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Chapter 38
But in that instant, Pandeon felt a tearing pain in his wrist and let out a desperate scream.
“Graaah! You damn rabbit!”
Luselin had bitten down so hard on his wrist that a chunk of flesh was torn away in the shape of rabbit teeth, and bright red blood poured out.
Overwhelmed by the sudden, unexpected pain, Pandeon flung Luselin away.
“Luselin!”
Kylis quickly caught Luselin as she fell and stepped back in haste.
The still-young Kylis was no match for Hart, the Duke of the Red Wolf tribe, especially not in his pure-blood form. Moreover, as long as Luselin was here, fighting him seriously was difficult.
Everything had its time. Now was not the time to rush in… just a little longer…
“Luselin, are you hurt?”
“Ris, no! It’s dangerous…!”
In an instant, Luselin pushed Kylis away. At that moment, a blade sliced through the air and buried itself deep into Luselin’s shoulder. There was no time to dodge.
“Urgh…!”
“Haha, I missed. What a shame—I could’ve killed you.”
Pandeon’s voice, tinged with disappointment, drifted coldly as he looked at the blade embedded in her shoulder.
At that moment, Kylis’s golden eyes flashed a deep blue. Almost immediately, the same blue flames they had seen before erupted around Pandeon.
“What—fire again?!”
“KIN!”
Just as Pandeon struggled against the sudden flames binding his feet, unable to move, Kylis called out to someone.
Soon, knights emerged from the forest and swiftly subdued Pandeon.
“What? Where did all these guys come from?!”
Only after seeing Pandeon tightly restrained by the imperial knights did Kylis finally feel relief.
With a wet cough, he spat out dark red blood.
“Ris… you’re bleeding…”
But Luselin, despite her own wounded shoulder, was more concerned about Kylis coughing blood.
Kylis took a rough breath and held Luselin tightly.
“Luselin, you saw I’m a serpent, didn’t you? So why did you save me…!”
“Even snakes get hurt. I don’t think you’re any different from others.”
The words “What nonsense” almost slipped out, but Kylis held them back.
To say a noble lady who must have received proper imperial education didn’t see snakes as different—it was absurd.
“Your Highness, please release the lady.”
At that moment, imperial knights approached Kylis, who was holding Luselin.
They were the First Imperial Knights, composed exclusively of bear and lion beastkin, who defended the empire at the very front lines. They were cold, almost devoid of mercy.
When Kylis showed no intention of letting go, they reached out anyway.
“Don’t touch Luselin.”
His eyes were sharp enough to tear flesh if provoked. The knights hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances.
“We are under His Majesty’s order to erase the lady’s memories.”
“If Your Highness refuses, we must take her to the Emperor.”
The unfamiliar voices ringing in Luselin’s ears blurred through her fading consciousness. She had lost too much blood from her pierced shoulder to stay fully conscious.
“…The Emperor? Your Highness? What… is this…?”
Fragments of words were difficult to understand in this situation.
“Step aside.”
Finally, Kylis spoke in a low voice, eyes downcast.
But the knights did not move.
If the crown prince escaped with the lady again, things would become far more complicated.
He often slipped away into the forest as it was.
“Didn’t you hear me? Get lost.”
Then Kylis’s golden eyes flashed like shattered moonlight. A chilling aura of serpentine pheromones spread out violently.
The knights instinctively stepped back.
“…A serpent’s pheromones.”
Luselin normally disliked unfamiliar pheromones—especially those of predatory beastkin.
And yet… even knowing Kylis was a serpent, she did not feel afraid or disgusted.
It felt warm.
“Luselin… I’m sorry I got you involved in this. I only wanted to show you the lake… I got greedy.”
Once things calmed, Kylis lowered his head.
“Your wound will be treated by the empire’s best physician. I promise.”
“…Ris, what are you?”
Luselin’s face had gone deathly pale from blood loss.
Despite her condition, she looked straight at him.
After a moment of silence, Kylis spoke slowly.
“Luselin, listen carefully. I’m going to erase your memories now.”
“What? But—”
“Remember this moment. Remember today’s promise. And remember me…”
He had already decided. Luselin could not bear the truth of what had happened today.
That her friend Dean Hart had become a wolf of a fallen traitor family.
That the empire’s foundation was not dragons, but serpents.
That she had been caught in this absurd chaos and nearly died from a blade wound.
It was enough for Kylis to carry this burden alone.
“I am the crown prince of this empire. A serpent—and descendant of dragons. Selfish, yes… but I’ll still ask you.”
“Is your promise from earlier—about marrying me—still valid?”
Luselin smiled faintly and nodded.
“Since we’re engaged… can you tell me your real name?”
“My name is Kylis Fernando. Don’t forget me.”
With a small grin, he pressed a brief kiss to her pale forehead.
“With all my affection and respect… remember me.”
“Wait, Ris…!”
But it was too late.
Without hesitation, Kylis erased her memories.
Only dragons possessed the privilege of altering memories.
Kylis vowed never to use this power again, holding Luselin tightly as she lost consciousness in his arms.
“Please take the lady into your care.”
The knights carefully took Luselin from his arms.
Later, the imperial family secretly executed Duke Hart. Officially, it was declared that he had gone missing while hunting monsters for the empire’s greater good.
His alleged secret military buildup was used as justification to confiscate his title, lands, and estate.
The swift, coordinated proceedings effectively meant the complete destruction of House Hart.
Regarding his son Dean Hart, the imperial court ruled that although suspicion remained, they would not punish him further, citing the father’s sacrifice for the empire.
Debritt Erbel, head of House Erbel, rejected the imperial engagement contract upon hearing everything—but the emperor forced its approval.
It was because reports confirmed Luselin possessed purification powers capable of breaking curses.
Debritt, who strongly opposed it, was silenced in exchange for a promise: Luselin’s powers would not be exploited without consent.
Additionally, there was a hidden clause unknown to Luselin—if she, upon reaching maturity and learning the truth, chose to reject the engagement, she would be allowed to leave.
Kylis, having heard all of this, smiled gently at Debritt’s hostile glare.
“So what you’re saying is… once Luselin learns everything, she won’t love me.”
“She’s young now and may agree impulsively, but she will change when she grows. Rabbits do not instinctively like serpents.”
“Is that why you look at me like you want to kill me every time?”
“……”
And so began the uneasy relationship between Kylis and Debritt.
A truth Luselin would never know.
