The day she returned to her hometown after passing the civil service exam, Suji woke up in a swamp.
A land of strange and perilous phenomena: enormous caterpillars, moving tree branches, birds with two heads. For Suji, everything in the swamp was unfamiliar and dangerous.
And then, a mysterious man appeared before her.
“Are you supposed to be my death?”
[Mission: Eliminate the fated adversary in advance.]
Rex chose to ignore his mission and instead decided to simply observe Suji.
Strangely enough, just watching her breathe filled him with a sense of satisfaction.
…If this was what death felt like, perhaps it was worth savoring.
But leaving things as they were would be impossible. For the kingdom, Rex was far too valuable a weapon, and for him, she had become far too precious.
* * *
Standing in front of him as he washed the blood from his body, Suji was transfixed.
His flawless physique radiated a languid ease, exuding an untouchable allure. Even the droplets of water tracing down his frame made her envious, stirring a deep-seated itch within her.
“Do you know what kind of eyes you’re looking at me with right now?”
Suji flinched, embarrassed. Realizing she’d been admiring him in broad daylight, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze.
Rex leaned closer, his voice low and tinged with warmth.
“Don’t worry. I’m not scolding you. In fact, I’m telling you I like it.”
His lips descended onto hers, stealing away her breath and silencing her gasp.
With tears welling in her eyes, Suji embraced his fiery body. His warmth seeped into her, embedding itself deep within her being—so fiercely, so indelibly that even without him, she would never forget.
