Elsez blinked blankly.
Right in front of her—far too close—were Rashiel’s gently closed eyes.
It wasn’t until his face began to pull away from hers that Elsez realized the soft, hot sensation that had touched her lips a moment ago had been his lips.
Blink.
As soon as that realization hit, Elsez’s gaze wavered uncontrollably as she looked at Rashiel.
It hadn’t been a kiss.
Just lips brushing against lips for a fleeting moment—barely a touch.
That was all.
And yet, she was out of breath.
Maybe it was because Rashiel was still close enough for his breath to reach her skin.
“……”
Rashiel, having pulled back, gazed at Elsez for a moment before quietly closing his eyes.
He looked, for an instant, like someone pained—struggling to hold back his emotions.
As he exhaled deeply, his throat moved with the force of swallowing the storm of feelings that had surged up inside him.
Her lips had been soft and sweet—like cotton candy.
He didn’t even like cotton candy.
But her lips—he could keep them in his mouth all day.
No—if he followed his instincts, he’d hold them, melt them down, and swallow them whole.
‘Even if you were a sweet poison, I would’ve gladly swallowed you.’
Rashiel suppressed the wild craving rising within him.
He didn’t want to be hated by her just because he lost control of his emotions.
‘…Slowly.’
So that you’ll grow used to me.
So that, in the end, you’ll want me too—I’ll approach you slowly.
His hand, which had been supporting the nape of her neck, finally dropped, like a lingering trace of regret.
After reigning in his feelings and opening his eyes again, Rashiel spoke in a low voice.
“When I return… I want to hear your answer.”
****
At dawn the next day, as Rashiel fastened his cufflinks, the Imperial vice captain came to see him.
“Everything is ready.”
Rashiel stepped out of the room with him.
In the empty hallway, only the sound of their footsteps echoed.
It was a time when the blue haze of night still lingered, and the world was still asleep.
And probably, Elsez too.
Once outside, a carriage waiting ahead came into view.
Just as Rashiel was about to board it, he paused.
The plan to capture Cedric and retake the palace had been mapped out perfectly. He wouldn’t be away long.
‘So why does it feel like something’s missing?’
As if he were leaving his heart behind.
It’s only a few days.
He had once waited three full years without knowing if she was dead or alive.
But now, even just a few days felt long.
Rashiel scoffed quietly at himself.
The attendant knight watching him asked curiously,
“Did you leave something behind? I can quickly retrieve it.”
Rashiel thought for a moment, then replied,
“No, nothing.”
Just as he turned to step into the carriage—
In the quiet dawn of the temple, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed.
Rashiel turned toward the noise, and his eyes wavered.
There, running toward him with platinum hair fluttering like morning sunlight—was Elsez.
Panting for breath, Elsez came to a stop.
In the blue morning light, their eyes met.
Feeling a bit awkward about her sudden action, Elsez avoided his gaze, cleared her throat a few times, then looked back at him and spoke.
“I don’t think I got to say goodbye properly yesterday…”
“……”
“Come back safely, Rashiel.”
Rashiel stared at her in disbelief—then let out a small laugh.
“Yeah. I’ll be back.”
The lips that had been tense the whole time curved into a relaxed smile.
After saying goodbye, Rashiel climbed into the carriage.
The carriage soon departed.
Sigh.
Elsez sat on a nearby step, trying to catch her breath as she watched the carriage fade into the distance.
Thump. Thump.
The pounding of her heart from earlier still rang loudly in her ears.
*****
When Rashiel arrived in the Artez Empire via portal, Imperial knights were already waiting for him.
Among them stood his steward and a few nobles who supported Rinael.
‘Those red eyes…’
The nobles flinched involuntarily when they saw Rashiel’s eyes.
His vivid red irises reminded them of Cedric, who had currently seized the palace.
At the same time, they felt the instinctive pressure of royalty.
Sensing the emotions in their eyes, Rashiel instinctively touched his earring.
In that moment, he remembered what Elsez had once said:
“Still, if you’re okay with it… I hope you’ll live with your original eyes. Because I want to keep looking into them, just like now and always.”
A faint smile briefly crossed his lips as he lowered his hand from the earring.
I’m going to let go of the past and move forward.
With you.
Returning to his usual cold expression, he approached his steward and commanded,
“Gather the Tower’s mages.”
****
Haaaa…
Elsez, who had come to the dining hall for dinner, let out a deep sigh as she stared down at the untouched meal in front of her.
‘Damn it, all I’ve done all day is think about Rashiel!’
After seeing him off, she had intentionally packed her day with errands, hoping to avoid spacing out all day.
She met Henry and retrieved the bracelet, visited the guild and got the map to the Demon Cult’s hideout, and read through the borrowed book on the Holy Kingdom of Eurion.
But it was all pointless.
Even while eating, reading, or doing anything else—he kept flashing into her mind.
Even when Astaire confessed to her, she hadn’t been this conscious of him.
‘Astaire’s confession was just that—but with Rashiel…’
A kiss—well, more of a brief brush, but still—a kiss.
And not just any kiss… her first kiss!
‘When I get back, I want to hear your answer.’
That memory suddenly resurfaced, making her cheeks flush hot.
‘An answer… I don’t even know what I want to say.’
It was a question he had left with her—a difficult one.
After clutching her head for a bit, Elsez decided to not think about it anymore—at least for today.
‘I’ve got the bracelet, the map’s ready… Should I just storm the hideout tonight?’
That way she could keep her mind off things—and strike first before they made any moves.
Reti, watching Elsez’s increasingly intense expression, asked suspiciously,
“Did you fight with that guy yesterday?”
“I told you—it wasn’t like that.”
“Then who did you fight with?”
Just as Elsez was responding to Reti’s question, a familiar voice cut in.
Standing across from them was Tezette.
Elsez flinched when she saw him set his food down in front of her.
‘Today’s not the day I want to see anyone…’
Especially not one of the three people connected to Rashiel.
“I said it wasn’t a fight—”
Before Elsez could reflexively deny it, Reti trotted over to Tezette and tattled.
“That mage guy came by last night. They must’ve fought.”
“…With him?”
Tezette’s eyes grew subtly cold at Reti’s words.
Completely missing the change in atmosphere, Reti kept chattering.
“Yup. After seeing him, she couldn’t sleep or eat, and just kept sighing all day.”
Elsez was horrified at Reti for spilling everything.
‘All because I gave you a few cookies the other day, and you betray me like this?!’
She quickly grabbed Reti and stuffed her into her inner pocket before she could say anything worse, then turned to Tezette to explain.
“We didn’t fight. We just… talked. I was worried about him going alone on this mission.”
Tezette silently stared at her.
In truth, he had witnessed Elsez seeing Rashiel off that morning.
He didn’t know what had happened between them the night before, but it was obvious Rashiel was occupying her thoughts.
And it bothered him—deeply.
Without saying much, Tezette fiddled with his table knife, then finally asked,
“You free this evening?”
****
Back in her room, Elsez pulled out a light coat.
Reti bounced excitedly over her shoulders and head, clearly in high spirits.
“Dessert! Yum!”
A little earlier, Tezette had invited her to go out for dessert.
After agreeing to meet later with summer coats on, Elsez had returned to her room.
‘I’m not even that into sweets, really.’
But when someone suggests it, she tends to go along. And Reti seemed excited for once, so she thought—why not?
‘And… when I’m with someone else, I stop thinking about him.’
After putting on her coat and tying her hair up again, Elsez was ready to go.
Just as she was about to head out, her eyes landed on the tracker sitting on the desk.
‘Henry said he’d be laying low until the trial. Should I just leave it?’
She hesitated briefly—then set the tracker back down.
Just then—
Beep!
The tracker emitted a sharp signal.
Elsez picked it up again.
Inside the display, the marker showing Priest Baylor’s location blinked— He was leaving the temple.
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