IWBCAS 16

Episode 16

【 Who Makes a Table of Contents for a Kiss? 】

As Reina stepped into the room, Bayen quickly closed the door and disappeared like lightning.

How can someone that huge move so fast? Reina was honestly impressed.

She turned to face Kallheil.

“Did you sleep well, Your Grace?”

He was standing with the light behind him, so his face was in shadow and hard to read.

Kallheil didn’t nod. He didn’t speak. Nothing.

“Um… shall I sit down?” she asked, since he didn’t offer her a seat or say hello.

But again, no response.

So we’re doing the silent treatment today, huh?

Still, she couldn’t just keep standing there forever.

Reina quietly walked over to the sofa with a table in front of it and sat down. Only then did Kallheil slowly move and sit across from her—diagonally, not directly in front. His arms remained tightly crossed.

He looked like he had locked his heart shut.

Is he protesting or what?

While Reina was silently complaining in her head, Kallheil finally spoke, eyes scanning her.

“I thought your wrist was broken… but I guess it’s fine?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Or maybe you never learned to read and write.”

What is he saying now?

While Reina narrowed her eyes, Kallheil curled one corner of his mouth into a mocking smile.

“Because how else can you explain not replying to a single letter? Not last time, and not this time. So I figured—either your wrist’s broken or you’re illiterate.”

Ah. So this was about her ignoring his proposal letters.

“You kept writing the same thing over and over. I thought it was a joke.”

“Who jokes by writing formal letters, by hand, sealed in expensive gold-embossed envelopes?”

“…Wait. Did you write all those yourself?”

“Who else would write my proposal letters for me?”

Oh no… I didn’t even open them. I just threw them out…

Now she felt a little bad.

Maybe that’s why he’s so mad…

“I’m… sorry about that. But I did clearly say I wouldn’t marry you.”

“Well, the Count didn’t seem to think so. He said he was working on convincing you, and told me to wait.”

“…Ah.”

Reina sighed.

So her father had been writing to Kallheil behind her back.

No wonder Kallheil never gave up.

“If you’re not marrying me, then why are you here? Is it like last time—pretending to talk about dosage or whatever so you can just give me a little peck and run away?”

Was it her imagination, or was he grinding his teeth between words?

Okay… I might’ve overreacted that time.

From his side, maybe she really had broken their agreement.

Let’s stay calm. I have a reason for being here today anyway.

Reina sat up straighter and politely placed both hands on her knees.

“That’s not why I came today.”

As she spoke in a small voice, Kallheil suddenly pulled out a sheet of paper and a quill and handed it to her.

She looked down at the paper on the table.

“What’s this?”

“Read it and sign.”

He pointed at it with his chin. Reina frowned.

Sign…?

Didn’t people always say never to sign things without reading?

She picked it up and read carefully.

It was a contract.

And the more she read, the more her face turned pale with shock.

“This is…?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“…Problem?”

Of course there was!

It was full of problems.

The contract listed everything from dates and times they would secretly meet, to the exact method and steps for kissing.

How long their lips should touch… how many times her tongue should move to the left, then to the right… detailed instructions for every move…

Reina stared at the written descriptions of tongue and lip motions, completely horrified.

“Why would anyone need a contract for this?!”

“You seriously don’t know?”

His cold gaze didn’t shake her. Reina nodded.

Yes, she really didn’t understand.

“You tricked me and ran away last time, saying it wasn’t in the contract.”

Last time…? Oh, he meant that tiny peck on the lips?

“Because of that?”

“Given how you act, it’s better to have everything written down clearly. Otherwise, you’ll run away again.”

“I mean… yes, I was a little out of line, but…”

Still, this is crazy.

“Your Grace, don’t you think this is going a bit too far?”

“What part is too far?”

“Who makes a kiss into a table of contents? Do you really think this is normal?”

“The one acting abnormally was you, Lady Reina.”

His eyes narrowed, and the pressure in the room felt heavier.

“You broke our deal, ignored every letter I sent…”

“That’s because—!”

“I can’t trust you anymore. So we can’t have verbal agreements. You might run off saying ‘this wasn’t in the contract.’ From now on, our relationship will be based on detailed contracts. Now sign.”

He pointed at it again.

Reina picked it up and read it one more time.

…This isn’t even a kiss.

Everything in the contract was one-sided.

Reina had to do everything. Kissing, timing, tongue movement. Like playing the drums, cymbals, and flute all by herself.

She clenched her fists in frustration.

“Why me?! Why do I have to do everything while you just sit there?!”

“You did fine on your own last time.”

Ugh. She really should’ve left him to bleed out.

I tried to save a person out of basic human decency, and this is what I get…

She let out a long breath.

“Well, forget it. I don’t need this stupid contract anymore.”

“You don’t?”

“I’ve found a better way to detox your poison.”

Reina gave him a confident smile.

Turns out, there was a method that didn’t involve kissing like a trained performer.

Though it’s not my favorite choice…

She pulled something from her sleeve—a small dagger, similar to a silver ornamental knife.

Kallheil’s face darkened when he saw it.

“A… knife?”

Who would’ve thought a noble lady would pull out a blade from her sleeve?

No wonder her dress today had big, frilly sleeves like a cancan dancer. She had hidden it inside.

Reina popped the lid off the dagger’s sheath. The sharp blade glinted in the sunlight.

Kallheil asked in a drained voice,

“Did you come up with murder as your solution?”

“Huh?”

“If you planned to kill me, you should’ve brought a bigger knife.”

Reina gave him a confused look.

“What are you talking about?”

She let out a few steady breaths, like preparing herself. Then she shut her eyes tightly…

…and pressed the knife tip into her own finger.

A red drop of blood rose instantly.

“Lady Reina?!”

Kallheil jumped up from his seat in shock.

He reached out, but she waved him away.

Then she pulled a small vial from her sleeve.

With one hand, she opened the bottle and let her blood drip inside.

Though the cut seemed small, it was deep—soon the vial was half-filled with red.

Kallheil just stared silently now, his voice low and heavy.

“Is your great solution… self-harm?”

Reina wrapped a handkerchief around her bleeding finger. The white cloth turned red almost instantly.

With her uninjured hand, she held out the vial to Kallheil.

“Here.”

“…What is this supposed to be?”

She shook it in front of him.

“It’s a cure for your poison. Drink it before it cools down.”

“…Do you think I’m a vampire?”

His sharp eyes demanded an explanation.

Reina looked annoyed.

“This works better than kissing.”

The novel said blood was the most effective… She almost said that out loud but held it back.

“Anyway, drink it. It won’t work if it cools.”

She shook the bottle again.

Inside, her blood sloshed around.

Kallheil’s stunned eyes looked between the vial and her injured hand.

Seeing his frown, Reina tried to comfort him.

“Does it gross you out?”

“……”

“Yeah, drinking blood is weird. But just pretend you were in a battle and got blood in your mouth. Happens with monsters, right?”

Even she knew how ridiculous she sounded, and laughed awkwardly.

Kallheil’s anger flared.

“You…”

He suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“Ah?!”

Reina’s eyes widened.

“W-Why are you angry?”

“You cut yourself to offer me blood… and expected me to drink it?!”

“Well, yes…”

“You really thought I’d just take that and drink it?!”

She blinked up at him, stunned.

Kallheil’s fiery green eyes burned with emotion.

Why is he looking at me like that…?

This was supposed to be a more effective cure than a kiss. Much better.

He’s the one who treated me like a medicine bottle first!

So why did he look like he was… worried?

The room fell silent as they stared at each other.

Then, the loose handkerchief on her finger fell to the floor.

And her long, red wound was revealed.