thin summer quilt. Not only was her face bright red, her neck was burning, and she felt like she was going to go crazy. ¡®Indeed, the aura of the male lead is truly dangerous.¡¯ Deep down Rosenia was telling herself to be careful and to not fall for this man in a fit of passion¡­ ¡®This is Duke Llewellyn Rasiane. I¡¯m sure he hates my brother and evil family, which includes me! We must absolutely never cross paths!¡¯ Even now, although his sleeping face is as pretty as an angel and Rosenia couldn¡¯t help but stare, she slowly turned around, trying not to look. Rosenia decided to quickly go to the market and get some new clothes before he opens his eyes. Then, give him the new clothes and kick him out. The moment Rosenia was lost in thought walking out of the room, ¡°Ugh, heuk¡­¡¯ Suddenly, a distressed groan came from behind her. Just as her body was about to cross the door, Rosenia stopped and turned around to look at the bedside. The man¡¯s face was writhing in pain as he gritted his teeth. ¡°Heuk, ugh¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­W-what? Hey?¡± Rosenia was so flustered that she closed her mouth and carefully went by his side. At a closer look, beads of sweat had formed on the man¡¯s forehead. Hesitating, Rosenia reached out her hand and ced it on his forehead. ¡®Oh my god, he has an extremely high fever!¡¯ ¡®No, what kind of fever goes up this fast?¡¯ ¡°Hey, can you hear me? Please hang on. I¡¯ll bring you a wet towel and medicine for the fever.¡± ¡®Did he copse in the rain after catching a local disease?¡¯ Come to think, Rosenia had heard that there was an epidemic around here a long time ago¡­ ¡®He¡¯s not going to die, is he? The male lead dying of a high fever, that can¡¯t happen!¡¯ Rushing to the bathroom, Rosenia quickly took out a silver basin and began filling it with cold water. Then, she took out a suitable towel and threw it in. Next, she ran to the living room and took out medicine for the fever from the cupboard. Since Rosenia often caught a cold, the vi was fortunate enough to have medicine for themon fever. She hurried back to the bedroom with the medicine. The man was letting out precarious groans with a flushed face. ¡®T-this¡­¡¯ For the male lead to suddenly have a fever is a problem, but there was also another critical problem. Flushed white cheeks, a frail look that make one feel troubled, and heated lips that are slightly opened¡­ ¡®You¡¯re dangerously handsome, Duke¡­!¡¯ ¡®Sure enough, with such good looks he wont have any trouble luring the female lead and eating her alive¡­!¡¯ Her heart kept pounding and she felt that she was really going to go crazy. ¡®C-calm down for goodness sake. This is the male lead. The obviously righteous Duke of Rasiane who very much hates the Hill family. Let¡¯s not get in over our head and bite off more than we can chew! God!¡¯ With trembling hands, Rosenia opened the lid of the medicine. She wished that she could just pour it all into his mouth, but knew she¡¯d spill it all if she was to do that. So Rosenia had no choice but to use a small spoon. Picking up the medicine, she poured a little bit. Then, with her free hand, she lifted his chin and ced the spoon at his mouth. ¡°This is medicine for the fever. Don¡¯t leave anything behind, okay?¡± Rosenia didn¡¯t know if he could hear her voice, but¡­For the time being, she slowly spilled the medicine into his mouth. Gulp, Gulp His throat moved slowly, swallowing the medicine. Fortunately, he drank all the medicine even though he was unconscious. But with onest spoonful left, her hand twisted and she dropped some of the medicine. A transparent scarlet liquid flowed down the back of her hand. ¡®Ah, I need to wipe it off quickly.¡¯ After putting the remaining medicine into his mouth, Rosenia tried to quickly leave, but was suddenly caught by the wrist. ¡°¡­?!¡± Her slender wrist byparison to his big hand was gripped firmly. With his eyes still closed, he gently pulled her hand in, and began to slowly lick the medicine on her hand. ¡°What, what¡­!¡± Rosenia flinched at her wrist being seized by him. Slipping between his lips, his red tongue gently licked back and forth between her fingers. At such a dangerous sight, Rosenia was so frightened that she ended up stumbling. At that moment, the man opened his eyes and pulled her in. Having lost her bnce, Rosenia fell into his arms, then as if to support her, his robust arm wrapped around her back. Now closer than ever, their eyes met. The man¡¯s enchanting eyes were as beautiful as emeralds.
Trantor¡¯s Note: 1. Puppet changed to Familiar. Chapter 5 Rosenia unconsciously held her breath the moment they made eye contact. Captivated by the clear, transparent emerald light, Rosenia¡¯s mind nked and she could not think properly. As soon as Rosenia thought that she might be lost in the man¡¯s eyes, his fingertips touched her slightly protruded shoulder de. ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, an unknown sensation crawled up her spine. Startled, she tried to remove herself from his body in a hurry. Then, as Rosenia was about to fall over the bed, the man grabbed her firmly by the waist with his big hand. Pulling her closer and smiling slightly, his emerald eyes stared at her, glistening. The man opened his mouth and spoke. ¡°You saved my life.¡± ¡°What? Ah¡­yeah¡­You were lying in the garden of our vi. I couldn¡¯t just leave you¡­¡± Rosenia muttered in a daze. This was driving her crazy and she wanted to get away from him, but somehow the hand that held her waist gripped even harder. ¡°With the rainstorm outside, I¡¯m sure I would have died if left out there. Right now¡­my condition is very bad.¡± When his words fell, Rosenia took a close look at hisplexion. ¡®Indeed, he regained consciousness, but he¡¯s still in bad shape.¡¯ The man¡¯s feverish cheeks were flushed, and there was cold sweat on his forehead. Rosenia didn¡¯t know if it was a cold or an illness, but he was definitely sick. Nevertheless, in her eyes, it could not hide his dazzling beauty. ¡®Seriously¡­How can he be so handsome? What¡¯s more, he¡¯s the male lead!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d like to know the name of the benefactor who saved my life. If it¡¯s alright, could you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± At the man¡¯s question, Rosenia couldn¡¯t answer right away and was troubled momentarily. ¡®Should I tell him that I¡¯m Rosenia Hill or not?¡¯ In fact, it was clear that the man had already guessed her identity even without her having to tell him. Because her scarlet hair and eyes resembling summer roses are the distinct characteristic of the famous Rosenia Hill. Also, this was the Hill¡¯s estate. There was no way that Llewellyn Rasiane wouldn¡¯t be able to piece it together unless he was a fool. ¡®It¡¯ll be more convenient if I just tell the truth, right?¡¯ ¡®I saved your life even though I¡¯m Rosenia Hill. Shouldn¡¯t that ount for something?¡¯ ¡®Surely this honest man will try to repay me, and perhaps even hate my family a little less.¡¯ ¡®Unlike the original plot, Adrian became mild, so maybe I can escape the death ending if things go well!¡¯ With such thoughts, Rosenia opened her mouth with an awkward smile like a salesperson. ¡°I¡¯m¡­Rosenia. Rosenia Hill.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± The man suddenly rose to his feet and came closer. Rosenia held her breath without realizing it as their distance narrowed. Her hand was touching his chest, and over the thin tunic she could feel the touch of hard muscles vividly. The man¡¯s big hand firmly held her back. He seemed to have no sign of letting go, having held her with his arm like this since a while ago. ¡°As expected, it was you.¡± ¡°Uh, you know me?¡± It was a silly question, but Rosenia still asked in such a manner. He raised his beautiful lips and smiled. Somehow that yful smile made him look mischievous. ¡°There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know you, Rosenia Hill.¡± With them being extremely close, Rosenia could sense the sluggishness in his soft voice. It was a sweet voice one would find themselves lost in. A man of such beauty was smiling softly at her. ¡°You are Adrian Hill¡¯s one and only sister, the Mage Tower¡¯s princess.¡± ¡°Ah, that, yes¡­¡± Beside the fact that the man knew her identity, her heart was pounding madly by his charm. Rosenia didn¡¯t want to maintain eye contact with him, so she tried to avoid it by looking sideways. ¡°Rosenia, do you know who I am?¡± The man asked casually, calling her name. Rosenia is normally addressed as ¡®Lady Rosenia,¡¯ but now a man had called her name on their first meeting. It was like someone who is used to saying another person¡¯s name. Strangely enough, she had that feeling. Rosenia hesitated for a moment then answered. ¡®I should be honest as well.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re Duke Llewellyn Rasiane.¡± At her answer, Llewellyn smiled as if he had received a big present. Nheless, a handsome man such as him smiling broadly gave the illusion of flowers blooming around him. Rosenia blinked as she nkly stared at him. ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so happy, but¡­you¡¯re really pretty¡­¡¯ Even the most beautiful flower in the world seems to wither and bow its head in front of him. ¡°You know me.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re so famous¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of famous, but I¡¯ve only met you once.¡± ¡°Ah, well, your exceptional beauty, it¡¯s impossible to forget¡­¡± Looking at him, Rosenia was so flustered that she just said whatever came to her mind, and like an angel, Llewellyn smiled. Once again Llewellyn smiled at her lovingly. As if to tempt her. Somehow Rosenia felt ufortable and tried to wiggle out of his arms. Then, Llewellyn sighed heavily and fell over her shoulder, lowering his head. ¡°¡­¡± Flinching greatly, her body stiffened. Llewellyn was breathing raggedly with his cheek leaning against her shoulder. ¡®What, what, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ Rosenia was so taken aback that she didn¡¯t know what to do and could only try to slightly push his shoulder away. Then Llewellyn let out a deep moan. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Heuk, D-Duke?¡± ¡°Rose.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Rosenia was startled when Llewellyn suddenly addressed her by her nickname. It was because Llewellyn said it so naturally. It was so natural to the point that it was very strange and Rosenia couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡®Was I close to Llewellyn Rasiane? No way. I¡¯ve only seen him from afar.¡¯ ¡®But why is this man so friendly? He keeps leaning on me¡­¡¯ ¡°Rose, now I¡¯m¡­ ¡° ¡°H-hey¡­¡± ¡°It hurts so much that breathing is difficult.¡± Llewellyn, cradled in her arms, was like a big wounded beast¡­He must be out of his mind now because he is sick. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so intimate knowing that she is Rosenia Hill. ¡®Calling my name so casually¡­.I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s deranged.¡¯ Timidly touching his forehead, Rosenia asked. ¡°Hey, what illness is this?¡± ¡®Anyway, what in the world, his forehead is like a fireball. Didn¡¯t he already take the fever medicine?¡¯ Far from going down, the fever had gone up even more. When Rosenia slid her hand in embarrassment, Llewellyn caressed her hand with his cheek as he raised his head. His face, which looked up at her so precarious and vulnerable, made her heart flutter momentarily. Flushed cheeks, slightly parted lips, and a somewhat dreamy look¡­ It was a dangerously perfect image enough to paralyze one¡¯s reason. ¡°I¡¯ve been running a fever¡­¡± Llewellyn answered in a faint voice. ¡°It hurts all over, like I¡¯m going to die¡­¡± Llewellyn, who looked at her pleadingly, was like a man desperate for something. Perplexed, Rosenia blinked her eyes and pondered over his words. ¡®He¡¯s been running a fever, and feel like he¡¯s going to die?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯ ¡®It can¡¯t be? It¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, is it?¡¯ Rosenia muttered to herself, then carefully asked. ¡°Your whole body hurts?¡± ¡°Yes¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Llewellyn nodded and answered weakly. His answer made her heart thump like it will copse. If it is what she thinks it is, his symptom, she is afraid it¡¯s¡­ ¡®¡­Mana poisoning!¡¯ The reason why the original novel is titled, ¡®The Duke¡¯s Lone Companion.¡¯ It was because the female lead was the only one who could suppress the male lead¡¯s mana poisoning. In fact, it could be done by anyone to suppress the mana poisoning. But the male lead chose the female lead. Why? Because he fell in love with her at first sight! It doesn¡¯t seem real to fall in love at first sight, but it¡¯s a novel, so that¡¯s just how it is. Above all, the male lead was very pure, which made it understandable. ¡®On the surface he¡¯s kind, but it is all to hide his possessive disorder¡­¡¯ ¡®Also, at the beginning of their rtionship¡­it was just the mixing of bodies with no feelings for each other, the so-called ¡®casual hookup!¡¯ To be exact, the female lead, Sierra, was not interested in the male lead, Llewellyn. In the author¡¯s original setting of ¡®eventually falls in love,¡¯ Llewellyn fell in love at first sight when he saw Sierra, however, she didn¡¯t reciprocate. Which then begins Llewellyn¡¯s desperate romance plotline to win Sierra¡¯s heart. ¡®That¡¯s exactly my favorite part of the original plot¡­¡¯ ¡®Male lead, why are you suffering from mana poisoning in front of me and not the female lead¡­?¡¯ ¡®No, really¡­What can I do about this?¡¯ Rosenia had no choice but to be genuinely, extremely, flustered. Because there was only one way to calm the enormous amount of mana in the male lead¡¯s body. From lightly holding hands and hugging, to some kissing, to kissing everywhere, and to having sex¡­ Naturally, in the original novel, the male lead and Sierra go as far as they can. Even though the two were not emotionally connected, the tension between man and woman yed a big role. Moreover, Sierra needed the power of the Empire¡¯s only Duke, Llewellyn, to avenge the viin (not Adrian) who had exterminated her family. That¡¯s why she signed a contract with the male lead and spent many nights with him. It was one of romance novels¡¯ cliche. But, ¡®Why? Why did he copse in front of our vi? Why was he suffering from mana poisoning in front of me!?¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t even know where and how it got twisted and how it got like this. In fact, Rosenia didn¡¯t remember exactly when Sierra would meet Llewellyn in the original plot. Just vaguely, she thought perhaps they would meet each other one day. ¡®But, what the hell is going on here¡­¡¯ ¡®Male lead, you should go to the female lead for this, why would youe to me?¡¯ As Rosenia was perplexed on what to do, Llewellyn, who was writhing in her arms, slowly raised his head. His emerald pupils looked at her with a dull glow. ¡°Rose¡­¡± At that moment, Rosenia sensed a great foreboding. The longer the mana overloaded, the more and more Llewellyn became irrational. He was instinctively looking for someone to save him. Also, he and her were the only two in this vi. ¡®C-crazy! I¡¯m in trouble!¡¯ As Rosenia hurried to get away from him, Llewellyn held her tightly in his arms. ¡°Heuk¡­!¡± Trapped in his sturdy arms, Rosenia couldn¡¯t move. Llewellyn whispered in a mournful voice. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Rose¡­¡± A distance so close Rosenia could feel his breath. His eyes looking at her were so sad that Rosenia lost her sense of reasoning in trying to escape. ¡®He¡¯s looking at me like this, which woman can resist¡­?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m screwedpletelypletely screwed.¡¯ Llewellyn slowly swept across her cheek. At his gentle touch as if caressing something precious, her heart pounded rapidly and she even felt excited. Even though she knows that the only reason he¡¯s doing this is because of the mana poisoning. ¡°Rose, I have a favor to ask you¡­¡± His lips came closer. Like a herbivore with its neck bitten by a beast, Rosenia couldn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°¡­Kiss me.¡± Chapter 6 Rosenia read the original plot so she knew. If she refuses Llewellyn here, he will die. The massive amount of mana raging within Llewellyn will grind him to pieces¡­ ¡®It would be very gruesome.¡¯ Soon, Rosenia felt goosebumps and couldn¡¯t help but stand up and tremble. Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe a handsome man like Llewellyn was facing such a terrible death¡­ ¡®No, that cannot happen.¡¯ ¡®However, it¡¯s the female lead¡¯s job to suppress his mana that¡¯s going out of control.¡¯ She was the younger sister of the wicked viin. For the most part, she felt that she should not get involved with the male lead¡­ ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°¡­!¡± As Rosenia was agonizing over what to do, there came a distressed voice from Llewellyn. ¡°Kiss me, Rose¡­If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll die.¡± The moment Rosenia saw his fascinating emerald eyes, she almost unconsciously fell for his words. But Rosenia knew she had to be careful here. She might end up getting involved with the male lead! Facing Llewellyn, Rosenia asked with a serious expression. ¡°Well, how are you exactly? Is it too much to bear?¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯m going to die.¡± Llewellyn dropped his head weakly. His cheek leaning against her shoulder was as hot as a fireball. ¡°Rose¡­Please, I need you. Save me¡­¡± Llewellyn seemed to be in a much worse condition than she had thought. She was worried that the male lead will die if left like this. ¡®It¡¯s too early for the male lead to die.¡¯ ¡®He should meet the female lead and fall in love at first sight to usher in the romance of the century!¡¯ Perhaps because she was a fan of the original novel or maybe because this male lead was her favorite, she couldn¡¯t let him die. So, Rosenia had to decide right now.. ¡®¡­Gosh, I don¡¯t know!¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s just kiss!¡¯ ¡®His condition hadn¡¯t gotten serious yet, so a kiss should suffice.¡¯ Rosenia thought it¡¯d be nice if the female lead suddenly appeared here, but that was very unlikely. ¡®There¡¯s no time to try to look for the female lead now.¡¯ So, Rosenia ns to help him first, then find the female lead and they¡¯ll go their separate ways. ¡®I can¡¯t just watch a person die in front of me, can I?¡¯ Reminding herself that she was not doing this out of self interest. ¡®I-it¡¯s just a kiss!¡¯ Rosenia sped Llewellyn¡¯s cheeks with both hands. Maybe because her behavior was unexpected, he looked at her with his eyes wide open. With a serious look on her face, she spoke. ¡°Uh, for now, let¡¯s just kiss. ¡° ¡°Starting with a kiss, saying it so casually.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s just a kiss.¡± ¡°Good. My first kiss.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Although Rosenia felt like there was anguage barrier due to him being out of his mind from the high fever, she decided to go through with it. Rosenia slowly drew her head closer to narrow the distance between them. It was not long before their lips met¡­but there was a big problem. Simply¡­ ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know how to kiss.¡¯ That¡¯s right. In her previous life, she had never been in a rtionship because she was always studying, and in her current life because of Adrian¡¯s overprotection. She couldn¡¯t have known how to kiss. ¡®How the hell do you kiss? Should I just do it like in the romance novels?¡¯ With her lips folded, Rosenia was at a loss on what to do while Llewellyn¡¯s big hand gently wrapped around her back. Soon, her lips naturally opened with a moist feeling. Llewellyn lightly grabbed her by the chin and pulled her down. A heated breath poured in through the open crevice, and Rosenia reflexively stiffened. Stiff with tension, he gently swept down her back. Her hands on his shoulder trembled as she felt her heart beating wildly. Every nerve in her body was agitated by the unfamiliar sensation of a smooth and soft flesh searching through her mouth as her body heated up. Wriggling like a little herbivore while stuck in his firm arms, Llewellyn, with a grinning smile,id her down slowly on the bed. Lying under him, Rosenia looked up at Llewellyn with her eyes wide open. He was smiling brightly to the point where she wondered if he was really sick. Gasping for air, Rosenia asked. ¡°This, do you really have to do it like this¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± With a smile on his face, Llewellyn locked his arms around her and ced his lips on hers once again. It all happened before Rosenia could even ask what ¡®yes¡¯ implied. Not only did Llewellyn search her mouth like before, he even licked or bit her lips as if he was savoring it. Rosenia shuddered every time Llewellyn bit her lips. She had a strange feeling that he was observing her right now¡­ ¡®This guy, are you sure you¡¯re suffering from mana poisoning? Actually, aren¡¯t you fine?¡¯ ¡®No, never. The honest and upright Duke of Rasiane wouldn¡¯tmit such fraud, would he¡­?¡± Moreover, when Rosenia saw Llewellyn¡¯s innocent and beautiful face, it didn¡¯t look like the face of a swindler. So she was certain her suspicion was unfounded. The kiss went on for quite a while, and Rosenia felt his mana flowing into her. A sorcerer is a person who has the constitution to ept and release mana from nature or others. Rosenia kept quiet while Llewellyn kissed her to his heart¡¯s content, naturally epting his mana, which had flowed into her. In the first ce, the kiss was not meant to be romantic, but to calm the raging mana, so Rosenia thought Llewellyn would stop when it calmed down moderately. ¡®¡­But why don¡¯t I see any signs of him stopping?¡¯ Her swollen lips had be more sensitive than ever and she couldn¡¯t endure it any longer. Llewellyn kissed her very thoughtfully, but she couldn¡¯t get away from him at all. Rosenia had no idea how long he nned on kissing her. She thought his mana had already calmed down a long time ago. ¡°Excuse me, Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, Rose.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­eh.¡± Llewellyn slightly bit her lower lip as soon as she told him to stop. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it stimted her, so she flinched. In fact, her body¡¯s heat, which started to heat up a while ago, was gradually reaching its limits. So she really wanted to stop. At this rate¡­ ¡®My purity is in danger¡­! You stupid Duke!¡¯ In fact, she is more of an impulsive person than a cautious one, so she might really lose her reason and get swallowed by the male lead. ¡®But that cannot happen. What about the beautiful female lead? The damn female lead, she¡¯s doing this to me!¡¯ Rosenia pushed Llewellyn¡¯s shoulder with one hand, and pped him in the chest with the other. At the clear refusal, he slowly lowered his lips. ¡®This¡­He looked quite hurt.¡¯ ¡®Ah, no, this¡­why is he the one that¡¯s hurt!?¡¯ ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn looked down at her as if he was going to burst into tears. Taken aback, like a soft hearted fool, she kept thinking about whether she shouldfort him or not. His mana had calmed down a long time ago anyway, so there was no need to do this anymore. ¡°Excuse me, Duke. That¡¯s enough¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue, please.¡± Llewellyn pleaded, looking down at her from a distance as close as one¡¯s breath. The flushed eyes and red sulky lips were deadly. To the point where her racing heart stopped. Indeed¡­it was a man who drove people crazy in many ways. ¡®I can¡¯t touch another person¡¯s man.¡¯ Rosenia firmly pushed him away, bearing in mind her new creed. ¡®Perhaps because of the mana poisoning he¡¯s still out of his mind and is impulsive because of the fever.¡¯ ¡®We¡¯ll both regret it immensely if he meets the female lead who he¡¯s really supposed to fall in love with.¡¯ It was heartbreaking for her to turn down on a man who was desperately pleading, but she spoke firmly in a cold voice. ¡°This kind of rtionship is not right.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it right?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Rosenia racked her brain searching for a suitable answer while her mouth was agape. Llewellyn was looking down at her with strangely sane eyes. ¡°¡­This kind of rtionship, it¡¯s too impulsive.¡± ¡°Impulsive¡­¡± Llewellyn grabbed a handful of her rosy hair in his hand and disheveled it. The act, his expression, his reciting voice, was strangely low in temperature, and somehow she felt uneasy. ¡®¡­This guy, is he really out of his mind?¡¯ ¡°Did I stimte your impulse? Rose?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia blinked nkly at the sudden question. ¡®Somehow the conversation is a little¡­¡¯ She grimaced, then answered with a frown. ¡°Stimtion, I think you did¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± When he heard her answer, he smiled broadly. It was that face again. A face that looks extremely happy. Rosenia was so confused because she couldn¡¯t figure out why this man was so happy. ¡°Okay, just kissing today.¡± Mumbling to himself, he stepped back from her stomach. ¡®What does he mean by just kissing today?¡¯ Rosenia was about to get up in a perplexed and ufortable mood, but Llewellyn grabbed around her shoulder and helped her up. ¡°Ah, thanks¡­¡± Reflexively expressing her gratitude, she looked up at him to see him smiling with his eyes. It was a seductive smile. ¡®Crazy¡­¡¯ Rosenia pressed her chest hard to calm down her fluttering heart. ¡®Llewellyn Rasiane, forbidden fruit.¡¯ ¡®There must be a truck load of nobledies already bewitched by him. Such pitiful people¡­!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m going to be bewitched at this rate. Let¡¯s quickly escape!¡¯ ¡°W-Well, you go to sleep now! I¡¯ll leave now!¡± Said Rosenia, hurrying out of bed. Llewellyn helplessly put his hands down as he stared at her. Somehow the sight looked pitiful, so she quickly added, ¡°G-go on, lie down under the nkets. You were in the rain, so you should get some rest.¡± For fear of touching him again, Rosenia used magic to force him to lie down as she covered him with the nket. It was rather rude, but she had no choice. Llewellyn stared at her with round eyes. He had a nk face like that of a child. ¡®Why is your face so innocent even though you just kissed me like that?¡¯ Rosenia felt a little uneasy, but with that look on his face, she thought he, who is much bigger than her, looked harmless right now. ¡®I must have gone crazy.¡¯ ¡°Well, good night!¡± Afraid of her pounding heart being discovered, she turned around while shouting and ran out of the bedroom as if escaping.
Thud, Rosenia closed the bedroom door, then leaned against the door and briefly caught her breath. Her pounding heart was beating much clearer than before. Her pulse was so vivid that she could feel it running up the nape of her neck. ¡®Crazy, really¡­¡¯ Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe that she kissed the male lead! Not only that but it was her first kiss. Past and present life, her very first kiss! ¡®So my first kiss turned out like this¡­the male lead is such a wicked man.¡¯ ¡®But it was just a kiss¡­let¡¯s not get more involved. Still, let¡¯s take good care of him and then send him back.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sure Adrian will go crazy if he finds out¡­¡¯ Rosenia quickly went to the living room and found the familiar. The familiar wasying by the fire with its belly up. Approaching it, she made a mana ball and handed it over as she asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Adrian anything, did you?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± The familiar barked once and ate the mana ball. That¡¯s to say it didn¡¯t. With a sigh of relief, she sat in an armchair and sank droopingly. ¡®Once it stops raining, I¡¯m going to go buy some clothes for Llewellyn.¡¯ Rosenia couldn¡¯t have him wear the same tunic over and over¡­ ¡®I wish there was a servant to serve me at times like this¡­Ah, no, I¡¯m d there aren¡¯t any servants left at the vi.¡¯ Rosenia had bribed the familiar, but it would have been hard to bribe a servant. If the servants had remained in the vi, by now, what had happened to Llewellyn would have reached Adrian and her father¡¯s ears! ¡®I can¡¯t get caught.¡¯ The words from her dreams echoed, ¡®In case of an ident, 10 years in captivity.¡¯ ¡®To spend 10 years in the Mage Tower! Terrible!¡¯ ¡®I must hide Llewellyn and send him back!¡¯ Unexpectedly, all this trouble happened because she found the male lead. She was dumbfounded. ¡®Why the hell were you lying in our vi¡¯s garden? It¡¯s not possible no matter how much I think about it.¡¯ Rosenia wanted to ask him once he woke up and came back to his senses. She thought maybe something had happened. With a deep sigh, Rosenia unconsciously fiddled with her lips. Then, she paused when she felt the heat that permeated to her fingertips. Maybe it¡¯s because her lips had been through a lot, it was swollen and hotter than anywhere else. Rosenia kept recalling the incident. The feeling when they kissed¡­
Trantor¡¯s Note:Racian fixed to Rasiane. Chapter 7 ¡®¡­At this rate, what if I fall in love with the male lead?¡¯ Frankly, Rosenia wasn¡¯t confident she won¡¯t fall for him. Because Llewellyn Rasiane was so handsome and charming that it made her forget reality. To kiss such a man, Rosenia thought she was out of her mind. ¡®Next time, it¡¯s really just going to be a kiss.¡¯ Rosenia dropped her head with a troubled sigh. Her unsettled heart throbbed.
It was dark outside by the time the rain stopped, but Rosenia was a strong and fit sorcerer, so the night streets did not bother her. Rosenia stopped by a clothing store to buy some clothes for Llewellyn and also some snacks at a street stall. Walking leisurely, munching on a waffle full of whipped cream, by the time Rosenia arrived at the vi, the surrounding area had bepletely dark. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to take a bath and go to sleep.¡¯ It had been a very stressful day for her¡­ ¡®Llewellyn at this time¡­is he fast asleep?¡¯ For a moment, unknowingly, Rosenia was curious about his sleeping face, but quickly shook it off. ¡®I better not have such curiosity. I-in many ways!¡¯ ¡®I happened to kiss him this time, but there won¡¯t be a next time, really.¡¯ ¡®Indeed, I must refrain from touching him from now on. At this rate. What if I find myself liking him too.¡¯ Telling herself that she¡¯s over her attachment for the male lead from her previous life, she decided to leave her past love as just fond memories. She didn¡¯t want to be lovesick because of her lingering feelings¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s quickly take a bath. A bath will calm me down.¡¯ Rosenia took off all her undergarments, put on a bathrobe, and then went into the bathroom. As she was thinking of getting a ss of milk from the kitchen once the water was heated, suddenly¡­ ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rosenia ran into Llewellyn as soon as she entered the bathroom. Somehow there was a cold chill in the bathroom as he stood naked, water dripping from his hair. Standing stiff, her mouth was wide open. ¡®W-what, why is he in here!?¡¯ ¡®Why is he in the bathroom? I thought he was sleeping?¡¯ With an embarrassed smile, Llewellyn approached her. Still with nothing on. ¡®Crazy!¡¯ Jumping up in fright, at that moment, her feet slipped and she almost fell. Then Llewellyn, who was approaching her, quickly came up and caught her. She felt his big cold hand looming over her shoulder. ¡®¡­Don¡¯t tell me he took a cold shower¡­?¡¯ ¡®No, he¡¯s suffering from a high fever, is he out of his mind?¡¯ Taken aback, he spoke with a gentle smile. ¡°I woke up and¡­washed myself because I couldn¡¯t sleep anymore. I¡¯m sorry I used the bathroom freely.¡± There was a fresh scent of soaping from Llewellyn. Looking at his enchanting figure, the smell made her dizzy. She quickly shook off his hand and backed away. Her face flushed red and it was driving her crazy. ¡°It¡¯s okay to use the bathroom. By the way, did you wash yourself with cold water?¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes. I needed to calm down a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The nuance of such an answer was somehow strange. Stuttering, Rosenia decided to change the subject while trying not to think about it deeply. ¡°Hey, put on some clothes. And I¡¯m going to take a bath now¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Okay. Well then, I¡¯ll leave you to yourself.¡± Llewellyn nodded his head in a very gentlemanly manner, then passed by her side and approached the door. Rosenia was so flustered by the situation that she stood frozen. Then, suddenly, Llewellyn, who stopped, asked her from behind. ¡°If you need any help¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes? No!!¡± Startled, Rosenia replied in a loud voice. Her voice resounded in the bathroom. Llewellyn smiled indifferently as he turned around. Thud, the bathroom door closed behind her. ¡°¡­¡± Staring nkly at the closed door, Rosenia copsed on the spot. ¡®Do I need help? What the hell is he talking about? Don¡¯t tell me he wants to attend to me while I bath?¡¯ ¡®Is this really the male lead? Isn¡¯t it a beast wearing the mask of the male lead?¡¯ Rosenia was so disoriented that she was unable to get a hold of herself. Listlessly getting out of the bathtub, she couldn¡¯t even remember if she had washed up. Drying her wet hair with a towel, she vacantly walked out the bathroom and what awaited her was a man sitting in the living room. The man was, of course, Llewellyn Rasiane. Rosenia and him were the only two in this vi right now. Just the two of them¡­ The tension suffocated her heart when she became keenly aware of that fact. Rosenia passed by, pretending not to see him while clenching her trembling hand. She thought she¡¯d go to the kitchen and have a cup of cold water. Why her stomach kept getting hot every time she saw him, she had no idea why. She didn¡¯t even want to know. It seemed too dangerous to know. So Rosenia went to the kitchen as if running away, and then she heard footsteps following from behind. It was the same steps as a predator who was slowly cornering the prey it had set its sight on. ¡®What! Why is he following me?¡¯ Now Rosenia felt like crying. Being this close was too much, and just being in his mere presence suffocated her pounding heart. ¡®Does Llewellyn want to drown me with his immense beauty? Why did I have to pick up such a dangerous man and suffer this hardship?¡¯ With trembling hands, Rosenia was pouring the kettle when the handle slipped. The kettle slipped from her hand and plummeted to the floor, but then suddenly someone¡¯s big hand quickly caught the kettle. The speed was simply unbelievable. Rosenia widened her eyes and looked at the hand, then up and saw the owner of the hand. Llewellyn Rasiane was smiling dazzlingly like the sun. The smile alone made her feel like she was going to faint. ¡®Why the hell didn¡¯t the female lead spend the first night with such a man?¡¯ The female lead didn¡¯t even fall in love at first sight when she saw Llewellyn. Yet, Rosenia felt like she was falling for him right now. He was driving her crazy! ¡®The female lead is more incredible than I had thought¡­¡¯ Rosenia had a newfound admiration for the extraordinary female lead. Putting the kettle down, Llewellyn spoke. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡®Thanks to you¡­¡¯ Rosenia buried such words within her heart. Not knowing what Rosenia was thinking, Llewellyn smiled and spoke. ¡°Can I have a drink, too?¡± ¡°Uh, of course. Hold on, I¡¯ll get another cup.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As Rosenia scrambled to get another cup, Llewellyn gently grabbed her wrist in a hurry. ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll use it next.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°This cup, please.¡± Llewellyn pointed to her cup that she had poured water into. She stared nkly at the cup, then gave him a look wondering if he was out of his mind. ¡®¡­Are you serious?¡¯ ¡®His fever has gone down and he¡¯s back to his senses¡­I think so, or is it not?¡¯ Rosenia nced at him with mixed emotions as she lifted the cup. She was going to drink it quickly and then wash it. ¡®I¡¯m afraid the male lead is out of his mind. He must have gone crazy from the aftereffect of the mana poisoning.¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t expect the male lead to be crazy and was at a terrible loss on what to do in this situation. The two families, Hill and Rasiane, were not on good terms. It has been so since ancient times. But Rosenia, the daughter of the Hill family, happened to pick up the Duke of Rasiane and suppressed his mana poisoning¡­ ¡®Although I don¡¯t know what my family might think, what about Rasiane¡¯s side?¡¯ ¡®This is a problem¡­Anyhow, I should keep hiding the male lead.¡¯ Rosenia was thinking she¡¯d contact Llewellyn¡¯s family at dawn, but thought she¡¯d wait and see more of his condition. She gulped down the water from the cup. She thought she¡¯d pour out the rest and rinse the cup with cold water. As Rosenia approached the sink to wash the cup, arge hand that came into her sight suddenly snatched the cup. She widened her eyes and paused. Looking up nkly at the owner of the hand who had robbed the cup, Llewellyn spoke with sparkling eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± For a moment, Rosenia didn¡¯t understand what happened. She simply stood frozen, watching with astonishment as Llewellyn, so naturally, held the cup of water to his mouth. ¡®N-no, why are you reusing the cup I used?!¡¯ Hesitating to put his mouth on the cup, he twirled the cup to confirm something. Then, he smiled contently and finally put his lips on the cup and drank the water very slowly. Gulp, Gulp¡­ Rosenia peeped at the movement of his neckline with mixed emotions. Extremely masculine but elegant and beautiful neckline, his Adam¡¯s apple protruding like a peach seed. Droplet of water trickled down his chin and slipped to his neck, then down to his chest and inside his tunic. Rosenia gazed in amazement at his seductive figure. ¡®Come to think of it, that tunic¡­¡¯ It¡¯s Adrian¡¯s¡­ ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Brother, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ It was a bit short for Llewellyn. Rosenia guessed that he was taller than her brother. ¡®I thought he was about 185 centimeters, but is he two to three centimeters taller than that?¡¯ ¡®¡­At any rate, that¡¯s not the problem here.¡¯ The problem was that the part where Llewellyn drank from seemed to be where her lips touched. No matter how hard Rosenia thought about it, she guessed that he found the spot where she drank from and chose that spot! ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ What was worse was that, as if to show in front of her. He had no intention of hiding it. ¡®What¡¯s his reason for doing this?¡¯ ¡°Finished.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wash it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Answering in a faint manner, Rosenia stared nkly at Llewellyn passing by. He approached the sink with a satisfied look, washed the cup, and ced it on the drying rack. Then he looked back at her with an innocent face and smiled. ¡°Thanks to Rose, I feel much better.¡± ¡°Is that so, that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Rosenia crept back to avoid him as he narrowed the distance. She didn¡¯t know why she was trying to run away. ¡®No, why does this man keeping in the first ce! Can¡¯t we stay more than two steps apart? Why are you doing this to me?¡¯ ¡°Ah¡­!¡± After stepping backwards for some time, her feet twisted and she ended up falling backwards. ¡®Damn it, I knew this would happen eventually.¡¯ Resolving herself to what is about to happen to her head, she closed her eyes when something hard gently wrapped around her shoulders and waist. It was a man¡¯s arm. And in this vi, there was only one person who would hold her in such a way. Rosenia slowly opened her eyes. And then, their eyes met as she saw his enigmatic emerald eyes. Once again, she was faced with the same situation. The distance between the two was so close that she could feel her own breath. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡®Am I okay¡­?¡¯ Face to face with Llewellyn, Rosenia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his clear eyes that are like summer leaves and his pale supple lips. Rosenia wasn¡¯t okay at all. ¡®I¡¯m not okay at all because of you.¡¯ Her heart raced like crazy. She felt like she was about to shed tears from the injustice, but at the moment a certain question sprang up. Rosenia paused. ¡®Llewellyn Rasiane¡­I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re doing this on purpose and being tactless, but¡­do you not see how awkward and inconvenient our rtionship is because of our families?¡¯ ¡®Besides, you¡¯re someone else¡¯s man, so what am I going to do if you keep shaking me?!¡¯ ¡°¡­!¡± Rosenia grabbed Llewellyn by the cor. He widened his eyes and flinched. Carried away by her indescribable feelings, she kissed him on impulse. Her rationale waspletely gone. Their lips simply touched, but Llewellyn¡¯s hot breath prated her mouth as if he had been waiting. Rosenia panicked at that moment, but it all happened so suddenly that there was no time to flinch. A sense of dizziness swept through her beyondparison to the first kiss they shared. Llewellyn was rough. As if something had stimted him greatly. Chapter 8 ¡°My lord? You still haven¡¯t heard from him?¡± Asked a blond haired boy, raising his head as he groomed his sword. The boy, who looked about sixteen years old, had an elegant face and was as pretty as a temple angel statue. Although he belonged to the Knights of Villequier, everyone knew he solely served the Duke of Rasiane. None among the knights has had a life as rough as this boy, for the boy¡¯s mouth was so crude that one can¡¯t help but to think he had been possessed by a demon from hell. ¡°He said he¡¯d be back in about a month, so just rx and wait.¡± Replied the Knights of Villequier¡¯smander, who stood beside the boy knight supervising the knights¡¯ training. His jet ck hair, like the color of a crow¡¯s feather, glowed under the natural light, while his blue eyes scoured over the movements of every knight. The boy knight stood up with his well polished sword, sighed, then spoke. ¡°These guys are boring. His Excellency should be here.¡± ¡°You break more than ten bones when you fight these guys, so try to refrain yourself.¡± ¡°So, his Excellency said it¡¯s fine. I also enjoy it.¡± Thinking to himself that such words belonged to a deranged lunatic, themander inattentively shook his head. The boy knight warmed up his muscles by skillfully stretching his body as they spoke. ¡°My lord, are you confident you¡¯ll be able to find the Mage Tower¡¯s weak point this time? Can I look forward to it?¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s the goal for the time being.¡± ¡°For the time being?¡± ¡°Just go and train.¡± Nudging the boy knight¡¯s back, themander stopped answering. From the side, the boy knight, who was rtively docile to themander, ran towards the knights withoutining. His lock of golden hair fluttering behind his back, glistening. As soon as he approached, the other knights stopped and grumbled. Their faces were filled with terror. With a pretty smile on his face, the blond boy knight asked. ¡°Who wants to spar with me?¡±
Rosenia¡¯s breathing gradually grew ragged. Losing strength throughout her whole body, she found herself unable to stand properly. When she was about to fall due to her shaky legs, Llewellyn grabbed her waist tightly and embraced her. ¡°Ha, Rose¡­¡± ¡°Duke, your grace¡­¡± ¡°Rose, Rose¡­¡± Rosenia was a little frightened because Llewellyn seemed to have lost his reasoning. He called her name like a madman while pressing against her lips. As if Llewellyn was born to do so, he devoted himself only to swallowing her lips and her. Her body kept shaking with the feeling of being eaten. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of excitement or fear. The biggest problem was that Rosenia couldn¡¯t push Llewellyn away either. The word ¡®stop¡¯ lingered on her mouth while her mind was saying the exact opposite. Kissing him felt so good that she couldn¡¯t even show a small gesture of rejection. Rosenia thought she must have been crazy after all. Amidst her worries between the political problems of the two families, Adrian, and the female lead, she couldn¡¯t stop. The devil in her mind whispered, ¡®It¡¯s a very brief meeting, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ That was what she truly thought. To her, what happens here at this summer vi is only a slight deviation¡­Once she goes back to the Mage Tower, it¡¯ll be more than a year, no, more than a year before she¡¯ll likely see him again¡­ ¡°Ha¡­¡± Llewellyn, who had lowered his lips for a moment, looked at her with his mistynguid eyes. His emerald eyes were filled with ecstasy. Maybe it¡¯s because of the kiss, or something else, but Llewellyn seemed full of energy. Bringing his face down her cheek as if dealing with a precious treasure, he breathed unevenly. The way he raised his lips into a smile, he seemed to be overwhelmed with joy. ¡°Rose, you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You kissed me first.¡± Muttered Llewellyn in a radiant voice as he hugged her. Her whole body was drained of strength by the kiss and she was relying on him for support. Llewellyn¡¯s big hand stroked her back. Feeling herself calming down by his hand, she gradually caught her breath. Then, as Rosenia slowly came to her senses, she suddenly realized it. What she just did. ¡®Crazy¡­!¡¯ She shuddered with her eyes wide open in his arms. Massive regret and shame flooded in like waves. ¡®What the hell did I just do? I can¡¯t believe I kissed the male lead that I had to rightfully avoid!¡¯ Bam! Rosenia pushed Llewellyn away as hard as she could. No, that¡¯s what she wanted to do. His chest was so robust that even though she pushed him as hard as she could, he didn¡¯t budge. ¡®I think I¡¯m the one that¡¯s getting pushed back!¡¯ Dumbfounded, Rosenia stumbled precariously with her mouth agape. Then, Llewellyn held her gently by her shoulders. ¡°Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn called her in a worried voice. Her face blushed at the thought that her quivering might have been conveyed to him as well. She kissed him first, but then shook like a puppy in the rain. She couldn¡¯t bear the embarrassment. Pushing his shoulders with trembling hands, she spoke. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s fine, please let me go¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia looked up at Llewellyn with her eyes wide open at the totally unexpected answer. His emerald eyes nted as their eyes met. He tightly embraced her. ¡°You¡¯ll fall if I let you go.¡± ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°No? Quivering like this¡­¡± Said Llewellyn in a soft voice as he slowly caressed her back. It was an incredibly tender touching from someone who had just pounced at her like a beast. Rosenia thought about pushing Llewellyn away again, but ultimately dropped her hands in despair. When she had resigned her body to him, he stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead. From such a kind act as if they were lovers, Rosenia felt like she was going to lose herself again. ¡®Does he treat all women like this? N-no wait, he¡¯s not himself right now¡­What am I doing with a crazy person?¡¯ A moment of guilt struck her. ¡®This has to end now. I need to get a hold of myself¡­¡¯ As Rosenia struggled in his arms, unexpectedly, Llewellyn easily let her go. She backed away and avoided his gaze. Fortunately, her body stopped quivering and her legs were no longer shaking. Still looking away from him, Rosenia mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was too impulsive. From now on, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Rosenia thought she¡¯d hear a reply right away, but the silence lengthened. She sneaked up and looked at Llewellyn. He was quietly watching her with an unreadable look. ¡®Should I tell him that I need to go to bed to escape this situation¡­?¡¯ While thinking about it with a precarious mood, Llewellyn finally spoke. ¡°Rose to me¡­¡± He spoke slowly, as if to savor each letter. ¡°To me, you¡¯re impulsive. Rose, that¡¯s you.¡± Before long, Llewellyn, who looked to be in a good mood, raised his attractive lips and smiled. He evenughed out loud. ¡°Haha.¡± ¡®¡­Why are youughing?¡¯ Rosenia blinked in bewilderment. Not knowing how to react, she stood staring awkwardly as Llewellyn swept down the corner of her mouth with one hand and muttered to himself. ¡°It was really worth it.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Rosenia reflexively asked back at the abrupt remark, Llewellyn smiled. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Anyway, I think we should get some sleep now. Would you like me to carry you to your bedroom?¡± The unexpected proposal startled Rosenia and she shouted ¡®No!¡¯ When she stepped back, waving her hands, Llewellyn kept smiling as if he found it funny. Llewellyn didn¡¯t force himself towards her like he did before. He just stood there leisurely smiling at her. She felt the air surrounding them to be a little serene. He took one step closer, facing her squarely. It was a short distance that could be reached, but she knew she shouldn¡¯t cross. He held a handful of her scarlet hair in his hand and gently kissed it. Llewellyn, who had her full attention, looked up and spoke. ¡°Good night, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia caught a glimpse of some madness within his intense gaze, so she thought he was also out of his mind. It was worth the thrill of being kissed by a man so beautiful that even God would be jealous, but her heart was stained with embarrassment and anxiety. ¡®This man¡­The Duke of Rasiane, what can I do to get him back to his senses?¡¯ ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s get some sleep and think after.¡¯ Rosenia was so tired in body and mind that she wanted to go into her room and hide as soon as possible. She wanted to go anywhere that this man could not reach. Slipping back, her hair, which had been held in his hand, scattered in the air. Looking away from his gaze, she mumbled. ¡°Then, good night.¡± With quick steps, Rosenia quickly turned around and ran to the second floor. When she entered her beloved attic and locked the door tightly, only then did she rx. Rosenia slid down against the door. The low ceiling of the attic gave her a strange sense of stability unique to narrow spaces. But her agitation didn¡¯t subside as easily. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Letting out a deep sigh, Rosenia buried her face with her hands. At this rate, her heart is going to be in tatters. ¡®How much longer do I have to look at this man? Should I be nervous?¡¯ ¡®Should I not havee to the vi?¡¯ For the first time, Rosenia regretteding to this beautiful seaside vi. Her summer vacation, which she thought would be peaceful, was flowing in a chaotic direction due to an unexpected encounter.
Rosenia¡¯s eyes were wide open in the morning. Actually, having woken up at dawn, Rosenia only slept for three or four hours. In any case, Rosenia was determined with an unknown mission to get up earlier than ¡®him¡¯. Rosenia ran away from Llewellyn yesterday, but after finding someposure, she felt uneasy about leaving him alone. ¡®He¡¯s out of his mind and might get into trouble!¡¯ Her familiar may be watching him, but she can¡¯t rely on it. Because he was Duke Llewellyn Rasiane and not anyone else. Just because Llewellyn was out of his mind, doesn¡¯t mean his strength has weakened. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to subdue the familiar. Rosenia quickly finished brushing her teeth and washing her face, then changed into afortable summer dress beforeing down to the first floor. Fortunately, Llewellyn seemed to be still asleep. As she approached the bedroom she gave him, she opened the door very carefully. When Rosenia peeped through the crack of the door, she saw the figure of Llewellyn sleeping like an angel. Llewellyn was lying in a perfectly straight posture and fast asleep. Staring at him, Rosenia thought to herself that he didn¡¯t deserve to be called ¡®an honest and upright young man¡¯ that everyone hadbeled. However, sadly, Llewellyn was out of his mind partially due to the aftereffect of the mana poisoning¡­She was even unclear when he would suffer from the mana poisoning again. Feeling a little scared, Rosenia forced her feet inside. Regardless, she had to wake Llewellyn up for breakfast. And putting aside whether he¡¯ll tell the truth or not, she was going to have to ask him a bunch of questions about this and that. Rosenia quietly approached the bed and carefully reached out her hand. When her fingertips touched Llewellyn¡¯s bare skin, she was greatly surprised by her impulse. But she soon calmed down and shook him. ¡°Duke Rasiane.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Duke, get up. It¡¯s morning.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Duke?¡± No matter how many times she called him, he showed no sign of waking up, so she was wondering if she should pinch his cheek a little. Llewellyn, who gently lifted his eyelids, looked at her quietly. Maybe because of the morning sun, or perhaps because of his excessive beauty, it blinded her eyes. With her eyes squinted in a moment of carelessness, her arm was sped tightly by arge firm hand. Then not surprisingly, she was pulled on the bed. Chapter 9 ¡°Heek¡­¡± A near-death shriek erupted from Rosenia¡¯s mouth. She had no choice but to fall on top of Llewellyn¡¯s body. It was almost instinct that the first thing that came to her mind was to run away. However, Llewellyn¡¯s strong arms hugged her tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go. What¡¯s worse, Llewellyn even rolled over and ced himself on top of her. Then, while embracing her tightly, he kissed her here and there on the face. Stiff as a sheet, Rosenia was astonished by his half awake state and couldn¡¯t move. ¡®What kind of sleeping habit is this¡­¡¯ While struggling in his arms, Rosenia struck him hard in the chest. Only then did the focus slowly return to Llewellyn¡¯s eyes, as if he had barelye to his senses. Blinking his eyes a couple of times, he looked down at her with a genuinely surprised look. ¡°Ah, R-Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Blushing and at a loss for what to do, Llewellyn quickly stepped back from her body. She slowly rose up and looked at him with tepid eyes. He blinked dismally, covering his mouth with one hand. His face, as well as his neck and ears, were bright red. Llewellyn lowered his gaze and timidly tried to exin himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­while sleeping¡­I thought it was a dream.¡± It didn¡¯t seem to be a lie and he also seemed genuinely embarrassed. In addition, Rosenia thought he even looked cute when she noticed him timidly looking at her. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re this cute¡­¡¯ Feeling a sense of shame, Rosenia buried her face in her hands. She wished she was less impulsive, but God had made her a helpless fool. ¡®To be cute and handsome. He¡¯s such a wicked man.¡¯ With a sigh, Rosenia got out of bed. Then, she spoke to Llewellyn, who was still as ripe as a tomato. ¡°Wash up and let¡¯s have breakfast. I¡¯ll be in the living room. I left a change of clothes over there.¡± Pointing to a bag with the clothes she had bought yesterday, Llewellyn quietly nodded. She quickly ran out of the bedroom before she could be charmed by him. As soon as Rosenia came out to the living room and sprawled on the sofa, the simpleton familiar came up unnoticed and fluttered its tail. She grumbled, pushing her barefoot at the familiar¡¯s tummy. ¡°Go away, you puppy¡­¡± Feeling irritable, Rosenia buried her face in a cushion and wailed like a ghost.
Unlike the downpour of rain yesterday, it was very sunny today. On a day like this, one can count their luck to be able to walk side by side with a beautiful man. The problem was that the beautiful man was someone who kept putting her heart in disarray. ¡°Thank you for the clothes. It fits me well.¡± Said Llewellyn, smiling sweetly with the corner of his emerald eyes looking at her. Whenever he discretely looked at her, he would smile like this. ¡®At first, I thought it was just a habit¡­¡¯ Wait,e to think of it, Rosenia had never heard of Duke Rasiane smiling much when he spoke to others. Although Rosenia had been stuck in the Mage Tower for most of her life, she could boast that she was not dark to the world outside. ¡®Was I wrong about the Duke?¡¯ Her understanding and vague image of Duke Rasiane shook violently. Unless she was mistaken, and he was smiling like that because he was out of his mind. ¡®What if he¡¯s still crazy¡­? That¡¯s a big problem. Isn¡¯t he going to tell me to take responsibilityter?¡¯ Regardless, it was true that the clothes Rosenia chose looked very good on him. With a heavy heart, she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s a relief, the size fits perfectly¡­The design looks good on you.¡± ¡°Is that so? Do you like how I look now?¡± ¡°Yes, it looks good.¡± As Rosenia nodded with a smile, Llewellyn smiled broadly. At that moment, she thought hundreds of flowers were in full bloom around him. He was so beautiful that he caused an illusion. To the point that it was frightening. ¡®I should have picked out some weird clothes.¡¯ ¡®Then the gloomy energy flowing out of the weird clothes would have tarnished that beauty¡­!¡¯ ¡­However, Rosenia had a hunch, that with a face like that, anything he wore would be fashionable¡­ ¡°I hope I look pretty in your eyes, Rose.¡± ¡°What? Of course, the Duke is always-¡± Unconsciously, Rosenia almost blurted out ¡®always beautiful and handsome.¡¯ Having almost let her thoughts slip¡­she hesitated, trying to find the right answer. Clearing her throat as if she had a bad cough, she continued. ¡°Naturally, Duke Rasiane is always fashionable.¡± ¡°Really? Has Rose always been interested in me?¡± Somehow, the question came out of the blue, but it seemed nned. Rosenia thought he was a man who was good at drawing out the answers he wanted. ¡®As crazy as he is, his speaking ability seems to be intact.¡¯ With a light nod, Rosenia answered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that I was interested.¡¯ Because he was the male lead. ¡°It¡¯s essential to know about the culture of the nobles in the Empire.¡± Finding out about the different nobles, that was her degree of interest. That was all. Personally, she didn¡¯t have much interest in them. She didn¡¯t care about people who she didn¡¯t have anything to do with. ¡®But I can¡¯t believe I kissed him. Twice at that¡­!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve lost my mind!¡¯ Rosenia was certain that Adrian will strike the Duke if he finds out. ¡®No, I absolutely can¡¯t let him find out. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what that crazy bastard would do¡­!¡¯ As Rosenia was stricken with terror thinking about Adrian, she heard a soft voice from Llewellyn. ¡°So you were interested in me.¡± ¡°Pardon? Well, yes¡­¡± Llewellyn looked very happy today, but now that he heard her answer, he seemed even more happy. A satisfied smile that rose around his mouth made his image gentler. And the way Llewellyn looked at her, for some reason¡­it made her on edge. She slipped away from his gaze, resenting her heart that began to flutter with the wind. As Rosenia walked a little stiff, sping her hot hands together, Llewellyn spoke up as if he had just remembered something. ¡°Oh, Rose. And-.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia looked back at him questioningly. Llewellyn grinned and continued. ¡°The underwear fits perfectly too.¡± Rosenia froze in astonishment, standing stiff as a tree and unable to move. Llewellyn, who was still smiling, reached out and gently stroked her cheek. ¡®¡­He looks so happy, or am I mistaken?¡¯ ¡®Did he bring up the underwear on purpose? Trying to tease me on purpose? No way. It¡¯s totally out of character.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no way the male lead would say such a shameless thing! That, that¡¯s too much out of character! This was not just anyone but the always upright and honest Duke Rasiane!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s supposed to be a pure and innocent man who doesn¡¯t even know a thing about obscenity! The embodiment of abstinence! The fruit of purity! I¡¯m sure he¡¯s never even done anything to satisfy his own desires¡­!¡± ¡­Rosenia snapped out of her thoughts before it got out of hands. She decided to leave it at that, afraid of what she might think the further her thoughts wandered. However, her turmoiled mind had other ideas. ¡®But for a pure guy, I think his kissing was pretty good.¡¯ ¡®However, he belongs to someone else¡­¡¯ ¡®Ah! Stop! Please stop it!¡¯ Feeling deeply ashamed of herself for thinking about the time they kissed, she quickly stopped such thoughts. For some reason, Rosenia found her head hurting, only to notice that she had been wracking her hair. As she was trying to pull herself together, a lowugh came from her side. Llewellyn looked like he was having a lot of fun peeking at her. ¡®This guy¡­?¡¯ Rosenia wasn¡¯t a very violent person, but she felt like hitting him for no reason. But hitting Llewellyn¡¯s solid body will only hurt her hand. On the other hand, using her strength magic, she thought he would be seriously hurt. ¡®Hu, I¡¯ll spare you because you¡¯re handsome.¡¯ Llewellyn didn¡¯t know. That his incredible beauty had saved his life many times already¡­ Rosenia deliberately jerked past him to take the lead and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s get some breakfast. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Rose¡­Wait for me.¡± Llewellyn, who followed behind her, stealthily held her hand. His hand was so big that it covered her hand. And it was very hot. Rosenia tried to pull out her hand, feeling her face burning hot. But Llewellyn held on tight and didn¡¯t let go. When Rosenia looked at him with a face telling him to let go, Llewellyn looked pitifully at her while his eyes glistened. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to get lost.¡± ¡°¡­Me? or you, Duke?¡± ¡°Not Rose, me.¡± Rosenia was amazed that a man much bigger than her was pretending to be weak. But his face made it sound probable. When she looked at his handsome face that had a tint of sadness to them, it made her give in to whatever he wanted. Helplessly resenting her weak-willed heart, she turned her head and began to walk forward. Rosenia just walked with her mouth closed, trying to put the thought of his touch, his body temperature, and his gaze that kept prating her out of her mind. The fact that this beautiful man was walking beside her with his long beautiful legs did nothing to help her chaotic feelings. The more Rosenia became suspicious of Llewellyn, the more she wanted to dig into his innermost thoughts. She wanted to know what he was hiding under that carefree smile. Rosenia was only half sure Llewellyn was in a state of madness, because sometimes it seemed like he was pretending to be out of his mind. It was clear that Llewellyn was a very difficult man to know the inner thoughts of anyway. So dealing with this guy made her drained and restless. Rosenia wanted to part ways with him as soon as possible and go her own way, but had an ominous feeling that it would be a long time before that happened. ¡®It¡¯s driving me crazy. I¡¯m not sure I won¡¯t fall for him¡­¡¯ As Rosenia held back her heart while thinking about this and that, they had arrived at their destination, a restaurant. There weren¡¯t many people in the restaurant because it was morning. However, not only the guests but also the waiter kept ncing over their way. It was obvious why. It was because of this man, who naturally sat next to her, catching everyone¡¯s attention at a nce. His tinum blond hair shined in the morning sun and when Rosenia met his emerald eyes, his lips bent like the crescent moon. ¡®T-those eyes again. Is it okay to smile like that when he¡¯s the duke?¡¯ ¡®By the way, why is he sitting next to me?¡¯ There was a seat across from her. ¡®Don¡¯t people usuallye to a restaurant and sit in front of one another? Why the hell is he sitting next to me?¡¯ Rosenia asked impatiently. ¡°Hey, why are you sitting next to me¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Llewellyn gave a short exmation and smiled. ¡®That smile again!¡¯ A smile that seemed to conceal something. Rosenia wanted to pinch his cheeks and violently ask him why the hell he was smiling like that. Such a man who didn¡¯t know her inner thoughts, calmly drank water and spoke. ¡°Those bastards keep ncing at Rose.¡± Chapter 10 Rosenia was startled when coarse words came from Llewellyn¡¯s mouth,pletely unbing of him. She looked around to find the ¡®bastards¡¯ he was talking about. Inside the restaurant, there were two couples, a family, and two groups with three and four people respectively. She thought maybe he was talking about them. Those guys looked like they were in their early or mid 30s at most, while the youngest seemed to be about her age. They were ncing her way, at her to be exact, and whispering among themselves. And then, for a brief moment, Rosenia met the eyes of the youngest, who quickly blushed and lowered his head. Without realizing it, that cute reaction made her giggle. Following her reaction, the other people began to look her way. At any rate, she only appeared fine on the outside¡­ ¡®I¡¯m d Adrian isn¡¯t here.¡¯ Rosenia was certain her brother would have gone wild and threatened to dig out those men¡¯s eyes¡­ As Rosenia was shuddering at the thought of Arian¡¯s fearsome magic power, she suddenly felt a chilling from the seat next to her. Slowly turning her head to the side, she noticed Llewellyn was ring at the youngest man with a chilling smile. ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia stared at him with her eyes wide open, speechless. Come to think of it, it was the first time she had seen his angry face. ¡®Why is he angry? Because that young man blushed at me?¡¯ ¡®Just that, this guy, why?¡¯ Having just noticed his reaction, her mind became chaotic and she had a hard time digesting the situation. Then, it suddenly hit her. ¡®Ah, I see¡­!¡¯ ¡®The old-fashioned Duke Rasiane can¡¯t stand other men blushing at the sight of the opposite sex in public!¡¯ ¡®So, sure enough.¡¯ Rosenia nodded her head in agreement with herself. Llewellyn¡¯s eyes turned to her. At a nce, his eyes had returned to their soft glow. ¡®Well, as expected, he¡¯s tolerant.¡¯ Looking at Llewellyn, Rosenia smiled brightly. Then, seeming to hesitate for a moment, he soon smiled back at her. His hand stretched out and tucked the side of her hair behind her ear that had fallen down her cheek. ¡°You said you were hungry, right? Shall we order?¡± ¡°Oh! Yes.¡± At his question, Rosenia nodded and picked up the menu. She had gone to this restaurant often with Adrian, so she knew what was delicious. ¡°Hmm, olive m stew¡­Ah, do you like ms?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°Really? I thought you would be fussy about food.¡± As they talked, unexpectedly, Llewellyn smiled and said. ¡°When I¡¯m with Rose, everything is delicious.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. But I haven¡¯t tasted the most delicious thing yet.¡± ¡®What the hell is he talking about?¡¯ Rosenia felt like there was some hidden meaning behind his words, but couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. She guessed the Duke was simply making a joke. ¡®Let¡¯s quickly order.¡¯ Rosenia lowered her head and looked at the menu, choosing a few more dishes and drinks. Llewellyn said he was fine with anything, but she asked him one by one just in case. Each time Rosenia did so, Llewellyn would answer with a ¡®anything is fine as long as Rose feeds me,¡¯ or a ¡®I like what Rose likes.¡¯ Rosenia couldn¡¯t tell whether Llewellyn was serious or not. After ordering the food with mixed emotions and waiting for some time, the waiter finally arrived with the food fresh out of the oven. She swallowed her saliva while watching the dishes fill the table. The seafood in this area were fresh and of good quality, so it was delicious no matter how it was cooked. The cheese and tomato sd was also excellent. On top of that, Rosenia didn¡¯t get drunk from the carbonated raspberry ale mixed with honey no matter how much she drank. ¡®Has Llewellyn ever been drunk?¡¯ Rosenia peeped at Llewellyn while taking a sip of her raspberry ale. A sweet and refreshing taste spread out inside her mouth. ¡®It¡¯s so delicious¡­!¡¯ It was not long before her inner turmoil melted away. All her worries and thoughts about Llewellyn disappearedpletely and the only thing left on her mind was the delicious food and drinks. Rosenia ate and drank enthusiastically without caring about her surroundings. It was only when she was a little full did she slowlye back to her senses. ¡®This¡­I was too focused on eating again.¡¯ Adrian used to tease her about her eating habit. ¡®I feel a little embarrassed for some reason¡­¡¯ Rosenia nced up and looked at Llewellyn sitting next to her. Their eyes immediately met. Then, Rosenia noticed that his tes and utensils were untouched, as if he has been watching her this whole time instead. ¡®No, he hasn¡¯t eaten and has only been watching me this whole time?!¡¯ ¡®Is it that exciting watching me eat? Is it fun to watch?¡¯ Suddenly, Rosenia felt so embarrassed that she blushed and lowered her head. Wriggling her hands, she asked. ¡°Duke, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pausing for a moment, Llewellyn answered. ¡°Rose looks so cute when she eats to her heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Rosenia blinked, looking at Llewellyn in bewilderment. He smiled leisurely and reached out his thumb to wipe her mouth. Next, he brought the sauce-stained thumb to his mouth! She was shocked. His tongue slipped through his pale lips, slightly licking his thumb. She nearly fainted at such a sight. Llewellyn, who had licked the sauce, stared at her with a strange look as he muttered. ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡®Saying it¡¯s delicious¡­I don¡¯t think he means the sauce!¡¯ Her nerves were on edge as she tightly sped her hands together.
Rosenia finished her meal without knowing whether the food was going through her mouth or straight to her stomach. Listlessly walking out of the restaurant and down the road, Rosenia had a thought. The thought that Llewellyn was purposely seducing her had sprung up in the corner of her mind. ¡®N-no it can¡¯t be, he¡¯s just not himself¡­¡¯ ¡®Yeah, maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s like that. If this keeps up, I won¡¯t be able to handle it. Should I contact the Duke¡¯s family? But, what if there¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡¯ ¡®Agh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Rosenia imagined this is how soldiers felt in a dilemma. She kept thinking about how to resolve this crazy situation, but couldn¡¯t find an answer no matter how hard she thought about it. And from what Rosenia had learned in her previous life, there was one tried-and-true approach all humans took in these crazy situations. To simply give up! ¡®Haha, I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s y for the time being!¡¯ Rosenia grabbed Llewellyn¡¯s hand tightly and headed for the beach. Walking side by side, as Rosenia smiled, Llewellyn looked down at her and gave a beautiful smile. Since it was already like this, Rosenia decided to enjoy the male lead¡¯s handsome face. Seeing her smiling face, the visibly pleased Llewellyn asked. ¡°Is my face to your liking?¡± With a zealous nod, Rosenia answered. ¡°Yes, of course I like it.¡± ¡®Who in the world wouldn¡¯t like Duke Rasiane¡¯s face?¡¯ Even the strict Adrian would acknowledge Llewellyn¡¯s beauty. Llewellyn, hearing her answer, for some reason lowered his chin with a look of embarrassment. Although his eyes were a little red, he seemed to be somewhat proud of himself. Rosenia suddenly wondered and asked while they were on the topic. It was just a curiosity. ¡°How about me? Does the Duke like my face?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia became a little agitated because it was her first time asking someone such a question. Her face was pretty thanks to the genes from her mother and father, but she wondered what it was like to someone like Llewellyn Rasiane. After all, in the original story, the male lead had an eye for beautiful people. And the female lead Sierra, the only one who had caught Llewellyn¡¯s eye at a nce and made him enthralled, was a very beautiful woman. But rather than being morous, Sierra was a beautiful woman with a pure and graceful demeanor, like seeing a Lily of the Valley flower in full bloom. Perhaps that¡¯s why Llewellyn fell in love with her at first sight. A single Lily of the Valley among numerous roses was bound to catch a person¡¯s eyes. ¡®Thinking about it, I should be a rose.¡¯ ¡®My name means rose¡­Precisely, it meant ¡®rose garden.¡¯ Rosenia.¡¯ Rosenia was told that when her mother was pregnant with her, she dreamed of a rose garden full of scarlet summer roses, so that¡¯s how her name came to be. ¡®Well, it¡¯s truly romantic.¡¯ The origin of her name didn¡¯t appear in the original story. In the first ce, she was just the younger sister of the viin Adrian. ¡®Adrian¡¯s evil sidekick¡­Cannon fodder, so to speak?¡¯ However, Rosenia remembered her past life and acted differentlypared to the original story. She didn¡¯t help Adrian do bad things and pacified him every time he tried to be evil as they grew up side by side. Rosenia was well aware of the fact that no amount of nurturing could suppress Adrian¡¯s evil thoughts. So she had to stimte Adrian¡¯s other desires. [Brother, can¡¯t you just stop? For me?] [Brother, I¡¯m scared when you act like this¡­] That was how Rosenia tamed Adrian. And her method worked very well in taming him. Adrian, who had a sisterplex, was deathly afraid of Rosenia hating him. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that Adrian would grow up with a serious sisterplex¡­¡¯ ¡®Well, thanks to that, he became easier to tame.¡¯ Rosenia stared at Llewellyn and waited for his answer. It¡¯s been some time since she asked him, but he just stared at her quietly. ¡®¡­Maybe, is he thinking about how to answer without hurting my feelings because my face is not to his liking? Duke Rasiane is considerate after all. W-well, he can just tell me straight. I¡¯m not going to be hurt. Really¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­Right? Or am I going to be offended?¡¯ Rosenia would kick Adrian to shut him up whenever he told her she was ugly, but for some reason, the thought of iting from Llewellyn made her feel strange. At this point, her excitement at the thought to simply ¡®give up¡¯ subsided, and the atmosphere became unbearable for some reason. To be exact, the person next to her was still holding her hand tightly and won¡¯t let go¡­ Rosenia wiggled her hand from inside his big hands to try and pull away. However, his hands suddenly tightened and held her hand firmly. ¡°¡­!¡± Chapter 11 A little startled, Rosenia nced up and looked at Llewellyn. He was smiling, but for some reason the smile made her uneasy. Perhaps that¡¯s why she had the thought of running away. Llewellyn was like a huge force of nature that was beyond her understanding. She felt like he was a surging tidal wave, ready to devour her. With faltering steps, Rosenia made it clear that she wanted to run away. Then, Llewellyn faced her and grabbed her other hand tightly. Rosenia looked up at Llewellyn with her eyes wide open. A big and dark shadow loomed over her. Somehow, in the shadow and within his grasp, she felt as if she was trapped. The thought of it suddenly scared her, and Llewellyn, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°Rose, you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°To me, always, a magical existence.¡± Said Llewellyn clearly, as if emphasizing it. Rosenia blinked in bewilderment, unable to understand what he meant. ¡®What the hell does magical mean¡­?¡¯ She simply asked him if he liked her face. While pondering, an idea shed through her mind. ¡®Ah. By any chance¡­? Does he mean the first kiss we shared?¡¯ Although it was such a shameless thought, her mind had alreadye to that conclusion. She lowered her head with a flushed face. Her neck felt hot and she felt like she was going crazy. ¡®Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t it his first kiss? There¡¯s no way the pure Duke Rasiane had ever kissed anyone.¡¯ ¡®We kissed only because of the mana poisoning, but¡­it was still his first kiss. Not only for him, but me as well.¡¯ Such thoughts made her heart throb and she couldn¡¯t raise her head. She had been ignoring her agitation until now, but in the end, she had no choice but to be conscious of it. ¡®Ha, I can¡¯t. I really can¡¯t¡­¡¯ ¡®I absolutely cannot like this man, ever.¡¯ With her face buried in her palms and holding her breath, she waited for her heart to settle. But naturally, Llewellyn did nothing to help her calm down. Instead of holding her hands, which had barely escaped, Llewellyn stretched out his arms and gently embraced her. Her body trembled at the contact of his body temperature. Only then did she realize that the sea breeze was a little chilly. As the cool wind brushed across them, Llewellyn¡¯s hot body permeated throughout her. His body was so hot that she wondered if he had another fever and for some reason that made her nervous. Having held her breath without realizing it, Llewellyn slowly caressed her back with his big hand and softly spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t know, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You never want to lose the magic you¡¯ve tasted once. Rather¡­¡± Llewellyn poked his head down with his emerald eyes and stared at her, again with a strange madness. It was the same eyes that made her think Llewellyn had lost his mind as well. ¡°Rather, why didn¡¯t you leave me in the rain?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°But, that¡¯s right. You would have helped me anyway. I know.¡± His faint smile brushed across her. Llewellyn again buried his head on her shoulder and hugged her tightly. Somehow it made her feel a little strange. Sitting by her side at the restaurant she thought Llewellyn was a little cute, but now he seemed like apletely different person. Rosenia had an indescribable premonition. It coincided with her desire to escape. But before she could even think deeply, the sound of Llewellyn¡¯sughter prated into her ears. Soon, Llewellyn lifted his head and gently kissed her. Lightheaded, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else.
¡®Leaving the Mage Tower is dangerous¡­¡¯ Rosenia repeated that thought over and over again in her mind. However, time continued to flow without pausing, and before she knew it, the sun had set and it was night. Llewellyn¡¯s condition was still good, but Rosenia was not clear when he would experience mana poisoning again. Fortunately, Rosenia was able to suppress it with a kissst time, but she wasn¡¯t certain how further she would have to go next time. ¡®If a kiss isn¡¯t enough to suppress the mana poisoning¡­what should I do?¡¯ ¡®I hope that doesn¡¯t happen for my pity¡¯s sake, but what if it happens?!¡¯ ¡®A-As much aste into the night is fine¡­¡¯ ¡®Agh! No! What the hell am I thinking?!¡¯ Thinking that she must have gone crazy, she clutched her head and stomped her feet. She felt that her luck this summer was particrly bad. She couldn¡¯t believe this unexpected situation happened! ¡®I¡¯ll never have that kind of special rtionship with the male lead!¡¯ Rosenia thought that she should have been careful from the start¡­But she had already picked him up. Even though Llewellyn also seemed to be out of his mind in many ways to her, she felt like she was the only one in trouble. ¡®Ah, this is driving me crazy.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s get some sleep for now and hope everything will be okay.¡¯ Sitting on the couch in the living room with her head lowered to herp, she heard the sound of footstepsing her way. Poking up her head, Llewellyn, who had just finished bathing, wasing toward her with a smile. ¡®D-don¡¯te.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯te near me with nothing but a robe on!¡¯ Rosenia jumped up from the couch and ran away behind it. Then, Llewellyn stopped and looked at her softly. She avoided his gaze. In a tone as if he had been wronged, he spoke. ¡°I washed myself clean, Rose.¡± ¡°What? No, that¡¯s¡­¡± Thinking that Llewellyn must have misunderstood, with a sweet smile on her face, she exined. ¡°That, I didn¡¯t avoid Duke because you were dirty. I know you washed yourself.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t avoid me?¡± ¡°That, hold on, don¡¯te.¡± Llewellyn was circling around the couch trying to reach her, much to her objection. She made a quick escape in the opposite direction. Then, with teary eyes, she spoke. ¡°Why do you keeping when I told you not to¡­!¡± ¡°I want to be by your side.¡± ¡°Why do you want to be by my side!¡± ¡°It feels good?¡± His answer made her choke up and speechless. ¡®What does he mean by it feels good?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, he wants to kiss me again?!¡¯ ¡®What he said before, I guess he really liked kissing me. Wow..I don¡¯t know if I shouldugh or cry¡­¡¯ ¡°Even if it feels good, just stay there. Right now, I¡¯m a little¡­¡± ¡°¡­Are you nervous around me?¡± ¡®Is that a question? Of course! This guy, does he not know how handsome and attractive he is?!¡¯ ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really nervous, so don¡¯te. Please.¡± At her words, Llewellyn seemed to think about something for a moment, then he smiled slightly and spoke. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What does he mean he understands?¡¯ ¡°Then, Rose, I won¡¯te to your side, so could you do me a favor?¡± A favor? Rosenia blinked and looked at him, but stopped when she was persuaded by his honest eyes and nodded her head. She believed that he would never ask a strange favor. It wasn¡¯t just anyone but the honest and upright Duke Rasiane. But her faith was soon shattered. ¡°I actually have insomnia. So¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like for you to put me to sleep.¡± Rosenia was dumbfounded by his remark. ¡®Hey, it¡¯s the same as being by my side!¡¯
A dim light lit up the dark bedroom. Llewellyn wasying down ratherfortably in a casual shirt and pants after changing. Rosenia had barely gotten him to dress. Originally, she was dumbfounded and almost fainted when he said he was going to sleep naked. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he sleeps naked. How can a setting be so vulgar?!¡¯ Rosenia remembered that it was the same in the original story. Llewellyn would sleep naked in bed at night. ¡®Hohoho¡­happy thoughts, happy thoughts¡­¡¯ Rosenia calmed her mind and body by trying not to imagine it. ¡®Come to think of it, he fell asleep in his tunicst night. Was it because he took in consideration of meing to wake him up in the morning?¡¯ ¡®But he decided to sleep naked today. Why was he doing this to me? Just be sane for once.¡¯ ¡°Thank you for doing me this favor, Rose.¡± Said Llewellyn with a smile, lying in bed with a nket covering him. Maybe because Llewellyn was lying down and behaving, but Rosenia thought unlike his usual self, he looked harmless. To her, Llewellyn was a ticking time bomb. She had a feeling that he wasying down with his eyes sparkling and pretending to be naive, so she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. Rosenia reached out her trembling hand and patted Llewellyn¡¯s shoulder very timidly. It was to the point that she only touched him with her fingertips As if Llewellyn took offense to that, there was a crease on his beautiful forehead. ¡°I think I¡¯m being tickled instead of falling asleep, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®The request was asking for too much!¡¯ However, Llewellyn was handsome, so Rosenia decided to let it slide. She gently nodded. Then, he chuckled and smiled as if he found it funny. ¡°Cute.¡± ¡°¡­Just hurry up and close your eyes.¡± It¡¯s already been a few times Llewellyn said something dangerous like that without any notice. His yfulness made her heart pound like it was going to explode. She decided that when she gets back to the Mage Tower that she will make a heart calming pill to use against Duke Rasiane. ¡°Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn closed his eyes obediently, but still murmured her name as if he had no intention of falling asleep yet. It was like he was reciting a magic spell. ¡°Rosenia, I¡¯m so happy right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe what I dreamt of has be a reality.¡± Rosenia thought perhaps Llewellyn had always desired for someone to put him to sleep. ¡®Hmm¡­Come to think of it, it¡¯s understandable.¡¯ Llewellyn Rasiane was a pitiful orphan who grew up without a single parental affection. His mother had a weak body and she died giving birth to him, and his father had an ident while rushing to her side. The newborn baby, who had lost his parents, was raised by his nanny and retainers. The poor boy was seven years old when he was recognized as Duke by the Emperor. Up to that point, the Regent ruled in ce of the Duke, and fortunately he was not a bad person. Perhaps that¡¯s why Llewellyn Rasiane grew up to be more upright and magnificent than anyone, even though he was an orphan. The young Duke Rasiane, who had been famous since childhood, was well known for his integrity, purity and righteousness. No matter how many beautiful women tried to tempt him, he only shook their hands and acted courteously, never faltering. So for a while, there were even rumors that Llewellyn was a eunuch¡­ Chapter 12 ¡®Of course I knew it was nonsense. Verified by the original author as a man without equals, the male lead can¡¯t be a eunuch!¡¯ In any case, even though others took over the role of being his parents, he was still treated like an adult ever since he was seven years old. So, Llewellyn couldn¡¯tin to someone about not being able to sleep, or even had the chance to whine or cry. Rosenia was certain he had never been soothed to sleep like this. Thinking about it made her feel sorry for him, and with a mournful look, she patted his shoulder more properly. Seeing her like this, he quietly spoke. ¡°There¡¯s a look on your face like you¡¯re pitying me.¡± ¡®Ah, uh, I was caught¡­¡¯ Haha. As Roseniaughed awkwardly and nced away, his big hand reached over the back of her hand. Caught off guard, Rosenia greatly flinched. His hand, which was as hot as ever, reminded her of the heat when they kissed. When Rosenia tried to pull away, Llewellyn held her hand tightly. It was a gentle force, but she found herself unable to resist. Thump, thump. Feeling her heart beginning to beat rapidly, she swallowed her breath. Still holding her hand, Llewellyn stared at her and spoke. ¡°I like it, Rose, please pity me some more.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Rosenia stared at him with her eyes wide open at his unexpected remark. He turned his body sideways, then he pulled her hand in and kissed the back of it. Chu. There came a perverse sound. Her face flushed and she tightened her arm. The ce where his lips had touched burned hot. ¡°It¡¯s fine if Rose pities me. As long as I exist in your heart¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia was a little surprised upon hearing his words. Not convinced that Llewellyn was out of his mind, Rosenia thought perhaps he had a favorable impression of her. And Rosenia was surprised that she was delighted at such a thought. ¡®¡­Really, I didn¡¯t want to fall for him¡­¡¯ Finding it inevitable, at some point, Rosenia had be conscious of him. But Rosenia thought her current feeling was far from love. At most it was doing a simple favor. In other words, it was a feeling that could grow or shrink at any time. And Rosenia was hoping that she could get rid of that feeling. Her ties with him, she hoped it would pass like a midsummer night¡¯s dream. Rosenia opened her mouth with an awkward smile. ¡°Hurry up and go to sleep. I¡¯m heading upstairs to bed now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡± ¡°¡­You can fall asleep without me. Quickly close your eyes.¡± Rosenia quickly closed his eyes and hurried away. But Llewellyn, who opened his eyes immediately, stared at her. ¡®Ah, really?¡¯ As Rosenia stepped away from the bed where heid, she murmured. ¡°I¡¯m really sleepy¡­Duke, quickly go to sleep. W-well, good night.¡± And without waiting for his reply, Rosenia quickly turned her back and walked out of the bedroom. Llewellyn¡¯s expression, like an abandoned puppy, constantly reyed in her mind, but she had no choice. It was time for them to leave to their respective dreams.
There were times like this. When Rosenia would wake up with a heart-wrenching feeling. ¡®What happened¡­?¡¯ Rosenia pulled back her nket, got up, and blinked her eyes absently. It was not morning but the still of the night. It had only been an hour or two since she fell asleep. ¡®Why is my heart beating so fast? Did I have a nightmare that I can¡¯t remember?¡¯ Sitting still with her hands on her stomach, for some reason she had an ominous premonition, so she got out of bed. When Rosenia opened the door and went out into the hallway, her feet instinctively headed to the first floor where Llewellyn was. Rosenia felt her heart beating faster and faster as she went down the stairs step by step. Finally,ing to the bedroom where Llewellyn was in, she hesitated a little before carefully opening the door. With the thought of not wanting to wake him, Rosenia approached the bed very quietly to make sure he was sleeping well. Then, as soon as Llewellyn came into her sight, she froze with astonishment at the groans that were heard. ¡°Ugh, heuk.¡¯ ¡°¡­Duke?¡± Frozen in ce and calling him in a quivering voice, Rosenia quickly hurried to his side. ¡°Duke! Are you all right?!¡± ¡°¡­Ro¡­se¡­¡± Looking up at her with difficulty, Llewellyn called out her name, but it was cut short. His emerald eyes were in a state of disarray. With a pained look on his face, his expression twisted. A trail of tears were streaming down his cheeks. ¡°D-Duke¡­¡± ¡°Rose¡­it hurts. It feels like I¡¯m dying.¡± Llewellyn cried out in a distressed voice. At first nce, he was in a very serious condition. Cold sweats were dripping down his eyes, and he cried so much that his eyes were red. ¡®His trembling body, shortness of breath, and fever that is as hot as heated iron¡­Like this, what am I supposed to do?¡¯ Her hand that was on his shoulder trembled with fear. ¡®He could really die if I make a mistake.¡¯ In the original story, Llewellyn had sex with Sierre when he was about to die. In other words, he was saved from the brink of death. ¡®If I don¡¯t help him¡­Really, he may lose his life. Something¡­I have to do something.¡¯ With trembling hands, Rosenia held Llewellyn¡¯s cheeks and hesitated for a moment. But soon she plucked up her courage and gently kissed his lips. In this situation, she waited for his mana to flow into her. Not long after, the overflowing mana from inside him began to flow into her. Rosenia stroked Llewellyn¡¯s cheek to try and absorb more mana. At the same time, he slowly sent out his mana, which had begun to settle inside her. In this critical situation, rather than hurrying, she had to carefully absorb the mana. ¡®How long has it been since we¡¯ve done this back and forth of releasing and absorbing mana?¡¯ Llewellyn gradually calmed down. Rosenia slipped off her lips and looked at hisplexion. He still looked distressed, but looked rtively morefortable than before. ¡°Duke¡­¡± As Rosenia touched his cold sweaty cheeks and spoke in a mournful voice, Llewellyn, who gently opened his eyes, looked vacantly at her. ¡°Duke, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­I think you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As to why I suffer this.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± His words caught her off guard. She was taken aback, but tried not to show it. Rosenia hadn¡¯t thought of it. The fact that Llewellyn Rasiane had never told her about his mana poisoning. ¡®He only said he was sick and needed help.¡¯ ¡­It was a secret that Duke Rasiane suffered from mana poisoning. Only very few people knew. The reason why he suffers from mana poisoning was due to the divine power flowing inside him. Llewellyn Rasiane had a rare case of having both divine power and mana. But divine power and mana were forces that collided with each other. The two forces continue to collide, unable to mix inside him, and the more ferocious tendencies of mana have started to congest. That was the exact cause of Llewellyn mana poisoning. ¡®The heroine Sierra, who could embrace that mana and turn it into divine power.¡¯ With that ability, Sierra was able to absorb Llewellyn¡¯s mana and turn it into divine power, thus quelling his mana poisoning. But she couldn¡¯t use that method. Because she didn¡¯t have divine power. So she couldn¡¯tpletely cure him. Every time his mana overflowed, she could only suppress it. ¡°Sierra slowly turned Llewellyn¡¯s immense mana into divine power, and made his whole being divine, but¡­¡¯ That, Rosenia couldn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t like the existence of Sierra. Rosenia sighed and swept over Llewellyn¡¯s messy hair. She had to simplye up with an excuse. About how she knew he suffers from mana poisoning. ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer¡­I can tell from the symptoms.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think all sorcerers would be able to notice it right away like you did, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but I¡¯m a good sorcerer, so it wasn¡¯t hard to tell.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it is.¡± Rosenia guessed his condition must have gotten a lot better since he was so interrogative. She realized again how suspicious she looked in his eyes. As Rosenia tried to get out of bed hoping that her pounding heart would calm down, Llewellyn caught her on the spot. No, he was about to. Before he could grab her, she quickly swung around and avoided him. It must have been because Rosenia had been through this situation a lot¡­Llewellyn looked at her with a nk look. She avoided his gaze and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll stand watch and observe if you¡¯re okay. Rx and have a good sleep.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to protect me all night? Standing there?¡± ¡°So, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Why do you go so far? Rose, you¡¯re the sorcerer in the Mage Tower and the daughter of the Hill family.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Rosenia didn¡¯t know what to say, so she hesitated. Today, Llewellyn was exceptionally sharp. As if he was trying to expose her. ¡®Indeed, he¡¯s a dangerous person.¡¯ The tension that had loosened from worrying about him became tense again. Choosing her words carefully, she spoke. ¡°More than the fact that I¡¯m the daughter of the Hill family and that you¡¯re Duke Rasiane, people¡¯s lives are more important.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t help¡­You might have died.¡± Upon hearing that, Llewellyn smiled gently. For unknown reasons, it was an irresistible smile. Llewellyn sat up slowly from his seat, reaching for her, and spoke. ¡°Well¡­you have to keep helping me. Is that right?¡± Once again, Llewellyn smiled seductively. ¡°B-but¡­¡± As her lips shuddered, she continued. ¡°You look fine now.¡± ¡°No way. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get better that quickly after a kiss.¡± Replied Llewellyn with a brazen face. His hand, stretching toward her, shook as if he was asking to quickly hold her. Rosenia naturally hesitated. If she held that hand and went to his side¡­Her heart was pounding with a premonition that something irreversible would happen. ¡°Duke, I¡¯ll just stand here and watch you. I won¡¯t leave, so rest assured.¡± ¡°¡­So if I start getting sick again, will you kiss me?¡± His gaze stuck on her. He was like a wild beast, snatching at a chance to catch her. Rosenia bit her lips, feeling like she was being hunted. She had no choice but to be cautious. However. ¡®I know what kind of person I am.¡¯ The wall of her heart that she had built against him, if it copses¡­ At that time, maybe it¡¯ll really be irreversible. ¡°Rose.¡± Llewellyn, who called her name, asked again. ¡°If I¡¯m sick and suffering too much, will you kiss me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Rosenia let out a small sigh and answered. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Just a kiss¡­it¡¯ll be okay Rosenia thought. Llewellyn tilted his upper body toward her and asked another question. ¡°Then what about a hug?¡± ¡°¡­Hugging, to some extent¡­¡± Another question came as soon as Rosenia nodded. ¡°What about feeling you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­what? Me?¡± ¡®W-where?¡¯ As Rosenia faltered and became alert, Llewellyn answered with a smile that was beyond seductive. ¡°Where I¡¯m going crazy thinking of feeling, everywhere.¡± Chapter 13 ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Rosenia blinked wildly in confusion at what she had just heard. No matter how hard Rosenia thought about it, she couldn¡¯t believe it hade from Llewellyn Rasiane¡¯s mouth. ¡®A ce he can¡¯t wait to feel. W-where the hell is that? Why is he driving me crazy?¡¯ Rosenia stumbled back in embarrassment and took another step back. The way his emerald eyes gently stared at her as if looking through her heart made her unable to stand properly. ¡°Rose, I won¡¯t feel you if you don¡¯t want me to-ugh¡­¡± Llewellyn suddenly leaned over and grabbed his chest. Startled, Rosenia flinched then hurried to his side. ¡°D-Duke, are you okay?¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± With heavy breath, his pained expression slowly eased. Soon after, he raised his head and looked at her with a frail look. Rosenia didn¡¯t know why, but¡­Llewellyn looked scared. ¡°Rose¡­If you don¡¯t help me¡­I¡¯ll die.¡± At his words, Rosenia took in a trembling breath. With a resigned smile, he spoke. ¡°Of course¡­it wouldn¡¯t be bad to die in your arms.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°But, I¡¯m still afraid to die.¡± Llewellyn slipped his hand towards her. Though within distance, his hand could only wander aimlessly, unable to reach her. ¡°I want to live. There¡¯s so much to be desired. Most unfortunate of all is¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The chance to be close to you, it¡¯ll be lost forever.¡± Rosenia hesitated upon hearing his remark. A chance to be close to her. ¡®Llewellyn Rasiane was hoping for something like that¡­?¡¯ All themon sense that Rosenia hade to know now seemed iprehensible, and she feltpletely lost. ¡®No matter what, he¡¯s not himself¡­¡¯ Rosenia hesitated because she didn¡¯t know what to say, but was suddenly reminded of their households. Reflecting upon it carefully, Rosenia thought it was quite usible. She darted her lips and asked in a timid voice. ¡°The kiss with me¡­Was it that good?¡± Llewellyn widened his eyes. He stared at her, hesitated, then soon answered with a dejected smile. ¡°Yes, it was great. That kind of bliss, I can¡¯t get enough of it.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Rosenia nodded and blushed slightly. She was now certain from his answer. She guessed they were a pretty good match physically. ¡®Then it¡¯s understandable that he wants to get closer to me¡­Choosing a marriage partner isn¡¯t hard, but it¡¯s quite difficult finding someone who you¡¯re emotionally connected with.¡¯ It was kind of surprising to her that the pure Duke Rasiane had such thoughts, but¡­ ¡®He¡¯s a little out of it right now, so maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s unconstrained. Wasn¡¯t there a saying that people who suppress their desires will explode when they¡¯re scared?¡¯ Rosenia thought that was the case with Llewellyn. While still thinking about it, Rosenia spoke. ¡°The kiss was good¡­Is that why you want to do other things with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn looked at her quietly, then answered after hesitating. ¡°Yes, I want to try everything else with you.¡± ¡°E-everything?¡± ¡°From beginning to end, everything.¡± ¡®From beginning to end? It¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking of, right¡­?¡¯ Rosenia trembled with her hands tightly sped in shock. Llewellyn, who seemed to be still looking at her reaction,ughed out loud. ¡®W-why is heughing?¡¯ ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± As Llewellyn lowered his chin, he muttered to himself with a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s much cuter than I imagined.¡± ¡°Wh¡­?¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d feel like eating so much.¡± ¡®Wait a minute¡­what?¡¯ Her eyes flicker, feeling a little embarrassed. The tip of Llewellyn¡¯s hand touched her forearm. It was only a slight touch, but with her senses on edge, goosebumps rose over her skin. While Rosenia remained stiff, Llewellyn sighed if groaning and asked her eagerly. ¡°Rose, can you give me a kiss?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A little longer this time.¡± As Rosenia hesitated and looked at him, he pleaded again in a mournful voice. ¡°Yes? Rose¡­Give me a kiss. Please think of the pitiful me¡­¡± As usual, his eyes made her heart throbbed. Looking into those eyes made her want to fulfill whatever he wished. ¡°¡­¡± Her hesitation did not long. She decided to give him a kiss. Rosenia quietly approached and kissed him. But as if that alone was not enough, with a deep sigh, he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s have a deeper rtionship.¡± ¡°Deeper¡­rtionship?¡± ¡°Kissing, and other things¡­¡± Llewellyn looked at her with a look of sorrow. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off this great beauty when he looked at her in such a wistful way. Rosenia blinked her eyes nkly, and then inadvertently nodded her head. Then, Llewellyn pulled her in and locked her in his arms. With a dazzling gaze and bright smile, he spoke. ¡°Rose, you¡¯re my first.¡± ¡®No, I can¡¯t be your first time!¡¯ Only then did shee to her senses. ¡®His first time, shouldn¡¯t that be with the female lead?! I¡¯m the viin¡¯s sister¡­!¡¯ Thump, thump. Her senseless heart continued to speed up as it pounded her chest. She was afraid that her loud heartbeat would be heard by him, so she tried not to get any closer. Rosenia fervently tried to get away from his bosoms. But his firm arms sped her waist tightly. She couldn¡¯t even move an inch. With a gentle smile, Llewellyn spoke. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a kiss just now. We just put our lips together. It was extremely brief.¡± ¡°Even so, a kiss is a kiss.¡± Rosenia was at a loss for what to do with the rising tension in her mind. A strange mood flowed between them. Rosenia felt like an invisible string was being pulled, and not knowing what would happen if it snapped. Her heart beat frantically. ¡°Again, let¡¯s kiss properly.¡± ¡°Duke, are you sure you¡¯re sick?¡± ¡°Of course, I feel very sick. Like I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, Rosenia had a feeling that Llewellyn was swindling her, but it was true that cold sweat had formed on his forehead. Also, the temperature she felt over his thin shirt was very hot. It was clear that his fever was returning. ¡®¡­Fine, I better kiss him and make him feel better, or else it¡¯ll get worse.¡¯ That was her conclusion, so hesitating a little, she finally plucked up her courage and went in for a kiss. And then, as if Llewellyn had been waiting, his big hand came around her back. As her lips were led by him, hot air naturally poured in and out of her mouth. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The first instance of him exploring her mouth felt smooth. But not long after, his movements began to get faster and more intense. Rosenia flinched and grasped the hem of his shirt with both hands tightly. Her heart crazily pounded. ¡°Ha, Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn lowered his lips for a moment to call out her name in a dull voice before biting her lower lip lightly. At that moment, she hit him in the chest unknowingly. He slightly smiled, then licked the part he had just bit. ¡°This¡­¡± Facing each other, Llewellyn whispered. ¡°Is a real kiss.¡± Then again, her lips were swallowed. Her body temperature rose and she found herself short of breath. Llewellyn gave her a break whenever she was unable to hold on, but he never let stopped. Clutching her head tightly with his arms around her waist, he never let let go. For some reason, Rosenia felt scared. She had an inexplicable premonition. ¡®How long did we kiss?¡¯ Llewellyn had finally let her rest properly. Rosenia trembled with her hands sped. Her body also shook. She was out of breath from Llewellyn kissing her rashly several times. She felt her exploited lips tingling. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The kiss. I¡¯ve been studying hard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia didn¡¯t know why her eyes flickered at such a remark. The remark gave her a strange sense of deja vu, but she was so distracted that she couldn¡¯t think straight. She just nodded awkwardly and gave a short answer. ¡°It was fine¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Upon hearing her answer, Llewellyn smiled broadly. He looked very happy. What was worse, he hugged her tightly and kissed her everywhere on the face. Startled, she greatly flinched. ¡°I¡¯ll continue to work hard.¡± ¡°What? Ah¡­! Now, hold on-.¡± Rosenia was startled when Llewellyn slipped his head around her neck and kissed the back of it. Her body flinched as if shocked by electricity. Smiling mischievously, he looked up at her and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s soft here.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s going to be soft in other ces.¡± For a moment Rosenia doubted her ears. The words that hade from Duke Rasiane¡¯s mouth. ¡®Seriously, isn¡¯t it a beast masquerading as Llewellyn Rasiane?¡¯ As Rosenia blinked her eyes in bewilderment, Llewellyn, with an earnest look, asked her. ¡°Can I have your consent? Rose, I want to feel you.¡±
Trantor¡¯s Note: I¡¯ve condensed all of Rosenia¡¯s inner monologue to hopefully make the chapters look cleaner. Chapter 14 Rosenia kept her mouth shut before barely mustering up an answer. ¡°Ah, n-no you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Afraid that she said it too timidly, she refused again sharply. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t¡­!¡± But this time, her voice shook again, so she looked even more timid. ¡®Damn it! Why is it so hard to refuse this man¡¯s request? It¡¯s probably because of that incredible handsome face. I¡¯m sure!¡¯ ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn looked at her as if he really didn¡¯t understand. It was so absurd that she didn¡¯t know how to reply. As Rosenia looked at him with a dumbfounded look on her face, he pleaded with a pitiful expression. ¡°Rose, you¡¯ve been touching me indiscriminately. But I can¡¯t touch you?¡± ¡°W-what? When did I do that?!¡± Her body fluttered up and down in denial. However, she was sitting on his thigh and couldn¡¯t move at all because he held her upper body tightly. Blinking his eyes in bewilderment, he lowered his eyes as if he was a victim and spoke. ¡°The day you brought me to this vi. You took off my clothes and felt my body¡­¡± ¡°Ack! When did I do that?! I just took off your clothes!¡± It was so outrageous that Rosenia was freaking out. ¡®When did I ever do such a shameless thing? I just took off his clothes because they were wet!¡¯ ¡°I really did take off your clothes, but I never touched your body!¡± ¡°But you wanted to touch, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡®No, rather, this guy was awake then?!¡¯ Rosenia grabbed him by the cor and snapped. ¡°You were awake then? Then why didn¡¯t you get up?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Llewellyn dodged her gaze, and again, acting pitiful, continued. ¡°I was conscious, but I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes because it was too difficult.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Why does it seem like a lie? Certainly¡­he¡¯s speaking with clear eyes and an honest face. But why does it feel so suspicious?¡¯ While narrowing her eyes and observing him, Llewellyn discretely grabbed her hands and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I thought I was going to die then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His word struck her. Why did he, the Duke of Rasiane, copse on the Hill family¡¯s property, and even by himself? She had to ask¡­ ¡®Should I ask him now?¡¯ Observing his face, Rosenia spoke. ¡°Hey, Duke-¡± Kiss. ¡°¡­?!¡± A sudden sensation on her palm made her body stiffen. Llewellyn began to wildly kiss her palm. Kiss, kiss, kiss. ¡®W-what¡¯s he doing all of a sudden?¡¯ Frightened out of her wits, she tried to pull her hand away. But Llewellyn, who held her wrist tightly, didn¡¯t let go. Kiss- ¡°Ah, ah, why suddenly¡­¡± After kissing her palm for a long time, Llewellyn slightly licked her hand. She bounced up and down in his thigh, struggling to somehow get away. But one of his arms had already wrapped around her waist tightly. ¡®Heuk¡­!¡¯ Her ominous premonition of him losing his mind had be reality. And now¡­his body was as hot as fire again. ¡®N-no way¡­!¡¯ Llewellyn Rasiane, when his mind reaches its limit after enduring the mana poisoning, would instinctively find someone to suppress it. He now had lost all reasoning. ¡®No, it¡¯s too sudden!¡¯ Llewellyn, who had his lips buried in her palm, finally raised his head. His emerald eyes, which Rosenia soon came upon, were drenched with a vivid madness clearer than ever. ¡°¡­Rose.¡± Llewellyn called out to her in a dull voice. She nervously swallowed her breath. And her heart raced frantically. ¡°Rose, Rosenia.¡± ¡°H-hold on-¡± ¡°My Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn lowered his head over her shoulder and kissed the back of her neck while caressing her cheek. He recited her name like a madman. ¡°Duke, please, snap out of it.¡± ¡°Ro¡­Ah, ugh!¡± While trying to calm him down somehow, he let out a pained groan with a distorted face. Rosenia could feel his arms trembling while in his embrace. With ragged breath, he buried himself deeper in her arms. As if he was an injured animal. ¡®W-what am I supposed to do¡­¡¯ In the end, Rosenia realized that his condition had be very serious. She was the only one who could save him now¡­ They were the only two at this vi, and of course there was the familiar that was of no use. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As soon as Rosenia saw him holding onto her for dear life and groaning in agony, she was ovee with fear. ¡®He might really die at this rate. That can¡¯t happen¡­¡¯ Her heart pounded. She was scared. She was scared that he would die. Not because he was the male lead but because she had spent her daily life with him, even though it was only a short time. Llewellyn was someone who had squeezed into her heart, shaking it. Rosenia had never met such a person in her life. So she inexplicably considered him special. Maybe that¡¯s why. Rosenia couldn¡¯t just let him die. ¡°Ah, you can¡¯t, can¡¯t die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die, Duke¡­!¡± Hugging him tightly, Rosenia anxiously kissed him on the cheek. Then, as if finding it ticklish, Llewellyn tossed and turned. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with the back of her hand, she moved his head in search of his lips. Llewellyn let out a soft moan as soon as their lips met. It was not long before his breath, hotter than ever, prated her. Comforting him with her hand by soothing his back, she clumsily kissed him. His body was so hot that she thought she was being burned. The mana that had been raging inside him flowed into her. She continued to slowly absorb his mana. ¡®How long has it been since we kissed passionately?¡¯ Before Rosenia knew it, she was lying under his body. Trapped under his arms, Rosenia was out of breath from the kiss that got increasingly intense. She had made up her mind to see this to the end. She thought that rather than letting him suffer by kissing him now and then, that it would be best to suppress his mana poisoning properly. ¡®Once his condition is a bit better, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll get in touch with his family.¡¯ One night, or maybe a couple of times¡­Rosenia was okay with that. She didn¡¯t think she was going to get married anyway. But strangely, the thought of it made her heart throb. She tried to think what the reason might be, but her mind went nk at the sounds of her clothes being peeled. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Llewellyn looked down at her gently from above. At some point, themplight had been extinguished, and the dim moonlight illuminated him. It was a picturesque man that only appeared in myths. The moonlight made the atmosphere more bewitching, and Rosenia looked at him like she was possessed. ¡°Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn called her name as if he hade back to his senses somewhat. Gently caressing her cheek, he looked at her with affectionate eyes as sweet as honey. Somehow. Her heart was trembling. ¡°I¡¯d like to get your consent.¡± His hand, which had moved to her side,bed through her hair. As if to savor the touch, he moved his hands very slowly. ¡°If I may, feeling you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°May I enter inside of you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± This time, Rosenia couldn¡¯t say no. Nodding her head, in a small voice, she answered. ¡°¡­Yes¡± Then, Llewellyn gave a dazzling bright smile. Even the moonlight seemed to be overshadowed by his smile. Completely possessed by his approaching lips, Rosenia quietly epted his hand thatid on her body. ¡°¡­Since you¡¯ve given me consent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will never ever let you go.¡± Rosenia was the only one right now who could suppress his mana poisoning, so she thought Llewellyn was just saying that in a half dazed state. With a deep sigh and rigid movements, she gently embraced him. Kissing and touching her everywhere, her body erupted into a fever from the vaginal heat. The pain Rosenia felt for the first time in her life was soon swallowed up by the heat that began to stir. Rosenia found herself bing one with him as hepletely devoured her. The night, with the crescent moon shining above, had be somewhat somber and cozy. A memory Rosenia will never forget was being engraved all over her body.
The next morning, no, it was noon. Rosenia woke up experiencing severe pain. ¡®Ah, ack¡­! It feels like my waist is going to break!¡¯ The night Rosenia spent with Llewellyn was truly amazing. No, it wasn¡¯t just the night. Because itsted until dawn! ¡®Unthinkable, really¡­How can a person do it without rest?¡¯ Until dawn, Rosenia was simply rolled over and over. When Rosenia became fretful and said that she was tired, Llewellyn soothed her in a sweet voice. [There¡¯s more toe¡­Rose. Let¡¯s go a little more, please?] The voice, the pretty smile, and the handsome face pressed down on her. In tears, Rosenia nodded again and again. ¡®The author had said he was unrivaled¡­it turned out to be true. Crazy, really¡­How much more will I have to endure in the future? Of course, it felt good, but it was too backbreaking! His stamina is too monstrous!¡¯ ¡°Should I contact the Duke¡¯s family today?¡± Muttering her thoughts out loud, Llewellyn timely appeared. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Heuk.¡± Rosenia didn¡¯tmit a crime, but still flinched like a thief caught on the spot. With a summer nket pulled up to her chest, she red at Llewellyn. He slowly came to her side. ¡°Who are you going to contact?¡± Asked Llewellyn with a smile. It was an unusual smile. Rosenia awkwardly smiled back at him. ¡®Why is he asking? We¡¯ll have to contact each other one day anyway. He¡¯s not going home?¡¯ His gaze was so intense that Rosenia couldn¡¯t even look him in the eyes. She nced sideways and said the most usible exnation she coulde up with. ¡°Your¡­family, you¡¯re not going back? Your family is going to worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Llewellyn answered so naturally that Rosenia became speechless. With her mouth agape, she looked at Llewellyn, who carefully lifted her up in her tightly wrapped summer nket. Without answering her, Llewellyn kindly smiled and asked. ¡°So, what do you want to do first?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± At this point, it seemed as if Rosenia could only utter the word ¡®what.¡¯ ¡°Bath? Breakfast? Or¡­¡± ¡®Wait, hold on. It¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, is it?¡¯ Her thoughts became true. ¡°Or, me first?¡± ¡®This is crazy. People of the world, what am I supposed to do?! This guy must have lost his mind!¡¯ Chapter 15 Rosenia naturally took a bath first. To roll again in bed as soon as she woke up would be insane! She might die if they did it again! ¡°Is the water temperature okay?¡± Asked Llewellyn in a courteous voice, standing by the bathtub. It was an unbelievable honest demeanor that Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe it¡¯s the same man who came at herst night. ¡°What? Ah, yes¡­¡± Rosenia could still feel his breath and touch all over her body vividly. She curled up her arms around her body. Memories fromst night continued to resurface in her mind, making it hard for her to face him properly. ¡°Do you use this bath bomb often?¡± Asked Llewellyn, holding a crimson rose bath bomb in his hand. While pretending he didn¡¯t exist, Rosenia answered sheepishly. ¡°That¡¯s Adrian¡¯s¡­ My brother bought it for me. Isn¡¯t it pretty? It smells good too.¡± ¡°¡­Hm.¡± As Rosenia answered in an excited voice, Llewellyn looked at the bath bomb for a while before looking back at her and throwing the bath bomb into the amenity basket. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡®He wasn¡¯t going to put it in the bathtub¡­?!¡¯ Flustered, Rosenia looked up at Llewellyn with her eyes widened. And then, Llewellyn smiled at her and took out a lc bath bomb. It was recently bought and unopened. ¡°What about this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­I bought it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Llewellyn nodded satisfactorily and unwrapped the lc bath bomb. It slowly began to disperse inside the bathtub. ¡®What?¡¯ Rosenia was taken aback, unable to understand his reaction. It was not the first time this had happened. ¡®Trying to understand him is as hard as training Adrian¡­¡¯ The bathtub was soon tinged with a violet color, and a rich sweet smell of lc scattered in the air. This was her first time using this bath product, but it smelled better than she had thought and found it to her liking. Closing her eyes and savoring the fragrance, suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, Rosenia opened her eyes and iled her body. When their eyes met, Llewellyn nted his beautiful eyes and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll wash you. Please stay still.¡± ¡°What? No-.¡± Said Rosenia, flustered. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he wants to wash me! Is it just me or does it seem like he has ill-intentions?¡¯ His hand slid down her shoulder. She became startled and flinched greatly. ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Llewellyn grabbed her wrist and looked into her eyes, he tilted his head as if asking her why. He had an innocent look on his face. ¡®This guy¡­¡¯ At this point, Rosenia realized that Llewellyn had been using his pretty face as a weapon to scam her. In bewilderment, she spoke. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do this in the morning.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m just trying to help you wash.¡± ¡®Ha, don¡¯t make meugh! Is that the hand gesture of someone who wants to help?!¡¯ Somehow, Rosenia managed to pull off his hand that was stuck to her body, and then she continued. ¡°I can wash myself, so get out!¡± ¡°Rose, you hate me helping you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not what you mean, why don¡¯t you want my help?¡± ¡®This guy¡­he¡¯s so eloquent with his words.¡¯ Rosenia was so dumbfounded that she simply pped away the back of his hand. ¡°I want to wash myself. I need some alone time. So please get out¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Desperately refusing with her eyes closed, a momentter, Llewellyn¡¯s hand slipped away. Stealthily taking a peek from a corner of her eye, she saw him looking at her with a glimmer of regret. ¡®I¡¯m not going to sumb even with that look!¡¯ Rosenia stared at him, hugging her upper body defensively. Llewellyn, who finally gave up, sighed deeply as spoke with a sorrowful voice. ¡°I really wanted to help you wash¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I can¡¯t. Next time then¡­¡± ¡®¡­Next time?¡¯ Not knowing why Llewellyn had just said that, her nerves were on edge as he turned around and walked out of the bathroom. Click. Llewellyn went out and closed the door. Rosenia sat dazed for a while, barely able to calm herself as she let out a deep sigh. ¡®Next time¡­So he still wants to wash me one of these days! That guy, who wanted me to lull him to sleep, wants to help me bath?¡¯ It was a very hard pill to swallow for her. ¡®But after all, afterst night, I know for sure he likes to cuddle.¡¯ Rosenia blushed at the sudden thought. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe that she discovered Duke Rasiane¡¯s taste after one night! ¡®Really, it wasn¡¯t even meant to be¡­I¡¯m d I quickly used contraceptive magic before we started earnestly yesterday.¡¯ So there was no risk of an unwanted pregnancy. Last night, and at dawn¡­thinking how long it wouldst. Llewellyn would heat up, and there was no time to rest. Rosenia didn¡¯t know how many times they did it. ¡®It might have been dangerous if I hadn¡¯t used contraceptive magic.¡¯ Gently touching the hot surface of the bathwater with her hands, she sighed deeply. For contraceptive magic, Rosenia never thought she¡¯d have to use it in this life, even though she had learned it. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d sleep with the male lead¡­Huh, what¡¯s this?¡¯ Looking around her chest, she widened her eyes. There were red spots everywhere, as if rashes had bloomed. ¡®¡­N-no way!¡¯ The moment Rosenia realized what those marks were, her face flushed red. She lowered her face in the bathwater and iled blindly. ¡®Ugh, crazy, really! Why did he have to leave these marks?!¡¯ The pure and honest looking Duke was no different than a beast. However, no one would believe her if she told them that ¡®The¡¯ Duke Rasiane bes a beast at night! ¡®¡­Don¡¯t tell me I have to spend the night with that guy again tonight? Since I suppressed the mana poisoning, it should be okay for the time being¡­But what if it¡¯s not? Ah, no! If I have to do it again, I¡¯ll die! That guy¡­has no idea what moderation is.¡¯ Her body shivered in the warm bathtub. ¡®And¡­I haven¡¯t heard the reason. I should have asked him why he was lying on the Hill¡¯s properly alone.¡¯ Llewellyn had suddenly kissed her palm like crazy¡­ Recalling the moment again, Rosenia felt goosebumps up her spine. No matter how much she thought about it, she had the feeling that she was being eaten. Also, naturally, that wasn¡¯t the only feeling¡­ Her cheeks red up again as the memory of what happened up till dawn vividly reyed in her mind. She buried her face in her hands and murmured. ¡®He¡¯s driving me crazy. Really¡­¡¯
With aplicated mood in more ways than one, Rosenia came out after her bath¡­Then, she saw Llewellyn standing rather shyly holding a towel, waiting for her. ¡®W-what.¡¯ Rosenia nced at him and approached the dressing table. He followed behind her slowly. For some reason, the way Llewellyn followed her made her dreadful. She felt like her neck was going to get bitten. ¡®Ack, why ising towards me, again!¡¯ Rosenia sat at the dressing table holding back her iing tears. Reflected in therge mirror in front of her, she had a very strange look on her face. Tap. Llewellyn stood close behind her. At that moment, she became nervous and inadvertently gulped. In a polite tone, he asked. ¡°May I dry your hair for you? Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thinking about it¡­Rosenia suddenly had a realization. The fact that his tone was sometimes polite, and sometimes informal. ¡®Well, the more out of it he is, the more unfettered he bes. Last night¡­¡¯ [You¡¯re really pretty right now¡­] ¡®¡­Saying it so casually.¡¯ At the thought of it, Rosenia became a little dumbfounded. With a sideway re, she tried to snatch the towel from his hand, but he quickly blocked her hand. ¡°Please allow me to dry you, Rose.¡± It was a tone that would not take a no for an answer. Although Llewellyn was smiling, Rosenia somehow had a bad feeling about it, and that if she said no, he would pretend to be pitiful and cheat her again. And Rosenia was certain that she would foolishly fall for it again. Seeing her whole life sh before her eyes, she breathed a deep sigh. ¡®Fine, male lead, do as you please¡­¡¯ Rosenia forcefully nodded her head. ¡°Thank you, Rose.¡± With a big smile, Llewellyn began to dry her hair slowly with the soft towel. ¡®He¡¯s not going to tear my hair off because he can¡¯t control his strength, is he?¡¯ Rosenia wanted to ask, but surprisingly his touch was quite professional. To the point where she felt drowsy. ¡°Does it feel good?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep doing it from now on then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡®We¡¯re parting ways anyway.¡¯ With a devious look, Llewellyn smiled and stopped drying her hair. After looking at her quietly for a while, Llewellyn said in a low voice. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t seem to believe me at all.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®What is he saying all of a sudden? I don¡¯t believe him at all? Isn¡¯t that obvious? How can I trust a crazy person?!¡¯ After fiddling her lips, she answered. ¡°Trust grows over time in a rtionship, doesn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve¡­just met.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I spent the night so I could suppress Duke¡¯s mana poisoning. I have no other intention¡­¡± Rosenia said everything she wanted to say, but it soon urred to her that she shouldn¡¯t have. Because very different from usual, Llewellyn¡¯s face looking at her right now was cold. Chapter 16 ¡°¡­The night we spent together, did you really have no other intentions? Are you really sure?¡± Asked Llewellyn with a stiff expression. Rosenia didn¡¯t know why, but it looked like he was displeased with what she had said. ¡®I hadn¡¯t lied. Isn¡¯t what I said just a fact?¡¯ Rosenia was perplexed because she didn¡¯t know why Llewellyn was angry. Not knowing how to answer, Rosenia hesitated, then spoke. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think I had any other intentions. I was really just trying to save Duke¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn¡¯s unceasingly cold expression frightened her. Her heart pounded precariously. ¡®What the hell does this man want me to say?¡¯ While wiggling her hands in a perplexed mood, Llewellyn suddenly smiled sweetly. ¡°¡­?¡± His sudden change of expression surprised her and she widened her eyes. With a very generous and sweet smile, he wrapped his hands around her shoulders. ¡°I understand. I guess my efforts fell short.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I should have satisfied you better. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try harder next time. With that said¡­¡± Llewellyn grabbed her back and lifted her up. Flustered at being gently lifted up like a doll, she iled wildly. ¡°A-all of a sudden-¡± ¡°Rx, I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± ¡®No, what does he mean he¡¯ll take over from here?!¡¯ Llewellyn approached the bed with her carefully in his arms. Then, carefullyying her body on the bed, he looked down at her from above. Trapped under his arms, Rosenia could only blinky vacantly. He gently stroked her cheek and whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll please you.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t refuse. I want to make it up to you.¡± Then, Llewellyn slowly lowered his head. Before their lips met, Llewellyn gave her a moment¡¯s space, as if giving her the chance to refuse. However, Rosenia couldn¡¯t refuse. Just looking at him this close, her hands and feet felt numb, and her blood boiled. Llewellyn smiled gently, as if he knew Rosenia would react this way. In the end, their lips ovepped. As Llewellyn squeezed her lips, a murmur came from her throat each time he took her breath away. Tossing and turning, she felt him loosening the waistband of her robe. Her body jerked at the feeling of somethingrge against her. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± After a while, when his lips lowered, Rosenia gasped for air and looked up at him with hazy eyes. He looked down at her with a soft smile. His eyes were as tender as if he was looking at something he held dear. In a kind voice, Llewellyn whispered. ¡°Rx.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡± In the midst of the blossoming passion, Rosenia suddenly had a simple thought. ¡®I just took a bath¡­¡¯ ¡­Rosenia had a feeling that she will have to take another bath.
Time quickly passed. The hands of the clock were already pointing to 3pm when Rosenia came out after taking a bath again. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m living such a yboy¡¯s life!¡¯ Never did Rosenia imagined she¡¯d end up a yboy while in the Mage Tower. The cause of it was a man who put her on edge. Pinching herself, Llewellyn stared at her with his eyes rounded. ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia quietly dropped her hands. In a moment of vexation, she had done it out of impulse¡­ ¡®I¡¯m¡­What am I doing being childish?¡¯ As Rosenia sighed inwardly while looking at Llewellyn¡¯s countenance, he suddenly asked. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe Llewellyn threw such a curveball! She iled herself in his arms. But she was wrapped in arge towel, like a happy kimbap, and couldn¡¯t budge. As if Llewellyn liked what he saw, Rosenia saw clearly how his mouth crept up when she looked at him. ¡®This guy¡­¡¯ Frolicking her hands, she suddenly spoke. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re a little hateful because you¡¯re like a cunning fox, do you know that?¡± ¡°Thank you very much for keeping me in that way.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Again, it was a puzzling answer. While Rosenia frowned with mixed emotions, Llewellyn, who put her down on the couch, affectionately spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a meal, so please stay here for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to prepare a meal? You, the Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡®That¡¯s outrageous! Duke Rasiane cooking! If anyone saw it, they would faint. Llewellyn Rasiane is a high-ranking nobleman, far from housework!¡¯ Forgetting the fact that she had to escape from being a happy kimbap, she looked at Llewellyn¡¯s back absentmindedly. The kitchen was visible from the living room so Rosenia could see what Llewellyn was doing. Llewellyn took out cooking ingredients with great dexterity as if he had lived in this vi for twenty years and began preparing them. ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn even firmly wore an apron. Reluctantly astonished at what she was seeing, she thought his servants would have fainted at such a sight of Duke Rasiane. ¡®It¡¯s been 20 minutes or so?¡¯ Having struggled for a while and managing to escape from being a happy kimbap, Llewellyn came into the living room carrying arge tray. Llewellyn grinned as soon as he met her eyes, and then he ced the tray down on a t table. She felt a sense of awkwardness as she took a closer look at the food he had made. Crispy toast, sd with tomatoes and cheese, fluffy omelette with creme fraiche, and cold orange juice. In addition, there was pudding for dessert! Rosenia thought perhaps the pudding was left by Adrian for her to eat, but regardless, it was quite a mouth watering meal. ¡°I can finally show off my cooking skills. I worked hard for Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia was confused in many ways, and couldn¡¯t answer right away because her mouth was watering. Aside from the fact that these foods looked delicious, Rosenia can¡¯t remember the male lead ever being good at cooking in the original story¡­ ¡®What the hell is going on¡­¡¯ Rosenia thought she should say something, anything, to Llewellyn, but she waspletely speechless. She could only smile awkwardly. ¡°You must be hungry. Go ahead and eat.¡± Fortunately, Llewellyn only told her to eat and nothing else. She quietly thanked him in a small voice as she picked up a fork. ¡®What should I eat first?¡¯ Rosenia felt nervous even though she thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡®Ah, let¡¯s start with the omelette.¡¯ The first thing that caught her eyes was the fluffy omelette. She used the fork to cut the omelette into bite-size pieces and put it in her mouth. ¡®Hm¡­huh?!¡¯ Rosenia was surprised because it was more delicious than she had thought. She thought it was just an ordinary omelette, but the texture was very fluffy and the seasoning was just right. On top of that, the scent of slightly added herbs presented a fresh aftertaste. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s delicious.¡¯ In any case, it was so good that she would even believe it if he said he was a professional chef. ¡®Duke Rasiane made this¡­¡¯ Rosenia nced at Llewellyn with great surprise. As if he found her reaction to his liking, he gave a proud smile. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious. Very much so.¡± At her extremely surprised tone, Llewellyn grinned. He took a seat next to her and urged her to try the other food. Rosenia also tried a bite of the toast and sd. The toast was crisp with a savory taste, and the sd was light and fresh. She also took a sip of the orange juice. The sweet and refreshing taste relieved her fatigue. ¡®He knows how to juice¡­Why the hell did he learn this?¡¯ Rosenia wanted to ask him, but regardless, the meal that he had made was very delicious. After finishing all the dishes, Rosenia ate every bit of the pudding. Lying down on the couch with a feeling of fullness, Llewellyn suddenly kissed her on the cheek. Standing next to her, Llewellyn suddenly held her in his arms. And then, he kissed her frantically. Kiss, Kiss, Kiss. ¡°Agh, wait, Duke?¡± Rosenia was suddenly afraid that Llewellyn was out of his mind again because of the mana poisoning. But the emerald eyes, which looked at her like a half moon, were not cloudy but clear. ¡®He doesn¡¯t have a fever, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s in a state of mana poisoning¡­So why does he keep kissing me?¡¯ Although inwardly relieved, Rosenia blushed. Llewellyn looked at her sweetly and asked her something he had been meaning to ask. ¡°Were you satisfied with the meal I prepared?¡± ¡°What? Ah, of course¡­ everything was delicious.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m d.¡± With a sweet smile on his face, he swept her hair behind her ear that had fallen down. Then, while fiddling with her earlobe, he took the opportunity to stealthily lower his hand down her neckline. Rosenia felt pathetic for letting herself get hot again due to his touch. ¡®Is there a way to cut him off?¡¯ Now truly, his eyes, his touch, his kiss, and everything about him felt natural. ¡®Maybe at this point, I¡¯m going to have to draw a line? Before my hearts grow beyond control, shouldn¡¯t I send him back where he belongs?¡¯ Llewellyn smiled seductively with his pretty face, unaware of her thoughts. Holding back her worries, she hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°Hey, Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Rose.¡± ¡°When are you going to return to your castle?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The next moment there was a heavy silence. Rosenia held her hands together, reflexively tense. She could feel the strength in Llewellyn¡¯s arm that held her. Llewellyn smiled. Even though it was a smile that was as soft as the spring breeze, it felt cold. ¡°Do you want me to go back?¡± ¡°What? Rather than that¡­¡¯ ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, if Duke is away for too long¡­¡± While Rosenia blinked and stammered, Llewellyn gently stroked her cheek. It was a loving act, as if they were a couple. ¡®I¡¯ll be troubled if this continues¡­Such as there being other reasons to spend the night with him other than to suppress his mana poisoning.¡¯ Him behaving this friendly made the matter more difficult. As his hand was still touching her cheek, she scrupulously grabbed him by the wrist and pulled it down with force. Then, hesitating, he looked at her softly and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it when I touch you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­a little ufortable¡­¡± ¡°But you liked it before, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°When did I?!¡± ¡°Before the meal, in the bathroom and in the bedroom, I think you liked it.¡± ¡®O-oh my god! Is this really the male lead?¡¯ Chapter 17 Rosenia¡¯s face instantly became hot. As she struggled to get out of Llewellyn¡¯s arms, he held her tightly and kissed her on the cheek. Kiss. ¡®No, this guy¡¯s really¡­!¡¯ Rosenia was about to lose her temper, but Llewellyn came back to his senses and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the castle. Not yet.¡± ¡®Why not?! Now that his condition is better, he should go home now! Why is he still here?! In the vi of his family¡¯s enemy no less! At any rate, if Adrian were toe back early¡­!¡¯ ¡°Not yet, because I haven¡¯t engraved myself in your heart as much as I hoped.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia had mixed emotions upon hearing his words. ¡®What¡¯s the reason for him wanting me to like him?¡¯ Only now did Rosenia realize Llewellyn had no other motives. ¡®¡­Wait, no other motives? That¡¯s¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡®There could be. Come to think of it.¡¯ Rosenia found it strange that Llewellyn had copsed on the Hill family¡¯s private property in the first ce, and it was very suspicious that he didn¡¯t have any servants or safety measures against his mana poisoning. ¡®Him being friendly towards me, maybe it¡¯s for a different reason.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± The thought chilled her blood. Her heart pounded for reasons other than excitement, and it unknowingly became stuffy. Rosenia pushed Llewellyn with a stiff look on her face. This time he let her go without holding her back. ¡°Rose.¡± Llewellyn called her name. She stared at him quietly, and crept away. His expression hardened like ice. ¡°¡­Duke, go ahead and have dinner. You haven¡¯t eaten anything yet.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that¡­Anyway, I¡¯m not feeling well right now¡­I¡¯ll go to my room and rest. Thank you very much for the food.¡± Llewellyn stretched out his arms as if to hold her back. But even before his arm could reach, she had turned her back and ran away. When Rosenia came up to the second floor and entered her beloved attic, she could barely breathe. With a sigh, Rosenia approached her bed andid down. For a while, her face was nted down in the bed sheet, then she turned andid straight, looking up at the ceiling. Light poured through arge window, upying one side of a wall and illuminating the ceiling. ¡®I wish I could get overst night.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Rosenia hated her rtionship with him. Rather, the problem was that it was too good. Spending the night with him, she felt a little disillusioned with herself, having rationalized a part of her mind that it was to save him. However, it was difficult to keep such acent attitude. Not to him, or to herself. ¡°Whimper, whimper¡­¡± The sound of whining interrupted her contemtion. At some point, the familiar, who hade into the attic through the wall, was whining at her from under the bed. ¡°What, you want a mana ball?¡± Rosenia got up and sat next to the familiar, dumbfounded by its gluttonous nature. It was a bit annoying, but a promise was a promise, so Rosenia was going to make a mana ball for it, but then the familiarunched a transparent bubble at her. ¡°This is¡­ Adrian¡¯s?¡± This transparent bubble was a way for sorcerers to contact one another at a distance. Rosenia tapped the bubble with her fingertip. And then from the burst of the bubble came Adrian¡¯s voice. [About ten days from now. It was quicker than I had expected. In the meantime, don¡¯t get into trouble and take care of yourself.] ¡®¡­Ten days?!¡¯ A wrench had been thrown into her one month schedule, putting her on alert. She didn¡¯t even want to imagine what would happen if Adrian were to return before she could send Llewellyn back¡­! ¡®I-I¡¯mpletely doomed.¡¯ Rosenia quickly rolled her head as she made a mana ball and threw it at the barking familiar. ¡®If it¡¯s ten days, then I have about seven days to spare.¡¯ In the meantime, Rosenia needed to get Llewellyn back to his senses so she could contact his family. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work, I have no choice but to contact his family in secret¡­¡¯ Llewellyn had repeatedly told her he was not going back to the castle, which drove her crazy. ¡®Does his family know? The fact that their master is half crazy in the enemy¡¯s den and suffering from mana poisoning?! And even sleeping with the enemy¡¯s daughter, agh!¡¯ This mess had be hell on earth for her. She thought perhaps the whole world would plunge into chaos if their scandal became known to the public. ¡®I¡¯ll have to reply to Adrian first.¡¯ Rosenia made one dark pink transparent bubble and put her voice in it. Pretending to be as casual as possible, she acted as if nothing had happened. ¡°Ten days, you¡¯ll be back sooner than I thought. It¡¯s so nice I¡¯ll be able to see my brother sooner. I¡¯m doing fine, so don¡¯t worry!¡± Although Rosenia sounded very pretentious¡­she knew that Adrian would be happy to hear her say ¡®It¡¯s so nice I¡¯ll be able to see my brother sooner.¡¯ She was certain of that. ¡®Good, this doesn¡¯t sound suspicious.¡¯ Rosenia ced the transparent bubble into the familiar¡¯s mouth, in which it will be passed to Adrian. ¡®About seven days from now¡­I have to stay alert. I can¡¯t trust Llewellynpletely.¡¯ Other than the fact that her heart trembles whenever she sees him and his condition keeps getting better, she was unable to tell if he has any ulterior motives. ¡®Is he pretending to be out of his mind, or is he really out of his mind. It¡¯s getting more and more confusing.¡¯ Rosenia wished she could see through Llewellyn, but he was a very difficult man to read. Furthermore, the magic of peeping into a person¡¯s mind, namely, mind reading, would not work on someone like Llewellyn. He had been training to defend against such mental magic since he was a kid. Therefore, Rosenia had no choice but to keep a close eye on him and be suspicious. ¡®Seriously¡­there¡¯s no romance at all.¡¯ In a way, Llewellyn might have been something like a first love to her. She felt it was very sad to have to weigh the reality like this.
Having fallen asleep at some point in her bed, it wasn¡¯t untilte evening that she woke up. The sun was setting and darkness had just begun to fall. Blinking her eyes absently, she paused when she noticed that something was strange. There was something against her body¡­It was too firm to be the bed, yet, it was somewhat cozy and warm. ¡®What is it¡­? In a half dazed state from just waking up, Rosenia lifted her head. Then, a man¡¯s face entered her vision. It was a pretty face with lustrous eyes, clearly outlined even in the dim light. ¡°¡­¡± Staring at the face, Rosenia hugged the warm body that was leaning against her. ¡°¡­¡± Then, the body of the owner flinched considerably. ¡®Ah, why. Stay still.¡¯ Still half asleep, Rosenia dug deeper into the cozy arms. Then, there came a small sigh from above her head. Soon after, arge hand slowly slid down from the back of her head to her back. ¡°You pushed me away earlier¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you doing this because you¡¯re not fully awake?¡± ¡®What¡¯s this noise?¡¯ Her eyes vacantly flickered. She was unable to think, perhaps because she was half conscious. ¡°Really, you move me every time. Ever since I first met you, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me die¡­Then you would have beenfortable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But you gave me your consent. And I said it clearly. I¡¯ll never let you go.¡± The man, who grabbed her chin and lifted it gently, slowly lowered his head. Rosenia just stared at the man without the slightest idea what was happening. It was not long before their lips ovepped. Completely enveloped as one, their breath flowed through each other, mingling. Taking everything in, from the hot sensation and thrill running through her spine, to the arms of the man with immeasurable heat in his eyes, she finally came to her senses. ¡®Llewellyn¡­!¡¯ ¡°Heup¡­¡± Rosenia pushed him away with a p in the chest, and unexpectedly, he backed off obediently. But Rosenia was still in his arms and felt as if she was going to be burned from his body heat. ¡®It¡¯s obvious he wants me. Naturally, to hell with that. But, why¡­¡¯ ¡­Rosenia wondered if it was because of their chemistry. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was good or not becausest night was her first time. ¡®What about him, then? Is he experienced? Also, why is he in my attic?¡¯ Gasping for air, Rosenia asked. ¡°Duke¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Rose.¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°By any chance¡­¡± Rosenia swallowed her saliva and continued. ¡°Are you experienced?¡± There was a moment of silence. It wasn¡¯t long before Llewellyn spoke. ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± Answered Llewellyn with an apparent embarrassed face. His voice also seemed a little shaky. Rosenia didn¡¯t know if she was imagining things, but somehow he looked angry. Rosenia asked him again as politely as possible, hoping he wouldn¡¯t be angry. ¡°So, beside me, have you ever slept with another woman-¡± Before Rosenia could finish, Llewellyn grabbed her wrists. She flinched on the spot from the shock. ¡°D-Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn looked at her fiercely. It was such a look that could burn one¡¯s hand if touched. She was so taken aback that she was at a loss for words. ¡°Rosenia, you, who on earth¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn spat out his words with a frustrated face, and then sighed deeply. The way he looked at her seemed to contain resentment. ¡°Who on earth do you think I am?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ah, the ever popr Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You were very popr at the royal pce¡¯s banquet.¡± Rosenia thought there might have been one or two women who caught his eyes¡­ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t there have been? No? He only has eyes for the female lead? But for an abstinent person, his techniques were so good! Really, I was overpowered in his hands¡­! If he¡¯s not experienced, then it¡¯s still perfectly reasonable for him to be familiar with the topic¡­Ah, certainly. There was something like that in the original story-¡¯ ¡°Did you forget what I said before?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you. You¡¯re my first.¡± ¡®Ah,e to think of it.¡¯ Rosenia absentmindedly blinked her eyes as she recalled her past memories. [You¡¯re my first, Rose.] ¡®So he did say something like that¡­¡¯ Chapter 18 ¡°That wasn¡¯t a lie. You¡¯re really my first.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else.¡± Said Llewellyn resolutely with his forehead against hers. His exquisite emerald irises were so transparent and clear that she could see her reflection. Facing the glimmering light of his eyes, Rosenia gently nodded. ¡®He said it himself, so it would be rude to doubt it.¡¯ Rosenia anxiously offered an apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was rude¡­¡± ¡°¡­No. It was a reasonable question. Looking at it another way, it means that my skill was excellent enough for you to suspect that.¡± Then, Llewellyn smiled quite proudly. Blushing and avoiding his gaze, for some reason Rosenia felt ashamed. ¡®No, why is he so proud of that? I guess he¡¯s a perfectionist who needs to be good at everything.¡¯ Rosenia thought that was the case. ¡®When you¡¯re in the position of Duke, you¡¯ll want to do everything perfectly.¡¯ ¡°Rosenia.¡± Llewellyn called her name in a friendly tone. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t look angry anymore. But for some reason, he looked uneasy. ¡°There¡¯s nothing definite, so I feel uneasy. Despite our rtionship has gotten deeper.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No, well, I guess it¡¯s only physically.¡± Listening to his mysterious words, Rosenia was still lost in thought. ¡®Why would he feel uneasy?¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t know why, but she was certain of one thing. ¡®He also thinks our rtionship thus far is only physical. Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡¯ But for some reason her heart ached. Even though she didn¡¯t hear anything that should have hurt her feelings. ¡®Idiot, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ Rosenia firmly suppressed her heart as she criticized herself. With her eyes closed in that state for some time, a big warm hand touched her cheek. She looked up at Llewellyn. ¡°Rose.¡± ¡°Duke.¡± After looking at each other for some time, they both spoke almost simultaneously. Without giving her time to concede, Llewellyn took the lead. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Yes, then.¡± Rosenia had no choice but to go first now. She quietly nodded and then spoke. ¡°Duke, why did you copse and by yourself on the Hill family¡¯s property?¡± It was a little out of the blue to ask such a question, but Rosenia didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have another chance if not now. Rosenia was certain, because Llewellyn had been dodging this topic like a loach! ¡®He can¡¯t get out of it this time. I must hear an answer.¡¯ Rosenia stared at him with her eyes wide open. He was very still, looking at her with no agitation in his eyes, as to not give anything away. She also looked straight at him. ¡®How long has it been?¡¯ Llewellyn finally spoke. ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia widened her eyes at the entirely unexpected answer. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it. I thought he was going to tell the truth because he took his time, but it was the same roundabout answer!¡¯ This was how all of her attempts had gone. Llewellyn would always smooth talk his way out whenever she tried to dig deeper. Therefore, Rosenia had no choice but to suspect him. Their idental meeting and his attitude as if he was trying to captivate her, she suspected that there might be a dark motive¡­ Without concealing her dissatisfaction, she spoke. ¡°Of course it matters. I really want to know. I need to know.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it matters much.¡± Llewellyn turned and touched her corbone slightly. At that moment, she felt goosebumps and shuddered. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­I don¡¯t remember. Why I was lying in this vi¡¯s garden¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia looked at him with a look of disbelief. ¡®Suddenly he can¡¯t remember, it¡¯s obviously a lie. How dare he think I would buy that!¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything about what happened to me, and why I was lying in the rain with a high fever¡­If you hadn¡¯t saved me, I¡¯d be dead.¡± ¡®¡­It sounds usible? Really, is he telling the truth?¡¯ For a moment, Llewellyn stopped stroking her hair and his eyes glistened. As if he had just thought of something. ¡°So, I don¡¯t want to go back to my castle until my memoryes back.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡®Is there a reason why he keeps saying he won¡¯t go back to his castle?¡¯ Somehow, Rosenia felt like Llewellyn was telling the truth, so she just shook her head. ¡°And, so far¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± His hand ran along her shoulder line, then gradually went down. She shuddered at the touch of his hot hand against her skin. ¡°I think the connection with you has helped.¡± ¡°¡­The connection with me?¡± ¡°Yes, body-to-body connection.¡± Her face flushed red at the candid response. The way Llewellyn touched and looked at her, she was clear what he wanted. ¡°So¡­can I have your permission today?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°To touch you, kiss you, and enter you¡­¡± His hand slipped down her back. She was so embarrassed at what he wanted that she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°¡­Y-you can¡¯t.¡± Rosenia answered timidly, clutching her robe tightly. Hesitating, Llewellyn asked. ¡°Why not this time?¡± Rosenia hesitated, then answered. ¡°W-well, if we start now¡­You won¡¯t let me go until dawn.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Said Llewellyn proudly, nodding his head. Rosenia was a little dumbfounded, but continued. ¡°But, I¡­ Right now, I mean.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dinner now, and I only had lunch earlier, so¡­I-I¡¯m hungry. I can¡¯t do it until dawn if I¡¯m hungry!¡± Rosenia didn¡¯t know why she said this in front of the man who was trying to seduce her. Feeling humiliated, she screamed and pounded her forehead against his chest. When she closed her eyes tightly, she heard a lowughter from above. ¡°Ha, haha¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn, who began to burst intoughter, held her trembling body tightly in his arms. She wanted to give him a punch, so she tightened her trembling hands. ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± Llewellyn patted her on the back of the head, then he kissed her forehead and cheek several times before softly speaking. ¡°Rosenia, you really are¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So cute that it¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Her body that had heated up became hotter. She was so embarrassed that tears welled up. Llewellyn licked up her tears. However, her tears weren¡¯t the only thing that he licked. She found herself half naked, writhing and moaning. ¡°D-Duke¡­¡± ¡°Be a good girl and stay still.¡± ¡°Well, hungry¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡®Agh, I¡¯m hungry! Hasn¡¯t he ever heard of a foodie?!¡¯ Llewellyn gently soothed her, who was in tears in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s do it first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Afterwards, I¡¯ll make you dinner. It¡¯ll be very delicious.¡± In the dark, his green eyes shone and bent like the crescent moon. His pale and straight lips seemed to curve mischievously as he whispered. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll eat something delicious first.¡±
The bedroom had begun to be tinted with the cool early morning light. Llewellyn sat by the bedside and looked down at Rosenia¡¯s face. Rosenia was fast asleep without anything on. Her clear white skin was full of traces he had left behind. Llewellyn looked at the traces with a satisfied expression, then, quietly reaching out to Rosenia, he gently swept down her scarlet hair. The softness between his fingers was like silk threads. Llewellyn smiled, and as he was about to remove his hand, in her sleep, Rosenia whimpered and grabbed it. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± At that moment, Llewellyn flinched as if he had been struck by lightning. Rosenia didn¡¯t let go of his hand, and instead pulled his arm into her embrace as she rubbed her cheek against it. Llewellyn sat stiff on the spot and couldn¡¯t move a muscle. All his strength had been taken away by Rosenia. Seeing her squeeze his hand and mumbling to herself, he found it adorable. Llewellyn sighed softly. ¡°Ha, really¡­¡± Llewellyn stroked her cheek incessantly with his other hand that was not caught. As if finding it pleasant, Rosenia smiled and rubbed her cheek against it. It was like a wary cat had allowed itself to be touched by a human for the first time. For some reason, Llewellyn¡¯s heart ached and he sighed. ¡°Really, you move me every time.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°Even when you¡¯re asleep like this¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± ¡°Still?¡± When Llewellyn asked her with a smile, her face grimaced as she replied. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve eaten so much already.¡± ¡°More¡­¡± Her sleep talking was so lovely that it made him smile to himself. He was going crazy again, wanting to hug her tightly and pour kisses all over her body. ¡®If I do such a thing to a sleeping person, wouldn¡¯t I be taken for a ruffian?¡® Llewellyn tried to suppress the lust that was raging inside of him. ¡®Let¡¯s go to the kitchen and make a bunch of food that Rosenia likes instead.¡¯ Thinking so and getting up, Rosenia held his hand tightly and murmured. ¡°Adrian¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Brother¡­¡± Chapter 19 Adrian. His blood turned cold the moment he heard such a name. Llewellyn looked at Rosenia with a stiff expression on his face. Her cheeks were tinged with a subtle pink, simr to her hair color, while her slightly thick golden eyshes fluttered and her small lips curled. It was extremely beautiful and endearing. To the point where he wanted to swallow her all at once. And rather, those pretty lips, and that defenseless face, Rosenia had uttered another man¡¯s name other than his. Though, needlessly to say it was her brother¡¯s name. That fact didn¡¯t matter to Llewellyn. What he cared about was the fact that he wasn¡¯t the most important person in her subconscious. It was her brother, Adrian Hill. ¡°¡­¡± A cold smile formed over Llewellyn¡¯s pale lips. Llewellyn wasn¡¯t there as Rosenia grew up. It was Adrian Hill. Such a fact irritated him greatly. He wanted to learn everything about her as soon as possible. And if possible, Llewellyn wanted to take Adrian¡¯s ce in her heart. ¡®I want to fill her heart with only me. From her beginning, to her end, everything. By my side, I want it all.¡¯ A familiar pain dug into his heart. He looked at Rosenia with a troubled look. Rosenia was sound asleep with an angelic face. Completely unaware of the dangerous thoughts passing through Llewellyn who was looking at her right now. ¡®My lovely Rosenia.¡¯ The more Rosenia looked apprehensive to him, the more he wanted her. He wanted to embrace her tightly and go deep inside her warm heart. Llewellyn thought he had captured her heart. However, looking at her sleeping face, he was ovee with a sense of doubt. It wasn¡¯t just a physical rtionship that Llewellyn wanted. He never had such a childish idea in the first ce. He wanted all of her. He wanted her heart and soul for as long as she lives. Llewellyn wondered when this desire, an illness called love, had settled deep within his heart. Thinking about it, Llewellyn recalled it all started quite a long time ago.Long before the banquet that was held at the royal pce four years ago. Llewellyn remembered it was the early summer, when lcs bloomed beautifully and sweetly at his Duchy. Turning thirteen, on that very day, Llewellyn, the always upright and faultless boy, attempted to break free because of an impulse.
The young Duke was well known for his upright and straightforward nature. Everyone praised him wherever he went. Llewellyn Rasiane. An orphan who lost his parents and grew up alone as soon as he saw the light of the world. People were empathetic to his situation. ¡°A birthday gift from Count Andrico, your grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So, when the date of his birthday, May 25th, was approaching, all the gifts and letters that came in were of those that expressed sympathy. Llewellyn, feeling a little annoyed, epted the letter and read it silently. It was courtesy to ept and read the letters from other high ranking nobles. The letter, as usual, was filled with praises for the remarkable achievements of the young Duke Rasiane and his impable upright character. There was also mention of his appearance growing more dazzling as he grew older. And with a very aristocratic style of writing, as to not to offend, it ended with a good word of concern for the young Duke. The letters Llewellyn received were usually like this. The nobles, who had been close to thete Duke and Duchess of Rasiane, had no idea how to help the young Llewellyn even though they felt sorry for him. Although he knew they meant well, Llewellyn was frankly fed up with it all. Still, he would always reply out of courtesy. ¡°Here, the letter.¡± Llewellyn, who neatly wrote back to Count Andrico without a single mistake in his letter, sealed the letter and handed it to the butler. The butler received the letter in a polite manner as usual and then drew back quietly. Once the butler left and all the servants were sent away, only the sound of Llewellyn¡¯s breathing could be heard in the study room. It was a peaceful silence. Llewellyn found the familiar silencefortable amidst his annoyance. Having never shown such emotions, people only thought of him as a very good-hearted and quiet child. However, it wasn¡¯t true. Only Llewellyn knew that he wasn¡¯t like that at all. ¡®I¡¯m fed up with it.¡¯ Llewellyn was fed up with his birthday celebrations and gifts. He was fed up with the annual grand banquet and the church service that was held afterwards for histe parents. He was fed up with everyone thinking that he might be feeling a sense of guilt for his parents¡¯ death. The sense of guilt for causing his parent¡¯s death. That kind of guilt. ¡®It¡¯s all nonsense.¡¯ Although Llewellyn did his best to respect and thank histe parents, having never even seen their faces, he found it hard to have any affection towards them. The parents who left him early were strangers to him. Regardless, people wanted to believe that he is a loving and kind boy who misses his parents, one that he had never even seen. Unfortunately that wasn¡¯t the case. It was just their delusion. ¡®This May 25th, they¡¯ll look at me with pity again.¡¯ With no one around, Llewellyn¡¯s smile twisted into one that he had never shown in public. In truth, rather than prepare for the banquet and services, Llewellyn wanted to travel somewhere on May 25th. He thought that would free him from all this tiresome things. ¡®However, that¡¯s wishful thinking.¡¯ Llewellyn would always have such thoughts out of habit, but like the whispers of a snake, doubts arose one after the other. ¡®Is it really wishful thinking?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn sat back in his study chair, dreaming of breaking free one day. A beautiful beach, sparkling sea waves, the ring sun, a garden somewhere filled with flowers other than lcs. Llewellyn wanted to go to the ce of his dreams. But Llewellyn knew it waspletely insane. If he disappears, the castle will be turned upside down. Even if Llewellyn left a letter behind, there would be suspicions that he was kidnapped by the opposing political parties. Knowing such risks, he still wanted to run away. Llewellyn wanted to leave this tedious and mundane life so he can experience a sense of freedom for the first time. To taste freedom, Llewellyn had to do something that he dared not do and act impulsive. Llewellyn wanted to take the risk. ¡®In any case, even if I¡¯m gone for a few days, everything will be fine once I return. I¡¯lle back as soon as I¡¯m done enjoying my quick break. There¡¯s still time until May 25th, so being away for three days is okay.¡¯ Llewellyn thought no one would dare to me him, the Duke Rasiane, for being bored and running away anyway. After all, he was the master of this castle, the surrounding territory, and everyone who served him. ¡®I¡¯m going to do it.¡¯ At thirteen, Llewellyn Rasiane rose to his feet, led by an impulse for the first time in his life. Far from being afraid, his heart was pounding with anticipation after he decided to break free. Llewellyn quickly and stealthily finished all the preparations. Then, leaving a single letter behind, he left his Duchy. An hourter, the castle of Duke Rasiane was overturned.
Llewellyn had disguised himself. Even outside his castle, quite a few people would recognize him, so he couldn¡¯t walk around without a disguise. ¡®My retainers must be stamping their feet in the castle right now. Sorry, but I have no intention of revealing my whereabouts.¡¯ Keeping all traces thoroughly hidden, Llewellyn nned to spend his perfect three days. For that reason, the image of Llewellyn Rasiane was now of a girl in a neat dress with curly long hair tied in a ribbon. Naturally, the hair was a wig. Llewellyn felt a little awkward trying to look like a girl at first, but was able to calm himself after adjusting. He even thought it was funny. Having broken free, Llewellynughed in amazement at how much fun it was. ¡®Sometimes it¡¯s okay to act reckless.¡¯ Llewellyn was now south of the Rasiane¡¯s territory, at Ives Station. He had used a set of movement magic to fly straight to Ives. It was the best way to not get caught. Standing on the station tform, Llewellyn got on a train that had just arrived. His body moved without knowing where the train was headed. Sitting in an ufortable seat and experiencing it for the first time, his head tilted and he dozed off. The train stopped at thest stop about three or four hourster. Llewellyn got off the train, trying not to think about such experience again. The train was truly fast since it was powered by magic. It had taken him all the way to the southern border. Llewellyn slowly walked out of the station, brooding over a sudden problem. This area was controlled by the Hill family. Chapter 20 The fact that this region was under the Hill family¡¯s control didn¡¯t pose any concerns to Llewellyn. Since Llewellyn had left on a whim, he decided to keep traveling on a whim. And in fact, it was also because he had faith in his own ability. The faith that whatever the sorcerers of the Hill family may try to do to him, that he can easily ovee it. Llewellyn knew he was a genius. It was not his own delusion but an open fact. Anyone who had seen the young Duke of Rasiane¡¯s sword would describe him as such. ¡®I even brought a few sacred relics just in case.¡¯ The divine power within sacred relics was fatal to sorcerers due to the wicked nature of their mana. ¡®Well¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have to use the sacred relics.¡¯ Llewellyn didn¡¯t think the Hill family¡¯s sorcerers would hurt or kill him. ¡®They wouldn¡¯t¡­Those bastards would see me as a valuable test subject.¡¯ Every high ranking sorcerer in the Mage Tower was aware that Llewellyn was a unique case of having both mana and divine power. Therefore, Llewellyn knew the sorcerers would try to capture him to be used as a valuable test subject rather than hurt him. ¡®Crazy bastards.¡¯ Llewellyn ridiculed the sorcerers with contempt. By andrge, people in the Duchy of Rasiane hated sorcerers. It was the same for him. To him, the sorcerers in the Mage Tower and the Hill family, who had forsaken ethics to seek the truth, were the enemy of Rasiane. ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of the Hill family¡¯s scums.¡¯ With spirited thoughts, Llewellyn headed to the beach. As he was enjoying the beautiful beach scenery, he suddenly caught sight of a vi. The vi was not far from the beach. Llewellyn was certain that the vi belonged to the Hill family, but thought it wouldn¡¯t be dangerous to take a quick look. Thinking so, Llewellyn quickened his steps. The closer he got, the more he could make out the beautiful vi. ¡®This vi is wasted on the Hill family.¡¯ Llewellyne could smell a gentle scent of roses in the air. Pretending to be a local girl out for a walk, he surveyed the garden of the vi. The view of the garden could be seen over the firmly closed ck iron gate. Crimson summer roses were in full bloom everywhere.
Llewellyn wandered around the vi for some time, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t ovee his curiosity and crossed the wall. ¡®I wonder which sentimental sorcerer had prepared such a beautiful vi.¡¯ In his mind, sorcerers were an entric, evil, and unsympathetic bunch. Llewellyn naturally didn¡¯t think all sorcerers were like that, with the exception of the Hill family¡¯s sorcerers. Even though he had never met a sorcerer from the Hill family in person, he thought as such. ¡®What if they¡¯re disguising the outside to look nice, butmitting evil inside?¡¯ It was a sudden idea, but Llewellyn thought it was a reasonable guess. ¡®As the Duke of Rasiane, if the sorcerers aremitting evil here, they deserve to be punished.¡¯ Llewellyn bravely went deeper into the garden. The scent of roses deepened as Llewellyn went inside. The roses were not dark but a subtle crimson color. ¡®Who chose these roses?¡¯ They were lighter than red, and darker than cherry blossoms. It was precisely such a color. Also, Llewellyn didn¡¯t know if it was amon breed or not, but the scent was very strong. Feeling as if he¡¯ll be intoxicated by that sweetness, he pinched his nose and frowned. He thought perhaps the garden full of roses was a trap set up by a sorcerer. ¡®A trap to captivate the heart of their victims¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­?¡± Llewellyn halted his steps when something suddenly caught his sight. A young girl was modestly sitting in the middle of the rose garden. It was an enclosed space surrounded byrge rose trees with a white bench and a pearly fountain in the middle. The girl, dressed in blue and sitting atop the white bench, was fast asleep. Her hair was a deep pink like the roses that surrounded her. She was lightly holding a book, as if she was going to drop it, with her white slender hand. There was a small table next to the bench with the fruits and lemon water that the girl had prepared. The lemon water was sparkling in the sun. Llewellyn was taken aback at the unexpected encounter. He thought he¡¯d encounter a sorcerer in a ck robe, but what actually appeared in front of him was a girl as beautiful as a porcin doll. ¡®¡­This girl, was she captured and taken here?¡¯ Other than that, it didn¡¯t make sense to him no matter how much he thought. ¡®Why would a girl like this be in a sorcerer¡¯s den¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn, who had been staring at the sleeping girl, slowly approached her. ¡®I¡¯m going to save her if she had been captured¡­but if she wasn¡¯t¡­who is she?¡¯ Llewellyn stopped in front of the girl. Her face looked even more beautiful when he got a closer look. The girl¡¯s slightly golden eyshes were a little darker than her hair color. Her crimson hair, which curled down, was tied with a blue ribbon. Itplimented her light blue dress and silver shoes. The toecap had a precious crystal decoration on it, so Llewellyn was able to tell that the girl had quite a high background. ¡®Doesn¡¯t the head of the Hill¡¯s family have a daughter?¡¯ Thinking about it, Llewellyn had heard such a rumor. Specifically, the daughter of the Mage Tower¡¯s master was so precious that nobody has even seen a strand of her hair. ¡®Is this his daughter?¡¯ The thought that it might be this girl had somehow made his blood run cold. He stared at the girl, then nimbly snatched the book she was holding. Llewellyn was simply curious what kind of book it was. He thought perhaps she was learning some dangerous ursed magic. Thinking so, he flipped open the book. Although different from what Llewellyn had expected, he was still shocked. ¡°¡­¡± The book was full of dessert pictures. There weren¡¯t many words written in it. Taken aback, Llewellyn checked the cover. < A collection of all the delicious desserts in the world. > Llewellyn was so dumbfounded that he unconsciously sighed when he saw the title. ¡°This¡­¡± Speechless, Llewellyn ced the book next to the girl. He felt like a fool for thinking she was the daughter of the Mage Tower¡¯s master. Llewellyn shook his head and wondered if he should wake the girl, but at that moment, the girl slowly opened her eyes. The girl¡¯s eyes, which were as clear as jewels, became clearly visible. It reminded him of a light ruby he once saw. The girl¡¯s eyes were like that ruby. It was as fair as the sunlight reflected in those eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn was immobilized, lost in her eyes. As Llewellyn blinked absentmindedly, the girl sluggishly closed and opened her eyes. Then, with a surprised look, she came to her senses and covered her mouth with both hands and yawned loudly. ¡®She¡¯s getting up to stretch, and doing gymnastics?¡¯ Llewellyn found it absurd. This was the first time he had seen such a case, as he had always been around noblewomen with good manners. While still doing gymnastics, the girl asked him. ¡°Who are you? Are you the daughter of one of the servants that came? By the way, you look very pretty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± The girl¡¯s voice was high and clear. It was soft and ticklish like a fluttering butterfly. Llewellyn thought that was why. The reason why his throbbing heart had a strange itchy feeling. He felt his cheeks bing hot for some reason, and this ce bing too much to bear. In the end, gripping his dress, he turned around and started running. Behind him came the bewildered voice of the girl. ¡°Huh? Wait a minute! Where are you going all of a sudden?¡± Llewellyn ignored the call and ran vigorously. Forgetting his decorum as Duke of Rasiane, he didn¡¯t know why he ran. He just wanted to shake off the strange feeling. ¡®How long did I run?¡¯ Before Llewellyn knew it, he had arrived at the station. There, stood his aides and knights with a slight look of anger. He didn¡¯t know how his position was discovered. ¡°¡­¡± Having ran madly through the wind, Llewellyn, who had bumped into them dressed as a girl, just stood silently. His heart was still beating fast. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I ran with all my might.¡¯ Thinking so, Llewellyn tried to shake off the lingering image of the girl in the rose garden. ¡°Let¡¯s return, your grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Said an aid who approached him. He simply nodded his head. The young Duke and his retainers got on the train together. It carried the boy back as fast as it had arrived. They quickly reached the Duchy of Rasiane. Thus, it was very easy to forget the girl who was like a rose, and what had happened in the rose garden. ¡­Or, it should have been easy. Nheless, that was how his breakout in early summer came to an end before his birthday. However, he had a feeling that the scent of roses from that time was still ingrained in his being. The color of summer roses would asionally linger, perhaps because it was unique and vivid.
Four years and three months have passed since the Duke of Rasiane¡¯s shocking escape. Since then, Llewellyn had often escaped, causing stress to his retainers. However, he never went south to the region controlled by the Hill family again. And in fact, the pure Duke of Rasiane¡¯s escapes since had always been a short stroll, a day trip, or sightseeing. Such a degree was adorable, so everyone¡¯s mind rxed. Everyone was relieved that their Duke was upright and didn¡¯t gamble, drink alcohol, or lived like a prodigal. Everyone thought as such. ¡°This is Her Majesty the Empress¡¯ invitation, your grace.¡± Ahead of theing of age ceremony, the young man will be 18 years old after his birthday. Llewellyn Rasiane grew up splendidly, and was the best husband candidate among not only the royal family, but also royal families from foreign countries. For him to be invited to the Empress¡¯ spring banquet was quite natural. Everyone was curious about the young Duke of Rasiane. And naturally, the Empress had the Duke in mind for her precious youngest daughter. ¡®It¡¯s a little tiresome.¡¯ Llewellyn was annoyed by the Empress¡¯ attention. ¡°Will you attend the banquet?¡± Asked the steward who brought the invitation. Llewellyn, looking at the Empress¡¯ fancy invitation, casually answered. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll prepare your formal wear.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­Do you have any instructions for me?¡± ¡°Not really¡­Ah.¡± Having answered bluntly up to this point, Llewellyn, as if he had just thought of something, added. ¡°Have it be blue.¡±
Time passed and it became the day of the banquet. Llewellyn attended the banquet wearing a blue suit carefully prepared by his retainers. All eyes were on him as soon as he appeared at the banquet. His conspicuous tinum blond hair gracefully shined under the chandelier lights, and his emerald eyes glittered brightly with a calm air. Like always, Llewellyn was unrealistically beautiful, and looked like the incarnation of a deity. With everyone wanting to catch more glimpses of him, amotion had broken out, They walked with a glint in their eyes towards His Grace, the Duke of Rasiane. Luckily, his unceasing poprity died down after a while. He could finally take a breath and quench his dry throat with champagne. It was only when the hectic conversations died down that Llewellyn was able to rx and dwell on what had been on his mind. ¡®I heard they¡¯re going to attend today.¡¯ Adrian Hill and his sister.
Trantor¡¯s Note: 1. Changed mana poisoning to mana congestion. 2. Changed Duke Rasiane to Duke of Rasiane. Chapter 21 Adrian Hill and his sister appeared when the banquet was in full swing. It was as if they were confident that they¡¯d be the main attraction of the banquet. The only people who clicked their tongues at such a disy were the deeply connected families within the Duchy of Rasiane. Most nobles in their 20s, who are unaware of the dynamic, wanted to leave a good impression on the master of the Mage Tower. They thought the benefits would naturally be pretty good if they were able maintain a good rtionship with the Mage Tower. It was the same for the prideful Crown Prince seated at a table who was woefully trying to get to know the master of the Mage Tower. Furthermore, for some time now, the Crown Prince had been ncing at the youngest daughter of the Hill family, who had been standing quietly beside her brother. His intent was clear from his expression. ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn, not feeling very good, moistened his throat with champagne. His heart felt stuffy for some reason. It didn¡¯t seem to be because he had the misfortune of seeing the master of the Mage Tower in person. In fact, the strange throbbing started when his sister, Rosenia Hill, entered the banquet hall. Llewellyn had to admit with an honest heart. Rosenia Hill was a great beauty. He had seen so many beautiful things in the world, yet he was still fascinated by her. No, it wasn¡¯t a spur of the moment confession. Without realizing it, Llewellyn had been chasing after the image of Rosenia. It was the same girl he saw in the rose garden four years ago. Rosenia Hill. The princess in the Mage Tower, something he had known long ago. To him, the distant memory of the rose garden on that sunny summer day was but a faint memory. Llewellyn would get a strange feeling whenever he thought about it from time to time, but beyond that, it didn¡¯t stir up any notable feelings. ¡®Anyway. Why does she stand out so much?¡¯ Llewellyn guessed that Rosenia was about 17 now. Her body, which had begun to outline a fairly distinct curve, was as elegant as a swan. Her limbs were slender and her hands were small. Her clear skin looked soft and tender, and her cheeks flushed a subtle pink. It was incredibly lovely. Her rose colored hair was meticulously braided to reveal her delicate neck. It was slender enough to be held in one¡¯s hand. Llewellyn could see an innocent curiosity in her eyes when she looked around with her sparkling light ruby eyes. From time to time, when she met her brother¡¯s gaze, she would close her eyes softly and smile. As soon as Llewellyn saw her smile, he tightened his grip on the champagne ss. People around him continued to talk, but he couldn¡¯t hear a word. Distracted by Rosenia, Llewellyn had realized something. Rosenia was getting too much attention at this banquet. Thedies nced at her as if she were a beautiful jewel, while the men gleamed with excitement and impure desire in their hearts. For some reason, Llewellyn found it horribly unpleasant. His mood wasn¡¯t good, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why, so he kept drinking. And when the Crown Prince¡¯s hand reached out to her with no qualms to their status, Llewellyn wished he could break that hand. It was driving him crazy. Llewellyn couldn¡¯t help but go crazy at this rate. ¡®I, what the hell, why?¡¯ Llewellyn bit his lips hard as he tried to calm himself. Meanwhile, Rosenia Hill took the Crown Prince¡¯s hand after a little hesitation. The Crown Prince led her to the dance floor. A waltz melody resonated, then the bright chandelier light shone on the two. Llewellyn¡¯s heart throbbed like mad as he stared at the scene. He wanted to run up and separate them. People around himmented that they made a beautiful pair, but his mind was the opposite. He felt like he was in a terrible nightmare. Llewellyn felt like he had been robbed of what he had cherished. It was a strange feeling. The memory of that time, which was just a faint memory, suddenly became clear. The scent of the rose garden, the waves of crimson, the pearly fountain, the white bench, the droplets dripping from the ss of lemon water, the girl in a blue dress who was fast asleep holding a thin book in her hand that day. The girl from his memory was thisdy. Rosenia Hill. For the first time, the secret rose garden of the Mage Tower had been shown to the world. It was the master of the Mage Tower proudly showing off his dearly beloved sister. ¡®¡­Why.¡¯ Why? Llewellyn thought. Rosenia had been hidden all this time, so why now? Why, wasn¡¯t she kept hidden? Llewellyn turned towards Adrian Hill, unable to understand what he was thinking. Although he was a little surprised, he regained hisposure. Adrian red at the Crown Prince as if he wanted to tear him to pieces while putting on a smile. Although his eyes looked extremely threatening, his lips were curved into a smile. It was such a smile. ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn stared nkly at Adrian, and then back at Rosenia and the Crown Prince. The waltz was nearing the final stages. The hem of Rosenia¡¯s blue dress twirled, spread out like petals, as she spun and sank. At that moment, the Crown Prince, pretending to support her back, slightly groped her. ¡®That son of a bitch¡­¡¯ Llewellyn was surprised at the coarse words that he had unknowingly uttered inside, but he could not take his eyes off Rosenia. For him to lose his rationalitypletely at this point would be a serious problem. However, he couldn¡¯t help but look at her. Llewellyn kept his eyes on her. He was as restless as if he was a man who had left a precious jewel in the middle of a crowded street. The Crown Prince kissed the back of Rosenia¡¯s hand. The waltz ended, and the two faced each other beautifully like lovers in a fairy tale. The Crown Prince¡¯s lips stayed on the back of Rosenia¡¯s hand for some time. Llewellyn unconsciously thought. ¡®I¡¯m really going to dispose of that bastard¡­¡¯ Llewellyn appeared rather calm even though his mind was flooded with such thoughts. It is said that when a man goes crazy, his true nature is revealed. That seemed to be the case. It was an unpleasant feeling to be on the same wavelength as Adrian Hill, but Llewellyn really wanted to bring down the Crown Prince. No, not only the Crown Prince, but also everyone else that stole a nce at Rosenia. Llewellyn thought that was the only way he could keep it. That memory, of the beautiful rose garden from that day. But after calming himself, chaos came again. His eyes and Rosenia¡¯s briefly crossed when she was looking for her brother. ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia looked straight at him with open eyes. He didn¡¯t think he would ever be able to forget the moment her eyes, like pink jewels, looked at him. He had that hunch in his heart. Her eyes remained on him for quite some time. His expression showed a slight admiration amidst his shock. Her cheeks seemed a little redder than before when Llewellyn saw her. His hand flinched as if tempted to touch her lovely rosey cheeks. Rosenia looked away from him without a pause. As soon as her gaze left, he experienced a strange sense of loss he had never felt before in his life. His hands were tightly sped. Llewellyn had a thought. That he¡¯d like to keep those eyes on him for a little longer. But that day at the banquet, Rosenia never looked at him again. Adrian Hill quickly left the banquet with Rosenia, then people began to gather in twos and threes to talk about the youngest Mage Tower master and his sister. ¡°Come to think of it, they¡¯re at a marriageable age, the Mage Tower master and his sister.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± The moment Llewellyn heard such a conversation, he almost shattered the champagne ss in his hand. People who saw the stiff look on the Duke of Laciane face thought it must be because he hated the Mage Tower¡¯s sorcerers. Someone approached Llewellyn worryingly and spoke. ¡°Just merrily talking, everyone is blinded by the benefits of the Mage Tower that they have forgotten their dignity as nobles. They¡¯re not even nobles in the first ce, just a family with strength.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everyone seems to be deluded because the sister looks good and is pretty, but she¡¯s a Hill sorcerer in the end. How can we expect morality and ss¡­¡± ¡°Your mouth.¡± Llewellyn calmly interrupted him. ¡°Shut it.¡± Unable to believe the words that hade from the Duke of Rasiane¡¯s mouth, the man blinked vacantly and asked. ¡°Pardon¡­? Llewellyn didn¡¯t answer but gave a silent indifferent nod and left. The man was left in a daze as he looked at Lewellin¡¯s back.
The Duke was not himself. The workers in the Duchy of Rasiane couldn¡¯t shake off this thought after the royal banquet. Their master was well known for his wless character. Buttely, Llewellyn has been odd. He would frequently stare out the window vacantly or mutter something unintelligible to himself. The most shocking thing was that Llewellyn had begun to look at dessert recipes and books. ¡°It looks easier to make than I thought.¡± His aides staggered in shock when they saw Llewellyn muttering to himself while flipping through a thin book. They were very taken aback, but thought it must be one of Llewellyn¡¯s new hobbies. [He must be bored. Isn¡¯t everyone once like that?] They felt bad that it was happening to the young Duke who was going to turn 18 soon with a bright future ahead of him. Nevertheless, they were relieved that at least he wasn¡¯t doing anything bad. With that in mind, it became pretty easy for them to overlook it. However, the problem was that Llewellyn¡¯s entric behaviors didn¡¯t end there. At some point, Llewellyn had begun to collect pink or blue things. Among them, there were quite a few essories and ribbons made for women. They wondered why Llewellyn was collecting such things. Not only his aides, but also his retainers. It was so strange no matter how much they thought about it. It wasn¡¯t just that. By May, Llewellyn had called the gardener with a determined face and ordered him earnestly. The day after the gardener left the Duke¡¯s office with a puzzled face, the garden of the Duchy of Rasiane was filled with crimson roses. A rose that couldn¡¯t have been found here. Rasiane¡¯s summer flower was lc. It was as natural as the fact that the sky was blue. But like an uninvited guest, roses had overtaken the Duchy of Rasiane. It was also a very subtle rose. Only Llewellyn knew that it was the color of Rosenia¡¯s hair and eyes. Ever since the crimson roses were nted in the garden, Llewellyn would often look out the window. Looking out the window at the scenery, Llewellyn recalled the clear and beautiful pink eyes of thedy who resembled the picturesque rose garden. The moment Llewellyn closed his eyes, he would recall the smile, the white teeth between the beautiful lips, the fluttering blue ribbon, and the blue hem of the dress. The most brilliant, beautiful, and dazzling memory at the banquet. ¡®My rosenia.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± The more Llewellyn thought about it, the more he missed it. Llewellyn missed her yesterday, he missed her today, and he will miss her tomorrow. With her not by his side, Llewellyn couldn¡¯t help but reminiscence and be lost in despair. ¡°How can I meet you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Asked an advisor, raising his head at Llewellyn¡¯s mumblings. He answered incoherently. ¡°Damn that Adrian Hill, keep ignoring my letters.¡± ¡°Ignoring¡­Pardon? W-wait, who? Adrian Hill? The advisor briefly cked out beforeing back to his senses. Showing no reaction to the advisor, Llewellyn continued mumbling to himself. ¡°There¡¯s no way to send a letter directly to Rosenia. I can¡¯t believe all paths are perfectly blocked. Is the master of the Mage Tower going to keep his sister locked up forever?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wait a minute, your grace?¡± The advisor¡¯s hand trembled as it stretched towards Llewellyn. ¡®Hill, that Hill family? In this world, who else could it be but them?¡¯ It was the one and only family of mad sorcerers. ¡°Is there anything I can do? Advisor? You¡¯re clever, so you should easily be able to think of something.¡± ¡°N-no, I¡­¡± ¡°I was a fool. At the time¡­My emotions got the best of me at the banquet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I would have talked to her if I knew that was the only chance. No, I should¡¯ve just kidnapped her¡­¡± The words that came from Llewellyn¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t sound like random mumbling, but rather, it sounded sincere. The advisor was frightened by such an honest remark. Sweating profusely and trembling, the advisor had a grave look. The Duke had gone crazy. Chapter 22 After all the trouble and effort, Llewellyn had finally found a way to meet Rosenia. The problem was that he couldn¡¯t do it in human form. ¡°Whimper¡­¡± Llewellyn, who had turned into a dog, got off a train. People became startled and screamed when a dog unexpectedly popped out of the entryway. The dog was arge retriever, with fine glossy tinum hair and bright green eyes. A dog with green eyes¡­Some thought it was a little strange, but regardless, everyone avoided it because they thought it might be a sorcerer¡¯s pet dog. In the southern city of Brindos ruled by the Hill family, everyone kept their heads down and avoided sorcerers at all cost if they could help it. ¡°Look, that dog¡­¡± ¡°Mom! That dog is huge!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a wolf?¡± ¡°What kind of wolf is that, isn¡¯t it a retriever?¡± ¡°But why is the dog alone¡­I think it¡¯s someone¡¯s dog.¡± ¡°Shh, maybe it¡¯s a sorcerer¡¯s dog.¡± People hushed and opened a path for the dog to pass like the red sea. Llewellyn felt a sense of humiliation having to walk around in front of so many people, but he ran steadily with the thought that he might be able to meet Rosenia again. Soon after, Llewellyn arrived at the Hill family¡¯s vi. The ck iron gate was still tightly closed, and the wind from the vi smelled of fresh roses. When Llewellyn took a peek, the garden of the vi was full of crimson roses, as it was four years ago. Llewellyn ran toward the deserted fence in anticipation of finally meeting Rosenia. If his guess was right, Rosenia would spend her vacation here every summer. It was bitter for him to think that Rosenia would¡¯ve spent her summer in this vi thest four years. ¡®Why didn¡¯t Ie here more often? Why did I just bury that memory? The smell of roses back then, the burning sensation, why did I try to shake off?¡¯ Regardless, Llewellyn couldn¡¯t change the past. Llewellyn stood at a proper distance from the fence and gave strength to his hind legs. The feeling was foreign to him as an animal, but it was not difficult to handle. Thinking of it as a tool made it easier. Thud! Taking a hard leap with his hind legs, he jumped over the fence. It was as easy as he had expected. He was a dog now, so all he could do was pant, but he was certain that he would haveughed if he had been a human. Llewellyn ran like the wind through the bushes in the garden and headed to the white bench where he first met Rosenia four years ago. But when Llewellyn arrived, Rosenia wasn¡¯t there. ¡®Where could she be?¡¯ Llewellyn thought perhaps Rosenia wasn¡¯t here. ¡®Maybe her vicious brother is keeping her locked up in the Mage Tower¡­¡¯ Llewellyn wandered around the garden, lost in his thoughts. He was desperate to find any traces of another human. He didn¡¯t know how long he wandered around like that. Taking one tour around the garden, he realized it was bigger than it seemed. Turning around, his tail limped as he snooped around the vi. ¡®If there¡¯s no one in the vi, then Rosenia really didn¡¯te here.¡¯ Llewellyn felt deted when he thought about it. He felt a sense of hopelessness. ¡®Will I never be able to see her again?¡¯ Her brother seemed crazy in many ways. Llewellyn had heard a rumor that Adrian treasured his sister excessively, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad. Adrian Hill was such a person who wouldn¡¯t have allowed her to live anywhere but the Mage Tower and would¡¯ve wanted to spend his entire life with her. After the royal banquet, Llewellyn, who was blocked from all attempts to reach Rosenia, truly thought so. ¡®There¡¯s really no way.¡¯ Llewellyn, who looked like a big retriever with his tail limped and whimpering, at this moment, ¡°¡­Where¡¯s the dog?¡± He heard something not far away from here. It was a clear and high voice. ¡°¡­!¡± With his ears pricked, he curled up his tail and turned towards the noise. Because Llewellyn had turned into a dog, his view was low, but the figure that he had been hoping to see came into his view. Rosenia looked down at him with her long dark pink hair tied loosely and hanging to the side. She looked like a fairy in her white muslin dress with a blue ribbon around her waist. Each step Rosenia took towards him, the thin hem of her dress fluttered lightly. Llewellyn stared nkly at her with a sense that time had stopped, and then, the moment she finally closed the distance and reached out her hand, he quicklyid on the ground and flipped over with his belly up. Rosenia paused. It was at that moment that Llewellyn came to his senses¡­ ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ Laying down, Llewellyn looked at the blue sky, the end of the blue ribbon that seemed to melt into the sky, and at the rosy hair of the swaying Rosenia. ¡°¡­I¡¯m acting like a dog¡­¡± As Llewellyn was feeling a sense of shame, he heard Rosenia¡¯sughter. ¡°You¡¯re really gentle, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn wanted to plead that he was not gentle and that his body had simply moved on its own, but as soon as Rosenia¡¯s hand touched his stomach, he hardened like ice. Shwuah, Shwuah. With a steady stroke of his stomach, he found himself unable to move at all. It was a huge shock. Llewellyn could vividly feel the soft touch of her palms and the warmth it radiated. The feeling of having his stomach touched was so good that he opened his mouth and panted without realizing it. If he could get touched like this every day, he thought he wouldn¡¯t mind living as a dog for the rest of his life¡­ However, Llewellyn wouldn¡¯t be able to be her lover, fianc¨¦e, spouse, or the like as long as he was a dog. A dog was a dog in the end. ¡®Should I turn back into a human and reveal myself?¡¯ For a moment, Llewellyn had such an urge, but he thought if he suddenly revealed his identity, Rosenia would run away. Or, she would call her brother because the Duke of Rasiane had yed a prank on her. That would be even worse. Nothing good woulde from running into Adrian Hill. Eventually, Llewellyn decided to be satisfied with meeting her as a dog for now. ¡®Even though I¡¯m a dog, I could slowly get close to her¡­If I reveal my identity then, wouldn¡¯t there be less of a shock?¡¯ That was what Llewellyn decided. ¡°Where did youe from? Was the gate open? Or is there some kind of hole in the fence?¡± Llewellyn found Rosenia¡¯s voice to be pleasant to his ears. It was high like a clear bell, but as soothing as a rxed piano melody. He wished time would stop like this. He circled around her when she stood up. He gently touched the hem of her dress with his tail. Then, he licked her hand and she giggled. ¡°You little rascal.¡± Rosenia wasn¡¯t mad, even though she scolded him by tapping his moist nose. Such was the privilege of dogs. Llewellyn thought it would be safe to rush in and lick her face at this rate, but knew it would be too shameless to go that far no matter how much he thought about it. He decided to keep a bit of conscience. However, Llewellyn soon regretted that decision. ¡°Rose.¡± Thinking to himself that he didn¡¯t even get to have enough fun with Rosenia, yet her brother had appeared. ¡°This dog?¡± Adrian walked as if he was the embodiment of darkness. His red eyes, which were feared by people, furiously fixed itself on Llewellyn. ¡®¡­Maybe, if it¡¯s him.¡¯ Holding his breath, he thought to himself. The fact that Adrian might discover him. ¡°Ah, brother, you came so soon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the dog?¡± Nodding his head, he pointed at the dog and asked again. As if it was no big deal, Rosenia looked at the dog with a bright smile and answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute? It was in the garden.¡± ¡°It was in the garden?¡± ¡°Yeah, there must have been a hole in the fence. Or did brother brought me the dog?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As if Adrian found it unusual, his red eyes narrowed on the dog as he probed it. Although Llewellyn was pretending to be a dog, he had prepared himself for any emergency. ¡°Rosenia, since when?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a dumb beast by your side?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different. That¡¯s a familiar. This is a dog.¡± Listening silently to the conversation between the two, Llewellyn sensed that the direction of the situation had be dire. Adrian seemed to have noticed it. The fact that it was a human and not a dog. Maybe, even the fact that it was Llewellyn Rasiane. Llewellyn was quick to judge that he should get away from here. It would be very awkward to get caught by Adrian at the Hill family¡¯s vi. However, Llewellyn could hardly move his feet. Rosenia was constantly on his mind. He didn¡¯t want to be away from her for even a second. ¡®This bastard Adrian Hill.¡¯ Before Llewellyn knew it, he was staring at Adrian furiously. However, anyone who saw it would find it strange because the dog would repeatedly look at Rosenia who was standing next to Adrian. It was an act a normal dog would not do. It wasn¡¯t missed by Adrian. Thinking that he must catch this suspicious and disgusting person disguised as a dog, Adrian invoked the mana deep within him. ¡°¡­!¡± Llewellyn, keenly aware of the change, quickly attacked Adrian. ¡°This creep overestimates himself¡­¡± Right before the angry Adrian could use his magic, Llewellyn released his divine power and struck him. Taking advantage of the opening, he quickly ran away. ¡°Brother, stop!¡± Behind his back came Rosenia¡¯s voice stopping Adrian. He seemed to have recovered even after being hit directly by Llewellyn¡¯s divine power. ¡®That son of a bitch.¡¯ In his mind, he was cursing with all the swear words he knew. Like an arrow, he shot away from the vi. As soon as Llewellyn arrived at the station, he got on the train without a hitch. The train carrying him soon left at a high speed.
It was not until three or four hourster that Llewellyn safely returned to the Duchy of Rasiane. The retainers, who were frightened to death by the duke¡¯s disappearance, were relieved when he returned safely. Llewellyn, feeling a little guilty, went back to his room. He was d that he came back safely, however the thought that he might have made a mistake never left his mind. And sure enough, his ominous foreboding became a reality. Ever since that incident, Llewellyn was unable to even catch a glimpse of her crimson hair. Llewellyn couldn¡¯t reach her no matter what he tried. The memory that was imprinted in his mind forever, the rose garden, he could not reach Rosenia Hill at all. Over time, the seasons changed and summer came again, but there was no Rosenia. She didn¡¯te. It was easy for him to guess that her brother wouldn¡¯t have allowed it. ¡®That bastard Adrian Hill.¡¯ Llewellyn, who recited the words like a curse, became dispirited day by day. He looked fine on the surface, but his insides were rotting away. It had already been more than two years since hest saw Rosenia. With the ways things were, anxiety swept over him at the thought that he might never see her again. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ Llewellyn tried desperately to find a way. But Adrian Hill¡¯s imprable security wasn¡¯t something he dared to break through. ¡®Really, I really should have kidnapped her that time.¡¯ Half out of his mind, Llewellyn thought as such. ¡®When I met her as a dog, I should have turned back into a human and kidnapped her¡­Rosenia, Rose. That was what Adrian Hill had called her. Rose, her nickname. Rose¡­¡¯ Llewellyn called her name to himself over and over again. He thought if he did that, she¡¯d appear like magic. He was steadily going mad, but it was only a few who noticed the change. Those who have been with him ever since he was a child. His steward, nanny, advisor, master, and the Knight Commander. Only those close to him noticed. Filled with an anxiety only they knew, time continued to move. Two years of winter, and three years of spring came and went. Spring passed into summer, and summer passed into fall. When snow fell, dead leaves returned to the soil and the ground froze. As the frozen rivers andkes began to melt, light spring leaves sprouted. Four years had gone by since that fateful summer. A chance had finally arrived. Llewellyn¡¯s emerald eyes shed like a man who had risen from death. ¡°Adrian Hill is going to the South Sea to investigate the recent beast attacks. His sister will be there. Perhaps the princess will be staying at the Hill family¡¯s vi.¡± The mad Duke, unable to perceive the hidden intention behind the news, was ted when he heard the Knight Commander¡¯s report. Chapter 23 Llewellyn thought, If he can never see Rosenia again at this rate, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could continue living. As the years went by, his feelings toward her grew into an obsession. Actually, Llewellyn himself couldn¡¯t distinguish exactly what those feelings were. It was a kind of affection, a longing, an obsession. But, what was clear to him was that he couldn¡¯t continue living if he couldn¡¯t see her. Thinking that he would never see her again, his mind would reminisce of their time together. It drove him crazy. Living had be hell. Originally, he had felt that life was a little boring, but it had changed to something far worse after he got to know Rosenia Hill. ¡®Damn that Adrian Hill.¡¯ Llewellyn med Adrian for everything. Forgetting his dignity as the Duke of Rasiane, he had sent many courteous letters to Rosenia, yet they were all ignored. One day, in a fit of anger, Llewellyn had sent a marriage proposal to Rosenia. Without consulting any of his retainers. Llewellyn knew. It was crazy. But, acting crazy had be the norm for him. [If you want to go down in history as the first groom to go to their own wedding as a corpse, you can continue saying you want to marry my sister.] That was all Adrian Hill wrote back. There wasn¡¯t a single line from Rosenia. Llewellyn had expected it. ¡®Rosenia.¡¯ Llewellyn was sure that she didn¡¯t even know he existed. ¡®No, she knows who I am. Who the Duke of Rasiane is.¡¯ Four years ago, they made eye contact at the pce banquet, so Llewellyn thought she would at least recognize his face. However, it was just that. He knew he was nothing to Rosenia Hill. The fact that it¡¯d remain unchanged forever made him go even crazier. There were times where Llewellyn would suddenly have a panic attack with a strong longing desire. Such moments when he felt unfamiliar even to himself. But, Llewellyn couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Rosenia, she¡¯ll stay at the vi?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Thus, four years had passed since that summer. Llewellyn headed south again with a slight hope. When Llewellyn arrived, a curtain of rain began to pour from the dim sky.
Llewellyn was lost in thought underneath the pouring rain. The four years that Llewellyn couldn¡¯t see Rosenia seemed as if it never existed. It was befitting of the expression ¡®time spent as a living corpse.¡¯ How much has she grown in these four years? How tall is she now, and has her hair gotten longer? Has her youthful face matured? How much more beautiful is Rosenia? Llewellyn was very pleased with his wet appearance in the rain. With such a poor look, Llewellyn thought he was going to win Rosenia¡¯s sympathy. ¡®I met her when I turned into a dog, and she was definitely a sweet person. She definitely won¡¯t ignore how miserable I look in the rain.¡¯ When Llewellyn was chuckling to himself, at this moment, ¡°¡­?¡± Suddenly, his heart throbbed with pain. He didn¡¯t think it was because he was so nervous with anticipation to meet Rosenia. At the stabbing pain, Llewellyn clenched his teeth and grabbed his left chest. Heuk. Llewellyn found himself suddenly gasping for air. His knees fell to the ground. Something was strange. ¡®This situation, it¡¯s probably¡­¡¯ [Remember, your grace.] [Yes, master.] [Until you turn twenty five, you can control the mana congestion with your own magic, but after that, you need another way.] [Another way?] [Someone has to absorb the mana that is colliding against your divine power. The way to absorb it is¡­] [¡­] It left him speechless at the time. Llewellyn smiled deprecatingly, bending his upper body at the painful burning sensation. For it to happen now of all things. The fever that began to soar, the mana that seemed to burn his blood vessels, and the feeling of every nerve and muscle in his body screaming. Llewellyn gasped for air as he copsed to the ground. Even now it was very painful, but he knew it was just the beginning. He couldn¡¯t understand why he was experiencing mana congestion now even though he wasn¡¯t twenty five years old yet. ¡®Did master make a mistake? No, he¡¯s not someone who would make this kind of mistake. So¡­ this is, ah, no way. Is this Adrian Hill¡¯s doing?¡¯ The iron gate was open. It was strange that the gate, which had always been tightly closed, was open. Llewellyn had thought Rosenia might have forgotten to close it. Llewellyn never expected it to be a trap. Although thest year had been rtively calm, Adrian Hill had apparently remained vignt. Adrian was still keeping an eye on him. He smiled coldly. As soon as Llewellyn had crossed the iron gate of the vi, he noticed a difference in the flow of mana. It was strange, but it was a minor change, so he thought little of it. The flow of mana has always been unpredictable. ¡®But, this¡­¡¯ Llewellyn didn¡¯t expect it¡¯d stir his mana congestion. Naturally, Adrian Hill had done something around here. When Llewellyn approached, the mana inside of him began to run wild. Llewellyn knew that if he didn¡¯t get help in his current state, he would eventually die. ¡®Before that happens, I can contact my master and the knights. But¡­I won¡¯t be able to meet Rosenia.¡¯ Patter, Patter, Patter! Llewellyn heard light footsteps running in the soaked ground from afar. His heart, which had been throbbing painfully, began to shake. He could tell who the footsteps belonged to. He believed it to be fate. ¡®Rosenia. She¡¯s here.¡¯ With his face in the wet ground, his lips slipped into a smile. ¡®Damn that Adrian hill, if he wants me to choose between giving up or dying, I¡¯d rather die.¡¯ Half mad, Llewellyn thought as such. ¡®If I can never see her, what¡¯s the difference between dying and remaining nothing to her?¡¯ So, Llewellyn decided to stay here and leave everything to her. ¡®From this point, my life is in her hands. Even if I die, I¡¯ll not me her.¡¯ Llewellyn was determined. To risk his life. For Rosenia. In some way, Llewellyn thought dying would be fine. No, he was ecstatic. He could die by her side. Squish. The constant footsteps stopped in front of him. He could feel her gaze looking at him cautiously. Llewellyn had finally received her attention. At this moment, Llewellyn Rasiane felt extremely happy.
It was a little past nine in the morning and Rosenia was still fast asleep. Llewellyn was motionless beside her, looking at her with an endless affection. ¡°Umhm¡­¡± As Rosenia stirred herself awake, Llewellyn approached the windows with the curtains and opened it. However, the sunlighting through the room was so bright that Llewellyn was worried it¡¯d hurt Rosenia¡¯s eyes. So, Llewellyn left the window open but released the thin curtains again. Because of this, it kept the bright sunlight froming in while also not stopping the flowing scent of roses. The scent of roses seemed to have made Rosenia¡¯s nose twitch. She drew in a deep breath. Before long, her quivering eyelids slowly lifted. ¡°¡­?¡± Looking at the ceiling and blinking, Rosenia felt as if she was lost in a dream for a moment. But soon, Rosenia came to her senses as she sprang up and looked around. Then, her eyes met Llewellyn, who was standing by the window. ¡°¡­Duke?¡± In a half asleep state, Rosenia called out to him. Llewellyn, in a serene manner, responded with a smile. ¡°Uh, when did you wake up? What time is it now?¡± Asked Rosenia with awkwardness, lifting the nket up to her chest. She had almost gotten up without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s 9:45 in the morning.¡± With admiration, Rosenia spoke. ¡°Wow! You woke up in the morning!¡± Rosenia seemed very pleased with the fact. Instead of approaching her, Llewellyn reached out his hand. It was a motion for her toe to him. But as Rosenia hesitated and didn¡¯t get up, Llewellyn, with a yearning smile, calmly approached her. ¡°D-don¡¯te.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­I¡¯m not wearing anything right now¡­¡± For a moment, Llewellyn was puzzled by her words. She seemed to have btedly realized the w in what she had just said. They have already seen each other¡¯s naked bodies. With a solemn expression, Llewellyn made a suggestion. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend the whole day naked? I think this is the Garden of Eden. Maybe we¡¯ll get used to each other¡¯s naked bodies.¡± Rosenia¡¯s jaw dropped at the ridiculous suggestion. ¡°Are you going to shame me to death?¡± ¡°You¡¯re ashamed?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°I see. I think that¡¯s an even better idea.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rosenia tilted her head, wondering what he meant. Then, Llewellyn, who had approached her at some point, grabbed her. ¡°Ack!¡± Rosenia, who was suddenly lifted up, gave a shrill scream. Her soft naked body gave off a luster in the sunlight. With great care, Llewellyn slowly dressed her in a gown and took her over by the window. ¡°Why the window¡­¡± Asked Rosenia in a perplexed voice, tucking the side of her hair behind her ear as Llewellyn drew open the yellow curtains. Soon, Rosenia¡¯s eyes slowly widened at the scenery that came into view. The roses, which were still but buds up until yesterday, were magnificently in full bloom. ¡°Wow, the roses¡­It finally bloomed!¡± Her eyes twinkled in awe. The roses in full bloom swayed along with the wind as their fragrance scattered in the air. The morning breeze came through the open window, carrying the fresh scent of roses. As Rosenia gently closed her eyes and took in the smell, a smile appeared on her face. ¡°The scent makes me feel good every time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rosenia looked back at him with a big smile. However, her body stiffened and she lowered her head abashedly soon after. His intense gaze was to me. ¡°W-why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± Rosenia muttered to herself, wondering how someone with such deadly beauty can utter such words at another person. Her pouty expression was so lovely that Llewellyn couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Llewellyn held her up a little above him, then raised his head and kissed her lips. Kiss. Kissing her gently, Llewellyn slightly licked and bit her plump lower lip just enough so it wouldn¡¯t hurt. She let out a distressed voice. ¡°This early in the morning¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll just be a kiss.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to eat? The Rosenia who is always hungry.¡± At the words that sounded like teasing, Rosenia¡¯s face turned red as if she had just suffered a defeat. Llewellyn thought her quivering look was adorable. He wanted toy her down in bed at this rate, but held back. Instead, they sat on the window sill and softly kissed each other for a very long time. The kiss tasted like roses. Llewellyn felt like he would be drunk under that sweetness. No, maybe he was already drunk. Chapter 24 ¡°Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Rosenia.¡± Llewellyn kissed the back of her tender neck while slowly calling out her name. There were traces like petals left behind here and there on her white skin. He looked at it with satisfaction. In an embarrassed tone, Rosenia muttered. ¡°¡­Stop staring.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°And why do you keep leaving these marks?¡± Retorted Rosenia. Llewellyn smiled at her. As of those traces meant she was his. Llewellyn finally had his Rosenia by his side, and he didn¡¯t intend to ever lose her again. One way or another, he wanted her body, her mind, her soul, and her everything to himself. Thinking to himself that he¡¯d dly face Adrian if he had to. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the crazy Mage Tower master at all. What scared him was losing Rosenia and being away from her. Seeing her again after four years, she was so beautiful that he couldpletely understand why Adrian had kept her hidden so tightly. Coincidently, Llewellyn had the very same thought as his hated rival, Adrian. He wanted to hide Rosenia somewhere, somewhere no one knows. As an adult, Rosenia was no longer the girl she used to be, and anyone anywhere would easily be charmed by her. Llewellyn felt uneasy. If someone was to approach her with the intention of stealing her heart, he thought he¡¯d kill that person. Because of that, Llewellyn wanted her all to himself. He wanted to make those eyes see only him. In order to do so, he¡¯d even give his life. ¡°Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s go eat.¡± With a smile on his face, he held her up from the window sill. As Llewellyn held her in his arms and slowly went down the stairs, she mumbled to herself that she could do it herself. Her small body was tightly in his arms as her soft skin gave off warmth. Every sensation he felt was so blissful that his heart was overwhelmed with emotion when she breathed next to him. That had always been the case, even when Llewellyn pretended to smile leisurely. His heart will stir whenever he sees her, for the rest of his life and all of eternity. Nheless, Llewellyn dared not call it love, because what he felt and what he thought might be entirely different than the sweet word called ¡®love.¡¯ His heart fluttered like a boy in love, but underneath that was a very dark and damp ce. The feelings that had umted over the years were tightly locked up in the recess of his mind. So much that it¡¯d be too painful for Rosenia to bear. For that reason, he wanted to take it slow. ¡°And Rose¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Looking at Llewellyn, who suddenly smiled, Rosenia tilted her head. Then, in a calm manner with the image of an honest and upright Duke of Rasiane, Llewellyn straightened her hair. Next, he adjusted the front of her gown. cing a fork in her hand and pouring water, Llewellyn smiled, With an expression that didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of desire. ¡°Please eat.¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes, thank you.¡± In a dazed state, Rosenia gave him a puzzled look. Rosenia, who had a puzzled look on her face, was so cute that Llewellyn couldn¡¯t stop smiling. ¡®Rosenia, my Rosenia. Continue to be oblivious. Simply think of me as the honest and virtuous Duke of Rasiane. You might leave me if you really knew who I am.¡¯
Sipping cold lemon water, Rosenia nced at Llewellyn who was beside her. They were currently strolling through the rose garden of the vi. The roses, which were in full bloom, was a spectacr sight to behold. It was a dreamlike scenery as if it hade straight out of a dream. The figure of Llewellyn slowly walking in this beautifulndscape made it even more magnificent. White and smooth skin like jade, full eyebrows, a straight nose, and pale lips with a slight smile¡­ ¡°¡­He¡¯s handsome.¡± But the pinnacle of that beauty was the green eyes that shined like emeralds. Those transparent eyes were as clear as day. Those honest eyes added anotheryer of depth to him. Rosenia wondered if maybe she was staring at him too much. He nced her way and gently smiled. When Rosenia saw his smile, for some reason, she felt hot inside. As she was pretending to drink the lemon water, he asked in a friendly manner. ¡°The lemon water, do you like it?¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes. It¡¯s good.¡± Answered Rosenia, unable to meet his eyes because her inside still felt hot. He smiled joyfully. This lemon water was made by Llewellyn himself. He kept making things for her. Dessert after her meal, snacks to eat after taking her bath, and this lemon water to drink while they stroll through the garden. At this point, Rosenia thought his hobby was cooking. The Duke of Rasiane being a cook was a really unbingbination, but his cooking was quite wonderful. Rosenia didn¡¯t know how many people had seen his cooking. However, she was certain it wasn¡¯t many. She felt strangely good thinking that she was one of those people. ¡°Are you not going to nt any other flowers in this garden?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t know? This ce was decorated ording to my mother¡¯s taste.¡± That¡¯s right. The reason why this garden is full of roses was because of her mother¡¯s preference. Her mother, who had given birth to Adrian and her, was a bit unusual but kind person. She suddenly disappeared when Rosenia was five years old. Since then, her father has been searching crazily for her mother, but she still hasn¡¯t heard any news of her mother. Feeling depressed at the thought of her mother, she fiddled with the surface of the ss where droplets had formed. She felt the cold water against her fingertips. ¡°Speaking of Rosenia¡¯s mother¡­do you mean Dame Ilunia?¡± ¡°Ah¡­Y-you know her?¡± ¡°Of course I do. She was one of the best knights in the Empire even before she became a sorcerer.¡± Her eyes widened at the surprise that Llewellyn knew about her mother in detail. Ilunia was an excellent knight, but it was a long time ago, so not many people remembered it now. Also, after Ilunia got married to her father and learned magic, she became just as notorious as her father. As far as Rosenia can remember, her mother wasn¡¯t the kind of person who wouldmit evil¡­She believed that the facts were distorted. ¡®She was a little rough, but¡­¡¯ Ilunia was always a kind mother to Adrian and Rosenia. The kind of mother who would y tricks on her kids. [Dress Adrian up as a girl and take him around.] Thinking about it, her mother¡¯s pranks were mainly focused on Adrian. Her role was to watch Adrian¡¯s funny face with a big smile in her mother¡¯s arms. ¡®For some reason, I miss my mother. Is she still alive? If she¡¯s alive, where and what is she doing now?¡¯ [Rosenia, my lovely daughter. Did Adrian bully you again today?] As Rosenia was immersed in the fuzzy memories, she heard Llewellyn¡¯s low voice. ¡°¡­In fact, my honorable master is Dame Ilunia¡¯s older brother.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± At thepletely unexpected remark, Rosenia stared at Llewellyn with her eyes wide open. Her mother turned out to be an illegitimate child of noble birth. However, she never revealed her family¡¯s background, so people could only specte. The sorcerers and her father in the Mage Tower didn¡¯t care one bit about her mother¡¯s origin. Thus, the rtionship between their family and her mother¡¯s family was nothing more than a blur. And now, Llewellyn had revealed that his master was her mother¡¯s brother! ¡®Oh my god¡­How did this happen?¡¯ It was a great coincidence that Llewellyn¡¯s master was her mother¡¯s brother, and Llewellyn was also the man she spent her first night with! Wetting her lips, she carefully asked. ¡°That, can I have his name? Your master¡¯s name.¡± ¡°My master¡¯s name is¡­Henry Lovick.¡± ¡°Huh, Lovick?!¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Margrave Lovick is your mother¡¯s brother.¡± ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Upon hearing the surname Lovick, Rosenia could fully understand why her mother kept her background hidden. In the empire, no, on the entire continent of Eidos, if the Hill family is renowned for their sorcerers, then the Lovick family is renowned for producing the greatest knights. Of the two families, the biggest difference was that the Lovicks were knighted and loyal to the royal family, while the Hills weren¡¯t. The head of the Hill family has refused the title of nobility for generations. They would be bound by their duties and obligations as nobles otherwise, and must be loyal to the royal family. Nevertheless, the Hill family wasn¡¯t loyal to anyone. That¡¯s why they acted arrogantly whenever they wanted, since they were technically not nobles. However, the first of the Hill family was of royal birth, so noble blood naturally flowed through them. People who hated the Hill family easily turned a blind eye to such a fact. ¡®In any case, Lovick¡­That¡¯s why my mother hid her background.¡¯ The Lovick family¡¯s customs werepletely different from the Hill family¡¯s. Lovicks always walked the right way, acted in the manner of righteousness, and was very obsessed with the dignity of nobility. Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe her mother was the Lovick family¡¯s illegitimate child. It was a huge scandal. So that¡¯s why her mother would have hidden it. ¡®My mother, a Lovick. I¡¯ve never heard her talk about it. What kind of life had she lived?¡¯ It¡¯d have been impossible unless something extraordinary happened for the honest Lovick family to produce an illegitimate child. ¡®What the hell is the story behind my mother¡¯s birth? I¡¯m certain she spent her childhood in Lovick, but how was her life there¡­¡¯ Rosenia had many questions. But her mother, who could give her the answers, wasn¡¯t here. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Rose, are you okay?¡± Asked Llewellyn worryingly when he saw her mncholy expression. ¡°What? Ah¡­I-I¡¯m okay!¡± Answered Rosenia with a smile on her face as if everything was okay. Rosenia didn¡¯t think they were close enough to share each other¡¯s gloomy stories. She thought it¡¯d be bothersome. Naturally, she didn¡¯t mind, but she thought Llewellyn would find it ufortable. ¡°I¡¯m really okay. I just thought of my mother for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­It has already been more than 15 years since Dame Ilunia went missing.¡± ¡°Yes. My father is still looking for her, but¡­I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll ever find her.¡± Rosenia wanted to change the subject at this point. So, she looked around, pretending not to be conscious of Llewellyn. Then, a white bench among the luxuriant rose trees came into view. It was the bench that Rosenia would visit whenever she came to this vi. Llewellyn tried to say something, but she pretended not to hear him as she ran to the bench. ¡°Rosenia?¡± ¡°Over here, Duke!¡± Rosenia quickly sat on the bench and waved. Making enough room for Llewellyn to sit, her ss of lemon water was ced on a nearby tea table. Soon after, Rosenia looked up and saw Llewellyn, who had arrived at some point, in front of her. She flinched in surprise. ¡®W-what, so fast?¡¯ ¡°H-how did you get here so fast?¡± ¡°I thought you were running away, so I wanted to go after you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡±
Trantor¡¯s Note: 1. Margrave is a title. Google it to see what it means. 2. Her mother name is ilunia with an i. The font makes it look like double L. Chapter 25 For some reason, Rosenia thought she had just heard something frightening, but for the time being, she patted the seat next to her as to suggest Llewellyn to sit. ¡°Sit here, Duke.¡± Llewellyn, with a gentle smile, carefully sat down next to her. His tinum hair fluttered in the wind. Rosenia stared at him, then she unconsciously reached out her hand and touched his hair. She felt a soft touch like silk at her fingertips. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s soft.¡¯ Rosenia had tugged his hair roughly before, but this was the first time she had touched it so gently. As for why she had been rough in the past, the reason was, he was too much in bed¡­ ¡®Waaaah.¡¯ Recallingst night, Rosenia ced her face in her palms and screamed internally. The heat from their bodies against one another, the firm arm that embraced her upper body, the sound of one¡¯s restless breathing, and a sense of numbness throughout her body. As soon as Rosenia thought about it, all those memories suddenly became clear and she couldn¡¯t help but turn red hot. As she lifted her head with a deep sigh, she saw Llewellyn looking at her with delight. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± ¡°But why did your face turn red?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot! I-it¡¯s still May, but why is the weather so hot?¡± Rosenia fanned her hand hard while avoiding his gaze. However, no matter how much she moved her hands, the heat didn¡¯t die down. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Thinking that she should have some lemon water, she reached out her hand towards the table when suddenly two cold hands touched both of her cheeks. Llewellyn smiled with his big hands against her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯ll cool down in no time, right?¡± ¡°Your hands are cold. How did you do that?¡± When Rosenia asked in surprise, Llewellyn, with a hint of hesitation, answered. ¡°This is a simple magic I learned from my master. In any case, I have mana.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± Remembering that there was such a spell, Rosenia nodded her head. ¡®Whenever I¡¯m next to him, I seem to forget everything. But anyway, he learned magic from his master?¡¯ Rosenia looked at Llewellyn and slowly asked. ¡°Is your master a sorcerer?¡± ¡°Well, we call him a sage. Anyhow, he¡¯s both a knight and a sorcerer.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t that just a magic knight?¡¯ A thought crossed her mind, but she just nodded in agreement. She guessed that Henry Lovick didn¡¯t like the title ¡®sorcerer¡¯ or ¡®magic knight¡¯ since he served the Rasiane family. ¡®In any case, it¡¯s a strange noble family. The Duke of Rasiane¡­¡¯ Rosenia continued to think out of habit, but when she saw Llewellyn¡¯s clear emerald eyes, she paused. ¡®¡­I had forgotten. The Duke is a Rasiane. Not only that, but he¡¯s the master of the house!¡¯ Rosenia suddenly became curious. ¡®Does he hate the Hill family just like any other Rasiane? Does he hate sorcerers?¡¯ At first, Rosenia naturally thought Llewellyn disliked the Hills, but now she wondered because he had always been kind to her, the daughter of the Hill family. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s acting as if he doesn¡¯t hate the Hills. That is, if he has an ulterior motive.¡¯ However, Rosenia wanted to try asking at least once, rather than roll her head around guessing. So, she mustered up her courage and quietly asked. ¡°Hey, Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the Hill family, don¡¯t you hate me?¡± When Llewellyn heard the question, he paused. He looked at her with a nk look, then suddenly burst intoughter. ¡®W-why is heughing?¡¯ Rosenia was speechless and became flustered because it was not a question she expected him tough at. ¡®I¡¯m the daughter of the Hill family, and he¡¯s the Duke of Rasiane, so isn¡¯t that enough to ask such a question?¡¯ As Rosenia was pondering whether there was something wrong with her question, Llewellyn spoke in a bbergasted tone. ¡°I¡¯d be crazy if I hated you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± His answers were often difficult and vague to understand. So even though Rosenia was relieved by his words, she wasn¡¯t sure. She couldn¡¯t trust that he was truly harmless. ¡®Well, no. His very existence is greatly harmful to me¡­¡¯ Just looking at him made her stomach hot, her face flush, and her heart pound. He was a dangerous man. Puffing up her cheeks, she asked him. ¡°Well, anyway, so you don¡¯t hate me?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good to hear.¡± After saying so and smiling broadly, Rosenia paused. ¡®Good? What do I mean good? What¡­what am I saying?¡¯ In fact, Rosenia didn¡¯t think it mattered whether Llewellyn liked or hated her. They were going to break up soon, and this rtionship will be nothing more than a brief early summer memory. ¡®Without realizing it, I have lingering feelings. Actually, am I thinking that I don¡¯t want to break up with him? No, no. Let¡¯s be realistic¡­¡¯ Rosenia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Trying to regain her reason, she took another deep breath, then slowly opened her eyes when she felt a little calm. But to her dismay, her heart began to flutter again as soon as her eyes met the man staring straight at her. Thump, Thump. Regardless of her will, she couldn¡¯t ignore her unruly heart. She really wanted to stay indifferent in front of this man, but she couldn¡¯t do that and it was driving her crazy. ¡®It¡¯s all because of that face¡­ Why is he so handsome.¡¯ At some point, her face scrunched up without her realizing it. Then, she saw Llewellyn¡¯s smile from the corner of her eye. Llewellyn nted his head as if to kiss her. However, their lips did not touch. It was just close enough where she could feel his breath, as he kept his eyes firmly on her. Her cheeks that cooled down became heated again, and she felt a wave of heat rising around her ears and neck. Her hands quivered. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to take her eyes off him or look elsewhere, so she just closed her eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± It was then that their lips slightly touched. At the slight tickling sensation, Rosenia opened her eyes. His eyes were bent like the crescent moon when Rosenia met his eyes. His firm arm was wrapped around her waist, and their bodies were tightly connected. He fiddled with her earlobe and whispered. ¡°It¡¯s hot here too.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°How are you going to spend the summer when it¡¯s this hot?¡± No matter how tactful Rosenia was, she knew that Llewellyn was making fun of her. She pped him on the chest with a look of anger. It was a hint for him to stop at this point. As usual, Llewellyn calmed down. He teased her a lot, but never went overboard when she told him to stop. ¡®That was good too. It was¡­nice.¡¯ For a moment Rosenia was so excited that her mind went nk. She was dumbfounded at herself. ¡®What should I do, I must be crazy.¡¯ At this rate, Rosenia thought things would deviate from the original story and it would go down the viiness path. She would fall in love with Llewellyn while the jealous female leadmits all sorts of evil! ¡®Whew, crazy thoughts.¡± Trying to get a hold of herself, she tried to clear her mind when suddenly she felt a moist touch on her lips. ¡®Now of all things!¡¯ ¡°Le, heup¡­!¡± When Rosenia tried to call out to Llewellyn, he licked her lips and bit it this time. ¡®It¡¯s obvious he thinks my lips are candy. Otherwise, why would he lick and bite it every time?¡¯ Llewellyn, who had been biting her lips, stepped back. As soon as she was relieved that she was away from him, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up. ¡°Ack!¡± Rosenia became surprised when her feet were suddenly in the air. When she came to her senses, she was sitting on his thigh. Underneath her thin summer dress, she felt his hard thigh muscles, and something else. As she was about to lose her mind, his big hand came around her back. Their lips soon ovepped. When Rosenia tried to run away reflexively, Llewellyn chased after her and pinned her. Their moist flesh became entangled, as she tried to resist with what little strength she had left. Mixed with saliva, their moist lips rubbed against one another as the wet sound was carried away by the wind. A burst of hot air came out every time Rosenia lowered her lips momentarily. Unable to keep her bnce and stumbling, she grabbed him by the shoulder. She was able to avoid falling down because he held her tightly, but for some reason, she felt like she had fallen helplessly into his arm, so she felt uneasy. Rosenia didn¡¯t think there was a way for her to resist once Llewellyn caught her. Kiss. After sucking her lips hard, Llewellyn managed to let her go. She held the hem of her dress tightly and gasped for breath. Kissing alone had overwhelmed her, so it was hard for her to believe that he could still be so lively in bed. ¡®He¡¯s a really naughty guy. What did he keep saying so well? He said he was pitiful, he said I should pity him¡­!¡¯ Rosenia was thinking about it with ragged breath. ¡®No more pitying from now on. No more sympathy for the male lead.¡¯¡¯ Rosenia had no choice but to think about it, as it was a serious problem. The male lead¡¯s first time should have been with the female lead, and only the female lead. It should have been pure love, but she had already taken the male lead¡¯s first time. ¡®Sorry, Sierra. I couldn¡¯t help it.¡¯ Rosenia sighed, thinking about the woman who might resent her someday. Thinking about everything that has happened, and having calmed down a little, Rosenia raised her head. And as soon as she did, Llewellyn hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek. ¡®Argh, take it easy!¡¯ Sometimes Rosenia felt like this man was a big dog running frantically at its owner to lick their face. She would sometimes dream of a big retriever rushing at her and licking her face. This man was just like that dog. Kiss. Soon, Llewellyn lightly kissed her lips and grinned when they made eye contact. His white face had a tinge of red, so Rosenia thought he looked happy for some reason. ¡®I guess he really likes kissing me.¡¯ However, Rosenia thought it would be better if Llewellyn did it with the female lead in the future. Rosenia shoved him away, building a wall out of habit. But instead of being pushed away, Llewellyn grabbed her and got up. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Is something wrong?¡± ¡°My current condition is a little awkward.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Llewellyn nced down to a point below his body. That was when Rosenia realized what he meant. Rosenia grabbed him by the cor and said in a shaky voice. ¡°Y-You¡¯re too energetic!¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m 21 years old. I¡¯ll be 22 soon.¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a matter of age.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡± Then, Llewellyn spoke as if he had suddenly realized something. ¡°The problem is that Rosenia is so lovable.¡± ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ Llewellyn, seeing her speechless, smiled and began to takerge steps. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make it hard on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was like a cat looking at a mouse. ¡°Rose¡­just stay still. I¡¯ll take care of everything myself while looking at you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Exactly five minutester, Rosenia found out what he meant. Chapter 26 In the pitch ck sea, the waves surged sinisterly. The raging waves were caused by a sea beast, vigntly looking for any opportunity to swallow a boat. Although they were now close to the beast¡¯s hideout, the exact location hasn¡¯t yet been found. Nheless, this was a tremendous achievement given the short period of time. It was all thanks to Adrian Hill¡¯s driving force and talent. Adrian had left Rosenia at the vi, not willing to bring his precious sister to this dangerous sea. However, he knew the vi wasn¡¯tpletely safe either. It was the threat of Llewellyn Rasiane. Adrian believed that crazy bastard was still after Rosenia. ¡®Has he forgotten who I am? That crazy bastard.¡¯ Adrian was willing to entertain the idea if a young noble who was good looking and had a good personality told him that he wanted to court Rosenia. Naturally, agreeing to it was a different matter. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t just any guy. It was Llewellyn Rasiane. Even if the sky split in two, Adrian wouldn¡¯t allow it. The Rasiane and Hill are ipatible. It was an unwritten rule from a long time ago. ¡®Also, the damn Lovicks¡­¡¯ Adrian red into the pitch ck air with a grim look. He gritted his teeth when he thought about those sons of bitches Lovicks. The Lovicks, who followed the Duke of Rasiane like dogs, would never ede to the Hills when ites to the two sides. Adrian hoped his naive sister would never find out that those sons of bitches were the enemies of their family. He intends to destroy the Lovicks with his own hands if his father won¡¯t. ¡®At least three more days. No, two days.¡¯ With the way things are, Adrian ns to quickly deal with this annoying sea beast and then return to the vi. Adrian had ced a spell near the vicinity of the vi and left his familiar with Rosenia, but he still felt uneasy. Strangely enough, dangerous situations have often followed Rosenia since she was a child. So as not to risk anything, Adrian had kept her hidden safely in the Mage Tower. Adrian couldn¡¯t let the innocent and naive Rosenia out of his sight. ¡®If he insists on seeing Rosenia, he¡¯ll have to risk his life. I don¡¯t need a bastard who can¡¯t even give his life.¡¯ Not to mention, it was the Duke of Rasiane who had a lot to lose. ¡®In any case, it¡¯s nothing more than a cheap crush. If he¡¯s going to try and sway her with something like that, whether it¡¯s Llewellyn Rasiane, or whoever, I¡¯ll not let them live to see the light of day.¡¯ Adrian vowed to follow them to the end of hell and torture them to death.
Rosenia was dreaming of the past. In her dream, she was four years old and Adrian was eight years old. Her mother was there with them. [Rose, look at your brother. Isn¡¯t he really beautiful? Don¡¯t you think he should have been born a girl?] Said her mother, pointing to Adrian dressed as a girl. She burrowed into her mother¡¯s arms with a smile. His appearance was hrious. ¡°¡­¡± Adrian¡¯s eyes staring at her seemed to be asking, ¡®Are you enjoying this?¡¯ and ¡®Is this funny?¡¯ She was certain that he¡¯d educate her to deathter if sheughed at him now. However,ughing at Adrian was one of the few pleasures in her life. Sheughed merrily at him without a thought of the consequences. [It looks good on you, brother!] Adrian was wearing a ck dress and a ck bo that their mother had carefully chosen. The dress and bo were heavilyced, with a red ribbon that tied it altogether. The shoes were a ck and orange color with straps covering the back of the feet that matched the dress very well. In addition, Adrian wore ckce socks on his small feet. Adrian¡¯s beautiful appearance was like Snow White from the fairy tale. However, this particr Snow White was ring fiercely with his eyes and vowing revenge. ¡°Hey, Rian. Take Rosenia around the tower in that outfit.¡± Adrian¡¯s expression hardened at their mother¡¯s words. His shoulders trembled, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say no or rebel. Looking at his mother grudgingly, his eyes were much more boyish and innocent than usual. He also seemed a little tearful. Maybe their mother deliberately teased Adrian to see that kind of reaction. And truthfully, she would do that too if she was a mother, if only to make sure that her child was human. And above all, if that child was Adrian. ¡°¡­Come here, Rose.¡± ¡°Heup! Big sister!¡± Rosenia ran away as she took another jab at Adrian by calling him big sister. Adrian¡¯s emotionless face wrinkled that day, but he never got angry at her. She could read his mood through his red eyes. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°What are youughing about? Don¡¯tugh.¡± Rosenia was going to show this image of Adrian to their father, who she thought would surelyugh. Imagining the scene ying out, Rosenia couldn¡¯t stopughing. It was a blissful afternoon in the tower with her mother there.
¡°¡­¡± Waking up from her dream, she stared nkly at the ceiling. ¡®Dreaming of the past, that¡¯s new.¡¯ Whether it was because of a longing or loss, her heart was pounding irregrly and she felt a sense of emptiness. The ceiling showed that it was already dawn. That fact made her sleepiness reveriepletely disappear. It was admiration that soon came to her mind. ¡®I woke up at dawn!¡¯ Rosenia crept up in surprise. Turning carefully and looking beside her, Llewellyn was still sound asleep. ¡®I woke up earlier than this guy!¡¯ The fact gave her a childish sense of triumph because up till now she had always overslept after a rough night with him. She wanted to get up before him at least once. Llewellyn¡¯s stamina was simply monstrous, and he wasn¡¯t tired at all after tiring her out. And yet, Llewellyn would say, ¡®Rose¡¯s stamina is really weak. I¡¯m already holding back.¡¯ ¡®Oh my god. Does that make sense? Doing it over and over again, and that¡¯s him holding back? Such a frightening existence.¡¯ Slowly getting out of bed, Rosenia was careful to not wake him up, afraid that he might try to coax her into being eaten again. Rosenia picked up her gown from the dressing table chair and put it on. She approached the window and looked up at the sky and theing light signaling the break of dawn. Even the roses in the garden were still asleep. The peaceful and picturesque scenery made her feelfortable. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a sea cliff with Llewellyn today.¡¯ At the natural thought that came to her mind, she paused. She couldn¡¯t believe she was so calm in this situation where she didn¡¯t know when Adrian would return. ¡®But¡­wouldn¡¯t it be okay since I still have three days to spare? The sea beast isn¡¯t something that can easily be defeated, even if it¡¯s Adrian.¡¯ For some reason, Rosenia felt like she was getting increasinglyid back, but thought it¡¯d be okay to stay at ease for a few more days. She nned to contact the Duke of Rasiane¡¯s family one of these days. ¡®Yeah, one of these days. Just not right now. Somehow, it feels like the days are getting shorter.¡¯ For fear of waking up Llewellyn, Rosenia went to the bathroom in another room, washed herself, changed her clothes, and went out for a walk in the garden. Today¡¯s outfit was a blue dress made of wavy material. It was short sleeved with a whitece neckline. Rosenia liked the color blue, so she had many blue clothes. Adrian, on the other hand, always wore ck clothes. Not only that, but he preferred dark ces. Anyway, Rosenia couldn¡¯t imagine Adrian dressed in white. She thought he¡¯d probably rather be naked. ¡®I¡¯ll take one walk around the garden then prepare breakfast.¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t want to leave it to Llewellyn every time, so she wanted to cook today. Her cooking skills were terrible, but it wasn¡¯t so bad that it was impossible to eat. ¡®What should I make? I guess something easy and simple is better, right?¡¯ As Rosenia stopped for a moment to think about the menu, suddenly, she felt another presence. ¡°¡­?¡± A small flinch, Rosenia looked in the direction where she felt the presence. Walking through the rose vines anding her way was someone. It was unthinkable for such rxed steps to belong to an intruder. But it wasn¡¯t Llewellyn. The uninvited guest was shorter than him. And the hair color was different. His honey blond hair, which was as clear as freesia petals and slightly shoulder length, was tied neatly together. ¡°Ah.¡± Finally stopping in front of her, the fairly beautiful blond boy sighed. ¡°Rosenia Hill?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Instead of answering, Rosenia watched the boy with vignce. In any case, she couldn¡¯t figure out how he broke into the vi without a sound when there were spells all around. It was impossible to destroy the spells without recoil. ¡°You¡¯re really alone? Capturing you is this simple?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Her forehead creased at his remark. She didn¡¯t think she was an easy person to capture. People were always paying attention to Adrian, the youngest master of the Mage Tower, so they didn¡¯t know much about her. She was always shielded by Adrian¡¯s re. Although Rosenia wasn¡¯t particrly dissatisfied with that, she knew that many people thought she was weak because she lived in Adrian¡¯s shadow. Just like now. ¡°You¡¯re that crazy tower guy¡¯s weakness?¡± Dumbfounded at the blond boy¡¯s words, Rosenia asked back. ¡°Who told you that?¡± The boy, with a tilt of his head as if it was no big deal telling her everything, answered back. ¡°Who told me that? Isn¡¯t it obvious? Aren¡¯t you the Mage Tower master¡¯s weak little sister?¡± Completely at a loss for words, Rosenia unconsciously corrected the boy¡¯s misconception. ¡°My older brother has been shielding me, but I¡¯m not his weakness.¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± Retorted the boy, smiling as if he didn¡¯t believe her at all. ¡®He must really think I¡¯m a pushover.¡¯ Rosenia wondered if she should teach him a little lesson. ¡®Whoever this boy is, he¡¯s trespassing on the Hill family property, so attacking him would be self-defense. But his dazzling blond hair, and those rare purple pupils like violets, and that beautiful face! That is that, and trespassing is trespassing. Also, he insulted me.¡¯ Pay back as much as you¡¯re insulted, that was the Hill family¡¯s motto. Of course, in Adrian¡¯s case, he always paid it back tenfold¡­ Staring at the boy, Rosenia focused her mind on using magic. The use of magic was as easy as breathing for sorcerers in the Mage Tower. And since Rosenia was a sorcerer of the Mage Tower, magic was a part of her daily routine. Such that subduing one boy was easy. ¡®Okay, this will definitely be easy¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­?¡± Her magic, it didn¡¯t work. ¡®What?¡¯ Taken aback, Rosenia looked at the boy and blinked her eyes. The magic Rosenia conjured was supposed to make the boy lose his sight briefly. However, the magic quickly dissipated when it reached him. ¡®No way.¡¯ As Rosenia frowned and wondered how it was possible, the boy said in a mocking tone. ¡°Princess. Magic doesn¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I have a peculiar constitution. Haven¡¯t you heard of it?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®A peculiar constitution where magic doesn¡¯t work?¡¯ At that moment, a memory suddenly shed across her mind. Three years ago, it wasn¡¯t long after Adrian became the master of the Mage Tower. Adrian and her were told that there were sorcerers conducting inhumane experiments. What they found at a slum in the eastern part of the Empire was a narrow cavern artificially created by sorcerers. Trapped inside were pitiful test subjects. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure one of those experiments¡­¡¯ There was such a case. A peculiar constitution and a boy with a dangerous ability to extinguish any mana that touches him. ¡®But, that boy¡­¡¯ The sorcerers were able to discover the cavern and destroy it, and undoubtedly, the boy should have died¡­ ¡®Is this boy from back then? Or is it someone else?¡¯ The boy¡¯s face from that time was so hazy in her memory that she couldn¡¯t recall exactly. She looked at the blond boy with a confused expression. Then, Rosenia saw it. Indignation, anger, and hatred in the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°I hate you sorcerers. And I hate that crazy master of the Mage Tower.¡± The boy¡¯s rxed mood waspletely gone, evident by his glistening violet pupils. Rosenia was speechless at the hatred directed at her. ¡°So, princess, you¡¯ll surely be captured and brought to my doorsteps. I can¡¯t wait to see you crying and begging for your big brother.¡± ¡°What do you mean capture? What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to get going now. I¡¯ve confirmed that you¡¯re really here, so that¡¯s enough.¡± Rosenia tried to catch the boy, but he disappeared in a sh. She thought it was probably a movement magic tool. ¡®¡­He hates sorcerers, but uses what they made?¡¯ Rosenia stared dumbfoundedly at the spot where the boy disappeared. The sudden event disturbed her mind greatly. She kept recalling the boy¡¯s words. ¡®Capture me? Brought to his doorsteps? If he¡¯s not the one capturing me¡­¡¯ At that moment, a family name crossed her mind. Of all things, a family name that she never wanted to think of. ¡®¡­The one that is going to capture me¡­¡¯ In this vi right now, there was only one such person who could do that. But, unable to imagine it could be that person, her body trembled and she became breathless. Nevertheless, her thoughts steadily pointed to a person. Llewellyn Rasiane. Chapter 27 Llewellyn woke up feeling something amiss. As soon as Llewellyn came to his senses, he sprang up and looked beside him. Rosenia wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Rose?¡± When Llewellyn called out her name and looked around the room like a madman, there was no answer. Llewellyn leapt out of bed and came out of the bedroom in his robe. Running almost everywhere and scouring the vi just to find a trace of Rosenia, their eyes met just as she entered the front door. For a moment, there was a strange silence between the two. A sigh of relief from Llewellyn broke the silence. Approaching her in a rxed manner, he spoke. ¡°Rose, did you take a short walk? When I woke up, you weren¡¯t next to me¡­¡± Llewellyn held back the words that he was frantically looking for her. Strangely enough, the closer he got to her, the more he was afraid to reveal how crazy he was about her. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Rose?¡± Asked Llewellyn, confused that Rosenia was staring at him and didn¡¯t answer. A strange ominous feeling crept into his mind, but before long, Rosenia broke into a casual smile. ¡°You¡¯re up? I¡¯m about to go to the kitchen and prepare breakfast.¡± There was a calmness to her voice. But Llewellyn saw her gripped hands quiver. Something must have happened, but Llewellyn didn¡¯t think Rosenia would tell him even if he asked her. So with a silent smile and pretending not to have notice, he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare breakfast, so you should go rest in the living room.¡± However, Rosenia shook her head firmly and refused. ¡°No, I¡¯ll make it today. Duke has cooked every time.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, so rx.¡± Rosenia, who smiled as if drawing a line, passed by Llewellyn. Even if it was just a short distance, it was as if she didn¡¯t want to reach him at all. It was so strange that Llewellyn became puzzled. Up until yesterday, Rosenia had a very friendly attitude towards him. Then, what on earth happened today, Llewellyn wondered. Suddenly feeling like there was a wall, he was freaking out internally. Although very slowly, Llewellyn thought Rosenia was getting used to him like a light rain. He thought if he could just move a little forward after some time, then he might finally be able to capture her heart¡­ That was what Llewellyn had hoped. ¡°¡­¡± Staring absently at her back, who was moving away, Llewellyn soon followed her with a determined look. Llewellyn couldn¡¯t let her slip out of his hands like this. If he couldn¡¯t win her heart for good, he¡¯ll die. In order to suppress the mana congestion, Llewellyn must make contact with another person¡¯s body and be deeply involved. But he couldn¡¯t even imagine connecting with anyone other than Rosenia. She was the only one for him. He¡¯d rather die than give himself to someone else to live. However, he didn¡¯t want to die either. If he dies, his time with her will be lost forever. The thought of her forgetting him and meeting another man after he died, When he thought about it, his blood boiled and he felt himself going crazy. The urge to smash and destroy everything in front of him arose. Llewellyn never thought of himself as a violent person, but if it was rted to Rosenia, when he imagined her being taken away by someone else, he felt like he would lose his reason and go mad. Trying to calm down his violent mood, he stood at the entrance of the kitchen and quietly watched her. Rosenia acted as if she didn¡¯t notice his presence, however, her expression that she tried to hide was clearly visible to him. Somehow, he thought she looked uneasy and hurt. Llewellyn clenched his fist unknowingly as soon as he saw her expression. An unmeasurable anxiety and wanting to reach her became muddled up inside him. But right now, Llewellyn couldn¡¯t pour everything out. Time and distance were needed between the two. He didn¡¯t want to ruin his rtionship with her after his hard-earned opportunity. ¡°Rosenia.¡± Calling out to her, Llewellyn walked cautiously. He was very cautious as if he was dealing with a small bird, not knowing how she would react. Nevertheless, Rosenia looked back at him in surprise, dropping a tomato in her hand. Llewellyn smiled bitterly. From the start, Llewellyn didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be easy. To enter someone¡¯s heart, and have them love you back. It was the most difficult task in the world. However, at the very least Llewellyn wanted her to feelfortable around him. Swish. Llewellyn bent down to pick up the tomato that had rolled at his feet. Although there wasn¡¯t a scratch on it even after rolling on the floor, he thought it¡¯d be awkward to eat it. Rosenia flinched when Llewellyn threw it into the trash. More than the waste of a tomato, she seemed to be overly conscious of his every action and gesture. It¡¯d have been nice if it was because of the emotion that came from arousal. However, the emotions that shone beneath her deep pink irises were confusion and fear. Llewellyn wanted to look past those emotions and see straight to her heart. He wanted to know what she was thinking. Did she meet someone by chance? Did someone elsee to this vi beside him? ¡®¡­Ah. Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯ A thought crossed his mind. It was a long shot, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. Although the Knight Commander is tight-lipped, there are plenty of ways to find out even if someone didn¡¯t go through him. After all, how long has he, the Duke of Rasiane, been gone? And to where? There were a few servants Llewellyn kept by his side who were clever enough to easily find the answer to the question. ¡®The question is who on earth did she meet and what did she hear? Is it Alex?¡¯ He was the only one Llewellyn could think of that would be more interested in him going to the Hill family¡¯s property than anyone else. Alex¡¯s hatred for sorcerers was beyond his control. Llewellyn had unknowinglye close to the answer, but soon, Rosenia¡¯s voice scattered his thoughts. ¡°I thought I¡¯d make a chicken and tomato stew.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± In Llewellyn¡¯s view, Rosenia was deliberately talking as if everything was fine. As if doing that would hide the confusion in her mind. However, Llewellyn had already noticed early on that her mind was chaotic. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. Smiling casually, Llewellyn approached the sink and washed his hands as he smiled at her. He had done so in an extremely polite manner. ¡°I¡¯ll help too. That way we can finish quicker.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, of course¡­¡± Rosenia smiled awkwardly and nodded. And because of that, Llewellyn¡¯s heart sank like he was falling off a cliff. Llewellyn suddenly realized how precious the many bright smiles Rosenia had given him were. It was very hard for him to look at Rosenia, who was struggling to be near him while avoiding eye contact, and not reach out to her. ¡®¡­¡¯ While preparing the tomatoes, Llewellyn had a thought. If he experiences mana congestion again tonight, what will she do if he is on the verge of death? Will she let him die? Or will she save him again? It won¡¯t be until the sun goes down and nightes will Llewellyn have the answer to his question.
At night, without fail, Llewellyn was suffering from a high fever. It was a wonderful timing, one that Llewellyn hadn¡¯t anticipated. Llewellyn looked at the ceiling in a daze andughed. He wondered if he should go to Rosenia¡¯s room and beg. Or he thought, maybe he should wait and see. Maybe she would be worried about him ande herself. Truthfully, Llewellyn thought the likelihood of thetter was hopeless. Thinking to himself that although Rosenia had good feelings towards him, he didn¡¯t think she cared enough about him to worry about him before she went to bed. In a daze clouded by the fever, Llewellyn recited inwardly. ¡®I hope you like me as much as I¡¯m crazy about you.¡¯ Llewellyn himself knew best how futile his wish was. It was a very one-sided love. Nheless, he didn¡¯t care. No matter how much time passes, his obsession for her will only grow as it drives him crazy. ¡°Rosenia.¡± Llewellyn quietly called out. ¡°Rosenia¡­¡± Calling out to her, he wished his voice would reach her like a miracle. ¡®I¡¯m a fool.¡¯ Llewellyn berated himself. It was a wish that will nevere true, he thought. But the third time he called out her name, unexpectedly, a miracle actually happened. Click-. The door opened with a low friction sound, then a pair of small feet in slippers crept in. Time very slowly passed. No, to Llewellyn that was what it felt like. All the noise around him disappeared and even the starlight flowing through the window became silent. His heart, which seemed to have stopped for a moment, began to beat like mad. Llewellyn opened his eyes wide and looked at her, at the miracle that came to him. The impossible had happened. ¡®Have I died and gone to heaven?¡¯ Llewellyn was so lightheaded that he had such a thought. ¡°Duke.¡± Whispered Rosenia, standing by the bedside. Llewellyn, unable to answer, could only open his mouth. He wanted to say something, but his mind was as good as a nk sheet. ¡°As expected¡­I knew this would happen.¡± Rosenia sighed deeply after checking his condition. At that moment, her face was filled with anxiety, worries, and affection for some reason. Llewellyn, who saw it all in one breath, unknowingly shed tears. His heart was filled with emotions that were difficult to put into words. ¡°W-why are you crying?¡± Flustered, Rosenia wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. And then she wiped away his tears and ced her small hand on his cheek. Llewellyn, staring absentmindedly at Rosenia, covered her small hand with his. ¡°Rosenia.¡± With anguid tone, Llewellyn called out to her. ¡°Rosenia¡­¡± Rosenia fell silent. ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Quietly answered Rosenia, still with aplicated look. However, she didn¡¯t resist his hand. Llewellyn was so moved by such a fact that he thought he could die with no regrets. Naturally, he didn¡¯t want to die. She hade to see him, so he didn¡¯t want to die like this. Holding her hand tightly, he pleaded. ¡°Save me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please save me, Rose¡­¡± Chapter 28 In fact, Llewellyn was aware. He knew she liked his face if nothing else. ¡®Ah, my body too.¡¯ Llewellyn has never been more grateful than he is today for his good looks. At this moment, he felt like he could truly thank his parents. For they had passed on their looks that Rosenia liked. ¡®If only I could seduce her with this beauty.¡¯ Llewellyn intended to use his body wholeheartedly as well. ¡®And only if I could capture her heart like this¡­¡¯ ¡°Rosenia, please¡­¡± Pleaded Llewellyn, looking at her with the most pitiful expression he could muster. Perhaps because of his faint trembling voice, he looked all the more pitiful. Maybe that¡¯s why. Rosenia¡¯s eyes shook when she looked at him. The look in his eyes made her heart wane. Llewellyn had a strange conviction that he would survive this ordeal. ¡®¡­Ha, she¡¯s too kind.¡¯ Llewellyn swallowed a bitter smile. ¡®My Rosenia is too kind.¡¯ Sometimes in front of that tenderness, Llewellyn felt as if his soul wasid bare. Rosenia was so kind and innocent that Llewellyn felt like a shameless fellow for tempting her with his beauty. He would be lying if he said he didn¡¯t feel guilty. But even if it was so shameless, Llewellyn wanted to capture her. He would do anything to have herpletely. Even if it was something that would be criticized by the whole world, he would dly do it. Regardless, Llewellyn had decided that his life would belong to her. Rosenia, who let out a small sigh, sat quietly by the bedside. With a hint of hesitation, she lowered her head towards him. Her rosy hair fell down and brushed against his cheek. Tucking the left side of her hair behind her ear, she supported his head with her right hand. Her light ruby eyes sparkled as it glistened in the darkness. His heart throbbed at the thought that she might be on the verge of tears. Rosenia carefully ced her lips against his as she held her breath. At that moment, he felt a mixture of pain and joy. The pain ached, but he trembled at the momentary joy of her breath. ¡°Huah¡­¡± At the slight moan, Rosenia broke away from him. He tried to hold her tightly in his arms, but only felt the air in his hands. Llewellyn looked at her like an impatient child. She stood against the wall, far away from the bed, with her head down. He could clearly see her slender shoulders trembling in the dark. In a dishevel voice due to the fever, Llewellyn called out her name. ¡°Rosenia.¡± Rosenia, flinching like a little bird, slowly looked up. Llewellyn extended his hand towards her and pleaded. ¡°Come here, Rosenia. You promised to help me.¡± Right, Llewellyn was certain they had made such a promise. When he embraced and kissed her small quivering body in his arms, and when her mind was in disarray, [Promise me. You¡¯ll help me whenever I¡¯m sick.] [That¡­] [Can you promise me that? Yes? Rose¡­] [Ah, okay¡­eh.] [Thank you.] Rosenia, whimpering and nodding, didn¡¯t even know what she had promised. In her ecstasy, she simply had the thought of quickly breaking away. Llewellyn already knew. Yes, he knew. He was a naughty child who had coaxed her into making a promise. He thought to himself as he smiled cynically. Rosenia was ncing at him with a hint of hesitation. Then, she took a step closer, as if she had found her courage, only to stop again. Llewellyn, like an impatient child, sighed deeply and whispered again. ¡°Rose,e closer. That¡¯s the only way for us to connect.¡± Rosenia, who hesitated at his words, asked in a low voice. ¡°Can we just hold hands this time?¡± ¡®Just hold hands? Saying such a thing, how adorable.¡¯ Thinking how adorable Rosenia was, Llewellyn smiled in amazement again. There was no way he could go to sleep just holding her hand. Just from being next to her he would be tense. ¡°Do you really just want to hold hands? Really?¡± Asked Llewellyn, raising one corner of his mouth slightly and smiling. Briefly hesitating, Rosenia bit her lips and shook her head. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Llewellyn knew Rosenia didn¡¯t want to just hold hands. Although he didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, he was convinced that she was physically attracted to him, so he had decided to be more brazen. With a relieved smile on his face, he whispered as seductively as possible. ¡°Right. I¡¯m d this isn¡¯t a one-sided love.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? What did you just say?¡± Asked Rosenia, with her eyes wide open as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. Llewellyn, in a deliberately coy manner, answered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you still don¡¯t know? My heart?¡± Frankly, Llewellyn thought it was pretty obvious. If they had been in a normal rtionship, Rosenia would¡¯ve realized how Llewellyn felt. But there was a dangerous wall between them, and she would rather turn a blind eye to their feelings than face it. Unconsciously, or consciously. Rosenia looked at him with a bewildered look. Looking at her confused expression, he sighed softly. Llewellyn thought he should say it clearly. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I didn¡¯t say it carelessness during sex.¡± It was an undeniable fact even if there was a knife to his neck. He sacrificed his life just to get closer to her. Regardless, it¡¯d be ridiculous if he said he only hoped for it to end at sex. Upon hearing him, Rosenia blinked absentmindedly and asked with a slight hesitation. ¡°Really¡­?¡± Raising one eyebrow, Llewellyn asked again. ¡°Well?¡± With a look of uncertainty, Rosenia nervously asked. ¡°So, our rtionship so far¡­what is it?¡± ¡°¡­What is our rtionship so far?¡± His voice grew cold near the end. Suddenly his temperament was like a snowstorm, and Rosenia found herself flustered as she faltered in bewilderment. A sigh came out of his mouth when he saw her backing away as if she was running away from him. ¡®Like this again. Although she seems naive, she is rather delicate.¡¯ Llewellyn thought Rosenia would run away if he wasn¡¯t careful. With difficulty, Llewellyn lifted his dying body and stepped out of bed. Then, he began to slowly walk towards her. She stared at him with fright as he silently closed the distance. In a grave tone, Llewellyn spoke. ¡°Our rtionship, Rose.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Once we started, there was no turning back.¡± ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Asked Rosenia, as she steadily looked at him while being pushed back little by little. Then, when there was nowhere to go but against the wall, he reached out and grabbed her arms firmly. And then, Llewellyn pulled her in with all his strength. Her fragile body was pulled into his bosoms without resistance. Llewellyn held her tightly in his arms. Trapped in his arms, she looked up at him with round eyes. The expression was so cute that he almost momentarily lost his reasons. Seeing her stare nkly at him, he smiled softly. He could now understand why. The reason why she looked at him like she was possessed. It was because she was fascinated by his beauty. Gently caressing her flushed cheeks, Llewellyn whispered. ¡°Rose, from now on you¡¯ll continue to bear me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll only bear you.¡± Such words were filled with pure sincerity. Llewellyn didn¡¯t doubt he belonged to Rosenia Hill. Without her, everything was meaningless. That was what it meant to give one¡¯s life. Slowly lowering his head, he kissed her gently on the cheek. His soft milky lips brushed against her as he yearned for her. He slowly moved his head towards her ear. Then, Llewellyn whispered softly. ¡°So, I¡¯ll continue to kiss only you¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that ce, hwah¡­¡± ¡°And touch you as much as I please.¡± Slightly biting her earlobe, she shivered like a little bird fluttering. At the adorable reaction, Llewellyn hugged her tightly. Briefly burying his face in her shoulder, he raised his head and looked into her eyes. Her clear pink eyes glistened. Looking at her, he became lost in the moment. He felt like he would die in her arms at this rate. He didn¡¯t really mind dying, but¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t die and lose her to someone else.¡¯ Rosenia, who was staring at him vacantly, soon replied. ¡°Yes¡­¡± It was a small, barely audible voice. Although that was her answer, at the moment, her expression looked as though she was in turmoil. Nheless, Llewellyn decided to enjoy this moment. With a big smile, Llewellyn kissed her again. Layer byyer, he began to take off her clothes with great care. As Llewellyn kissed her every exposed flesh, he looked at her fair and beautiful body shining in the moonlight with ecstasy. He was fairly proficient at touching her now. To his surprise, Rosenia was calm and rxed, as if she was leaving everything to him. When he held her chin up and kissed her, her small hands which were held against his chest made a circr motion. Coincidently, the mana that was raging inside Llewellyn gradually began to fluctuate more intensely. As he gasped in agony, Rosenia hugged and supported his staggering body. The two, leaning against the wall awkwardly, supported each other and approached the bed. The moon, which felt particrly warm today, bathed the white bedsheet. From the slightly open window, the sound of crickets can be heard. With Llewellyn silently looking down at her, sheid on the bed, locked in his arms. Enveloping her was the darkness cast by the blue moonlight. Llewellyn, as if yearning for one¡¯s lover, slowly kissed her face, neckline, and even lower. Her body, which was stiff with tension, gradually rxed at the affectionate touch. Chapter 29 ¡°Look.¡± Llewellyn kissed the back of Rosenia¡¯s hand. Next, he kissed the spot inside of her wrist where the veins showed. Kiss. A red mark appeared where Llewellyn had kissed her. It looked as pretty as a flower. Showing it to her, he whispered. ¡°Beautiful.¡± At his remark, her cheeks blushed like the mark on the back of her hand. A smile spread across his face when he saw her looking away and blushing as if she was too ashamed to meet his eyes. Llewellyn was amazed at how a person could be so adorable. He didn¡¯t know such a thing was possible until he met her. That someone so beautiful can look so adorable. It sometimes felt like a dream. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie when I said I¡¯ll only bear you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Believe me, Rosenia¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will never do anything to hurt you.¡± Said Llewellyn, like an ardent love confession. He didn¡¯t dare confess his love, and could only look forward to her unraveling his true feelings. ¡°Rosenia.¡± Whispered Llewellyn at a distance close enough for a kiss while stroking her cheek when she didn¡¯t respond. When the high fever and pain became too much to bear, Llewellyn instinctively devoured her lips as if he was looking for a way to live. Breathing in ceaselessly and finding his warm breath like an oasis, Rosenia hurriedly pushed him away. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± A distressed voice came from Rosenia. Llewellyn gently swept her rosy hair between his lips. ¡°Haa, ha¡­¡± Heavily stricken, Rosenia gasped the moment Llewellyn lowered his lips. Her body heaved up and down. Rosenia, who was on the verge of tears at the foreign heat, was gently soothed by him as he gradually settled inside her. Hugging andforting her small quivering body, Llewellyn carefully touched and kissed her. The sky was especially clear today. Perhaps it cleared up after the rain. Because of this, Rosenia could see the night sky full of stars through the window. Rosenia hugged him tightly and looked at the night sky as his hard body bumped against her. The stars seemed as if they were pouring from the sky. After some time, Llewellyn¡¯s motion stopped and the rugged breathing of the two were muddled together. Llewellyn didn¡¯t let her go right away and held her still in her arms like always. Catching his breath against her shoulder, Llewellyn slowly lifted his head to look at her. And then, Llewellyn became surprised. Looking down at Rosenia with trembling eyes, Llewellyn widened his eyes in the next instant. Rosenia was crying. To the extent of extreme sadness, as if the world had ended.
¡°Rosenia?¡± A very confused voice called out to her. She hid her face under her palms and avoided his gaze while shedding tears like a child. Unable to get a hold of her chaotic heart, she was at a loss for what to do. She was still in his arms tonight, and likewise, he was still in her arms. She couldn¡¯t let him die. Unknowingly, she had realized that he had begun to upy quite a lot of weight in her mind. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The words lingered in her mind. She thought Llewellyn was either out of his mind, or he was trying to trick her and take her away by pretending to be crazy. Rosenia didn¡¯t know why he was after her. Was it because she was Adrian¡¯s weakness? Did Adrian do something without her knowledge? She didn¡¯t know what she was worth to the Duke of Rasiane¡­ ¡°Rosenia.¡± An anxious voice called out to her. Laying on her side, she still had her face buried in her palms. As she rolled around in that state, a man¡¯s big warm hand touched her shoulder. Gently sweeping down her back in a soothing motion, the touch was as sweet as ever. Thus, Rosenia cried more and more. She wondered what she was supposed to do if that kindness was fake. It was the first time in her life she found it hard to see the way. Resentment for the beautiful man who suddenly appeared and shook her life naturally sprang up. She wanted to escape him if possible. However, sadly, It was toote for that. ¡°Rosenia¡­Why¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did I hurt you? If so, please tell me. Don¡¯t cry, please¡­¡± Rosenia had tirelessly thought it through. What she really thought of this man and how she felt about him. Even as she was worried about him, she wasn¡¯t sure until she came here. She thought she knew her heart. But as soon as Rosenia melted into his warm body, she suddenly realized it. She can never let this warmth go. Llewellyn was the first one to make her feel this way. It was special because it was her first time. For that reason, Rosenia kept coveting it. It was a desire that grew without her even realizing it. Rosenia kept saying to herself that she would break up with him someday while turning a blind eye to it. In fact, she could have contacted Adrian immediately because of her suspicion, or she could have taken the risk and contacted the Duke of Rasiane¡¯s family, but she didn¡¯t. She thought it would have been a shame to break up with him. Her eyes teared up again when she realized that her foolish self-justification was due to her temptation. Not only that, her emotions were even more chaotic because she couldn¡¯t understand Llewellyn¡¯s true feelings. Why did he show up in front of her? Why is he being so sweet? Is he saying something he doesn¡¯t mean or is he being honest? Tears filled her throat with the words she wanted to ask. She wanted to ask right now, but was afraid that it won¡¯t be something she wanted to hear. What if it¡¯s only her imagination, and what if it¡¯s only her who will be heart broken? Rosenia thought if Llewellyn only approached her to take advantage of her, she¡¯d go crazy from hating him so much. ¡°Rosenia, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just, I¡¯m sorry for everything. Whatever it is, I know I¡¯m wrong. So please¡­¡± Rosenia, unable to stop crying, was held up carefully into hisp. For that reason, her appearance was in disarray, so she removed her hands from her face but kept her head down. As Rosenia sniffled sadly, Llewellyn patted her on the back and kept kissing her hair and forehead. Time continued to pass. As time passed, her mind gradually calmed down. She was still sad and resentful, but she was able to recognize the situation clearly when she came back to her senses a little. The only thing Rosenia could do right now was to be taken hostage by him or hit him in the back of the head. Those were the only choices. Naturally, Rosenia didn¡¯t want to be captured without a fight. Rather, if Llewellyn really tricked her, she was going to capture him instead. Then, Llewellyn will despise her, and unlike the original story, she will be crowned the greatest viin in the world. Thinking to herself that it was him, not her, who started it first. So, Llewellyn had brought it on himself. Staring at him with indescribable resentment, Rosenia grabbed his shoulders tightly. He looked at her with frightened eyes like that of a rabbit. ¡°Rosenia?¡± ¡°¡­I want to ask you something.¡± However, Rosenia had to check first. Before she does anything to him, whether that is to tie him up, kidnap him, or lock him up in the Mage Tower, she wanted to ask first. The truth, what Llewellyn really thinks of her. Gripped by her hands, his firm shoulders trembled. Her stomach was throbbing and her heart was pounding irregrly. She was afraid to learn the truth, but hated the suffocating feeling even more. Therefore, Rosenia was going to ask him. After that, she¡¯ll think of what to do next. Holding his shoulders, Rosenia took a deep breath and gripped it even tighter. Then, she finally spoke. ¡°Are you going to take me hostage?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Did you deliberately approach me? Did you copse in the vi¡¯s garden on purpose?¡± ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°What do you want with my brother¡­Adrian? Is that why you¡¯re doing this?¡± It was inevitable to get emotional after asking. Although Rosenia had saved him not expecting anything in return, she was surprised that he intended to use her. In fact, the more Rosenia thought about it, the more ridiculous she found the situation to be. They had only met once, and they had only made eye contact from afar, yet he likes her. One might think he fell in love with her for saving him on the verge of death in the vi, but she knew, is it so easy to fall in love at first sight? Even though the original author had said that Llewellyn was someone who falls in love easily¡­ Maybe the real Llewellyn Rasiane is someone different from the one on paper. Such a thing as love at first sight¡­It¡¯s not impossible, but it¡¯s also notmon. And Rosenia couldn¡¯t imagine herself on the receiving end of such an unusual thing. Even more so if the other person is Llewellyn Rasiane. As Rosenia stared at him with distrustful eyes, Llewellyn, who stared nkly at her, soon sighed. His face showed mixed emotions as his open mouth wavered to answer. At his reaction, Rosenia was inclined to believe that he was clearly here to take her hostage, rather than being out of his mind or kind to her. Rosenia felt a hot pit in her stomach as it came up and filled her throat. She¡­didn¡¯t really want it to be like this, but she ended up liking him due to no one¡¯s fault by her own. The very person who made her this way simply lied and used her. She was so resentful and angry that her whole body shook. Rosenia never thought this would happen to her. She didn¡¯t know that the male lead, who is renowned for his honesty, would do this to her. Does he hate Adrian and the Hill family that much to do this? Was her efforts to avoid the death g from the original story useless? Or, perhaps she had put in too much effort, and that was why her fate became twisted like this? As a flood of thoughts filled her mind, she heard Llewellyn¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± At his voice, which was barely heard, Rosenia perked up her ears. Chapter 30 Llewellyn¡¯s mouth wavered as if he was having trouble with what to say. It goes without saying that it made him look even more suspicious in her eyes. Rosenia gave him a fierce look and interrogated him. ¡°You¡¯ve been sane this whole time?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You also lied when you said you didn¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So it was all a lie¡­¡± Thest words Rosenia spoke were mixed with tears. As she cried again, Llewellyn, who was visibly flustered, held her face with both hands. Rosenia could feel his warmth through hisrge hands covering her cheeks. While staring at her nkly, Llewellyn spoke. ¡°Rose, I¡¯m not¡­ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Rose¡­¡± Llewellyn closed his mouth as if he was unable to find the words, and soon sighed deeply. Then, he stared at her with his peerless honest eyes and spoke clearly. ¡°I¡¯m not using you, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯d be ridiculous for me to take advantage of you. How could I¡­¡± His expression alone made him look very honest. But with only such words, there was a long way before Rosenia could believe him. With a look of disbelief, she spoke while looking at him. ¡°You are too different from what I imagined.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I kept thinking it was weird. You, the Duke of Rasiane, has been kind to me, act like we¡¯re lovers, and you cook for me¡­ It all seems ridiculous.¡± When her words fell, she felt like crying again. She was so excited by his kind behavior and way of talking that she was fooled. ¡°But that was all an act. It would make sense that it was all an act. For such good things to happen to me, the daughter of the enemy¡¯s family, without a reason.¡± As soon as Rosenia finished speaking, Llewellyn hurriedly refuted. ¡°I¡¯m not acting.¡± ¡°Lies. I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°What can I do for you to believe me?¡± After an agonizing moment¡¯s thought over the pleading question, Rosenia thought of what she wanted to know. ¡°¡­Please be honest with me. Why were you lying in the Hill family¡¯s vi garden, why you treat me kindly, and why do you want to get close to me, everything¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everything, without a single lie.¡± After saying so, Rosenia secretly used a magic spell. It was a spell that allowed one to see through the lies of another person. Adrian and Rosenia, as masters of the Mage Tower, had to meet many sorcerers around the world and question their wrongdoings, so they had to learn this lie detection magic. Unlike Adrian, who learns every magic like breathing, Rosenia found it a little difficult to do mental magic. So, it took her a lot of effort to learn this magic. There were times when Rosenia thought of giving up because she waszy to practice, but now that she looked back, she felt d that she learned it. ¡®The magic of looking into a person¡¯s thoughts won¡¯t work on him, but it¡¯s enough to tell if what he¡¯s saying is true or not¡­It won¡¯t be difficult.¡¯ Rosenia could have used this magic before, but she didn¡¯t. She had been foolish enough to turn a blind eye to everything. The questions between him and her. She didn¡¯t want to break this peaceful life at the summer vi. She was certain that she had been possessed ever since she first saw him. Emerald eyes as vivid as verdure. She was so bewitched by his eyes that she had be intoxicated. But it was time to wake up from this hangover. Rosenia opened her eyes wide and stared at him. He looked perplexed, as if he had been put through a very difficult task. ¡®After all, he won¡¯t answer? Or is he going to lie again?¡¯ As Rosenia stared at him in a fit of tears, Llewellyn sighed heavily, then spoke. ¡°¡­From beginning to end, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°However, please give me your word.¡± ¡°My word?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hear me out, and you won¡¯t think badly of me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t think badly of him, what does that mean?¡¯ Her forehead creased. Was there such a huge secret that she would be appalled? ¡°¡­Tell me first. I¡¯ll judge after I hear it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn bit his lips with a really reluctant look, and then nodded. After a short breath, he finally began to talk. ¡°The first time I saw you was when I was thirteen.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened at the unexpected words. She looked at him in surprise at his sudden bashfulness. His reaction was quite surprising to her, and with a murmur, he continued. ¡°When I was thirteen¡­I sneaked into this vi and stole a nce at you while you were asleep.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And when you woke up, our eyes met.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I turned around and ran away.¡± ¡®No, wait a minute.¡¯ Her lie detection magic wasn¡¯t responding. So that meant Llewellyn was telling the truth. ¡®Wait, when he was thirteen? So I was eleven or twelve? What happened in the vi at that age was¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I can¡¯t remember. Something seems to have happened¡­¡¯ Cursing her poor memory, she ced both of her hands against her head and then nced at Llewellyn. Llewellyn was looking at her with an ufortable and earnest look. ¡°I think that was the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At that time, I fell in love with you.¡± ¡®¡­He said he was thirteen then¡­?¡¯ Then, this isn¡¯t a love on a whim. ¡®He has felt this way ever since? For more than eight years? Wait a minute, then at the royal banquet¡­¡¯ ¡°At the royal banquet, I realized it when I saw you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That I desperately wanted you.¡± Abruptly, Llewellyn¡¯s mood became quite heavy. Rosenia felt an oing chill. Her heart pounded with strange anxiety. She felt like running away for some reason. Slowly moving his legs and tossing and turning, he hugged her firmly at the waist. ¡°¡­!¡± Flinching greatly, her body soon stiffened. She felt a strong force tightly clenching her arms. It was an irresistible force. Maybe because Rosenia was suffocated by this force. But, she had a sudden premonition. That this man will never let her go no matter what¡­ ¡°I had only met you twice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t even talk much.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t believe I became infatuated with you. I¡¯m sure I look like a total madman. I know.¡± Rosenia almost nodded for a moment and then stopped. ¡®Oh, no. Let¡¯s just stay still. I think that¡¯s a good idea¡­Something isn¡¯t right. Something, absurd¡­ ¡¯ ¡°I understand that you suspect me. When I look at myself objectively, I think I¡¯m out of my mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I really want you with all my heart and soul. Ever since I realized that feeling, I¡¯ve been madly desperate to find a way to reach you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But no matter what I did, meeting you felt out of reach¡­This time, I took the chance and came to this vi. ¡°¡­¡± The subsequent story was as Rosenia knew it. When Llewellyn arrived at the vi to meet her, it started to rain, and he copsed on the ground because he couldn¡¯t suppress his mana congestion. ¡®Oh my god. If I hadn¡¯t helped him, he¡¯d be dead! He¡¯s really out of his mind¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Rosenia made eye contact with him and was startled without realizing it. There was a strange heat within the emerald eyes looking at her. The madness within them was as clear as day. Such madness made her truly believe he was out of his mind. In a trembling voice, Rosenia asked. ¡°So, you¡¯re out of your mind, aren¡¯t you¡­? Raising the corner of his lip, Llewellyn replied. ¡°Well?¡± The lie detection magic hummed chaotically. That simply meant Rosenia couldn¡¯t see through him. ¡®No, so is he really crazy or not? What the hell?¡¯ Unable to hide her shock, she looked at Llewellyn with her eyes blinking rapidly. He slowly looked down at her and gently stroked her cheek. ¡°Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Extremely tense, Rosenia swallowed her breath. She kept having the feeling that her neck was going to be bitten by the fangs of a beast. ¡°What did your magic tell you?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Did it show that I¡¯m absolutely telling the truth?¡± ¡°H-how¡­¡± Rosenia became dumbstruck at his unbelievable question. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, did he see through my magic? I thought he wouldn¡¯t notice anything. But he knew all along¡­¡¯ Llewellyn kissed her cheek, who was staring nkly at him. He still showed a cordial and friendly attitude, and looked cautious and thoughtful as if he was caring for something lovely. But¡­ ¡®He¡¯s crazy¡­¡¯ Rosenia couldn¡¯t get the thought that he was crazy out of her mind. It was all the more confusing when Rosenia knew it wasn¡¯t a lie. How long have they seen each other? Like he said, they had only met him twice. She doesn¡¯t even remember one of them. Besides, at the royal pce¡¯s banquet, all they did was make eye contact from afar! She didn¡¯t even speak to him! So, how the hell, she wondered. ¡®How could he fall in love with me and not forget for more than eight years? He even risked his life to meet me! Is his feelings for me true love?¡¯ ¡°Rosenia, that look on your face right now¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rosenia came to her senses when she heard his voice. She didn¡¯t know what expression she was making. She only knew that her body was swaying like an aspen leaf. With a sweet smile, Llewellyn asked. ¡°Do you think badly of me now?¡± ¡°What? N-no, it¡¯s not like that¡­!¡± ¡°Is my abnormal obsession for you crazy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rosenia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say yes or no. She definitely liked him, but at the same time, she was scared of him. No matter how hard she thought about it, he was crazy. Chapter 31 ¡°What I¡¯ve told you is the honest truth.¡± Said Llewellyn, brushing her hair. While they were talking, Rosenia could feel his body heating up again. From the hand that touched her, to their bodies being close to one another. Rosenia tried to absorb his mana by having her body against his. It was necessary to do it little by little to prevent any ident. Nheless, she didn¡¯t think it was a good idea to talk about the situation again when her mind was a mess. Like a cicada, Llewellyn held her tightly in his arms while looking down at her. A satisfied smile emerged from his lips. He seemed to like holding her like this. ¡°The way you struggle is really cute, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work.¡± ¡®Those wicked lips again!¡¯ ring at him, Rosenia spoke in a reprimanding tone. ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. So, you¡¯ve been in love with me for more than eight years¡­¡± It sounded even more strange when Rosenia said it out loud. She had simply thought of Llewellyn Rasiane as the male lead who will one day give her the death ending. She couldn¡¯t believe he liked her. It was an unfamiliar territory, and one she didn¡¯t expect. ¡­It was inevitable that Rosenia felt goosebumps thinking about it. The man she fell in love with turned out to be in love with her. As genuine as it seemed, it was impossible for her to feel happy. No matter how hard she thought about it¡­it felt closer to an obsession. ¡°¡­And to meet me, you came all the way here. You¡­had no intention of using me?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Llewellyn answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. His emerald eyes that looked straight at her seemed quite honest. Although what was hidden beneath those eyes were still as wicked as ever¡­ Rosenia couldn¡¯t believe such a genuine look can have a hint of madness. It was truly amazing and terrifying. Even now, the eyes that stare at her contained a heart-shaking determination and desire that made her heart tremble. ¡®How long is he going to keep looking at me like this?¡¯ ¡°I met someone in the garden this morning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was a boy with pretty blond hair. His hair was tied together, and he had a sword around his waist. And my magic didn¡¯t work against him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The boy said that I was Adrian¡¯s weakness, so someone was going to capture me. That¡¯s roughly what he said. I mistook that someone as being you. No matter how hard I thought about it, you¡¯re the only one who can take me from this vi.¡± Llewellyn slightly opened his eyes and slowly sighed. Then, with aplicated look on his face, he spoke with slight difficulty. ¡°That boy is Alex.¡± ¡°I knew it! He¡¯s one of your retainers, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Alex is one of my retainers, but I didn¡¯t call him here. What he told you isn¡¯t true. Is the lie detection magic still working?¡± The question Llewellyn attached at the end made her unknowingly flinched. It was justifiable for her to use the lie detection magic on him, so why was it her who felt so flustered? Like seeing a ghost, Rosenia was frightened of this man who had seen through her secret magic. More so, not knowing what he was thinking, she couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what his dark thoughts were. Maybe that¡¯s why she felt happy, but time and time again she felt like running away. Like a herbivore instinctively running away when it sees a beast. This man was clearly a predator. And Rosenia had a strange premonition that no matter how much she tried to run away, she would end up in his palm. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve turned off the lie detection magic now. I have confirmed that you were telling the truth¡­.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s a very useful magic spell.¡± ¡°Anyway, that boy Alex misunderstood your purpose foring here? Am I understanding this right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Alex misunderstood me. From the beginning, I only had one purpose. I wanted to reach you. I wanted to be in your heart.¡± Whispered Llewellyn, lowering his head towards her. Thinking that he was going to kiss her again, she pulled back her upper body. There was a look of bewilderment on his face. ¡°You¡¯re very tense.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I unconsciously want to run away¡­¡± ¡°Why would you want to run away?¡± Rosenia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that she was a little scared. If she said that, she was afraid that she would cross a river of no return. ¡°Anyway, the misunderstanding has been cleared. Now that I know your situation, tell me what you¡¯re going to do. Adrian ising back here soon.¡± Llewellyn stared at her as she looked around and avoided his gaze. It was too much pressure, so her heart shrank and she stared into the air. Staring into his eyes made her skin hot. She couldn¡¯t believe looking into someone¡¯s eye could do that. It was her first time experiencing it. ¡°Rosenia, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask before we discuss the matter with your brother.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Asked Rosenia politely, peeping up at Llewellyn. He suddenly smiled when their eyes met. What was worse, he pulled her closer and kissed her here and there on her face! Rosenia was simply stuck stiff and in a daze at his unpredictable behavior. ¡®Why does he always kiss me like this out of the blue?¡¯ ¡°Rose, why did you cry earlier?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡®Is that what he wanted to ask me?¡¯ Unable to answer immediately, Rosenia slipped away from his gaze. Then, he gently held up her chin and faced her. Rosenia tried to roll her eyes so as to not look straight at him, but in a surprise move, he bit her lips. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Are you not going to answer?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rosenia was about to say ¡®oh my god,¡¯ but kept silent. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt, but her lips were tingling from the bite. Judging by the many nights and the time she spent with him, she thought he had a slightly sadistic deposition¡­ ¡°Do I have to answer that? Why I cried.¡± ¡°Then, should we continue kissing?¡± ¡°What?¡± Llewellyn closed his lips and grinned. His green eyes glistened with mischief. Thinking that he might really kiss her again, she shoved his face away and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. Why I cried.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°The reason why I cried, I mean, um¡­¡± ¡­Amazingly, this time, it was her turn to confess. ¡®Is this what they call you reap what you sow?¡¯ With a slight regret, Rosenia quietly began talking. ¡°I thought you were trying to take advantage of me¡­I was sad.¡± ¡°You were sad because you thought I was taking advantage of you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°Why is it obvious?¡± When Rosenia got emotional again at his reply, he gently soothed her in an unrequited manner. Although the age difference between the two of them wasn¡¯t much, he was still older than her. Or perhaps it was because he is the Duke. ¡°I was confused because you kept being sweet to me.¡± ¡°You were?¡± ¡°¡­I was angry and disappointed at the thought that you were being sweet to me for other reasons¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± With a yearning tone, Llewellyn brushed her hair with his hand. He seemed to like touching her hair. No, when she thought about it, it seemed like he just liked touching her. Even when she was tired and wanted to fall asleep, she knew his hands would not stop touching her. ¡°I can¡¯t help but be sweet to you all the time, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one for me.¡± ¡°¡­Me¡­¡± Rosenia kept her mouth shut for a moment before she asked. ¡°Do you love me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn didn¡¯t answer and just smiled quietly. He seemed neither surprised nor embarrassed. It was as if he had imagined this situation for a long time. After a while, Llewellyn answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Is that all?¡¯ When Rosenia looked at him with an indescribable mood, Llewellyn added. ¡°The word love can¡¯t describe how I feel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s as much as you want, if you want it to be love.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What the hell is he saying¡­? So it¡¯s not love, but if I want it to be love, he¡¯ll act like it¡¯s love? That, what?¡¯ Feeling a little lost, Rosenia looked at him and blinked. His face was full of confidence even though what he said was vague to her. She felt even more confused and could only frown. ¡®Is it okay to like this guy?¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°What? No, rather than that¡­¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve confessed my feelings, if you don¡¯t like me, can I go crazy for you in earnest?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The fear from such a request was almost instinctive. In fact, so far his infatuation has overwhelmed her, but that wasn¡¯t his full strength¡­? So how much more is it if he was earnest? Feeling goosebumps for some reason, Rosenia wavered without realizing it. As she wiggled in his arms, he stroked her shoulder and whispered. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m still scared. Revealing how crazy I am about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Because you might end up hating me.¡± The hand that touched her cheek was hot. Feeling him burning up, she shrank momentarily. ¡°But¡­I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do even if you hate me.¡± ¡°Hold on¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you go anymore, Rosenia.¡± The whisper that permeated her ears gave her goosebumps. There was a chill in his voice. Her body against his was warm, but she shivered like it was the middle of the winter. ¡°Nothing changes when your brother arrives at this vi.¡± ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll steal you from him.¡± ¡°What are you saying¡­¡¯ Before Rosenia could ask him, their lips ovepped. She couldn¡¯t push him away this time. The moment their warm breath mixed and their tongues intertwined, her heart pounded and her mind went nk. Gasping for breath, Rosenia could only ept this man who was devouring her like his soul depended on it. And so, once again, time flew by, long enough for the stars to move again as the two melted into each other¡¯s arms.
Early morning, what woke her up from the exhaustion was the familiar that went through the wall and into the room. ¡°Whimper, whimper¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting strange¡­¡± Mumbling towards the anxious whimpers of the familiar, Rosenia sat up. Rubbing her eyes and looking next to her, Llewellyn was fast asleep. Rosenia approached the familiar, careful not to wake Llewellyn up. The familiar, who had its tail lowered, looked at her and raised its ears as it made a distressed noise. Shh. ¡°You have to be quiet.¡± When Rosenia warned it in a small voice, the familiar immediately understood and became calm. However, it still paced back and forth anxiously, then spun around as if it was trying to tell her something. ¡®¡­Already?¡¯ An ominous feeling crawled up her spine. She hastily picked up her clothes and sat in a chair, concentrating her mind. In a split second, she used a magic spell to look at the sky. Arge ship could clearly be seen approaching the harbor and docking. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Her magic soon dissipated. She hurried to the bed to wake up Llewellyn. There was no time. Adrian was back. Chapter 32 ¡°Duke, get up. Come on!¡± ¡°Rose¡­?¡± Llewellyn, who slowly raised his eyelids, looked at her and smiled absentmindedly. In the midst of urgency, Rosenia was briefly speechless by his dazzling beauty. Seeing him like that, Rosenia wondered if it was an illusion. He pulled her body into his arms when he saw her. Kiss. Only after Llewellyn kissed her cheek did shee back to her senses. ¡°Le, no, Duke. This isn¡¯t the time. Come on, get up-.¡± ¡°Were you just about to call my name? Were you going to say Llewellyn?¡± Asked Llewellyn with delight, but Rosenia ignored his words and stood up. Then, she took out new clothes from a bag and roughly threw it at him. It was the set of clothes she had bought on the first day he came to the vi. ¡°Quickly wash up and get dressed. Then leave here immediately.¡± ¡°What are you saying¡­¡± Asked Llewellyn, holding the clothes in his hands as he blinked with a shocked look on his face. Soon, his eyes sparkled and he spoke. ¡°Your brother is back.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. So you have to leave here.¡± Rosenia sighed heavily. The ship must have docked at the port by now, so it won¡¯t be long before Adrian arrives at the vi. Adrian hates the Duchy of Rasiane. So Rosenia was certain he would go crazy if he saw the Duke of Rasiane, Llewellyn, at the vi. Also, if he finds out the kind of rtionship they have¡­Rosenia was frightened just imaging how wild Adrian would be. Therefore, she had to send Llewellyn back to his home. ¡°Hurry up and get dressed. Then leave this vi and go to the station. I¡¯ll give you money for the train. Rather than calling your retainers, you¡¯d be better off sneaking out. Adrian¡¯s 6th sense is like a ghost¡­¡± ¡°Rose.¡± Llewellyn called out to her in a heavy voice as she rapidly spoke. Rosenia paused and looked at him. He was staring at her with a serious look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to leave by myself? You¡¯re staying here?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Answered Rosenia absentmindedly. Llewellyn sighed, stood up, and approached her. He was not wearing any clothes. Flustered, she flinched. ¡®At least, get dressed first!¡¯ Rosenia felt very shameless when she wanted to take a peek at his body glistening in the morning sun. As she turned her head away and felt her face burning, he gently pulled her chin towards him. ¡°Rose. As you know, I suffer from mana congestion quite often. So I need someone to connect with me to suppress it.¡± His lighthearted tone was serious again. For some reason, Rosenia bes tense when he begins to speak in such a courteous manner¡­No,e to think of it, she would always get tense in front of this guy. In various ways. ¡°I wish it to be only you who will suppress my mana congestion. I don¡¯t want anyone else. Isn¡¯t it the same for you? Are you sure you won¡¯t mind if it was another woman?¡± Another woman. As soon as Rosenia heard those words, her body unknowingly stiffened. Her expression became cold and what was reflected in the window was anger. Her blood turned cold and her hands and feet became petrified. Only her wildly fluctuating heart was hot. At this moment, Rosenia was able to identify the emotion she felt without any difficulty. It was jealousy, Or obsession, or anger. It became a fierce emotion as all of these negative emotions intertwined. At such an unfamiliar feeling, Rosenia found it a little ridiculous. Thinking to herself that technically, Llewellyn Rasiane was the female lead Sierra¡¯s man, not hers. However, it was none other than her who took him from her. Naturally, that wasn¡¯t her intention and it wasn¡¯t her fault that Llewellyn liked her. In any case, she had shattered the original couple. She had to ept the results. ¡®But jealousy¡­¡¯ Rosenia was angry at the thought of Sierra Oscar, someone she doesn¡¯t even know the face of, appearing one day and capturing Llewellyn and being held in his arms. If that happens, although Rosenia didn¡¯t want to, she knew her role was to step back. She was ashamed of herself. She knew Llewellyn Rasiane was a very dangerous existence, but what could she do? She didn¡¯t want to give him up to another woman. ¡°¡­!¡± Llewellyn flinched when she unconsciously hugged him. She was surprised by her action too, but she didn¡¯t want to let him go as she held his waist. ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t want to either? You don¡¯t want anyone else to hug me?¡± Rosenia acknowledged his question with silence. He gentlybed his fingers through her hair. With tears in his eyes, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead, cheek, and lips one after another. His lips curved into a loving smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have sex with anyone other than you. So I can¡¯t be away from you for even a second.¡± Rosenia felt bewitched again by his seductively soft voice. But it wasn¡¯t the time to be like this. Coming to her senses, she grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet and filling the sink, she spoke. ¡°Wash and get dressed first. Hurry up.¡± ¡°Well¡­sure.¡± While Llewellyn, who was modestly obedient, was washing and changing in the bathroom, Rosenia rushed to another bathroom, roughly washed her face and straightened her appearance. Rosenia hoped Adrian wouldn¡¯t suspect anything, however, when she looked in the mirror, she noticed a serious problem. Simply, it was the red marks Llewellyn had left all over her body. ¡®Damn it¡­what am I supposed to do about this?¡¯ There was no such magic to erase the kiss marks. Rosenia thought healing magic to treat bruises might work, but to do so, she needed to have divine power. Rosenia had no divine power, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t use divine magic. Therefore, the only way to hide these marks was to cover them up. In other words, she had to hide it beneath her clothes. ¡®Ace dress with long sleeves and neck¡­I think I have a dress like that.¡¯ Rosenia hurried up to the attic and searched the closet. The closet was ruined by Llewellyn being rough with her, but there was no time to organize it. Finally finding ace dress, she quickly changed into it with a cheer of joy. Standing in front of the mirror, denseces covered her from the neckline to the shoulder and all the way to the wrist, and no red marks could be seen. The dress came down to her ankles, so it covered the marks that Llewellyn had left inside her calves. ¡®Why the hell did he even go after my calves¡­¡¯ Regardless, after changing into the perfect dress and tying her hair neatly, she headed to the room where Llewellyn was. When Rosenia arrived, he was sitting calmly on the couch waiting for her as if he was ready. She smiled because it looked exactly like a dog waiting for its owner. Pushing away the nearby familiar who was clinging to her feet, she approached Llewellyn. Looking at her and smiling, he spoke. ¡°That dress looks good on you¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing it because of you.¡± ¡°Ah, you wanted to show me it?¡± At his ridiculous delusion, she lifted an eyebrow and retorted. ¡°Adrian will freak out if he sees the traces you left on my body.¡± ¡°Ahah¡­¡± Seeing Llewellyn narrowing his eyes, Rosenia thought it looked strange. However, she didn¡¯t bother to understand his dark inner thoughts and brought up the main topic. ¡°We need an alibi for when Adrian arrives.¡± ¡°¡­An alibi for me?¡± ¡°You came to Brindos because you were worried about the South Sea, but copsed at the sudden mana congestion, so I saved you by chance. But we only held hands and nothing else!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn looked at her with a disasistfied expression. Creasing his forehead, he spoke with great difficulty. ¡°So you and I, to be faithful to that alibi, will continue to hold hands from now on.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Never having thought of such a loophole, her eyes blinked widely in embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t believe she would have to hold his hands¡­ ¡®That¡¯s a little¡­¡¯ ¡°Rosenia.¡± As Rosenia was agonizing over the grave situation, Llewellyn slowly stood up and reached out to touch her shoulder. Before Rosenia knew it, their foreheads were against one another as he gazed into her eyes. As always, his body was much hotter than hers. ¡°Let¡¯s just run away.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in my hiding ability. Why don¡¯t we run away together?¡± From his very serious expression, Rosenia couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking or not. Although she felt a little bad for Adrian, it was quite a tempting proposal. If Rosenia could run away from her crazy brother for at least a week¡­In many ways, she thought it¡¯d be liberation¡­ ¡®Ah, but.¡¯ It would be the same if Rosenia was with the crazy Llewellyn Rasiane. ¡®Run away from one crazy guy just to be with another crazy guy?¡¯ Thinking about it, Rosenia felt that her life was extremely unfortunate. She spent her childhood desperately trying to train a nutcase, and now that she has grown up, she couldn¡¯t believe that she was stuck with another nutcase. However, one was her brother, and the other was the man she fell in love with. So she couldn¡¯t run away from the both of them forever. ¡®Ha, my life.¡¯ Rosenia wondered how it got soplicated. Exhaling a sigh of grief, she looked at Llewellyn and spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Before Rosenia could finish speaking, the familiar suddenly began to bark. She easily recognized that it was a warning. The familiar ran outside and kept barking. Adrian must have arrived at the vi. The clever familiar was deliberately pretending to wee its owner. To hide the fact that it was bribed¡­ ¡®It¡¯s clever.¡¯ Since it had reached this point, Rosenia had no choice but to hide Llewellyn. She grabbed him by the wrist and approached her big closet. Then, Rosenia quickly opened it and stuffed hisrge body inside. In the cramped and dark closet, he looked at her with a dumbfounded look. ¡°Rose¡­¡± Cupping his cheeks, she quickly kissed him. Kiss. As soon as Rosenia let go, Llewellyn, whose eyes were wide open, blushed. ¡°Duke, you need to hide here for a bit. I¡¯ll try to find an opening for you to run away.¡± ¡°¡­By myself?¡± ¡°¡­Let me think about it some more. Hide here for now. I¡¯m sure Adrian will go crazy if he sees you.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Answered Llewellyn with a sigh of disapproval. Rosenia gave him one final hug before closing the closet. Before the closet closedpletely, the green eyes between the gap seemed to sh with a strange light.
¡®Those lovely eyes.¡¯ Rosenia had wondered why his eyes, which were seen through the gap of the closet, bothered her so much. She realized it was because the eyes that had been looking at her lovingly was gone. There was a strange sense of uneasiness in the corner of her mind. She thought she could get Llewellyn out of here safely¡­ ¡®What is this sense of foreboding that the n isn¡¯t going to work?¡¯ ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Whimper. The familiar barked enthusiastically and waved its tail when the iron gate of the vi opened. Rosenia thought it was ridiculous that it pretended to be loyal to its owner who just returned when all along it had been bribed by mana balls. Concealing herughter, she looked beyond the iron gate. Jet-ck shoes that were impably clean steadily stepped into the garden. Raising her eyes a bit more, she saw Adrian, who wore a ck monochrome suit, leather half gloves, and carrying a diamond-studded cane, tilting his head with a drowsy look. His red eyes were still indifferent, but his pale lips drew an arc when he spotted her. Adrian had very pale skin, so when he smiled like that, it was as if Death itself was smiling. He held the cane loosely and spun it around as he slowly approached her. Trying to smile as naturally as possible, Rosenia greeted him. ¡°Hi, brother.¡± Chapter 33 Adrian¡¯s lips curved into a half-smile. ¡°Hi, sister.¡± His voice always made her heart tighten. It was like the sound of a fierce jaguar growling sluggishly. Rosenia, like a rabbit in front of a beast, froze and smiled awkwardly. She was thinking whether she should wee Adrian just enough or run and hug him. If she acts uncharacteristically sweet, he might be suspicious. However, on the other hand, it might be effective. After all, he would get very happy whenever she was affectionate towards him. After a moment of contemtion, Rosenia ran toward Adrian with her arms wide open. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡¯ If Rosenia acted very weing, he might loosen his mood and rx. ¡°¡­!¡± Adrian flinched a little when Rosenia hugged his waist. She lifted her head in his arms and smiled as she looked up at him. Then, she gently spoke. ¡°Wee back, brother. I was so bored ying by myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Adrian looked down at her with a very suspicious look on his face, she sensed that her n had failed. ¡­However, she couldn¡¯t give up yet. Smiling innocently, she spoke with a whimper. ¡°You don¡¯t know how boring it was to eat alone. You should have been here to chat with me. Now that you¡¯re here, we can eat delicious food together. Right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Have you eaten breakfast? I haven¡¯t. If you haven¡¯t either, why don¡¯t we eat together? What do you want to eat, brother?¡± Even when Rosenia heard it herself, the voice that came out of her mouth was much sweeter than usual. Enough to give herself goosebumps. ¡®Damn it, was that too much?¡¯ ncing at Adrian, Rosenia studied his facial expression. He was staring at her with a bewildered look in his eyes. Thwack! ¡°Ack!¡± Adrian, who suddenly flicked her forehead, reprimanded her in a chilling voice. ¡°Did you eat something wrong? Did you go crazy because it was hot?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You son of a¡­¡¯ Rosenia inwardly cursed Adrian as she red at him. There was a stinging sensation where her forehead was flicked. ¡°There must be a reason why you¡¯re acting like this. Did you have an ident?¡± When his words fell, Rosenia almost flinched like a thief. Luckily, she narrowly managed to control herself. Adrian would have caught her every reaction no matter how small. ncing sideways at the roses in the garden, Rosenia answered in aposed manner. ¡°Brother, you came back early without a moment¡¯s dy, didn¡¯t you? More than that, look at the roses. Ever since the rain stopped, it has been in full bloom. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ¡°Roses that bloom every year, tell me something new.¡± Adrian, who scoffed at her sentiment, strode toward the rose trees. His pale hand wrapped in a ck leather glove stretched out toward the flowers in full bloom. Tik. Then, there was a sound of a rose¡¯s delicate stem snapping. Adrian, holding the rose in his hand, magically removed the thorns of the stem and dyed the petals blue. In no time, a blue rose was made. He came back to Rosenia with it and stuck the rose on the side of her head. The dew on the petals slightly wet her skin. ¡°It looks good on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Blue.¡± The corners of his mouth rose, and soon his hand touched her forehead and patted the tingling part. ¡®What?¡¯ Rosenia guessed flicking her forehead must have bothered him. ¡°By the way, why are you wearing such a stuffy outfit?¡± Rosenia unknowingly flinched at his words. But immediately, Rosenia pretended to be indifferent and smiled. She can never reveal the fact thatLlewellynis hiding in the vi or what kind of rtionship they have. ¡®It¡¯s over if we get caught.¡¯ With a confident air, Rosenia replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t this dress pretty because theces are exquisite? It was in the closet so I tried it on. The weather isn¡¯t even hot.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Adrian, who had his eyes wide open, hummed as he tried to see through her. Rosenia knew almost everything when it came to Adrian, so she could easily see that he was suspicious of her now. A cold sweat trickled down her forehead from the tension. While looking at Adrian with a smile on her face, he scoffed and pushed past her. Rosenia trotted after him. Adrian, who moved without reserve and went straight into the vi, slowly looked around the porch as if looking for any suspicious signs. However, Rosenia didn¡¯t think he would be able to find any traces ofLlewellyn, as she had quickly removed it earlier. She timidly looked at Adrian¡¯s facial expression. He passed the front door and headed for the living room next. Naturally, there were no traces left in the living room either. Adrian still seemed suspicious, but he rxed his mood a little when he didn¡¯t find anything amiss. Holding back a sigh of relief, Rosenia smiled at Adrian. His piercing red eyes looked at her. Fidgeting her hands behind her back and as if everything was fine, she spoke. ¡°I want to make you something delicious since you¡¯ve worked so hard, so sit in the living room for a while. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you looking at? It¡¯s true that you¡¯ve worked hard, isn¡¯t it? Sometimes I have to be a good sister.¡± Said Rosenia tactfully, trying to avert Adrian¡¯s suspicious gaze. Adrian stared at her with his eyes wide open as he gave a deted smile. It was simply that, but her body almost flinched again. She barely managed to control her body as she sped her hands together. ¡°Whatever.¡± Said Adrian, casually sitting down on the couch. Leaning his upper body against the couch, he sat nted with his legs crossed. His figure was like a tired beast. Rosenia felt that Adrian was much more threatening thanLlewellyn, even though he was slimpared toLlewellyn. It was probably because of the sharp atmosphere that he gave off. Telling him to give her some time, she casually walked out of the living. Rosenia was barely able to breath when she stepped into the kitchen¡­ ¡®Will he be okay hidden in the closet? It might be stuffy.¡¯ With Adrian¡¯s sense, Rosenia knew she was a far way off from being able to bring Llewellyn a ss of water. She took the vegetables out of the cupboard and began to rinse and trim them. ¡®Maybe I should mix Adrian¡¯s food with sleeping pills¡­¡¯ For a moment, Rosenia had such awless idea, but soon decided against it. ¡®No matter how crazy the situation is, it¡¯d be too crazy to give my brother sleeping pills to hide my lover¡­Lover.¡¯ When Rosenia realized that she had referred to Llewellyn as such, her face became hot. It was obvious that Adrian would be more suspicious if he saw her like this, so she quickly tried to shake off her thoughts about Llewellyn. However, as Rosenia was cooking in the kitchen, she kept thinking about how Llewellyn made her meals and that made her heart pound. Not only that, she felt her cheeks heating up. ¡®Ah, I think I¡¯m really out of my mind.¡¯ With her hands shaking, Rosenia had to be careful not to cut her fingers. After cutting the potatoes and carrots and throwing them into a pot, she quickly began to prepare the other ingredients. Rosenia was going to roughly make chicken soup. She felt bad for Adrian that she couldn¡¯t cook with all her heart. She could only do her best while her attention was diverted¡­ ¡®Whatever, chicken soup tastes good no matter how you cook it¡­¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t want to expose the fact that her whole focus was on Llewellyn. Tak, Tak, Tak. The kitchen knife struck the cutting board and made a rhythmical sound. As Rosenia was cutting the cabbages to a suitable size, suddenly she heard amotioning from upstairs. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Rosenia paused and looked up at the ceiling. Someone¡¯s voice, a bang, rumbling, and- Crash! A loud noise of a window shattering. At that moment, her blood froze. She put the knife down on the cutting board and slowly backed away. Her eyes were still glued to the ceiling. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ As an ominous feeling slowly crept inside her, she ran out of the kitchen without a second thought. Adrian wasn¡¯t in the living room. Rosenia passed the front door and went to the garden. She rushed in the direction of the disturbance as she looked around. ¡°Heuk¡­!¡± Stopping, what soon caught her sight was a scene that she hoped would never be a reality. An open space under the broken window. Llewellyn rose from among the pieces of the smashed closet. Looking at the mess and his body, he frowned. He muttered something, but it seemed that he was too far for her to hear him. Adrian stood there, staring coldly at Llewellyn. His eyes were as fierce as someone looking at a mortal enemy. Rosenia didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be strange if he killed Llewellyn right now. Thump, Thump. Her irregr heartbeat echoed in her mind. The situation had be dangerous in a sh. She was frozen in ce and couldn¡¯t move. Like the howling wind in the dead of winter, Adrian¡¯s voice reverberated. ¡°Why is this bitch Rasiane on my property?¡± In spite of the insulting remark and far from being upset, Llewellynughed. To the point where Rosenia wondered if he was out of his mind. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a bitch. I¡¯m Rosenia¡¯s dog.¡± Rosenia had a strange look at her face. For a moment, she had forgotten that the situation was dire. Adrian was a cold-blooded viin from the start, while Llewellyn, who Rosenia thought was the sane Duke of Rasiane, was actually a nutcase. In other words, she was the only sane one here. ¡®Two mad dogs are trying to find an opportunity to bite each other¡¯s neck!¡¯ Rosenia was the only one who could stop these lunatics. But how? She was certain neither would listen to her¡­ ¡®Communicating with lunatics is impossible. Should I find an opportunity to knock both of them out?¡¯ Time was ticking away in the midst of her careful consideration. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying? Duke of Rasiane?¡± ¡°I meant it from the bottom of my heart. Why? Do you want me to say it again? I¡¯m Rosenia¡¯s-¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Adrian cut off the insane Llewellyn¡¯s remark. Standing in front of Rosenia, Adrian didn¡¯t back down and stared at Llewellyn like he was going to kill him. He slowly narrowed the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare put her name in your mouth.¡± ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s too bad. I¡¯ve already put it in my mouth more than a hundred times. And Rosenia too.¡± At the words of a madman, Rosenia was so tense that she didn¡¯t know what to say. And not long after, Llewellyn smiled and continued. ¡°She called my name. Very affectionately.¡± ¡®¡­? When did I?¡¯ While Rosenia waspletely surprised, at that moment, Adrian¡¯s cane violently struck Llewellyn on the cheek. Thwack! Immediately, there was a scary sound of flesh snapping. ¡°Heuk.¡± Rosenia held her breath. Before the stumbling Llewellyn could find his footing, Adrian kicked him down. Then, as Llewellyn was about to lift himself up, Adrian stepped on his chest and looked down at him fiercely as if he will kill him at any second now. A chilly and furious voice came from Adrian¡¯s pale lips. ¡°To Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What did you do to my sister?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Llewellyn still did not show any signs of agitation. Even though he was beaten with a cane and stepped on his chest with shoes, he didn¡¯t even flinch and kept on smiling in a nonchnt manner. Rather than making him look cool and poised, it made him look more like a lunatic. At the moment, Llewellyn parted his lips, as if he was about to answer Adrian¡¯s question. ¡°Wait, wait a minute!¡± Rosenia quickly rushed to the ce where the two people were fighting. ¡°What did you do to my sister? ¡°. Rosenia was scared that Llewellyn would blither out some crazy answer to Adrian¡¯s question. So she quickly got close to the two and then pulled Adrian¡¯s arm away to release Llewellyn. When he felt the pressure from Adrian¡¯s weight disappear, Llewellyn groaned and lifted himself off the floor. Actually, Llewellyn could have easily avoided Adrian¡¯s attacks if he wanted to¡­ No matter how she looked at it, she couldn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d deliberately epted the blows. She looked up at Llewellyn worriedly. When her eyes happened to fall on his figure, he had a very pitiful look on his face. Seeing his miserable appearance, her heart thumped for a moment. A sudden jolt of enlightenment shed in her mind. ¡®Ah, is this it?¡¯ ¡®Is he deliberately getting beaten up so that he could pretend to be pitiful in front of me¡­?¡® ¡°¡­¡± Realising this, Rosenia felt as if she had drunk ten full jars of snake wine. Llewellyn¡¯s cunningness made her speechless. Adrian gave her a fierce re as he ordered her whilst tightly wringing her wrist. ¡°Exin, Rosenia.¡± ¡°Br, brother¡­.¡± ¡°Why is that jerk here?¡± His red eyes gave off an eerie glow. She smiled awkwardly. Seeing his face be gloomy, the corners of her mouth twitched and she broke out in cold sweat. ¡®What excuse should I make? But, would an excuse even work?¡¯ Adrian didn¡¯t need to use magical powers to know whether she was lying or not. He could at once grasp what a person was thinking. So to put it simply, it was impossible to deceive Adrian with ridiculous eloquent words. ¡®What should I do? I don¡¯t want to lie. Should I just hide the truth? Yes, then I wouldn¡¯t have to lie.¡® She hesitated for a moment and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t get so angry. The Duke of Rasiane was lying unconscious near our house, so I just offered him some help.¡± ¡°And how did you help him?¡± She almost flinched at the sharp question, her smile faltered for a moment. Adrian red at her fiercely as she tried her near best to smile as brightly as possible. Her heart sank seeing the frightening gaze, but she still tried to answer as if there was nothing wrong. ¡°Maybe he got rained on. He had a high fever, so I took care of him.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Did you reallyjusttake care of him?¡± ¡®Wha, what! Why does he keep questioning me like this? Has he noticed something? Something between Llewellyn and me¡­¡® ¡®No, No. Maybe he¡¯s just trying to sound me out. Let¡¯s not panic and answer clearly¡­¡® Trying to calm her agitated heart, she slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Of course, aside from taking care of him, what else could I have done? Ah, I just finished cooking. Come, let¡¯s go eat quickly, we can¡¯t starve our guest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Adrian¡¯s eyes narrowed at her casual answer. From the look on his face, it was clear that he hadn¡¯t bought her words. ¡®Damn it, it isn¡¯t working¡­¡¯ ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if you don¡¯t want to tell me the truth, I know how to get it out of you.¡± With a cold sneer, Adrian fiercely red at her side. Before she knew it, Llewellyn was standing beside her, embracing her body. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare torture her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®Torture?!¡¯ Torture!She was so shocked that she immediately tried to run away. Meanwhile Llewellyn hugged her waist tightly, not letting her go. Adrian grasped the nape of his neck and murmured while dragging Lewellin away from her. ¡°Whatever the truth is, there¡¯s a way to make ite out.¡± ¡°Wai, wait, brother!¡± With big strides, Adrian walked towards the vi, dragging Llewellyn behind him. Rosenia briskly followed them and noticed Llewellyn looking back at her with a sorrowful look. Excuse me, could you please stop pretending to be pitiful¡­ You can easily break-off from his neck hold! She didn¡¯t know what Llewellyn was thinking, but one thing was clear. As expected, I¡¯m the only sane person here¡­ I have to stop Adrian before things get out of control¡­! But how the hell do I stop that crazy tyrant? I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t listen to me! I really am about to go crazy! While Rosenia was agonizing, Adrian steadily dragged Llewellyn to the living room and sat him on a chair. Then, he used a restraining spell to tie Llewellyn tightly to the chair. For a moment she really thought Adrian might torture Llewellyn. ¡®You! Have you gone crazy? No, don¡¯t!¡¯ Rosenia gave a shout and ced herself in between Llewellyn and Adrian. ¡°Please calm down brother!¡± ¡°And would you be calm if you were in my shoes?¡± ¡°This man is the Duke of Rasiane! We¡¯ll get in big trouble if you do anything to him!¡± ¡°Then, it would be on me; You don¡¯t have to care about something like that.¡± ¡°How can I not care about it!¡± Adrain hesitated as Rosenia yelled out. Then he gave her a disappointed look, as if he was looking at an immature child. Anger welled up in her as she took in the obvious look on his face. He still treated her as a child and refused to acknowledge her as an adult. Adrian¡¯s eyes brought up the sorrows that she had suppressed deep inside her. Naturally, the words that had rued over a long period of time, all spewed out of her mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this brother.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be 21 soon, but you still treat me like a child. You¡¯re too overprotective and you never listen to my opinions!¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Adrian made a face as if he was listening to something absurd, but that didn¡¯t stop Rosenia from pouring out all herints and sorrows. ¡°Do you know how frustrating it is to always be at the Mage Tower? I have to bring along my brother with me wherever I go. I¡¯m not a four year old kid, I¡¯m a grown-up now!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And why do you always act on impulse? So you¡¯ll torture him, then what? Have you even considered the implications of your actions, and what would happen if the Duchy of Rasiane gets wind of this? You¡¯re going to start a family war!¡± And¡­. ¡®I¡¯m actually older than you, you punk! I have lived two lives!¡¯ She swallowed those words and reeled them back inside. She wanted to tell him everything in her heart, but¡­ Panting, Rosenia stood in front of Adrian and scowled at him with all her might. Adrian clicked his tongue as he looked at her dumbfoundedly, his red eyes stared at her coldly. ¡°Are you really asking me why I am so overprotective over you? You really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡®It¡¯s all because of your obsession and sisterplex! Stop obsessing over me!¡¯ She glowered at him without withholding any feeling of displeasure on her face. Of course, Adrain wasn¡¯t so fragile as to get hurt by this. As usual, heughed in a haughty manner and asked in a tone that did not lose his signature ridicule. ¡°Do you remember how you almost drowned in the river when you were two?¡± ¡°¡­ no?¡± Why was he bringing that up all of a sudden? She blinked her eyes and looked at him sourly. ¡®I don¡¯t remember my life before the age of three¡­¡¯ When she had turned three, her memories of her past life returned to her. Because of it, she had never been an ordinary child, but until then she was like any other child. Hence, she didn¡¯t have any memories from those infantile years. Adrian asked another question. ¡°Then do you remember how you almost fell off a cliff when you were three?¡± ¡°Ah yes, I remember that.¡± ¡°And when you were four, do you remember how you almost died when your boat overturned while boating in theke?¡± ¡°I remember that too.¡± ¡°And the time when you got seriously injured because you fell from the top of a tree that you wanted to climb?¡± ¡°Yeah that too¡­¡± And so, Adrian brought out countless other events where she had ¡®almost died¡¯ while growing up. As she listened to him dumbly, she realised, ¡®I really have almost died a lot.¡¯ ¡°Recently, because of some stupid bastard¡¯s negligience, some dangerous magical beasts managed to escape the Tower. If you had faced those beasts without anyone¡¯s supervision, there¡¯s no doubt you would have died.¡± ¡°Ah¡­It was like that.¡± She hadpletely forgotten about this because she always felt that it wasn¡¯t a big deal. In fact, idents like these were amon urrence. During experiments magical beasts often escaped out of the Mage tower¡­.. ¡°I¡¯ve put several spells on this vi for your safety. Those magical beasts are so strong that only a few wizards could stand to face them.¡± At Adrian¡¯s words, her eyes widened and her gaze drifted towards the familiar. He was also a dangerous magical beast but here he was sitting quietly next to Adrian with his tongue wagging out. ¡®No matter how I look at it¡­ it looks just like a dog.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve always been in danger, Rosenia. You seem to have forgotten everything because you grew up being so indifferent.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m overprotective of you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She had nothing to refute; so, she blinked and avoided Adrian¡¯s eyes. People usually had idents once or twice in their lives, but her case was just too bizarre. It definitely wasn¡¯t normal to have almost died 37 times in her short 20 years of life. She finally understood why Adrian was so overprotective of her. ¡°Before I left you in the vi this time, I used all kinds of protective charms and spells¡­ but it still turned out to be like this again. No matter how hard I try, there¡¯s always a loophole.¡± Adrian¡¯s crimson eyes sharply turned to Llewellyn, but Llewellyn just kept looking at Rosenia nkly as if Adrian was invisible to him. He looked quite shocked. Is it because he heard that she had almost died 37 times? ¡®As the one who had gone through it, Ipletely forgot about it¡­¡® But Adrian, who counted them all, was truly scary¡­ How the hell did he remember it all? Was it because he had an excellent memory? But Adrian was also astoundingly indifferent to the affairs of others. To the point that he couldn¡¯t even remember people¡¯s faces. The fact that Adrian could remember everything about her¡­ ¡®¡­ And to add to that he has a sisterplex too!¡¯ The thought itself gave her goosebumps and made her body tremble. Adrian sneered seeing her eyebrows twitch and then turned his gaze towards Llewellyn. ~Zzzapp! Adrian summoned a swirling bluish ball of current in his palm and whispered dismally, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adrian ignored a flustered Rosenia and prepared to throw the ball of current at Llewellyn. ~Crash! Suddenly, the living room window crashed and someone came in. At the same time, the swirling ball of current scattered in Adrian¡¯s hand. To crush Adrian¡¯s magic spell with ease¡­ that could be only one person. ¡®Golden hair¡­¡¯ -Shwing The blond boy withdrew his sword from his waist and slowly approached Adrian, keeping his gaze straight ahead. ¡®¡­Was his name Alex?¡¯ The boy had a peculiar constitution on which magic didn¡¯t work. ¡®As expected, you didn¡¯t leave right away, but were fooling around the vi.¡¯
Chapter 35 Chapter 35 The blond boy named Alex turned straight towards Llewellyn. ¡°Huh?¡± Alex nced up and down at Llewellyn¡¯s appearance and asked with an absurd look. ¡°Your Grace, what on earth are you doing? Why are you tied up like this and howe you couldn¡¯t resist?¡± ¡°Alex, why are you raising your voice before Rosenia for nothing?¡± When Llewellyn replied irrelevantly, Alex feigned indifference. The boy nced at Rosenia with his purple eyes and asked Llewellyn again. ¡°You¡¯re not serious, are you?¡± ¡°Should I get my sincerity tested by you?¡± ¡°¡­Come on, Your Grace!¡± Listening to the conversation between the two, Rosenia tilted her head, feeling a little strange. ¡®Rather than how a lord and vassal should interact, these two talk just like a hyung and dongsaeng.¡¯ ¡®It couldn¡¯t be that Llewellyn spoils all his subordinates like his brothers right?¡¯ While she went over these thoughts, Adrian¡¯s eerie voice came from the side. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Then Alex looked back at Adrian, muttering, ¡°Oh, yeah I forgot.¡± The boy¡¯s ambition to destroy Adrian Hill¡¯s very existence left Rosenia utterly speechless. ¡®Did this guy have nine lives?¡¯ ¡°It looks like you were trying to attack His Grace earlier. You probably didn¡¯t think of the aftermath of your mistake, right Lord Hill?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me but your master who made trouble without a forethought of its aftermath. Can¡¯t you even figure out this much?¡± Despite standing in front of Adrian, Alex did not show an ounce of fear. His personality was originally like that. And from what she knew about him, it was because of this that Llewellyn and the people of the Duchy of Rasiane had a rough time. ¡°His Grace couldn¡¯t havee all the way here because of a woman. I know this is all some part of a grand n.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not at all interested in your bullshit. I only wish to question Llewellyn Rasiane.¡± Not wanting to deal with him anymore, Adrian reached out to Alex and cast a restraining spell. ¡°Haah.¡± At that moment, Rosenia let out a sigh. Because she already knew that Adrian¡¯s restraining spell wouldn¡¯t work on Alex. ¡°¡­¡± Sure enough, just as soon as Adrian¡¯s mana reached Alex, it dissipated in the air. Alex grinned at seeing Adrian¡¯s frown. Rosenia grabbed Adrian¡¯s arm and said. ¡°Brother, magic doesn¡¯t work on that boy.¡± ¡°¡­Magic doesn¡¯t work on him?¡± ¡°There was such a case among the experimental subjects that we went to save three years ago, remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Adrian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he recalled the incident that happened three years ago. Rosenia also remembered it but she was much calmer than the time she ran into Alex in the garden. ¡°Look at this boy here. He has a unique constitution on which magic doesn¡¯t work! As long as you study this well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll help the Mage Tower¡­¡± The skinny wizard cried out enthusiastically and tried to coax them like a fraud. Rosenia shuddered seeing that crazy look¡­ ¡°Brother, don¡¯t listen to that nonsense! You¡¯re not going to fall for the words of that son of a bitch, are you?¡± Adrian, who cared about his sister dearly, naturally sided with her. Well, she knew he did it for her sake, but Adrian clearly looked down at such wizards. No, he hated them. Adrian rejected his proposal with a single strike of his sword. But the skinny wizard was displeased with the way things turned out and he casted a spell to topple the stone cave. ¡°Arghh!¡± ¡°Please save me!¡± It was followed by the rumbling sound of the cave copsing and the screams of the children. They saved most of the poor children using their powers, but there were some whom they couldn¡¯t rescue given theck of time. It took less than 10 seconds for the entire cave to copse. ¡°Didn¡¯t he die then?¡± Adrian, who returned back to the present, mumbled while staring at Alex with aplex expression. Alex looked at Adrian¡¯s distorted face andughed lightly in a rxed manner. Either he has his liver outside his stomach*or he has too many lives. It looks like it¡¯s either one of the two. *[TL note:It is a Korean saying used to make fun of, condemn or criticize someone who acts way too recklessly without fearing possible consequences.] ¡®It looks like he too is a madman.¡¯ ¡®Why am I surrounded by only crazy people?¡¯Just as Rosenia was agonizing over this, she heard Alex¡¯s spirited voice provoking Adrian. ¡°Now you know. Magic doesn¡¯t work on me, your great spells are wasted on me. What are you going to do, Lord of the Mage Tower?¡± ¡®Ah I see, he really wants to die¡­¡¯ ¡®God, there goes one bastard¡­¡¯ ¡°If magic doesn¡¯t work on you, so what?¡± Adrian responded to Alex with augh. His whole aura, as he twirled his cane, was very dangerous. It was natural for Adrian not to panic just because his magic did not work. It was because his cane was actually¡­ ~Sreung! It was because it was a sword-stick which could also be used as a makeshift sword. So, the part that appeared to be the body of the cane was actually just a shaft in which the de was hidden. Adrian, who pulled out a sword, stared at Alex and murmured grimly. ¡°If spells don¡¯t work, then we can use strength.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± It seemed Alex didn¡¯t know. Well, hecouldn¡¯t be medfor it; after all, only few were aware of the fact that Adrian Hill, the greatest wizard of his time, was quite proficient and aplished inswordsmanshipas well. ¡®I don¡¯t know how good that boy is, but¡­ He will surely lose to Adrian. I can¡¯t even imagine Adrian Hill losing a fight.¡¯ ~ng! Soon, both swords shed and as was expected, Alex¡¯s de trembledfrom theimpact. It seemed he wasn¡¯t strong enough. The living room soon became a mess because of their fight, and Rosenia carefully stole closer to Llewellyn¡¯s side. If she could manage to help him escape during this gap, the fight would eventuallye to a stop. She was trying to release him from Adrian¡¯s spell, but then suddenly Llewellyn jumped up from his seat. ¡°¡­?!¡± Seeing her flinch in surprise, Llewellyn gently pulled her into his arms. Rosenia looked up at him with her eyes wide-open.¡®How on earth did you undo a restraining spell? And that too a spell cast by Adrian Hill!¡¯ ¡°My Divine Power is as strong as your brother¡¯s mana.¡± Llewellyn grinned and whispered as if he had grasped her unspoken question. ¡®¡­Is this really the male lead?¡¯Rosenia couldn¡¯t find any other words to answer, so she just mumbled, ¡°I see, that¡¯s great.¡± Then Llewellynughed out aloud. ¡®What¡¯s so funny?¡¯ ~Kiss! While Adrian wasn¡¯t looking, Llewellyn kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled mischievously. Rosenia couldn¡¯t scold him even though she was dumbfounded. Her heart was pounding rapidly. It felt nice, as if she was being tickled. But on the other hand, she was also nervous¡­ On a closer look, Llwellyn¡¯s eyes were not normal. ¡®I have a hunch that something big is going to happen¡­¡¯ It would be nice if it was just a hunch. Llewellyn asked her a question, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Rose, are you sure you don¡¯t want to run away with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± From what she understood from her experience with him, his manner of speaking could be divided into three main categories: ¡®very polite¡¯, ¡®a little light¡¯ and ¡®very light.¡¯* *[T/N:It refers to Formal Polite speech, Informal polite speech and Casual speech respectively.] He was currently speaking in ¡®a little light¡¯tone. Whenever he spoke in a ¡®very polite¡¯ manner, he was rtively normal but when he spoke other than that¡­ he turned into hisinsaneself. Just like now. ¡®I can¡¯t agree with whatever you say when you¡¯re out of your mind¡­¡¯ Rosenia concluded as a very rational person. ¡°We can¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Why?¡­¡± Llewellyn¡¯s words fell short. It meant that he wasbeginningto go crazy because of her answer. Rosenia carefully answered after much consideration; she didn¡¯t want him to get crazier than this. ¡°If I run away with you, Adrian will destroy the Duchy of Rasiane¡­¡± ¡°Why is your brother so obsessed with you? No matter how close your rtionship is, isn¡¯t your brother¡¯s care a little too much?¡± ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s because I trained him too well¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Rosenia sighed as she looked around. Let¡¯s say Adrian¡¯s overprotectiveness was because she was prone to death and almost-died often. But as Llewellyn said, Adrian¡¯s obsession with her was quite severe.¡®Did I cast a spell on him when I was a child without realizing it? Or did something happen before mother disappeared¡­¡¯ ¡®Anyway, how troublesome.¡¯ A change was needed. For both Adrian and her. She couldn¡¯t keep on living like this. ¡®I think I should really run away with Llewellyn¡­¡¯ Thenter if I vehemently oppose him, Adrian wouldn¡¯t be able to hit the Duke of Rasiane. ¡®But then it might hurt Adrian¡­¡¯ Just as her worries surfaced, she heard a loud crashing sound. Bang! Alex flew in the air and crashed into the living room wall. He was thrown so hard that she suspected whether he was even alive. The crumbled and broken debris scattered to the floor. Alex groaned and stared atAdrianwith a distressedlook on his face. ¡°For a novice, you¡¯re holding out quite well. Still, it¡¯s impossible to beat me.¡± ¡°You, you little punk¡­ How can a wizard have such swordsmanship skills¡­. Are you kidding me?¡± It seemed Alex had lost his mind to the pain and hadforgottenAdrian¡¯s status as not only the head of the Hill family, but also as the sole owner of the Mage Tower. Seeing as he was making such impolite remarks, it seemed that he was fine. ~Tip-tap ~Tip-tap Adrian approached Alex with a sword in his left hand. Looking at his fierce eyes, he seemed determined to inflict a fatal wound on him. Frightened, Rosenia grabbed Llewellyn¡¯s arm and said urgently. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop them? He¡¯s going to get in trouble!¡± She said so because she knew Llewellyn would be able to deal with Adrian, but he justughed and replied in a carefree voice. ¡°Just wait and see.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± She wondered what he was talking about for a moment, but just then, two people came in by smashing the broken living room window. Rosenia flinched and dug into Llewellyn¡¯s arms. The two new faces werepletely unknown to her. One was a man with a sturdy build, ck hair and blue eyes. Even if looked from a distance, he appeared as tall as a mountain. The other man looked to be around thirty and had gray eyes, with long gray hair tied together. The seemingly lonely lifeless face suddenly came alive as soon as his eyes fell on her. Rosenia tilted her head wondering why this person felt strangely familiar. ¡®Ah, isn¡¯t it¡­¡¯ A spection shed in her mind. Just as she opened hermouthto ask the gray haired man a question, Alex got up from the floor and rushed towards Adrian. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Alex may have thought he could take Adrian off-guard; ambushing him like this, but sadly such clumsy attacks would never work on Adrian Hill. As expected, Adrian easily avoided Alex¡¯s attack and even counterattacked him at a lightning speed. It seemed it would be a long while before Alex could win the fight. However, the arrival of two new people could be the needed variable. ¡®It¡¯s one to three¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know the identity of the two new people, but it was clear that they were Alex¡¯s reinforcements and now that they¡¯ve intervened, Adrian was starting to have a hard time beating them all. ¡°But still¡­¡± Even if those three work together, it would still be difficult to beat Adrian. After all, unlike Alex who had a peculiar constitution on which magic didn¡¯t work, the other two weren¡¯t immune to magic. No one would be able to stop Adrian if he started using both his sword and magic at the same time. Even if his opponent had a unique constitution that was immune to magic. ¡®As expected, I was right. It¡¯s better to evacuate Llewellyn first rather than wait for this fight to be over.¡¯ ¡®Including myself, I¡¯ll have to decide my actions too. But should I really run away?¡¯ ¡®If I don¡¯t run away¡­ Adrian will try to lock me up in the Tower under the pretext of protection again.¡¯ She hated it so much. Being confined in the Mage Tower, she could only vacantly look at the remote and distantndscape. Rosenia was really grateful for Adrian¡¯s concern towards her. She was well aware that there would be no one in the world who would care about her as much as he did. But that was exactly why¡­ ¡®We¡¯re not making any progress.¡¯ ¡®If I¡¯m born with a strange fate that perpetually keeps my life at risk, then shouldn¡¯t I build up my strength to face it?¡¯ And for that to happen, Adrian had to let her go. She didn¡¯t want to be a fool who couldn¡¯t do anything on her own and be always enveloped by his protection. ¡®And if we part from each other this time, I will never be able to see Llewellyn again.¡¯ ¡®Then, what if one day, Sierra Oscar bursts onto the scene and heals his aching heart, and relieves his pain¡­¡¯ Just imagining this made Rosenia¡¯s blood boil. It made her feel stuffy and ufortable as if she had swallowed a thorn; she felt like breaking something. Technically, Llewellyn originally belonged to Sierra. Since he was someone else¡¯s man, she had never thought of touching him. But she also didn¡¯t have much of a choice. She just couldn¡¯t let him die¡­ Besides, Llewellyn liked her. He¡¯s had a crush on her for over eight years! Of course, Llewellyn did say some nonsense like, how it would be misleading to name his feelings love and h h. Either way, he liked her and she too wanted him, as such, she couldn¡¯t lose Llewellyn to another woman. If that happens, she might really end up doing something befitting a viin. Like locking Llewellyn up¡­ ¡®Um, let¡¯s just calm down.¡¯ After suppressing the wild thoughts in her head, Rosenia looked at Llewellyn, who was still holding her in his arms. Even though his retainers were struggling, he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of helping them. To be precise, it seemed like he was never going to let her go until he hadpletely persuaded her. The emerald eyes looking down at her held a clear hope. Hope that she would run away with him. Rosenia looked into his clear eyes and opened her mouth. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡®All right, Duke.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s run away.¡± ¡®If Adrian tries to wage a war with the Duke of Rasiane, I¡¯ll somehow stop it.¡¯Llewellynughed out aloud in glee at her words. He looked very happy as he finally got the answer that he wanted. ¡°As expected, Rose likes me so much that she doesn¡¯t want to be away from me even for a moment.¡± Llewellyn whispered while hugging her tightly. He held her so close as if he was about to kiss her. ¡°You like me too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Instead of agreeing, Rosenia quietly avoided his gaze. ¡®Why would you ask me something so obvious? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ ¡®Come to think of it, did I ever tell him that I like him? ¡­ Should I tell him now?¡¯ Just as she was thinking about it, she heard a loud noise of someone crashing into the wall. ~Bang! Llewellyn immediately hugged her tightly as if to protect her. From the front, she felt some eerie energy drawing close. It was none other than Adrian, who had at some point defeated all three retainers of Llewellyn. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Behind him, the fallen people groaned in pain. Adrian walked slowly like a beast cornering his prey, ring at Llewellyn with an intense murderous intent. His eyes looked unusual as he stared at Llewellyn¡¯s arms hugging her. He looked as if he wanted to cut off his arm right away. A voice like boilingva flowed out of Adrian¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hand her over.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My sister, hand her over to me.¡± ¡®¡­ I¡¯m in trouble. What should I do with this lunatic?¡¯ Adrian seemed to have lost his reasoning when he saw Llewellyn hugging her. At this rate, it seemed like a big ident would ur, so Rosenia quickly got out of Llewellyn¡¯s arms and stood in front of Adrian. As she spread her arms wide and shook her head, Adrian stared at her fiercely with a gaze that could cut a person. Rosenia was a little scared, but having dealt with Adrian for so long, she had gotten used to his scary side. So she was rtively calm and said: ¡°Brother, don¡¯t do anything that you might regret.¡± ¡°Get out of my way.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Get out of my way, Rosenia.¡± A sharp blue current flowed out of Adrian¡¯s hand. Looking like a whip, it was so dangerous that it could have pierced Llewellyn¡¯s heart if he hadn¡¯t dodged it in time. Rosenia was horrified when she realized Adrian was seriously trying to kill Lewellin.¡®Are you sure you want to wage war with the Duke of Rasiane?¡¯ She said in a trembling voice: ¡°Brother, get a hold of yourself. Please don¡¯t do anything that you¡¯ll regret. Are you really going to kill the Duke of Rasiane?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to regret?¡± Adrian scoffed hearing her words and murmured with gleaming red eyes. ¡°What I¡¯ll truly regret is if I don¡¯t kill this little punk with my own hands today.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡®This crazy guy¡­¡¯ If this was modern Earth, she would have surely posted this on the Inte: [I think my brother is a psychopath. My dad hasn¡¯te back from his trip, and my mom¡¯s not here. What should I do¡­?] ¡®What kind of answers would I get then?¡¯Rosenia sighed loudly, shaking off her useless delusions. She was the only one who could bring Adrian back to his senses in this situation. After trying to calm her heart down, she slowly said: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like your overprotectiveness.¡± So, she went ahead with shock therapy. She knew Adrian couldn¡¯t stand her openly ming him. She was sorry for hurting her brother like this but she couldn¡¯t think of any other method that would work other than this. She continued: ¡°Because of you, I hate being locked inside the Mage Tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to live a life where I can¡¯t even date.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it whenever you do this to me. I hate it Adrian when you try to control me or never listen to what I want to say.¡± Adrian¡¯s body stiffened, he seemed shocked by her final remark. Both his eyes were wide open as if in shock, and his lips were tightly pursed. Rosenia inwardly thought she had seeded and so nned her next trick. Now that Adrian showed a pause, it would be nice if Llewellyn or the trio could overpower him¡­ ¡°Ha¡­¡± But she overlooked one thing. It was the fact that her viinous brother was crazier than she imagined. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± While Adrian was letting out a twisted smile, a ck energy menacingly flowed out of him. At that moment, Rosenia only had one thought in her head: ¡®I ****ed up.¡¯ ¡°Someone who practically raised you on their back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk when we get back home.¡± Damn it, as expected Adrian wasn¡¯t some crumbling supporting character who she could fight against! ¡®Besides, isn¡¯t this too much? I can¡¯t believe he disregarded my verbal attacks as some adolescent¡¯s improper remarks.¡¯ ¡®Oh, I screwed up¡­¡¯ She stared nkly at Adrian¡¯s restraining magic flying towards her, but luckily someone blocked her and broke the magic in time. ¡°¡­!¡± A pale white light filled her view. When she looked forward with a frown, soft tinum blonde hair fluttered in the shing light. Llewellyn nced back at her and smiled. As she stared dazedly at his figure surrounded by light, she heard Adrian¡¯s seething voice. ¡°Llewellyn Rasiane! Did youe here because you wanna die?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to die.¡± Adrianughed coldly at Llewellyn¡¯s ridiculous answer. Soon, as the two men collided, a loud thunder-like sound rang out. It was a tremendous roar as if the sky was falling. ¡®This, this is crazy.¡¯ Rosenia quickly ran towards the fallen trio and cast a defensive spell. While she was casting the defensive spell on them, the three looked at her as if it was very unexpected. In particr, Alex looked quite embarrassed. But it didn¡¯t matter whether Alex was embarrassed or not. The vi was copsing. She leaned close to the trio and whispered in a small voice. ¡°Is there any way out of here?¡± ¡°There is, but¡­¡± The person who answered the question was the gray-haired man. He looked at her with a nk face for some reason and then turned his gaze toward Llewellyn. ¡°There is a teleporting magic tool. But His Grace is too far away from it.¡± ¡°Aahh¡­¡± Llewellyn and Adrian were fighting with a force enough to pulverize the whole vi. It was her mother¡¯s favorite vi. Adrian, that crazy guy¡­ Anyway, there was only one way to protect Llewellyn in this situation. ¡®It may be a little dangerous because of Adrian, but¡­¡¯ Rosenia made a quick decision without thinking for too long. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a restraining spell on you all. That will connect you all to me.¡± ¡°What? What are you up to?¡± ¡°Alex, shut up.¡± When Alex barked like a cranky Maltese, the ck-haired man next to him bellowed. When she saw Alex immediately lowering his tail, she couldn¡¯t hide the absurd look on her face. This, she had heard that there was no bad dog in this world, was this something like this? She nced at Alex and continued in a seemingly absurd voice. ¡°If I connect you all with a restraining spell, you can all teleport together while using the teleporting magic tool. Of course for it to work, Alex shouldn¡¯t negate my magic. Is it possible?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She asked Alex, but he didn¡¯t answer. Rosenia took his silence as an affirmative and continued talking. ¡°I¡¯ll somehow cut in that mess and connect with Llewellyn, then I¡¯ll use the teleportation tool at that very moment.¡± There wasn¡¯t much time, so she had to hurry. The gray-haired man nodded sensing the urgency in her voice. She got up and ran towards Llewellyn. As if sensing her run towards Llewellyn, Adrian stopped trying tounch an attack on Llewellyn. Adrian must have stopped because he was worried that she too would get hit. It was heartbreaking to see her brother like that, but no matter how much she thought about it, she didn¡¯t want to stay at the Mage Tower all her life. She also didn¡¯t want to break up with Llewellyn. It was her life, so she wanted to live it the way she wanted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother.¡± She whispered while looking at Adrian. Then she hugged Llewellyn tightly by the waist, and then connected them both using the restraining spell. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of living under your overprotectiveness.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Brother, I lied about hating you. I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Adrian¡¯s eyes quivered wildly at her words. His thin, trembling lips seemed to say something, but she couldn¡¯t hear what he was trying to say. Rosenia felt the mana of the teleporting magic tool surrounding her body. She felt a floating sensation overtake her body. She felt dizzy and then her vision turned ck. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 The ckened vision was kind of a side effect that urred while traversing space. It wasn¡¯t anything dangerous and Rosenia soon regained her sight. She blinked her eyes, taking in the scenery that came into view. Clear blue sky, green fields, and moderately lush vegetation. At the heart of it all was a beautiful citadel, standing tall like a lofty mountain. The Duchy of Rasiane. ¡®Finally, I did it¡­¡¯ The tranquil citadel, which she had only taken a momentary nce from afar, was so close that she felt she could almost touch it. Fascinated by the marvelous sight, she absently stared at the scenery with strange emotions. Just then, she heard someone groan painfully. ¡°Heuk¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± When she looked to her side, her eyes widened as she registered a handsome face that was clearly in pain. Llewellyn was crouching down and was sweating profusely. ¡®Hah, no way? Again? In this situation?!¡¯ Was it because he had depleted all of his divine powers to fight Adrian?It seemed that the mana, that was colliding with his divine power inside of him, had begun to run amok again. Rosenia felt embarrassed, and didn¡¯t know what to do. She approached Llewellyn. Noticing that there was something off about him, everybody paled in fright. Especially the man with jet ck hair, he couldn¡¯t hide the worry from his face and his lips moved slightly. It was surprising to see a stoic man showing such expressions. ~Tuk Llewellyn then leaned his head against her shoulder. She grabbed his shoulders with both hands to support him, flinching while she did so. She felt flustered by the gazes filled with doubt and suspicioning from everyone. However, to get out of this ce and reach the Ducal Castle, she had to first calm Llewellyn down. So she hugged him tightly and patted his back. ¡°Duke¡­¡± ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± When she asked anxiously, Llewellyn smiled despondently and quietly answered, ¡°No.¡± But she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. She was sure he was hurting a lot. [A terrible pain that felt as if the body was being burned¡­] It was clearly described in the original novel. At first, it hurt as if the body was burning, but as it got worse, it felt like the whole body was being torn apart. ¡± ¡° ¡®¡­He came out to protect me knowing that it would hurt like this.¡¯ He even risked his life. Suddenly he seemed pitiful and lovely, so she hugged him a little harder and sighed deeply. She could feel his fierce mana flowing into her. ¡®If he¡¯s going to hurt like this in the future¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be better for him to meet Sierra and be aplete divine power user with her powers?¡¯ Her heart throbbed at the very thought. She knew this was the best course for Llewellyn, but she felt miserable at the thought of yielding to the heroine. ¡®But if Llewellyn wants to seek Sierra¡¯s help, if it eventually happens, then¡­¡¯ ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Before she realized it, Llewellyn had raised his head and was looking at her so closely that their lips almost touched. She shook her head and wiped the cold sweat running down on his cheek with the back of her hand. With a dull smile, he raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°¡­ I wish I could know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not feeling any better.¡± Llewellyn answered firmly to the question she threw to divert the subject. Rosenia tried to absorb his mana a little more while avoiding his gaze. But Llewellyn didn¡¯t let her escape. He gripped her waist with one hand and grabbed her chin with the other and made her look at him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll feel better if you kiss me.¡± ¡°¡­here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone will turn their backs away from us.¡± As she looked around to see if it was really true, just as Llewellyn had said, everyone was looking at the distant mountains with their backs turned away from them. Though she was d they couldn¡¯t see them, she still couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. She blushed and said quietly, ¡°Then we¡¯ll just kiss.¡± Llewellyn seemed somewhat dissatisfied, but he didn¡¯t force her to do what he wanted. He just nodded gently, and immediately his lips pressed against hers. His lips were so hot that it took her by surprise. Rosenia carefully reached out, closed her eyes, and gently stroked his cheek. Llewellyn hugged her into his arms a little tightly and held her close. ¡®How long has it been since we shared a tight hug like this?¡¯ She could feel the mana that had been raging inside Llewellyn gradually calm down. When she finally began to feel the mana flow calmly like ake, she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°¡­¡± The emerald eyes were still staring at her quietly. The moment their eyes met, Rosenia¡¯s cheeks flushed red and she withdrew her lips. Llewellyn seemed a little disappointed. He then approached her, wrapped his hands around her face, and kissed her again. ~Kiss! He smiled as he removed his lips with a smacking sound. Feeling her face be hot, Rosenia got up from her ce, wanting to escape. But Llewellyn lifted her and hugged her tightly, making it unable for her to run away. She severely struggled against him feeling embarrassed. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh no, I was just¡­ making space. Yes?¡± ¡°I hate it.¡± ¡®No, this guy really¡­!¡¯ As she and Llewellyn were squabbling, Alex said in a cheeky voice, still with his back turned away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you done? Are you not going to the Ducal Castle?¡± At that moment, Rosenia felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole in the ground. But Llewellyn acted as if he hadn¡¯t done anything shameless. He held her up and began to stride towards the Ducal Castle. It seemed that he was looking forward to it. For someone who had just suffered from mana congestion, he looked quite well, as if what happened before was just some dream. While he walked ahead, the other three slowly followed behind him. Rosenia burrowed her head in Llewellyn¡¯s arms as he carried her in a princess carry. When she clutched his cor tightly and trembled in his embrace, Llewellyn said joyfully. ¡°Howe you look so cute even when you are shy?¡± ¡°Shut up¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re also good at saying harsh words.¡± ¡°How can I keep your mouth shut?!¡± ¡°Well, you can kiss me?¡± Rosenia gaped at him dumbfoundedly. At his request, she quivered for a moment and then impulsively pulled his head towards her and pressed her lips against his. ¡°¡­..!¡± Seeing that Llewellyn was bewildered, without even a moment of hesitation, she bit his lower lip tightly and quickly moved away. Seeing her still holding his cor and re at him like before, Llewellyn blinked nkly. His lips were visibly red after being bitten. ¡®Well, there¡¯s no blood. So it must not have hurt too much.¡¯ ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s already the third time.¡± Llewellyn murmured absentmindedly. ¡°That Rosenia has kissed me by surprise.¡± ¡®¡­Why are you counting those things?¡¯As she looked at Llewellyn with an absurd expression, he smiled yfully. Then he kissed her again. ~Kiss! He walked towards the Ducal Castle with light steps. She wondered whether it was because she suddenly kissed him, he looked like he was in a good mood. Surprised by the sudden appearance of the Duke, the guards hurriedly opened the gate. Rosenia felt a lot of questioning gazesing at her. She could guess what everyone was thinking- ¡®Who is that woman in the Duke¡¯s arms?¡¯ She buried her face in Llewellyn¡¯s bosom to try to hide but he didn¡¯t budge at all. She wanted him to put her down but Llewellyn showed no signs of doing so. ¡°Rosenia?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, raise your head. No one can say anything to you.¡± ¡®No, It¡¯s not okay! How can I raise my head like this?¡¯ Rosenia grabbed Llewellyn¡¯s shoulders and muttered in a voice mixed with both shame and anger. ¡°Please let me down.¡± ¡°I like it this way¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll use a teleporting magic spell to get out of here.¡± Llewellyn¡¯s body stiffened as she spoke in a grim voice as if she were warning. Rosenia couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of expression Llewellyn had on because she had buried her face in his chest. But she could sense that something was not right. It was because Llewellyn had suddenly stopped walking and had be very quiet. ¡°¡­.?¡± Rosenia didn¡¯t feel good, so she slowly raised her head and looked at Llewellyn¡¯s face. He was smiling at her, but only his mouth was smiling, the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t know why but the look in his eyes somehow¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­Ah, he¡¯s gone crazy again!¡¯ When she realized that, she flinched a little, but Llewellyn continued to smile prettily. It was a friendly but dangerous smile. Llewellyn said in a cool tone. ¡°You are going to disappear¡­¡± ¡°Well, um¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have toe up with a measure.¡± ¡°¡­a measure?¡± Rosenia felt uneasy about this. She had just said it carelessly, but she wondered if she had touched a line that shouldn¡¯t have been touched? ¡®Did I just press the self-destruct button?¡¯ ¡°Yes, a measure. A measure that will tie Rosenia to me tightly.¡± ¡®¡­What is that? I¡¯m scared!¡¯ Llewellyn pulled her even closer with a twisted smile on him, as if he was not the male lead but a man with wicked intentions. She looked at him in bewilderment as he began to walk leisurely again. She wanted to ask what the hell he was up to, but she couldn¡¯t say anything. The wind carried a thick scent of lc. Then suddenly she could smell the scent of roses, but it took her more time to realize the familiarity in them. By the time she came back to her senses, she was already at the front door of the main building of the Ducal Castle. ¡± ¡° When she unconsciously turned her head and looked straight ahead, many pale faces came into her view. They were all retainers of the Duke of Rasiane. Among them, an old man with gray hair ¨C who seemed to be the oldest here ¨C said with a surprised expression: ¡°Ma, Master¡­ what on earth is this¡­?¡± Chapter 38 Llewellyn gave an absurd answer to the old man¡¯s question: ¡°This is the person I¡¯ll be marrying.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Both Rosenia and the old man gasped in unison. The old man looked at her in embarrassment as if he too was caught by surprise by their unexpected synchronicity. ¡®No, even if you look at me like that¡­ I don¡¯t know what this man is thinking either¡­¡¯ As she blinked at the old man, she heard Llewellyn¡¯s calm voice reverberate from above her head. ¡°First of all, we¡¯ll have to get engaged. Oh, before that, I should officially propose.¡± ¡°Duke¡­¡± ¡®Are you serious?¡¯Llewellyn saw the question shing on her forehead and raised his eyebrows and posed a question in return, ¡°So, Rosenia has no intention to marry me?¡± Panicking, Rosenia puckered her lips a bit and answered. ¡°No, our rtionship isn¡¯t at the stage where we can discuss crucial things like marriage¡­¡± ¡®Haven¡¯t we only been together for a short time?¡¯she added inwardly. Llewellyn looked at her quietly and smiled. ¡®What, What is it? Why are you smiling?¡¯ ¡®For some reason, I get frightened when he smiles like this ¡­¡± She again took a subconscious nce at Llewellyn. He whispered in a cordial tone. ¡°You know, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°How big is my obsession for you?¡± He bent his head and peered at her from such a close distance that their lips almost touched. His bright emerald eyes sparkled with such intense longing that they couldn¡¯t be hidden anymore. ¡± And do you think I can let you go?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia was at a loss for words and could only blink. How on earth was she supposed to answer such a question? ¡®This guy ¡­ really doesn¡¯t get what the word ¡°pace¡± means.¡¯ Argh! She sighed and shook her head. She didn¡¯t know how he interpreted her reaction, but Llewellyn¡¯s arms that hugged her became firmer. Flinching, she directed an apprehensive nce his way, and unsurprisingly, a terrifying smile spread across his lips. ¡®¡­ Are you really the male lead? Why do you look more and more like a viin?¡¯ ¡°I see. Rose thinks that I¡¯d let her go.¡± ¡­ Somehow, it seemed he had misunderstood, so she shook her head. Just as she opened her mouth to correct him, Alex¡¯s annoying voice came from behind. ¡°Urg, how long will you guys be doing this?¡± ¡®This guy¡¯s timing really ¡­¡¯ Having lost the opportunity to speak, she had to watch Llewellyn stride into the main building of the Ducal Castle holding her in his arms. Yeah, after all, there were too many eyes here. This wasn¡¯t a suitable ce to discuss private matters. ¡®Let¡¯s clear this misunderstanding when it¡¯s just the two of us.¡¯ She thought so and waited for the opportunity toe ¡­ *** ¡®What¡¯s all this?¡¯ Llewellyn was led by an aide to tend to some awaiting matters at hand, and poor Rosenia was left in the hand of the maids of the Ducal Castle. ¡°Oh my goodness, how is your skin so good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so silky.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a hair color like this before. It looks like the color of a rose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to the color of the roses that the Duke ordered to nt in the garden ¡­¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡± By now, the rumors must have spread around the Ducal Castle, and even though they weren¡¯t aware that she was Rosenia Hill, the maids all treated her very nicely. She thought that she would get sharp gazes and hear bad gossips about her, but what the hell was going on¡­? She was so embarrassed. ¡°Mydy, have you seen the roses in the castle¡¯s garden? It¡¯s the same color as your hair.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Oh,e to think of it, the color of your eyes is dark pink just like that of a rose flower. It¡¯s really mysterious and pretty.¡± Rosenia was already distracted by the seemingly endlessplimentsing from the maids, and now she was even more confused by what she had just heard. ¡®Llewellyn ordered to nt roses in the Duchy of Rasiane? And, the color of the rose is the same as my hair?¡¯ ¡®No wonder the scent in the garden felt so familiar ¡­¡¯ She smiled faintly and leaned against the rim of the tub. As she raised her head, a hazy view of the ceiling concealed by clouds of steam came into view. ¡®This never happened in the original story.¡¯ Lc was the summer flower of the Duchy of Rasiane. The original story definitely stated that. And the heroine Sierra¡¯s favorite flower also happened to be lc. ¡®That¡¯s why Llewellyn nted more lc trees in his garden.¡¯ The greenhouse in the garden was greatly renovated, such that even when it wasn¡¯t the summer, one could still see lcs. Indeed what a squandering final boss! He was truly a very desirable male lead who¡¯d do anything for the woman he loved! Yes, the Llewellyn she knew was a kindhearted man who lived only for the heroine Sierra. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Suddenly, everything felt like a dream. The fact that Llewellyn confessed that he has had a crush on her for a long time, that he risked his life to meet her, how she eventually ended up falling for him and did something big like eloping with him¡­ ¡®This doesn¡¯t seem real. But I¡¯m sure it is real.¡¯ Well, if she was really dreaming, then her five senses wouldn¡¯t be so clear. She sighed while stirring the hot bath water with her hands. The faint scent of lcs filled the bathroom. ¡®Anyway ¡­ I¡¯ll have to contact Adrian soon.¡¯ By now, he might be nning to return to the Mage Tower and attack the Duke of Rasiane. So she needed to hurry up and contact Adrian before he got to work ¡­ She got out of the bathtub and asked the maids. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can take a bath, so could you prepare something for me to change into? As soon as possible please.¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± The maids smiled softly and prepared everything quickly, starting with her undergarments. They were indeed the well-trained maids of the Ducal Castle. Once they washed her body and applied some perfume, they dried her hair well and helped her change her clothes. During the process, for some reason, the women¡¯s faces turned red. At first, she was puzzled, but onlyter realized the reason. It was because of the marks Llewellyn left on her body. ¡®This really ¡­¡¯ ¡®I should ask him not to leave any marks next time. Hah, even if I do, I don¡¯t know if he¡¯d listen.¡¯ She sat down on the dressing table, carefully grasping the hem of the blue dress. Then the maids came quickly to her side and began to brush her hair with silver brushes. ¡°Lady, your hair is really soft.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like cotton candy.¡± As she listened to the words of the maids who wereughing and praising her one after another, she tapped her fingertips on the surface of the mirror that was reflecting her appearance. Then, the surface of the mirror shook, and a gentle ripple spread out. She focused her mind and injected mana into the mirror. It was not long before that she could see someone other than herself. It was none other than Adrian. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± Adrian turned sharply at the surprised voices of the maids. The moment their eyes met, Rosenia reflexively put on a smile on her face. It was the result of the training over the past decade. Which somehow had turned into a habit. She first looked at the maids and calmed them down in a soothing voice. ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, so don¡¯t worry.¡± The maids became quiet as if a little reassured by her calm attitude, but they still nced at the mirror warily. Well, this was the only way. Adrian¡¯s expression reflected in the mirror could only be called ¡®confused¡¯. She greeted Adrian with an awkward smile. ¡°Hi, brother.¡± ¡­ you ¡­ His voice seemed stifled even whilst uttering that one word. His crimson eyes were deeply sunken and seemed as if they were on fire. Besides, his eyes had reddened a little which made Rosenia think if he might¡¯ve cried a little. The peerless Adrian Hill that she knew would never do something like that. You¡¯re at the Rasiane¡¯s Ducal Castle? ¡°Yes.¡± Are you out of your mind? ¡°Brother, I think it¡¯s you who¡¯s out of your mind, so let¡¯s calm down and talk it over, okay?¡± Rosenia thought she had put it amiably, but Adrian gnashed his teeth. It seemed he was really very angry.¡®I should probably yield to him a little more.¡¯ Adrian stepped forward in front of the mirror as if he was going toe over right away. As he got closer, the maids swallowed their breath. But Adrian never came over here. It was because he couldn¡¯t do that unless Rosenia allowed it. It was that kind of magic. Rosenia Hill. ¡°Yes, brother.¡± Exin what¡¯s your rtionship with Llewellyn Rasiane. Adrian said in a voice that shadowed all the repressed anger he was withholding. It was more of an order than a request. But Adrian¡¯s attitude was more rational than what she had anticipated. She thought he¡¯d be mad and explode like a bomb. Perhaps after being left alone, he seemed to have thought about it a lot. ¡®Well, my words must have been very shocking.¡¯ Rosenia sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment and then slowly opened them. After organizing her thoughts in a short time, she calmly said, ¡°He¡¯s going to marry me.¡± What? ¡°So, umm, we¡¯re about to get married.¡± Adrian was stiff and his mouth hung wide open as if he was speechless. It was the first time Rosenia had ever seen him appear so astonished, so she was quite surprised. After about a minute or soter, Adrian mumbled, moving his mouth slowly. ¡­that crazy bastard ¡­ ¡°¡­¡± ¡­I¡¯m gonna kill him. Adrian¡¯s eyes were zing with clear murderous intent. If Llewellyn was here in front of him, his gaze would have burned Llewellyn down right away. Rosenia said as calmly as she could to calm down Adrian. ¡°Hitting the Duke of Rasiane is not a good choice, brother.¡± I don¡¯t care. ¡°If a war breaks out, the damage our family will suffer will be too big. You know it.¡± No matter how much damage we take, I will return the favor by ten folds, no- a hundred folds. ¡°¡­¡± Rosenia thought it wouldn¡¯t work if she tried to persuade him gently. She tried to avoid using theshock therapy, but she couldn¡¯t help it. So, she decided to take it the hard way. ¡°Brother, if the Hills attack the Rasianes.¡± She spoke each and every letter clearly. ¡± ¡° ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the Mage Tower for the rest of my life.¡± ¡­.. What? After hearing her deration, Adrian opened his eyes wide and asked again. Rosenia took a deep breath to throw the final bombshell. She needed to let Adrian know her feelings clearly. ¡®That¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll understand that I¡¯m serious.¡¯ Looking straight at Adrian in the mirror, she slowly exhaled and opened her mouth. ¡°I like him.¡± What did you just say¡­ ¡°I want to be with him more, and I want to get to know him better. I don¡¯t want to break up because of my brother¡¯s coercion. I sincerely ¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Llewellyn Rasiane, I really like him.¡± It was her first confession made for a person who was not even present. Behind her back, Rosenia could hear the maids crying. She didn¡¯t know whether they were cheering or sighing. Somehow, she felt embarrassed and couldn¡¯t look back, so she clenched her fists tightly. In the mirror, Adrian¡¯s expression hardened as if he was deeply shocked. After staring at her with an uncharacteristically nk expression for some time, Adrian opened his mouth. ¡­ back in the vi. ¡°¡­¡± What happened to that bastard? Rosenia lowered her eyes, thinking of an appropriate answer to the question. After a while, she came up with an okay answer and raised her head. Just at that moment, the door snapped open and someone came inside. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Rosenia?¡± A fluttering spring breeze-like voice called out to her. Llewellyn, who found her standing in front of the mirror, smiled broadly and quickly approached her. Chapter 39 Rosenia didn¡¯t know why, but the maids looked at Llewellyn with flustered expressions as if they had seen a ghost. She tilted her head, wondering why the maids were so shocked, but before she had any time to realize it, Llewellyn was in front of her. Looming, looking down from his height. He was a very tall man, so she had to lift and raise her head to see his face. When their eyes met, his emerald eyes curved like crescent moons. ¡°You took a bath.¡± ¡°Oh, yes ¡­ My body was dirty from all that dust earlier during the fight.¡± ¡°It smells like lc.¡± ¡°That, Duke ¡­¡± He held a handful of her hair in his hand and breathed in its scent, while Rosenia stared at him feeling embarrassed. Adrian might also be watching them right now. Rosenia tentatively nced towards the mirror, only to see Adrian seething with feral air that resembled a demon king from hell. ¡®Hic¡­¡¯ ¡®This-this isn¡¯t the time to be doing this!¡¯Rosenia distanced herself from Llewellyn by taking two steps in retreat. Llewellyn raised one of his eyebrows and advanced to match her. She retreated again and shook her head with a determined look on her face. Seeing her keep on ncing at the mirror, Llewellyn also looked at the mirror with a sidelong nce, and muttered an ¡°Ah,¡± as if he had just noticed. He slowly turned around and faced the mirror in a stiff posture without hesitation. However, on his face was stered a smile crooked enough to provocate his opponents. ¡®Please, don¡¯t provoke Adrian!¡¯ She gave Llewellyn a look while also giving him a tight pinch on his sides. Llewellyn flinched and returned a coy look. She blinked her eyes, apparently dazed.¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ ¡®Why are you being coy?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re misunderstanding me pinching your side as skinship ¡­¡¯Rosenia hoped Llewellyn understood her intentions, and impatiently looked at him and Adrian alternately. Llewellyn and Adrian quietly stared at each other for a while. Then after a long silence, it was Llewellyn who first opened his mouth. ¡°Adrian Hill.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I invite you and Cloud Hill to the Castle of Rasiane Duchy.¡± ¡®What¡­?!¡¯ Rosenia stared at Llewellyn with her mouth agape in astonishment. Llewellyn grinned when their eyes met. He had a perfectly calm look on his face. ¡®You want to invite Adrian and my father?¡¯ It was unprecedented for the Duke of Rasiane to invite both the head and the members of the Hill family to the castle. So far, the rtionship between the two families had been something along the lines of ¡°good thing if they don¡¯t dere war first.¡± ¡®What on earth are you thinking?¡¯ Rosenia blinked hurriedly and shifted her gaze towards the mirror. Just like she was wondering about it, Adrian also had a look of great bewilderment. ¡°Are you crazy, Duke of Rasiane?¡± ¡°Of course ¡­ I¡¯m crazy. Would I do this if I wasn¡¯t crazy?¡± With lips raised in a sneer, Llewellyn shamelessly answered back the question that Adrian randomly threw in anger. He looked very annoying even to Rosenia who liked him. Rosenia didn¡¯t want him to make that face in front of Adrian, who was already very angry. Adrian burst outughing and then smiled at him coldly. His red eyes were staring coldly at Llewellyn without an ounce of goodwill. ¡°If you¡¯re going to call me and my father to talk nonsense, then I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Oh, really? But ¡­¡± Llewellyn replied bitterly to Adrian¡¯s reproach. ¡°Rosenia would want her family toe.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®What, why are you suddenly dragging me into this?¡¯ When Rosenia looked at Llewellyn in bewilderment, he frowned at her and signaled something with his eye.¡®Does that mean you want me to match your words?¡¯It was really absurd, but Rosenia decided to join Llewellyn¡¯s ploy for now. She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, but it was better than having both the Hill and the Rasiane family getting into a war. Looking at Adrian¡¯s eyes, Rosenia tried to make her words as usible as she could. ¡°The Duke is right. I want my brother and father toe to the Duchy of Rasiane.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to solve this through a proper conversation than through a fight, isn¡¯t it? I think maybe this opportunity will bring the two families together. Right, Duke?¡± More and more lies kept pouring out of Rosenia¡¯s mouth, matching Llewellyn¡¯s previous absurd words. At herst question, Llewellyn grinned and nodded. His eyes, which stared at Adrian coldly, became extremely gentle when they turned to her. ¡°Just as Rosenia said, what I want is harmony, not enmity between our two families. I hope you can understand my true feelings, Adrian Hill.¡± After taking in his words, Adrian clicked his tongue, as if he didn¡¯t find the notion funny, but he didn¡¯t act stubbornly anymore; however, he looked uncertain about what to say. Rosenia anxiously waited for Adrian¡¯s answer. After a while, Adrian opened his mouth. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That invitation, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Re-Really brother?¡± At Adrian¡¯s answer, Llewellyn and Rosenia both spoke at the same time. Adrian looked at her, pulling up an annoyed face, which then immediately turned into aplex look. He sighed and then said in a voice still bristling with anger. ¡°See youter, Rosenia Hill.¡± ¡°Hiik ¡­¡± Rosenia reflexively spat out a frightened yelp, while Adrian red at her for a while, and then abruptly cut off the magic. Adrian¡¯s image in the mirror disappeared like a mirage and got reced by the reflection of both Rosenia and Llewellyn standing side by side. Rosenia stared at herself in the mirror, blinking her eyes dazedly, and then turned her head to face Llewellyn. He smiled at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± She had a lot to say to him but she refrained, as there were still many eyes watching them here. She swept a sweeping look towards the maids and spoke carefully. ¡°I¡¯d like for us to be alone for a while.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Perhaps he misunderstood her, but Llewellyn looked at her with wide-open eyes and blushed. The maids were astounded when they saw Llewellyn¡¯s face and let out a small exmation. ¡®Since earlier ¡­ the reactions of the maids have been unusual.¡¯ ¡®What on earth is Llewellyn usually like¡­¡¯ Rosenia looked away from the maids and faced Llewellyn again. She quietly waited for his answer, but Llewellyn didn¡¯t say anything. He just stood there with a blushing face, not knowing what to do. Eventually, she became frustrated and put her hand on his shoulder, repeating her words very seriously. ¡°I¡¯d like us to be alone, Duke.¡± ¡°Rosenia ¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be this forward,¡± said Llewellyn. He misunderstood her intentions, but thanks to this, the maids quickly left, leaving them both alone in the room. ¡°First of all, shall we sit down?¡± ¡± ¡° What she meant was to sit face to face on the sofa or chair, but Llewellyn misinterpreted it and sat on the bed. Rosenia looked at him perplexedly. Llewellyn looked as shy as a new groom. ¡®You really can¡¯t make out heads from tails¡­¡¯ The more she got to know him, the more she became aware of the unexpected sides of him. She initially only thought him to be a handsome and righteous duke. Rosenia coughed a couple of times and slowly approached Llewellyn¡¯s side. As she carefully sat next to him, he looked at her with anticipation. His long, graceful handsy neatly on hisp. She felt sorry for disappointing him, but the actual reason as to why she wanted them to be alone was to have a serious conversation with him. It wasn¡¯t an appropriate time to engage in the amorous acts between lovers. She quietly avoided Llewellyn¡¯s gaze and opened her mouth. ¡°Are you really going to officially send an invitation to my father and brother?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I will.¡± ¡°What are you going to talk about with my father and Adrian?¡± Disappointed that the situation turned out to be different from what he expected, Llewellyn¡¯s face darkened. He looked at her with a sad expression and replied in a bleak voice. ¡°I will tell them that my heart is sincere towards Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will let them know that I¡¯m surely going to marry you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will step forward and propose reconciliation between the two families.¡± It was a straightforward answer. Rosenia nodded as if she had expected this, but suddenly stopped when a thought came to her mind. The thought, which had never left her mind before, kept on making her feel ufortable. ¡°Rosenia?¡± ¡°Ah ¡­ Well, I ¡­¡± Llewellyn called out her name as henoticed signsof her difort. Rosenia wriggled her hands on herp and tried to open her mouth. ¡®¡­Well, it¡¯s not that big of a question, should I just ask him?¡¯ She knew it wouldn¡¯t take too much effort, so she smiled brightly and put aside her small worries. However, she couldn¡¯t look straight into Llewellyn¡¯s eyes and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Duke, if¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If one day someone who can turn you into aplete divine being¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just like what you did with me, with that person¨C¡± ¡°Rosenia.¡± Before she could finish her words, Llewellyn¡¯s cut her off. He sighed softly, slowly closed his eyes, and then opened them again. His unusual expression made Rosenia cringe back her shoulders and grip the hem of her dress. Her heart pounded unsteadily. ¡°The notion of anyone besides you ¡­ I ¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t feel the same things that I feel when I see you.¡± Llewellyn spoke in a calm voice. However, behind his curtain of steady calmness, behind those deep undting eyes, was something dynamic and restless, threatening to break out. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what it was. ¡°The feeling when you see me, this ¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She moved her body instinctively and leaned back. As if running away from him again. However, she could not move a single inch and she soon found herself trapped in Llewellyn¡¯s arms. With his hands on both her sides, he slowly leaned over and looked at her. Her heart churned, making her avoid eye contact. The air seemed to have thickened in an instant. Atst, Llewellyn whispered from such an intimate distance that she could even make out the fine lines from his irises. ¡°You are the only one I desire, Rosenia Hill.¡± Chapter 40 Rosenia thought he might kiss her, but he just smiled back at her. Then he pressed a very polite kiss on her forehead and slowly stepped back. Though he did that, his emerald eyes couldn¡¯t hide the unmistakable longing in them. Her face turned red and she tried to escape from his gaze. She could easily see that he was being frank as well as considerate towards her. Even though he was restraining himself, he still seemed like a time bomb. She knew she might not be able to get out of this room until tomorrow morning if she provoked him a little bit more. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Llewellyn¡¯s big hands grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up. He didn¡¯t even feel it absurd that he lifted her so easily. Llewellyn simply put her on hisp and smiled softly. Rosenia noticed that the smile was just a trap to lure her. Sure enough, Llewellyn then gently stroked her cheek and asked in a soothing voice, ¡°Rose, may I ask you how you came up with that thought?¡± To be exact, he was interrogating. He obviously didn¡¯t know the details, but like a ghost, he caught on fast that something was bothering her. Either way, he was a man with a scary keen intuition. When she unconsciously tried to face away, he grabbed her by the chin and made her look at him. She blinked for a moment and then stared into the sharp green eyes that seemed capable of seeing through her soul. Llewellyn repeated the question with a sweet smile, which was quite in contrast with his sharp eyes. ¡°How did youe up with that thought?¡± ¡°¡­ that, that¡¯s because ¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t find the right words so she just kept quiet. Whatever she said, she knew it had to sound usible, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything because she was sitting too close to Llewellyn; his warmth that could be felt through his summer clothes; his steady heartbeats; his heated breaths that would tickle her now and then. Everything was so close that she felt suffocated. But the hardest thing to bear were his clear and upright eyes. His eyes were so clear that she could easily discern all the emotions contained in them. She could see how persistent he was from the look he gave. ¡®At this rate, it seems I¡¯ll have to spout some nonsense.¡¯ She gulped nervously and tried to stay calm. She could neither tell him about the original story of the novel nor about the heroine. If she did, he might think that she was out of her mind. It wouldn¡¯t go well for her if she was seen as a crazy person, considering the situation where a war between the Hills and Rasaines could break out any moment. She quickly employed her mind to conjure up a usible excuse and then opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s just my delusion.¡± ¡°Your delusion?¡± ¡°Yes, actually I ¡­¡± Rosenia couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment. She felt guilty and ufortable for having to tell such a lie. But this was the most appropriate excuse that she coulde up with at the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t trust youpletely. That is why I wondered what it might be like if on theoff chanceyou had met someone else, someone better than me. What it would be like¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn¡¯s arm, which was wrapped around her waist, suddenly tightened. Rosenia trembled unknowingly at the feeling of being tightly locked in. Llewellyn smiled affectionately as he looked at her, but his eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. Llewellyn stroked her cheek slowly and murmured in a low voice. ¡°What would make you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What would make you haveplete faith in me?¡± Rosenia mumbled back while avoiding his gaze. ¡°Trust is not something that can be won all of a sudden. It takes time.¡± ¡°I see, the time we¡¯ve spent together has not been enough.¡± ¡± ¡° ¡°Of course ¡­ that¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t long enough.¡± Surely, it may not be true if seen from Llewellyn¡¯s perspective, who had a crush on her for a long time. But for Rosenia, everything had happened too suddenly. ¡®Now that I think about it, it isn¡¯t aplete lie.¡¯ Maybe it was because of the fact that Sierra might show up someday and steal him, she never really put herplete trust in him. Overall, it was too short of a time for trust to sprout between them. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to trust me¡­¡± Before she realized it, Llewellyn held her hand tightly and stared at her persistently, whispering in a heavy voice. ¡°I get you. Trust is something that¡¯s hard toe about in an instant. So I will do my best from now on to gain your trust.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°To do that, I¡¯ll have to spend more time with you. I¡¯ll make sure this engagement happens.¡± It meant that no matter what he would never break up with her. Of course, Rosenia didn¡¯t want to break up with him either, but the fervency of the feelings they shared for the other was different. So to speak, his were much¡­ ¡®¡­ darker.¡¯ And too deep that it seemed there was no bottom to it. ¡®If I plunge into it, what would happen to me?¡¯ ¡°Just promise me one thing, Rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Unless my heart changes forever, you will never leave my side.¡± It was a promise that couldn¡¯t be given rashly. So, rather than verbally say something, she only slightly nodded her head. Rosenia tried to get up, but Llewellyn held her tightly and didn¡¯t let her go. His heartbeats sounded erratic. It was as if he was under great anxiety. Llewellyn pleaded in a trembling voice. ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please stay like this¡­¡± Rosenia sighed quietly. Llewellyn whimpered like a wounded beast and burrowed himself into her arms. She had no choice but to hug him tightly for a while. * * * The rumor spread at a frightening rate. In just under a few hours, Rosenia had be a celebrity in the Ducal Castle. ¡°That person over there¡­¡± ¡°¡­ it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her.¡± ¡°Is it true that the Duke fell in love with her at first sight?¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard¡­¡± After Llewellyn was once again taken away by his aide, the maids had rushed into the room like squirrels and suggested that she take a walk ¡­ which led her to end up here, in the garden. Rosenia was curious about Rasiane Duchy¡¯s garden and also wanted to refresh her mood. ¡®Llewellyn is making me worry over him to death.¡¯ Perhaps that was why she couldn¡¯t hear the whispers of the passersby. The maids kept on ncing at her, checking to see whether she got offended. ¡®Rather, shall I look for Sierra first?¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t everything be clear if Sierra was found and brought before Llewellyn? Or should she help her get revenge without anyone knowing ¡­? Then Llewellyn and Sierra would never get involved like in the original story. ¡®But that wouldn¡¯t be favorable to Llewellyn.¡¯ The only way for him to be a true divine power user was by using Sierra Oscar¡¯s ability. ¡®I don¡¯t want to lose Llewellyn to Sierra, but I also don¡¯t want to take away his chance at bing a full-fledged divine power user.¡¯ Could this be called love? ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a problem whose answer woulde out; no matter how much she vexed over it. The most important person, Sierra, hadn¡¯t made her appearance yet. ¡®She¡¯s bound to appear one day. I¡¯ll find her before then, not right now. For now, let¡¯s calm down.¡¯ Rosenia passed through the long corridor of the castle¡¯s main building and reached the entrance of the garden which was full of lcs. Just when she stepped lightly on the well-maintained green grass, she suddenly felt a presence nearby. Turning towards that direction, she saw a fairly familiar face. Long gray hair tied together, gray eyes which looked somewhat tired, and a lonely face. However, just as those lifeless eyes met hers, they came alive and twinkled. Seeing his candid reaction, Rosenia somehow felt like bursting intoughter. She had roughly guessed his identity when she had noticed him. Henry Lovick. The present Margrave Lovick¡¯s younger brother and Llewellyn¡¯s mentor. Also her mother,Ilunia Hill¡¯s half-brother. Rosenia smiled while she curtsied a bow and greeted him graciously. ¡°Master Lovick..¡± He was Llewellyn¡¯s mentor, so she thought it would be better to call him that for now. From what she had heard, he seemed to be called ¡°Sage¡± and was also addressed as ¡°Lord Lovick¡±, but seeing how he stayed at the Rasiane Duchy for so long instead of going back to the Lovick family, it didn¡¯t seem he would like to be addressed as such. Perhaps it was right of her to have addressed the way she did, Henry Lovick widened his eyes and chuckled. The way heughedresembledhow an adult would act when they looked at a child they cherished. That was how he was looking at her. Rosenia had only met him twice, but he was very kind to her and thought of her as his niece. He hesitated a little and asked her indirectly. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I ¡­ call you by your name¡¯Rosenia¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, and please speakfortably.¡± She replied happily with a smile. Even though he was the younger brother of Margrave Lovick and the mentor to the Duke of Rasiane, as a titleless nobleman, he was in a position much lower than her, even though he was her uncle. Of course, this applied to Rosenia as well, considering how she too didn¡¯t have a title. But the Hill family had always been a step above in the social rung, even among nobles. It was not for no reason that people called her the ¡°Princess of the Mage Tower¡± or ¡°Little Master of the Mage Tower.¡± ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be too much to keep calling uncle like this?¡¯ Of course, it would be a different story if he didn¡¯t think of her as his niece¡­ but it didn¡¯t seem so from his expression. It seemed he thought of her as his family and acknowledged her as his niece. So Rosenia decided to treat him as an uncle too. ¡®But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the type to ask me to call him uncle first.¡¯ It may have taken his all to call her by her given name, so wouldn¡¯t it be better if she was the one who approached him first? Rosenia thought about it for a moment and pulled the smile that she often used to coax Adrian. ¡°Then can I call you uncle, too?¡± At this, Henry Lovick¡¯s eyes turned as big as saucers. His lips moved slightly and there were strong emotions on his face. Chapter 41 ¡°Uncle, I ¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Um, are you ufortable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just don¡¯t know if I deserve to call ¡­¡± Henry Lovick seemed both moved and, at the same time, puzzled. He also somehowfeltsorry for her. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s because of my mother¡¯s affairs?¡¯ Rosenia didn¡¯t know many details of what he and her mother were like as half-siblings. She also didn¡¯t know why he would feel sorry for her. So she decided to find it out step by step from then on. She wasn¡¯t sure if he would answer her question honestly. She suggested in a gentle tone: ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you walk with me for a while?¡± Henry Lovick deliberated over it for a moment and then nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll show you around the garden.¡± Though Rosenia hadasked himto speakfortably, he was still using honorifics with her. If that was convenient for him, there was nothing she could do. She grabbed hisoutstretchedhand and started walking slowly. An invigorating scent of roses from the dewy grass was permeating the garden. ¡°What was my mother like? My memories of my younger days are hazy at best.¡± It was a lie. Rosenia could recall memories from her previous life when she was three years old. While that being the case, she was different from the children her age. But Henry Lovick, who was unaware of this, would believe her lie. Quietly looking at his side, he gazed into space with dreamy eyes and talked a little sadly. ¡°Ilunia¡­ She was very talented. She was always bright and cheerful. I spent my childhood with her, though, that time wasquite short¡­¡± Rosenia quietly listened to the story he was telling her. Her mother in Henry¡¯s story was different, yet simr to what she knew. She agreed that her mother was generous, but she couldn¡¯t nod her head at her being merciful. Her mother was a person who had a scary side to her. But Rosenia nodded passionately as she certainly agreed with her being extremely yful. Henry burst intoughter when he looked at her doing that. With thatugh, he looked twice as young as his usual self. ¡°Since Ilunia ran away from Margrave¡¯s Castle and entered the mercenary at the age of twelve, we were in contact for a very short time. And then when I found out that she was engaged to Cloud Hill, I was quite taken aback¡­¡± Thanks to Henry, Rosenia learned some new facts about her mother. For example, her mother was an illegitimate child of the former Margrave Lovick and grew up secretly in a separate house. Only very few people knew about it. And she didn¡¯t get kicked out of her family, rather she had run away from there on her own¡­ ¡®Mother, you¡¯ve lived a much more spectacr life than I thought ¡­¡¯ Rosenia was going crazy with curiosity. How on earth did her mother end up meeting her father and eventually get engaged to him? ¡®A romance between a mercenary knight who was born as an illegitimate child of a Margrave and the master of the Mage Tower. It¡¯spletely like a novel.¡¯ Their daughter then fell in love with the son of the enemy family and eloped with him¡­Was this what they call, ¡®like mother, like daughter¡¯? Roseniaughed foolishly at the thought. ¡°When I saw Rosenia at the Hill¡¯s vi, I was surprised. You look like Ilunia, but your hair has a lighter tone than her¡¯s.¡± ¡°I hear that a lot.¡± Rosenia answered with a smile. Her mother was a beautiful womanwith vividred hair and impressive eyes to match, while she, her daughter, had both deep pink hair and eyes. It was as if a pigment of white had been mixed in when she was born. ¡°But uncle, you don¡¯t look much like Mother either. If one did not know, they wouldn¡¯t take you for two kins sharing the same blood.¡± Henry grinned at her words. ¡°I resemble our father a lot, but Ilunia looks very much like her mother.¡± ¡°The one who gave birth to my mother?¡± ¡°Yes. Ilunia¡¯s mother died when she was six. I don¡¯t know the details, but I heard she was a fortune-teller before she met our father.¡± If she was her mother¡¯s mother, then that meant she (Ilunia¡¯s mother) was her maternal grandmother. Excited to learn another new fact, Rosenia asked in an excited voice. ¡°Do you happen to know what my grandmother¡¯s name is?¡± ¡°Oh, as far as I know ¡­¡± It was just when Henry was about to answer. Ruff! Ruff! Ruff! Rosenia heard the sound of a dog barking from somewhere and felt it running across the grass. She looked up in amazement, and at that moment, something huge jumped over at Henry. It just happened in a sh. ¡°Hah ¡­¡± Rosenia gasped as she watched the unexpected situation. A dogthat wasmuch bigger than a wolfy on top of Henry while wagging its tail wildly and licking his face. ¡°This little guy, Carrota ¡­! What is this all of a sudden! Stop ¡­!¡± Henry was struggling desperately, trying to push the dog down somehow. Rosenia heard the murmuring of the maids who were following them, they seemed tobe veryembarrassed. It seemed difficult for Henry to get away from that dog. She thought about it for a while and then decided to help him a little in a way that didn¡¯t hurt the dog. ¡®Gravity-distorting magic is my specialty after all.¡¯ As she focused her mind and quietly cast the magic spell, the body of the big dog floatedin the airlike a bubble. The dog opened its eyes wide in surprise and stiffened. She adjusted the gravity and slowly lowered the dog to the grass. When the spell was lifted, the dog quickly hid behind Henry¡¯s back and looked at her tremblingly with its tail down. Seeing him like this, onlookers might misconstrue the scene and think of her assome kindof bully. Sheughed absurdly. Henry quickly got up from his seat and sighed as he took care of the aftermath of her spell. ¡°Carrota, you naughty little thing ¡­ Don¡¯t run around like that ¡­¡± While shaking off the grass from his clothes, Henry¡¯s gaze turned to Rosenia as he muttered. He smiled awkwardly, apparently embarrassed by the situation, and patted Carrota¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he¡¯s so mischievous ¡­¡± Rosenia shook her head with a smile. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to be sorry, it was you, uncle, who suffered.¡± As they exchanged words, Carrota trembled and nced at her. His giant but timid appearance was distracting. Rosenia asked, pointing at Carrota with her eyes. ¡°Is this guy¡¯s name Carrota?¡± ¡°Haha, yes ¡­ it¡¯s not a name that suits him very well.¡± Carrota was an old name for ¡®carrot¡¯. To name a dog that was bigger than a wolf ¡®carrot¡¯¡­ she wondered who might¡¯ve named it ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s the name I gave him.¡± ¡°¡­ Aah, I see.¡± She replied, stuttering a little. Henry,fortunately, didn¡¯tnotice it and continued to pat Carrota¡¯s head with a cordial expression. ¡®Hmm ¡­¡¯ Rosenia also wanted to pat him. Carrota had a lustrousgoldenfur, but it turned out to be slightly red, on a closer look. Like the color of a carrot. Thatshould¡¯vebeen the reason as to why he was named Carrota. ¡®When I first saw it, I was surprised because it was too big, but as I keep looking at it, it seems cute ¡­¡¯ Rosenia asked Henry as she sneaked up to Carrota¡¯s side. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Henry replied happily: ¡°Of course. He¡¯s a very gentle guy, so feel free to touch him as much as you like.¡± ¡®All right, then.¡¯ Rosenia approached Carrota a bit more and reached her hand out. She waited for a moment without moving, letting Carrota sniff her hand. She was worried whether he would run away, but Carrota lowered his head slightly as if allowing her to touch him. At that moment, Rosenia ced her hand on Carrota¡¯s head, feeling very moved. When she started stroking him, Carrota looked at her with only his eyes raised. No matter how hard she looked at it, it seemed like he was being wary of her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just pat you.¡± ¡°Woof ¡­¡± Carrota barked a low bark as if to answer her words. It sounded like a timid whisper. Roseniaughed, finding it funny. ¡®Cute.¡¯ All animals were cute; big or small. She was stroking Carrotta in a warm mood, and suddenly there was amotion among the maids. When she turned her head to see what was going on, she saw a man approaching her slowly from afar. A man who looked tall and handsome from afar. There was only onesuch handsomeman in this world who seemed to shineunder thesun. As far as she knew, that is. The moment Llewellyn Rasiane met her eyes, he smiled broadly and began to walk faster. ¡°Rosenia.¡± Finally reaching her, Llewellyn smiled brightly and held her in his arms. A cool and pleasant smell emanated from his arms. ¡°Duke ¡­ What about your work?¡± As he was hugging her tightly, her question came off a bit strained. Llewellyn buried his face on her shoulder, took a deep breath as if inhaling her scent, and replied in a happy voice. ¡°I skipped it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rosenia was at a loss as she didn¡¯t know what to point out first. His choice of words, that didn¡¯t suit a Duke of Rasiane? Or him sneaking out while working? She was so dumbfounded that she couldn¡¯t say anything and just smiled. Llewellyn nestled further into her arms and muttered. ¡°I missed Rosenia so much that I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°I could have sat in the office.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult as it is. If I see you sitting on the couch or on the chair in the office, I will keep thinking about this and that¡­¡± ¡°This and that¡­think about what?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Llewellyn raised his head and came close to her as if he was about to kiss her. He looked into her eyes and then whispered in a very small voice. ¡°First, I¡¯ll have to get all my men out of the office¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And on the couch, on the chair by the window, on the table¡ª¡± Rosenia quickly raised her hand and covered his mouth. ¡°O-okay. I understand what you¡¯re talking about, so stop talking!¡± Her face was burning up and she felt like she was going crazy. She wondered if anyone had overheard his words. As she looked around anxiously, Llewellyn¡¯s emerald eyes curled like crescent moons. It was then that she felt a wetness in the palm of her hand that was covering his mouth. Chapter 42 ¡°Heuk ¡­!¡± Rosenia could clearly feel the warm and soft tongue sliding over her palm. Frightened, she tried to pull her hand off, but Llewellyn gently grasped her wrist and started kissing her five fingers one after another. He let her go after he was done with all five. Rosenia gripped her burning hand tightly and stared at him while her body quivered a little. ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your reaction.¡± He looked at her with a grin and said in a delighted voice. Rosenia wanted to berate him, but she put up with it because there were a lot of eyes around them. Instead, she distanced herself from him and red at him, warning him not to approach her. Then Llewellyn muttered, seeming deeply upset. ¡°It was an expression of affection.¡± ¡°It would be nice if you could take note of the time and ce a little!¡± ¡°Why should I bother? This is my house.¡± While the two of them were having a silly argument, Henry was quietly petting Carrotta, blushing with embarrassment. Carrota wagged its tail crazily at Llewellyn, but eventually lowered its tail in disappointment because it didn¡¯t get his attention. ¡°Have you been looking around the garden?¡± Llewellyn asked as he persistently approached her again. Rosenia answered by nodding her head reluctantly, being wary of him. ¡°Uncle was showing me around.¡± ¡°Uncle ¡­? I see you¡¯ve already decided to call him that way.¡± Rosenia nodded her head and nced at Henry. He silently affirmed, while patting Carrotta in embarrassment. Carotta,pletely depressed, looked at Llewellyn with sad eyes. ¡°Then, from now on, I would like to show you around. Will it be okay with you?¡± Llewellyn reached out to her and offered. Rosenia still nced at him warily, but couldn¡¯t help but hold his hand. Anyway, they were going to get engaged, so it would be better to cooperate. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have the opportunity to apany you, My Lady.¡± Llewellyn said and kissed her lightly on the back of her hand as if he was acting in a y. The moment she met those yful green eyes, she burst intoughter without realizing it. ¡± ¡° ¡®I can¡¯t win with him anyway ¡­¡¯ She took Llewellyn¡¯s hand and walked slowly as he led her by hand. Passing through the middle of a garden filled with light purple lcs, they walked along a path leading to a small forest and then came across the eastern sea. Suddenly when the scenery before came into her sight, Rosenia felt refreshed and let out a loud exmation. Llewellyn smiled when he looked at her like that. He gently pulled her hand and slowly led her to the beach. When they reached there, Rosenia saw there was a nket under arge parasol and a pic set on top of it. ¡°What¡¯s all this? Don¡¯t tell me you prepared all this beforehand, did you? When she asked in surprise, Llewellyn replied with a grin. ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Of course ¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t even finish her answer before she burst intoughter. ¡®How did you know that I like this kind of stuff?¡¯ ¡± ¡° ¡°Come here and have a seat.¡± Llewellyn grabbed her hand and said. But the ce he told her to sit was none other than on hisp. Rosenia nced at him in disbelief. ¡°Do you want us to sit this close in this hot weather?¡± ¡°This parasol is not just an ordinary parasol.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nevertheless, Llewellyn lifted her and sat her on hisp. Rosenia lifted her head and looked inside the parasol in bewilderment. As she looked at it, she saw a magic rune engraved on it. ¡°¡­Cooling spell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Rosenia muttered nkly, Llewellyn smiled back. She smiled and shook her head. She had just thought that it was cool underneath the parasol, but it turned out to be a parasol with a cooling spell. ¡®It must have cost a lot of money. ¡­¡¯ Engraving magic runes on objects, that is, to make magic tools, usually costs a lot of money. Practical magic was still a cheaper option, but to enjoy such a luxury by engraving a cooling spell on a parasol¡­ was toovish. ¡®You didn¡¯te up with this for me, did you?¡¯ Somehow Rosenia felt nervous and looked up at Llewellyn. And as if he had read her mind, he said, ¡°It didn¡¯t cost me much money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What? Is he telling the truth? As she opened her mouth, Llewellyn tilted his head as if it were nothing. ¡°This is nothing for me. As long as Rosenia can rx on the beach, I don¡¯t consider it as a waste of money.¡± Rosenia stared at him in a daze and with great difficulty, she opened her mouth and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re rich, but spending wantonly is not good.¡± ¡°Are you already supporting1me? It has a nice ring to it.¡± What on earth was this guy talking about? Rosenia grinned and smacked him on his chest. It sounded pretty good to hear. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s strong ¡­¡± The moment this thought came to her mind, she shook her head in astonishment because she somehow remembered his naked body. She couldn¡¯t believe she was such a shameless person! It must have been because of Llewellyn¡¯s influence. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn gently asked and stroked her back from top to bottom. At that moment, she unconsciously flinched, feeling a shiver run down her spine. Seeing this, he smiled brightly. ¡­ He was clearly enjoying her reaction. ¡°If you keep doing that, I¡¯ll just walk away.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll be obedient from now on.¡± After being bluntly rebuked, Llewellyn quickly lowered his tail, picked up a ss of cool beverage, and held it out to her. Rosenia took a sip of it. It was a sweet peachade. ¡®I think it¡¯ll be more delicious with a sorbet.¡¯ Rosenia took another sip of the peachade with that thought. Then, she heard Llewellynugh a little. She suddenly looked up at him, wondering why he wasughing. He lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°You¡¯re cute, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your eyes sparkle when you eat something delicious. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so cute.¡± As if he wasn¡¯t satisfied with a kiss on her forehead, Llewellyn started kissing her on her cheek and then the nape of her neck. When she thought of all the maids behind them watching this, she was ashamed to death. ¡®But I don¡¯t think this man is even the least bit ashamed.¡¯ Only after kissing her to his heart¡¯s content did Llewellyn let her go. But it didn¡¯t just end there. As soon as Rosenia put down her cup after finishing the peachade, he turned her around and made her face him. ¡± ¡° And then before she could run away, his lips covered hers in a long warm kiss. He sought her lips hungrily like a man suffering from immense thirst. She groaned and squirmed under his passionate kiss. Llewellyn pulled her closer, tilting her body at afortable angle, and then pushed his tongue deeper. The feeling of something invading her body still felt unfamiliar. But as the heat gradually rose, she was swept away by a pleasant feeling and soon became ustomed to the unfamiliar feeling. She felt like she would melt and be one with himpletely. She wondered if it was too much tomune deeply like this with just a kiss. At the time, she felt like she was losing herself and was no longer herself anymore. It was a dizzying and frightening feeling. ¡°Haa ¡­¡± When she was almost released, she breathed out loud. Just when she calmed her ragged breathing, she realized that she was lying with her back against the nket. Llewellyn¡¯s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light on seeing her gasping under him. His eyes were like that of a beast who was eager to eat its prey. He asked in a rough voice. ¡°We can¡¯t do it here, right?¡± Rosenia shook her head intensely with a frightened look when she understood the meaning of his question. ¡°Of course not! Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already know that I am crazy?¡± His tone had be lighter. That meant he was out of his mind again. Rosenia shivered, feeling a foreboding, and quickly suggested. ¡°N-now, let¡¯s go to the Duke¡¯s room.¡± ¡°¡­ really?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯d rather do that.¡± Llewellyn smiled broadly with great joy as if he had received a gift. Then, without further questioning, he picked her up and strode away from the beach. The maids nced at them with red faces and smiled happily. Rosenia was about to die of shame. * * * ¡°Uh, uh ¡­ Duke, a little slowly ¡­¡± Rosenia¡¯s thoughts were all over the ce when Llewellyn started to push her as soon as they entered the room. They had been apart for only a very short time, but he rushed towards her like a very impatient man. ¡± ¡° ¡°Haah, Rosenia ¡­¡± ¡°Uh ¡­¡± ¡°I thought I was going crazy because I wanted to keep doing this.¡± He whispered silently, looking down at her with his heated eyes. Rosenia stared at him nkly. She was gasping like a fish that had fallen on the boat. His handsome and upright face had now disappeared and was already tinged with pleasure. It made her feel strange to think that she was the only one who knew this facet of this man. She didn¡¯t want others to know¡­ The thought of wanting to be the only one special to him unconsciously came up in her mind. ¡°This look of yours ¡­¡± Rosenia unconsciously reached out and muttered, while caressing his face. ¡°I wish I could keep it to myself.¡± Soon after, she came back to her senses and quickly withdrew her hands. ¡®What am I talking about?¡¯ She avoided his gaze trying to escape from him, but Llewellyn whispered with a peal of lowughter. ¡°Do you want to monopolize me, Rosenia?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So do I.¡± Llewellyn said while slowlybing her hair. ¡°I also want to monopolize you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll only be like this in front of you.¡± He grabbed her hand and ced it on his left chest. The smooth skin she felt under her palm was very hot. And beyond that, she could also feel the racing beats of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. here supporting means supporting as a wife.
Chapter 43 ¡°And everywhere else¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so hot that I can¡¯t stand it.¡± He whispered as he slowly slid her hand down his chest. Over his tight, muscr abdomen and further down¡­ Reaching down, Rosenia¡¯s face started to heat up and she quickly wrenched her hand away. Llewellyn unexpectedly let go of her hand. He looked at her with a yful smile and kissed her lightly on the cheek. ¡°What are you so embarrassed about? You¡¯ve seen it¡ªa lot.¡± ¡°¡­ Be quiet before I bite off your tongue.¡± ¡°Hmm? You like that?¡± Let alone being hurt by her words, the way he was smiling and savouring the situation was really despicable. She burst intoughter at his absurdity but couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. There was no other man in this world who could smile as beautifully as him; there was no other sight that couldpete with this. ¡°Today is for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How can I serve you, Rosenia?¡± He grinned after asking. ¡®Anyhow, you¡¯re going to do as you want. Why even bother asking?¡¯ Rosenia looked at him, dumbfounded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how you do it, please don¡¯t hold on to me for too long.¡± As she spoke coyly, Llewellyn¡¯s eyes widened and he quickly responded with a look of disappointment. ¡°Once isn¡¯t enough¡­¡± ¡°¡­ And they say the duke of Rasiane is an ascetic. Who¡¯d believe me, if I say otherwise?¡± Maybe because he liked it, Llewellyn kept smiling gently at herints. He hugged her tightly as if she was a cuddling doll, and then began nting kisses all over her face. ¡± ¡± ¡°I like you so much, Rosenia Hill.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I think so too.¡± ¡°The fact that I will always only look at you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡ªPlease don¡¯t forget it.¡± Then his lips gently covered hers. A long night began¡­ again. * * * Rosenia¡¯s father, the head of the Hill family, readily epted the duke¡¯s invitation. Their visit was quickly set for theing Friday. This news quickly spread throughout the empire. But since both sides had not given any official stance, rumours and spection went rampant. ¡°Nobody would have expected this, the purpose of this invitation will be to hold a matrimonial meeting between the bride and groom¡¯s families¡­¡¯ A matrimonial meeting. It wasn¡¯t a word that could ever be thought of in association with the Hills and the Rasianes. ¡®Apparently, the Lovick family expressed their regret in a letter about this¡­¡¯ Upon hearing the news, congrattory letters rushed in from many ces, but none of them mattered as much as the response from the Lovicks and the imperial family. The imperial family seemed to think very positively of this meeting, as they had long hoped that the Hills and the Rasianes would get along with each other and resolve their conflicts once and for all. But the Lovicks had taken a different stance. The Lovicks and the Rasianes had long been friends. To be exact, the Lovicks followed the Rasianes as their vassal and benefitted from them. However, in recent years, the Lovick family had be so powerful that they no longer needed to benefit from the Rasianes as they had managed to expand their ie and assets. Nevertheless, the Lovicks remained loyal as a reliable ally of the Rasianes because they admired Rasianes noble lineage and long history. But what if that noble lineage became tainted? Hypothetically, if the blood of a wizard, which the Lovicks so detested, intermixed into the blood of the Rasianes¡­ ¡®The rtionship between the Lovicks and the Rasianes could be strained¡­¡¯ Come to think of it, the scandal between Rosenia and Llewellyn was much bigger than she had expected. But well, it was still better than the Hills and the Rasianes going to war. ¡®If the rtionship between the Hills and the Rasianes improves, it will greatly benefit us.¡¯ It meant they could share the benefits that they couldn¡¯t because of the tension between the two families in the past. Adrian objected to her betrothal to Llewellyn, but maybe her father and the others might have a different view on the matter; wizards were generally inclined in seeking practicality in all things. ¡®By the way, I want to talk to Alex a little more.¡¯ Rosenia could understand why Alex hated wizards. But since they were going to see each other often¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient in many ways if he continued to hate her? Even if he hated wizards, did it make any sense for him to also hate her? ¡®I¡¯m somehow worried and without solutions.¡¯ Since the weather today was cooler than yesterday, Rosenia went out with a shawl wrapped around her. As she was taking a leisurely stroll through the garden, she came across someone wielding a sword in the open, from afar. ¡®Huh?¡¯ That, someone, was Alex. ¡®We coincidentally happened to meet in such a ce.¡¯ Was this what it was? An enemy meeting on a single wooden bridge?1Of course, Alex and Rosenia weren¡¯t exactly enemies. Rosenia walked slowly towards him. She could have just turned around and gone in the opposite direction, but she wanted to take this opportunity to talk to him. As the distance between them got a little closer, Alex stopped swinging the sword. He seemed to have sensed her presence behind him. Seeing the boy stare at her, Rosenia quickly greeted him with a gentle gesture. ¡°Hello? I didn¡¯t expect to see you in such a ce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alex didn¡¯t respond and gave her a harsh re. She had expected it. However, she was quickly embarrassed because his attitude was sharper than she had thought. ¡®Whenever I see him, the picture of an irritated cat or a Maltesees to mind.¡¯ Both had simr traits: They only liked their masters. But the question was who was Alex¡¯s master?¡­ It didn¡¯t seem to be Llewellyn. ¡®He doesn¡¯t really listen to Llewellyn¡­¡¯ Alex turned back from her and began to stride away, as if in a hurry. Rosenia asked while following him. ¡°Would you mind talking to me for a moment? I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s¡­ I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Alex, who stopped abruptly, turned and asked. He seemed enraged. ¡°What misunderstanding? Isn¡¯t it true that you wizards use people as materials for your experiments?¡± ¡°Well, in the case of the Mage Tower, we get volunteers and get them insurance. We go through various kinds of tests¡­ both risks and stability. We don¡¯t do anything inhumane.¡± Of course, these measures only began from her father¡¯s generation. And before that¡­ the Mage Tower was a hotspot of lunatics who carried out vicious experiments. Alexughed out loud, ring coldly at her and retorted. ¡°Funny. Even if that¡¯s what you im to the public, secretly, you are conducting these experiments. Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± A deranged wizard was indeed caught conducting illegal experiments behind Adrian and others¡¯ backs. The wizard hid hisboratory for as long as six months due to his adeptness in handling the spawns of dark magic,monly referred to as¡®Shadows¡¯. He was eventually found out by Adrian and he subsequently could not escape his terrible punishment. ¡®It¡¯s hard to say no since it did happen.¡¯ Rosenia spoke in an awkward tone while scratching the back of her head. ¡°Sometimes there are people who break the rules, but Adrian is frighteningly strict. The Tower never allows inhumane experiments.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alex, who had been staring at her for a while, asked softly. ¡°So what? You and your family are different. What does it prove?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d think so, but I¡¯m not trying to force anything on you. After all, you are a victim ¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know, I, as a mage of all people, shouldn¡¯t be saying this to you, the victim. I just¡­ didn¡¯t want you to hate me and wanted to talk to you. I apologise if I upset you.¡° Rosenia took a step back with an apologetic look on her face. However, her back hit someone. She was taken unawares and was baffled as to how long the person had been standing behind her. ¡°Wh, what? who¡ª¡± The body of the person was incredibly hard. To the point, she thought she had hit a stone. When she looked back in bewilderment, the man with an expressionless and blunt face looked at her nkly. Rosenia asked in bewilderment. ¡°Hey, why are you so close¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The man slightly opened his blue eyes and said while looking at her head rather than her. ¡°There¡¯s a bug on your head, so I was going to take it off for you.¡± ¡°Bu- bug?¡± Rosenia jumped in fright, knowing not what to do. She fiercely hated bugs. She, really, really hated them. Especially the ones with many legs! Knowing that there was a bug on her head made her feel faint. Of course, there was no way she¡¯d kill the bug with her own bare hands. Crying, she looked at Alex without realizing it. When their eyes met, Alex flinched slightly. He wriggled his eyebrows with a look of annoyance, but at the same time, he also looked bewildered. ¡°Wha- what do you want me to do? Take care of the bug on your own!¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®take care of the bug on your own¡¯¡­ I can¡¯t kill the bug¡­!¡± ¡°You¡­ How old are you?¡­¡± Alex looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. But right now, Rosenia was more concerned about the bug on her head than what he thought of her. ¡®Someone, please¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­ You can just use your magic. Do you hate bugs so much that the thought didn¡¯t even cross your mind?¡± Rosenia was on the brink of passing out when a heavy voice came in, followed by arge hand reaching over her head. The hand took the bug off with a very simple motion and threw it away. The movement was so fast that Rosenia didn¡¯t even see any bugs. It all happened very quickly. Rosenia blinked nkly and looked at the owner of the hand, the man with ck hair and blue eyes. The man just stared at her with an expressionless and terribly indifferent face. ¡± ¡± Footnotes encounter one¡¯s enemy at the worst ce and at the worst time; A bad penny always turns up Chapter 44 Oh, th- thank you ¡­¡± Standing there, bewildered, Rosenia stuttered while thanking the man. The man slowly blinked his eyes once and then bowed his head slightly toward her in a very polite manner. Unlike Alex, the man was very courteous. ¡®Come to think of it, I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere. Ah!¡¯ Rosenia soon remembered where she had seen him. He was the man who showed up with Henry at the vi! ¡®I was so distracted at that time that Ipletely forgot.¡¯ Now that she thought about it, she didn¡¯t know who this person was or what his name was. ¡®How should I ask?¡¯ Rosenia hesitated and pondered with agony, but thankfully the man spoke first. ¡°I am Hayden Croft. I am themander of the Knights of Villequier, who serves the Duke of Rasiane, but you can call me by my given name.¡± ¡°By your name ¡­ So, Hayden?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Oh, did I cross a line?¡¯ Rosenia quickly corrected herself. ¡°Sir Hayden or should I call you Sir Croft?¡±1 Hayden Croft looked at her silently with his bright blue eyes and replied. ¡°Please call me Sir Hayden. I think that would be the mostfortable.¡± ¡°All right, Sir Hayden.¡± When Rosenia answered with a grin, Sir Hayden, who was staring at her, smiled slightly. It was just a faint smile, but the small smile on his dull face made him look like a different person for a moment. As Rosenia was standing there, staring nkly, she heard Alex¡¯s nervous voice. ¡°So, what bug was it?¡± ¡®Do you really have to ask that?!¡¯ Rosenia was looking at Alex with an absurd look when she heard Sir Hayden¡¯s answer. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Go and finish your training, Alex.¡± Pushing Alex¡¯s back, who was still babbling, Sir Hayden, nced back at her. She smiled a little as a token of her gratitude, as she noticed that he had answered in consideration of her. Then Sir Hayden smiled and began to go somewhere with Alex. They were probably going to the Training grounds. ¡®I¡¯d better get out of here.¡¯ One thing seemed certain. It was Sir Hayden who held that scoundrel Alex¡¯s leash. * * * Time passed and finally, it was Friday. The current head of the Mage Tower and her father hade earlier than expected. The momentum of the head mage was so terrifying that their arrival seemed more like an invasion than a friendly visit. Her father, the former head of the Mage Tower, Cloud Hill, just stood beside her brother with an awkward look. ¡°Where¡¯s Rosenia?¡± Everyone was shocked by the reckless attitude of the head of the Mage Tower, who frantically looked for his younger sister. Soon, the sound of light footsteps came from somewhere. ¡°Father, my God! It¡¯s been a while!¡± Rosenia, who ran like a squirrel, snuggled into Cloud¡¯s arms. Rosenia¡¯s eyes were full of affection as she was looking at her father with a moved expression. Cloud smiled happily as he looked at his daughter, who had grown up brilliantly. ¡°How have you been, Rose?¡± ¡°I, well ¡­ Ah, did Brother alsoe with you?¡± As if she had just remembered, Rosenia looked behind Cloud. Adrian was standing a little behind Cloud. He let out a chilling aura as his eyes met Rosenia¡¯s. His lips moved very slowly, and an icy voice flowed through them. ¡°You look very good, Sister.¡± ¡°Ah, hello Brother.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯ve been doing well without any worries all this time?¡± ¡°Oh no, I was very worried about you, Brother.¡± Seeing his sister talk to him without any shame made Adrian burst intoughter. The way she looked, treading carefully around him, was cute, but when he recalled what happened at the vi, his anger surged again. But because of the great love he had for his sister, Adrian concluded that Rosenia had done nothing wrong. The main culprit was someone else. It was exactly ¡­ ¡°You¡¯re early. I apologize for beingte.¡± ¡­That bastard, Llewellyn Rasiane. It was obvious that that wicked sly bastard had lured Rosenia. He should have properly warned Llewellyn when he started bothering him with letters saying he wanted to meet Rosenia. Llewellyn Rasiane was crazier than Adrian had initially thought. Adrian didn¡¯t expect him to be persistent enough to really risk his life. Even if he was crazy, this was just too crazy. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Llewellyn Rasiane.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cloud Hill. Nice to meet you, too.¡± When Llewellyn only regarded Cloud and ignored Adrian, as if he wasn¡¯t there, the atmosphere began to permeate tension. It was the castle¡¯s butler who noticed this dangerous tension first. Despite having a timid personality, he quickly showcased his wits with the conviction of protecting the castle that had a long history of fights and battles between the Rasiane castle¡¯s duke and the wizards. ¡°My Lord, and guests. You can now go to the parlour right away. The servants have prepared refreshments for you.¡± ¡°Refreshments? We need to leave quickly! Let¡¯s go, Duke!¡± Rosenia quickly cooperated and so they all moved to the parlour. The overall atmosphere was still bad, but it was rtively peaceful than in the hall. It, of course, was ¡®rtively¡¯ in all respects. ¡°I would like to take this opportunity to greet you properly and seek your permission for my and Rosenia¡¯s en¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Llewellyn had only barely said the ¡®en¡¯ of engagement before Adrian rudely cut him off. His red eyes ring at Llewellyn were rather terrifying. But Llewellyn was also not an easy opponent. ¡°I asked my¡®father-inw¡¯, not you, Adrian Hill.¡± Cloud was dumbfounded by the man¡¯s audacity to call him ¡®father-inw¡¯ after he stole away his daughter. The duke of Rasiane had a reputation for being upright and ascetic but it all turned out to be a big sham. ¡®How on earth did Rosenia end up with this guy¡­¡¯ Cloud looked at his daughter with mixed feelings. He was speechless when he saw her face, which clearly said, ¡°I¡¯m in love.¡± That was not the only thing. Now that he thought about it, the Duke and Rosenia looked like a perfect couple. They fed each other snacks and looked at each other with enamoured eyes ¡­ Feeling a bit nauseous, Cloud gulped down the hot tea. He couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter as a father because his daughter was already at the age where she¡¯d fall in love. But Rosenia liked him so much¡­ ¡®¡­ One will be happy when they¡¯re with the person they like.¡¯ Cloud recalled what Ilunia had told him a long time ago. ¡®You don¡¯t know how happy I am to be able to marry the person I love. I hope my daughter will also marry the person she loves in the future.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Cloud swallowed a sigh quietly. It seemed that the conclusion of this meeting had long been decided. * * * ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll give you my permission.¡± After two hours of persuasion by Llewellyn and Rosenia, Cloud finally gave in. He had a hunch it was going to happen anyway, but¡­ When he did grant his permission, a sense of strange dismay began to fill in him. In any case, Cloud agreed that the engagement of the two would not only benefit both families in many ways but would also end their longstanding enmity. Above all, he decided to allow the engagement because Llewellyn Rasiane seemed sincere. If Llewellyn Rasiane had any ulterior motive or if he felt like he was trying to take advantage of Rosenia, the Ducal Castle of Rasiane would¡¯ve ceased to exist today. Adrian wasn¡¯t the only one who loved Rosenia; Cloud cherished her the most too. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. And, as expected, Adrian opposed it till the end. He gritted his teeth, red at Llewellyn, and then spoke seriously to Cloud. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the loyalty of the Rasianes who are close to the Lovicks. And we have to protect Rosenia. Do you not understand this, Father?¡± Cloud let out a low sigh as he looked at his son, who remained adamant in his objection. He knew very well how much Adrian cared about Rosenia¡¯s safety. Rosenia had strange things happen to her since her childhood. As if the world was rejecting her, some danger would constantly loom over her, putting her life at stake. This was why Adrian had always been overprotective of Rosenia. Perhaps, if possible, he would even try to keep her by his side for the rest of his life. But, one can¡¯t stay under the shadow of their family forever. Cloud spoke softly. ¡°Adrian, I understand your concerns, but Rosenia is not a child anymore. She has grown strong enough to cope with dangerous situations on her own. Why don¡¯t you stop and trust Rosenia for once? Only then would Rose be able to stand on her own feet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite his father¡¯s persuasion, Adrian remained silent with a firm expression. Cloud looked at Adrian with mixed emotions. As he contemted over what more to say, he heard the butler¡¯s voicee from outside the door. ¡°Master, you have a visitor. The person says it¡¯s very important, but it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡± ¡± For some reason, the butler hesitated, unable to finish. Llewellyn, who found it strange, looked at the door with a suspicious look and politely asked Cloud to be excused. ¡°Do you mind if I check for a moment?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± When Cloud readily allowed it, Llewellyn thanked him, got up, and walked to the door. When he opened the door, he saw the butler with a troubled look on his face. Llewellyn asked in a questioning voice. ¡°What kind of guest is it? What business do they have?¡± ¡°Well, do you remember Killian Oscar, your former physician? It¡¯s his daughter.¡± ¡°Oscar ¡­ I don¡¯t remember. What¡¯s with the physician¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Well, thatdy ¡­¡± The butler took a few breaths for a moment as if he were suffocating, and then stuttered. ¡°She possesses¡­ divine power¡­ She can cure master¡¯s mana congestion and¡­¡± Footnotes In korean, the title ¡®Sir¡¯es after the name. That¡¯s why Rosenia is able to smoothly correct herself. It got lost in english trantion. Chapter 45 To be honest, she knew this situation was inevitable. But the timing was really bad. She had finally somehow managed to convince her father and had just gotten his permission for the engagement. ¡®This engagement has to be maintained for at least a year so that the rtionship between the Hills and Rasianes could be harmonious¡­¡¯ But like in the original story, if Llewellyn falls in love at first sight with Sierra ¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Just thinking about the possibility made her blood boil. It was hard for her to stay calm. ¡®¡­ No, let¡¯s be reasonable. I¡¯m sure Llewellyn knows the importance of this engagement very well. Yes, let¡¯s just say we can keep the engagement ¡­ But what about Llewelyn¡¯s feelings?¡¯ Would his heart no longer belong to her? ¡°¡­ Rosenia?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Llewellyn¡¯s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She stared at him, blinking nkly, and then smiled awkwardly. ¡± ¡° ¡°It¡¯s nothing. By the way, she¡¯s already here. She¡¯s in this room, right?¡± Rosenia tried to change the subject, but Llewellyn just kept staring at her without answering. He must have noticed that something was wrong with her. ¡°Rosenia, do you have anything troubling you?¡± Llewellyn asked. His voice was sweet, but his eyes were sharp. It felt like he could see right through her, so she pretended to look at the decorations near the door and replied nonchntly. ¡°What do you mean by anything troubling me? It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± This didn¡¯t seem to convince Llewellyn, but she thought he wouldn¡¯t pry anymore. However, she was wrong. ¡°¡­ This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll put off meeting Miss Oscar until next time. First of all, I need to know what¡¯s going on in your little head.¡± ¡°Yes? Heuk, D-Duke! Wait a minute!¡± Llewellyn, who spoke very seriously, lifted her up. As he was about to leave the hallway, she managed to stop him with magic. It was a simple spell to create a transparent barrier. Just before hitting the barrier, Llewellyn, who had barely stopped, sighed and said. ¡°I almost bumped into it while holding you, Rosenia.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d notice and stop. More than that, Duke.¡± When she said this in a serious voice, he looked at her with serious-looking eyes¡­ Still, his eyes didn¡¯t sway even after knowing that there was someone who could ¡®cure¡¯ his mana congestion. ¡®But when you meet Sierra ¡­ you might change.¡¯ Because a person¡¯s heart is more fickle than one might think. ¡°¡­ Duke, I can¡¯t wait for you to meet her.¡± An insincere voice came out of her mouth. Actually, in a way, it was half sincere because she really wanted him to be cured. ¡°I heard she canpletely cure your mana congestion. So let¡¯s meet her quickly and have a talk.¡± Llewellyn just gazed at her for a while without saying a word. She wished he could just say something. Time just passed without a hitch. Just when she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, he started talking. ¡°Rosenia, I.¡± Llewellyn finally opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I don¡¯t get better.¡± Rosenia blinked nkly, unable to say anything. He didn¡¯t care if he didn¡¯t get better¡­ What on earth was that supposed to mean? She couldn¡¯t believe what she had just heard. ¡°¡­ Ridiculous. So, are you saying you¡¯re going to spend the rest of your life struggling with the mana congestion? You might getpletely cured ¡­¡± ¡°Rosenia.¡± Seeing her be agitated, Llewellyn hugged her tightly. The words she couldn¡¯t say were at the tip of her tongue. She looked at him, pursing her lips. The eyes that looked at her were calm, strong, and unwavering ¡­ ¡°Rosenia, I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m notpletely cured. I just need you by my side.¡± ¡°¡­ Ridiculous.¡± ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s ridiculous?¡± ¡°Well, no matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s not at all a rational decision¡­ You will suffer from pain for the rest of your life¡­!¡± ¡°I will suffer from pain but¡­¡± Llewellyn¡¯srge caressed her cheek. Tears welled up involuntarily at the warmth of his body. Llewellyn continued while wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumb. ¡°I know you will make it go away in no time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, my dear Rosenia?¡± The clear and transparent emerald-like eyes narrowed into soft curves. ¡®¡­ What should I say?¡¯ The smile in his eyes was like a peacock spreading its tail feathers. Even in the midst of this, he was seducing her. He once again left her dumbstruck and she burst outughing like an idiot. He always shook her up like this. It only weakened her determined heart. ¡®If you had wanted to be cured, I would have understood ¡­ Even though it was hard, I would have let you go ¡­¡¯ The rims of her eyes turned red as she burst into tears for no reason. Llewelyn Rasiane was the bane of her life. She never thought she would want him so much. ¡°I don¡¯t care about anything else.¡± Llewellyn kept caressing her cheek and whispered. His tender touch strangely made her feel rather lost. ¡°You¡¯re the most important thing to me. More than my pain, more than anything else.¡± ¡± ¡° Then his lips touched her forehead. The moment Rosenia felt the soft and warm touch, she trembled. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to meet with the physician Oscar¡¯s daughter¡ª¡± Just then, the door of the parlor burst open. Rosenia stiffened while being held in Llewellyn¡¯s arms. Because it was very clear who had opened the door. Soon after, the voice of a girl echoed through the hallway like a pitiful melody. ¡°No ¡­¡± The voice was trembling as if she were crying. It was beautiful and thin enough to make Rosenia¡¯s heart pound. She surely was the female lead. ¡°Please listen to what I have to say, Duke ¡­ I beg you.¡± It wasthe¡®dramatic moment¡¯ when both the male lead and female lead finally met. Rosenia slowly turned her head and looked at Sierra Oscar. She was indeed beautiful. No, the word ¡°beautiful¡± wasn¡¯t enough to describe her. She had shining silver hair as if made from starlight and blue eyes as transparent as ss beads. She was like a lily of the valley that had just bloomed, and like a snowke that was about to melt away. It was the same as the description in the original story. ¡®¡­ How can anyone be so pretty ¡­¡¯ Rosenia thought nkly and checked Llewellyn¡¯s reaction. Her heart was beating wildly. She was really afraid that her fears woulde true. However ¡­ ¡®Ah ¡­?¡¯ His reaction waspletely different from her imagination. Despite her concern, Llewellyn¡¯s expression as he looked at Sierra was dull. His gaze was as dry as grains of sand in the desert. It was different from when he looked at her. At that moment, she realized for the first time that he could also make this kind of expression. ¡°¡­ Duke?¡± Rosenia quietly called him. Then, as he looked back, his usual smile came back and his whole face came back to life. The dull eyes suddenly changed and were now overflowing with vivid emotions. Only for her, he only had feelings for her. It was evident in the voice that answered her call. ¡°Yes, Rosenia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you call me?¡± Rosenia couldn¡¯t answer immediately and just blinked. The reason why she called him ¡­ ¡­ To tell the truth, it was really embarrassing ¡­ ¡®How do I say this ¡­ I wanted to check how you feel when you look at me!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t that thick-faced to say such an embarrassing thing out loud. So she just gave an evasive answer. ¡°Umm, can you please put me down? To keep hugging like this, it¡¯s a little ¡­¡± ¡°Ah ¡­¡± Llewellyn sighed low, then narrowed his eyes and said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± No, this guy ¡­ She looked at him and felt dumbfounded at his mischievous smile. ¡°Is now the time for this? Miss Oscar is watching us. Put me down first and talk.¡± ¡± ¡° When she hit him on the chest, Llewellyn finally let her go with a look of regret. Rosenia shook her head and turned to Sierra Oscar, who stood like a folding screen1. She nced at them with an uneasy and treacherous expression. And Rosenia knew very well why. ¡®To avenge your family and protect your life ¡­ You must be very desperate.¡¯ Originally, it was Llewellyn who helped her get revenge and saved her life. In exchange, she helped him by healing himpletely. ¡®But it all got messed up. And this all happened ¡­ Because of me.¡¯ Llewellyn chose her. He did not fall for the heroine, Sierra Oscar. Rosenia was just happy with the fact. Now that she wouldn¡¯t have to lose Llewellyn to the heroine, a sense of relief swept over her. Her heart was pounding with excitement, but she couldn¡¯t smile as she saw Sierra¡¯s face full of sadness and fear. ¡®¡­ My happiness is your misfortune.¡¯ She had taken away her only chance of revenge and her only way to survive ¡­ ¡°¡­¡± She still didn¡¯t like her presence. However, she felt sorry for her when she thought about her situation; she had lost her family and had been left alone. Knowing that her presence had twisted Sierra¡¯s life, Rosenia felt a strange sense of guilt. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She didn¡¯t think it was right to send Sierra away like this. However, her selfish heart thought of her as a person who had nothing to do with her. After weighing the two contradictory feelings, the side that weighed more eventually ¡­ ¡­ was her weak heart that wanted to help Sierra. ¡®I can¡¯t turn a blind eye to it. Considering you lost all your family and came all the way here alone ¡­¡¯ Come to think of it, treating Llewellyn was not the only condition Sierra could use to propose a ¡®deal¡¯ with him. She had strong divine powers, so she would be of great help to the Duke of Rasiane in many other ways. ¡®I¡¯m notpletely reassured that Llewellyn chose me, but let¡¯s believe him.¡¯ She nced at Sierra, then at Llewellyn, and said clearly. ¡°Let¡¯s listen to her for now. What does Miss Oscar have to tell us about?¡±

Footnotes

  1. Folding screen is a term used when someone can¡¯t showcase their talents/presence and therefore just stands in the background like a folding screen
Chapter 46 Sierra was still nervous, sitting in the drawing-room. Rosenia felt sorry for her, so she offered her some refreshment and told her to rx, but Sierra refused. Though her eyes shone weakly with sadness and fear, there was a strong resolve and determination in them. ¡®Was this why?¡¯ It was surprising, but Rosenia could see why, in the original story, Llewellyn fell in love with Sierra. She had a delicate aura surrounding her as if she was about to copse any moment, but she was as strong as a small wildflower standing upright facing strong winds. Besides, she was also incredibly beautiful, so who wouldn¡¯t be enamoured with her¡­ But ¡®her¡¯ Llewellyn did not fall for her. It was so wonderful that Rosenia couldn¡¯t help but keep on ncing at Llewellyn over and over again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing! Anyway, Miss Oscar, I have a rough understanding of your situation. So you¡¯re saying you need help from the duke?¡± Llewellyn looked at her suspiciously, but she kept her focus only on Sierra. Sierra looked at her as if she were her saviour and nodded desperately. Perhaps because Llewellyn didn¡¯t pay her any attention, the whole time she was talking, Sierra seemed to be expecting more from Rosenia than from Llewellyn. Because Rosenia had quietly listened to her whole story. ¡°I¡­. got to know about the Duke¡¯s mana congestion from my father. So I thought if I can cure his mana congestion, he might be able to help me¡­¡­ I came here with that hope¡­¡­¡± Sierra¡¯s voice became smaller and smaller as she spoke the words slowly. She nced alternately at Llewellyn and Rosenia and then burst into tears. Rosenia could see that she was holding back her tears all this time, and she somehow felt sorry for her. ¡°Miss Oscar, the Duke¡¯s mana cong¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Rosenia¡¯s words were abruptly cut off by Llewellyn¡¯s sudden interjection. She looked at him with surprised rabbit-like eyes. Llewellyn had a cold face, giving out a very menacing aura. ¡°I don¡¯t need your¡®cure¡¯, Miss Sierra Oscar.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Tears welled up in Sierra¡¯s eyes as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment. But Llewellyn,pletely unfazed by this, didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°I don¡¯t need your divine power.¡± ¡°Ah ¡­¡± ¡°Your situation is pitiful, but I don¡¯t think I can do business with you. So¡ª¡± ¡°Wai-wait a minute, Duke! Please listen to me!!¡± Sierra cried out sadly, interrupting Llewellyn at the risk ofing off as disrespectful. At this point, Llewellyn was like a viin and Sierra¨C very pitiful. That was because Llewellyn¡¯s attitude when he refused her was especially sharp. ¡°My, my abilities are not just limited to being able to use divine power. I can really cure the Duke¡¯s mana congestion. I really can, please believe me¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rosenia was a little frustrated. So, she thought it would be better to exin to Llewellyn exactly what Sierra¡¯s abilities were. ¡®In my impatience, it seems I didn¡¯t think things through enough.¡¯ Llewellyn tried to open his mouth again. But before another cold word of refusal coulde out, Rosenia covered his mouth with her hands and interrupted the conversation. ¡°Miss Oscar, can you exin exactly what your abilities are? Even though the duke says he doesn¡¯t need your cure, if he needs your power for something else, you can ¡®trade¡¯ with him in any other form as you wish.¡± ¡°Ah ¡­¡± Sierra then let out a faint sigh, as if she had realized her mistake. Actually, the reason why Rosenia told Sierra about another form of ¡°business¡± was because¡­¡­ she didn¡¯t want her to have the same rtionship with Llewellyn as in the original story. She didn¡¯t want¡­.. Llewellyn to have a physical rtionship with Sierra for the sake of his ¡°treatment.¡± Even if it was just a rtionship where they¡¯d just be intimate with each other for the sake of healing, the feeling of Llewellyn being snatched away by someone else was intolerable. She wished his body and heart all to only belong to her. From some time onwards, she started to harbor this wish. ¡®Is this obsession? Is obsession a bad thing? But ¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose Llewellyn.¡¯ Without realizing it, Rosenia grabbed Llewellyn¡¯s hand. As soon as she came back to her senses, she tried to pull her hand away, but Llewellyn held her hand strongly. ¡°¡­..¡± When she lifted her head nkly, his serious face came into her view. Emerald eyes gleamed sharply. Rosenia felt as if all her inner thoughts and feelings had been pried open by the piercing gaze. ¡®Did he notice it by any chance? My anxiety, jealousy, and obsession.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Somehow she felt like wanting to run away. As she blushed and lowered her eyes, Llewellyn wrapped his other hand around her shoulder and gently slid them down. As if to press her into telling him everything without holding back. Sierra opened her mouth when his hand touched the small recess on the inside of her elbow. ¡°Today is the first time I¡¯m telling this to someone¡­¡­ because my father always asked me to hide it¡­¡­ My ability is¡­¡­. ¡° Clutching her skirt tightly, Sierra shivered and said clearly. ¡°I can¡­.. turn mana into divine power.¡± Llewellyn, who hadn¡¯t been interested in Sierra¡¯s affair till now, paused as if he was interested to hear what she had to say. Sierra then spoke more firmly, hoping to somehow persuade Llewellyn. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you that I can cure the Duke¡¯s mana congestion. With my ability, I can make the Duke into aplete divine power user¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Bu-But if the Duke doesn¡¯t want to, you can use my powers elsewhere as you wish. All I want is to find the man who killed my family, and¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡­ That¡¯s all I want. I don¡¯t want anything else. I really¡­..¡± Seeking help in a desperate voice, Sierra burst into tears. Maybe because she was crying so prettily, her tears streaming down her face looked like diamonds. However, the way Llewellyn looked at her was as cold as a businessman arguing for the gains and losses for his benefit. ¡°Miss Oscar, I know that your abilities are very useful. It¡¯s indeed a rare ability.¡± ¡°Then¡­.!¡± Sierra, who raised her lowered head, looked at Llewellyn with a desperate look. Llewellyn continued speaking in a dry and apathetic voice. ¡°However, there is a lot of risk on our end to take on your problems. What if the person who killed your family isn¡¯t some ordinary person?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to gather my knights to catch that person, but is there any guarantee that there will be no harm?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°At the very least, you should have the power to protect yourself. But¡­.. you don¡¯t seem to have that power.¡± ¡®Is she at a loss for words?¡¯ Sierra didn¡¯t reply and just pursed her lips. Then she dropped her gaze and clutched her skirt again tightly. There was definitely a point in what Llewellyn said. Sierra also knew that, so she had nothing more to say. Watching the situation silently, Rosenia somehow felt strange. That was because in the original story, Llewellyn, who had been enamored by Sierra, did not care about the benefits and losses. Maybe that is what one calls the ¡®power of love¡¯. But the Llewellyn, who did not love Sierra, was terribly cold. As the head of a great and powerful family, it was a natural attitude, but well, as far as she could recall, he had never been like that when it came to her problems¡­.. All she could think of was that the gap between his current and former attitude was too big. ¡®Whenever it came to my concerns, this man would act irrationally to the extent ofing off as an insane person.¡¯ Now he was surprisingly rational to the point he seemed like a different person. ¡°I..¡­ I surely don¡¯t have the power to protect myself right now, but.¡­¡± Sierra, who seemed to have given up, opened her mouth again. There was a strong will in her eyes as she lifted her head and looked straight at Llewellyn. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be strong enough to at least protect myself¡ª no, I¡¯ll be strong enough to protect other people..¡­ I¡¯ll do anything, please, help me¡­. I beg you, Duke¡­..¡± Her trembling shoulders were so slender that she could only be seen as someone who needed protection, rather than someone who could protect anyone. As Rosenia had read the original story, she knew very well that Sierra¡¯s desperate cries for help were more sincere than anyone else. Sierra was the heroine of the story, and Rosenia once..¡­ had gone through her emotions, explored her world, cheered for her while reading the novel. She had cried andughed with her together. Was this the reason why she pitied her? Oddly enough, Rosenia had a hunch. If she didn¡¯t help her now, it would remain in her heart and torment her forever. ¡®¡­.. I just remembered. The purpose of the original viin was¡­.¡¯ Just then, Llewellyn¡¯s pained breathing interrupted her thoughts. She looked at him in surprise. Suddenly, Llewellyn clutched his chest in pain and groaned as he hunched over. Of all times, his mana began to run amok inside him again. ¡°Llewellyn¡­..¡± When Rosenia reflexively called him by his name, Llewellyn opened his eyes wide and looked at her. He opened his mouth as if to tell her something. But then someone¡¯s hand touched his shoulder. The hands¡­.. were very pale, slender, and beautiful. The owner of the hand, of course, was Sierra Oscar. ¡°Du-Duke, are you all right?!¡± Seeing that Llewellyn was in pain, Sierra suddenly rushed to his side. But Llewellyn¡¯s response was cold. He frowned and wrenched her hand away, roughly. ¡± ¡° Then he murmured in a cold voice. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Chapter 47 ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sierra quickly stepped back, blinking bewilderedly. With her hands politely folded, she wet her lips with a dismayed expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. For a moment, I was so surprised that¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Well, it was feasible. Rosenia could understand. Who wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see a person suddenly grab his chest and copse? ¡®I¡¯d be lying if I say I don¡¯t feel bad at all, but¡­¡¯ Rosenia nodded her head at Sierra, then cupped Llewellyn¡¯s face and examined hisplexion. His face was as hot as a ball of fire in her hands, with fever spiking. The pair of eyes looking at her were clouded from the heat, and for some reason, he had an expression of desperation on him. The expression was like a dog that was longingly looking at its master. Rosenia felt strange to see him don a weak expression like this when just a few minutes ago he wasbeing roughwith Sierra. ¡®The Duke of Rasiane is a two-faced man.¡® While having these trite thoughts in her head, Rosenia hugged Llewellyn tightly and then nced at Sierra. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Oscar, but can you step out for a moment? Please tell the servants outside not to let anyone in.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­! I see!¡± Sierra, who had been quiet so far, quicklystepped out. With a click, the door closed, leaving only Rosenia and Llewellyn alone in the drawing room. Roseniasighed, strokingLlewellyn¡¯s head, while he caught his breath while hugging her tightly. ¡°Well, now¡­¡± ¡®His mana outburst¡­. Umm, I need to somehow soothe it¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± She felt ashamed doing it here on the sofa of the drawing room. ¡®Why did it have to cause an uproar here? Really! This damned mana!¡® Llewellyn tightened his hug, snuggling and borrowing in her arms even more¡­ Rosenia waspletely at a loss on how she¡¯d deal with this man. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look at me for a second. Let me¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Llewellyntilted uphis head, immediately, meeting her eyes. He obviously knew what she was going to do. She looked at him with a dumbfounded look. Rosenia slowly bowed her head while gently stroking Llewellyn¡¯s cheek. It was not long before their lips met. Rosenia tried to do it slowly and carefully, but she couldn¡¯t pull herself together because Llewellyn kept rushing in. He quickly went from a puppy that was drenched in rain, to an unrestrained beast. She was clearly only soothing him, but she wasseamlesslyturned into a herbivore that was being preyed on by him. ¡°Duke¡­ mmh!¡± The moment his lips began sucking on the sensitive flesh on the nape, Rosenia felt gooseflesh running rampant, all over her back. Then Llewellyn whispered while pressing his lips gently on her skin: ¡°Call me by my name¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡± Just like before¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable request, but the problem was that earlier when she called him by his name, she had done sounconsciously, but now that he asked her to do it, she found out that she couldn¡¯t open her mouth at all! ¡°Won¡¯t you call my name for me?¡± Llewellyn urged her with an anxious voice. His tousled tinum blond hair was twinkling under the light of the chandelier. Rosenia, who had been lying on the sofa, looked up at him and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Lle¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Llewel¡­lyn¡­¡± Her voice was low. She didn¡¯t know ifhecould hear her, but she still called him anyway. She blushed and averted her gaze. She wondered why she was feeling so shy. ¡°Again, one more time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Llewellyn asked once again.This greedy man! Rosenia looked at him with watery eyes and tried calling him one more time. ¡°Llewellyn¡­¡± This time, she called out his name clearly in a louder voice. Only then did Llewellyn smile faintly as if he was satisfied. His long, pretty hands gently caressed her face. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to hear it. Seriously!¡± His voice wasgiddyingloud and cheery. What was the big deal about calling someone bytheirname? Feeling her face burning up, she turned a blind eye to him. ¡°I wish you¡¯d call me by my name more often.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you could¡­ Ah, heuk¡­¡± He groaned painfully again, and hurriedly bowed his head and kissed her. His hot tongue slipped inside her mouth, exploring every corner of her mouth, and intertwined with her tongue. A moan leaked out of her throat as her body flinched. The heat rose to the top of her head and she felt hot and flushed. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Llewellyn withdrew his lips for a moment, exhaled heavily, and gently caressed her exposed shoulder. Rosenia didn¡¯t know what on earth had happened, but her clothes were half off. It went withoutsaying whothe culprit was. Rosenia nced at Llewellyn andflinched alittle when she felt his hand enter beneath the hem of her dress. But when he kissed her again, those thoughtspletely vanished. The way he licked, bit, and sucked her red, swollen lips, made her feel like she was on the verge of bing delirious. She felt like she was a candy, not a person. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± He pulled up the hem of the dresspletelyexposing her pale thighs. Rosenia was in disbelief at the things they were doing on the drawing room¡¯s sofa; her eyes began tearing up in shame. Llewellyn licked the shimmering tears from the corner of her eyes. His mana stillfluctuatedwildly, while it was channeling into her body. ¡°Rosenia, I¡­¡± ¡°¡­ngg.¡± ¡°I want to be like this with you for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Ah, wait a min¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like anybody getting between us.¡± Llewellyn softly pressed his lips against her perspiring forehead and cheeks, one by one. There was a sweet and heart-melting smile on his face. ¡°Do you not also want the same? Wanting nobody other than me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°Rosenia, I want only me to do this for the rest of ourlives.¡± ¡°Duke¡­¡± ¡°You should call me Llewellyn, Rosenia.¡± ¡®This crazy sadist¡­ How am I supposed to answer that when you aren¡¯t giving me any break at all? Now that I realize it, whenever this man reveals his sadist facet, he makes less and less sense.¡¯ ¡°Answer me, Rose¡­. Don¡¯t rend my heart.¡± ¡°Oh, all¡­ right¡­!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Uh, umm¡­!¡± ¡°But, I can¡¯t hear you well.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I just told you! The bad Llewellyn Rasiane¡¯s harassmentsted for more than three hours. During whichthey keptmigratingfrom the sofa to the table, then from the table to the armchair, then to the window¡­ It was reallyembarrassing, so she didn¡¯t want to recall it again. After being harassed by him, Llewellyn carefully wrapped her in a nket and hugged her tightly. Fortunately, there was no one in the hallway when they went outside. It seemed that the quick-witted servants had all retreated. By the way, where could Sierra be right now? The way Rosenia looked right now¡­ she knew wouldnd in serious trouble if Adrian saw her like this. Though her father was open-minded,itwould still invite trouble. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°¡­Duke, you look quite lively.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me ¡®Duke¡¯ again. It would be nice if you could call me by my name.¡± Llewellyn, who reverted to using a polite tone, had a pitiful look on his face. Rosenia was dumbfounded. ¡®Do you think I¡¯ll fall for that look after being harassed by you so much?¡¯ ¡°Rosenia¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I got it. Llewellyn.¡± His name came out this time too easily. It was because she couldn¡¯t stand the burden of facing those tenacious emerald eyes. ¡®I should have closed my eyes and pretended to have fallen asleep.¡¯ Rosenia sighed deeply and snuggled a little further in the nket. Somehow, she could hear Llewellyn¡¯s chuckle from above her head. ¡°¡­Why are youughing?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re cute.¡± When she asked with a re, Llewellyn replied with a bright smile. She couldn¡¯t get angry at his smiling face, so she sighed again. Llewellyn keptughing quietly at something he found quite funny. The evening sun could already be seen setting out the window.* * * In the bathroom filled with warm steam. Rosenia put a bath bomb in the bathwater, which was known for beingquiterejuvenatingandrelievingfatigue, but she wondered whether they would be able to serve their purpose today. She would probably get tired at night again anyway. ¡°¡­.Llewellyn, keep your hands away.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it¡­ you said we¡¯d only be taking a bath.¡± His hands, which had already been all over her body before,unmistakablyheld wicked intentions. Because of this, she couldn¡¯t get enough rest and she¡¯d suffer if it went on at this rate, so she stubbornly pushed him away. ¡®Besides, I need to see Father and Adrian again! Adrian kept opposing our engagement, but then Sierra appeared and the issue somehow fizzled out¡­¡® The maidtacitly informedthat Sierra had decided to stay in the spare room of the annexe, where the servants stayed. She could talk to Sierra again tomorrow, but she wanted to clearly settle the situation once and for all with her father and Adrian by today. ¡®Father allowed us to get engaged, but if Adrian continues to oppose it, he may change his mind¡­¡¯ No, no way!She couldn¡¯t leave her father alone with Adrian! Maybe her father was being persuaded by Adrian¡¯s words right at this moment! ¡®I should quickly take a bath and then go see those two.¡¯ As Rosenia got out from the bathtub, water slid down her curves. After she went out, she dried the water away from her body and wrapped herself in a robe. Llewellyn also followed after her and then hugged her from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s stay like this a little longer¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I have to go see my father and brother.¡± Llewellyn sighed deeply at her firm answer. Being quick-witted, he noticed that she was being serious and let her go immediately. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Then we can only look forward toseeingeach other at night.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As expected, he intended to harass her again at night. Shaking her head at Llewellyn¡¯s shamelessness, Rosenia dried her hair and changed her clothes. The maids tied her hair neatly like how the elegantdies did. This gave her a fairly new feel, but she knew it was going to get messed upter anyway. By the very hands of Duke Rasiane, who was known for being an ascetic. ¡°What ascetic¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Llewellyn asked as if wondering what she was mumbling, but Rosenia brushed it off with a grin and then draped a summerce shawl, brought by the maids, on her shoulder. After they both finished grooming, Llewellyn and Rosenia headed to the guest room, holding hands. Adrian and her father were staying in a guest room with two connected bedrooms and arge living room in between. A meal for the two had been delivered to the living room, so they probably were having their meals in the living room. But Adrian was probably not even taking a bite. ¡®How should I convince the stubborn Adrian...¡¯ Rosenia had deep thoughts churning inside her while shewalked, but the hallway had somehow be noisy. Wondering what was going on, she quickly approached the scene with Llewellyn. ¡°Everyone, please move aside.¡± She made her way through the crowd and what finally came into her sight was ¡­ Henry sitting on the floor on the hallway, and Adrian who was holding Alex in his hand. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!