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Chapter 27
“Earlier, I thought you hurt your hand. Are you alright?”
“…What?”
El had never hurt her hand. But Baron Trevel had already taken her hand and was inspecting it carefully.
It felt hard to reject his show of concern, and she thought he would let go soon enough, so El simply waited in silence.
“You must have suffered a lot. Having to watch your superior’s mood, all while swallowing the nasty words of the nobles.”
Something about his tone made El uneasy.
When she tried to politely pull her hand away, Trevel blatantly kneaded it.
“I feel like I could comfort you in a way that no one else can. What do you say? Surely even your master wouldn’t do this for you.”
Trevel’s filthy, slimy smile made El’s face harden. Dim lights, an isolated corner. No sign of anyone else.
“Baron. Let go of my hand.”
When El shook her hand off roughly, it seemed only to excite him.
This time, he didn’t even bother to hide his true intent and grabbed both of El’s wrists tightly.
“Let go!”
“I’m curious—what kind of skill makes even the mighty Duke so helpless? Why don’t you help me find out?”
“You filthy bastard—!”
“Haha, you became a noble by whispering in bed, didn’t you?”
“Shut up!”
El struggled desperately, but with both arms seized, resistance was meaningless.
Trevel pressed his body against hers, grinning lecherously.
“From earlier, I kept feeling a pull down below, you know.”
El’s eyes widened in horror, and she was about to kick him—
“Funny. I felt four of mine pull at once.”
A low, languid voice.
Trevel’s eyes went wide—and then, suddenly, his body collapsed helplessly.
El lowered her gaze in shock. Trevel was already dead, spewing blood.
“El. Come here.”
Karon wiped his sword clean and extended a hand toward her. El stared blankly at that hand before finally placing her own in it.
It was warm. He was always the one to reach out to her.
“Karon… sir…”
“Yes. Let’s go back.”
He pulled her gently toward him, but El drew back instead.
“I’m dirty.”
“He was the dirty one. It’s fine. I had every intention of killing him someday. Looks like today was the day.”
“No. My… dress.”
El looked down at her blue dress, soaked in blood.
“Hmm. I’d lend you mine, but mine’s also stained.”
Karon frowned slightly; his own clothes were already spattered with blood.
El’s dazed eyes followed the dark stains across his coat.
“Karon, sir.”
“Yes.”
“You once said you would give me the world.”
Her voice sounded unhinged, as if something had come loose.
“Yes.”
“I truly respect you. I worship you.”
“I know.”
“So… this isn’t anything strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Would you… kiss me?”
If God kissed her, she felt she might finally escape her worthlessness as a human.
Because a god’s kiss was an act of granting new life.
El was utterly in panic now. She just needed something—anything—to cling to. Tears welled up in her eyes.
If he didn’t reject her, if he accepted her as she was, she might finally feel at peace.
“Here?”
Karon looked around. A corpse lay at their feet, blood splattered across the ground. Hardly a fitting place for a kiss.
But then—
“Uhh… ngh…”
At the sound of muffled sobs beside him, Karon turned his head quickly.
El was covering her mouth with both hands, unable to stop crying.
Karon raked his hand roughly through his hair.
“Damn it. Fine. Forget it. Come with me.”
He lifted her up and strode out of the garden.
A servant, seeing the Duke’s bloodstained clothes, gasped and collapsed in fright. Clearly, someone had once again lost their life.
Within the Duchy, the Duke was law itself. If he witnessed a crime among his own vassals, carrying out immediate execution was no issue.
“Fetch the carriage.”
“Y-yes!”
The servant scrambled up and ran off.
Soon, the Peyros family’s carriage pulled up at the gate. The coachman, startled by the Duke’s state, rushed to open the door.
“M-my lord! What on earth—”
“We’re going back.”
“Yes, understood! I’ll drive as fast as possible.”
Karon climbed into the carriage, still holding El.
Only after it departed did she exhale softly. Away from the banquet, her tension finally eased.
“It wasn’t an important event anyway, El. It was just to introduce you.”
He adjusted her in his arms, clumsily trying to console her. That was probably the best comfort he could offer.
But El’s expression remained dark.
“I ruined everything.”
“They ruined it, not you.”
“No…”
Her drained voice trailed off as she leaned her head against his chest.
Karon’s brow twitched, as if displeased.
“I don’t like that look one bit.”
“…”
“In a few days, I have to inspect the territory. I only brought you tonight to let people in the Duchy see your face first.”
“I see.”
El already seemed absent, spiritless.
Karon, not knowing why irritation welled inside him, brushed her hair distractedly. Her neatly arranged hair from the party was now in disarray.
“El. Look at me.”
“…”
At his firm voice, she slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze. Their eyes filled with nothing but each other.
Karon lifted her chin slightly and spoke low.
“I’m going to kiss you. If you don’t want it, turn away.”
“…”
El said nothing—she only looked up at him silently.
“Damn it. I feel like I’m committing a sin.”
He cursed harshly, then tilted his head and kissed her softly.
The tender brush of lips made El’s shoulders tremble. Had anything ever touched her with such care before?
Before she could think further, Karon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him.
Their breaths tangled; their bodies grew hot.
The new sensation brought tears to the corners of her eyes.
“El.”
His voice cracked as he said her name, low and rough, resonating through her whole being.
“Haah…”
“El. El. More.”
“Ahh…”
He pressed her harder.
El couldn’t resist the rising tide of sensation, tears spilling as her eyes fluttered open and shut.
The black eyes before her were fierce and all-consuming, as though they would devour everything.
She wished he would swallow her whole. She would gladly give herself to him.
A kiss without promises, unlike one between lovers, was even more desperate—like the plea of someone praying for salvation they could never reach.
“El…”
“Mm… ahh…”
“Breathe.”
“Hhh…”
Her ragged breaths turned into sobs.
If only he would steal even her breath.
If she could close her eyes in this overwhelming embrace, that would be enough.
But the dream ended—the lips, the warmth, the scent of him all receded in turn.
Still, she could not ask for more. He had already given her too much.
El lowered her head.
“I told you—turn away if you didn’t want it.”
Karon’s voice was low as his gaze lingered on her damp lips.
“Th-thank you.”
“…”
El quickly slid off his lap and sat opposite him. Forcing a trembling smile, she said:
“Thanks to you, I think my head’s clearer now. Really, thank you. I’ll make sure to repay this debt—”
“A debt to repay, huh.”
His languid murmur was dangerous, almost seductive.
El clenched her hands tightly on her knees, eyes lowered.
“…You always grant my requests.”
“Then can you grant mine as well?”
“Yes. Anything.”
“Then close your eyes.”
“…What?”
“Because I’m going to kiss you again.”
Karon rose slightly, bracing a hand against the wall behind her. With the other, he cupped her face and kissed her again, deeper this time.
Unlike the first, this kiss was greedy, insistent—as if he would consume her entirely.
“El. I want your life.”
“I’ll give it.”
“I want you to sink into the mire in my place.”
“I will.”
Her answer came without a hint of hesitation. Karon let out a strange, bitter laugh, pressing his forehead against hers.
Their foreheads burned with heat. El’s whole body felt aflame, ready to vanish—like his desire itself had set her alight.
He wet his lips with his tongue. He had never felt such fullness, such satisfaction.
“El. Let’s make a deal.”
“There’s no need for a deal. Just command me.”
“No. I want it to be a deal. That way, my heart is at ease.”
“I truly don’t mind anything.”
In her clear brown eyes, Karon saw the reflection of his own ugliness. He scoffed at himself and brushed another kiss on her lips.
“Even a loveless marriage?”
“…Marriage?”
Her eyes wavered for an instant. Karon gave a faint, knowing smile.
El repeated his words over and over in her mind, flustered.
A loveless marriage meant a political one. Was he saying he would wed her to another noble family for alliance?
She couldn’t refuse anything Karon asked, but the thought of leaving this mansion was more unbearable than death itself.
She could nod to giving her life, but to that last request—she couldn’t bring herself to answer with certainty.
Karon gazed at her in silence before laughing softly.
“It’s fine, El. You’re human, after all.”
But his eyes didn’t smile.
It felt like a clear line had been drawn between them.
(To be continued…)
