This was why the two of them had already become regulars at nearly every restaurant in the village.

Moed was enthusiastic about cooking, but that was all she had. And although Ersian adored her, he wasn’t the type of husband who would pretend to enjoy terrible food.

Moed trudged back into the room, and Ersian glared at her with hazy, unfocused eyes before stretching an arm toward her.

“Forget it. Just come here.”

“You have to eat something before you take medicine.”

“Then you eat, and I’ll take the medicine.”

“I’m the succubus, Eshi.”

“I know. That’s why I’m telling you—come here.”

Since neither shameless flirting nor whining had worked, Ersian switched to a pitiful tone instead. And, as always, the soft-hearted Moed sighed… and crawled into his hot, feverish arms.

Ersian let out a satisfied sigh as he pulled Moed into his arms.

The succubus’s body was usually warmer than his, but today that familiar warmth felt cool against his skin. She must have had a high temperature.

Fortunately, as Moed had said, it was less an illness and more a fever caused by anger, hurt and anxiety, which was slowly easing now that he was holding the cool-bodied demon close.

Ersian shifted onto his side and hugged Moed even tighter. Moed made no complaint, burying his face in Ersian’s hot neck and wrapping an arm around her waist.

“You like doing this when I’m sick too.”

“I mean, who doesn’t like a freshly baked marshmallow?”

Having long grown used to being compared to food—cake, marshmallows, whatever—Ersian grumbled and tightened his hold around Moed’s slender frame.

“I’ve never even tasted one.”

“To be honest, neither have I. I only read about them. They say they’re super sweet and fluffy and crisp and delicious.”

“Do you think they’d taste better than me?”

“Why don’t we try some tomorrow? We can compare.”

Moed’s lips unknowingly curved into a faint smile, while Ersian’s mouth drooped downward in annoyance. For someone who refused to tell a harmless lie, Moed could be unbelievably frustrating.

“You’d… you’d probably cry a little if I died, and then go find another man, wouldn’t you?”

Where did that come from?

Moed blinked, still half-thinking about marshmallows, then considered it seriously. If Ersian died… she probably—

“No. I’d cry a lot… and then go look for you.”

“You— How can a succubus— At times like this you’re supposed to say you wouldn’t go anywhere!”

The brief moment of hope on Ersian’s face vanished in an instant, turning it pale. He sat up in horror, only to sway from dizziness and collapse back down again.

“Eshi, if you want me to die right after you—”

“Forget it! You’re always like this!”

How had he fallen in love with someone so tactless? What good was a ring when Moed couldn’t calm him down at a time like this?

Ersian grabbed the gleaming platinum band with his teeth as though he were going to rip it off, but then he stopped.

The ring hadn’t done anything wrong. If anything, the blame lay with his frail, perpetually sickly body and his mind, which was consumed by nothing but love, jealousy and fear.

Ersian turned his back sharply.

Moed prodded him in the back to check his mood, but he ignored her. He was too upset and miserable to function.

“Eshi, then… I’ll go steam the pumpkin.”

“…Do you really have no sense at all?”

The fact that the succubus was trying to escape at a time like this only served to make him angrier. Less than a minute after turning away, Ersian gave up.

He pulled the awkwardly rising Moed into his arms and shut his eyes. Moed squirmed beneath his embrace, which was making her uncomfortable, but he didn’t let go.

After all, she had hurt a sick man’s feelings, and he deserved this much, at least.

He drifted off somewhere in that position.

When Ersian awoke, only his mind stirred first; his fever had eased and his body felt lighter. He felt a small hand stroking his cheek and smiled inwardly. His sulky mood from earlier had long since melted away.

Wanting to feel that gentle touch a little longer, he kept his eyes closed until a faint, trembling sound reached him.

Only then did he open his eyes.

Was he dreaming?

No — Moed was crying right in front of him.

“Why— why are you crying…?”

Ersian panicked, wondering if he had died and come back without realizing. But Moed shook her head, saying that wasn’t it.

Sniffling, Moed pushed herself upright.

Alarmed, Ersian sat up too. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed Moed’s shirt sleeve to wipe the tears streaming down her face. This only made Moed cry harder, though — she let out a sound like a newborn goat and curled up into a ball.

Moed had been watching Ersian sleep. The whole time, she had been wondering what it would be like if he died.

She thought and thought, determined to provide a satisfactory answer when he woke up.

It wasn’t easy.

Moed was a carefree succubus who never worried about anything, and she was neither good at nor accustomed to imagining faraway futures.

However, Ersian was her imprint partner, often frail and sick, so imagining his death was easier than deciding what to make for dinner.

‘If Ersian were gone… would I be very sad?’

As Moed pictured it, tears started falling of their own accord. The thought of living in a world without Ersian was too painful.

This feeling had nothing to do with the imprint. The mere thought of never finding him anywhere again made Moed’s chest ache.

It had been a long time since she had cried from pure sadness. Even while crying, Moed was faintly surprised at herself.

Ersian, who had woken to find his wife sobbing beside him, was horrified.

“Then why are you crying? Don’t tell me—you’re sick somewhere?”

“I hardly ever get sick.”

Wiping her tears with the back of his hand, Moed said just one thing.

“I want you to live a long time, Eshi.”

It was the best answer that Moed could have given.

Only then did Ersian understand why Moed had been crying. He let out a breath, pulled Moed tightly into his arms, and, despite himself, felt relieved.

‘I’m not the only one who loves.’

This foolish, oblivious succubus loved him too.

Moed herself didn’t seem to realize it yet, but Ersian was certain.

A helpless laugh escaped him.

In the end, Ersian held his crying wife and burst into loud, unrestrained laughter.

***

It began with a small cough.

In the silence of the auditorium, the sound felt like a clap of thunder. Someone was looking this way. It felt as if someone was watching.

Whether it was real or not didn’t matter. What mattered was that he felt the gaze.

His heart raced. Nausea surged up his throat. He swallowed it down repeatedly, struggling to endure it, but to no avail.

It was either misfortune or luck that the performance began. No, it was misfortune. If he stood up in the middle of the show, everyone would look at him. Someone might even recognize him.

The thought of the news reaching the reclusive young Lord of Hesen — that he had attended a performance, only to rudely stagger out halfway through — made him feel like he was going to die.

Beside him, Johnny sprang into action. He picked up the unconscious Ersian and led him out of the hall. Unable to bear the sight of Johnny repeatedly bowing and apologizing, Ersian fled.

Ultimately, it was a failure. He had reached the point where even sitting quietly and watching a performance had become challenging. It was something he hadn’t wanted to realize.

He should have just continued as before: shutting himself in his room and waiting for the day he died.

A stillness hung in the air. A darkened ceiling came into view and he could feel the moderately soft, familiar bed beneath his back.

Ersian blinked, then turned his head.

As always, Moed was sleeping on her side. As always, all he could see was her back.

With a curt motion, Ersian grabbed her and turned her over. Dragged awake from sleep, Moed opened her eyes, still half lost in dreams.

“Mm… what is it…? Are we opening again…?”

“No. Sleep while looking at me.”

“At first, I was looking when I fell asleep…”

“But you’re not looking now.”

Moed offered a vague apology. Her eyelids were slightly swollen from having cried earlier, which made her look cute. As Ersian gently stroked her soft skin, he asked casually.

“We slept all day. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes…”

Ever since they had become husband and wife, Ersian had insisted on fulfilling his duties as a husband, feeding Moed until she was full without missing a single day. Skipping just one meal wouldn’t make her hungry.

Ersian watched Moed, who nodded without quite being herself, then clicked his tongue and gave a blunt command.

“Hug me.”

“Yawn…”

Answering with a yawn, Moed stretched out her arms and pulled Ersian into an embrace. As if it were only natural, she wriggled her way into his narrow arms. He asked again.

“Are you going to sleep?”

“Yes…”

“Good.”

“Have sweet dreams.”

Ersian gently bit Moed on the chin. He never normally did this, only when he woke up from a nightmare.

At first, he wondered if she knew what his dream was about because she was an succubus, so he asked her if she could see his dreams. However, Moed simply asked back, looking bewildered, how she would know something like that.

“You too.”

So in the end, it was just fate, telepathy, the power of love, something like that. Ersian added firmly.

“Dream about me.”

“……”

“Moed. Did you hear me?”

“Mmm,” a whiny sound came back in response.

Ersian chose to interpret it exactly as he wished and felt satisfied.

That nightmare from earlier would no longer trouble him. He welcomed the way the past was being slowly overwritten, day by day, by a happy reality. Closing his eyes, Ersian hoped that in this dream, the succubus he loved would appear.

***The End.***