“We’re ready, Miss.”
When the clattering noise stopped, Regina called for Elise. Elise slowly opened her eyes that had been closed.
Her pale face was full of fatigue. It was evident she hadn’t slept a wink, so Regina hesitated before speaking.
“If it’s too hard, should I suggest postponing it until tomorrow?”
“There’s no need for that. Everyone’s already here, aren’t they?”
Elise forced a smile as she gathered the engraving pens filled with her mana.
There were exactly five of them. It was enough to completely drain Elise’s mana.
She had to use these engraving pens to draw magic circles on Karan’s body today.
Just thinking about it made her body tense up.
Drawing magic circles on a person’s body is done in a way similar to tattooing.
That’s why it required even more concentration and physical strength. Knowing this, Regina was worried about Elise.
To dispel Regina’s concerns, Elise walked briskly. She deliberately swung her arms more forcefully and put more strength into her steps.
As she forced herself to move vigorously, even the fatigue seemed to recede.
If only the fear would retreat as well, but that emotion remained unchanged.
Noticing Elise’s efforts, Regina tried to lighten the mood by speaking up.
“The color of the mana in the engraving pens seems even more brilliant today.”
“Really? That’s good.”
“It must be the result of your all-night preparations, miss.”
I hope so.
Despite Regina’s positive words, Elise’s heart wasn’t at ease.
‘What if my choice is wrong?’
Elise lacked confidence. This was why she had been sleepless all night.
“Finish the job well, miss. When we have time, let’s go plant flowers at Besti’s grave.”
At the mention of Besti’s name, Elise came to her senses.
She felt ashamed of her hesitation, knowing for whom and for what Besti had died.
“Let’s do that, Regina. We definitely will.”
Elise took a deep breath. They had already arrived at the room where tonight’s ritual would take place.
Warriors especially favored by Karan were guarding the heavy door.
They were there to ensure that what happened inside today wouldn’t leak out.
“They’re waiting for you.”
Haltbin, one of them, opened the door.
The bed in the center of the spacious room was the first thing that caught her eye.
On tables around the bed were a basin of clear water and tools for boiling water, and next to them was an incense burner to burn leaves with anesthetic properties.
“You’re here, Lady Elise?”
A nervous Leber greeted her, constantly rubbing his palms on his thighs.
“Y-yes, Lady Elise.”
The person who stuttered, so nervous, stepped forward. It was Feu.
He was holding the reconstructed magic circle in his hands, trembling so much that the paper rustled.
Seeing others more nervous than herself, Elise became calmer. Her deeply sunken eyes scanned the room.
“Where is His Highness?”
“He’ll be out soon. He’s in the bathroom.”
Just as Leber finished speaking, the bathroom door opened. Karan came out shaking his head, shirtless and surrounded by white steam.
Elise and Karan’s eyes met. Karan hesitated, seemingly surprised to see Elise already there.
“I was about to go fetch you, Elise.”
“You’re the one who’ll be working hard today, Your Highness. How could you come to fetch me?”
“I just need to sleep and wake up, but you have to stay awake the whole time.”
“That’s why we should hurry, Your Highness.”
Elise hurried Karan, afraid her resolve might waver. Karan finished shaking the remaining moisture from his hair and lay down on the prepared bed.
“When you wake up after a good sleep, it will all be over, Your Highness.”
Elise reassured Karan. Karan smiled gently and, lying down, reached out to cup Elise’s cheek.
“Make yourself comfortable, Elise. I’ll have sweet dreams.”
Karan withdrew his hand. Elise hastily grabbed his retreating hand.
“Do you have something to say, Elise?”
Karan asked, but Elise’s lips didn’t open easily.
“There’s something I need to bring. I’ll step out for a moment.”
Leber tactfully took Feu and went outside. As the door closed, Karan sat up.
The distance between him and Elise became close enough for their noses to almost touch.
Karan held Elise’s shoulders, waiting for her to speak.
“Your Highness… you must wake up. Promise me. Promise that you will definitely wake up.”
“I promise.”
Karan didn’t hesitate. He didn’t think for a moment that anything would go wrong. His trust in Elise surpassed that of a cleric worshipping a god.
“I’ll do my best, Your Highness. I’ll do everything I can.”
“That’s not what I want to hear right now.”
“Is there something you want to hear?”
Karan nodded.
“What do you want to hear, Your Highness?”
Tell me you love me.
Karan swallowed the words that had risen to his throat.
If he asked now, Elise would likely say what he wanted to hear, regardless of her own feelings.
A love confession from Elise’s lips – just imagining it made his lower abdomen tingle.
But he didn’t want to touch on Elise’s weak points. And above all, he felt that hearing those words now might weaken his resolve.
‘It’s time to become ruthlessly determined.’
One needs a lifelong goal to desperately cling to life even when death approaches.
“I’ll hear it when I wake up, Elise. Instead, give me a kiss.”
Elise moistened her lips with her tongue. Karan found it adorable as Elise rolled her eyes to check the door, and he leapt at her first.
Hmm. Elise’s body slipped from the intense kiss that took her breath away. Karan supported her bottom with his long hands and lifted her onto his thighs. Elise wrapped her legs around his waist and tilted her head.
Their lips locked without any gap.
Their saliva mingled, mixed with unspoken concerns and worries for each other.
The long kiss only ended when Elise pushed Karan away.
They panted with their foreheads touching. Their lips had parted, but a glistening silver thread still connected them.
Elise gently caressed Karan’s cheek before getting off the bed.
This greeting was enough. Karan lay down on the bed and rang the bell.
Leber and Feu entered. They went about their tasks, pretending not to notice the heated atmosphere in the room.
Leber lit the incense burner and covered it with a round container. He attached a tube to a hole in the container and brought it close to Karan’s nose.
“You’ll fall asleep soon, Your Highness.”
As Leber said, Karan’s mind began to fog. His eyes flickered and slowly closed.
Elise kissed Karan’s forehead as he was about to fall asleep.
“Sleep well, Karan.”
With this sweet farewell, Karan’s consciousness completely faded.
****
Click. The door opened exactly six hours after Elise had entered.
Leber came out with a blood-soaked washbasin and handed it to an attendant.
“How is it going?” Haltbin asked with an anxious voice.
Leaning against the corridor wall, Leber rolled his eyes to look at Haltbin.
“Drawing the magic circle is no ordinary task.”
“What do you mean? Is it not going according to plan?”
“I’m not sure if it’s going well or not, but I can say that Lady Elise is incredible.”
It was Leber’s first time seeing a magic circle being inscribed. Watching it, Leber thought that the magicians’ perception was completely wrong.
“Those who merely draw magic circles…”
“Trying to take credit for such a trivial task? Anyone could draw a magic circle with their feet.”
The dismissive words uttered by those who draw magic circles were all wrong.
Drawing a magic circle required a high level of concentration and delicate hand movements.
Moreover, inscribing a magic circle on a person seemed even more difficult.
‘Who knew mana could clash like this.’
Occasionally, sparks flashed when Elise’s engraving pen passed. To reassure the startled Leber and Feu, Elise explained:
[It’s my mana clashing with His Highness’s mana. Fortunately, since my mana doesn’t have any special properties, there isn’t a major conflict.]
Elise smiled as she said this, her bangs singed by the sparks. Leber felt his heart drop.
If the sparks had flown just a little off course, she could have been blinded.
As Leber shuddered at the memory, Haltbin spoke gravely.
“If it looks like things are going wrong, stop it.”
“Pardon?”
“If that’s difficult, at least ring the bell. I’ll come in and stop it.”
“Don’t you trust Lady Elise?”
“No, I do trust her. I just fear the storm that would come if things go wrong.”
A dark cloud passed over Haltbin’s face.
“I think I understand.”
“No. Leber, you don’t understand. If His Highness doesn’t wake up…”
Haltbin pressed his lips tightly together. Words had power. He was afraid that the words he uttered might become reality.
‘If His Highness doesn’t wake up, there’s no future for Tetris either.’
Haltbin’s brow furrowed even more as he recalled what Bennet had done in just the few days that Karan had stayed in his palace.
