Chapter 21: Birthday Gift (5)

“Hey, Tehis.”  

“Yes, Chloe.”  

Tehis responded to Chloe’s call as she continued staring at her book. He had noticed earlier that she hadn’t turned the page in a while, which must have meant she had something to say.  

Chloe, who had been silent after calling him, lifted her head. She stared at him wordlessly for a moment before closing her book.  

“You know we still have a lot of things we haven’t talked about, right?”  

“I do.”  

Tehis closed the book he was holding and set it down.  

Just because they were spending peaceful days in the Grand Ducal Mansion didn’t mean the rest of the world was the same. For example, the borders of the Kingdom of Jeren were in complete chaos.  

Even Aide Lisa’s visit that morning, despite the intrusion, had been to deliver news regarding the border situation. If he hadn’t pushed himself to shorten his schedule, he wouldn’t have had time to spend with Chloe today.  

“So, I was wondering… do you have time tomorrow?”  

“If it’s tomorrow, I’ll be free until the morning.”  

“That’s a relief. Then let’s save the complicated conversations for breakfast.”  

“Wouldn’t it be better to talk about them now?”  

There were countless unresolved issues: the bracelet from the Kingdom of Jeren, Duke Fernand, Lucas, the rebellion, the war, the Emperor…  

Tehis was asking if it wouldn’t be better to address at least some of them now instead of postponing everything. But Chloe shook her head.  

“I don’t want to today.”  

“I see.”  

She glanced at Tehis, who had easily accepted her words.  

“Aren’t you going to ask why?”  

“Why is that?”  

“Why do you think?”  

“…Hmm.”  

Tehis let out a faint hum of hesitation. Chloe was the only woman he had ever been close to, so he couldn’t help but struggle with questions like this.  

Seeing his awkwardness, Chloe let out a small laugh. Even though he occasionally flustered her, he was still fun to tease.  

“Because today is a special day.”  

She offered the hint as if she were being generous, and Tehis nodded.  

“It’s a bit much to talk about such things on the first day of the new year.”  

“No, that’s not it!”  

When Chloe denied it in frustration, Tehis immediately fell silent again.  

Could he really not know? 

Just as she was about to say something, he spoke up.  

“Is it because it’s my birthday?”  

“That’s right. It’s a good day that only comes once a year, so instead of worrying about tomorrow, I just want to talk about happy things today.”  

But the fact that he didn’t seem to care at all…  

Chloe let out a sigh and stood up. When Tehis tried to follow her, she pressed his shoulders down and plopped onto his lap.  

“I originally planned to finish all the serious conversations yesterday and celebrate your birthday today. I even prepared a gift, but things got messed up last night…”  

“There’s a gift?”  

At his curious tone, Chloe let out a dry laugh.  

“Of course. Did you think I’d come to your birthday empty-handed?”  

“Not exactly, but, Chloe…”  

Tehis wrapped his arms around her waist. Without any effort, he pulled her closer to him and whispered softly.  

“Didn’t I already receive my birthday gift?”  

For a moment, Chloe wasn’t sure what he meant.  

Was it spending his birthday together? Or officially starting our relationship? Or maybe…  

No matter which it was, it was difficult to respond. With his face so close, staring directly at her, she hesitated before speaking.  

“That doesn’t count.”  

“I can’t invalidate the most valuable gift I’ve ever received in my life.”  

His words, spoken with absolute sincerity, left Chloe speechless.  

He wasn’t just saying it to make her feel good. She could tell that he meant it exactly as he said it.  

If emotions had weight, how heavy would his be? Could hers even compare if placed on the same scale? Was it okay for her to accept such a heavy heart?  

Sharing feelings of love with someone else was uncharted territory for her.  

What if she couldn’t meet his expectations and ended up breaking him? What if, when they eventually parted, he was irreparably shattered?  

…What if she ended up carrying the same weight as him?  

‘What would I do then?’  

Chloe felt a vague sense of fear. She was afraid of being trapped in the depths of his gaze, unable to escape.  

But that didn’t mean she could simply let go.  

Mages were, by nature, a people who pursued the unseen mysteries of the world. They were more logical than anyone else, yet at times, they could also be recklessly courageous.  

She wasn’t foolish enough to give up on what she wanted just because of a fear of the unknown.  

“Let’s consider the birthday gift given. Let’s say I gave myself to you.”  

“So…”  

“Do you know what that means?”  

Chloe interrupted him and asked. She pressed her slender finger firmly against his left chest.  

She had easily claimed the weak spot of the Grand Duke, a place no one else could touch.  

With a sly smile, she spoke softly.  

“It means you’re mine too. Not the North’s, not the Emperor’s—mine.”  

“Of course, Chloe. I know that you’ve claimed me even more than I’ve claimed you.”  

His unwavering gaze, full of conviction, was directed at her. His bold declaration made Chloe laugh softly. She was amazed at how fearlessly he moved forward, even while knowing how unbalanced their feelings might be.  

How could he do that? Surely, he must fear their predetermined end more than she did.  

She still didn’t realize that love often brought about reckless bravery.  

“In any case, I value what’s mine. So take it. It’s a gift that’s not excessive for you at all.”  

With a flash of light from Chloe’s storage ring, a small pendant appeared in her hand. It was an artifact decorated with geometric patterns.  

She placed the thin chain of the pendant around Tehis’ neck, lifting the slightly weighted charm as she explained in a calm tone.  

“It’s similar to the necklace I gave the Emperor, but with additional functions. I made it after noticing you seemed jealous last time.”  

Tehis paused briefly before speaking a beat late.  

“…Thank you, Chloe. I’ll always keep it with me.”  

“Please do. You see this protruding part here? If you press it, the pendant will open, and you’ll be able to contact me. I made it as a pair with the one I have. While it does consume a considerable amount of mana stones, it allows for two-way communication even over long distances, so it’ll be useful in many ways.”  

Tehis looked down at the intricately crafted pendant. The deep blue of Escalante formed the base, with Chloe’s purple blending into a mysterious pattern.  

An artifact that allowed direct contact with an Elder Mage like Chloe…  

He couldn’t begin to estimate its value. Nor could he fully grasp the feelings she must have had while making it.  

But one thing was certain.  

He had been right when he said he received her as his birthday gift.  

“Inside here, there’s a mana stone. You can pull out the fixed pin on the side and replace it with a new high-grade mana stone….”

Tehis’ gaze followed the movement of her slender fingers. Her lips, explaining how and when to replace the mana stone, were a deep red.

He had heard her mention that if the chain broke, the signal would go to her, but after that, his attention was entirely consumed by the subtle movements of her delicate skin.

The way her sweet lips formed sounds, the way her tongue moved and disappeared when making certain pronunciations—it all captivated him.

Chloe stopped speaking when she noticed his gaze following her motions.  

“Tehis, are you listening?”  

“Chloe.”  

“Why are you—ugh…!”  

Before she could even ask why, Tehis kissed her. Chloe endured the kiss for quite some time before finally managing to pull her face away.  

She stared at him, half flustered and half heated, but his shameless response came immediately.  

“I was so touched by the gift that I couldn’t help myself.”  

“…If you’re going to make excuses, at least make them sound more plausible.”  

“I’m being honest. Your lips just looked too delicious.”  

“What…?”  

Chloe was at a loss for words.  

‘When did he become such a fox?’  

She couldn’t respond and just stared at him in disbelief. Tehis, however, spoke seriously.  

“Isn’t today still my birthday?”  

“…So what?”  

Somehow, she had a feeling she knew what he was going to say next.  

Her guess was spot on.  

“I want to fully enjoy my birthday gift before the day ends.”  

“Ha.”  

Chloe let out a short sigh. She stared at him for a moment before a soft laugh escaped her lips.  

“Do you know how sly you are?”  

“I’m not sure, but I’ve heard it from you a few times.”  

“If you’re only sly with me, that’s unfair.”  

“You said you liked me like this.”  

Ah. Chloe burst into laughter. Feeling amused, she reached out and gently pinched his cheek.  

“That’s true. I won’t deny it.”  

“Thank goodness…”  

“I like you, Tehis.”  

Chloe leaned her forehead against his, her eyes curving into a soft smile. For a moment, Tehis fell silent as she whispered to him like she was sharing a secret.  

“I like you. I don’t know when it started, and that frustrates me, but I’ve come to like you.”  

Who would have thought that a contract relationship would turn into real love?  

If other mages heard this, they wouldn’t even consider it a joke. Riel might even show her disapproval with a sulky expression.  

But as frustrating as it was, it couldn’t be helped. Without her even realizing it, he had burrowed into her heart and refused to leave.  

It was all because of sly Tehis. He had carefully balanced on her line, slowly encroaching upon her space.  

“When I said you were my ideal type, I meant it. Even the parts of you that have changed because of me—I like them, as long as you don’t become someone completely different.”  

“……”  

“You said there were many things you came to like because of me, right? For me, that’s you. I’ve come to like you. That’s why I think I enjoy everything that comes with being by your side.”  

“……”  

“Today is no different. From now on, January 1st won’t just be the start of a new year—it’ll be remembered as your birthday. It’s going to become a day I like even more.”  

Chloe gently stroked the corner of Tehis’ eyes with her thumb. She knew the slight furrow in his brows wasn’t from negative emotions.  

There wasn’t a single tear in his eyes, but her touch was as tender as if she were comforting him.  

“Did you say earlier that you wanted to fully enjoy your birthday gift? You probably said it knowing I wouldn’t refuse, but fine. Do as you wish. Today is your birthday, after all.”  

Even with her permission, Tehis didn’t move. Instead, Chloe leaned in and kissed him lightly.  

Her soft lips lingered, sharing warmth rather than passion. It was a gentle kiss, more about conveying affection than delving deeper.  

When Tehis’ lips began to part, Chloe pulled away and smiled brightly.  

“Happy birthday, Tehis. Thank you for being born into this world.”  

Chloe blessed the birth of Tehis Escalante.  

It was her final birthday gift to him.