Prologue

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The man’s appearance was wretched. His blood-soaked figure was so cruel that with each approaching step, the thick scent of blood seemed to touch the tip of her nose.

Yet he remained beautiful. His brilliantly shining golden eyes, like those of a predatory bird, ensnared her entire body.

Then, as if sensing her wavering heart, he reached out his hand.

“I only need you. It’s been that way from the beginning.”

Her heart tightened at his deep, low voice. His well-shaped lips were so soaked in blood that she couldn’t tell if they were red from the blood or if his complexion was naturally that crimson.

She neither fled nor ran toward him, but simply watched the blood-soaked man walking toward her.

Ah, when exactly had he known?

Since when had he known everything?

Had he resented her?

“So, Lea…”

She was afraid. But what remained unchanged was the fact that she couldn’t run away from him.

She had to watch his approaching touch like a frozen statue.

The distance suddenly closed.

Well-manicured nails and long fingers.

The scent of heavy perfume and body heat grazing her cheek.

The touch gently wrapping around her neck after passing her cheek.

His thin breath that seemed to contain trembling, and the strong grip clutching her wrist.

“Haah.”

He exhaled softly as if in relief. Despite his initial intensity that suggested he might embrace her forcefully, his touch was gentle.

Only then did she realize he was trembling.

“Lea.”

The eyes meeting hers suddenly transformed into something sorrowful. That change still took her breath away.

Those eyes had always been the problem. If not for those eyes, they might never have become like this.

“Don’t run away from me.”

She surrendered to the hand pulling her in. There was no resistance. She clutched his collar while swallowing his lips that poured down so intensely it stung.

Soft skin rubbed against hers and her lower lip was sucked. Ah, sighing, she parted her lips, and a soft flesh intruded.

He explored her neat row of teeth as if devouring the finest delicacy and swallowed her saliva. He tickled the roof of her mouth, stirring without yielding a single breath.

She sighed. The heat made her feel dizzy. Every moment of contact with him was sweet.

As she clung to him and swallowed her moans, it gradually felt like her soul was mixing with his. No, it was her soul being fulfilled.

She realized it just now.

‘El. My Emperor.’

Her eyelids fluttered.

What a ridiculous thought. Running away.

There was no way she could reject him.

‘It has always been so.’

It must have been from the moment she first saw him. She had always cherished her young emperor.