Rosana’s laughter left Jade nodding blankly.

“How’s your body? Are you okay?”

“The poison… doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

“Thank goodness. I was so terrified I might lose you…”

Rosana smiled, her eyes crinkling beautifully. Jade’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“…Aren’t you scared?”

“Of what? Of Jade? Didn’t you say it yourself with your own mouth? That I wasn’t afraid. So there’s no way I’d say you’re scary right now.”

“…No, I mean people’s reactions. Didn’t you already hear what they’ll say? It’s not just obvious—it’s certain. I’m no longer this place’s emperor. Someone who transforms into a monster as emperor? I’m grounds for impeachment… So you should leave. You’ll be able to live well on your own now.”

Jade buried his face in his large hands. He could tell he no longer had a human form by touching his elongated snout.

“Shh. Are your people like that? Judging people by their appearance? Are they people who would deny everything you’ve built with those hands, just because your appearance changed?”

“…I’m a monster, a beast. No one knows what I am.”

“Yes, that’s right. No one knows. So there’s no need to be so frightened.”

Jade raised his eyes. There was Rosana, still watching him with that gentle smile. His hand quietly rose, but he couldn’t bring himself to embrace her. If he pulled her close with all his strength, Rosana might cry out in pain. One wrong move and his claws could wound her.

“Monster…”

Jade held his breath.

“Are you afraid? Of people calling you a monster?”

“…”

“There’s no way you’re a monster.”

Yet Rosana had also seen those who screamed that he was a monster, those who shuddered in horror.

“But… yes. If you’re scared, I’ll stay by your side. Let’s be together. Then we can overcome it. Just like I did.”

Rosana let out a small laugh, but she looked sad. She gazed up at the ceiling. This dark place without a single ray of light had once been her future.

“Because I was the same. Being ‘Rosana’ meant I couldn’t dream of happiness. But thanks to you, I came to dream of a future that seemed impossible. And it’s no exaggeration to say I’ve achieved that dream now. I’ll tell them too—that you’re not a dangerous monster, not a beast. That you’re Diovaha’s emperor who always protects us, an existence like a guardian deity…”

Rosana’s wish seeped into Jade’s heart.

A tear Rosana couldn’t hold back dropped onto his nose. Jade could clearly see the teardrop rolling down her cheek. He’d promised she’d never cry again… that if she did cry, they’d be tears of joy, not sorrow…

She’d tried not to cry. But the tears fell on their own. She wasn’t the only one wandering in darkness. He was the same. 

Why had she always thought of him as someone reliable? Had she burdened him? Why hadn’t she noticed his pain sooner?

Even with both her hands, Rosana couldn’t fully grasp his fur-covered hand.

“We got married today. But you’re thinking of abandoning me before even a day has passed?”

Jade’s eyes wavered.

“It’s our wedding night, Jade.”

“You say such things when I look like this?”

Jade lowered his head with a bitter smile.

“What do you mean, ‘like this’? It doesn’t matter to me at all. Because you’re still Jade.”

Jade couldn’t meet Rosana’s unwavering gaze.

“Ha! I’m a monster. I have the form of a beast. I’m not human!”

“Even so, you’re my beloved husband.”

Rosana tried to kiss his lips. Jade tried to grab her shoulders but couldn’t because of his sharp claws. Jade opened his mouth blankly, and Rosana’s lips touched his fangs. Jade startled and retreated to a corner.

“Hehe, a monster, you say? Do you know how adorable you are, Jade?”

Though Jade had fled, when Rosana kissed him, his tail wagged back and forth, unable to hide his joy. His tail revealing his mood was endearing. Jade turned his head sharply away. Though the fur made it impossible to tell if his face was flushed, his eyes were bloodshot.

“…You’re probably the only one who’d call me adorable like this.”

“Really? I suppose my taste is unusual.”

Jade sighed. No matter how he argued, Rosana showed no signs of backing down. She always created situations where he couldn’t budge. No one else had ever done this to him…

No matter how much he struggled, he only sank endlessly into a sticky swamp he couldn’t escape. Yet she didn’t hesitate to walk into that swamp toward him, seemingly unconcerned. 

She took his hand and told him it wasn’t difficult, that they should walk together.

Come to think of it, that had originally been his role. But at some point, he’d become the one receiving help. Truly… an inexplicable turn of events.

Rosana smiled mischievously and looked down at her outfit.

“I should show you something beautiful, but I’ve gotten quite dirty. Even I wouldn’t approach myself looking like this. So that must be why you’re avoiding me, right?”

The dress with blood spattered here and there, her disheveled hair from falling and running. Jade spoke in a choked voice, trying to sound calm.

“That…! How could that be? You’re beautiful enough. More than I deserve.”

“Then cherish me. Hurry.”

She still wore that sweet smile. Despite the tension, Rosana waited patiently.

After a long moment, Jade reached out, hiding his claws as much as possible. But with the slightest mistake, his sharp claws might graze her face. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand again, Rosana grabbed it. Instead, she leaned her face against his hand.

Rosana pounced on him while he fidgeted and tried to pull away. Rosana, who had been leaning her face against his hand, rubbed her face against the soft fur seemingly pleased.

“G-get away!”

“Even when you say it like that, it’s not threatening at all.”

Rosana was carefree. Rather, she embraced him tightly, refusing to let go.

“When you ran out on me, I wanted to collapse. It felt like the world was screaming that there was no happy ending for me. I hated the world flowing according to my mother’s words. But what I hated most of all…”

“Rosana.”

“Was seeing you wounded, Jade. My heart ached like it was tearing apart. I wanted to shout at the people calling you a monster—who was it that saved you all this time? Who was it that built up this nation?”

“Stop, stop talking!”

Jade, who had been underneath, sat up. The positions reversed in an instant. Jade didn’t hesitate to threaten Rosana, unwilling to hear more. What Rosana said was right. But wasn’t it also true? 

No one had accepted his appearance.

Rosana calmly continued, saying she wasn’t finished yet.

“Thanks to your strength, we could defeat the invaders pressing in. Monster or beast aside, it was you, Jade, who revived this nation. There’s absolutely no need to hide. No need to run away.”

Instead, Rosana wrapped her arms around Jade’s neck and kissed his lips.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am that someone like you is my husband.”

She wanted to lean endlessly into the warmth welling up inside her. Someone in Jade’s mind whispered that letting Rosana go would be better for her too. But he didn’t want to let go. He wanted to lean on her more. And he knew.

He wasn’t unaware that Rosana’s eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings and her eyes filled with sadness revealed her true feelings completely.

“You fool… You’ll regret this. There will be riots.”

A tear dropped onto Rosana’s cheek.

“Then let’s overcome it together. I want to be with you, Jade. Jade, I love you. I’m sorry I don’t express it in words very often.”

“…It’s not necessary. I know everything even without words.”

“You’ve come back.”

The fluffy fur’s texture had disappeared, replaced by smooth human skin.

“That’s a shame. It was warm and nice.”

At Rosana’s playful words, Jade laughed. He pressed close, seemingly regretful that he hadn’t fully taken in her warmth moments ago.

“Do you dislike it now?”

“No, of course not. It’s not nighttime yet… but you’re not planning to leave me alone, are you?”

“…Show some restraint.”

The desire sleeping deep within stirred. Jade urgently pressed their lips together. Now it was Jade who held her so she couldn’t escape.

He embraced her neck and waist tightly, devouring her lips roughly. His golden eyes gleamed with desire.

Rosana didn’t avoid his kiss. It was a deeper kiss than usual. His tongue penetrated, sweeping over her even teeth and catching her slightly startled tongue. 

The movements were intense. A m*an escaped involuntarily at his tongue’s movements swimming inside her mouth.

“Ah… J-Jade…!”

When Rosana turned her head away, overwhelmed, Jade reluctantly pulled his lips away. With a wet sound, a silver thread connected them. He buried his face in her neck, letting out an unbearably satisfied sigh.

“Weren’t you the one who embraced me first? So I have no intention of letting you go. I plan to be a husband who listens well to his wife. I’ll cherish you, so may I enter your body?”

Rosana’s body was completely pressed against the bed, Jade was mounted on her body, and they were pressed together without the slightest gap. His large hand threaded between Rosana’s fingers, refusing to let go.

Rosana caught her breath and nodded, her face flushed. At her consent, Jade’s eyes flashed. 

His large, calloused hand slipped inside her dress. Rosana’s entire body trembled at the hot touch on her skin.

“Mmm…!”

“Hah… Rosana. Rosana…”

His pleading breaths and voice tickled her ear, seemingly unable to endure. Jade’s head gradually lowered as he left marks on Rosana’s neck, blooming deep passion flowers. Even while doing so, his hands didn’t stop.

“Thank you for staying with me, a monster, and for saying you love me…”

Rosana stretched out both arms and embraced his lower back tightly.

“For you, I’ll say it as many times as you need. Jade, I love you.”

The hand working to remove her dress stopped abruptly.

“If you say such things in this situation… won’t I be even less able to restrain myself?”

With a growling sound, blue veins bulged on the back of his hand gripping the bedside. A ripping sound echoed, and the hand wandering inside tore the dress apart.

“There’s no reason to carefully remove a dress already stained with blood.”

Rosana couldn’t say or do anything. Meeting Jade’s clouded gaze, she swallowed involuntarily. 

The passion dwelling in his golden eyes made even her breath feel overwhelming. She knew she’d properly provoked him.

He then stripped off even her undergarments. Though she’d done this to comfort him, she worried whether she could actually endure it.

“There’s not a single part of you that isn’t beautiful.”