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Chapter 9
“Hmm, hmm…….”
Ranseil, who had been clearing his throat while glancing away, spoke again with his face flushed red.
“You haven’t even told me your name.”
“Is that important?”
“Then… it’s not important?”
His voice trembled heavily. His expression looked like he might completely lose his mind at any moment. She had assumed they would part ways soon anyway, so was it really such a shock not to have exchanged names?
Well, it wasn’t impossible to tell him. But should she say “Seo Ji-woo”? The people here couldn’t even pronounce her name properly.
It had already been a long time since she last heard it spoken. In fact, even recalling the name “Seo Ji-woo” now felt strangely unfamiliar.
So Ji-woo chose a name she was more used to here.
“…Call me Akarna.”
“Akarna?”
“Yes.”
“Akarna… I thought you disliked me because of how I acted at first. And moreover… in a place like this…….”
Ranseil stood in front of Ji-woo, straightening his hair and checking his clothes. Perhaps because of everything that had happened, their proper introduction had been delayed. But she didn’t understand why he needed to dress up like this—he was already handsome without it.
Besides, “a place like this”? Did introductions require a proper setting?
He stepped closer and held out his hand. Thinking he intended to help her up, Ji-woo took it.
“It is an honor to receive your choice.”
But instead of pulling her up, he drew her hand closer and kissed the back of it.
“…Ah.”
It happened so quickly she couldn’t even react.
Then Ranseil, who had been staring blankly at her, gently held her cheek and closed the distance without hesitation. Their lips met in an instant.
A sweet scent surrounded her.
A fragrance from his neck—sweet like honey.
“Mm!”
Startled, Ji-woo reflexively pushed him away.
Ranseil staggered back, his eyes wavering. He looked a little hurt.
“Why? Did you change your mind?”
“…Huh?”
Her face turned bright red like an apple. He was speaking as if she had been the one to initiate it.
“W-when did I—?”
She stopped herself mid-sentence.
Ever since she had touched his ear, he had been acting strangely. He had panicked and asked what kind of woman would do such things. And there were very few actions that could provoke that kind of reaction.
So that’s what it meant?
Not even telling him her name—he had taken that as a reproach, as something between people who were flirting or rejecting each other. After all, you wouldn’t kiss someone whose name you didn’t even know.
Ji-woo waved her hands quickly.
“N-no, I… I didn’t mean it like that.”
It wasn’t like that. She had only touched his ear to treat his torn one.
As she hesitated, Ranseil suddenly deflated.
“…Did you dislike it?”
His eyes drooped, and his thick eyelashes cast a deep shadow over his face.
“I… I suppose I don’t look like your kind. I’m not particularly attractive among my own kind either, and… my scent isn’t very good…….”
“No!”
Not good scent? That was impossible. He had the best fragrance she had ever encountered in her life.
Maybe that was just how his kind was. Maybe among them, his scent was considered inferior. But even so, it was pleasant to her. His saliva had tasted like honey.
And as for him being “not attractive”—that was even harder to accept. He did look unusual, but that was only because of his rare hair and eye color. From the moment she saw him, she had thought he was objectively handsome.
Seeing him grow more and more dejected, Ji-woo hurriedly said,
“…It was good.”
“Really?”
Ranseil visibly relaxed.
“Even if it’s a lie, thank you.”
“It’s not a lie. You’re really handsome.”
“Really?”
“And your scent is good, and sweet, and—mm!”
Once again, Ranseil kissed her.
His soft tongue brushed her lips, slipping inside and intertwining with hers. Sweet saliva filled her mouth. Ji-woo froze, both hands still raised.
Only then did she realize how easily her words could be misunderstood. When she said his scent was good, he had taken it as praise for the kiss itself.
“Haa.”
“Mm……”
Their lips parted briefly, then met again. Even in that short pause, Ji-woo couldn’t bring herself to push him away. She had missed her chance to correct the misunderstanding, and the situation itself was too overwhelming.
Honestly, Ranseil wasn’t very skilled at kissing. Ji-woo had spent five years with a crown prince who was experienced in such things, so it was natural she would feel that way.
Her relationship with the crown prince had been rather rough. Aleph, strong both in body and stamina like a man who had lived on battlefields, tended to become intense when his emotions rose. Ji-woo often couldn’t keep up and would fall asleep from exhaustion.
At first, Aleph had been gentle, but as time passed, he became rougher. Even if he restrained himself in other things because Ji-woo couldn’t handle it, kissing was not one of them.
Kissing him always felt like being bitten. It was breathless and hard to follow, but it also brought its own kind of pleasure, and because he liked it, Ji-woo had gradually gotten used to it.
But Ranseil’s kiss was far too gentle. It didn’t carry that sharp, overwhelming stimulation.
Instead, it made her chest feel oddly ticklish.
Even when his tongue gently explored her mouth, he would pause when his breathing grew rough, resting his lips softly against hers before teasing her lower lip again. When she opened her mouth, his warm tongue would slip inside once more. Each time their saliva mixed, it brought a sweet, calming sensation rather than excitement.
“Fuu…….”
His tongue slowly withdrew. Their foreheads touched. Their shared breaths were warm and fragrant.
“Can I continue?”
“…Ah.”
This was her chance to refuse. But Ji-woo froze again as she met his blue eyes.
By the time he kissed her again, she still hadn’t said anything.
She had always thought this kind of thing was unrelated to pleasure. But contrary to her expectations, the ticklish sensation was steadily turning into something like pleasure.
Ranseil’s hand began to gently touch her ear again. His rough, calloused fingers brushed her earlobe and traced its shape. The gentle touch eased the tension in her body.
Even though it was a cautious touch, goosebumps rose on her skin. Now she understood why touching the ear could be considered something intimate or suggestive to his kind.
“Mm……”
When his hand became bolder, stroking her neck and the sensitive skin beneath, Ji-woo let out a small involuntary sound.
When she felt his hand tug at her collar, she was slightly shocked—not because of his touch, but because she suddenly thought of the crown prince.
There had been a time when she poured all her feelings into him, never expecting her love to be returned. She had once found it beautiful that the crown prince desired her in that way—that he poured his passion into her, unable to restrain his intensity when he saw her. Even while struggling to keep up with his rough affection, she had felt pleasure, and thought that this was what love looked like.
He loves me that much. That’s why he can’t control his feelings.
I am loved that much.
But… was that just an illusion? Pleasure could exist even without such desperate emotions.
Just like now, with Ranseil.
“I owe you my life. Since you chose me, my life belongs entirely to you from now on.”
“Ugh……”
At Ranseil’s unmistakably romantic words, Ji-woo suddenly felt tears well up. Sensing something was wrong, Ranseil immediately pulled back.
“Why? No—I’m sorry.”
And even though he couldn’t possibly understand the situation, he apologized anyway.
“Did I do something wrong? As I said before, it’s my first time meeting a human……”
No. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Ji-woo simply hated herself for thinking of the crown prince even in a moment like this.
Even when receiving a gentle kiss like a spring breeze, even when being treated with such tenderness, her body—accustomed to roughness—still thought of him.
It would have been better when she had tried not to think at all, when she had been numb enough to feel nothing. Now that she could live a little, his presence filled her mind again.
It hurt.
Ji-woo silently let tears fall.
“…Akarna.”
Thinking she was rejecting his touch, Ranseil panicked, unsure what to do.
Drip. Drip.
It was as if the sky wanted to hide her tears. Dark clouds rumbled, and rain began to fall.
Ranseil looked up and clicked his tongue.
“Let’s find shelter first, alright?”
His long ears perked up, the tips trembling.
“There’s somewhere nearby. Come on.”
Ji-woo obediently allowed herself to be held. But her tears still would not stop.
Ranseil, unaware of her situation, didn’t know whether to feel relieved or worried.
