Chapter 09
It didn’t end there. Her hand quickly pulled off his glove.
He jerked back in shock, but the glove was already in her possession.
On his clenched fist, a ring with a purple gemstone glowed ominously like a beast’s eye.
The veins on the back of his hand were already bulging red. The demonic lust that had begun to take control was already in motion.
Leon’s face turned pale.
But Kasha’s sudden action didn’t stop there. Her cold hand moved up to his cheek.
Her pale fingers slid over the rough skin shaped by harsh training. She gently stroked his cheek, as if calming a frightened child.
Leon swallowed in pain.
Ignoring him, her hand moved down along his hot cheek and sharp jawline.
A low sound, almost like a groan, escaped his lips. She quietly observed him.
Just as her hand was about to reach beneath his strong neck—
Leon slapped her hand away coldly.
“What are you doing?”
“……”
“Is what you’re trying to do harassment instead of sympathy?”
His voice was cold, full of disgust.
But none of his sharp words reached Kasha.
She looked down at her wrist, which had been pushed away, and slowly rubbed it.
For him, it must have been a light push—but for Kasha’s fragile body, her wrist quickly turned red and swollen.
Leon’s eyes also turned dangerously red as he watched it.
After breathing heavily for a moment, he turned away. Without hesitation, he walked toward the balcony exit.
Watching his back, Kasha finally spoke.
“You are suffering right now.”
“……”
He stopped but did not turn around.
Kasha continued calmly.
“Your eyes are burning hot… your entire body feels overstimulated… your head is foggy… your senses—smell, sight, hearing—all painfully sensitive.”
“……!”
Like a bolt of lightning, Leon’s shoulders stiffened.
Seeing his frozen back, she continued.
“Certain parts of your body are also… uncontrollably reacting right now.”
“You…!”
A low, growling voice.
Leon slowly turned around.
Kasha was startled—but also relieved.
The noble, upright, perfect holy knight from moments ago was gone.
Now only a beast remained.
His eyes burned with fire.
His clenched jaw showed tense muscles, his body looked larger under rage.
To Kasha, this version of him was actually more familiar.
“Who are you?”
“Kasha Ryuccino.”
“What do you know?”
His polite tone was gone. A cornered beast remained—ready to bite anything that came close.
His eyes seemed almost red. It wasn’t just an illusion.
Kasha turned her body slightly away, avoiding eye contact.
Pushing him further now would be dangerous.
She had already provoked him enough—now she needed to calm him, like offering bait.
“You… thought… no one would notice?”
Suddenly, a terrifying heat touched her neck.
Leon grabbed her throat.
A burning grip, as if it would leave a brand.
He pulled her toward him.
His eyes, too hot to be human, stared at her.
“Tell me. Do you know why I became like this?”
His voice trembled with rage and pain.
Kasha managed to speak while being choked.
“…a curse… cough…”
“A curse?”
He froze slightly.
“A curse means there’s a caster. Someone did this to me on purpose?”
Blink. Blink.
Unable to nod, Kasha blinked twice.
Understanding her, his rage grew even stronger.
“Who? Who sent you? Who did this to me?”
His grip grew hotter. The purple gem on his ring glowed violently.
Kasha’s breathing became harder.
But he did not kill her.
As if knowing he could easily break her neck, he only held her firmly.
Kasha closed her eyes.
Someday.
After all the chaos ends… after the cursed magic stones are recovered and the hidden mastermind is punished… maybe then she could tell him everything.
But not now.
“I don’t… know who… cast the curse… cough…”
Her voice came out broken due to choking.
Still, he didn’t let go.
“Stop lying. Speak properly if you want to live.”
“First… let… me… go… cough…”
Only after hearing her struggling voice did he loosen his grip slightly.
Even then, his expression twisted painfully, as if resisting something inside him.
Just touching her neck—feeling her warmth, her pulse—was too much for him.
Since the curse began, he must have been suppressing himself for months.
“Haah… ghk…”
He gasped suddenly.
As if fighting against desire itself.
In the end, his hand slowly moved—almost unconsciously—stroking her neck.
Kasha held her breath.
His fingers moved lower, tracing her collarbone slowly, as if memorizing her shape.
He looked half lost.
Only Kasha’s coughing stopped him.
“Cough! Cough!”
The shock made her cough violently.
After a few moments, Leon’s eyes slowly returned to normal.
He stepped forward instinctively—but Kasha stepped back.
He froze immediately.
Realizing what he had just done, his face twisted in regret.
Kasha thought while coughing:
‘I’m not avoiding you. I just don’t want you to lose control because of me.’
But she couldn’t stop coughing.
And the silence between them stretched.
Then—
The curtain behind the balcony moved.
“Kasha. Is something wrong?”
Kasha froze.
‘…I forgot about Daryl.’
He must have been standing outside the whole time.
Kasha quickly responded.
“Nothing! Cough!”
“Are you sure? I’m coming in.”
“No!”
The curtain began to open—but Leon’s cold voice stopped it.
“Count. Do not enter.”
“What? Hey, Sir Leon!”
Before things escalated, Kasha interrupted.
“Brother. I’m fine. I’ll be out soon… just wait… cough…”
“What are you two doing in there…?”
Daryl raised his voice.
“Just one minute. Then I’m coming in.”
Even Daryl, despite his status, hesitated.
Maybe because he knew what balconies were often used for.
Leon leaned close to Kasha and whispered harshly:
“Now speak.”
His breath burned her ear.
Kasha blinked and slowly spoke.
“Three… magic stones. From ancient times… made by mages through contracts with demons…”
“Demons?”
He struggled to listen carefully despite his rage.
“Yes… those who own the stones can use demon power… but… they also carry a powerful curse. You have one of the three… Onor’s Curse.”
“Onor’s Curse? I don’t even have a magic stone.”
“You don’t… cough… the power is in someone else. You only received the curse…”
Leon’s expression slowly hardened.
His burning eyes dimmed—but not from calm.
From deeper rage.
“So you’re saying… someone is holding the stone, using its power, and sending only the curse to me?”
Correct.
“…I can help you.”
Leon looked down at her coldly.
“You?”
“Yes. Come find me… there must be a medium connecting the curse to you. If we find it…”
“And why should I trust you?”
His voice was ice.
“That…”
“So let me summarize.”
“I know I’m cursed. I know it’s from Onor’s magic stone. I know how to fix it.”
“……”
“But one thing is missing.”
“……”
“Who cast it.”
“……”
“And the most logical conclusion is this.”
“……”
“That the caster… Kasha… is you.”
