DBOFS 38

Chapter 38

It might have been a sign that the monstrous bastard was finally dying, but the man wasn’t someone who had lived his life thinking optimistically.

“Recently, His Excellency has been especially ruthless with spies…”

As a result, information from the Godwin territory wasn’t being relayed as swiftly as before.

It wasn’t anything new. Planting spies in each other’s households and keeping watch had become routine.

“Contact the Magic Tower.”

A signal from a magic device, different from before. The predecessor duke reacting in a way he never had.

“Check if that monster is still securely contained.”

Could all this be a coincidence?

“If not, then hold them accountable for sitting on their asses and being too damn slow to grasp the situation.”

The man sneered. If his suspicions were right…

“…Then bring me the things I mentioned before.”

He couldn’t just sit back and let it be, not if it involved his son.

“It’s time to fill that vacant successor’s seat.”

* * *

“Phew…”

Harris let out a slow breath. His heart was beating far too fast. His head wasn’t working right.

‘I’m angry. But why?’

His red lips curled into a bitter sneer.

Maybe it was because of his own inadequacy.

Even with his powers fully unleashed—no longer restricted—he hadn’t been able to properly utilize his abilities against the overwhelming force of the dragon-like beast.

‘And then, Jade showed up without a hint of fear.’

Harris closed his eyes tightly. That wasn’t just a memory—it was a certainty.

Otherwise, how else could he have regained control after being completely consumed by his powers?

But the moment he woke up, Jade was collapsing—and the girl in his arms was burning with fever once more.

“…I’m angry.”

Harris quietly looked down at Jade.

His gaze was blazing, in stark contrast to his cold expression.

When he realized how dangerously hot her body was, he had taken off running with her in his arms without a second thought.

Fortunately, the Godwin knights had just arrived and had horses. Without even asking permission, Harris had grabbed the nearest one.

‘L-Lord Harris! You’re back safely—His Excellency was—’

‘Shut up and get a doctor!’

Bam! The door slammed open. He bit his lip, and only after waiting a while did the doctor finally arrive.

‘T-There don’t seem to be any external injuries, but she may be suffering from extreme exhaustion after wandering the dungeon for over a month…’

‘A month?’

To him, it had only felt like a day or two at most, but outside the dungeon, more than a month had already passed.

‘Is it because the quest was called <The Castle Where Time Stood Still>?’

After the useless doctor left, Harris sat in silence for a long time until his forehead gently fell to rest beside Jade’s.

A familiar darkness loomed over his head.

The underground prison.

From the highest point of that place, a barely-there window let in a sliver of light.

In winter, snow. In autumn, fallen leaves. In summer, bugs and branches.

And in spring, sometimes flower petals would drift down.

Just like those petals, soft pink curls now spilled across the pillow.

As he had done in that prison, Harris slowly reached out.

He wanted to touch her.

That delicate, tiny petal. He wanted to feel it. To have it.

If he could touch it, hold it—then maybe, just maybe, he could be free. Maybe he could grasp something like that.

‘As if that’s possible.’

Harris laughed coldly.

Someone once said: those in hell dream of heaven. Because without imagining an escape, they can’t go on living.

It was true. Harris had thought, and thought again—endlessly.

That if he could escape this wretched prison, he’d be free.

That he’d claim everything he was meant to have. That he’d kill everyone who needed to die.

Then, returning to his rightful place, he’d reign and rule over all…

‘…That’s what I used to believe.’

Which is why he’d prepared for that day.

He’d read every book in the old castle, strengthened his body hanging from the iron bars, retrained himself in swordsmanship by tracing his distant memories.

He kept thinking. Constantly imagining.

A life after freedom. Revenge. Happiness. Abstract, distant concepts like the future.

He believed he could obtain them all after his escape.

“…”

But somewhere along the way, he had stopped imagining those things. Only revenge remained.

Harris idly toyed with the strands of hair flowing like petals.

And surprisingly, he finally felt it—that he had escaped hell.

Even though it had been a while since he broke free, whenever he closed his eyes and opened them again… he still half-believed it might all be a dream.

“…I still can’t reach it.”

Harris murmured quietly.

He should be free, but all the things he had once dreamed of while in prison still felt far away.

‘Is that why I’m angry?’

Anger.

The emotion that had propped him up, that had kept him alive when he would’ve rather died—it still hadn’t burned out, even outside the prison walls.

Looking at Jade with those fiery eyes, Harris muttered,

“…Is it because of the guiding?”

That you’re this sick.

Harris opened his mouth but stopped.

At some point, he had realized he’d been consumed by “emptiness.”

But the memories after that were fuzzy, like they had been smeared with black paint.

What he did recall in the blank spaces—was that sweet scent that shook his numbed senses, the warm heat. No matter how much he devoured it, it was never enough…

“Jade.”

Harris absentmindedly looked at her lips. Red, plump—and for some reason, slightly swollen. His ears burned.

His mouth moved on its own.

“You knew I was being consumed by my power, and you ran to save me?”

Using the guiding you claimed you couldn’t do?

“…Liar.”

Harris bit his lip. His heart pounded loudly.

Something massive—something he couldn’t understand or contain—was crashing inside him.

‘I can’t believe it.’

His instincts were screaming warnings.

The slave who claimed to be a prophet. The girl who insisted she wasn’t his bonded guide. Jade, who said she liked him…

‘I mustn’t trust her.’

Harris squeezed his eyes shut.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed the rising emotion.

His eyes stung, and even his breathing felt hot.

And then—

“…Ugh.”

Jade groaned faintly, drenched in cold sweat.

Gasp—Harris instinctively held his breath.

If she opened her eyes now—if those brilliant blue star-like eyes met his…

“…Lord Harris.”

If she called his name in that clear voice, and smiled at him like that—

“Why do you look like that?”

And if she held out her hand to him again…

“You’re awake.”

Thud. Harris stood up abruptly.

“Rest.”

He turned hastily, not even noticing when his leg hit the furniture.

‘I can’t trust this.’

I mustn’t trust it.

Following the siren in his head, Harris fled the room like he was running away.

He walked for a long while, unaware he was limping, before finally raising a hand to his face.

It was burning.

* * *

“Huh, what the heck?”

I mumbled, dumbfounded.

The first thing I saw after waking up was Harris.

As I blinked through my blurry vision, I thought, ‘Wow, every time I pass out and wake up, Harris is always there. That’s kinda amazing.’ Then I asked, “Lord Harris, what’s with your face?”

‘He must be tired.’

His face showed clear signs of exhaustion.

But oddly, he didn’t look worn out at all—in fact, the fatigue only made his decadent beauty even more intense. His gaze was sharper.

Add that to his chiseled jawline, straight nose, and slightly cracked red lips—

‘Seriously, he’s heaven-tier in looks…’

A breathtaking face. Really, when it comes to looks, my Harris is world-class.

‘This household has excellent eye-candy service. It’s a face gourmet’s paradise.’

But just when I was about to fully enjoy the view—

“You’re awake.”

Harris shot up and said, “Then rest,” before suddenly storming out.

“…W-Wait a minute!”

Where do you think you’re going?!

But before I could say anything, the door slammed shut.

“What the heck?”

I blinked, stunned.

Excuse me? Is that how you treat someone who just ran herself half to death to guide you back?

‘Well, I mean, Pedro did most of the running.’

And the guiding too… I’m still not sure if that really was guiding…

“But still! It worked, didn’t it?!”

Generous as always to myself, I rationalized it quickly. What matters isn’t the process—it’s the result!

“Result…”

I absently touched my lips. They were still slightly swollen with a lingering heat. And from that heat—

“…!”

A scorching, intense kiss.

‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God~!!’

I screamed into the pillow.

“AHHH! GYAAAAAH!”

‘That was literally my first kiss in my entire life!!’

And what a kiss it was.

Sure, it had been sudden and I couldn’t breathe—but to be honest, it was amazing.

Heat had surged through my whole body, my mind had gone completely blank. Just remembering it made my face burn.

‘I don’t have experience to compare, but… that was definitely my best kiss ever.’

Haah. I let out a sigh without realizing it.

That sinful face, that sexy, drowsy voice, that ridiculously fit body—and now he’s even a good kisser…!

“Wow, Harris. You really have it all.”

I muttered as I pressed my burning cheeks with the back of my hand.

“Wrong genre for someone like you…”