Author: Nikss

“Come here and sit down.”

 

He looked puzzled at the tone of my voice, which could have been a little stern. 

 

But in his usual mode of absolute obedience to my every word, he came over and sat down next to me.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

I checked Knox’s gauze, then lifted my gaze again.

 

“Brother.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Do you remember when I went missing, like, ten years ago?”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

He answered, but he seemed to wonder why I was bringing it up now.

 

I continued calmly, “So, do you remember the name Knox?”

 

He shook his head, unsure of where this conversation was going.

 

But he nodded dutifully, like the big brother he was.

 

“Oh, yeah. I told you the other day, I had a friend named Knox.”

 

At that, Knox flashed me a brief, proud smile. I gave my brother a quick nod.

 

“Yeah, he’s my best friend in the world.”

 

I bit my lip hard as I stared into his piercing green eyes, which were just like mine.

 

Not knowing if he’d believe what I was about to say… or not.

 

“I thought I’d tell you about Knox.”

 

Meeting his questioning gaze, I began to fill him in on everything that had happened with Knox.

 

From the time she disappeared over a decade ago to the present…

 

Everything but the secret of reincarnation that I couldn’t explain to anyone.

 

My brother’s face turned bright red at the mention of Knox saving me.

 

But I continued with my tale. I told him about Knox and the inexplicable Imprint, and how sweet he’d been to Rune.

 

Everything.

 

My brother’s face was red and flushed as he listened. But by the end, there was only surprise on his face.

 

As he was drying his face, he spoke for the first time.

 

“Are you asking me to believe that?”

 

To be honest, I was nervous.

 

I thought, ‘Will he believe me, what if he thinks I’m making this up?’ 

 

And then I let out a short sigh, realizing that he didn’t believe it.

 

“Maybe not, but…”

 

“No, I do.”

 

I blinked, wondering if he believed me because I said it.

 

“Because…”

 

My brother broke off and looked away from me and toward Knox.

 

Knox stiffened even straighter, like a son-in-law who’d been slapped down by his father-in-law.

 

The tension was palpable, not at all in keeping with his reputation as a cold Duke.

 

My brother twisted his gaze again and glared at me.

 

“You know, talking about you reminded me of something, too. The name Knox.”

 

“Huh?”

 

My brother, who I thought would believe me for no reason, said something unexpected.

 

I gazed at him in bewilderment.

 

 …It’s the name you’ve been memorizing in your sleep since you disappeared.”

 

Knox and I both turned puzzled faces at the same time.

 

My brother stammered out a story from the past that had been buried in his memory all this time.

 

His voice sounded more like he was reminiscing to himself than telling us.

 

“When you were little, you called that name in your sleep. Knox saved you. You said you missed him, and you did…”

 

He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

 

“When I asked you who Knox was, you kept saying you didn’t know, so I just assumed it was a first love you were too embarrassed to talk about.”

 

His wavering gaze met Knox’s.

 

“…I didn’t realize he would have given his life for you.”

 

He sighed deeply, a confused expression on his face.

 

If I was to gain his permission to date, I had to capitalize on this moment of confusion in his mind.

 

I sent him a pleading glance.

 

“Yeah, he’s been wonderful to me, ever since we were kids.”

 

He replied, his eyes clouding over.

 

“Okay, I see why you’re talking about the old days, and I’m not going to tear you apart anymore. Okay?”

 

He smirked and tilted his head.

 

“How can I openly oppose a relationship with the man who saved your life in my absence?”

 

‘Openly oppose.’

 

I studied my brother’s complexion again.

 

How many years I’d spent with him?

 

I know there’s still a hint of distance in his face.

 

After a few minutes of seeming lost in thought, his eyes snapped back to focus, and his expression changed to a new sharpness.

 

“Not that I’m in favor of it, of course.”

 

I nodded vigorously at my brother, then looked back at Knox. 

 

His complexion suddenly brightened in a way that would have seemed cold to anyone else, but to me, it was a blush.

 

“I’ll try to get you to like me, brother.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

My brother squinted at Knox, then looked at me, his expression a little sour.

 

He put his arm around my shoulders and whispered in my ear.

 

“You should meet more people, you never know, maybe you’ll like someone else. And you can date as much as you want, but you know you shouldn’t get married, right?”

 

What the hell, where am I going by myself?

 

My face turned bright red.

 

Instinctively, I glanced in Knox’s direction.

 

…Even if the words were whispered in my ear, they must have been audible to Knox, who has good hearing.

 

I could see the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

 

Flushed red, I quickly shook my head.

 

“No, I didn’t say we were getting married, so why are you already–”

 

“Oh, right, that’s right, you didn’t say you were getting married, did you? Okay, then, we’ll talk about it.”

 

My brother smirked in triumph.

 

Then he stood up and scanned Knox from top to bottom with an arrogant look on his face.

It was as if…

 

Like a father-in-law testing out a desirable son-in-law.

 

“Well, then, I must get the manor in order, so we can talk. Astel’s… companion.”

 

He seemed eager to dismiss Knox as nothing more than a mere date.

 

But Knox seemed happy to hear it. His stiff complexion softened slightly as soon as he heard the words ‘Astel’s companion’.

 

I nodded vigorously toward my brother.

 

Now that we’ve dealt with the remaining members of the fallen prince, there must be quite a bit of unfinished business, including resuming the hunting tournament.

 

I gestured toward my brother, who must have a mountain of work ahead of him.

 

“Yeah, see you later!”

 

With that, he left and the door to the balcony closed. 

 

It was finally just me and Knox, alone.

 

💫

 

It was already evening, and the breeze blew gently through the slightly ajar window.

 

I kept catching glimpses of his face as we exchanged clichéd greetings.

 

Sitting down across from him, I put my hand on his arm.

 

“Now we can talk!”

 

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. I cautiously complimented him.

 

“That was pretty cool in wolf form, can you show me again later?”

 

I wondered what he was thinking about my words. His response was a beat slow.

 

“…Sure.”

 

For a moment, I thought his demeanor was a little strange.

 

I decided to ask him what I’d been wondering all along.

 

“By the way, Knox. Don’t you think it’s strange?”

 

“What…”

 

He flinched, like someone being poked with something.

 

I felt weird about it, but I decided to speak, “I’ve been thinking about it since I came back from death, our imprint.”

 

I asked him carefully, “I can barely feel it now. Why was it there, and why is it different now, almost gone?”

 

As I sat down across from him, I stared at his hand, which was resting on the table.

 

I’d noticed it earlier, when I was treating him, but I no longer felt a cool sensation when I held his hand.

 

There was no sudden spike in heat…

 

Knox answered my question clearly, “I think the god who spared us that day took pity on me and arranged our fates so that we could meet again. To be… connected like this.”

 

Could that mean we weren’t meant to be, but became?

 

Because I chose to save Knox from being chained to a magic circle, and he chose to save me with his life.

 

If that was the case, it was a romantic story that I really liked.

 

I smiled softly as I stroked the back of his hand.

 

“So the imprint fades as our hearts grow closer together, because we’re destined to be inseparable even without it?”

 

He nodded meekly.

 

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

 

I turned to face the man of my destiny and nodded in agreement.

 

As I mulled over the word fate, Knox called my name, as if he couldn’t stand the brief silence.

 

“So, Astel.”

 

“What?”

 

The look that says he can’t bear to say something.

 

Even the languid look in his eyes, the way he sat at an angle in his chair, seemed oddly unsteady.

 

I tilted my head in question.

 

“There’s something I… need to tell you.”

 

Knox pushed himself to his feet, his voice tense.

 

He seemed to be shivering slightly, and I wondered if he was cold, or if maybe the window was open…

 

Unexpectedly, he walked right up to the chair I was sitting in and got down on one knee.

 

Our eyes were roughly level, and I could see more of his finely chiseled, statuesque face.

 

“Knox, what’s the matter””

 

It was the moment. Knox closed his eyes and whispered, as if in confession before a priest.

 

“Astel, you said you didn’t want to get married, but I, I don’t mind. Even if Astel only wants to use me as a lover…”

 

His words trailed off, puzzled.

 

“All of a sudden…?”

 

What, why are you suddenly making me out to be a promiscuous flirt with no intention of marriage?

 

No, seriously, I have a marriage in mind!

 

A chaste one!

 

But there was no time for me to retort. Knox opened his closed eyelids languidly and whispered.

 

“As long as I’m Astel’s lover for the rest of my life… I don’t mind.”

 

I froze for a moment at his bravado, knowing he’d made up his mind.

 

No, I never said I wanted a lifelong relationship.

 

No sooner had I opened my lips to retort than he reached into his arms and pulled out a black velvet box the size of my palm.

 

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