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chapter 41
This man’s body resembled a great boulder.
Broad shoulders, a firm chest, and abs carved in detail—everything about him was solid as stone.
And yet, his touch was endlessly tender and gentle, and the contrast brought her indescribable ecstasy.
Ruviana embraced Elion, spreading her legs and opening herself to him.
The heavy fullness that entered her sent shivers racing through her.
“Ha, ahh… Elion…!”
The thrusting and withdrawing of his body made her feel as if her soul would scatter.
Their lips pressed together, tongues entwined.
With the physical stimulation of their bodies and the magical resonance layered atop it, Ruviana experienced a pleasure beyond compare.
She couldn’t keep her mind straight.
She wished this moment would last forever.
No tomorrow, no future—just to remain trapped in this moment eternally.
Everything else felt meaningless compared to this union with Elion.
Her past life, her possession of this novel world, even the heroine’s role—all seemed trivial now.
“Haa… ahhh!”
The thrusts against her sensitive core grew harsher, and Ruviana let out fevered moans.
Her waist arched, toes curled.
The two bodies, tangled and moving without pause, reached their climax together like a bolt of lightning striking down.
Explosive cries and burning heat filled the room.
They embraced, gasping for breath, until both their air and magic had been spent.
Their night continued until nothing remained.
Early dawn.
A strange sensation made Elion open his eyes. What he saw made him swallow hard.
‘This… how…?’
Ruviana lay sleeping peacefully in his arms, breathing softly.
And then, the memories of last night came crashing back.
How his body, bound by surging magic, had relentlessly sought hers.
It had been his first time, awkward and unfamiliar, yet he couldn’t stop.
‘Madman. Beast.’
If reason could not rein in instinct, then he was no different from an animal.
He couldn’t forgive himself.
No matter how unstable his magic was, no matter how intoxicating her touch felt, there were still lines that should not have been crossed.
“Mm… mmm…”
But as he berated himself, Ruviana stirred, snuggling closer into his chest.
The soft, warm feel of her bare skin against his made his heart pound wildly.
Her shallow breaths heated his chest.
‘It’s all because of the magic.’
She was pressing closer in her sleep because of it. And he… was reacting because of it.
If he held her any longer, he feared he’d lose control again.
Gritting his teeth, Elion carefully shifted, trying to pull away.
But perhaps because of the strong magical pull—
Ruviana clung to his arm tightly, refusing to let go.
‘Is her body reacting more honestly while she sleeps?’
Defeated, Elion stopped moving and gazed down at her face.
Seeing her so calm and peaceful, his own heartbeat steadied.
It was the first time in his life—
Sharing a bed with someone.
Spending a night in such heat.
Feeling comfort with someone pressed against him, with no distance in between.
It was something he had never wished for, never even imagined.
‘What nonsense. It’s all just the tricks of magic.’
A bitter smile escaped him.
Yet somewhere deep in his consciousness, a thought whispered—
What if the tricks of magic could last a little longer?
If his incomplete body, leaking magic from the rift between flesh and soul, would remain incomplete forever…
If the descendant of dragons and newly awakened Swordmaster, whose body overflowed with unstable magic, would remain forever unstable…
Wouldn’t that mean this contract with her could last forever too?
That they could continue to share magic every day, living like this?
‘You really are insane.’
Shaking his head at his own absurd thoughts, Elion pressed a hand to his forehead.
He had to leave the bed. He had to get away from Ruviana.
But bathed in moonlight, glowing faintly, she held his gaze captive.
Silver hair, translucent skin.
All pale and white, except for her small, rosy lips.
His eyes fixed on those slightly parted lips.
A wave of desire surged.
He wanted to kiss those fragile lips, to pour his magic through them.
He wanted to invade her mouth, claim it, make her submit.
He wanted to make her laugh, and make her cry.
‘Utter madness. Truly.’
The moment her grip on his arm loosened, Elion pulled away.
He threw on his robe in haste and fled the bedroom.
Distance—he needed distance.
He was dangerous. He had always been, since the day he was born. That’s why he was always alone.
Ruviana could never truly want someone like him.
And the Empress would never leave her alone anyway.
Surely, even now, the Empress’s snake-like gaze was watching Ruviana and her family carefully.
Ruviana had slept so deeply she didn’t even dream.
In all her past and present life, she had never rested so well.
Yawning lazily, she opened her eyes.
“Huh?”
An unfamiliar ceiling. Unfamiliar sheets.
Startled, she sat upright.
“Where… am I?”
The moment of confusion didn’t last long.
She remembered where she was and everything that had happened last night.
Her lips parted weakly.
“Ah…!”
It felt like all the blood in her body had evaporated.
Her hands and feet turned icy cold.
‘Oh my god… I—I slept with Elion…! My first night! My chastity! Ahhh…!’
And worse—she remembered everything. Every detail of how wildly she had lost herself.
She had clung desperately, not even knowing what she was doing.
Elion had wanted her, and she had wanted him—more than anything else in the world.
She remembered crying out his name over and over, a name she could never speak so freely when in her right mind.
She remembered clutching at his hard body as if her life depended on it.
Clutching her head in her hands, she groaned.
‘I… I slept with Elion…! Impossible! I must have been possessed!’
The memory of how she had been consumed by desire felt like a humiliating black mark in her life.
It was all because of that wretched magic.
She wanted to tear the memory out, erase it entirely.
‘Maybe I should just pretend it never happened. Act like I don’t know. Yes—that’s it!’
Yes, that was the way.
She leapt up, hurrying to dress.
Thank goodness Elion wasn’t here.
She had to escape before he returned.
She’d figure out what to do next later.
She pulled on her undergarments, her chemise, then layered her skirts and began struggling into her dress.
There were too many layers.
Her nervous hands fumbled, her legs kept tangling in her skirts, making her stumble again and again.
And then—
“You weren’t planning to run away, were you?”
“Kyaa!”
His sudden voice made her shriek.
Ruviana looked up with a face that was nearly in tears.
Elion stood there, fresh from a bath.
He wore only a bathrobe, water dripping from his damp hair.
Through the loosely tied robe, his bare torso was revealed.
Across his solid chest were red scratch marks.
Her own fingernail marks.
The memory of making them surged back, and her face flushed hot.
She had clung to him, crying out in ecstasy.
Begging breathlessly for more, more…
‘Ugh… no…!’
The shame was unbearable.
Turning her head quickly so he wouldn’t see her trembling face, she heard his soft voice.
“Lady, about last night—”
“That was just… just an exchange of magic, wasn’t it? Nothing more!”
Cutting him off, Ruviana nearly shouted.
Yes, it had been the work of magic.
They had both been intoxicated, lost to reason, consumed by each other.
It hadn’t mattered who the other person was.
She had only wanted to fill her lacking magic. He had only wanted to vent his overflowing magic.
That was all.
There had been no affection, not even a gram. Of course not.
“…Yes. You’re right.”
After a pause, Elion nodded slowly.
A shadow darkened his brows.
With a wry twist of his lips, he murmured in a low voice:
“You’re right, my lady. It was just an exchange of magic.”
“…”
“Thanks to you, my body has completely recovered. Thank you.”
“…I’m grateful too. Then, I’ll take my leave.”
Ruviana bowed hurriedly and turned to flee, but his voice caught her again.
“I already sent a letter to the Count’s estate. You’ll be leaving after breakfast.”
“…Ah.”
A shadow fell across her face.
Her plan to escape the scene as quickly as possible had collapsed completely.
