🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 63
Zephyrus’ firm voice.
Even in her ears, ringing and overwhelmed by heat, his voice carried clearly.
It sounded almost like he was cheering her on, telling her not to give up.
“I’ll… do my best too.”
Clemens closed her eyes, pressed against Zephyrus’ chest.
For some reason, it felt suffocating. Her nose tingled.
She didn’t quite know what this emotion was.
But one thing was certain:
She would never forget being held in this cool, unexpectedly solid embrace.
Fwoosh—
The heat flickered in response to her emotions. Realizing she had to calm herself again, Clemens exhaled slowly, deliberately.
“Clemens.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t push yourself this far next time.”
He meant she shouldn’t sacrifice her body like that.
“It’s unfair…”
“Unfair?”
Zephyrus’ hands gripping her back tightened.
But Clemens truly felt wronged.
It was true that she had released heat with all her strength, but she hadn’t expected to completely lose control.
She had never lost control before, and it was the first time she had fainted.
‘The heat… it’s much stronger now.’
Of course, as her body grew, so did her heat.
It seemed her heat always grew in proportion to her strength—just enough for her body to bear.
But this time was different.
She couldn’t handle it.
‘It’s too long to explain right now.’
It hurt.
Clemens held Zephyrus’ hands tightly with both of hers.
A silent message: don’t lecture me—just help suppress this heat.
“We’ll talk later.”
Zephyrus closed his eyes and focused.
Gradually, the flames began to subside.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the village.
Those watching Clemens engulfed in flames, with Zephyrus inside the fire, stood open-mouthed in disbelief.
“What… who are they?”
“They look exactly like the previous Grand Duke…”
“They passed by so fast. Did you even see that?”
“Silver hair, right? And pure white… so beautiful.”
“……”
The villagers murmured among themselves and came to one conclusion.
“Isn’t that the Grand Duke?”
“Yeah! Wasn’t he carried by that knight?”
“Commander of the Azure Knights!”
“Then it really… is the Grand Duke?”
Flare! As if affirming their thoughts, the flames surged even higher.
And—
Whoosh!
An enormous gust of wind. Stronger than a typhoon. But it wasn’t ordinary wind.
One side was icy enough to feel like it would strip flesh from bone. The other side hot enough to melt it.
Wind with extreme temperatures collided wildly in the same space.
Every time the fire tried to expand and the cold tried to suppress it, an unreal spectacle unfolded.
The blazing flames froze white, then released massive amounts of steam, evolving.
Eventually, the fire overcame the cold and exploded outward.
A scene that could not be explained by ordinary human power.
“Wow… what is even happening…”
“Good that the avalanche was avoided… right?”
“Clemens… are you alright?”
“Suddenly, such formal address…”
It was impossible for the onlookers to perceive Clemens and Zephyrus as ordinary humans.
“They… have to do this, don’t they?”
They could only nod in agreement.
“Step back… further.”
The area repeatedly froze and boiled, expanding their influence.
The villagers didn’t think to escape—they just watched in awe, imagining how fiercely these two opposing forces were battling.
The flames visibly shrank.
“Wait! Step back! Ah, damn it!”
Gwen sensed the ferocity in the compressed fire.
Sure enough.
The concentrated flames rode the wind, reaching the villagers.
Gwen swung his sword to block the flames, but he couldn’t stop all the sparks spreading simultaneously.
“Those who still have strength, put out the fire first!”
“I’ll go!”
Normally, snow would prevent the fire from surviving.
But now, the pressure from Clemens and Zephyrus was splitting even the clouds.
Fortunately, the fires generated by Clemens’ heat extinguished while they worked.
Which meant…
“Your Grace!”
The silhouettes of Clemens and Zephyrus appeared just as Gwen rushed forward.
“Wait, Gwen.”
Zephyrus, pale as a ghost, stopped Gwen.
“First, take off your clothes.”
“Huh?”
“Take them off.”
“Yes.”
Without asking why, Gwen quickly removed his top.
“Throw it.”
“Yes.”
Zephyrus wrapped Clemens with the clothing.
He tried to lift her, staggering slightly.
“Your Grace!”
“It’s fine. I’ve got this.”
Zephyrus was exhausted.
It had been hard.
His clothes had burned halfway away, and his vision blurred as if he might faint.
Yet he wanted to take full responsibility for Clemens.
Despite staggering, Zephyrus didn’t let go.
Slowly, no matter how long it took, he carried Clemens into the castle and successfully laid her down.
“……”
Gwen quietly caught him as he collapsed beside Clemens.
“Everyone, keep your distance. You’ll freeze.”
Even Gwen’s arm, touching Zephyrus, began to freeze.
Both were bare-skinned, so it happened faster.
“Ugh, I really hate the cold.”
Since Zephyrus had placed Clemens on his own bed, Gwen tucked him in right next to her, covering them both with a blanket.
“You’ve done well, Your Grace.”
And Clemens too.
Clemens opened her eyes.
The last thing she remembered was Zephyrus’ moist silver eyes.
‘What happened? Did Master stop it safely? How long was I unconscious? This… looks like Master’s room.’
As she slowly moved, regaining her senses—
“Mm…”
A groan came from beside her.
“Master?”
Zephyrus was sweating.
Pale, yet somehow even more refined and beautiful than usual—she admired him for a brief moment.
‘This isn’t the time.’
Seeing the area near the bed damp, it seemed the ice had melted from her heat along with sweat.
“Master… please get up.”
Placing her hand gently on his forehead, she felt his high temperature. Her own heat wasn’t particularly helpful now.
Bringing Iris would be the most reliable solution.
He suddenly sat up, causing the blanket to slip and brush his bare skin.
“Ah.”
But Clemens didn’t care that he wasn’t wearing a top.
She only felt discomfort that she couldn’t quickly leave.
‘I need clothes before I go out.’
She used the tablecloth from the nightstand to roughly cover her chest and moved toward the door.
There, her clothes were laid out.
“Ah, just as I thought.”
Since she had entered the mansion, Gwen, Rosia, and the matriarch must have known about Clemens and Zephyrus.
They wouldn’t enter recklessly, so some thin clothing would be left under the door.
Thankfully, she was right.
It was a thick northern coat, essentially a white slip, but it was enough.
Still, anyone seeing her would be startled, so she would likely change in the next room.
Clemens donned the slip and returned to Zephyrus’ side.
“I’ll bring the doctor soon. Just wait a little.”
She tried to wipe Zephyrus’ sweat with her sleeve.
But—snap—her wrist was grabbed.
“Master?”
“Cl… Clemens?”
Zephyrus’ half-open eyes were still unfocused.
“Yes. It’s Clemens.”
“Are you alright? Even after moving like that?”
“Of course. I’m healthy.”
“What about your injuries?”
His hoarse, just-awoken voice carried only concern for Clemens, even though it was clearly his own body that wasn’t well.
“I’m fine. My wounds heal quickly since childhood. This will too. Think about yourself, Master. Isn’t this too much?”
“Yes. If you’re okay, that’s enough.”
He sighed quietly and shifted his body. As he turned, the blanket slipped slightly, revealing his pale shoulder.
There were burn-like wounds.
“Oh!”
“Why?”
“Because of me, right?”
Clemens gently traced the edges of his wounds as if to soothe them.
