CHAPTER 04
“…What?”
Wearing a dazed expression as if he’d been hit on the head, Theoris stared blankly at her. In response, Jaina smiled sweetly and enunciated clearly.
“Say that again? Which son of a b*tch dared to say something that absurd?”
“Jaina, that kind of vulgar language is…”
“Vulgar? Do I need to be polite to people who don’t even act human? Besides, it’s not like I swore in front of the Crown Prince or anything.”
Theoris, who had been watching her with slow blinks, covered his mouth and let out a quiet chuckle.
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“Because I like you.”
Seeing Theoris smile with genuine happiness made Jaina smile as well.
Though she hadn’t picked a pre-determined choice, she felt relieved knowing she had managed to soothe some of Theoris’s pain.
He already said he liked her from the very first day, so she figured she didn’t need to worry about building up affection points anymore.
“Not ‘you,’ it’s ‘Jaina.’ You should at least know the name of the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with.”
“Yes, I know. Lady Jaina.”
“Just ‘Jaina’ is fine.”
“Yes, Jaina.”
“That old mask—get rid of it. I’m the only one who’ll be seeing your face from now on, anyway.”
Jaina nudged the mask off his face. Theoris hesitated for a moment, then nodded and met her gaze.
“Not ‘you,’ it’s ‘Theoris.’ You should at least know the name of the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with, right?”
Theoris repeated her words back to her. His gaze had grown more serious, and Jaina was briefly caught off guard. But then she smiled calmly and stroked his cheek.
“Alright. Theoris.”
After finishing their conversation, Jaina stood up.
“Then I’m going to wash up, Theoris.”
She patted his head gently and disappeared into the bathroom.
Theoris, dazed by Jaina’s smile, finally came to his senses at the sound of running water.
‘What did she just say again?’
[Theoris, I’m going to wash up.]
“Wash up…”
He repeated her last words quietly to himself, and his face flushed bright red. As if he’d been burned, he jolted upright and shook his head violently to rid himself of the impure thoughts flashing through his mind.
‘I just met her today—what the hell am I thinking?’
This marriage was a political arrangement between the nobility and the imperial family, meant to benefit both sides.
‘Falling this hard for someone I just met today, whose name and face I didn’t even know until now… it must be magic.’
‘Yes, she must have used magic.’
Theoris convinced himself that Jaina had used some kind of mental magic to capture his heart. How else could his heart race this wildly for someone he barely knew?
Of course, her looks were captivating enough to mesmerize anyone at first sight.
The soft blush on her cheeks, the way her pink eyes glimmered like gemstones, her silky hair like the frills of a dress, and those small lips—he couldn’t help but want to kiss them.
‘I’ve lost it. I’ve completely lost it, Theoris Li Akrana.’
Smiling faintly at the thought of her, Theoris thumped his head against the wall.
He didn’t think of himself as the type of man to fall in love based on looks alone.
He was ashamed of the impure thoughts that had crept into his mind.
Click
The bathroom door opened, and Theoris clenched his fists. No matter what expression she made or what she said, he swore he wouldn’t let his guard down again.
“Theoris, do you have a smaller bathrobe than this?”
That resolve shattered in less than five seconds.
The moment he saw Jaina’s flushed face, Theoris gasped for breath.
Wearing an oversized robe that didn’t fit her, she looked impossibly charming. Her damp hair shimmered like flower petals kissed by morning dew. Compared to her, even forest spirits, elves, or gods seemed dull.
“Theoris?”
“In the wardrobe, in the drawer. I—I’m going to wash up too.”
Worried she’d see how red his face was, Theoris ducked his head and fled into the bathroom, locking the door. Leaning against it, he slumped to the floor and barely caught her muffled voice through the door: “What’s with him?”
‘Calm down. Don’t be fooled. She’s someone sent by the imperial family. Who knows what scheme she’s hiding?’
The emperor hated Theoris, seeing him as a stain that couldn’t be erased. He never even tried to hide his hostility. So there was no way the emperor would do something that benefited him.
‘Maybe she’s trying to make me drop my guard so she can take my life.’
He told himself that her charm was just magic, her kindness an act.
With a splash of cold water to the face, Theoris finally calmed his nerves. His racing heart settled, and quiet returned.
When he came out of the bathroom, the room was silent.
He’d expected Jaina to chatter away and unsettle him again, so the unexpected stillness left him uneasy. Was it possible she’d already lost interest?
Walking quickly to the bed, he spotted Jaina fast asleep, sprawled across the center like a starfish. Theoris couldn’t help but laugh.
Even in sleep, she didn’t resemble a noble lady. Her blunt, casual speech, the odd words she sometimes used—it all made sense. Maybe what made her so lovable was that honesty and lack of pretense.
He tucked a pillow under her head and pulled the blanket over her. Then, gazing at her with tender eyes, he curled up on the floor.
The floor, without even a sheet or blanket, was cold and hard. Normally, Theoris tossed and turned for ages before falling asleep in a bed. But tonight, he fell asleep right away, the sound of Jaina’s breathing like a lullaby full of affection.
When she opened her eyes, it was to an unfamiliar ceiling.
‘I’m not wearing glasses, but I can see just fine… is this a dream?’
Jaina blinked slowly, then suddenly sat up.
Her pink hair cascaded over her shoulder, and she gave her cheek a light slap.
‘Right. This is reality now.’
She recalled the events of the previous night.
After Theoris went to shower, she’d curled up on the bed to wait for him. The cozy blankets and soft bed quickly lulled her to sleep.
‘What position did I fall asleep in?’
In the game, Jaina Blake even slept adorably. In an illustration where Theoris kissed her sleeping face, she was curled up like a kitten.
Unfortunately, the real Jaina—Kim Ahmin—was not such a graceful sleeper. According to others, she slept sprawled out, talked in her sleep, and even ground her teeth when stressed.
‘Wait, where’s Theoris?’
She found him curled up in a corner on the floor, without even a blanket. Clearly, she must’ve kicked him off in her sleep.
She decided to quietly lift him back onto the bed before he woke up. He wouldn’t know what had happened if she acted quickly enough.
…Or so she thought.
‘Stupid Jaina.’
Despite all her effort, Theoris wouldn’t budge. Just as she was tugging at his arm with a grunt, his eyes suddenly flew open.
She tried to greet him with an awkward smile.
But before she could say a word, his hand clamped down on her wrist and shoved her to the ground.
“Ow! That hurts, Theoris! Let go—!”
Pain like her wrist was about to snap shot through her arm. She screamed and struggled, but she wasn’t strong enough to push him away. Her hand turned pale from lack of blood flow.
“Theoris!”
His eyes, glazed and unfocused, snapped to life. Trembling, he finally loosened his grip.
“…Jaina?”
Her hair tickled her cheek as she looked up at him. The terror in his eyes began to fade, and clarity returned. Seeing her reflection in his clear pupils, Jaina exhaled a breath of relief.
That was close.
She remembered then—Theoris had a trait that made him extremely sensitive and aggressive when woken up suddenly.
From the slums, where danger lurked around every corner, to the palace, where assassination threats were constant—he’d lived his life in fear of death. Of course he’d be hyper-vigilant in the vulnerable state between sleep and wakefulness.
Theoris quickly scrambled away from her, his hand visibly shaking.
“…I’m sorry.”
He bowed his head in apology.
Jaina didn’t scold him. She understood his fear and found his reaction entirely reasonable.
‘I’ll have to be more careful in the future.’
“It’s okay, Theoris.”
Even as she said it was fine, he wouldn’t lift his head. Like a scolded puppy, he looked miserable, and Jaina had to force down a smile.
“Look at me.”
She cupped his cheek and forced him to meet her eyes. His drooping gaze now held her image.
“Are you sorry?”
“…Yes.”
“A simple apology won’t cut it.”
Theoris’s eyes shook violently.
‘Perfect. I’ll use this as leverage to make him do everything I want today. First, I’ll drag him to a salon to fix that disaster of a haircut. Then we’ll hit a fancy restaurant, and after that, shopping…’
Just imagining the day out had Jaina buzzing.
After all, he was a Grand Duke. His title might be all for show, but that didn’t change the fact that he likely had enormous wealth. Buying whatever she wanted without worrying about the cost? What could be better?
With a solemn expression, Jaina opened her mouth.
“Theoris, to forgive what just happened, there’s something you’ll have to do for me. That is…”
“W-Wait…!”
Theoris cut her off with a panicked voice, the most emotional she’d ever heard from him.
“It’s all my fault. Jaina, please… don’t divorce me…!”
What? Excuse me??
