Chapter 5 (Part 3)

Anthus was in the middle of a meeting with Anton and Erzen about the monsters and the northern dungeon in the village of Luteons when he was informed that Yuliana had arrived. He rushed out immediately.

“Lia, did you come because you missed me? I missed you so much too.”

Anthus welcomed Yuliana with a bright smile, speaking rapidly. However, when he heard Selenia’s explanation of why she was there, his heart sank.

“So, a man with black hair and yellow eyes tried to flirt on our Lia?”

“Yes, Your Grace. He kept staring at the carriage we were in, so I suggested we come to Duke Rockbellion’s residence!”

“You handled it wisely.”

Anthus sincerely thanked Selenia for her quick thinking.

“What did he say while trying to seduce my Lia?”

“He kept looking at Lia’s golden eyes and showed interest, asking if she had holy power.”

“Did he ask about holy power?”

“Yes, very blatantly.”

“I told him clearly that I don’t have any holy power, Yan.”

“Lia, didn’t you notice how his eyes changed the moment you said you were a spirit mage?”

“I did feel a bit uneasy.”

Anthus’ heart pounded. Suddenly, the last conversation he had with Rezeph, which he had buried deep in his memory, resurfaced.

<She belongs to me! My saint and my spirit mage… Cough… I must taste her!>

<Yuliana doesn’t belong to you, to me, or to anyone.>

<Before the first night, the pure blood of the saintly spirit mage…>

<Stop insulting her with your filthy words! You, who wander around indulging in filth, dare to do something dirty to Yuliana!>

<Even if it’s not Lady Loengrin, there are plenty of women to satisfy my desires.>

Even as his gray eyes lost their light, Rezeph continued to spew his vile and obscene words.

<The blood of a spirit mage… Even the blood of the saintly Lady Loengrin is a living elixir! If it had matured for five more years like wine, it would have been a fine elixir!>

<Stop talking nonsense! How can you treat a person as an elixir!>

<It’s unfair to die without even tasting her!>

<Is that your only dying wish?>

<I wanted to taste her just once… Hahaha.>

And so, Anthus ended Rezeph’s life.

Spirit mages are extremely rare. Because of their rarity, absurd rumors circulate.

As long as there are those who blindly believe the false information that the blood of a spirit mage is an elixir, Yuliana can never be considered safe. That’s why he had protected her thoroughly during their nine-year expedition together.

“Yan, are you okay? Your face suddenly turned pale.”

Anthus couldn’t help but lower his eyebrows at the sight of Yuliana’s warm golden eyes looking up at him with concern.

“I am not okay. My heart… hurts too much.”

Yuliana gently caressed Anthus’ cheek as he lowered his head, slightly furrowing his eyebrows with his handsome face.

Because of Anthus’ dazzling beauty, even his pained expression looked very beautiful, causing Yuliana to shake her head slightly. 

What am I thinking about someone who is in pain! 

Though she had never judged a man’s appearance before, lately, whenever she saw Anthus, his exceptional beauty often left her in a daze.

“Still, thanks to your concern, the pain in my chest is gradually subsiding.”

“I hope you won’t be in pain anymore, Yan.”

Seeing the tender affection between them, Selenia was surprised to learn that Anthus had a heart condition and asked,

“Does Your Grace have a heart problem?”

“Yes. I have lovesickness… When something bad happens to Lia, the pain in my heart becomes severe. But when Lia touches me, the pain subsides.”

Anthus explained to Selenia with the face of the most suffering patient in the world. For a moment, Selenia forgot why she was there.

“Are you okay, Yan?”

“Yes.”

“This is upsetting.”

Hearing Yuliana’s worried murmur, Anthus lifted the corners of his mouth widely.

“I am no longer in pain. Lia, please don’t be upset.”

After saying that, Anthus smiled like a child and hugged Yuliana tightly.

Selenia suggested they head home, helping Yuliana to stand up. Anthus couldn’t let Yuliana leave just like that.

“It’s good that you came today. Anton and Erzen have arrived at the residence.”

“Did they return from the northern dungeon?”

“Yes. Before you arrived, we were discussing the commonalities between the underground altar in the village of Luteons and the altar found in the northern dungeon.”

Upon hearing Anthus’ words, Yuliana sent Selenia off alone.

“I’m sorry, Sellie. We were supposed to have dinner together…”

“It’s okay! I’m fine. I’ll head off then.”

Selenia had planned to have dinner with Louis and Yuliana to reconcile them. She also intended to give Louis a hint about the wedding date set by their parents, but her plans were disrupted by the strange man approaching Yuliana.

“It can’t be helped. I’ll have dinner with Louis alone today.”

Selenia left the Duke Rockbellion residence with a pleasant smile.

* * *

Anthus held Yuliana’s hand and walked slowly down the hallway. Yuliana looked at him with concern. She stopped walking and asked,

“Yan, your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“I’m sorry for showing you such a pitiful sight, Lia.”

Anthus held Yuliana’s hand tightly. He couldn’t tell her that he was recalling Rezeph’s last words.

“I was just jealous the moment I heard another man was interested in you.”

Anthus’ desperate words made Yuliana’s heart ache.

“I have no interest in any man other than you, Yan.”

“I trust you, Lia. But the men who approach you…”

Anthus bit his lip. He almost blurted out that he wanted to tear apart the moths that approached her. Suppressing his rising emotions, he continued,

“They say a jealous man is pathetic…”

“Yan, you feel jealous because you love me. I don’t think the feeling of jealousy you experienced is bad.”

Every emotion has both positive and negative aspects. Instead of labeling an emotion as bad, it’s better to understand it. If one can understand why a person feels a certain way, there are no bad emotions. Can you call someone bad for being angry? If you understand what made them angry, can you still call them bad?

Therefore, the jealousy Anthus felt is not bad. The emotion he feels is natural.

“I feel the same way as you, Yan. If another woman approached you, I would feel the same way you feel now.”

Anthus pulled Yuliana into a tight embrace and lifted her up. Yuliana let out a small scream.

“We’re in the hallway. Put me down!”

Anthus, carrying Yuliana, opened the door to an empty room in the residence and entered.

“Why do you always say such lovely things, Lia?”

Anthus buried his face in Yuliana’s shoulder. The dirty and unpleasant words of Rezeph that had occupied his mind scattered like sand blown by the wind, replaced by Yuliana’s sweet words.

The anxiety and impatience he felt solidified his resolve to protect her even more.

As long as I can protect her until the end. Even if I have to throw my insignificant heart to the enemies, as long as I can protect Yuliana… As long as I can protect the woman smiling at me now…

“Lia, I am a knight who protects the Sirius Empire.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Today, I want to swear my loyalty to you, Yuliana Loengrin, as a knight. Will you allow it?”

“Swear loyalty to me?”

The pure hearts of knights only swear loyalty to the Emperor and the Empire. The knight’s oath means they will fight to the death for the Empire and the Emperor…

“Please allow it, Lia.”

Yuliana, with reddened eyes, nodded. Anthus knelt on one knee and kissed the fourth finger of Yuliana’s left hand.

“I, Anthus Rockbellion, swear here to dedicate only the glory of victory for the honor of Yuliana Loengrin.”

After completing his oath, Anthus stood up, looking the happiest person in the world, and hugged Yuliana tightly.

His large hand supported the back of Yuliana’s head, and his arm around her waist pulled her close. Smiling brightly, Anthus lovingly kissed Yuliana’s temple.

“If I can continue to…”

Have you all to myself… How wonderful it would be?

“Will you grant me the right to love you?”

As long as he could be the calmest and most beautiful man in front of her, he could suppress his desire to possess her.

“There’s only you, Yan.”

Yuliana cupped Anthus’ cheeks with both hands.

“The only man who can love me…”

His right hand cradled the back of her head, and his left hand lifted her chin. Their faces slowly drew closer, tilting slightly as their lips met.

She had no intention of pushing away his right hand cradling her head. The scent of roses from his mouth made her mind go blank.

Her consciousness became hazy, her breath roughened, and she shivered at his touch, accepting him more. Just like swallowing a piece of chocolate. As natural as continuing to want sweet chocolate…

Her heartbeat quickened, and the sound of their heartbeats echoed in her ears.

“There is no one else but you, Lia, who can accept my love.”

Anthus’ whisper reaches her. His left hand slides down from her shoulder to her wrist.

“No one will come here…”

Anthus laid Yuliana down on the wide and luxurious sofa in the room and kissed her wrist, tempting her. When his beautiful face smiled and whispered lowly, it became impossible to refuse. No, it wasn’t that it was impossible to refuse; it made one not want to refuse.