It would be great if she could tell me what she had given up and why she was so desperate, but she just kept repeating the same thing. What did you give up?
‘What was her clan expecting from her? What were those expectations? What does it have to do with paradise?’
I stared wordlessly at her face—the same face I now see every time I look in the mirror, contorted into anguish. Pain, regret, and anger. A maddening rage burns within her. But regret over love was nowhere to be seen.
“I… was trying to find… I should have found it. So the contract…”
It seems that the words muttered to oneself are important, but there is no loudspeaker function. I swallowed dry saliva and took a step closer. She, who seemed to be staring at the wall the entire time, snapped her head up and glared at me precisely.
“It must be good for you. No obligations, no responsibilities!”
… Suddenly, I wondered why she was attacking me. Before the stupefaction wore off, Villainess #4 threw back her head and laughed maniacally.
“Extend your lifespan quickly! Faster!”
She giggled. I frowned at how unpleasant it sounded. Then Villainess #4 staggered to her feet and like a scene out of a horror movie, she came at me with thud, thud, thud.
“You took my place, so you must do my duty!”
As if completely insane, her eyes glared fiercely. I coldly slapped away the hand which was trying to grab my shoulders.
“Don’t pin on me what you couldn’t do.”
Whether it was a dream, or the real Villainess #4, or a ghost. Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I will find my happiness and live each day. I wasn’t going to let anyone take away what was already mine.
“Ughh, huh, huh!”
Villainess #4, who was pushed away by me, collapsed and cried. The sound was so eerie that I shuddered.
When I woke up from the unpleasant dream, it was dawn, with a faint light shining through
* * *
Something’s not right. I must have fallen asleep at dawn, but why is it dawn again? My sense of time and date have been thrown off. But I immediately cracked open my eyes to a stab of pleasure.
“You’re awake.”
“Ah, La… cius…?”
I wasn’t lying in bed now. I was in the arms of Lacius, who was sitting up and leaning against the headrest. No, I was pulling him to me and hugging him tightly. It was as if I’d seen Villainess #4 in a dream and had unconsciously burrowed into him. Awakening my hazy mind and slowly grasping the situation, I realized that something hard inside was gaining strength.
“Oh, that… … .”
I was slow to connect the dots, wondering if there was something wrong with my frontal lobe, but then I realized that the inside of my throat was hurting too. As if it was injured after swallowing something long and hard several times…
(T/N: ???)
“You seem to be losing your memory, and I really think we should stop today.”
Lacius pinches my cheek and leans in to kiss me. The scent of mint that comes from him clears my head a little bit.
How many days have passed since we first started, and now I haven’t left this room.
No, how long have I been stuck in bed?
“Shay. Look at me.”
He moves gently, wrapping his arms around my waist. I feel him nudge me, and whatever thoughts I’m trying to formulate fly out the window. When I lower my head, I can see the scars all over his chest, my marks. I carved again, and again, layering new marks on top of previous to ensure that the traces would never fade away.
“The vitality within you is rising and rising again.”
“Uhm!”
“I want you to live a little longer because of me.”
As long as I live long, you should too.
Lacius whispered that, and lunged at me greedily. If we only did it once before, I think it wouldn’t last this long, but knowing that each intimate encounter extends my lifespan—what is there to hold back?
I was swayed along Lacius’ movement, gradually synchronizing with his rhythm. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we tamed each other. Like a volcano erupting, my insides are hot. I rubbed the corners of my eyes and drew in a ragged breath.
“I… think… I think I know now where all the moles on your body are, ah.”
“So do I.”
“Here, on your back…… you have three small, hard-to-see moles.”
I lazily reached out and stroked his back. Lacius grabbed my wrist and moved his waist a little faster. Only a world full of heat is on this bed. The creaking sound intensified, and at some point, the sound of the bed legs breaking was heard.
He was my fox, and I was his rose. My budding petals are in full bloom. It’s like a flower bursts open in my head. And with that, I drifted off into another long dream. This time, it was a good dream.
* * *
Now I really need to know how much time has passed.
When I finally opened my eyes again, it was daytime again. But the day I fainted and today must have been different. That’s what my belly clock told me.
“Lifespan…”
Lacius looked at me expectantly. I washed up, cleaned up, and had breakfast brought to my room. I had to admit that I was tired and groggy, if not exhausted.
“…The hourglass… is half full.”
“I see.”
Did I just see a look of so much pride and satisfaction cross Lacius’ face?
I was sipping on meat soup when suddenly I fell into a thought.
Lacius was handsome even before, but he’s so much more now. He looked radiant, splendid, and haloed. He was so full of energy, like a man who had drunk all the good elixirs. And so did I.
When I wake up after a good night’s sleep, my skin feels much clearer and more radiant. So there was nothing to complain about. I felt better and more energized, so there was no room to say I was tired or didn’t want to do it.
It was then.
“Sister! Are you in there, sister?”
You can now sponsor a chapter by buying me a Kofi! 1 Kofi = 1 extra chapter
