“…!”
Diana held her breath as she noticed the half-open, drowsy black eyes staring at her up close.
“…Kayden?” She hesitated before whispering his name.
Kayden’s eyes were indeed open, but she couldn’t tell if he was fully awake or just sleep-talking due to the dreamy look in his eyes.
“…” Kayden continued to gaze at Diana with unfocused eyes.
Feeling the heat from their close contact, Diana decided to wake him up and raised her voice. “Kay…ubp.”
But just as she was about to speak, Kayden tilted his head slightly, just as Diana had once done. That small movement brought their lips together without a gap.
Kayden moved the hand holding Diana’s wrist, wrapping it around her waist, while his other hand buried itself in her hair, holding her head. His touch seemed gentle, yet there was a sense of obsession that wouldn’t let her pull away.
“Mmph…”
A moan escaped Diana’s lips as their tongues intertwined, and an intense heat, far beyond what their bodies transmitted, filled her mouth. Her body, which had tensed in surprise, gradually relaxed under the gentle caresses. Slowly, warmth spread to her face, and her mind became hazy.
I should… pull away. The last bit of reason left in her mind asserted itself.
Regardless of the reason, Diana had rejected Kayden. She had drawn a line, telling him not to come any closer, and Kayden had respected that. So, if Kayden had regained his senses, he would surely have released her and apologized for his actions. But…
Diana tried to gather strength in her hands to push Kayden away. However, her body ignored her commands, instead clutching his clothes and drawing him even closer. In truth, that was how she really felt.
Diana’s eyes, still closed as she kissed Kayden, slightly twisted in distress. Finally, a tear fell from the corner of her eye.
Don’t wake up.
Like the protagonist in a fairy tale whose magic ends at midnight. Once he fully opens his eyes, they’ll return to keeping a proper distance, facing each other with ambiguous smiles. So, just for a little while. Even if this moment becomes a fleeting mirage in your memory.
I want to hold you close. She wanted to keep Kayden with her, even if only like this.
“…”
At that moment, Kayden, who had been kissing her persistently with closed eyes, licking and biting her lips, slightly opened his eyes. Unlike before, they were now clear, without any trace of confusion. He quietly took in the sight of Diana’s tear, sparkling in the moonlight as it slid down the corner of her eye.
Kayden’s eyes, like Diana’s, slowly twisted in pain. He gazed at her closed eyelids with a bitter smile.
If I ask her why she’s crying, she’ll be surprised, right?
But even without asking, he felt as though he already knew the answer.
“Hu…”
Kayden’s hand slid up from Diana’s waist to caress her back. At his touch, a moan of pain escaped from Diana’s mouth. Being so close, their bodies touching, caressing each other’s skin, and sharing breaths made it all the more certain.
“The ring.”
“…What?”
“Investigate the ring.”
That day, the elementalist who visited Elliot’s room, likely D. Obscure, was Diana.
Why?
To be honest, he wanted to grab Diana by the shoulders and demand an explanation.
Why had she hidden her identity? Had she found it amusing that he had foolishly failed to recognize her and floundered? But…
“I don’t want you to endure the pain alone. I don’t want you to be in danger.”
“I want you to be happier than anyone else.”
On the other hand, he wanted to believe that all those words, the smiles, the feelings, and the desperate gestures to reach him. He wanted to believe they weren’t all lies.
So Kayden decided to wipe away Diana’s tears, not wanting to break this dream, and closed his eyes again. He simply tightened his grip around her waist. Like a person wandering in the desert who finally feels the touch of rain, he hungrily sought her breath and stole her saliva.
And so, they chose to linger in this dream, even if just for one night.
* * *
“I thought I would never see you again…”
“Don’t say things like that, Liot.”
As Elliot looked back and forth between Kayden and Diana with a wistful expression while holding a teacup, Fleur lightly tapped his shoulder and pouted.
Elliot smiled apologetically. “I’m joking, just joking.”
But everyone present knew his words weren’t entirely a joke, so no one chimed in.
Today was the day Elliot was finally declared fully recovered by the imperial doctor. As soon as he got up, he greeted the empress and emperor, then came straight to see Kayden and Diana. Thus, the first prince and his wife, along with the third prince and his wife, were having a simple tea time in the garden.
Elliot was slightly thinner than before he collapsed but no longer looked deathly pale. The purple bruises that had once covered his entire body had also disappeared.
Click. After consoling the upset Fleur, Elliot set down his teacup and called out calmly. “Kayden.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Thank you.”
“…”
His words and his voice were heavy with meaning, so much so that it was impossible to gauge how sincere they were.
Kayden couldn’t find a response, simply clenching his fists on his lap. Fleur and Diana also quietly fidgeted with their teacups.
Elliot finally smiled belatedly. “It’s been a while since we’ve gathered like this, so I’m sorry for making the atmosphere so somber. But I felt I had to say it.”
“… I’m just grateful that you recovered safely.” Kayden finally responded with a smile.
At his response, Elliot’s face blossomed into a bright smile. Fleur and Diana also smiled at the sight. They began to chat as usual as if nothing had happened, grateful for the chance to sit together and talk again.
Elliot, awkward with his empty left ring finger, fidgeted with the spot where his ring used to be, his head drooping sadly. “Even if the ring was the problem, it still feels wrong to throw away my wedding ring…”
“Quiet. Do you think it’s just a stain that will go away if you clean it? It’s safer to get a new one.”
“But, Fleur…”
“We’re already having a new one made using the same gemstone, aren’t we?” Fleur shook her head in exasperation.
The reason Elliot had collapsed was due to the poison that had blackened the inside of his ring. Any normal person would have been right to throw it out the window immediately, feeling uneasy. But Elliot insisted on cleaning and re-wearing the ring simply because it was his wedding ring with Fleur. It was only natural that the empress, who almost lost both her son and husband, and First Princess Consort Fleur nearly fainted upon hearing that.
In the end, Fleur had to firmly persuade Elliot to remove the gemstone from the wedding ring and have a new one made. But Elliot seemed troubled by the idea of burning the ring with so many memories attached, constantly fidgeting with his empty finger.
After bringing it up once again and being scolded by Fleur, Elliot, looking dejected, suddenly turned his gaze to Diana. “Ah, right. Diana.”
“Yes?”
“Did you happen to visit while I was sick? I vaguely remember hearing your voice in a dream.”
At his words, both Kayden and Diana’s shoulders flinched in unison.
Hello, Alyalia is here~
Some of you might be wondering where I had gone to for the two past weeks. Sorry guys, I was on vacation and didn’t bring my laptop with me. I had made announcement in the discord and kofi about it though, but figure it out late that most of you probably hadn’t join. It was dumb of me to forget make announcement in the website too o(╥﹏╥). Anyway, I’m back now. The update schedule will be the same as before.
Oh right, one more thing! I found some comments asking for the discord link. If you go to our home page, you will find the sentence ‘Join our Discord Server’ at below if your in phone (at right if you’re in laptop). You just need to click the banner below that sentence and voila, you joined the our discord. I hardly recommend it to join just in case something like this happen again in the future.
That’s all I have to say, thank you for reading it~
Hi, now you can purchase 5 advance chapters in here.
