DBOFS 83

Chapter 83

What is this?

Harris was frozen, unable to fully comprehend the situation.

But then, the warmth that suddenly touched his body made his lips part involuntarily, and the breath he had been holding escaped.

Only then did Harris realize his world.

“Ah.”

It’s Jade.

My one and only Jade. She had rushed to him as if throwing herself, wrapping him in an embrace.

To someone who had done things people might call monstrous, she clung to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“…….”

Somehow, it felt unreal. Harris felt as if opening his mouth would make this illusion vanish, and he froze, pale as snow.

“I was really, really scared. Waaaaah!”

But Jade was not the same.

In the urgency of the situation, her suppressed emotions erupted as soon as she met Harris, flooding out with tears.

‘It was seriously exhausting…!’

Even just staying up all night after meeting Camillo would have been enough reason to spend the day napping and lounging.

Yet, upon seeing Dymuard kidnapped, she jumped out the window in a panic and, not stopping there, even fought the kidnappers!

‘Ah, well, Camillo handled most of it….’

By the way, did Camillo land safely?

‘Judging by how calm she was even transforming mid-fall, she should be fine.’

She would have transformed into a human who could survive a high fall.

Anyway, the shock of sending even one person to the Lord was enormous.

Especially because it seemed like this was only the beginning, not the end.

On top of that, the flying monster was beaten and fell, Jade met the talking tree “Danyren Kuset,” and even discovered her true heritage—that she was a real fairy, not just a half-fairy.

‘…She’s going to die of overwork, seriously!’

And through all of that, Harris had been absent.

Though the start involved almost being killed, Jade relied on Harris more than anyone else in this world.

The only person who truly recognized that she was an alien in this world, having come from somewhere else.

‘Harris.’

Just being apart from him made her feel like she had fallen into a foreign land alone, unable to communicate.

Especially since the situation with Larega was turning dangerous!

‘Everyone’s gone insane.’

On a human level, she felt sympathy and even thought she could make use of them as a substitute for Adrian, and since they were one of the Empire’s three great houses, their utility was high, so she had let them slide…

‘But this is really too much. What Larega caused this time has truly crossed the line!’

She had focused on rescuing Dymuard first, but as the situation calmed, her frustration surged.

‘Princess Irene, I’m really not letting this slide…!’

She had restrained herself before because of the age difference, but no more. She would strip away even their souls!

The Confucian girl Jade resolved: she would ruin them so badly that even the “Ring of Prosperity” couldn’t restore them!

“Ugh, our Harris is the best.”

Jade, who needed healing, nestled even more deeply into Harris’ unusually comforting embrace, rubbing her face against him.

“The Godwin dukes really have a problem in their DNA. From Norman Godwin to Princess Irene, everyone’s selfish and reckless!”

The previous dukes had clearly messed up raising their children.

Ah, of course, Harris had his tendencies too…

‘…But our Harris has been through so much first. Honestly, with what he’s gone through, self-defense is perfectly justified!’

Thinking of the abuse young Harris endured, it was amazing he had grown this strong!

Just as Jade lifted her head, fiercely shielding against intangible enemies, she flinched.

“Uh, there’s blood on your face…!”

Only then did she notice the dark red blood smeared across Harris’ pale face.

Jade had been crying uncontrollably when she first saw him, and her view had been blurry; she hadn’t properly assessed his condition.

His long eyelashes trembled from the shock, soaked with tears and splitting like a crown, clear bead-like tears falling.

“…Jade.”

Harris’ low voice called her name.

He had seen her cry many times before, knew how often and how well she cried.

Yet Harris couldn’t look away from the tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Thump, thump—

Heat surged in his stone-like heart. His tongue contracted, his mouth went dry.

He wanted to lick those beautiful tears she shed for him.

“Are, are you hurt?”

He swallowed his trembling voice, wanting to consume every drop.

His fingertips burned, and his breath grew hot with this desperate desire.

A wrong move, and he felt he might explode.

‘No.’

At least, not now.

The place, the situation, and most importantly, Jade’s body and mind weren’t ready.

So, he had to restrain himself…

Harris could not take his eyes off Jade, her wet eyes and full, red lips captivating him.

Desire overtook him, paralyzing his reason.

Whoosh—

A wind blew, carrying a uniquely sweet, enticing scent that engulfed him.

“…!”

Harris’ red eyes clouded again. His canine teeth tingled, and saliva pooled in his mouth.

The strong, seductive aroma seemed to intoxicate the girl before him, commanding him to sink his teeth into her flesh.

And as a person with abilities, his instincts could not resist this command.

Just as his control over his desires was about to break—

“Which crazy bastard…”

A sharp voice came from Jade.

“…?”

A familiar voice with an unfamiliar tone. The heat consuming Harris temporarily subsided.

Jade’s tear-streaked face had hardened fiercely.

“Which bastard dared, who dared hurt our Harris—ahh!”

Her eyes had gone wild.

She summoned a gun into her hand and glared around with blazing eyes.

‘Dare hurt our Harris? And his face, a national treasure?!’

While she was saving that arrogant Dymuard, Harris’ face got injured!

Unforgivable.

‘Lord, I will send another one up.’

They say the first is hard, but the second is easy. Jade glared with her gun ready, prepared to shoot without mercy.

“…….”

Everyone else gaped.

‘Who’s hurt?’

‘The only one hurt among all these monsters and corpses is that freak!’

‘And I bet that’s not even his blood…!’

But Jade’s murderous glare made any objections pointless.

“Jae, Jade.”

Another, scarier voice spoke first.

“I’m not hurt. That’s not my blood.”

“Ah….”

Harris’ calm reassurance brought Jade back to her senses, though her gaze remained guarded.

As if everyone had attacked him.

‘Who attacked who?!’

The onlookers were shocked, but Jade reached out to Harris’ cheek.

“Are you really not hurt?”

Her pale hand cautiously touched his cheek, checking if he was okay.

It was natural—she looked back at the crowd and saw many injured people.

‘And they all looked pale and terrified…’

The battle had been intense! Her worry surged again, and she whimpered.

It didn’t register in her mind that the pale, frightened faces watching were hers alone.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

And the fact that the one who had dominated the fierce battle like a monster was Harris, resting his face in Jade’s hand with his eyes closed.

“…Huh.”

The former duke laughed bitterly.

All this time, he had thought Harris had gone mad, and Jade was a tiny rabbit-like girl trying to keep this monstrous Harris on track.

But now he realized the real madness was elsewhere…

‘Are those two really okay together?’

While the former duke pondered too late, Harris closed his eyes and tilted his cheek into Jade’s touch.

A hand that did not disdain or hate him.

The small warmth melted over him.

However.

“…!”

Before he could lean more, Jade’s hand flinched. Harris opened his crimson eyes like a ghost.

“Why?”

“Because… your hand is dirty.”

Jade answered, embarrassed.

When she panicked thinking Harris was hurt, she hadn’t thought about it, but now she realized her hands, rolled in the forest dirt, were filthy!

‘Damn, that’s rude.’

His blood-stained face couldn’t get any worse.

“…….”

Harris squinted.

Before he could tell her it was fine, Jade withdrew her hand, quickly wiped it on her sleeve, and offered it again.

“I cleaned it!”

Still a bit cleaner! Her face sparkled like a puppy hoping for praise.

“……Ha.”

Harris laughed out loud. Though laughing, his face still seemed tearful.

After laughing for a while, Harris said:

“Really, Jade, you are……”

He buried his face in the nape of her neck as if words could never express it.

Warmth slowly returned to his frozen hands and feet.

Finally, he felt he could breathe properly. His heart thundered, his eyes watering.

Even in my messed-up state, you…

You…

“Why, are you acting crazy again?”

Jade’s stubborn voice reached him.

Harris laughed again and hugged her tightly with his long arms.

Desperate as a drowning man clinging to straw, determined never to let go,

And collapsed.

“…Ha, Harris-nim?!”