Chapter 108

“……!”  

The moment Sabrina tightly closed her eyes, warmth pressed against her lips.  

Chase gently nibbled on her plump lower lip, pulling her neck closer. His lips, which teased her soft skin, grew bolder.  

“……!”  

Sabrina’s body tilted slightly backward. Her hands, which had been flailing in the air, cautiously came to rest on Chase’s shoulders.  

Squeeze.  

The fabric of his shirt wrinkled under her tightly clenched fingers.  

Neither the noses that kept bumping into each other nor the trembling fingertips and breaths mattered to either of them.  

It didn’t matter that they were sitting on the damp ground, nor did the awkward posture or angle bother them.  

What mattered was that, in this moment, they were connected.  

Pulling Chase closer to her, Sabrina thought.  

‘I like this person. So, so much. To the point where it feels overwhelming.’  

For the first time, Sabrina realized that liking someone too much could be terrifying.  

Right now, she felt thrilled and happy beyond words, but would this feeling last forever? Would the fluttering excitement that made her heart race with just one kiss fade over time?  

His destiny, born under a crown, would demand countless decisions and sacrifices from her as well. There were so many things she would have to give up for this love—would she regret it?  

“……”  

“……”  

As their breaths grew shallow and their flushed faces slowly drew apart, Sabrina’s long eyelashes trembled before revealing her clear blue eyes. Her vision was filled with Chase’s face.  

His golden eyes gazed straight at her, his cheeks slightly flushed, and his lips more vibrant than usual.  

Sabrina suddenly felt her heart drop.  

‘Wow.’  

Although she had always admired his face since the first moment she saw him, the emotion she felt now was entirely different.  

The fact that she existed in his eyes. That she was the one who had brought color to his cheeks. That she alone knew why his lips glistened more than usual.  

The secret joy of it made Sabrina’s eyes curve into a round smile.  

Watching her quietly, Chase wiped her lips with his thumb and spoke.  

“I love you.”  

“……!”  

“I’ve loved you for a long time.”  

Sabrina’s eyes widened. She stared blankly at Chase, forgetting even to breathe.  

At first, Sabrina thought she might have misheard, but that thought quickly faded. The sincerity in Chase’s eyes as he spoke was undeniable.  

‘Love…’  

Sabrina’s lips moved slightly.  

She liked Chase. She liked him very much.  

Spending time with him was her favorite thing in the world, and she liked the version of herself when she was by his side the most.  

This must be love. It was a feeling that couldn’t possibly fall short of being called love.  

Yet, for some reason, Sabrina found it difficult to say the word aloud.  

‘Is it because I’ve never said something like that before? Why is it so hard for me?’  

Realizing her feelings had taken an eternity, and even summoning the courage to approach him had taken just as long. Sabrina suddenly became keenly aware of how emotionally immature she was.  

‘I’m so foolish. So frustrating.’  

As if he had read her thoughts, Chase gently cupped her cheek, turning her face toward him.  

“There’s no need to answer right away. It wasn’t a confession made expecting a response.”  

“Your Majesty…”  

“You like me too, don’t you? Isn’t that right?”  

At his question, Sabrina nodded. Seeing her response, Chase smiled warmly.  

“That’s enough for now. There’s no need to rush.”  

Chase called her name in his usual gentle tone.  

“Sabrina.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“Our relationship puts you at a disadvantage. No matter how many promises I make or how much care I take, there will inevitably be sacrifices you’ll have to make.”  

His words took her by surprise. Sabrina opened her mouth slightly, her expression bewildered.  

“You’ve thought about that?”  

Chase nodded slowly.  

“How could I not? I’ve thought about it a lot. I still think about it. That’s why I feel so guilty.”  

“……”  

“I don’t want to take anything away from you. I don’t want to steal anything from you. But there’s no way for me to avoid it. That means I’m the worst choice you could make.”  

Sabrina smiled faintly and replied.  

“You’re the Emperor, Your Majesty. It’s only natural.”  

“There’s nothing natural about it.”  

“I’ve thought about it a lot too, Your Majesty. I’ve agonized over it and made my decision. There will be things I have to give up, but it means that I like you enough to accept those sacrifices.”  

Chase let out a low laugh at her resolute words.  

“That’s touching.”  

“I’m the one who’s touched. Just the fact that you’ve considered my position is more than enough for me.”  

“No, it’s not enough.”  

Chase shook his head firmly.  

“Let me make it up to you, Sabrina.”  

Sabrina’s eyes widened.  

“Pardon?”  

“If there’s anything you want, demand it of me. Feel free to weigh and measure me as much as you like. In this love, you’ll always have the upper hand, and I’ll always be at your service.”  

Chase tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as he continued.  

“I’ll always yield to you, Sabrina. I’ll do my best so that you’ll never regret choosing me. I’ll never forget my gratitude or my guilt.”  

“……” 

“I’ll do my best for you. So choose me, Sabrina. Let me spend my life repaying you.”  

Chase tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a soft smile.  

As his lips met hers once more, Sabrina thought to herself.  

Perhaps this fluttering feeling won’t last forever. Perhaps the weight of being the Emperor’s lover will become overwhelming, and she might even resent him a little.  

There’s no guarantee that they’ll never face another crisis, nor that a fairy tale-like happy ending awaits them…  

‘But this moment will be eternal within me.’  

Sabrina wrapped her arms tightly around Chase’s neck.  

‘Through good days and hard days, through paths lined with flowers or thorns, I want to be with this person. That much is certain.’  

***

‘A lover….’

Sabrina Wintlet scratched her cheek as she alternated between saying Chase’s name and the word “lover.”

‘Ah, it tickles.’

It had been a week since she had become Chase’s lover. Although their relationship had been redefined, Sabrina’s life had not changed significantly compared to before. She still resided at the Ducal Estate, went to work every morning, and worked tirelessly until her feet were sore.

‘He told me not to worry about my family and that he had plans in place… but nothing seems to have changed on that front.’

Sabrina tilted her head as she recalled Archer’s face, who was still busy with his schemes. She had expected something dramatic to happen, but the peaceful days that followed made her previous resolve feel almost unnecessary.

Of course, not everything had remained the same.

“Your Majesty, may I come in for a moment?”

Knock, knock. Sabrina opened the door and entered the office. Chase, who had been seated, immediately stood up to greet her. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging so vigorously that it would blur from sight.

“Rina.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Good morning.”

The first change: Chase had started calling her by a pet name.

And the second change:

“Could you check this part again? Avery explained it to you yesterday…”

“Hmm.”

“Do you remember?”

“Well, maybe? Maybe not?”

Chase tilted his head slightly, feigning innocence. Then, with a casual motion, he reached out and intertwined his fingers with hers.

“Can’t you explain it to me again?”

The second change was the increase in physical contact.

Sabrina wiggled her fingers as she looked down at their clasped hands.

‘Is this okay? Well, no one’s watching.’

She had intended to draw a clear line between work and love. She didn’t want to slack off at work or make mistakes just because she was in a relationship.

But as she stared at their joined hands, she found herself reluctant to let go. The warmth from his large, beautiful hands seemed to melt her heart.

Sensing Sabrina’s gaze, Chase tightened his grip slightly, as if to say he would never let go.

Sabrina chuckled softly and continued speaking, pretending not to notice.

“I’ve received the details about the banquet preparations from Avery. From what I’ve seen, everything seems fine. Do you have any additional comments, Your Majesty?”

“Hmm, no. Everything seems fine. Avery is always thorough with his work.”

Chase smiled brightly.

“How long has it been since you didn’t oversee the banquet preparations?”

“Hmm, I’ve been involved every year since the first one…”

“This time, you can enjoy it a bit more. Eat, drink, and relax.”

“Indeed.”

This banquet was intended to honor those who had contributed to resolving the Heider incident, and Sabrina was attending as a guest rather than as an aide.

Sabrina met Chase’s gaze and smiled.

“Receiving an award feels pretty nice.”

Chase nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course. Look forward to it.”

“Look forward to it? Are you planning to give me a generous reward?”

Chase burst into laughter at her question.

“Of course, I’ll make it generous.”

“I’ll hold you to that. You’ve gotten my hopes up, so now you have to take responsibility.”

Chase tilted his head slightly as he looked at her.

“Why do I like hearing you say that so much?”

Sabrina widened her eyes and asked, 

“What do you mean?”

“The part where you said I should take responsibility.”

Chase’s thumb gently stroked the back of her hand. His touch was soft, as though handling something delicate.

“I truly want to take responsibility for you. For my whole life, at that.”

Thump.

The words, which sounded almost like a proposal, made Sabrina’s heart skip a beat. Her cheeks flushed red.

Trying to hide her flustered feelings, Sabrina spoke in a playful tone.

“That won’t be easy. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed, you better brace yourself. I’m going to ask a lot from you, Your Majesty.”

Chase chuckled lowly.

“You should be the one bracing yourself.”

“For what?”

He held her gaze, then slowly released her hand—only to let his fingers trail down until his thumb pressed lightly against her wrist, feeling her rapid pulse.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Feeling her heart race faster than usual, Chase’s eyes curved into a smile. Slowly, he parted his lips.

“Because I’m a man who can give you a lot. Far more than you can even imagine.”