Chapter 99
The First Night That Wasn’t Quite the First Night.
“……”
Seriniel sat alone on the bed, her face showing clear signs of nervousness. She fidgeted with her hands and repeatedly looked back over her shoulder.
To be honest, Seriniel thought her own behavior was somewhat absurd.
After all, she and Lexion had been deeply involved for quite some time now.
Not just once, but several times… well, anyway.
Though they officially became husband and wife today, she hadn’t expected it to make her heart race this much.
Whether she was aware of her feelings or not, Kina took meticulous care of Seriniel. She did so while Seriniel took a bath to ease her tired body and even after the bath.
She groomed Seriniel’s hair and body with expensive fragrant oils.
…And Seriniel knew exactly what all this luxurious, meticulous process was for.
“……”
Seriniel, lost in thought, paused briefly.
It was because of the sudden warm breath on the nape of her neck.
When she slowly turned her head, she saw Lexion, freshly out of his bath, embracing her tightly from behind.
“Lexion…?”
Seriniel cautiously called his name, but Lexion didn’t respond.
Instead, he held her even tighter as if to cage her in his embrace and finally spoke.
“I’m a bit upset, wondering what you’re thinking about so deeply.”
“……What?”
“It also seems like you’re not nervous at all while I’m trembling so much.”
Lexion chuckled softly.
Seriniel quietly watched him, then stroked his cheek as she spoke.
“That’s a misconception because I’m very much nervous too.”
“……”
“But I don’t quite understand why? We’ve shared the same bed since that first night…”
…So why am I trembling so much now?
At Seriniel’s words, Lexion smiled tenderly. Then, in a lowered voice, he spoke again.
“I know why.”
“Really?”
“Because now you are completely mine.”
“……”
“And of course, I am completely yours as well.”
Is that so? Perhaps that’s why, with her cheeks flushed red, Seriniel smiled softly.
“……I don’t intend to strain you at all.”
“Yes, strain… what?”
“But tonight, I’m not so sure.”
Seriniel wore a slightly dazed expression at his blatantly straightforward words.
“I’m so happy and overjoyed that my body and heart keep getting ahead of me.”
“……But you always said you were happy and overjoyed when you were with me.”
“Yes.”
“Then, are you saying you’ll keep straining me from now on?”
“I didn’t plan on doing that from the beginning.”
“Then……”
“But if I do strain you, will you hate me?”
Lexion now wore a slightly crestfallen expression, like a child.
But the problem was that it was only his expression, his dark eyes gazing down at her were deeper than usual, and his hands on her shoulders were scorching.
…Goodness, to think such a shameless man exists.
“No.”
But even though he was so shameless, there were beings in this world that one couldn’t hate.
“I’ll just think this: My husband loves me too much.”
“……”
“And also… I’ll try to build my stamina more than I do now……”
Lexion laughed.
But his laughter didn’t last long. Before long, Lexion, having erased all traces of his smile, gently laid Seriniel down on the bed.
“……”
His dark eyes, filled with Seriniel, quietly glimmered, without saying anything, he looked down at her, then kissed her forehead.
“…My wife.”
Then her flushed cheek,
“My bride……”
And finally, he planted a long kiss on Seriniel’s lips.
“My family… Seriniel.”
And then he called out softly.
Seriniel’s name and titles, which would never be erased from his life and would be newly engraved in the future.
“……”
Emotions swirled in Seriniel’s emerald eyes.
Because she knew well what Lexion was feeling right now.
And it wouldn’t be much different from her own feelings.
So Seriniel decided to say the words that Lexion most wanted to hear, and most wanted to say.
“I love you.”
“……”
“Forever.”
No more words were exchanged after that.
Soon, hot breath covered Seriniel’s neck, and familiar hands began to wrap around her body.
Though the night was deepening, their first night was just beginning.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
When she opened her eyes, Seriniel found herself in a very familiar place.
The Verdellete’s estate, to be precise, her room.
So Seriniel knew this was a dream.
“Kina, Kina.”
In the dream, Seriniel, holding a thick storybook in her hands, spoke brightly.
“The book I read today had a female emperor.”
“Oh my, really?”
“Yes. She was so cool.”
Seriniel smiled broadly as she spoke.
“Father said that the previous emperor of Carteia was also a woman. She was really good at running the country.”
“Oh, that’s right. I’ve heard my grandfather talk about it too.”
“Really? It’s a pity we didn’t see it ourselves. I’m curious.”
“I wonder how the Count knows so much about you, young lady.”
“What do you mean?”
“He said you would be interested, so he brought new books, just a little while ago!”
In Kina’s hands were a pile of new books. Seriniel smiled happily, and Kina carefully placed them on the bedside table.
“But you need to take your medicine first, young lady.”
Kina said, offering a bowl full of medicine she had prepared.
“You were sick a while ago. I’d be very upset if you got sick again.”
Yes, yes.
Nodding, Seriniel took the bowl and swallowed the bitter medicine without hesitation.
“Oh dear, how could I forget!”
Kina, who had been looking at Seriniel with a concerned expression, suddenly jumped up from her seat.
“Your mouth must be bitter. I washed some fruit, but completely forgot about it.”
“It’s okay…”
“Wait, just a moment.”
There was no time to stop her, Kina quickly ran out of the room, leaving Seriniel alone.
“……You really didn’t have to go to such lengths.”
I’m not even that sick right now.
Seriniel sat quietly on the bed, looking around aimlessly.
Before long, she paused slightly.
It was because she heard a noise from outside the window.
Getting out of bed, Seriniel cautiously approached the window and looked down.
“……”
Long, disheveled black hair covering his forehead, a face full of scars.
Seriniel stared at the young Lexion, whose eyes wavered greatly, his expression grim.
“I…”
“……”
“I…”
Lexion hesitated, unable to find the right words.
Before long, he abruptly stood up, looking confused and distressed, staring at Seriniel.
But he seemed unable to find the right words, and with a somewhat flushed face, he turned his back.
It was just as he was about to run away.
Seriniel instinctively reached out.
And the hand that grabbed his dirty shirt was not the same as before, not a child’s hand, but an adult’s hand.
A wedding ring gleaming on her ring finger.
“Let’s…”
Now in her current form, not the child she was before, Seriniel spoke softly to the young Lexion.
“Let’s read it together.”
“……”
“Let’s read it together. It’s a book I really like.”
Lexion’s eyes were filled with confusion as he looked back at Seriniel, but she didn’t let go.
“It must have hurt a lot.”
Instead, she stroked the cheek of the young Lexion, who still looked like a boy.
“It must have been very hard.”
“……”
“I’m really sorry for not knowing.”
Seriniel spoke, her face drenched in tears.
“And thank you… for being so wonderful and brave. So, I have to say this…”
“……”
“Can I… hug you just once?”
There was no reply, and the boy still looked confused. But he slowly approached the window ledge as Seriniel guided him, and she embraced him.
…The Lexion in the dream hesitated but didn’t push Seriniel away.
“……”
Unlike in reality, he wasn’t big. So, Seriniel could easily hold him in her arms.
She knew it was a dream, so perhaps this act meant nothing.
But she wanted to comfort him, even if just once.
Hugging the young Lexion who used to come to the Count’s mansion whenever he was hurt and sad, with no place to run.
“I’ll be waiting.”
“……”
“Until you come to find me.”
Instead of a reply, what came back was the boy’s pounding heartbeat.
Seriniel listened to that sound, slowly closing her eyes.
Still holding the young Lexion in her arms.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Though she woke from the dream, the sound she heard was the same,
Lexion’s heartbeat.
“Hello.”
Lexion, who had been quietly watching Seriniel, greeted her in a slightly low voice.
“Good morning, Seriniel Rosenvester.”
“……”
“How do you feel?”
Instead of answering, Seriniel looked up at Lexion.
Then, suddenly, it seemed like she was seeing double.
The little boy she had held tightly.
Seriniel slowly reached out.
And as she did in the dream, she held the now grown-up boy tightly in her arms.
“……Seriniel?”
“Lexion, there’s a book I really like.”
Though it was an unexpected topic, Lexion waited seriously for her next words.
“It’s about a female emperor, a book my father bought for me when I was young…”
“I know.”
“…What?”
“I heard you talking to Kina.”
“……”
“Of course, you didn’t know I was listening.”
[Kina, so the book I read today had a female emperor, and she was so cool…]
[That’s an interesting story.]
[Yes, it does sound really cool.]
Lexion had also listened to Seriniel talking excitedly to Kina, with his scarred face.
Though unlike in the dream, Lexion couldn’t reach out to Seriniel…
He still remembered it clearly.
As he always did with everything related to Seriniel.
“Let’s read it together next time.”
Seriniel said, looking at Lexion with eyes that were somehow wet with tears.
“Definitely.”
“Seriniel…?”
“Say you will. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“And the reason I’m doing this now is because I’m so happy to be with you. No other reason.”
“…I feel the same.”
Lexion replied, his voice breaking, and Seriniel kissed his cheek briefly before continuing.
“And also…”
“Also?”
“Hug me, tight.”
“You don’t need to ask for that.”
“……”
“I’ve wanted to do that all along.”
No sooner had he finished speaking, Lexion tightly embraced Seriniel.
Just as Seriniel had hugged the young Lexion in the dream.
…There was no sign of the scarred boy and the sickly girl anymore.
Only a pair of perfect lovers who loved each other deeply.
My loves😭❤️