How much had he pushed Elise? Looking at Elise, who had fallen asleep as if fainted, Karan shook his head in self-loathing and slipped out of the bed.
He hastily threaded his legs into the pants that had fallen on the floor and crossed the room barefoot.
As was his habit, Karan opened a cigarette case and put a cigarette in his mouth. However, he did not light it.
He was worried that the harsh smoke might disturb Elise’s light sleep.
Instead, he sat on the window sill, chewing on the end of the cigarette.
He watched her from afar, listening to her faint breathing and observing her weakly rising and falling back. The vivid red marks, visible even from a distance, were quite satisfying.
Apart from that, a corner of his heart was also throbbing.
Watching her from here, he could guess how hard she had struggled last night.
‘Small.’
Her hands, feet, and the bosom that embraced him. Objectively, they were not small, but they seemed small because Karan was excessively large.
He had tormented her to hear the words he wanted to hear from her without reserve.
[Do as you wish.]
[I like it.]
[Please do it.]
The words Karan wanted to hear from Elise were those.
[I will go with you to the gate subjugation.]
Not such words.
As Karan recalled Elise’s words from the meeting, a strong sense of determination settled in his jaw. He threw away the cigarette butt and turned towards the window.
The heat that Karan had let out towards Elise was rising again. It was a different kind of heat than what he had felt in bed.
Karan touched the window latch and then took his hand away. Despite the roaring fireplace, Elise kept burrowing into his arms and under the covers.
Because of Elise, he couldn’t do anything as he pleased. But she was trying to do everything she wanted.
That was her charm, and while acknowledging that he had fallen for her, he was infuriated whenever she risked her life to do something.
He wanted to put shackles on her ankles to prevent her from walking into danger.
But Karan couldn’t do that. He didn’t want to be hated by Elise.
And her words didn’t just feel like ‘words’.
He couldn’t pinpoint it, but he trusted what she said.
Even if he put aside his personal feelings. Looking back at her actions so far, she was like a prophet.
‘She appears at the right place at the right time, like someone who has already experienced everything.’
During the Proclizard incident, and when she came to save him this time.
She found the unknown cave and came to rescue them. According to the testimonies of those who came with her, there was no hesitation at the crossroads.
‘She also found me.’
Karan’s early arrival in Bedrokka was top secret. His accommodation was also kept strictly confidential.
‘At that time, I just liked it and let it go…’
It was more like luck than coincidence that good things were happening through her.
‘Did she read a prophecy?’
Karan had no intention of digging into the secrets Elise had.
Later it might be a problem, but for now, only good things are happening to Karan.
What he needs to know is that she is special, and therefore he needs to be more careful.
“Your Highness?”
As Karan was organizing his thoughts, a small voice came from behind.
After crying all night, even the hoarse voice sounded pure and delicate to Karan.
Unfortunately, Karan’s plan from yesterday had failed.
He had tried to keep her in bed for several days, but Karan backed off.
He bit into Elise.
Seeing her struggling to breathe, his urge to push her roughly disappeared.
Instead, he sucked on Elise like candy all night.
“Why are you here when it’s cold?”
Elise, bearing the traces made by Karan hidden where clothes covered, embraced him from behind before he could turn around.
Resting her forehead on Karan’s broad back, Elise gently stroked his firm abdomen with her hand.
Karan didn’t feel the cold much, but he appreciated her warmth-sharing gesture and remained silent.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“It’s nice to hear my name. If you only call me in bed, I can go back there.”
Elise shook her head. Being so close made it easy to sense her movements without looking at her.
Elise soothingly continued to stroke his firm abdomen.
“Karan.”
Although he could have gone to bed, Karan swallowed his regret and obediently replied. His demeanor was so humble that he felt like a different person from yesterday.
“It won’t be dangerous.”
It seemed a bit strange, but she understood why he was angry.
‘He was always sensitive when his subordinates got hurt. He always took the lead for fear that his subordinates would get hurt. Karan has an exceptional sense of responsibility. He can’t stand to see his people get hurt or in danger.’
Elise was proud to be within Karan’s line.
“Even if it’s dangerous…”
“I won’t let it be.”
Elise gave a deep smile.
She knew. That’s why Elise could muster the courage.
“Right, because you’re here.”
“Haah, Elise. You only say things I don’t like. It would be easier to just shut you up.”
Karan turned around, removing Elise’s hand from his. He frowned when he noticed that Elise hadn’t put on her shoes.
Karan easily lifted Elise onto his foot.
And as he said, he silenced her lips. In a very sweet way.
Karan felt a deep sense of defeat. Things didn’t go as he wanted. Since meeting Elise, there had been reefs at every crossroad he took.
Yet he wasn’t in a bad mood.
The first cold war of the couple ended so vainly, and sweetly.
****
The people selected for the gate subjugation were Karan, Elise, Haltbin, Leber, Von, and Joseph.
Joseph was one of Karan’s warriors, and Von was a knight from a count’s family, strongly recommended by Rosh.
“Our goal is to fight as little as possible.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“The purpose of our expedition this time is twofold. We defeat the gate boss quickly. Secondly, no one gets hurt.”
The formal meeting began. People opened their mouths, nodded their heads, and frowned at Karan’s explanation.
They couldn’t believe what Karan was saying.
“Is it possible?”
“Do I ever say impossible things?”
At Haltbin’s question, Karan looked at Elise. Seeing Elise, who suddenly didn’t understand and opened her eyes wide, Karan smiled.
Only Haltbin understood Karan’s answer.
‘I’m going to marry Elise, who you said was impossible. Don’t you get it? I’m a man who doesn’t know the impossible.’
Such a very, very arrogant thought.
“What’s so complicated? If His Highness says so, we do it, and if a monster pops up in the middle, we beat it up, right? Hahaha!”
The one who laughed heartily was Joseph. He was very simple and belligerent. And he had no tact. Receiving sharp glances from Haltbin, Von, and Leber, he tilted his head as if he didn’t understand and said.
“Why do you all look so sullen?”
Karan looked around at the people sitting at the table.
“Does anyone have a problem with my plan?”
He just lowered his voice, but the temperature in the meeting room dropped instantly as if a harsh winter north wind had blown in.
“…Of course not.”
Haltbin opened his lips with difficulty.
“I understand there’s nothing more to say. Finish up. Tomorrow will be a very busy day, so rest as you please.”
Karan waved his hand to drive people out. Haltbin stepped forward to tidy up the meeting room, but he even blocked that hand.
People poured out, and only Elise and Karan were left in the meeting room.
“Elise.”
Elise stopped her tidying hands and looked at Karan. With an uncomfortable face, Karan took her hand.
Karan naturally lifted Elise’s hand and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.
On his dry lips was the frustration of a situation that did not go as he wished.
I wish you wouldn’t go.
I don’t want you to hold a knife in your beautiful hand.
Elise wrapped Karan’s cheek with her free hand. Karan and Elise’s eyes met.
“Karan…I’ll do well.”
It wasn’t what Karan wanted to hear. He shook his head.
“I’ll make sure everyone comes back safely without getting hurt.”
That was what he should have said, and her answer was only worth fifty points, but he had to be satisfied here.
Karan was learning to let go of his desires through her.
Karan slowly lowered his head towards Elise. As their noses brushed, Elise’s waist shifted back. Holding onto the table to steady herself, Elise sent a guarded look.
Karan’s hand gripped Elise’s thigh. Sometimes gently, sometimes firmly.
With just that action, Elise’s stomach tightened. As Karan leaned forward, Elise’s upper body tilted back in response.
“Tomorrow…is the departure.”
“That’s why we need to do more. We need to relax.”
Elise swallowed nervously.
Though she was not nervous at all.
Elise glared at Karlan and he shamelessly planted kisses around the corner of her eye.
“Huff huff, Karan.”
The body that had been moistened by Karan until dawn quickly yielded and opened up. And the pleasure etched into their bodies grabbed hold of Elise’s reason and shook it.
In a fight she couldn’t win, eventually, the two bodies intertwined as one.
****
At the time when the Dex territory of Tetris was steadily preparing for the gate subjugation, there was also chaos happening in Bedrokka.
