Demian spoke with a face tinged in a somehow wistful light.

“This is a place I used to visit often with my older brother. Of course, we haven’t come together since becoming adults.”

He naturally took off his jacket and laid it on the bench.

“Please sit.”

“Thank you.”

Sitting side by side, the surroundings suddenly felt very quiet.

I admired the panoramic view of the capital and the red sunset spreading across the sky.

For some reason, it reminded me of the sea at Philia Islands.

Duncan’s beautiful face bathed in the sunset that day overlapped with Demian’s reddened face today.

“Yerena. I, too, want to have a beautiful love, like Lady Olivia said.”

I wondered what he was going to say after bringing me to such a beautiful place.

A humid breeze blew, disheveling his golden hair.

I found myself staring blankly at Demian’s face, which seemed especially beautiful today.

“With whom do you want to be in love?”

“With you, Yerena.”

I curled my lips inward to suppress the smile that was about to escape.

It seemed Demian had more to say, so it felt right to wait until he finished before smiling.

“Even though I knew you hadn’t gone far, when I couldn’t see you with my own eyes, I thought I would go mad again.”

“….”

“You’re the only one who drives me crazy and makes my heart flutter like this.”

His clear golden eyes held my image completely.

“I… love you so much.”

My heart trembled at that confession, which contained nothing but sincerity. Demian awkwardly fiddled with his chin.

It seemed time to forgive this man whose confession skills were improving day by day.

I couldn’t resist anymore.

I couldn’t take my eyes off his lips that had whispered love.

I could no longer ignore those lips. Now, I wanted to possess them.

“Demian.”

“Yes.”

Instead of speaking, I tilted my head slightly. Soon after, I felt Demian’s soft lips.

Demian’s body seemed to stiffen at the sudden kiss.

After briefly pulling away from the light kiss, I revealed my true feelings that I had been hiding from him.

“I like you too.”

“….”

“I also want to have a beautiful love.”

Demian, looking somewhat dazed, asked haltingly.

“With whom?”

The same question I had asked.

I chose my partner without hesitation.

“With you, Demian.”

A smile spread across Demian’s face.

He had the happiest expression since we met at the imperial palace, no, on any day we had spent together.

The corners of my mouth lifted too, eventually forming a perfect smile.

“Could you say it once more?”

Demian spoke when he couldn’t believe my confession. Despite having guessed my feelings long ago.

Having decided to forgive him and love him freely now, there was no reason not to confess again.

“I love you too.”

To think the day would come when I, as Yerena, would utter such sweet words.

Who would have thought such a dreamlike thing would happen?

“It doesn’t feel real.”

“What more can I do for you?”

“Will you accept whatever I do?”

I nodded readily.

Whatever Demian did, I didn’t think my heart would be hurt.

“Thank you.”

Another kiss followed immediately.

Demian’s lips, which had briefly touched mine before, settled on my lips again.

But this time, his lips moved intensely, when he had no intention of ending with just a light kiss.

His tongue, full of hot breath, wandered inside my mouth.

Whenever his tongue slowly brushed against the roof of my mouth, my body felt strangely heated.

My fingertips and toes tingled, and my lower abdomen felt warm.

I didn’t dislike it. Rather, wanting to feel more of that sensation, I explored Demian’s lips more deeply, disregarding my quickening breath.

Every time his large hand caressed my cheek, then my nape, and finally near my collarbone, I wanted to be closer to Demian.

I wanted to touch every part of his body that no one else had ever seen.

I wanted to leave a mark that he was mine.

Demian was the one who pulled his lips away first. He gently wiped my lips, moistened with saliva, and looked down at me with languid eyes.

“Now… it definitely feels real.”

Oh, was this kiss shared to prove this was reality?

Demian’s kiss was so sweet that I had forgotten my purpose.

I extended both arms and pulled his neck closer.

Now that I remembered my purpose, I should also say something appropriate in response.

“Demian. I’m sorry, but I’m still not satisfied. I want to feel more that this is real.”

Demian seemed to understand what those words truly meant.

His face instantly turned as red as the sunset.

“I’ll have to let Bless sleep alone tonight.”

“That’s unfortunate for Bless.”

We giggled and explored each other’s lips a bit more. Until the sun had completely set.

***

I never knew that sharing body heat could be so ecstatic.

I just wanted to experience love, but the accompanying physical intimacy was nothing but satisfying.

No, perhaps it was satisfying because I shared love with someone I loved?

When I had an unwanted kiss with Benjamin, I didn’t feel any ecstasy at all.

“What are you thinking about?”

I looked at Demian lying on the same bed.

His face was sensual, evidencing the passionate lovemaking we had just shared.

Slightly disheveled hair, languid eyes, faint flush on his cheeks, red swollen lips…

I swallowed hard. His face evoked an inexplicable thirst.

Though I had no energy to move a finger, if I kept looking at Demian’s face, I might unconsciously pounce on him again.

This won’t do. Until the sensuality disappears from this man’s face, I must never let him out.

Surely everyone who encountered Demian would want to make love to him.

I couldn’t stand by and watch that happen.

“Are you thinking something you can’t share with me?”

Demian had a persistent side when it came to such matters.

He often wanted to know clearly what I was thinking, where I had been, things like that.

I parted my lips toward Demian, who was eagerly waiting for my answer.

“If I speak honestly, you might run away.”

“Perhaps… do you have sadistic s*xual preferences? I’m wondering if I should prepare things like whips.”

He said quite seriously. Like he would comply with whatever I demanded.

“Are you crazy? I wasn’t thinking of anything that extreme!”

“Then what?”

“I thought you looked too s*xy. And I thought that if I made love with someone other than you, I wouldn’t feel the same happiness as now.”

“…Are you thinking of loving other men too?”

“No, no! Not at all.”

“Yerena. You’re my first.”

“That’s… the same for me.”

“So you must take responsibility for me. Don’t even dream of other men.”

He took my unguarded hand and pulled it up near his lips.

After lightly kissing the back of my hand, he said, when seeking confirmation.

“Even if you come to dislike me later, I won’t let you go.”

That vaguely possessive statement wasn’t unpleasant at all, but rather welcome.

I wanted Demian to look at me, want me, and love me for life.

I knew what a miracle it was to have the person I love love me back.

I didn’t think such a miracle would happen again in my life.

So I was the one who would hold onto Demian tightly and never let go.

“I’m the one who won’t let you go, Demian. Because you are my servant, my honey, and my eternal lover.”

Demian chuckled pleasantly.

Then, when answering, he kissed my lips several times.

I wished this night would never end.