ITYVA 81🔐

Chapter 81

Our gazes met from just a few steps apart.

My face, blank as if paralyzed, suddenly burned crimson as I stared at him.

“Th-That is, I mean…”

The world seemed to spin around me.

My brain was already drowned out by the sound of my heart pounding like crazy, making rational thought impossible.

I felt as if my heart would literally burst if I stayed like this.

Without realizing it, I stepped back, and slowly, the smile on his face vanished.

“You said you’d give me a reward once I returned to my usual self.”

The distance between us narrowed again, just as much as I had stepped back.

“But why are you running away?”

The wall of the carriage pressed against my back.

Like a relaxed cat cornering a mouse, Arkes slowly pushed me toward the corner, tilting his head with a serious expression, devoid of any smile.

A wave of anxiety like I was being hunted made me stop breathing as I looked up at him. Then, suddenly, he changed his stance, his expression softening into one of pity, and his gaze fell.

His crimson eyes, lowered in a sorrowful gaze, seemed filled with anguish.

“…Are you regretting saying you’d give me a reward?”

“Uh…?”

“If not, there’d be no reason to run away…”

Tears began to shimmer over his jewel-like eyes.

Flustered, I hurriedly shook my head.

“Th-That’s not true! Of course, I’ll give you the reward!”

“But you just tried to run away. You must be disgusted and horrified by me… and regret deciding to give me the reward…”

A clear tear finally slipped from his crimson eyes.

The moment I saw it, all embarrassment, all the pounding in my heart—none of it mattered.

All I could think about was stopping that tear.

Yes. What’s more important than my heart not bursting? Nothing is more important than stopping Arkes’ tears.

“Arkes.”

“Yes, Ein…”

I suddenly reached out and pulled him close.

Our lips met. Breath mingled through our parted mouths.

His wide, surprised crimson eyes were the last thing I saw before I squeezed my eyes shut.

Because of that, I missed the pleased curve of his eyes in the next moment.

The clumsy kiss turned urgent.

“Huff…!”

A kiss far more intense than before followed.

His hands tangled in my hair, gripping my head as if he would never let go. The relentless kiss left no space even to breathe.

After a while of struggling, I found a brief opening and managed to speak.

“Ah, Kes, stop… huff!”

“Haa…”

Just as I thought our lips would separate, they were captured again.

The overwhelming kiss made me wonder how we had managed without this until now.

When I finally tried to catch my breath as our lips momentarily parted, I realized…

“Ah…”

His previously hazy crimson eyes became sharp and clear.

He stepped back hesitantly as if fleeing, then suddenly twisted his upper body.

I, catching my breath, blinked in surprise at his sudden movement.

“Arkes…?”

My voice made his shoulders twitch.

I carefully stepped toward him, reaching out my hand.

“Arkes, are you okay? Why…?”

Before my hand could touch him, he abruptly stood up.

His wide eyes looked up at me, then he walked across the carriage and sat at the farthest point, turning his back to me as if avoiding me again.

“…I don’t want to commit…”

After a brief silence, he spoke slowly.

“Rudeness.”

“Rudeness…?”

“To you, even giving only good things isn’t enough.”

He muttered it almost bitterly.

‘I feel like I’ve heard something like this before…’

I tilted my head in confusion.

“This is the first time, and a place like this is absolutely not okay.”

The low, biting tone carried a subtle sharpness.

I had no idea what had angered him, so I stayed silent rather than provoke him.

My instincts warned me.

If I touched him now, something irreversible might happen.

If I wasn’t confident I could handle it, I should just leave him alone.

‘…Still.’

I swallowed, watching Arkes shiver quietly in the corner of the carriage.

‘Weren’t we just lovers sharing our first kiss?’

What is this… couple even?

Inside, only the rattling sound of the wheels filled the eerie silence.

We stayed like that, far apart, until we arrived at the palace.

Violetti opening the carriage door and asking if we had fought was just an extra…

“Did the two of you fight?”

The emperor raised an eyebrow as he saw Arkes and me enter the reception room.

I laughed lightly, as if at peace.

“No.”

“Then why are you standing so far apart?”

“I’m not sure…”

I wanted to ask the same, but my instincts kept warning me, making it impossible to question him properly.

Instincts have always been closely tied to human survival, so it’s best not to go against them.

Even if I wasn’t very perceptive, I should heed this warning…

“Your Majesty, shall we get to the main topic? You said it was urgent.”

Arkes smiled and changed the subject.

The emperor muttered “Ah” and handed me a letter on the table.

I took it, puzzled.

“What is this?”

“You’ve received an invitation.”

“An invitation?”

Usually, the emperor filtered the invitations coming to me, and he had never given me one before.

All previous invitations had failed to pass his scrutiny.

‘An invitation from the emperor himself…’

And he called me in such a hurry.

As I carefully opened the letter, the emperor’s voice reached my ears.

“The Emperor of Belzesti wishes to invite you.”

“…Huh?”

I stopped reading the first line and looked at the emperor in disbelief.

He chuckled and rested his chin lazily on his hand.

“The Emperor of Belzesti sees you as an excellent puppet of Duke Cervante. His invitation is effectively the Duke’s invitation as well.”

“….”

“They say the sorcerer Dante has fled to Belzesti, and now the Duke seems ready to launch a full-scale attack on Harnen.”

“….”

I clenched the letter tightly.

The elegant handwriting of Belzesti’s emperor was crumpled in my grasp.

The letter’s reasoning for the invitation was flawless.

The coastal breakwaters, flood control facilities, and canals were old and needed repair, and the letter politely requested the counsel of a water mage blessed by the King of Water. Who could fault that?

Mages frequently participated in projects related to flood prevention or fire protection.

Especially on such a massive scale, consulting a foreign mage would be natural.

“…I’ll go.”

I muttered, staring at the letter.

Two pairs of eyes fixed on me, startled.

“What?”

“Einra.”

“I’ll go and finally take care of Dante this time!”

I raised my head and clenched my fists, shouting.

The emperor, who had been staring blankly at me, moved his lips slowly.

“So cute…”

“What did you just say?”

“Killing him like that would lack justification, and it would make your position difficult. Dante must now have a new identity and protection.”

The emperor, brazenly changing his words, took the letter from my hands.

“I have no intention of sending you to Belzesti.”

“….”

“Where would I send my precious Einra?”

I didn’t like the “my” in his words, but instead of arguing, I raised a question.

“Have you thought of a reason to decline the invitation? Even if it’s the emperor’s invitation.”

As the ruler of a nation, refusing an emperor’s invitation almost always causes a diplomatic conflict.

‘And the emperor I know never makes a move that leaves him at a loss.’

He must have prepared a reason that wouldn’t cause diplomatic trouble.

At my question, the emperor’s pale pink eyes softened.

“You really are sharp, Einra. You could be a diplomat.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

I said curtly. He giggled and spoke slowly.

“I thought it might be about time to hold a hunting tournament.”

I paused at his casual words.

Arkes, who had been silently observing, narrowed his eyes coldly.

“A hunting tournament, you say.”

“Yes, a hunting tournament.”

The emperor tilted his head and smiled.

“I’m thinking of holding one soon.”