Chapter 4.2

“What does it say?”  

“…It says I must be a virgin.”  

A gleam briefly flashed in his eyes.  

“And if not?”  

“…I must repay it with death…”  

Suddenly, something damp and soft touched her lips. Livie froze, holding her breath.  

“Mm.”  

A thick, wet tongue slowly licked her trembling lips. Like a predator savoring its prey before consumption. Or like a child sucking on candy.  

Livie couldn’t immediately decide which it was. Either way, both were equally blind in their obsession.  

As his tongue nudged her tightly shut lips, urging them to open, Livie pressed them together even harder.  

“……”  

Seeing this, Boris tilted his head slightly. For a moment, they stared silently at each other.  

Livie, who had kept her lips firmly closed, began to struggle for breath. She hadn’t been breathing properly since earlier.  

Boris didn’t do anything else. He just stared at her intently. Eventually, Livie cautiously exhaled, glancing at him. That was the moment.  

“Ah!”  

Seizing the opportunity, Boris grabbed her and slipped his tongue between her slightly parted lips. In an instant, he began to conquer her mouth.  

“No… Mm, ah!”  

Livie tried to shake her head, but his large hands held her face firmly, preventing any movement. The hand gripping the back of her neck felt like being caught in a predator’s jaws.  

“Haa… Mm.”  

Livie moaned as she twisted her body. The more she struggled, the stronger his grip and the more persistent his lips became. From the start, his strength was far beyond what she could resist.  

Livie flailed her arms wildly, hitting his shoulders and chest, but he didn’t budge. As his tongue explored and sucked every corner of her mouth, she began to grow weary.  

Finally, Boris slowed down and stopped. He bit her lower lip gently, chewing it slightly before letting go.  

“Don’t talk about dying, Livie.”  

She flinched as she saw his violet eyes staring at her from up close. His hands, gripping her shoulders, pushed her back down. The gentle yet firm pressure made her lie back again.  

“No matter what happens, I won’t let that happen. Never.”  

The eyes looking down at her held a warm light. But they were undoubtedly the eyes of a madman.  

“I won’t send you to someone who imposes such insane conditions.”  

“I have to go, Boris. This isn’t right.”  

Though she knew her words wouldn’t reach him, she continued to speak.  

“You can live here with me. You’re my bride.”  

“Don’t say such nonsense, okay? I’m a married woman. Look at this ring…”  

Livie raised her hand to show him the ring on her finger. The ring, which she had slipped onto her fourth finger herself, had a heavy presence.  

A wide gold band with a gemstone the size of a fish’s eye embedded in it.  

“This is proof of marriage. As long as I wear this, I’m his wife.”  

“Wife?”  

His expression darkened again. Then, grabbing her outstretched hand,  

“Ah!”  

He unhesitatingly swallowed her finger.  

“No, ah, mm!”  

Feeling the soft texture of his tongue, Livie desperately tried to pull her hand away, but it was firmly held. When he finally released her hand, the ring was gone.  

“My ring…”  

As she stared blankly, his lips moved, spitting out the ring.  

“Looking for this?”  

When Livie reached out for the ring, he pulled his hand back, holding it out of her reach. Then, he threw it toward the open window.  

“No!”  

With a sharp clink against the window frame, the ring disappeared beyond the window.  

As Livie tried to rise, he pressed her down firmly, leaving her unable to move. She could only breathe heavily.  

“I’ll buy you a better one. I’ll summon every merchant in the Kingdom, call the finest jeweler, and have them make your ring.”  

He ran his fingers along her now bare hand again.  

“So don’t say you’re leaving.”  

Looking into his dangerously glinting eyes, Livie couldn’t say anything.  

“Okay?”  

“…Alright.”

Upon being asked again, she answered obediently. She also released the tension she had been holding in her body.  

Seeing her now calm face, he smiled as if satisfied.  

“…Boris.”  

“Yes?”  

“You’re heavy.”  

“Oh…”  

As if realizing it for the first time, he obediently moved off her.  

“The bed is too small. Get down.”  

“Alright.”  

He quietly followed her instructions, sitting down on the floor. Then, like an old loyal dog, he rested his chin and looked up at her.  

His docile and clear gaze almost made her reach out to stroke his head.  

Watching him, she suddenly dashed toward the window, sat herself down at the edge, and firmly declared:  

“Don’t come closer.”  

Her resolute voice echoed through the room. Boris widened his eyes at the sight of her escaping him for the second time.  

“Otherwise, I’ll jump from here.”  

Her trembling feet perched on the windowsill shook visibly. The tremors soon spread throughout her entire body, and Boris could see them clearly.  

“Livie, don’t do this.”  

He spoke gently, trying to soothe her.  

“You’re the one who shouldn’t be doing this.”  

The wind blew fiercely, causing her body to tremble even more, but she responded clearly.  

She didn’t even want to think about how high up she was. She didn’t dare look outside the window. Judging by the strength of the wind, it was clear that this place was high enough to imprison Rapunzel.  

“You’re scared. Come down.”  

“You’re scarier.”  

“…”  

Once again, he looked hurt.  

“Come down. Let’s talk. If you fall, it will hurt.”  

“…”  

Livie cautiously glanced downward. Falling from this height wouldn’t just hurt—it would likely leave her remains unrecognizable.  

Even with just a brief glance down, dizziness overtook her, and Livie quickly lifted her head again.  

“Then promise to let me go.”  

“…Come down first.”  

“Really?”  

He nodded silently, moving his head up and down. His somber violet eyes scanned her legs, perched on the windowsill.  

The pale legs exposed beneath her skirt looked fragile, as if they might break at any moment.  

After observing him for a moment, Livie pulled her legs back up.  

“I don’t trust you.”  

“If you fall, it’ll hurt. You hate pain more than anything in the world.”  

At his words, Livie snorted.  

“What I hate most is you.”  

Though she spoke almost in a whisper, it seemed he heard her clearly.  

“You… hate me?”  

He blinked rapidly, looking at her again with eyes that seemed ready to shed tears.  

“Would you prefer I liked you?”  

She snapped back sharply, and this time, he bit his inner lip.  

That behavior matched the timid habit of the boy she had known in her childhood, and for a moment, her heart sank.  

Yes, he was Boris. Even with his now large physique, he occasionally looked at her and spoke with the eyes of the boy she remembered.  

“You crashed someone’s wedding and kidnapped the bride.”  

Even as she spoke, she found it absurd.  

“Sorry.”  

He replied dejectedly.  

“You tore my clothes without permission.”  

“I’m sorry for that too.”  

“And brought me to… this place.”  

Not knowing exactly what kind of place this was, she couldn’t find the right word and mumbled.  

As she glanced around the room, noticing details she hadn’t seen earlier, she gasped inwardly.  

It was luxurious. Too luxurious. She had never seen such an opulent room before.  

The domed ceiling glittered with a chandelier worthy of a banquet hall, while the intricate tapestries hanging on the walls and the carpets on the floor were clearly the work of master craftsmen.  

She remembered a traveling merchant bringing similar items to the estate of her family, the only Earl’s household in the area, only to leave empty-handed.  

Recalling the price the merchant had quoted, she estimated the cost of the items decorating this room.  

For a moment, she barely restrained herself from asking, “Is this really yours?”  

“Yes, I’m sorry for that too…”  

“If you’re sorry, let me go. Let me leave here.”  

“Do you dislike this place? Does it not suit you?”  

“It’s not that… Yes, I don’t like it. I don’t like you, I don’t like this room, I don’t like anything. I hate it all.”  

She repeated “hate” like a chant, hoping he would understand.  

Based on the few conversations she had attempted with him since meeting him at the chapel and coming here, she had deduced that normal communication didn’t work with him.  

“Alright, then come down.”  

His gaze was fixed on Livie’s trembling legs.  

“I won’t do anything. Just come down. Please.”  

‘Please.’ He pleaded with eyes that looked ready to spill tears. That expression pulled yet another fragment of childhood memories to the surface.  

“I was wrong, Livie.”  

She blinked rapidly, trying to erase the lingering image. The sudden flood of memories left her head spinning.  

“…What?”  

At that moment, her body tilted precariously.  

As she looked down at the abyss below, her mind reeled. Her weakened body lost its balance, and she was halfway out the window when it happened.  

Whoosh.  

Her falling body was instantly pulled back inside.  

Thud, thud.  

Through her dazed mind, all she could hear was the sound of someone’s heartbeat.  

“See? It’s dangerous.”  

His voice accompanied the sound.  

Though there had seemed to be quite a distance between them, Livie hadn’t even noticed when he closed the gap.