Chapter 198
I continued speaking, determined to say everything I wanted.
“Compared to you, I might still be far behind, but as you can see, I’m healthy! I will never die like that again!”
At those words, Terrence’s eyes widened.
“To be honest, I don’t really understand why you deliberately avoided me. Perhaps it’s another form of overprotection.”
I grabbed his hand tightly with my right hand.
“But I promise. I will never again choose to die alone, leaving only you behind.”
“Idel…”
“So don’t run away from me. Don’t deliberately avoid me like today. If you try, I’ll follow you to the ends of hell by any means…”
I paused briefly, then continued.
“You can rest assured.”
I wanted Terrence to no longer feel anxious. That was the truth I wanted to convey.
I wrapped my arms around him tightly.
“Got it? I will never let go. If you let go first, I’ll chase after you. That’s why I’ve started training my strength from today.”
“……”
Terrence quietly put his arms around my back.
“You noticed after all.”
His voice, soft in my ear, trembled slightly.
“It’s because of what happened back then…”
“You don’t need to say anything. That event was a wound for both you and me.”
“A wound… I see.”
He seemed to finally realize.
“So that was a wound. I thought I was protecting you, but it seems all I did was leave behind a scar from the past. A wound that needed healing.”
This man, who had always been concerned only for me, hadn’t even realized his own wounds.
“You should take care of yourself a little too, Terrence. Even just half as much as the attention you give me.”
“I’m not confident, but I’ll try.”
“Then there’s no choice. Until you can care for yourself fully, I’ll always be looking out for you.”
“It’s an honor.”
We stayed like that, holding each other, for a long while.
As if confirming each other’s existence, as if affirming that we were both alive and by each other’s side.
Then, suddenly, a shiver ran down my spine.
‘Come to think of it, I probably smell like sweat…’
I had spent the entire day in the training hall, determined to show Terrence how healthy I was.
Why had I spent so long just doing push-ups and sit-ups?
Truthfully, I had wanted to show off more impressive skills, like slicing a scarecrow with a real sword, but I had to compromise due to practical limitations.
“I… I’m done now…”
I tried to wriggle out of Terrence’s embrace, but failed miserably.
“Just a little longer.”
His deep voice resonated as he held me tightly, refusing to let go.
“The truth is, I’ve sweated a lot…”
“That’s fine. I could never dislike your natural scent.”
“But I am not fine!”
“The one who said they would never let go was Idel.”
“This is an exception, an exception!”
I fidgeted for a long while in his arms before finally pulling free.
Terrence, careful not to disturb my movement, smoothed the strand of hair I had tied high and muttered sulkily:
“Liar.”
“Pervert.”
After exchanging insults, we both chuckled.
Indeed, every day with him was joyful.
“Anyway, don’t avoid me from now on. If there’s a problem, let’s find a solution through talking.”
“I will remember.”
“Today you even made Jack lie to me and went somewhere secretly.”
“Oh, about that…”
His voice lowered, as if sharing a secret.
“It wasn’t because I was hiding my destination to avoid you.”
“Then why?”
“I received word that it was finally completed, and I couldn’t sit still waiting. So I went myself to fetch it.”
With a playful smile, he took a small velvet box from his coat pocket.
“I wanted to surprise you, so I told Jack to keep quiet, but I didn’t expect it would cause a misunderstanding.”
My throat tightened for some reason.
“W-what is it?”
I had a hunch, though I had no clear proof, so I couldn’t be certain.
“Idel.”
Terrence opened the box and held it out for me to see.
“Please marry me.”
The dazzling diamond immediately caught my gaze.
As I had suspected, he was presenting a ring—truly, truly beautiful.
“I’ll make sure you always walk a path of flowers. I’ll lay thousands of blooms beneath your feet if I must.”
Terrence knelt on one knee.
“And so…”
I could see the subtle tension in his stiff lips—he was nervous.
“Promise me you’ll spend your life with me, Idel.”
Without even wiping away my overflowing tears, I pulled him up to his feet.
“I don’t need flowers. Just being by my side is enough to make it a path of flowers.”
Then I clung to him and kissed him.
Terrence responded, wrapping one arm around my waist while placing the ring on my left ring finger with his other hand.
Truly, Terrence Belber Astarot was the man who could make me cry despite having made me laugh moments ago.
Afterward, I naturally stayed at Terrence’s palace.
Not wanting anyone to see me crying, he led me to his private quarters.
I had been to his palace a few times, but sleeping here was a first.
He didn’t give me a separate room, as if it were natural, so I gladly entered his bedroom.
“If you’re tired, you may sleep first.”
Even so, he teasingly entered the bathroom ahead of me.
I got to wash up comfortably first thanks to his courtesy.
After roughly drying my hair, I buried myself in the bed Terrence usually used.
For some reason, my heart wouldn’t calm down.
Was it his scent filling the room? Or the fact that he had just proposed? Or perhaps what lay ahead…
Blushing anew, I punched my pillow repeatedly to release my emotions.
‘Calm down. Calm down.’
Yes, I would calm myself by looking at the ring.
I opened the ring box on the bedside table once more.
The pure white diamond was still beautiful and quite large.
Though I didn’t ask, I knew even a prince like Terrence would not have acquired this ring easily.
Moreover, this was no ordinary ring.
“Kais helped me craft it into an artifact. It’s imbued with protection and blessing magic, which will aid your happiness.”
I wiggled my left hand, now wearing the ring.
Waves of happiness washed over me.
‘We already love each other so deeply that I thought marriage wouldn’t change much…’
But receiving a proposal in reality stirred feelings in me that words could not express.
Even though it was only a proposal and the ring, I wondered how joyful our wedding day would be.
I closed my eyes, imagining our wedding.
“Idel.”
I must have dozed off.
I opened my eyes to a sweet voice tickling my eardrums—Terrence was right beside me.
“…Terrence?”
Half-asleep, I muttered his name, and he, sitting on the bed, tucked my hair behind my ear and spoke.
“Will you sleep again? You must be tired after moving so much today.”
“Mmm, no.”
Even drowsy, I held his wrist to prevent him from leaving.
“I’ll sleep a bit later.”
His red eyes seemed to deepen as he looked down at me.
“Are you really alright?”
“Why? Are you going to avoid me again?”
Sleepiness was fading.
“Tell me honestly… why did you avoid me all this time? Was it because of overprotection?”
He hesitated, then whispered:
“I wasn’t confident. I didn’t think I could pull back once I stepped in. I didn’t want to make you suffer.”
I caressed his cheek and answered:
“So what if it’s a little difficult? It’s fine. You don’t have to pull back.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Terrence buried his face in my neck.
A dizzying thrill spread through me.
It was still far from morning.
The next day, I felt the sunlight pouring in and lifted my heavy eyelids.
Looking outside, the sun was already high. How long had I slept?
“Awake?”
I thought I was alone, but turning my head, I saw Terrence smiling at me.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
I paused, then answered in a hoarse voice.
“I did… I slept well…”
“You… slept well?”
“Ah, I don’t know.”
I pulled the blanket over my face, avoiding his gaze.
My whole body felt heavy.
Even lifting the blanket made my arms tremble.
“You pervert.”
I repeated the playful accusation I had made last night.
Terrence hugged me with the blanket, replying:
“You’re the one who said not to stop midway, Idel.”
Since it was true, I had no words to counter it, which frustrated me the most.
“Well, there should still be some limit.”
I murmured, then fell silent, too weak to argue further.
At least one thing was clear: Terrence Belber Astarot was undeniably a pervert.
How did I ever end up accepting a proposal from this pervert?
