“Then what should we do?”

Leon stamped his feet impatiently.

Just then, an idea struck Tanner and he quickly continued.

“I’ll lure Miller away.”

“What?!”

“Meanwhile, you go to His Grace.”

“It’s dangerous, Lord Tanner.”

“I have a knack for running away, don’t I?”

“Do you think the Imperial Guard is child’s play? They’re not as good as me, but they’re skilled too. What if you get caught and dragged to the Emperor?”

“I have a plan.”

At that moment, Leon, who had taken off his hood, picked up Tanner.

“……?”

Tanner’s eyes widened as he was suddenly held like a princess.

“W-What are you doing now?”

“Even if I have to behead the Emperor, I absolutely cannot serve His Grace.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Quickly, fold your legs. Miss Charlie’s legs aren’t that long.”

Just then, the prayer ceremony began with the sound of a horn.

“There’s no time. And do you think they’ll all move if the butler runs? We’ll be lucky if one of them chases us. That’s an overestimation of self-importance.”

“……”

“Who am I? Am I not the Knight Commander of the Hunt family? They’ll all chase after me when they see my hair. They’ll think Lord Tanner is Miss Charlie. Of course, they won’t even be able to touch my shadow.”

“You suddenly seem reliable.”

“How long have I been on the battlefield compared to you, Lord Tanner?”

Since it was a reasonable argument, Tanner slowly folded his legs. He grabbed the hood with one hand to hide his face and curled up tightly.

Tanner’s build, as a Master, was by no means small.

But compared to Leon’s physique, it was lacking.

After all, the bodies of Leon, who trained all day, and Tanner, who held a pen, couldn’t be the same.

And the large robe and darkness blurred the rounded shape.

If they ran like this, it wouldn’t be easy to recognize.

“I’ll be using teleportation magic and jumping on roofs, so hold on tight.”

“……”

In response, Tanner tightly gripped Leon’s robe.

As soon as Leon, now prepared, left the alley, he started running in the opposite direction from Hector.

The flame-like red hair was easily noticeable even from afar.

As expected, the Imperial Guards who spotted Leon started chasing after him.

Miller, unable to grasp the situation, hesitated before disappearing into the alley where the Imperial Guards had vanished.

At the same time, powerful holy power spread out, brightening the surroundings as if it were broad daylight.

* * *

“What’s wrong?”

Charlie’s face turned pale at Hector’s sudden change.

Hector was leaning on Charlie, breathing heavily with his brow furrowed as if in pain.

“Are you okay?”

Charlie wriggled and jumped down from Hector’s arms. Then she hurriedly examined Hector.

“Fever…!”

Charlie was shocked by Hector’s heat, which was like a fireball.

The memory of Hector losing consciousness and collapsing flashed through her mind, and all sorts of unpleasant thoughts crossed her mind.

It must be because of her.

A wave of self-blame swept over her, thinking she should have stopped him even though she had insisted on going.

Just then, lights shot up into the sky again.

Bang-! Boom boom-!

“Quickly, let’s go back to the mansion.”

Charlie urged Hector, as she couldn’t use magic herself.

But the grand sound of fireworks drowned out her small voice.

“Dia…”

Bang-!

Hector seemed to say something as his lips moved, but the fireworks shooting into the sky concealed that too.

“What did you say?”

“…Close.”

Bang-!

“I can’t hear you!”

As if the pain was reaching its peak, Hector clutched his chest and grimaced.

At that moment, the shape of Hector’s mumbling lips pierced Charlie’s pupils.

“Purification…”

Bang-!

Purification? Is he asking for purification now?

Trembling eyes looked at Hector.

The only purification she could do was to emit pheromones.

But Hector had earnestly requested that she never release pheromones no matter what happened.

Moreover, they were already holding hands, so there was no way to purify further…

<Kissing, which exchanges saliva, results in strong purification, though not as much as s*x. But Liliana…>

Suddenly, a piece of content from the original work flashed through Charlie’s mind.

Charlie’s gaze turned back to Hector.

Hector, whose complexion had turned ashen, was even sweating cold sweat.

‘Damn it. To hell with the original work, the person looks like he’s about to die right now.’

Charlie grabbed Hector’s collar with both hands.

Then, using all her strength, she pulled him towards her.

“……!”

Hector’s eyes widened at their overlapping lips.

Just as her tiptoes, stretched to their limit, were about to lose strength and stumble, Charlie’s toes floated into the air.

* * *

“……!”

Michael, who was offering prayers, turned his head at the feeling of a divine presence.

The alluring pheromones carried by the wind also caught the attention of Duke Noel Wilkins, who was sitting in the front row.

But when they turned around, only thick darkness remained.

The divine presence and the fragrant pheromones had already disappeared.

* * *

Hector’s eyes widened at the overlapping lips.

And at that moment, the sound of bursting fireworks, the bustling crowd, everything faded away to the other side of the world.

The fierce pain that had been raging also subsided instantly.

As if his consciousness had stopped, no thoughts were formed.

It was unclear whether they were standing on the ground or flying in the sky. The distinction between dream and reality was blurred.

How much time had passed like that?

Just as her tiptoes, stretched to their limit, were about to lose strength and stumble, Hector picked up Charlie.

“……!”

Silence flowed between their facing faces.

Only an unknown heartbeat pounded, breaking the stillness.

Eventually, Hector lowered his gaze and slowly approached.

As his straight nose bridge brushed against her, Charlie hesitated.

Hector stopped his movement right there.

His head, swaying as if about to move or not, seemed to be asking for permission, or perhaps hesitating.

After a moment of hesitation, Charlie closed her eyelids.

At the same time, their movements towards each other were simultaneous, with no one moving first.

No words were necessary.

As if emotions were connected through their quiet breaths, they felt each other.

The unfolded teleportation magic circle dropped them into Hector’s bedroom in the grand ducal residence in an instant.

* * *

Inside Hector’s bedroom.

The pouring moonlight illuminated the two.

Sweet sounds leaked from their colliding lips with smacking noises.

Hector’s lips curved into a smile that formed naturally.

The spreading smile transferred to Charlie.

Hector took in her flower-like lips as if asking them to open.

Charlie’s head moved like a wave in response.

Soon, sweetness flowed in between her parted lips.

As Hector’s actions of sucking and then licking repeated, Charlie’s mind became dizzy.

The small hand that was holding his shoulder passed by his ear and embraced his nape.

The steps wandering around the room headed towards the bed.

Hector, who had somehow ended up on top, began to delve deeper.

“Haa…”

Amid the intense kiss, heated breaths intertwined.

As he rummaged through her entire mouth, Charlie unknowingly clutched Hector’s clothes.

Their pheromones spread throughout their bodies through the tips of their touching tongues.

The sensual scent helplessly eroded their reason.

Hector gently pulled his face away.

Charlie also opened her eyes that had been closed.

When their rough breathing calmed down, Hector opened his mouth.

“I thought about you all the time, my chest ached and hurt, I thought it was a disease. If only I could take on all the pain you have to endure in your place, I would do so.”

“……!”

Charlie looked up at Hector.

His gaze, staring intently, was wavering with longing.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as if swallowing the surging emotions.

“…Is this what you called love?”

His flame-like eyes flickered.

Charlie was unable to utter any words at the gaze that held only her.

“I want to hold you.”

Hector lowered his head to Charlie’s nape.

“I feel like I’m going crazy wanting to hold you, Charlie.”

Hector’s trembling was fully transmitted to Charlie.

The vibration resonating in her ear pressed heavily on her chest.

This man was always like this.

He’ll make it impossible to refuse, then wait for her choice.

Charlie silently pulled Hector into an embrace.

* * *

Discarded clothes were strewn about on the floor here and there.

Hector, backlit by the moonlight, filled Charlie’s field of vision.

From his straight shoulders to his well-toned muscles. Although it wasn’t the first time seeing them, his robust body felt particularly large and unfamiliar.

“It’s okay, Charlie.”

As if reading her inner thoughts, Hector gently embraced Charlie and kissed her eyelids.

Then he lightly untangled the hands covering her chest and held them.

“…Beautiful.”

Charlie’s heart leapt as if it would burst.

But the sound of Hector’s heart pounding madly drowned it out.

The fact that it wasn’t just her feeling tense and trembling…. why did this fact make her so happy and relieved?

Charlie tightly gripped Hector’s large hands.

Hector, with a faint smile, passed Charlie’s face and bit into her nape.