126. Will You Accept It? My Heart
Sunlight breaking through the clouds fell softly upon Roselia.
Cayenne almost reached out to lift her into his arms, but then froze.
Her pale skin revealed faint blue veins beneath. The stark contrast of whiteness and translucence drew his eyes without him realizing.
It was so different from his own arms—marred with ugly scars and wounds that never fully healed.
Her delicate wrist, so clean and fair that it felt almost otherworldly, held his gaze captive.
His eyes trailed upward from her slender wrist, past her arm, to the curve of her shoulder hidden beneath the dress, and the faintly exposed line of her white nape…
His hesitant fingertips brushed against her soft skin.
It was only for a fleeting moment, yet heat spread rapidly from the place they touched.
A burning desire welled up from deep within him, fueling his impulses, and he quickly turned his gaze away.
He wanted to gouge out his own eyes for daring to look at her with such irreverence.
It was a corrupt desire.
She was someone utterly beyond his reach.
Between a woman of noble birth and a man like him, there existed a boundary that could never be crossed.
All he could do was wait for Roselia’s will.
Cayenne carefully surveyed the surroundings.
For now, he needed to move her somewhere safe.
He gently lifted her into his arms.
At that moment, a rustling sound came from the thicket across from him.
“…!”
Cayenne instinctively shifted into a battle stance.
Roselia was still asleep in his arms.
He was ready to kill whoever dared shatter this fleeting peace.
Just as the magic condensed in his hands was about to burst forth—
【wãRNìNG!º □□ Detected harmful interference with 를.】
“…?”
Again.
As though someone was deliberately suppressing his power, his mana vanished completely.
Ignoring the system’s warning, he tried once more to gather mana.
【□□ Protection ¤. Applying penalty to ‘Cayenne’.】
A strange crimson illusion flickered before his eyes.
“Ugh.”
At the same time, pain like a violent electric shock tore through him, draining every ounce of strength from his body.
His arms, which had been supporting Roselia, went limp.
‘No… I can’t…’
He tried to throw himself under her to break her fall, but under the system’s forced restraint, his will crumbled helplessly.
“Where am I this time?”
When he regained his senses, damp grass pressed against his back.
Clear sunlight streamed above, and plants heavy with dew swayed in the breeze.
“…So peaceful.”
Ssshh—
Lying in the meadow, the cool wind brushing against his skin, he found himself thinking absurdly calm thoughts.
‘It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been screwed over by the system.’
The sudden teleportation was startling at first, but by now, he was used to the system tossing him around at will.
‘I really thought this episode was wrapped up neatly, though.’
He’d cleared the mission, received the reward—
Yet now he was being whisked away again without warning.
“Ha…”
If only he could grab the system by the collar and shake it down. But no—he was just a powerless possessor, at its mercy.
Groaning, he pushed himself upright.
“Looks like I’m still inside the arena grounds.”
All around him stood dense trees.
The scenery was similar to what he’d seen earlier that morning on the carriage ride in.
‘What’s going on? The system even popped up a warning like something huge was about to happen.’
But there wasn’t the slightest sign of life nearby.
He waited, thinking someone might appear, but the stillness dragged on, almost boring in its tranquility.
‘Still… there has to be something.’
As he glanced around, his eyes caught on something.
“…Is that… blood?”
In the distance, a trail of blood stretched across the ground.
The thin line of crimson led off beyond the thickets.
‘This feels ominous.’
In this world, stumbling upon blood by coincidence was never just chance.
Following the trail brought him to a cave.
“There’s a cave here?”
Inside, it was pitch dark, damp air brushing his skin.
He carefully stepped in—only to trip over something.
When he looked down, he nearly screamed.
“Y-Your Highness?”
Inside the cave lay Prince Perwyn, unconscious.
His mask had fallen off, and his face was drenched in cold sweat.
He didn’t even notice Cayenne’s presence, letting out shallow, pained groans.
“Your Highness!”
Cayenne moved to shake him awake but froze.
Blood was streaming from a deep wound in his abdomen, as though pierced by something sharp.
His heart sank.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
Hurriedly, he pulled out a healing scroll he always carried.
But for some reason, it had no effect.
‘What do I do…’
After a moment’s hesitation, he took out a clean handkerchief and pressed it against the wound, then tore the long ribbon from his attire to tie it tightly in place.
It was a clumsy effort, but fortunately, the bleeding slowed.
Perwyn’s pained expression eased a little.
Cayenne let out a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.
He decided to wait quietly until the prince regained consciousness.
“…”
As he watched him, a thought crossed his mind.
‘He really is ridiculously handsome.’
His sweat-dampened golden hair, long lashes, and sharply defined nose—an unreal kind of beauty.
Though his complexion was pale and his lips dry, even that lent him a decadent charm.
‘If only he didn’t open his mouth.’
The exterior was perfect.
But his character—that one fatal flaw—was a pity.
Just then, Perwyn’s eyelids slowly fluttered open.
“You’re awake?”
He blinked sluggishly, his hazy eyes faintly catching Cayenne’s form.
“Why are you here…? Is this… a dream?”
His voice was faint, like he was still half-asleep.
“It’s not a dream.”
“Then what…?”
“I don’t know either. I can’t explain how I ended up here.”
After a brief pause, Cayenne decided to tell the truth.
Any forced lie would only raise suspicion, and besides, Perwyn looked too weak to press further.
“Still, it’s lucky I found you, isn’t it?”
“Yes… whatever the reason, you saved me.”
Perwyn gave a slight nod.
He tried to sit up, but pain made him grimace.
“You shouldn’t move. I did what I could, but…”
The makeshift bandage around his abdomen looked pitifully inadequate.
Perwyn glanced down and seemed surprised.
“You did this?”
“I tried using a healing scroll, but it didn’t work. Since magic didn’t work, I had to use my hands.”
Perwyn nodded.
“The tournament grounds are enchanted. Magic doesn’t work here.”
“Ah.”
So that was why.
As Cayenne nodded, something heavy pressed against his lap.
“Mind if I lean for a while?”
It was Perwyn’s head.
His lips were pale from lying on the cold stone floor.
With his head resting on Cayenne’s lap, it almost looked like he was receiving a lap pillow.
Cayenne sighed softly.
“…Just for a little while.”
He couldn’t push away an injured man.
They only had to hold out until rescue arrived.
Until then, he could at least share some warmth.
“But why were you here, Your Highness?”
“I was attacked.”
“Attacked?”
Was there an event like this in the original story?
“I knew there were those after my life, but this time it was more serious. There was even a mage hiding in the tournament.”
“A mage?”
“Yes. A skilled one. Wore a black mask and a dark cloak.”
That description sounded uncomfortably familiar.
【SYSTEM: You have designated ‘Cayenne’ as your partner.】
【SYSTEM: A male-lead-exclusive event has been triggered!】
‘That attacker couldn’t have been… my troublesome servant, could it?’
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
“I fought him, but we both fell off a cliff.”
“My goodness… surviving that is a miracle.”
Was this the power of protagonist’s plot armor?
To walk away from a fall like that with only these wounds—astonishing.
“Of course I survived. Didn’t I promise you before we left?”
From his chest, Perwyn drew out something gleaming.
“Is that…?”
It was the Sword of Victory, the glorious prize said to belong only to the bravest knight.
The sheath, adorned with pure silver and gems, sparkled brilliantly.
A dazzling triumph beyond compare lay in his hands.
Perwyn’s lips curled into a smile.
“Will you accept it? My heart.”
