Track 05. Kanin’s Circumstances (Part 4)

‘How can you say we’re nothing to each other?’

If she hadn’t sobbed so sadly, he would have questioned her like that.

‘What about all the time we’ve spent together? Can you really draw such a clear line and push me away?’

I can’t do that.

Feeling he might become violent if he stayed with Vivian any longer, Kanin held back his emotions and left the room.

But once he closed the door, anger surged. Of course, it wasn’t directed at Vivian.

‘It’s obvious who would have said that to Vivian.’

A man bold enough to tell Lady Gerhartz to give up being a mage.

Duke Gerhartz.

“Prince Albrecht?”

“….”

“What are you doing here? I thought you had left.”

In the end, Kanin’s forceful breakthrough was not toward Vivian’s room but Duke Gerhartz’s room. Duke Gerhartz, who was diligently playing with dumbbells in his office, raised his thick eyebrows.

“What is this rudeness, Prince Albrecht?”

“I love Vivian.”

“What?”

Duke Gerhartz’s face twisted at the sudden confession. Kanin faced him seriously and spoke.

“And I want her to be the happiest in the world. Even if I don’t receive the reward of her heart, I want to support her by her side for life.”

Kanin added in a stiff tone.

“So please don’t tell Vivian to quit being a mage.”

Though it was a highly rude action, Duke Gerhartz unexpectedly didn’t get angry.

“To want to support her for life…….”

Duke Gerhartz closed the office door, put down the dumbbell, and sat down. It meant he was being as serious as possible.

“Does Vivi want that too?”

“I haven’t heard her answer yet…….”

At those words, Kanin flinched. It was only natural since he had rushed over, furious at Vivian’s tears. Duke Gerhartz’s eyebrows raised.

“So, you came to me without even asking Vivian’s opinion?”

“Vivian doesn’t lose control when I’m around. You know that.”

“True. Damn it.”

Duke Gerhartz nodded. But then he asked sharply again.

“But that’s only something Vivian needs as a mage, isn’t it?”

“What?”

Kanin’s body stiffened. Duke Gerhartz’s face twisted.

“You’ve watched over Vivian for a long time, haven’t you? Do you think Vivian is truly happy as a mage?”

“……Vivian wants to live as a mage.”

“Really? I’d bet this arm of mine that she can’t even answer that herself.”

“…….”

Duke Gerhartz’s words silenced Kanin’s retort. Kanin clamped his lips shut for a moment.

‘Vivian isn’t the type to give definite answers about anything.’

But on the other hand, that also meant that the easygoing Vivian had never wavered in her decision to become a mage.

‘That means she wants it.’

And the biggest reason Kanin could confidently propose himself as a partner was that he was a water attribute mage.

“Even if she decides to quit being a mage and live an ordinary life, she will still have to control her immense magical power. There’s no guarantee that having a child would split that power between them.”

By that logic, only mages would be born in mage families. However, having mage parents—especially a mage mother—only increased the probability of a mage being born; it didn’t guarantee it.

“Even if she quits the Moonlight Division, she needs me.”

After saying that, Kanin added in a slightly slower tone.

“And I love Vivian. Where is a more appropriate reason for a man and woman to be together than love?”

“An appropriate reason? A one-sided love?”

“I’ll confess to Vivian soon. Of course, I’m not optimistic that Vivian will accept my confession. Her feelings for me must be different.”

Kanin gave a bitter smile.

“That’s why I came to you now, Duke. Even if Vivian doesn’t love me and we can’t be a couple, please allow me to stay by her side.”

The background for Kanin’s decision to hastily confess his feelings was largely influenced by something Vivian said earlier.

• We’re nothing to each other.

Until now, Kanin could suppress his desire. Even if he couldn’t be the only man for her, no one else was by her side.

He thought that made them special.

‘But in reality, we were nothing.’

At least Vivian thought so. That they were strangers.

‘So I need the Gerhartz family’s approval.’

He needed to be someone who was naturally by her side, like air—a person even her family recognized as one of their own.

And in Kanin’s mind, this was a proposal the Gerhartz family had no reason to refuse.

‘No matter how deep-seated the emotions between families are, they wouldn’t let pride get in the way of their precious granddaughter’s life.’

But that was overly optimistic thinking on Kanin’s part. Duke Gerhartz unexpectedly hardened his face.

“When the day comes that she wants to give up being a mage and live an ordinary life, if you’re still by her side…”

A heavy and somber voice slowly echoed in the office.

“Could Vivian really let go of all the dreams she couldn’t achieve and rest? Especially with a mage right in front of her?”

“…….”

Kanin couldn’t answer that.

* * *

Duke Gerhartz’s words offered Kanin a new perspective. Until then, he thought he was a great help to Vivian.

But what if she didn’t want to live as a mage?

‘Would just seeing me be enough to make her miserable?’

And Kanin couldn’t deny that. Although he loved Vivian, as a mage, he had always been envious of her.

‘I want it so much but can’t have it. Such immense magic power.’

Duke Gerhartz was right. Even when exhausted and wanting to give up everything, Vivian wouldn’t be able to escape.

Living right beside her, seeing traces of her dreams. Like the dance of the red shoes that couldn’t stop until they cut off the feet.

‘It’s difficult.’

Unable to calm his own heart, Kanin distanced himself from Vivian for a while. And during that time, the clock ticked steadily toward the southern expedition.

“I’m alright.”

Even in the boiling Siskiya Mountains, Vivian stubbornly refused Kanin’s help.

“Do you want me to say I’m not alright?”

Her words, combined with the Duke’s, clawed at Kanin’s heart once again.

‘Did I wish for Vivi’s unhappiness all this time? Out of my desire to monopolize her?’

He felt self-reproach. Kanin bit his lip hard.

‘……Even so, I can’t give up.’

How could he give up on her when she was right in front of him, just an arm’s reach away?

‘Would it be better to stay far away?’

It was then that the wyvern attacked. Clinging onto Vivian, who was snatched by the wyvern, was an instinctive action. At that moment, all he could think about was keeping her by his side no matter what.

Kraaaang!

But who would have thought there’d be an ice-attribute wyvern in the southern Siskiya Mountains?

‘It’s cold.’

Kanin’s body, already on the cooler side, froze faster than others.

‘Ice Breath, really.’

He could feel the cold rushing through all the pathways of mana toward his heart. His lips couldn’t even move anymore.

‘It’s not my lucky day. I might freeze to death like this.’

Kanin tried to open his eyes, but his frozen eyelids wouldn’t move as he wished. Kanin thought blankly.

‘At least Vivian wasn’t hit. Maybe that’s a relief.’

He wanted to see her face one last time…….

It was at that moment.

Whoosh.

A hot warmth melted his body through his veins. Unlike the cold rushing from his limbs to his heart, flames spread from his heart outward.

‘Who……?’

Kanin’s fingertips twitched. Warmth enveloped his unmovable cheeks. And gently explored inside his mouth.

Lick.

A tongue lightly poked inside his mouth teasingly. It was a clumsy and shy kiss. But even that sent tingles spreading throughout his body.

‘Warm…’

A light like the brilliant sun enveloped him. The cold that drove him to death disappeared under the sunlight.

Kanin slowly opened his eyes. He saw neatly arranged eyelashes. Her slightly flushed, lovely cheeks, and the tips of her round ears.

“Vivi…….”

It was Vivian.

The beautiful chest he had dreamed of was pressed against his bare chest, hidden under her undergarments. The soft sensation made his manhood stand on its own.

‘Vivi, you…….’

This time, she was the one giving him warmth.

‘After avoiding me so much.’

Heat radiated slowly from the bare skin they shared.

“Cold.”

Muttering so, Kanin hugged Vivian tightly. At that moment, there were only the two of them here.

Kanin wanted to remain buried in her arms forever.