IBWMD 112

~Chapter 112~

…I don’t remember what happened after that very clearly.

Our lips pulled apart much faster than I thought they would.
It was only a brief moment, but to me, it felt impossibly long.

When our lips parted, our eyes met.

“Haa.”

As I breathed in and blinked, golden light flickered before my eyes.

The gold in Karl’s eyes, once filled with frustration and sadness, now seemed to be dyed with surprise and joy.

…Pretty.

Even though I had decided to cut him off emotionally, I stared at those eyes as if hypnotized.

Fragments of all kinds of emotions swirled like honey inside them…

Really pretty.

Looking into those eyes, it felt like the dark hallway that had seemed black and white regained its colors in the moonlight.

Isn’t there some other way to say this?

Even as my head spun in excitement, I couldn’t think of any expression other than “the world regained its colors.” It was frustrating.

I wanted to give you something more special, more romantic than a cliché…

Feathers puffed up in my chest, tickling my heart as they floated around.

Between the salty taste of blood, a faint tingling sensation brushed my skin.

It was the feeling I always got when I touched Karl…

Even when he was injured, I had felt it…

…Right. The Duke!

The moment I remembered the Duke—still waiting for me in the bedroom—
I came to my senses and quickly tried to step back…

“Wait.”

I was pulled back in.

Karl’s golden eyes, now hazy and dazed, were looking down at me.

“Just once.”

“…”

“Just one more time.”

“Wait—Hmph!”

Before I could answer, a soft sensation touched my lips again and then pulled away.

This time, it was soft and light—exactly the kind of kiss that should make a smooch sound…

Smooch, smooch, smooch, smooch, smooch…

Enough!

“Stop!”

How many times was he planning to do this?!

My face turned bright red like a burning sweet potato as I quickly reached out and covered Karl’s lips.

I was blushing even more than when Karl had first proposed, or when the Duke had confessed to me.
Not just my cheeks—my whole body felt hot.

What is all this?

Even in that moment, I wondered—
When I go back to the Grand Duke’s residence, will I only have this kiss as a memory?

Could this be our last kiss? Or… peck?

If it was, then instead of these short bursts like gunfire… maybe one deep, lingering—

…No! What am I thinking, Elaine?!

I shoved Karl’s face away and shouted for no reason.

“How dare you kiss a married woman’s lips!”

The moment I said it, a cold chill of guilt ran through one side of my chest.
My reason returned, cooling me down slightly.

Right. I hadn’t even kissed my husband, the Duke, yet… and here I was, doing this with Karl…

“Married woman?”

His voice was suddenly full of laughter.
His face sparkled with regained confidence, making me annoyed.

“Of course I’m married.”

“You didn’t have the wedding, and you ran away from your husband on your wedding night.”

Damn it. How did he know I had to share a bedroom with the Duke?
And that I had left him there?

“You left your poor husband, who was waiting desperately for his bride, without even looking back. Is that really married?”

His tone wavered a bit at the end—like it was him who’d been abandoned, not the Duke.

But I wanted to point something else out.

“…It wasn’t the wedding night!”

I was only planning to hold hands and sleep! What a dangerous thing to say!

Karl didn’t stop. It was like someone had removed his brakes…
Or maybe like a glass of water filled to the brim finally overflowing.

“Well, I spent the first night with you.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“I warmed the Grand Duchess’s bed before he did.”

“Your mouth! Stop that mouth!”

You didn’t “warm” it, you just hid me there!

This is insane.

That was such a misleading statement I was afraid someone might overhear.

“Watch your mouth.”

I slapped his smug lips lightly, but Karl leaned in like he wanted me to hit him more.

I tried to pull my hand away, but he grabbed it—

And then…

Smooch, smooch, smooch, smooch, smooch…

“Stop kissing my palm!”

“Can’t I?”

“No, you kiss-obsessed idiot!”

This man really has no shame with a married woman!

Then, as if reading my thoughts, Karl’s face suddenly turned mischievous.

It was the look I knew all too well—the one he wore when he wanted to tease me.

“But I was the first to hold your hand.”

“…”

“I was the first to carry you, to piggyback you, to get into bed with you.”

“So what—”

“I can’t let someone else take the first kiss.”

My mouth dropped open like an idiot.

So that’s why he’s kissing me so much? That makes no sense…

But I couldn’t say anything—

“Because I’ll give you all my firsts, too.”

“…”

“So give me all of yours.”

Karl said it while stroking my lips.

“Mine.”

“Gah!”

A shocked cry escaped my throat.

Since when did this man get so sweet and greasy?

He had always been shameless, but this was different.

It’s like he’s not holding back anymore.

Wait—had he been holding back before?

That was holding back?

Even while my pupils shook, I wondered—

Who took off this man’s leash and brakes?

Was it because of the kiss just now?

Heat rose to the top of my head, and my fingertips tingled like electricity.

“Enough, let go.”

I pulled my hand out of his grasp with effort.

Karl tilted his head with an annoyingly pitiful expression.

“Do you still hate me?”

“That’s…”

“Do you dislike me that much? I even held back and took care of my appearance until you could like it…”

“Liking you or not has nothing to do with it!”

Every moment I’m near you is dangerous for me!

Just as I was about to push Karl away again—
His arms wrapped tightly around me.

It was a hold that wouldn’t let me even try to escape.

“Don’t go, Elaine.”

“…”

“I’m just joking. You don’t have to run away anymore.”

Run away? You’re the one who ran.

Before I could say it, Karl whispered—

“Your husband.”

My husband, what?

Our eyes met again.

The golden light shone brighter than ever, full of joy, love, and happiness.

It was so dazzling it felt like a rainbow-colored kaleidoscope was layered over it.

His lips hesitated, as if he wanted to hold back but couldn’t anymore.

“Your husband is—”

“Ow, hot!”

Suddenly, my waist burned.

Not just warm—

Like I’d get burned!

Wait.

This had happened before…

I looked down with a sense of déjà vu—

“…”
“…”

A beam of intense light was glaring right at us.

“That’s…?”

“Uh, um…”

The eyeball in the snow globe was narrowed in anger, staring at us.

Oh, no. I’m dead.

How long had it been watching? Did it see everything?

In front of the Duke’s ancestor, no less.

Hugging and kissing another man—not just once, but repeatedly—and not on the cheek or forehead, but the lips…

I felt dizzy.

So it just witnessed the Grand Duke’s bride cheating in real time.

Of course it wasn’t happy! That’s why it was glaring, flaring up, and throwing a fit!

I reluctantly pushed Karl away. This time, he let me, but still held my wrist gently.

Then he spoke in a stunned voice—

“…A dragon?”

Wow. He figured it out instantly.

I knew he was observant, but this was almost psychic.

I answered awkwardly—

“There’s a bit of a story.”

The eyeball glared at Karl, swelling and shrinking over and over again.

Yeah, it was furious.

Its shaking gaze was full of blame, and I couldn’t deny I deserved it.

When I turned my head away, I noticed Karl frowning strangely—
And looking a little annoyed…

“Don’t tell me you understand what it’s saying?”

“That’s…”

Before I could answer—

Screeeam!

A terrible cry rang out from the other end of the hallway.

The eyeball, which had been glaring at Karl, whipped its gaze in that direction.

Then it looked back at me.

Whip, whip, whip, whip.

“You want me to go there?”

Nod, blink, nod.

“Alright.”

“Wait, Elaine. What we were talking about—”

“Ahh!”

Before Karl could finish, another scream echoed.

That familiar voice…

Right, Zeon!

I had forgotten about him!

I grabbed Karl’s arm and lifted my musket, running forward.