At the voice from behind, Kyrie turned around.

Isolet stood there. Not in formal wear but a thin shirt, soaked with rain so his skin showed through clearly. He held no sword in his hands.

“Your Highness…”

“You weren’t thinking of running away, were you?”

Isolet approached. His rain-soaked face looked more decadent and dangerous than ever.

“…Running away? I was just…”

“Lies. Your eyes were always looking north. You were ready to disappear the moment I showed any opening.”

Isolet came right up to Kyrie’s face and stood there, trapping her.

“But not anymore. Adelaide’s gone. Nothing’s stopping me now.”

He cupped Kyrie’s wet cheeks.

“So you give up too. The thought of leaving me, the thought of pushing me away. All of it.”

“Your Highness, but the people… the nobles…”

“I don’t care about that! What’s the point when I’ll die without you!”

Isolet shouted. His cry piercing through the rain made Kyrie’s heart sink.

“I love you. Kyrie. I love you to death.”

Isolet roughly bent his head and devoured Kyrie’s lips.

The kiss on the muddy ground was completely different from before. It wasn’t the taste of sadness or farewell. It was the taste of possessiveness, longing, and overflowing joy.

Isolet sucked on Kyrie’s lips like he’d chew them up. His tongue swept through her mouth, stealing her breath. Kyrie no longer pushed him away. She too pulled his neck closer and accepted him deeper.

“Haa… mmph…”

Isolet’s hand grabbed and tore Kyrie’s wet shirt. Rip. Buttons flew off and her white skin, wet with rain, was exposed.

“You’re mine now. You can’t go anywhere.”

Isolet buried his face in her nape and panted. He licked and bit her collarbone like a beast. Red teeth marks remained vividly. It was a brand.

“Ah! Your Highness…”

Isolet’s hand undid her pants buckle and dug inside. Kyrie’s legs gave out and she nearly collapsed, but Isolet firmly supported her waist.

“Right here. In this place where you tried to run, I’ll make you mine.”

Isolet pulled out his member and thrust it into her in one stroke.

“Ungh!”

It was rough penetration without f*replay. Her narrow, tight inner walls stretched like tearing to accept him. But the overwhelming fullness was greater than the pain.

“Accept it. All of it.”

He drove deep inside Kyrie with a thud.

“Haaa! It hurts, it hurts…!”

“It should hurt. That’s how you’ll remember. Carve into your bones how much I loved you, how I held you.”

Isolet shook his hips frantically. The rainwater acted as lubricant, making squelching sounds. Thud, thud. The sound of flesh hitting flesh mixed with the rain and echoed.

He grabbed Kyrie’s legs and hooked them over his shoulders.

“See? See how far I’m devouring you?”

Isolet stabbed at her cervix like crushing it.

“Ah! There, hngh, too deep…!”

Kyrie gripped Isolet’s shoulders tightly. Her nails dug in but he didn’t care. Only the hot pillar churning her insides dominated all sensation. Every time Isolet thrust in, her vision flashed white.

“Haa, haa. Kyrie, you’re mine. Even in death, you’re mine.”

“Haa… Your Highness, I’m… I’m yours too…”

At those words, Isolet’s thrusts became even fiercer. Kyrie felt the boundary between pleasure and pain collapse. It would’ve been good to stop there, but Isolet didn’t stop. Instead, he pushed her against the wall.

“Turn around.”

At his command, Kyrie stood bracing against the wall. From behind, Isolet thrust his hardened member in again.

“Aah!”

At the heavy thrust from behind, Kyrie’s upper body pressed against the wall. The cold stone wall and the hot body heat behind her. Isolet wrapped one arm around her waist while the other hand squeezed and caressed her br*ast.

“Hngh, Your Highness, you’re too big… I feel like I’ll tear…”

“You won’t tear. You’re my knight. You can take all of me.”

Isolet blew hot breath in her ear and thrust his hips like a beast.

Slap, slap, slap.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out loudly.

“Tomorrow I’ll wear the crown.”

He ground out the words while thrusting roughly.

“But I’ll leave the seat beside me empty. Until you come. Until you become my queen.”

Those words moved Kyrie’s heart.

“Haa… hngh, Isolet…”

For the first time, his name came from her mouth without honorifics.

“Yes, call me. It’s my name. A name only you can call.”

Filled with ecstasy, Isolet thrust deeper, more violently.

“Ah! Aah! There, there…!”

“You like it? You like when I make you like this?”

Isolet’s hand moved down and began rubbing her cl*toris. Stimulated inside and out simultaneously, Kyrie lost her mind.

“I’m coming! Isolet, I think I’m coming…!”

“Let’s come together. Don’t leave me behind.”

Isolet increased his speed. White steam rose from their bodies in the rain.

“Hyaah!”

Kyrie threw her head back and screamed. Her inner walls contracted strongly, squeezing Isolet. 

Unable to endure that tightness, Isolet cl*maxed too. Hot masses poured in surge after surge, warmly filling her lower belly.

The two collapsed to the ground. The rain still poured down fiercely.

Isolet sat Kyrie facing him on his lap. Then he pulled her into a crushing embrace.

“I love you, Kyrie.”

He kissed her lips, her eyes, her wet hair endlessly.

“Swear you won’t run away anymore.”

Kyrie looked at him with tear-filled eyes. There was nowhere left to run. No, she didn’t want to run. This man’s embrace was the only world where she belonged.

“…I swear.”

She whispered, pulling his neck close.

“Until the day I die, I’ll stay by your side.”

Their lips met again. The vow exchanged in the rain was hotter and stronger than any marriage oath.

The next morning, the coronation was held.

The sky had cleared impossibly bright. Last night’s downpour seemed to have washed away all the world’s filth.

Tens of thousands crowded the plaza. Isolet appeared on the platform.

He wore the king’s ceremonial robes. A red velvet cloak with a lion emblem embroidered in gold thread. On his head sat a brilliantly shining crown. But the seat beside him was empty. The crowd murmured as the promised princess’s seat remained vacant.

Isolet walked to the front of the platform.

“My people.”

His voice rang across the plaza.

“Today I wear the crown alone. But I am not alone.”

Isolet stretched out his hand, pointing below the platform. Toward Kyrie standing in the Royal Guard Commander’s position.

“There stands my knight, who bled for me and risked her life for me. Without her, I would not be here today.”

Every gaze focused on Kyrie. Kyrie bowed her head in confusion.

“Dame Kyrie. Come forward.”

At Isolet’s command, Kyrie climbed onto the platform with trembling steps. In her worn armor, she might have looked shabby beside the splendid king. But in Isolet’s eyes, she shone brighter than anyone in the world.

Isolet picked up a small crown he’d prepared. Not a queen’s crown, but a victor’s laurel wreath. But it was made of pure gold.

“You said shadows don’t covet light.”

Isolet whispered quietly. A voice only Kyrie could hear.

“Wrong. Light cannot exist without shadow. If you’re my shadow, then I’m nothing without you.”

He placed the crown on Kyrie’s head.

“Come with me. To the highest place.”

Isolet took Kyrie’s hand and raised it high.

“I present my first knight and my companion!”

Waaaah!

Cheers erupted. The people welcomed Kyrie, the war hero. They sincerely blessed having a knight who fought for them stand beside the king rather than a foreign princess.

Princess Adelaide watched from the VIP section and smiled.

“As expected, my choice was right.”

She raised her champagne glass and toasted quietly.