CHAPTER 67…………………….
Is It Really Because of the Dress?
In the Geupa Forest of the Malau Kingdom, there was said to be a mysterious fruit that could restore one’s skin to how it was ten years ago. At that story, my ears perked up.
So that was why every Malau tribesperson had porcelain-like skin.
I wondered if I might be able to get one or two of those fruits. My eyes sparkled with anticipation as I looked hopefully at the Malau king. The more expectant I became, however, the more stiff Mix’s expression grew.
“There were once countless attempts by various human kingdoms to steal the silverberries. So the former chieftain declared the area forbidden and placed sacred ropes around it.”
What!!! If the fruit was taboo, then wasn’t it just a pie in the sky? When I showed a hint of disappointment, the Malau king smiled kindly and said:
“If you wish, I can make a special exception and open the gate for you.”
“Oh my, really?”
“Yes. Will you visit the Geupa Forest with Julmon tomorrow?”
“Of course! Mix, isn’t this wonderful?”
I turned to Mix in delight, but he looked a little displeased.
“Must we really go in person? Couldn’t you just bring back some fruit instead?”
“Well, I could… but it’s best to eat it fresh. Besides, the Geupa Forest is at its most beautiful right now.”
Not only was there a miraculous fruit that could turn back time, but the most lush forest in the northern continent was said to be at its peak of beauty. I absolutely wanted to see it with my own eyes. Tilting my head, I mouthed silently at Mix:
‘I want to go. Please, go with me.’
Even resorting to aegyo I normally couldn’t bring myself to do, I begged him. At last, Mix gave a slow nod.
“Alright. We’ll go together.”
“Thank you, Mix! Then, Sir Julmon, when shall we leave?”
“After breakfast tomorrow, I’ll escort you to the forest.”
I nodded happily. In the meantime, Mix quietly pushed his chair back, as if declaring his meal finished.
“Tomorrow morning will be quite busy. I think we’ll retire for the night.”
“Mix, but…”
“Have you not finished eating yet?”
“No, that’s not it.”
His resolute tone made it impossible for me to insist on staying. As soon as I answered, he stood and pulled my chair back for me.
“There’s still dessert left. Would you not care to enjoy more conversation, dance, and the banquet?”
“I’m a bit tired. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Very well then. Rest well.”
The Malau king tried to persuade us to stay, but Mix’s will to leave was firm.
“Thank you sincerely for such a splendid feast.”
With Mix’s silent urging, I had no choice but to bid farewell and return to our chambers with him.
“Father, why did you suddenly do that?”
As soon as Mixlok and Lea disappeared from the hall, Shine couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked the Malau king.
“To offer the forbidden silverberry to Queen Lea first—what on earth were you thinking?”
“Julmon said that when he looks at her, he sees Brother Clemence!”
“Father!!!”
“The truth is… I felt the same.”
At the mention of the Malau Kingdom’s greatest taboo—Clemence—from the king’s own mouth, Shine stared at his father in shock. A flicker of fear even crossed his eyes.
They had all heard the tales: that merely uttering that name once had led the former chieftain to carry out bloody purges.
“Shine, honestly, I believe Brother Clemence was innocent.”
“Father!”
Shine glanced around nervously, worried someone might overhear. Fortunately, the others were too busy with food and dancing to care about their table.
“I want to confirm it. The connection between Brother Clemence and Queen Lea.”
“But how? Her eating a silverberry won’t reveal anything.”
“If it’s Eva, she might notice something.”
At the name Eva, Julmon’s eyes widened. Once the nanny of Clemence, former heir to the Malau tribe, Eva now lived in blindness, quietly serving as guardian of the silverberries. She was Julmon’s grandmother.
“She still has my brother’s portrait. Julmon, you grew up seeing that painting. Even you said she reminded you of him. If Eva, his nanny, sees her—she might notice even more.”
Only then did Shine and Julmon understand why the king had brought up the silverberries to Queen Lea.
“But still… why did King Mixlok leave so abruptly, like an angry man?”
“Honestly, I was surprised too. He ended the meal so suddenly.”
The Malau king frowned at the empty seats where they’d been. Julmon tilted his head as well.
“Did I stare at Queen Lea too openly? Could that have upset him?”
“It wasn’t that obvious. Don’t worry, Father.”
Shine tried to reassure him, but the king’s face did not ease.
“Hm… but knowing King Mixlok’s temperament, it wouldn’t be impossible.”
Even Shine couldn’t deny Julmon’s last remark, and the king’s concern deepened further.
Mix, who had taken me out of the banquet, did not say a single word until we reached our chambers. His face remained rigid the entire way.
To a stranger, it might have looked like he was angry, but in truth, he was on the verge of exploding. Not with anger—but with an overwhelming, barely restrained desire.
From experience, I knew he was holding himself back from embracing me right there and then. The closer we got to our room, the faster my own heart raced, as if affected by his intensity.
The moment the door closed, he seized my lips in a desperate kiss. Pressed by his force, I staggered back until my back hit the door.
“Mix, shouldn’t we wash first…”
“Later.”
Revealing the unbridled force of his desire, he parted my lips and devoured me with hungry kisses, full of stubbornness and possessiveness, as if to insist that no one else could ever touch me.
His fervor startled me, but I couldn’t deny that I, too, thrilled at the sensation. To soothe his storm, I had no choice but to answer with all my passion in return.
As I clung to him, gasping for breath, his lips trailed down my neck, and suddenly he bit me, leaving a vivid red mark.
“Ahh!”
Before I could resist the sharp sting, his mouth was back on mine, urgent, pleading. His desperation was unlike before.
“Mix, why…?”
“Don’t say anything. Don’t think about anything. Just look at me. Only accept me.”
His eyes, burning with possessiveness, pinned me down as he silenced me again with another fierce kiss. His lips trailed lower, past my jaw, down my throat, toward my collarbone, leaving crimson blossoms blooming across my pale skin. Marks of obsession.
My heartbeat pounded wildly. Consumed by desire, I arched my neck and pulled him closer.
He lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed. Clothes fell away without our notice as we gave ourselves to each other again and again, swept away in waves of passion until dawn.
“Mix, the sun is rising already.”
By the time we regained our senses, pale morning light was filtering through the window.
He held me tightly, pressing kisses into my hair, while I lazily traced the muscles of his chest with my fingers.
When his eyes lingered on the red marks his lips had left all over me, his face reddened.
“…Sorry. I acted like a madman.”
“I didn’t hate it. But why were you like that all of a sudden?”
I was curious—what had driven him to such extremes last night?
“…It’s because of…”
He mumbled something too soft for me to catch.
“What?”
“If I tell you, you’ll think less of me.”
“I won’t. Just say it.”
Smiling, I gazed up at him, while he fidgeted with my hair and avoided my eyes.
“Hurry.”
“…You’re already so beautiful. I hated seeing you dressed so provocatively in the banquet hall…”
“…”
“And when you danced so close with the Malau king… I think I lost my mind from then on.”
“Oh my god, Mix!!”
“I know! That’s why I said I acted like a madman.”
Embarrassed, he still wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“After that, even seeing you smile at other men made my blood boil. I wanted to gouge out the eyes of anyone who looked at you. When you praised the Malau king, I nearly smashed the table.”
“Ahh!”
“You blended in so naturally with the Malau people—your looks, everything—while I felt like the only outsider. Suddenly I panicked… what if you forgot about me?”
Even as he spoke, guilty, he kept bringing my hand to his lips in apology.
“I felt like I was the only one pushed outside the circle.”
I sighed helplessly. What was I to do with his endless possessiveness and jealousy? I wrapped my arms around him gently. The large man nestled into my embrace like a child.
“Everyone knows I’m yours and you’re mine. Why are you so insecure? Don’t you trust me?”
He shook his head firmly.
“I know that in my head. But once fear rises in my heart, I can’t control it.”
As he kissed the marks he’d left on my skin in remorse, I stroked his hair softly. Then suddenly, he froze.
“Wait a second!”
He jumped out of bed, picked up the dress he’d torn off me the night before, and scrutinized it carefully.
“Mix, why are you staring at my dress?”
“I think it’s because of this dress that I went crazy. From now on, no more dresses of this color. And especially, no more with the back cut open like this.”
I had to fight to hold back my laughter. Pulling the blanket up to my chin, I teased:
“Are you sure it’s really because of the dress?”
I didn’t even need to bring up the wedding night, when he had torn apart my bridal gown. There were already several dresses ruined thanks to him losing control.
If every offending color and design were banned, Madam Russo would have no choice but to make me dresses out of potato sacks.
At that thought, I suddenly realized just how much of an extreme occupation it must be—being King Mixlok’s royal designer.
