“Not perfectly, but to some extent. Recently, I found a remedy even better than the peacock’s tears.”

The moment she finished speaking, Roen regretted it. She shouldn’t have added that last part. It was a statement that evoked their kiss.

Sure enough, Jean’s gaze fell on her lips.

“I find myself thinking I could give it to you. Come to think of it, I don’t seem to be that stingy after all.”

‘Give it to me? Not stingy?’

What exactly does he mean by giving?

While Roen was puzzled, he lowered his head.

And only when his lips approached right in front of her nose did she realize what he was trying to do.

“Wait. There’s no need for this. And didn’t you say you were conservative, Duke? There’s no need to help me so… actively.”

Roen put up a wall with her hand between his mouth and hers and pulled her face back.
However, sitting in a chair, she couldn’t widen the distance as much as she wanted.

“It’s fine. From the moment we wrote the contract, I decided to make an exception for you. So if you need it, feel free to use my lips as much as you want.”

Jean grabbed Roen’s hand that was between them.

When his firm hand enveloped hers, she stopped breathing in surprise.

His hand was large enough to completely cover hers and have room to spare. And it was warmer than she had expected.

“Duke!”

Flustered, Roen called out to him without even thinking of pushing him away.

But instead of answering, Jean slowly pulled down Roen’s hand. In an instant, the hand that had been blocking the two of them disappeared.

Their breaths touched each other’s lips. The bodily scent in each other’s breath tickled their hearts.

The smell of refreshing wind.

It was the forest scent that Roen liked.

Roen raised her eyes to meet his ice-blue eyes. A languid heat dwelled in his eyes, which had been surrounded by a cool light.

She couldn’t tell if it was because of the light coming through the window or if it was heat directed at her.

“How about it? Would you like to use it now?”

‘What did I just hear?’

In this unbelievable situation, her heart beat as if it wasn’t her own.

Meeting his ice-blue eyes, her mouth dried up with an inexplicable thirst.

‘Calm down.’

This wasn’t a kiss.

Just a remedy to reduce pain through each other’s bodily fluids. Yes, it was merely an offer to provide an antidote that would purify the deadly poison.

But…

Unlike what her head understood, her heart fluttered tactlessly as if she were about to kiss him.
Roen bit her lip to calm herself.

However, her gaze still lingered on his neat lips.

She had thought they would naturally be cold and hard like their owner, but they weren’t. They were incredibly soft.

“It seems you don’t dislike it.”

As if noticing Roen’s gaze on his lips, Jean’s lips curved up in an elegant arc. Then he moved closer as if about to press his lips against hers at any moment.

Thump.

‘This is crazy!’

Her heart beat again as if in anticipation.

“Ah, wait!”

At the last moment, her reason returned.

“Just a moment, Duke!”

As she quickly turned her head, his lips narrowly missed the corner of her mouth and touched her cheek.

Ugh! His lips touched her cheek, but somehow goosebumps rose on her nape. It felt like the down of a young bird tickling her heart.

‘Ah, what a shame. Just a little more…’

At the thought that suddenly crossed her mind, Roen snapped back to her senses.

A shame? She must be truly going mad.

Roen pulled her body back as far as possible like a herbivore sensing danger, widening the distance between them.

She did so because otherwise, she might have pressed her lips against those of the man sitting before her with an innocent face.

‘Indeed, it’s dangerous. Seeing such a face dripping with sensuality from early dawn.’

Roen hurriedly gathered her emotions.

“Um, so I don’t think I need it right now.”

“Why not? Weren’t you in pain?”

Jean looked at Roen as if he couldn’t understand.

“It’s bearable. And I don’t want to waste one of my precious opportunities on something so trivial.”

“Ah, was that your concern?”

“I can’t break the contract after all.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. I wasn’t planning to include this in the contract from the beginning. So that should be fine, right?”

Smiling as if bestowing a great favor, he reached out his hand.

“No, that’s…”

Roen quickly racked her brain while hiding her bewilderment. The situation was taking a strange turn.

If she couldn’t provide a clear reason to persuade him now, she would have to press her lips against his.

“Actually, there’s another reason.”

“Another reason? What is it this time?”

Jean looked at Roen with suspicious eyes.

He seemed unable to understand why she was adamantly refusing his offer to detoxify the deadly poison.

‘Please calm down. He’s completely unfazed while I’m the only one being self-conscious.’

Roen felt her pride hurt by Jean’s demeanor, which appeared even serene. If this continued, far from taking the lead, she would be handing it over to him.

“Even the best medicine loses its effectiveness if used too frequently. There’s also a risk of addiction.”

As Jean listened quietly with a frown, Roen quickly added:

“Addiction?”

“Yes. What I’m actually worried about is precisely that addiction. Right now, it’s possible to detoxify the deadly poison with bodily fluids obtained through lips, but if addiction occurs, a kiss won’t be nearly enough. Then we’d have to find another method.”

Jean frowned as if displeased.

“What other method?”

“Well, to compensate for the insufficient bodily fluids from kissing, something more would be needed. For example, the intimate and secret act between a man and a woman.”

Roen looked at Jean with a meaningful smile.

For a moment, as if realizing what that intimate and secret act between a man and woman was, Jean’s earlobes visibly reddened.

“Hmm! That would be rather problematic. We’re not even a married couple.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. We can’t do that since we’re not married.”

Thankfully, he was no longer insisting on kissing. But in another sense, a strange silence flowed between them.

Roen belatedly realized the suggestive and intense atmosphere her words had created and bit her lip.

Ah, it’s hot. So hot…

She needed to find a topic of conversation to quickly reverse this atmosphere.

“Come to think of it, I’m curious why you came looking for me in the early dawn. Judging by your attire, it seems you’ve been riding.”

At Roen’s question, Jean’s expression noticeably cooled.

“Rather than riding, it would be more accurate to call it night hunting. I went to the imperial hunting grounds at His Majesty’s invitation.”

“By imperial hunting grounds, do you mean the backyard of the Grand Temple? That sacred land?”

When Roen showed interest, Jean nodded.

“You seem to know about it too.”

“Everyone is naturally curious about forbidden places. I’m no exception. Actually, I’ve always wondered what kind of place it is that only those of imperial lineage can enter. There must be something special there, right?”

Jean’s lips tightened slightly at Roen’s questions, which she poured out all at once as if excited.

‘Something special?’

Of course there was. Something that could truly drive a person mad.

“Of course there is. Something I absolutely detest. But regardless of that, I hate night hunting. I’m not the type to enjoy meaningless k*lling.”

Roen narrowed her eyes as she watched him recite coldly, as if his teeth were chattering.
The air surrounding them had also frozen cold. Her excited feelings also subsided due to the coldness he was emitting.

“You must have hated it today too. To the point where your mood is terrible.”

“No. It wasn’t the worst this time. When I went after five years, it was different from before.”

Come to think of it, the reason for his rock-bottom mood today wasn’t because of the night hunt but because of Edwin.

The Emperor of the Adrian Empire, who had looked at him with suspicious eyes while revealing ugly emotions.

“Then it seems His Majesty is the cause. Did he perhaps irritate you? Warning you not to covet the throne out of jealousy for your outstanding abilities?”

Jean’s ice-blue eyes widened as if surprised.

“If not, then I’ve made a mistake. So please forget it. And above all, please don’t tell His Majesty. My head might roll.”

Roen shuddered as if afraid she might lose her life.
At that sight, Jean burst into laughter. Instantly, his tense expression relaxed languidly.

Thank goodness. His mood had improved.

“There’s no need to worry. I’m not narrow-minded enough to report you to His Majesty.”

“I owe you my life. Thank you, Duke.”

Roen retorted playfully and laughed along with him.

“This is just out of curiosity, so you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“Ask away. I’m in the mood to answer anything.”

“According to the appendix of the Book of Radin, there’s a spell cast on the sacred land. Is that true?”

“Is that written in the Book of Radin?”

“Yes. There’s also something about the imperial third prophecy that hasn’t been revealed.”

“How amusing. As far as I know, the special edition and appendix of the Book of Radin published 200 years ago were burned by Zonderburgh I.”

“That’s right. As far as I know, the first editions of those two books don’t exist in the Adrian Empire.”

“Then that book on the shelf must be fake as well.”

“I wouldn’t say fake exactly. The two books available on the market were recorded by Taera, known as Radin’s assistant, who heard and remembered Radin’s prophecies. I think they’re more like interpretations.”

“An interpretation of the Book of Radin. That’s intriguing. I should read it sometime if I get the chance.”

“Just say the word. I can get you the highest quality one.”

Roen negotiated with a merchant’s face.

“Good. I’ll pay the highest price, so bring it to the mansion soon.”

“Understood, Duke. I’ll visit you with the finest item soon.”

Roen answered carefully and smiled at Jean.

“I don’t know much about the spell either. Only that the guardian of the sacred grounds is a holy being that has a contract with the Zonderburgh imperial family.”

“A non-human entity that contracted with the imperial family. Not a dragon, I suppose.”

“That’s right. It threatened my life when I was a child and couldn’t control the dragon’s power.”

Despite Jean’s calm tone, Roen could imagine how frightening and terrible the situation must have been for young Jean.

“This is why irresponsible adults are the problem. If they fed their child a dragon’s heart out of greed and cursed them, they should take responsibility. What about those left behind when they die? They don’t think about the person who has to bear it all.”

Jean’s expression became subtle as he watched Roen voicing her complaints as if it were her own issue.

“Are you getting angry on my behalf? At my father?”