Edited…

<Episode 8>

The raindrops were quite fierce. It felt as if torrents were pouring down, uncontrollable like someone holding a showerhead right next to you.

Having only worn an outer garment over the Neglige, my body was thoroughly soaked.

The water temperature was quite cold. Despite the tropical climate, the rain was unusually cold. But the body getting hit by the rain was as scorching as the noon desert.

“Elkais.”

“Lady?”

It felt like becoming a zombie that had discovered prey.

Like a few days of thickened state suddenly faced with a delicious meal.

Yet, being aware that the gun tied to the thigh garter belt should not get wet, I pulled it out and casually placed it inside the cabin.

“Lady.”

How sweetly he called my name, as if trying to bring him back to his senses.

It felt like having starved for three days and then suddenly encountering the scent of fried chicken.

“Lady?”

He was really handsome. Except for the fact that his personality wasn’t very good.

No, considering the personality, he was still really handsome. Jet-black hair, eyes shining like garnets. Moreover, a flawless and perfect physique with no flaws.

A Sword Master and a Duke in status.

Even considering the personality, he was genuinely handsome. Like someone with a personality score of 0 but a looks score of 200, averaging 100.

“Lady.”

“…”

“Lady Eveline.”

“Yes.”

He seemed to sense that something was off with me, hesitating and taking a step back, and I found it quite amusing.

Heat was accumulating on my face, and he, sensing my expression, seemed to be embracing himself as if his arm hurt.

The injury on my left arm was not a minor one.

Perhaps, it would be better if he also got soaked in the rain. Then he might feel the inexplicable hunger I was feeling.

“Eveline.”

“Yes.”

When he called my name, the voice that seemed to echo beyond the water became clearer.

“Lady, weren’t you a Beta?”

“…”

“Eveline.”

“Yes.”

His hesitating and retreating posture was strange. The way he covered his nose and looked wary, as if there was a strange smell…

Pushing a bit more, it seemed like we could lure him to the leaking spot.

Meeting his eyes, I felt good, and I unintentionally burst into laughter.

“Elkais.”

“Who casually addresses someone by their name…”

He looked thoughtful, as if realizing that he called me by my name first.

Even that expression looked handsome.

“Betas don’t have a mating season, right?”

“…”

His strange words were bothering me, so I continued to approach.

He was leaning against the wall close to the window, his body pressed tightly against it.

“Snap out of it, Eveline.”

“Yes.”

Approaching Elkais like that, he looked startled, removing the hand covering his nose and grabbing my shoulder.

His hand was so large, covering almost the entire shoulder. Moreover, he seemed to be trying not to breathe, keeping his mouth tightly shut.

“Elkais, there’s a delicious smell.”

“Ugh…”

He avoided my gaze. Then, his hand moved into my inner pocket, and the back of his hand touched my stomach, making it ticklish.

“This.”

“Yes.”

“If you drink all of this, I’ll play with you.”

I didn’t quite understand what he was saying. However, I could understand that if I listened to him, I would obediently follow his words.

So, I nodded.

Elkais opened the long bottle’s cork and brought it to my mouth. Then…

“Ugh…!”

He grabbed my jaw and forcefully poured the liquid into my mouth.

I tried to spit it out, but my jaw was held, and my mouth and nose were blocked by him.

Momentarily surprised, I swallowed everything in my mouth at once. Then, as if I heard a siren, my chest felt itchy.

“Kelock, Kel, Lock! Cough…!”

“Are you awake?”

“Now, are you going to play with me?”

After that strange sound, I quickly recovered. Then, grabbing the hand that was holding my jaw, I locked eyes with him.

“Is holding a woman really your first time?”

“…”

He stared at me without blinking his large eyes.

I felt my heartbeat slowing down gradually.

What had been resonating like a loud drum before…

“I must be crazy.”

“…Yeah.”

Now, it felt like all the vitality was leaving my body.

I immediately withdrew my hand and picked up the gun, which I had left carelessly.

“Ha.”

He seemed to mock my appearance for a moment, then settled in the furthest corner diagonally opposite me. He started to watch me with a wary look.

“Sorry.”

“…”

“I didn’t know it would work on a Beta too.”

“…”

Elkais was still glaring at me with an angry face.

“Since we both committed the same offense, let’s forget about it.”

“…”

“Yesterday, Your Gracey said the same thing first.”

“…”

He either felt embarrassed about yesterday’s incident or, in this dark cabin, his face was red enough to be visible.

Although his glaring expression seemed the same as before, with his face flushing, he didn’t seem as intimidating.

After confirming that no water splashed on the gun, I placed it on the floor. The floor that had been wet and exposed now looked perfectly fine.

“Your Gracey.”

“…”

“I apologize.”

Even though I had already apologized, feeling sorry, I offered another apology. In response, he, loosening his intimidating expression, sighed and said:

“I’m even more sorry.”

It seemed he wasn’t a bad person after all. Considering his psychological description in the original work, the current situation might feel quite shameful.

For him, holding hands, kissing, sharing love—all of those were firsts with brother Abellard.

Yet, I just held his hand.

I must be crazy.

“No, I’m more… ack…!”

Roar!

Startled by the thunder, I trembled, and he stood up.

“Your Gracey…?”

“Haven’t I mentioned before that I’m scared of thunder?”

Approaching me, he sat down, and seeing him come closer, I thought I couldn’t put the gun too far away.

“Rather than that useless bat, my sword would be more useful.”

Saying so, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

Still, I couldn’t let my guard down, so I held the gun tightly for a while.

* * *

When morning came, the rain had completely stopped, and the bright sunlight was streaming through the window.

“When did you set all this up?”

“I just reheated what I prepared yesterday.”

Unexpectedly, there were crab utensils in the attached kitchen of the cabin. Of course, there weren’t many proper ones.

“What’s that?”

“It appeared when I woke up.”

Certainly, there were only the two of us in the cabin. However, when I opened my eyes, a first aid kit was in front of me.

“Who put this here?”

“No idea. If someone came, I wouldn’t have known.”

“Oh.”

He was covering his nose with something that looked like laundry tongs from the first aid kit.

“Can you smell it from me?”

“…”

“You also have a scent Your Gracey. Something like a forest scent.”

“You have a sweet scent on you. A very intense peach fragrance.”

It seemed the scent had transferred from Abellard when I met him yesterday.

“Your Gracey.”

“Yes.”

“Is it really confirmed that I’m a Beta?”

“Of course. Everything is confirmed from birth.”

In the Cropper Empire, when a child is born, they confirm whether it’s an Alpha, Beta, or Omega through blood. So, there was no reason to ask that question.

“But why are you suddenly asking about that?”

He offered thinly sliced and roasted meat on a plate that looked like it had lost all its teeth. When I put it in my mouth, surprisingly, the salt seasoning was just right, and it tasted delicious.

“It’s nothing.”

He replied vaguely and avoided eye contact.

After finishing the meal, the problem became evident. The one who used to procure food had injured his arm, because of me. So now, I had to be the one to bring food.

“We have a gun, and hunting shouldn’t be difficult. I noticed there were many birds yesterday, and among them, catching a few wasn’t a big deal.”

“Your Gracey.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go hunting today.”

“No. I’ll go with you.”

“Why?”

Upon my question, he traced the mark on my neck with his hand.

“If there’s another companion, tell me now.”

“…”

“Are you trying to form a bond?”

Perhaps due to brother Abellard’s lingering mark, he had quite a fierce expression.

‘I almost got caught. It’s not a companion.’

“Then why are you trying to avoid me and go alone?”

A piece of my wedding dress was tied to his left arm, soaked in red where the blood had burst.

“You got injured because of me. So, I thought I should catch some fish or birds.”

“Nonsense. I’ll get the food, so just stay in the cabin.”

He was talking nonsense. Perhaps because of the wound, he seemed to have a fever.

“Use the items in the first aid kit for treatment.”

I tried to get up and go outside. However, he reached out with his injured left arm, preventing me from leaving.

“It’s dangerous outside.”

You are the one who is more dangerous.

He seemed to have read my mind, and with a strained expression, he said:

“Ugh…”

“Your Gracey?”

With a thud, he collapsed.

“Your Gracey?”

He fell on top of me.

“Your Gracey! Why are you so heavy?”