The story unfolded smoothly.
“If you do what I want, I will fulfill everything you want.”
Afraid that Karan might refuse, Elise laid out her cards.
“Do you know…what I want?”
“The revival and unification of Tetris. And the stability of the royal power.”
One of the reasons Tetris was ignored by Bedrokka was that Tetris had not long emerged from the form of a tribal state.
Until about 50 years ago, Tetris was ruled alternately by three families.
Then, 50 years ago, Karan’s grandfather suppressed the other families and transformed into a royal state.
That’s why Karan Lisandro became Karan Lisandro Tetris.
So Tetris was no different from a new country, and their cohesion was weak.
Confusion was a bonus, and there were those who coveted the royal power.
In his previous life, Karan dreamed of the revival of Tetris based on strong royal power.
He couldn’t achieve that dream until Elise died because he had many enemies both inside and outside.
But that’s not all he wants.
“You know exactly. As if you’ve known me for a long time.”
Karan’s voice lowered. His suspicion of her, which he had felt since he first met her, deepened.
She knew him strangely well.
As far as Karan remembered, there was no memorable meeting between Elise and him.
“I looked it up separately.”
“About me?”
Elise nodded lightly.
“Why?”
“Would it be an answer if I say it’s because I’m interested?”
Elise lifted the corners of her mouth. It was a captivating smile that could enchant any man, whether he was fond of her or not.
The tips of Karan’s ears turned red. He pretended to brush his hair to hide it and covered his ears.
It was unexpected and confusing that she was interested in him.
“How about it? Will you join hands with me?”
Elise leaned her upper body towards Karan. Her scent brushed the tip of Karan’s nose.
A moment of silence came. The longer the silence, the more anxious Elise became.
Elise’s behavior was, to put it nicely, groundbreaking, and to put it bluntly, crazy.
Despite knowing this, the reason Elise could muster the courage was because Karan had sought her out just before she died.
Whatever the reason he sought her out, she had faith that he would at least listen to her words.
And her faith was rewarded.
Karan did not reject Elise. Although he didn’t warmly welcome her either.
Should she back off now?
It was when Elise was hesitating.
He tilted his head to the left and gently stared at Elise sitting across from him.
A nobleman of Bedrokka asking a Tetrisian, who is called a barbarian, to spend the night.
“The reason?”
“As I mentioned earlier, it will be helpful.”
“To me or to you?”
“For both of us.”
Karan took a long breath. His chest swelled and then sank.
She was a woman so pure and clear that anything he touched would seem too dirty. She was so beautiful that it was impossible to look at her properly.
He wanted to keep her by his side like a jewel that he didn’t want anyone else to see.
But still, Karan hesitated. It was all because it was Elise.
“Are you serious? Unlike Tetris, chastity is very important in Bedrokka.”
“Do you want to hear not to take responsibility?”
She looked at him with a provocative gaze while lifting her chin.
Karan’s throat was so dry that he had to swallow. He ran his hand through his messy hair, which hadn’t grown much.
“I am saying that I will take responsibility, but not before.”
Karan took Elise’s hand that had climbed onto the table.
He gently opened her hand, and then inserted his fingers between hers.
Compared to his, her hand was infinitely small and thin, with no scars.
Her small hand clearly showed that her life had been smoother than Karan’s.
Her hand was trembling slightly.
‘Is she nervous?’
Her trembling shook Karan. He slowly stroked the palm of her hand.
If you’re serious, should I pretend not to know and hold on to you?
Karan didn’t want to say that he was standing in a pit.
He lifted Elise’s hand, as if it were a ripe fruit that wouldn’t make you sick even if you ate it.
Elise swallowed her saliva.
Karan fixed his gaze on Elise’s wrist, which was throbbing due to tension, and pressed his lips to it.
“It won’t be a comfortable night.”
He accepted Elise’s proposal. Elise’s heart pounded. The place where his lips touched stung as if it had been burned.
“What do I have to do?”
Elise bit her lip then parted them. She furrowed her eyebrows.
“Hold me.”
“Okay.”
The sound of the chair being pushed back was heard. Then, Karan’s large figure enveloped Elise’s small body. His long and rough hand lifted her chin.
“Don’t avoid eye contact. Look at me and tell me properly what I should do.”
It sounded like a suggestion, but it felt like a command. In the atmosphere that naturally made people tense, Elise tightly grasped the hem of her dress.
She gazed directly into his eyes as he wanted.
His pupils were burning. It felt like even a slight touch would ignite a spark and burn everything, including herself.
“Quickly.”
The man, who had been so relaxed just a moment ago, became impatient, abandoning his previous leisurely manner of dismantling and pondering over Elise’s proposal.
He bent down. Standing at a distance that seemed to be just about to touch, he called her name as if he were exhaling.
“Elise.”
“Me…..Hold me, Your Highness Karan.”
As if it were a signal, he quickly embraced Elise.
****
Elise unbuttoned Karan’s shirt. Then, she saw his sturdy shoulders, which were not commonly seen in a pen-holding nobleman.
She paused for a moment and looked at him.
In Bedrokka, his rare jet-black hair and black obsidian-like eyes were mysterious.
His eyes were sharp, but they shone brightly with intelligence, and the gentle smile on his lips gave the other person confidence.
He was still a very handsome man. Elise recalled him from the first time they met at the reception.
It was a surprisingly vivid memory.
‘I thought he was handsome when I saw him in the past. Other people said he looked rough.’
As Elise remembered him, soft bedding touched her lower back.
Elise found herself on the bed.
“Don’t regret it, it’s already too late.”
From the moment she decided to meet Karan, she had made up her mind.
Now, she didn’t want to regret or turn back.
It was strangely casual. But her body was diligently responding.
Instead of answering, Elise grabbed the collar of Karan’s unbuttoned shirt.
She wanted to cover his gaze, which made her feel uncomfortable.
Karan’s lips lightly brushed against Elise’s.
A tingling sensation ran through her body.
Karan bent down deeply. His breath warmed Elise’s ear.
Tetrisians were said to have a high body temperature, and it was true.
The man’s warm breath raised Elise’s body temperature to its limit.
Elise rolled her eyes to the side and looked at Karan’s profile. His prominent eyebrow bones, high bridge of the nose, and thick lips.
Karan lightly kissed Elise’s lips.
It was the beginning of a night that would be painted in various colors.
The phrase “it won’t be comfortable” meant “I won’t let you be comfortable.”
Karan kept his word.
Throughout that night, Elise had to learn that pleasure and pain were intertwined.
Intense pleasure was sometimes painful, and dizzying pain brought endless pleasure.
It was truly a night of debauchery.
****
The next day, Karan woke up in a good mood.
He felt like a lucky man.
Elise had been a woman he had long kept in his heart. But he had only watched her, thinking he couldn’t have her.
But she had come to him first, and had embraced him.
He was so happy that he wouldn’t have felt unjust even if he had been struck by lightning on the way.
However, Karan’s mood soon hit rock bottom.
The woman who had given him ecstasy all night was now nowhere to be found.
Karan searched the Pigtail Pub barefoot. Elise had disappeared without a trace.
“What…Was it really just a dream?”
Karan returned to his room and muttered in disappointment. He ran his hand through his hair roughly.
There was no way it was a dream.
The sensation of her skin clinging to his hand was still vivid.
Had he been too forceful with her until dawn?
The cold bed made his heart freeze.
“Your Highness, what about…your meal?”
Karan’s servant, Haltbin, opened the door and hesitated as he entered.
Karan, who was only wearing a gown and rolling his feet, was unfamiliar.
“Elise is gone.”
“Elise? Elise who? Elise, surely it’s not that Ellis?”
Haltbin’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. Karan glared at Haltbin. Haltbin quickly bit his lip.
“This crazy mouth! Are you talking about Miss Elise Worton, Your Highness?”
“Yes, Elise was definitely here yesterday. But she disappeared without a word.”
Was Karan tired these days?
Or did he go crazy always thinking of Elise?
Haltbin, who knew about Karan’s terrible unrequited love, considered his speculation quite reasonable.
“Do you think I’m dreaming, you?”
“No. It’s not. Of course not.”
With an awkward tone, Haltbin bit his lip again.
“It’s unbelievable, but it’s true. She definitely spent the night with me.”
Karan said forcefully, as if to confirm it to himself.
“Yes, of course. The night is for eating, not for spending…wait, you spent the night?”
It was a series of surprises. Haltbin seriously considered whether he should request a mental evaluation for Karan.
In the meantime, Haltbin saw a neatly folded note on the table.
“But Your Highness, have you seen that?”
Following Haltbin’s gaze, Karan quickly picked up the note.
It was a note left by Elise.
Indeed, the heated night was real.
Once it’s in my hand, I won’t let it go.
Even if last night becomes a regret for Elise.
Karan smiled deeply and held the note she left to his nose and took a deep breath.
