Now You’re Obsessed - Chapter 14

“Ugh.”

Lionel’s soft groan was heard. His c*ck trembled violently before shooting a fishy, white substance inside her. A subtle, warm light instantly enveloped the entire room. The delicate silver light that accompanied his use of holy power filled the air. She felt the lukewarm liquid near the roof of her mouth.

“Mm, mm!”

Initially unaware of what had happened, Ariel instinctively swallowed the substance that reached her throat. It had a fresh, fishy taste.

“Cough! Cough!”

As the volume of the object she had been holding in her mouth decreased, the heavy sensation filling her mouth gradually eased.

“Puh!”

Feeling this, Ariel pulled away. Some of the white, milky substance she hadn’t swallowed dribbled from her small mouth. Her reddened face and neck, along with her disheveled clothes from her vigorous movements, made for an overly provocative sight.

However, Ariel had no time to worry about that.

She felt the holy power, shimmering like moonlight, floating in the air. It was clear that Lionel had released his holy power in his excitement.

‘This doesn’t happen easily…’

According to what she had learned, this kind of phenomenon only occurred when those with holy power experienced ecstasy, faced a life-threatening situation, or were in an emotionally intense state.

‘He must have been excited.’

Although she had been too embarrassed and flustered to know what she was doing just moments ago, realizing that Lionel had been excited melted away all her embarrassment. She felt strangely proud.

‘Did you enjoy it, Lionel?’

Wiping the corners of her mouth, Ariel smiled involuntarily.

‘Maybe.’

Maybe Lionel would now see her as an adult. After all, they were both adults now, and such promiscuous acts were for adults.

‘So.’

So now he would smile at her in ways he hadn’t before, help her increase her holy power, go on subjugation missions together…

He might even say he wanted to marry her.

Yes. With this, all her worries would dissolve like sugar in water.

Ariel smiled brightly and looked up.

“Lionel, did you feel good…”

And then, as she looked up at Lionel’s face,

She wiped the smile off her face.

Drip.

Clear, transparent drops fell from his eyes.

“Lionel?”

He was crying.

The clear drops trickling from the eyes she always thought were beautiful. She had never seen him cry before. The slightly unfocused, reddened eyes were so alluringly beautiful, and the breath escaping his lips was sweet, but Ariel was too frozen to notice.

To her, the sight of Lionel tilting his head back like a languid beast, savoring the afterglow of his climax, seemed like he was shaking his head, unable to bear the pain.

Lionel clenched and unclenched his fists as if he had been enduring something for a long time. Even that seemed like a gesture of rejection to Ariel.

“Ariel.”

His voice, now hoarse, calling her name barely registered. A ringing sound echoed in Ariel’s ears.

Drip, drip.

Tears continued to fall from his eyes. The holy power shimmering in the air shone even more brilliantly, but Ariel couldn’t see it.

To her, Lionel, with his mouth slightly open and tears streaming down, looked more like a violated maiden than a man feeling liberation and fulfillment. It was the first time she had seen him cry like this.

Lionel, who was always calm and reliable, was crying like a child unable to control his emotions…

‘Did he hate it that much?’

Color drained from Ariel’s face.

‘What have I done?’

Seeing him cry, Ariel felt as if she had been struck on the head. She had thought his tears would be beautiful, but not in this way.

The heat and excitement she had felt quickly vanished. The air was still warm, and the holy power was exploding with light, but Ariel’s arms were covered in goosebumps.

The fresh taste in her mouth quickly turned bitter. Even the dazzling holy power felt like it was scolding her. It meant he was emotionally overwhelmed, angry.

“……”

Lionel, who had been about to say something, wiped his face and looked bewildered.

“This is…”

He then raised his arm and covered his face. Normally, this gesture would have seemed like shyness, but to Ariel, it looked like a rejection, as if he didn’t want to see her anymore.

“…Lionel.”

Unconsciously calling his name, Ariel didn’t know what to do.

‘I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

She just wanted to know…

She just wanted to confirm if he still intended to marry her, if he was willing to share his holy power, if it was okay for them to go on subjugation missions together.

…If it was okay to keep liking him.

‘Ah.’

Feeling the fishy taste in her mouth, Ariel stood up abruptly. The intense sense of failure and the frustration she rarely felt in her life overwhelmed her like a loud drum.

‘What have I done?’

She remembered Lionel repeatedly touching her and then letting go. If he really didn’t want it, then she had ignored his wishes and forced herself on him. He might have wanted to push her away but couldn’t…

‘…Because he was afraid I’d get hurt.’

That’s why he let go. He twisted her arm earlier. Besides, he was drunk and not in his right mind. The person he promised his future to was probably not her. Her thoughts kept spiraling to the worst.

‘This isn’t right.’

Unable to overcome the sudden surge of panic, Ariel rubbed her hands and face haphazardly. She couldn’t stand the sticky sensation on her fingertips.

“…I’m sorry, Lionel.”

That was all she could say. She thought she should apologize more sincerely, but she felt too uncomfortable to stay there any longer.

“This won’t happen again.”

As soon as Lionel flinched and lowered his arm at those words, Ariel had already turned around. She almost ran out of the room.

“Wait, Ariel!”

She thought she heard Lionel call out as he stood up behind her, but it didn’t register. Ariel’s ears were burning with embarrassment. She felt ashamed, embarrassed, and sorry.

‘I shouldn’t have done that.’

Rubbing her face and wiping off the traces of Lionel on her hands, Ariel unconsciously bit her lower lip.

She was walking briskly around the front of the mansion when she heard a loud noise from inside.

“Lady Rivella!”

“Please share a drink with me!”

Ariel stopped in her tracks.

‘I should have taken a less crowded route.’

She had no intention of passing through a bustling area in this state. As she hurriedly turned to take another path,

“Is it true that you’re discussing a marriage proposal with the Frenderick family?”

She heard someone say. Ariel turned her head involuntarily. There was Rivella Solto, the beloved daughter of Count Solto, the commander of the Holy Knight Order.

“I heard the Duke and the Commander have discussed a marriage proposal.”

“Oh. Yes. It was a long time ago.”

Lady Rivella, dressed in a golden dress that matched her hair, was speaking. The sparkling light seemed to settle on her dress like gold dust. Her pink cheeks made her look undeniably lovely, and the chandelier’s dazzling light cast a radiant glow behind her.

“Whoa! So you are really going to marry Lord Frenderick.”

“You two look perfect together. And Lady Rivella is a saintess, after all.”

“The golden saintess is the perfect title for you.”

Listening to the conversations in a daze, Ariel looked at her closely. The golden saintess. It was a familiar phrase.

‘The heroine in the romance novel was called something similar.’

And she was also blonde. The more Ariel looked at Lady Rivella, the more she seemed like the heroine.

‘This is…’

She failed to seduce Lionel, while the golden saintess, who was rumored to have a marriage proposal with Lionel, stood there.

Ariel’s face burned again. Somehow, this situation felt too familiar.

‘It’s like a scene where the heroine waits for the male lead at a ball, and the villainess, who is jealous of the heroine, watches.’

It felt like she was the villainess from a romance novel, clinging to the male lead and being rejected.

As if to confirm her thoughts, someone shouted.

“Oh! Lord Lionel!”

“I thought you went inside because you were drunk…”

Lionel came out. Maybe he was seeking comfort from Rivella after what happened with her.

Hearing that shout, Ariel almost ran out of the mansion.

‘I…’

What have I been doing all this time?

That thought kept overwhelming Ariel’s mind.

* * *

Entering the Marquis’s estate, Ariel’s face only grew hotter despite the cold wind. The sweat she had shed in excitement cooled on her neck, making her skin feel cold. Despite her burning face, she felt unbearably cold. Her eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, and the heat surged there too.

As soon as she entered the Marquis’s estate, Ariel saw the small fountain and washbasin in the garden and plunged her head into the water as if to wash away her shame.

“Puh!”

The water, which felt like ice, was a stark contrast to her hot cheeks. Ariel washed her hands and face, looking at her reflection in the water. Her hair was a mess, her golden eyes were trembling, and her eyes were red with shame.

It was a pitiful sight. The certainty she had always held was now shaking uncontrollably.