Chapter 101. Meteor Shower

I got seasick.

I was fine when I first boarded the cruise ship. That was before the ship started moving.

‘Wow, the view from the deck is amazing.’
‘Yeah, take a good look.’

Even Enoch’s indifferent attitude towards my excitement was something I could overlook. I was in a very light and cheerful mood.

The problem started after we reached the cabin. That was when the ship began to move.

Even though I hadn’t eaten much for breakfast, I felt nauseous and experienced a type of dizziness I had never felt before.

My first experience with seasickness.

After taking the seasickness medication that Jasmine had packed just in case, I felt a little better, but I wasn’t completely fine.

“Are you still dizzy?”

“…Yes.”

Enoch clicked his tongue as he looked at me lying on the bed as if dead. He had a disdainful expression as if wondering why I would get seasick over something so trivial.

I instinctively felt a lump in my throat but chose to quietly sigh instead of protesting. What was the point of saying anything? Enoch Bayern had such impossibly high standards for evaluating others because he was so perfect himself…

“You should eat well and exercise regularly, Ellen. You’re too weak. It looks like you’d break with a single touch.”

“It’s not that bad…”

“Yes, it is. Look at your wrist.”

He lifted my wrist. My limp wrist dangled like a thin twig. …Indeed, I needed to gain some weight.

But whenever I thought about that, the question, ‘What’s the point of caring about my health when I’m living on borrowed time?’ inevitably followed.

Such thoughts easily made me feel depressed. Even when I was happy and enjoying a pleasant life, a cold chill would settle in my heart.

During those moments, I tried to stop thinking and focus all my senses on the present. I was still breathing, seeing with my eyes, and hearing with my ears. I could smell the faint lavender scent lingering in the air. The taste of the lemon candy Enoch had given me after taking the seasickness medication still lingered on my tongue.

The vivid sensations of life were so lovely. They made me feel like crying.

So, I would put aside my sadness for a moment and think again. There was nothing as futile as the fact that I was alive, but nothing as moving either.

“…Okay. I’ll try to eat more from now on.”

“That’s good to hear. I felt frustrated every time you picked at your food.”

“Was it that bad…?”

“Yes. So, make sure to eat well from now on.”

Enoch kissed the back of my hand and smiled. The strange heat in his golden eyes grew even more intense. Knowing what that meant, I averted my gaze and changed the subject.

“…Once I feel better, I want to go back to the deck and enjoy the view.”

“Sure, that sounds good. But I’d like to do something else too.”

Enoch let go of my wrist and slowly climbed onto the bed. As soon as I was trapped in his arms, my body instinctively curled up. He looked down at me, who was desperately trying to act nonchalant, and asked,

“How do you feel now? Still dizzy?”

“…I think I’m feeling a bit better…”

“Good. That’s a relief.”

He laughed softly and lowered his head to gently kiss my cheek. Then my chin, my neck, my collarbone… Then he came back to softly kiss my lips, licking them lightly with his tongue as if savoring a candy.

“You’re sweet, Ellen.”

“……”

“Like candy.”

His large hand slipped inside my silk blouse and grabbed my br*ast. As I moaned and parted my lips, his tongue eagerly intertwined with mine. The wet sounds and expl*cit moans filled the quiet cabin.

When I looked up at Enoch, feeling intoxicated by the pleasure, he smiled mischievously. He looked like an artist admiring his own creation.

“You’re the prettiest when you’re disheveled like this, Ellen.”

He tilted his head and whispered in my ear, then pressed his lips to mine again. Feeling my thoughts melt away at the touch of his tongue, I accepted him willingly.

Through the round window of the cabin, the sunlight, which had begun to carry the warmth of the day, poured in.

* * *

Cadis was a port city located south of Freuden. However, to be precise, it should be considered part of the east rather than the extreme south.

The Reden River flowed through this city into the sea. The fertile plains blessed by the river lay to the north, and the beautiful beaches, rich in marine resources and popular with tourists, lay to the south.

The city center housed the plaza and bustling streets, and the hotel where we would stay for the next four days was located nearby.

As soon as we arrived at the hotel by carriage, the servants hurried to unpack, and Enoch and I went outside to explore the bustling streets before having dinner at a pre-booked restaurant.

The fresh seafood dishes, generously seasoned with the unique spices of this region, were not quite the ‘amazing taste that would leave you speechless’ as described in travel magazines.

How should I put it… It was a unique taste? It wasn’t the best delicacy of the southern region or the king of gourmet flavors embodying the sea… but it was worth trying for the experience.

“Not great.”

“……”

“The seasoning is too strong. The flavors are too bold. The only good thing is the freshness of the seafood.”

And Enoch, finding the food not to his taste, didn’t hold back his harsh critique, making the chef cry. What a terrible person…

Feeling sorry for the chef who was dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief, I complimented the food as we left the restaurant. Though it wasn’t sincere, seeing the chefs’ bright smiles made me feel much better.

By the time we stepped outside, the sun had completely set, and the streets were dark. We decided to postpone exploring the plaza and took a carriage to the beach to find the place where my mother’s body had been buried at sea.

“I think it’s somewhere around here.”

According to the old servant who attended the burial, the place was where two rocky islands were visible. The locals called these two rocks ‘Twin Rocks,’ and I could see two identical rocky islands straight ahead, so this must be the place.

The waves quickly rushed in, foaming as they wet the sandy shore before receding. Enoch and I stood hand in hand, looking at the night sea.

My mother’s body had been placed in a coffin with holes drilled in the bottom and sent to the sea from this very spot. The holes in the coffin allowed seawater to fill it, causing the body to sink.

The old servant said the inside of the coffin was filled with flowers, and multiple candles were placed on the lid to mourn my mother.

Whether that was true or a story made up by the old servant to appease me, I didn’t know.

What was certain was that no one at the beach at that time had genuinely mourned my mother.

And I…

“……”

I threw a single white flower into the sea with all my might.

I miss you, I want to see you—such trite words of mourning didn’t suit the ending for my mother and me. I knew what my mother wanted to hear.

If I had come here empty-handed, I would have been cursed by my mother’s vengeful spirit.

With a hint of self-mockery, I began to speak with my inner voice. The story my mother most longed to hear.

‘I’ve avenged those who killed you, Mother.’

The Lopez family is now completely destroyed, Mother.

Isn’t this a satisfying conclusion?

Has the hatred and resentment that filled your heart… been relieved even a little?

So, Mother.

Please let me go now.

I no longer want to dream of your nightmares, cursing the world.

* * *

Leaving the sandy beach, we moved to a high cliff.

The entire way there, I didn’t say a word, and Enoch didn’t break the silence either.

He just held my hand firmly, not letting go for a moment. The firm grip of his large hand and the warmth I felt through his skin gradually brought peace to my unsettled heart.

Maybe the one who wields magic isn’t me but him. No, what he does is greater than magic. Without borrowing the power of magic, he made me love him.

My heart tingled as I looked at his back leading me. If our eyes met suddenly, I felt like I would cry.

When we reached the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea, I couldn’t bear the overwhelming emotions any longer and hugged him from behind.

Enoch flinched at the sudden embrace and let out a bewildered laugh. I held my breath, hugging his waist tightly with both arms.

Enoch gently stroked my arms wrapped around his abdomen and said,

“Your heart is beating really fast.”

“…It’s because we climbed uphill.”

“I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

“……”

I avoided answering and slowly released my arms. He looked at me, standing against the night sky. The star-filled navy blue sky resembled sugared violet jam. The moon was hidden behind clouds, and only his beautiful golden eyes, shining like the moon, were looking at me.

His hand slowly reached out to me. He cupped my cheek and kissed me gently. As always, the kiss that started softly and thoughtfully soon turned rough and wild. When I tried to pull away, he pressed down on the back of my neck, not letting go.

Before long, we were tangled on the grass, disheveled. Fortunately, we had come far enough that there were no signs of people nearby.

Enoch laid me down on the discarded clothes and removed the last piece of thin fabric from my body.

Only the diamond necklace, resembling starlight, remained around my neck, exuding its presence.

Enoch slowly looked over my n*ked body as if appreciating it. Then, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer, his hand reached out to caress my flat stomach, sliding up to my br*asts.

“Ugh…”

When he lightly touched my er*ect n*pple, I couldn’t help but moan. Satisfied with my unhidden reaction, he smiled and lowered his head. He took the round, swollen tip into his mouth and sucked gently.

“Ah…!”

The stimulation he provided always made me feel strange. It was always disorienting to have my body react against my will. When I felt him, it seemed like the world was filled entirely with him.

His lips moved lower, nibbling on the skin near my navel. Then he kissed my lower abdomen, gradually moving to a more intimate spot.

“Hah…!”

Finally reaching my p*ssy, he extended his tongue and licked the peak. The intense pleasure spreading from below made me writhe and let out a scream-like moan.

“Ah…!”

Every time his wet tongue pressed and licked the swollen cl*toris, an indescribable sensation surged. Suddenly, he pressed his lips close to my cl*t and sucked hard.

In that instant, fireworks exploded in my head, sending shivers down my spine. Not only the night sky but my vision also seemed to sparkle with stars. I breathed heavily, overwhelmed by the waves of pleasure spreading through my body. But there was no time to catch my breath. Enoch, lifting his head, licked his lips glistening with my juices and immediately entered me.

“Ah…!”

“Hah…”

He held me tightly in his arms, pulling me close. My consciousness was dizzyingly blurred. The sound of the waves crashing, the wind blowing from somewhere and brushing over our wet bodies, the starlight scattering and shimmering.

Through my heat-blurred vision, I saw a star falling.

At first, I thought I was mistaken.

But then another, and another…

Countless shooting stars streaked across the sky like rain.

“Enoch…”

“I can’t stop now.”

“No, look at the sky… look at the sky.”

My voice was filled with tremors even to my own ears. Only then did Enoch stop his slow, grinding movements, raising an eyebrow before turning his head to the sky.

An awe-inspiring spectacle of falling stars filled the sky endlessly. Enoch, too, seemed astonished as he gazed up at the scene with wide eyes.

After a while, he laughed helplessly and helped me sit up. His touch, more leisurely than before, moved over my body, melting me.

He kissed my lips lightly and then spoke his thoughts.

“Yes, it’s beautiful. Enough to be etched into my memory.”

However, his golden eyes were fixed on me, not the sky, making his words curiously ambiguous.

He then pressed his lips to mine again. This time, it wasn’t a light kiss. Our saliva mixed, and our tongues tangled wildly. The fierceness of it took my breath away, making me feel like my soul was being drawn out.

On a beautiful night adorned with falling stars,

I held tightly in my arms the brightest star that had fallen into my embrace.

Wishing that this moment could last forever, a futile hope filled my heart.

* * *