Chapter 76

Throughout the walk to the terrace, her mind was occupied with thoughts of how to handle Eched, who was as stubborn as a mule.

How could I make Eched behave more like a person, blending in without standing out awkwardly?  

How could I make him at least glance at his surroundings before causing a scene like earlier?  

What words would make Eched understand?

But after much deliberation, she concluded that leaving him alone was the best course of action.  

Eched had already lived among people for hundreds of years, adapting as much as he pleased.  

He had spent his entire life living on his own terms, so trying to persuade him now would be futile.  

And above all, if he were to change his attitude because of her words, it would undoubtedly spell danger—for her heart.  

There was nothing more dangerous than seeing someone change their lifestyle for her. Especially if that someone was the person she liked.  

The phrase ‘a kind man, but only for the heroine’ wasn’t popular for no reason.

As she stepped onto the terrace, a cool early autumn breeze swept past her.  

Breathing in the crisp air helped calm her racing heart a little.  

The moment she drew the curtains shut, the roles reversed.  

Eched took her hand and led her to the railing.  

The garden, bathed in bright moonlight, came into view. The very garden where she and Eched had shared their first kiss.  

From this sub-terrace, the garden was clearly visible. It must have been even more so from the main terrace right next to it…  

No wonder the rumors had spread so quickly.  

Turning her gaze, she looked at Eched.  

Despite bringing her to this spot, Eched said nothing.  

But that didn’t mean he was doing nothing. His gaze, fixed on her, was unbearably intense.  

“Eched?”

Why was he looking at me like that?  

‘Is he drunk?’  

She reached out and cupped Eched’s cheek. Beneath her cold palm, exposed to the wind, she felt his warm skin.  

Eched murmured that her hand was cool, gripping it and closing his eyes. For a moment, it felt like she was petting an animal.  

“What did His Majesty say earlier?”  

What on earth had His Majesty said to sway Eched so effectively? 

She was intensely curious about His Majesty’s method.  

“He told the husband of Duchess Melis that he’s too old to wait any longer.”  

“…Suddenly?”  

The unexpected statement left her stunned.  

Though His Majesty often lamented about his age, she wondered if he was secretly suffering from an unknown illness.  

Eched, pressing his cheek further into her hand, continued calmly.  

“He said he was lonely… and that his dying wish was to see his grandchildren.”  

“Ah…”  

Only then did she understand His Majesty’s true intentions. He simply wanted to see an heir from the ducal couple, who had been married for nearly four years.  

It wasn’t a sudden topic. His Majesty had often subtly brought up the matter of an heir.  

Perhaps it started when the Mon Pellinier Duke had a granddaughter, Lucy.

Around this time last year, there had been an imperial decree forbidding the Duke from having private conversations in the palace.  

Apparently, the Duke had been bragging about Lucy at every opportunity.  

At the time, she had wondered how boastful he must have been to warrant such an order…  

‘So it was just jealousy.’  

Recalling His Majesty’s surprisingly childish tendencies, she shook her head.  

It seemed Orgon inherited those traits from someone very close.  

But what part of this story had pleased Eched?  

Eched’s low voice continued.  

“At that moment, Duchess Melis interjected, saying that since you’re married now, His Majesty should redirect his focus.”  

“…What?”  

“Come to think of it, it’s not a bad idea. The deepest bond humans can form is family, which includes parents and children.”  

The gentle gaze that had been savoring the coolness of her hand was gone, replaced by the fierce eyes of a predator.  

“No…”  

Sensing danger, she tried to pull her hand away, but Eched was faster, tightening his grip.  

“So…”  

The smile on Eched’s face was more seductive than any devil tempting a human.  

“How about becoming my true family?”  

***

For a moment, she was at a loss for words. It wasn’t a joke—Eched was utterly serious.  

Though she wanted to counter by saying they were already family, she couldn’t. She knew Eched’s meaning wasn’t limited to the dictionary definition.  

Words failed her, tangled in her mind. She felt both flustered and baffled.  

‘True family.’  

The phrase rolled around in her mouth, feeling distant. It was a scenario she hadn’t even dared imagine.  

As she struggled to find the right words, Eched spoke first.  

“Shaterian. In the books you read, people usually confess by saying, ‘I love you.’ To be honest, I’m not sure what love truly is. But I do know that I want to become your true family… Does that displease you?”  

Seeing the faintly disappointed look on his face, she quickly shook her head.  

“…What, would you take it back if I said I didn’t like it?”  

“Of course not. I’d just find a confession that pleases you.”  

Eched seemed ready to dive into books on confessions if it meant finding one she liked.  

At first, he had shown pure desire, content just to be by her side. But his greed seemed to grow with time.  

That insatiable desire didn’t feel burdensome—instead, it made her heart flutter. It was clear that she had feelings for Eched.  

Never had she thought the saying ‘love makes fools of us all’ would apply to her.  

Seeing Eched deep in thought, troubled because of her, tugged at her heart.  

At some point, he had let go of her hand. As she stared at his face, she found herself leaning in without realizing it.  

The kiss happened in an instant.  

The moment their surprised eyes met, she realized what she had done.  

Flustered, she tried to pull away, but Eched grabbed her neck, pulling her closer.  

“Wait…”  

Before she could protest, their lips met again. This time, Eched was impatient, as if he had been waiting for this moment.  

The breath grew ragged, and when she pushed him away, he clung back to her. As she continued to struggle to escape, Eched furrowed his brows slightly and grabbed her waist to keep her from running away.

The kiss persisted relentlessly. Her thoughts became duller by the moment, focusing solely on the act in front of her.

In the meantime, she forgot that they were on the terrace of the banquet hall, a place anyone could enter if they wished.

“Haa…”

A faint sigh slipped through the slight gap as their lips parted.

“Shaterian…”

The hand that cupped her face gently caressed her cheek.

As she met Eched’s deep, black eyes, even the noise from the banquet hall faded into the distance, leaving her feeling as though they were the only two people in the world.

When his face drew closer once again—

“Terry…?”

Startled by the voice, she turned her head. Her older sister, parting the curtains, looked as surprised as she was to see them.

Thankfully, they hadn’t been caught in the act of kissing. However, since they were holding each other tightly, it wouldn’t have been hard to deduce the peculiar atmosphere.

Her sister’s golden eyes darted downward briefly before she quickly erased her flustered expression and gave a soft smile.

“Well… ahem. Enjoy your time.”

“What…!”

Before she could grab her sister and explain, the latter had already fled the terrace. Even in her hurried escape, she didn’t forget to close the curtains.

The terrace, now devoid of any intruders, felt empty. It was one of those moments when silence was particularly palpable.

Peck, peck. The oblivious man kissed her forehead, then her temple.

Eched continued to let out small sounds as he trailed kisses across her face.

Once she had allowed him, he didn’t seem to know his limits.

But it wasn’t a situation where she could reprimand him. After all, it was she who had initiated the kiss in this open space.

“Enough.”

She raised her palm to block his approaching face. He stepped back with a refreshingly satisfied expression.

As she wiped her lips, she shot a glance at Eched.

If he was going to pounce so aggressively after just one opening, how had he managed to restrain himself until now?

Unlike her, whose face was flushed red, Eched’s expression remained as calm as ever. He didn’t look at all like someone who had just been devouring her moments ago.

“Let’s go. I need to ask my sister why she was looking for me.”

She sighed as she walked toward the door.

Her embarrassment surged as she imagined her sister already telling their family about what she had seen. How was she supposed to face them now?

But it turned out to be an unnecessary worry.

“Where have you been? We’ve been searching for you everywhere.”

His Majesty, already quite drunk, greeted them with a wide grin.

The reason His Majesty had been looking for them was obvious. He must have been disappointed that his drinking companion had suddenly disappeared.

“Your Majesty, we must take our leave now. We are scheduled to escort the Saintess starting tomorrow.”

“Already? But it’s still early…”

“Exactly, Your Majesty. If we’re exhausted tomorrow and fail to escort her properly, how embarrassing would that be?”

“Hmm… if you insist…”

Though her sister’s help allowed them to escape the banquet hall…

She wasn’t particularly grateful.

When their eyes met, her sister gave them a very meaningful smile.

‘It’s not what you think.’

‘Who said anything?’

Her sister just shrugged in response to her frantic eye gestures. After all, she was never one to listen to others.

Any further argument would only stress her out more.

Deciding to leave things to fate, she abandoned them and left the banquet hall first.

The next day.

The running stadium was filled with cheers.

“Ah—! As expected, Alexer is taking the lead!”

They found ourselves seated in the audience.