Chapter 69 …
“This is the dark, secretive, secluded place you were talking about?”
As Freya entered Taylors Castle, she asked in a deflated voice. It must just be her imagination that she felt disappointed at being led somewhere familiar.
Millian simply smiled brightly.
What the—he talked it up so much, and it’s just the house next door.
Her heart, which had been pounding nervously, cooled in an instant. He had boldly declared he would seduce her, so she had been on guard, worried he might try something suspicious—but the date location was more wholesome than expected.
Well… if it’s a house, it’s definitely a place where you can enjoy a date without worrying about being seen.
But why do I feel weird?
…Wait. Am I actually disappointed right now?
Freya frowned deeply at her body’s sudden reaction. Even as she let him lead her here, she felt strangely as if she had been expecting something else.
Watching Freya fail to keep her expression neutral for even a moment, Millian said,
“If we met outside, I thought you’d keep worrying about it.”
“Mm… well… that’s true.”
“What were you imagining? Don’t tell me you thought I’d drag you to bed. You’re more mischievous than I thought.”
“I did not!”
Freya snapped at the innocent Millian. She wanted to shout, ‘It’s because you keep brushing your lips against mine!’ but she held back because Gera was standing in front of them.
Gera greeted Freya warmly.
“I was informed you would be coming, so I prepared everything.”
“Good work. Then everyone can clock out. It’ll just be the two of us in this castle.”
“Understood.”
Gera left with a bright smile.
Whether he was smiling because he could leave work early or because his master’s romance was going well—Freya didn’t know.
No—she didn’t want to know!
Freya stared blankly until Gera disappeared, then looked around.
There wasn’t a single person in the castle. It seemed everyone had gone home. At this early hour.
As Freya stood there bewildered, Millian took her hand.
“You said you wanted it to be just the two of us.”
“No, I…!”
“Shall we go?”
Millian gently pulled her along. Freya followed him in a daze.
He led her to the very top of the castle.
Just thinking about being alone together in the empty castle made her heart start pounding again. Her foolish heart had no consistency at all.
“Huh?”
When they reached the destination, a question mark popped into Freya’s head.
Isn’t this my favorite play?
An unexpected scene was being recreated across the entire wall.
The room was very cozy, and part of the ceiling was made of glass, giving a clear view of the sky. Through the window gap, the sunset was already deepening—soon it would fully darken into night.
Unable to believe it, Freya stared at the device projecting light onto the wall.
The object making a soft whirring sound as it cast light appeared to be a magical tool.
Thanks to the unfamiliar magic device, it felt just like being in a theater. On the wall, a scene of the female lead dating the male lead was playing.
Millian spoke gently to the stunned Freya.
“Amazing, right? Now whenever you want to watch it, you don’t have to go to the theater.”
“Waa…”
Only then did Freya let out a soft gasp.
Millian asked warmly,
“What do you think? Is it just like you imagined?”
Freya didn’t answer, staring at him blankly. Saying it matched her imagination wasn’t enough—it was a perfect recreation.
Freya turned back, her face glowing with wonder as she watched the light on the white wall.
Is it okay to feel this happy?
When she was younger, she once said something ridiculous to Millian in passing.
At the time, Freya had been deeply obsessed with theater, so she often indulged in such fantasies.
The memory of their conversation surfaced in her mind—the day they returned to the castle after watching a play and she had complained regretfully.
“I wish I could watch plays every day.”
“Then just come to the theater often.”
“No. Not that. I wish I could watch whenever I want.”
It seemed the boy who had answered her curtly that day had remembered everything.
The boy who hadn’t responded to her grumbling—had he actually decided back then to make her dream come true?
And she had been upset, thinking he was indifferent.
She had naturally assumed he thought her imagination was ridiculous and therefore hadn’t replied. But to remember it and actually make it real…
She couldn’t believe he remembered the childish complaint she herself had long forgotten.
This… is seriously touching.
Without realizing it, Freya clutched her chest. Her heart felt warm and fluttery, and her breathing grew shallow.
The crimson sunset slowly turned violet. As the sky shifted from red to blue to purple, Millian’s silver hair changed colors with it.
The sight was so beautiful that she found herself staring at him.
It was a bit absurd, but Millian reminded her of that sunset.
Just like how the sunset had been red moments ago and then suddenly turned purple in the blink of an eye, Millian had quietly taken root in her heart without warning.
Truly in the blink of an eye.
By the time she realized it, she was already helplessly drowning in him.
No matter how much the sun shines to resist the coming night, night always arrives—just like how the more she tried to push Millian away, the deeper Freya fell.
It was getting harder to hide these feelings.
Millian’s words about making her admit it in three meetings resurfaced.
Three meetings? She felt like she had already completely admitted it from the very beginning.
I lost.
She had completely lost to him.
“If I’d known you’d like it this much, I would’ve shown you sooner.”
Millian said as he gently stroked her cheek. His affectionate gaze made Freya’s eyes tremble violently.
She wondered what kind of expression she was making right now.
Was it the face of someone in love, or someone troubled…?
…Probably the former.
Freya lowered her head.
“Thank you.”
“Just words?”
Millian leaned sideways to meet her gaze and asked again.
Freya quietly studied his playful face. She knew what he wanted as repayment—and that despite his joking tone, he meant it.
Suddenly, Emily came to mind.
Mom, I’m sorry. I like Millian too much.
Freya spoke with determination.
“Close your eyes first.”
“You’re just going to kiss my cheek. Why do I have to close my eyes?”
“If you don’t close them, I won’t do it.”
Millian obediently closed his eyes, clearly pleased. Then he stuck out his cheek toward Freya.
But contrary to his expectations, where her lips landed was not his cheek—but his lips.
Their lips touched briefly and parted.
Millian stared blankly at Freya.
What… just touched me?
Freya’s cheeks were burning red.
She didn’t avoid his gaze. Seeing how shy she looked, it was clear—the thing that touched his lips had indeed been hers.
“That’s cheating.”
Millian quickly covered his lips with his hand as he spoke.
It was a joke. He had only wanted to see her flustered reaction…
Millian gazed at Freya with deepened eyes.
Does this… mean permission?
At that moment, Freya lightly kissed the back of the hand covering his lips.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Millian quickly composed his expression so as not to reveal his surprise. Even so, Freya kept pressing her lips against him.
Unable to endure the way she kept stamping kisses on his hand, Millian grabbed her. At this rate, his reason might stop functioning properly.
“Usually, repayment is just once—”
The moment his hand dropped from his lips, Freya kissed him again as if she had been waiting.
Millian’s words were cut off by her lips.
This time, it wasn’t just a light peck of gratitude.
As Millian faltered, Freya pushed him back against the wall. Surprised by her boldness, he stumbled backward.
But only for a moment—Millian skillfully wrapped an arm around her waist to steady them.
Freya also looped her arms around his neck.
The magic device continued to hum as it projected light, and the play went on.
In the dim corner beside it, Millian and Freya kissed.
Their breaths grew rough from the unbroken string of kisses.
Like a runaway foal, Freya clung to Millian and stole his lips, gripping him tightly as if she had no intention of letting go.
After a long, fiery kiss, Freya finally released him.
With thoroughly damp lips, Millian asked,
“What was that just now? I think I need an explanation.”
His low voice resonated softly by her ear. In the dark space, his eyes gleamed mysteriously.
It was time to answer the question she had asked herself countless times.
She had thought she could stop. That she had to stop.
But thinking back carefully, the very fact she was thinking that way meant she had already lost from the start.
Freya stared straight at Millian and spoke quietly.
“You win.”
“…What?”
Millian asked in shock at her sudden declaration of surrender.
Freya looked at him deeply and moved her lips.
“I like you.”
“……”
“I admit it. I like you—I like you so much I’m going cra—!”
Freya’s clumsy confession struck Millian full force.
