The door creaked open again.
Thanks to that, Arundel, who was leaning against the door, almost stumbled, but a firm hand grabbed Arundel’s waist and lifted her up.
Looking up, Zion’s sharp jawline was visible.
“You startled me by coming in so suddenly.”
Thump thump.
The sound of Arundel’s heart that hadn’t settled down yet echoed in her ears.
Not knowing where to look, Arundel’s eyes darted around. She couldn’t muster the courage to look down.
Although she had glimpsed it briefly earlier, the shocking sight was not easily forgotten in her mind.
Zion firmly grasped Arundel’s face, who was at a loss.
“Don’t worry. I’m covered now.”
As if reading her thoughts, Zion’s words made Arundel’s heartbeats, which felt like they were about to burst, slow down.
“Phew…”
As Arundel looked straight at Zion, his handsome face and bare chest stood out…
“But you’re not covered!”
“I meant I’m covered below.”
That’s right.
Unlike earlier, a towel wrapped around his lower body was covering him. However, he was still bare-chested.
“How long are you going to stand like that? Why don’t you come in now?”
At Zion’s words, Arundel cautiously stepped into the room. A pleasant fragrance wafted from Zion as if he had just finished washing up.
As the sense of smell added to it, a strange emotion made Arundel shiver all the way down her neck.
Arundel stiffly sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing this, Zion chuckled and said in a playful voice.
“What are you so embarrassed about? After all, you’ve seen everything already.”
“I…”
I haven’t seen anything!
I didn’t remember much when I was drunk because of the love potion that night. The only thing that came to mind was the embarrassing things I said while drunk.
So, seeing Zion’s naked body for the first time was a shock.
Thinking about it, I didn’t really see it then.
Zion chuckled.
“So it’s fair now. Irina has seen my body too.”
I don’t want to be fair like that!
Arundel complained in her heart.
Zion, who had no intention of putting on clothes, lay on the bed.
Arundel looked at Zion.
Despite many things that happened during the day, Zion didn’t ask anything.
Was he uninterested? Or was he indifferent?
Arundel, who had been feeling anxious, spoke first.
“Today… Did you not get surprised by my appearance?”
Arundel waited for Zion’s response, expecting him to be surprised. However, Zion smiled gently and answered.
“By what, the way you were swinging the spear? Or the way you were using divine power?”
“…”
“If there’s anything else you did that I don’t know about, let me know.”
Zion’s smile was amusing.
“Even if there is, I won’t be surprised anymore. Even if you were the daughter of the enemy country’s emperor.”
Arundel’s anxiety didn’t go away despite the playful response.
A shadow fell on Arundel’s eyes as she lowered them. Zion stretched out his hand and touched Arundel’s face, which looked sad.
“Why are you looking like that?”
“…just.”
“I’ve told you before.”
Zion’s warm breath brushed over Arundel’s face.
“It didn’t matter if you were a witch or a demon.”
Arundel knew when Zion was referring to.
It was raining heavily that day. Arundel and Zion had a falling out that day. Arundel remembered Zion mentioning the mark while saying those things.
“It’s the same now. It doesn’t matter if you’re a demon, a witch, or a princess of the enemy country.”
Arundel’s face flushed when Zion’s gentle fingers touched her face.
Arundel’s gaze naturally turned to Zion’s eyes. Their gazes met, but his pupils looked back at her with anxiousness.
“But, I’m still nervous.”
“What about?”
“Every time I see a new side of you, it feels like a dream. I feel like everything was a dream before I opened my eyes.”
Zion pulled Arundel close as if confirming Arundel’s existence.
“Even though you’re so warm, it feels like you’ll disappear at any moment.”
Zion leaned in towards Arundel’s shoulder.
Arundel could feel Zion’s broad shoulders, which were smaller than usual today. Arundel gently stroked Zion’s back.
The stiff back gradually relaxed, as if the tension was released.
After what seemed like an eternity, Zion lifted his head and kissed Arundel’s forehead.
My brain tingles at the sensation of his soft lips kiss– kissing my forehead.
“You won’t leave me, will you…?”
He wants confirmation. Feeling the fear he felt while speaking, Arundel felt a chill in her heart.
Sorry, Zion.
In the end, she still will have to leave.
With countless thoughts in her mind, however, different words came out from her mouth.
“I’ll be by your side.”
And then Zion’s lips pressed together with hers. Arundel could feel Zion’s gentle lips as they approached. Zion was asking for permission.
‘Is it okay?’
Arundel was suddenly afraid of this situation.
Is it okay to accept while lying to him like this?
Arundel left Zion’s gentle lips. As Zion opened his eyes, he earnestly chased after Arundel.
He was so cold and ruthless, but he wanted herself so much. It made her heart feel numb and tingling.
Any sane person would push him away, but his careful demeanor, like touching a newborn child, is soothing.
I don’t want to push him away.
Arundel allowed herself to be kissed as if agreeing.
His lips stiffened momentarily, but soon kissed her fervently.
She felt breathless, dizzy, a tingling sensation in her stomach. The warmth of the kiss spread through Arundel, heating her from within.
It wasn’t just Arundel who felt this way.
Zion burned hot like he would ignite any moment, his body temperature higher than usual.
Zion’s hand slowly trailed Arundel’s slender neck, bold yet cautious to the point of being tantalizingly careful.
As their lips parted, the destination of his slow descent was Arundel’s delicate neck that Zion had been caressing.
Suddenly, he lightly nibble on Arudel’s neck.
“Ah…!”
A mix of surprise and a strange sensation made Arundel involuntarily let out a peculiar sound.
Without stopping, Zion licked and nibbled on Arundel’s neck several times.
“When you came down with your hair tied at the restaurant earlier, I kept imagining this scene.”
He smiled as if pleased. Feeling a shiver along with his laughter, Arundel trembled for a moment.
Then Zion’s lips gradually descended towards her chest. Before reaching her sternum, Arundel stopped him.
Zion, who had been kissing Arundel’s collarbone, lifted his head.
“Would you like me to stop?”
His voice was slightly hoarse. From his strained voice, one could sense how excited he was.
Arundel, with a flushed face, struggled to catch her breath and hastily exhaled.
Zion noticed Arundel’s disheveled appearance, reigniting a fire within him, yet he restrained himself once more.
Losing control now would mean losing much more in the future.
Exercising restraint in her presence was not a new experience. While not as provocative as now, he could endure it. No, he had to endure it.
Unaware of Zion’s inner turmoil, Arundel’s fragile breathing seemed endless.
Thinking of the ice water poured at night, Zion distanced himself from Arundel.
“If you don’t want this, I won’t do it.”
He refrained from being greedy. He had already committed grave actions towards her and deserved to pay the consequences.
Despite thinking this way many times, his yearning heart demanded more from her.
He wanted to touch her. Hold her. Keep her entirely for himself.
Yet he knew.
The more he desired, the further she drifted away. Sensing his once fiery body cooling down, Zion involuntarily formed a bitter smile.
Slowly distancing himself from Arundel, the cold air seeped in between them.
If even feeling jealous at the air occupying the space between him and Irina, then he must truly have lost his mind.
However, feeling the strength wrapping around his neck, Zion’s face was buried into Arundel’s shoulder once again.
“It’s cold.”
Arundel quietly whimpered as she embraced Zion’s neck with her hands.
Zion stared at Arundel without fully grasping the situation. Arundel felt her body growing warmer under that gaze.
Yet the hands around Zion’s neck did not loosen.
Slowly slipping out of her grasp, Zion climbed on top of Arundel and gazed threateningly down at her.
“Do you know what you’re doing right now?”
Arundel bit her lip and looked at Zion. Even that look felt seductive, causing Zion to gradually lose his composure.
“Once we start, I can’t stop. If you want me to stop, say it now.”
Arundel’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
“Damn it.” Suddenly, a rough word escaped Zion’s lips. Despite knowing it was wrong, he felt like he was going crazy.
One minute she’s pulling my neck, the next she’s giving me this pitiful look.
A faint voice came from Arundel, as if she was about to cry.
“Do you want me?”
“Insanely.”
Zion barely managed to speak, exhaling rough breaths.
He didn’t hide his blatant desire, openly expressing it. In truth, he always wanted to speak and show his feelings like this. It was just a consideration for her.
He was slowly reaching his limit. If he didn’t stop now, it would be truly difficult to control himself.
A moment felt like an eternity. But there was nothing he could do now. All he could do was wait for her response.
Arundel pulled the distant Zion back towards her and gently pressed her lips against Zion’s.
The lips touching trembled softly. Her tension was palpable.
Zion smiled softly and responded affectionately to Arundel’s kiss as if in reply. They enjoyed a sweet kiss together.
As Zion slowly released their lips, he smiled beautifully with his eyes crinkling.
Arundel, thinking he looked incredibly beautiful under the moonlight, wanted to feel him right away.
But Zion beat her to it. Before Arundel could reach out, Zion enveloped her so tightly that not even a sliver of space remained between them.
In the moonlight, their bodies intertwined as if becoming one.
****
Blink, blink.
Arundel’s fading vision was filled with the sight of shining platinum blonde hair.
“Are you awake? You should sleep more.”
Zion’s sweet voice echoed in her ears. Looking around, it was still dark. Instead, a faint blue light illuminated Zion’s face just enough to see.
Her mind was still hazy. The events of the night felt like a dream. The sight of Zion in front of her felt even more unreal.
“You didn’t sleep…?”
Arundel asked in a mumble. Zion answered with a smile.
“I just like looking at your face like this.”
Thump, thump.
The rapid heartbeat that she thought she would get used to by now echoed in her ears.
Everything was thrilling.
His sweet voice when he spoke, the scent that came out with his warm body temperature, the happy expression that brought satisfaction.
The pupils that could be seen between his squinted eyes twinkled faintly.
Arundel looked at those pupils as if she was mesmerized.
There was nothing else in his pupils. Only her own figure was fully reflected. As if there were only two people existing in the world.
He had been looking at her like this even after she fell asleep.
Arundel realized at that moment.
‘Ah, this person.’
He is in love with me.
These two are so lovely 😭😭