We were so close that our noses touched. My face, tinged with ruby hues, was reflected in Clyde’s affectionate eyes.
“…Is that true?”
“…….”
I nodded without saying a word. Clyde gently wiped my lips with his thumb. When I reflexively shuddered, he lightly brushed his fingers over my cheek, cupped my head, and pulled me closer for a kiss.
Unlike the last time, this kiss was incredibly gentle and affectionate. But even though it was different from before, it was only the beginning. Clyde strengthened his grip on my cheek, tilting his face, and as the angle of our kiss deepened, his tongue ventured even deeper into my mouth.
He explored the inside of my mouth, caressed the inside of my cheeks, and rubbed my tongue with his own relentlessly. Our hot breaths mingled, and saliva mixed stickily.
“Mmm….”
I moaned without realizing it, and Clyde’s grip tightened even more. He held my waist tightly and pulled me closer to him. My waist curled like a bow, and our bodies pressed even closer.
Clyde’s broad chest pressed against mine, causing a dizzying sensation as if I couldn’t breathe. A tingling sensation radiated from my lower abdomen.
“Clyde…, uh….”
“If you keep making those sounds, I won’t be able to control myself.”
Clyde whispered in a husky voice, which sent shivers down my spine.
“Ah, ah,…”
“…Ruby.”
“Clyde….”
Clyde, who had been kissing my forehead and cheek, suddenly stopped moving.
When I opened my slightly blurry eyes and looked at him in confusion, he reached out and gently wiped away the tears that had started to flow again.
“…Why are you crying? Do you hate it?”
“No, it’s not that….”
I lifted my head, resting my forehead against Clyde’s chest. I couldn’t even understand it myself. Why was my heart filled with both sadness and affection? Why did I feel more emotional when Clyde touched me gently, as if he were afraid to hurt me, compared to when he was rough?
“…….”
Clyde relaxed his grip on me and used his arm as a pillow.
“Now go to sleep.”
I honestly didn’t think sleep would come to me at all. My mind was troubled, and my body felt strangely restless and warm. However, as I closed my eyes in Clyde’s embrace, I gradually drifted off to sleep.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Julion and Heufeln followed the Demon King’s army as planned, tracking them from the rear while in an invisibility spell. They intended to wait until the army set up their camp.
Eventually, as the sun began to set, the Demon King’s army halted their march and started preparing their camp.
“When are we going to start?”
“Let’s wait until the moon rises.”
The two spoke in low voices, hiding in the bushes. Then they heard a familiar voice behind them.
“Father.”
Julion and Heufeln were startled and turned to look. Out of nowhere, Aslan’s figure appeared. Julion frowned.
“Aslan… how did you manage to…”
“After Eila disappeared, I cast a tracking spell on Father. I had a feeling you might act without saying a word like this to us.”
“…Us?”
As Aslan recited the spell, two figures appeared beside him, one after the other. It was Nita and Prince Raphir.
“Your Highness! What is this…!”
“Hush, lower your voice, Chief Rojasis.” Raphir raised a finger to his lips.
“Why did you follow us here? Does His Majesty know that His Highness the Prince is here?”
“Of course he doesn’t. Just like he didn’t know that the chief and the commander of the Magic Corps had disappeared.”
“…….”
Julion glared at Aslan, his gaze accusing.
“I got caught discussing this issue with brother Nita. I was inattentive due to the urgency of the situation.”
“Nita, you serve His Highness; how could you act so irresponsibly?”
“After hearing that we were going to rescue Eila, and His Highness the Prince insisted on going no matter what… Of course, I initially objected, but he threatened to inform Emperor His Majesty if I continued to refuse, so I had no choice.”
“Threaten? The chief will misunderstand; call it negotiation.”
“…….”
Raphir withdrew the faint smile that had been at the corner of his mouth and stared at Julion with a serious expression.
“If by any chance you fail to rescue Eila, this could be my last chance to see her. I couldn’t help but think that way.”
“Do you realize what you’re saying? If the situation your highness imagines were to occur, your highness’ safety would also be at risk.”
“I know, but it doesn’t matter.”
“You are the Crown Prince of the Palma Empire!”
“What meaning does the status of royalty hold if I just stand by and watch the woman I love be in danger?”
“…….”
“Don’t give me that look. The whole country has known this fact for a long time.” At Raphir’s words, Nita and Aslan exchanged uneasy glances, as if they had an unspoken agreement.
“If something were to happen to His Highness the Prince, all responsibility would fall on our family.”
“That’s true. But in the event something happens to me, it’s not like you’ll all get away unharmed either. We are, after all, bound by destiny. We either all die together, or we all return as if nothing happened, together with Eila.”
“…….”
Julion let out a tired sigh.
“I think we need to change the plan, Heufeln. You and I will take on the demon king together. If the surprise attack fails, you will buy time for me to cast a spell.”
“Understood, Father.”
“Nita and Aslan, you should focus on rescuing Eila in the meantime. If you succeed in getting her out, don’t wait for us; depart immediately.”
“But-“
“I won’t allow any objections. You came here on your own accord, so at the very least, follow my orders.”
“…Understood.”
“Chief Rojasis, what should I do?”
Julion turned to Raphir with an expressionless face.
“His Highness the Prince should wait here with Nita and Aslan.”
“Why am I given no role at all?”
“His Highness is more precious than anyone here. Protect him at all costs. That’s more important than rescuing Eila.”
“Chief.”
“I’ve made myself clear. I won’t entertain any objections.”
“…….”
Raphir gathered a few wrinkles on his handsome forehead.
“All right.”
“Good. Now, I’ll explain the detailed plan.”
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Clyde suddenly opened his eyes. His pupils glowed a vivid red even in the darkness. He slid off the bed, carefully removing his arm so as not to wake Ruby.
“Show yourself.” Clyde spoke quietly into the empty air.
“It’s better to do as I say if you don’t want to scream yourself to death.”
After a brief pause, the sound of a spell being recited was heard.
“El priota, alas salama, dejas mu!”
Clyde instantly created a protective barrier around himself and Ruby. Soon, a blue magical force shot from the darkness and surrounded Clyde. It dispersed into the empty air, unable to breach Clyde’s protective shield.
“You seem quite surprised, Julion Rojasis. Did you really think I would come all the way here without any countermeasures for your magic?”
“…….”
Julion revealed himself while casting a spell. He stared at Clyde with a stern expression.
“Heufeln.”
Upon Julion’s command, the sound of another spell being recited was heard from the right. Immediately, the ground split open, as if preparing to swallow Clyde alive.
Furrowing his brow, Clyde spread his arms, and then his body shot up from the mound of earth. He looked back at Ruby and saw her two brothers running toward her. Clyde immediately darted in their direction.
Aslan instinctively cast a defensive spell, but Clyde’s magical force shattered it effortlessly. Aslan and Nita were sent tumbling together on the ground.
“Dehas Mu!”
Meanwhile, Julion had completed the recasting of his spell. However, this attempt was also unsuccessful in breaking through Clyde’s protective shield.
“I told you it’s useless.”
“…….”
Julion’s expression appeared composed at first glance, but there was a faint trace of uncertainty in his eyes. Perhaps he couldn’t understand why his magic wasn’t working.
As he proudly boasted two years ago, magic that countered the target’s magical energy could be obstructed by the same magic.
The protective shield surrounding Clyde at the moment wasn’t created using his own magic but was powered by the artifact he had obtained after defeating the previous Demon King. So, structurally, Julion’s magic had no chance of breaking through it.
