“What brings you here?”

After settling him on the sofa, Raylin asked, but no immediate answer came.

“Your Highness? Are you alright?”

“…I’m fine.”

Aiger reflexively gave the response, running a hand over his face.

He didn’t look fine at all, but Raylin didn’t press further.

He seemed lost in thought.

And indeed, Aiger was carefully choosing the right words to say to her.

He had raided the emperor’s laboratory, inhaled an unknown drug, and sought out a safe place to recover—only to end up here.

There was no way he could tell her that.

‘Why did I really come here?’

Aiger once again looked over Raylin and her bedroom.

As he had thought before, it was a modest room, hardly fitting for the cherished daughter of the Greuga family. There was nothing extravagant or luxurious—not even proper furnishings aside from a bed, a small bedside table, a single-person sofa, and a table.

Given the spaciousness of the room, it should have looked empty due to the lack of furniture, yet it didn’t.

Perhaps it was because of the woman sitting on the edge of the table, tilting her head in response to his gaze.

With Raylin here, the room—at best described as simple, and at worst, lacking—felt complete.

Could a single person have such an impact?

Of course, Aiger had encountered people who dominated a space with their presence.

The Emperor, for example, was unparalleled in his ability to command attention in a vast conference hall, regardless of his monstrous nature.

It wasn’t just him—those who had achieved mastery in their fields naturally carried a weight that suppressed those around them.

That was why Aiger found it all the more puzzling.

Was Raylin powerful? No, if anything, she was too weak, almost fragile.

Had she achieved something so remarkable that no one could challenge her? If she had, he would have known.

Then why did he feel like everything was so perfect just because she was here?

“You seem to have a slight fever.”

Seeing him staring blankly at her, Raylin gently placed her palm on his forehead.

There should be some fever medicine hidden somewhere around here—leftover from when she had avoided taking it out of sheer stubbornness.

Just as she turned to search for it, recalling how her physician would have been horrified by her past actions—

“I have insomnia.”

A deep, almost imperceptibly rough voice interrupted her thoughts.

Raylin widened her eyes in surprise and turned her attention back to him.

As she did, Aiger found himself smiling unconsciously.

Her clear emerald eyes were filled entirely with him, as if they were the only thing reflecting light.

At that moment, all the lingering questions in his mind simply vanished.

Yes. This place is… safe.

Before he could continue thinking further, he simply accepted it as truth.

“I came for treatment.”

“Oh, I see.”

It was an abrupt statement, to say the least.

However, the fact that his insomnia had not improved had already been weighing on Raylin’s mind, so she nodded firmly.

“Then, shall I sing you a lullaby like last time? Or would you like to try a new method?”

“A new method?”

“Yes! According to my research, holding onto something warm and soft while sleeping is supposed to help!”

Before he knew it, Raylin had naturally guided him to her bed. Puffing up her chest like a small sparrow fluffing its feathers, she spoke with great pride.

Aiger, his mind still sluggish, tilted his head slightly.

“Warm and soft?”

If he were in his usual state, he would have sensed something off by now and shaken his head.

However, mildly affected by the unknown drug, he merely stared at her hazily and asked again.

“What is that?”

“Me!”

The answer came so quickly that he barely had time to react.

Aiger blinked several times before finally processing what she had said.

“You?”

“Yes! Nothing beats a human pillow in this field!”

“What field…?”

“The field of insomnia treatment.”

Raylin declared it as if it were an absolute truth.

Faced with her unwavering confidence, Aiger stopped thinking entirely and simply nodded.

Seeing his lack of resistance—so different from his previous reactions—Raylin brightened and leapt to her feet.

“You’re allowing it?”

Beaming, she quickly lay down beside him.

The bed was large enough for three people to roll around comfortably, and for a moment, silence fell between them.

Aiger remained dazed, while Raylin…

Should I get up? Should I call this off now and say this was a mistake?

Until she had confidently suggested the new method, asked for permission, and laid down beside him, everything had felt fine.

After all, there were countless testimonials of people with insomnia hugging warm and soft water bottles or their pet animals and finally getting a good night’s sleep.

It wasn’t for no reason that novels, movies, and dramas often featured a male lead with severe insomnia who could only sleep soundly while holding the female lead.

Raylin, who had been contemplating ways to get back at Catherine, suddenly thought of Aiger and recalled the existence of a “hug pillow,” exclaiming “Eureka!” She resolved to use this method next time.

She thought about it in the simplest way possible.

Aiger didn’t even have a pet, so there was no way he would be raising one.

That meant cute animal friends were out.

As for a hot water bottle, there might be one, but this world lacked modern scientific advancements to keep it properly warm.

So there was only one answer left.

‘I’ll be the pillow instead!’

A soft body with barely a gram of muscle, a slightly higher body temperature than the average person.

No fluffy fur, but silky hair could be considered a fair substitute. That made her practically a perfect replacement for animal therapy!

Everyone has a plan—until reality hits.

Up until she was looking down at him lying on her bed, all she had in mind was making sure his insomnia showed some improvement tonight.

But the moment she lay down beside him, that thought completely vanished.

The scent he carried, reminiscent of a cold winter night—something that could never belong in her bed.

The faint brush of his arm, as firm as steel.

The sound of someone else’s breathing, something she had never been conscious of before.

Aiger Reinhardt.

The Crown Prince of the Empire.

The final villain of 『Re.Vil.Bre』, doomed to a madman’s death.

And her fiancé.

In other words, the man she was engaged to—

A sudden wave of reality crashed down on her, making her look at her own actions with stark objectivity.

And silently, she screamed.

A hug pillow? Are you kidding me?! What kind of nonsense is animal therapy?! What the hell have I done, past me?!

A tidal wave of embarrassment and regret washed over her, making her want to kick off the blankets and disappear.

It wasn’t too late. She had only said it; she could still take it back. If she got up now, she could bring a hot water bottle, or a dog, or a cat—

“Raylin?”

His voice, thick with drowsiness, sent the fine hairs on her ears standing on end.

Like a character in a horror movie sneaking a glance at something terrifying, she rolled her eyes toward him—only to have her cheeks instantly turn red.

Aiger had turned toward her and was quietly gazing at her.

“Raylin.”

Again.

Because theirs was a political engagement, they had never called each other by name.

Yet now, all of a sudden! At a time like this! In a place like this! Why was he saying her name—

“Are you asleep?”

“No! Ahem, ahem, I’m not sleeping.”

His voice carried a subtle hint of disappointment, and Raylin answered without thinking.

And immediately regretted it.

Damn it. I should’ve just pretended to be asleep.

Aiger, not looking at her, kept his eyes stubbornly fixed on the canopy above. Watching her face, now flushed like a ripe apple, he let out a faint smile.

For some reason, seeing her cheeks turn pink because of him made him feel oddly good.

“Raylin.”

“Yes.”

“Raylin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You should call me Aiger.”

“I mean, even if you suddenly tell me to…”

“Raylin.”

His voice, now carrying an unmistakable trace of amusement, made Raylin’s entire face burn, not just her cheeks.

Her heartbeat thundered so loudly it felt as if the whole world could hear it.

She tried desperately to calm herself, even though she knew it was impossible.

As Aiger gazed at her, her cheeks now practically radiating heat, he spoke.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Huh? Where? Me? You mean me?”

Startled, she turned to him, pointing at herself.

Aiger responded with a mischievous smile that would have made anyone who knew him break out in hives.

“You said you’d be the hug pillow.”

Raylin’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly.

What the hell? What’s wrong with him all of a sudden? Did he eat something weird? Drink something strange?

‘I did think he had a bit of a fever earlier. I should’ve called the doctor after all. Should I call one now?’

People say that when someone starts acting out of character, it means they’re close to death!

Amid her storm of confusion, she had actually hit upon the correct answer—but she didn’t realize it.

Still watching her, utterly flustered, Aiger reached out.

“Hrk—!”

Raylin let out a muffled sound as he pulled her into his arms, her face landing squarely against his solid chest.

Lifting her head in shock, all she could see was the sharp edge of his jawline.

As she opened her lips to speak, his voice drifted down, carried on a warm breath against the top of her head.

“…Warm.”