Chapter 60
An uneasy tension hung in the air between Ethan and me.
It was because Ethan, walking behind me, was radiating an unmistakably irritated presence.
“Stop right there, Eunice.”
Ethan called out to me with a threatening growl.
I could clearly feel a chilling sensation creeping over me, and instinctively, my body shrank back.
Still, I forced myself not to show it and kept walking.
A moment later, I heard a heavy sigh filled with displeasure behind me.
Tap—.
“Ah—!”
“I told you to stop.”
All my effort to put distance between us was rendered meaningless as Ethan strode over with his long legs and blocked my path.
He looked down at me with an extremely annoyed expression, then confidently held out his hand.
“Hand it over.”
His voice was cold and commanding.
But this time, I refused to back down.
When I shook my head quickly, unable to hide my frightened expression, Ethan’s aura grew even more ferocious.
Even so, he gave me one last chance—rare for him.
“I said, hand it over. Now, Eunice.”
“…No. I won’t.”
Though my eyes trembled, I stubbornly rejected his order while looking up at him.
Perhaps provoked by my firm refusal, Ethan frowned and slowly stepped toward me.
Clutching what I was holding tightly to my chest, I retreated one step… then another.
“D-Don’t come any closer! I’ll scream!”
“Go ahead. The only person who’d come to save you is right here. Who are you calling for?”
“Wow. You really have no conscience.”
No matter how handsome someone was, that was beyond saving.
But the unsettling part was that it didn’t sound entirely like nonsense, and that thought made my head spin.
Caught off guard by his loaded words, I stared at him blankly, forgetting my guard for a split second.
“Ah—! N-No, you can’t!”
Ethan didn’t miss that brief opening. He swiftly snatched away what I had been holding.
“Hey! Give it back! That’s mine!”
“Why is it yours? You said the Crown Prince bought it.”
“Exactly! His Highness gave it to me as a gift! My precious cake!”
What Ethan had taken was the cake Julius had carefully wrapped for me.
“Precious? Something that bastard gave you is that precious?”
“That’s not what I meant! The cake itself is precious!”
I flailed my short arms desperately, trying to reclaim my cake from his grasp.
But when Ethan—who was a head or two taller than me—raised his arm high, I couldn’t even reach his hand.
Watching my struggle with interest, Ethan let out a soft chuckle.
Seeing that infuriating smile, I suddenly felt wronged.
“Ethan, you’re really awful! Why do you keep bullying me?”
“Bullying you? Me?”
His calm voice twisted subtly.
Only then did I realize I’d crossed a dangerous line between us.
…I’m in trouble. I pushed too far.
As I tried to pull back my raised arm, Ethan moved first.
“Answer me, Eunice. Do you really think I’m bullying you?”
“W-Wait! J-Just a second!”
As if he’d anticipated my attempt to retreat, Ethan wrapped a firm arm around my waist.
Losing my balance, I ended up burying my face in his chest.
When I finally gathered myself and looked up—
“Well, this is troublesome. When my fiancée comes at me so aggressively.”
Ethan looked down at me with a cynical smile.
Sensing something predatory in his gaze, I instinctively pushed against his chest.
“H-Hahaha… I wasn’t trying to hug you like this—ah!”
Before I could escape his arms, Ethan tightened his grip around my waist.
Instead of pulling away, I was drawn even deeper into his embrace.
That left me no choice but to face his handsome features at dangerously close range.
“Ugh. Too handsome. My heart hurts.”
“…?”
“A-Ah. Please move away. That face is dangerous.”
“Hm. If this already counts as dangerous, that’s a problem. The truly dangerous thing is—”
Ethan abruptly stopped mid-sentence.
I was staring into his red eyes, wondering what scheme he was plotting—
Touch.
“This, right?”
“…!”
Ethan leaned down and kissed my lips.
They said when you’re shocked enough, you lose the ability to speak.
That was true.
I could only stare up at him with wide eyes.
Meanwhile, the culprit himself wore a thoroughly pleased smile.
Seeing that snapped me back to reality.
“W-What do you think you’re doing?!”
Startled, I shoved his chest with all my strength.
Despite looking immovable, Ethan stepped back easily.
My trembling hand rose to my lips.
They felt unusually warm—like his heat had lingered.
This isn’t good.
Ethan, acting on strange impulses.
And me, feeling my heart race from his sudden touch.
No. That couldn’t be it.
I was just startled by his absurd behavior. That was all.
Trying to suppress the unexplainable pounding in my chest, I glared at him.
“I asked what you just did!”
“You were diligently fulfilling our contract, so I thought I’d return the favor.”
“Don’t gloss over it! We agreed to do that only when necessary!”
“Hm. It was absolutely necessary for me just now.”
“Why?!”
“Hm. Don’t feel like telling you. Figure it out yourself.”
Don’t act like it’s nothing!
I stared at him in disbelief.
Unbothered by my hostility, Ethan turned away leisurely.
“This is confiscated.”
“What?! Why?! My cake!”
Forgetting all about my earlier turmoil, I chased after the cake dangling from his hand.
When I pouted dramatically, Ethan let out a low sigh.
“You said the cake was important. I’ll tell the kitchen when we get back. They’ll make something better than this.”
“Wow! Great! You can take all of it, Ethan!”
I promptly withdrew the hands that had been pestering him.
Just moments ago I’d been sulking, but now I couldn’t help smiling.
“Ha… At this rate, I’ll lose my fiancée over a few slices of cake. Right?”
“What do you mean ‘a few slices’? We can’t eat things like this at the Mage Tower! Do you know how rare this is?!”
“Pfft. Fine. Then be careful not to let me steal it next time.”
Amused by my swift change in attitude, Ethan laughed.
“A-Ah?”
“And be careful here too.”
He lightly tapped my lips—the ones he’d kissed—with his finger, then stepped back.
As I stood there in a daze, Ethan deliberately dangled the cake.
“If you want something next time, just say it honestly. Don’t wander around alone and make me worry.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
Though his words were curt, his voice wasn’t cold.
Maybe that was why—
Instead of shrinking back, I tilted my head slightly.
What did this mad dog just say?
I’d expected him to scold me for sneaking out against orders.
Why was he being so soft today?
They say when people—no, mad dogs—change, it’s because death is near!
Seeing my confusion, Ethan shook his head.
“You wander around pointlessly like today and end up running into weird guys. Right?”
Weird guys?
Which one was he talking about?
I’d met more than one today.
One was a pickpocket who stole my bag. And the other was…
I glanced at Ethan sideways.
As if he’d read my thoughts, his brow twitched.
“What’s with that look? Were you planning to keep listening to the Crown Prince’s nonsense?”
Ah. So the most normal person I met today—Julius—was the ‘weird guy.’
So that’s what bothered him.
Of course. Mad dogs don’t change.
Relieved yet thoughtful, I mulled over his words.
Huh. He really hates Julius.
But it wasn’t my relationship with Julius that was bad—it was Ethan’s.
I wanted to stay friendly with our angelic male lead.
“Answer.”
“Huh?”
Pulled from my thoughts, I looked up blankly. Ethan sighed and repeated himself.
“You’re supposed to answer, Eunice.”
“Ah—y-yes… okay.”
I’d agreed without thinking.
I had no idea what was going on in Ethan’s head.
Ever since returning from the Forest of Magical Beasts, he’d been especially strange.
Seeing how satisfied he looked at my answer only made things more complicated.
As if sensing my thoughts, Ethan suddenly looked at me.
“Then is it my turn now?”
“Huh?”
“Come here, Eunice.”
Blocking my path, Ethan gazed down at me with a victorious smile.
That look again.
A heavy, dark emotion that shouldn’t exist between us.
Just as his gaze began to feel burdensome, Ethan slowly stepped closer.
Startled, I shut my eyes tightly.
“It’s yours, Eunice.”
Mine? What was mine?
What Ethan was looking at was—
“Aah! You can’t do this, Ethan!”
I shook my head violently, finally understanding his words.
Unlike me, who recoiled as if I’d seen something terrifying, Ethan remained silent.
Then, what touched me wasn’t his cold hand—but something heavy and cool.
It felt familiar.
I cautiously opened my eyes and glanced at Ethan.
He had already stepped back, looking satisfied.
Only then did I relax and touch my neck.
Hanging there was the blue mana crystal, just as always.
The one I’d thought I’d lost after the Forest of Magical Beasts.
Why does Ethan have this? I couldn’t find it after we returned.
The question quickly answered itself.
Did he pick it up when I passed out stopping his rampage?
Relief could wait.
First, I had to calm my racing heart.
Wait—then…
“It’s yours, Eunice.”
Realizing the meaning behind his words, my face flushed.
Ethan didn’t miss it and made an infuriating expression.
As if that wasn’t enough, he brushed my warm cheek lightly with the back of his hand.
“What were you thinking? Your face turned red.”
“N-Nothing! I wasn’t thinking anything at all!”
I slapped his hand away and covered my burning cheeks.
Ethan laughed lightly and stepped back with ease.
…Why am I getting toyed with by Ethan today?
I sighed quietly and stared at the mana crystal necklace.
It glowed blue, just like always.
Yet somehow, it felt different.
“…Huh? Is this really mine?”
“A mana crystal its owner can’t even recognize—how useless.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
I looked at him with mild confusion.
“You’re not rejecting my touch anymore.”
Before, I’d resisted anytime he even tried.
“Well. If I had rejected you, it probably wouldn’t have returned so nicely.”
“Hm. You weren’t after my mana crystal?”
“Even if I were, a mana crystal with an owner is of no use to me.”
“Oh. So you returned it because it was useless?”
Of course. That sounded like Ethan.
Nodding, my doubt cleared.
But Ethan’s reaction was lukewarm.
“Hm. Maybe. But I wonder if that’s still necessary.”
“What?”
At his cryptic words, I looked up at him.
But he clearly had no intention of explaining.
As I pondered his meaning, Ethan stepped toward me again.
This time, unafraid, I met his gaze calmly.
“Then it’s your turn.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you have something to ask me?”
“Oh.”
Prompted by him, I remembered what I’d nearly forgotten.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Go on. Don’t stall.”
“…Why did you come looking for me?”
“…?”
“I mean, it’s just us. Drop the fiancée nonsense.”
I’d been curious.
Ethan knew better than anyone that I couldn’t just run away.
Why go through the trouble of chasing me?
As I waited for his answer, Ethan slowly lifted one corner of his mouth.
It was a smile so frightening it sent chills down my spine.
“Nonsense?”
“Huh?”
“Is our engagement nonsense? Is that what you’re saying?”
Seeing him close in like a predator that had found its prey made my chest tighten.
And bad premonitions always came true.
