Chapter 87
“Are we eating alone?”
“Yes.”
We entered a private room and sat side by side on a sofa. By the window, a single long sofa was arranged so that the outside scenery could be seen clearly. The sunlight slanted through the glass, casting a warm glow on our shoulders.
Raymond, who hadn’t said much, watched my every move closely as I started eating dessert, as if he wanted to memorize each one. His gaze, resting on his chin, was so intense it felt like it could burn. I glanced at him while putting a piece of cake in my mouth and asked lightly,
“Raymond, do you have something you want to tell me?”
“Will you kiss me?”
“Huh?”
I was so surprised by the sudden request that I almost spat out what was in my mouth. Now he was openly demanding it—how utterly shocking.
Pushing me into bewilderment, he didn’t back down; instead, he leaned in even closer. Draping his arm over the back of the sofa, he tilted his upper body toward me.
“I want to gain strength like the others.”
“Th-then should I sprinkle it with a watering can?”
“No. Do it yourself.”
“….”
Is this really the same man whose heart raced just from a hug not long ago?
If there were blue lava somewhere in the world, this must be what it feels like. His eyes were full of a strange, burning heat.
As I hesitated, looking dazed, he seemed to feel that some push was necessary and added,
“If you don’t, I’ll get hurt.”
“That’s not allowed!”
This Grand Duke… even his jokes have limits!
I scolded him and shouted, but Raymond shrugged nonchalantly, as if he had expected my reaction.
“I’m joking. So you just have to do it, right?”
Saying that, he buried his face in my hair and rubbed against me. Every time his sharply sculpted nose brushed against my neck, it tickled. How would it feel if someone who exuded otherworldly charisma in front of everyone else acted all cute and playful only in front of me? Especially if that person was my absolute favorite?
The answer: like ice cream thrown onto asphalt on a midsummer day—I’d melt completely! I’d be forced to comply with any request!
“Ah… okay.”
I looked away into the distance, embarrassed, and replied in a small, timid voice.
“Really?”
“Yes. But don’t get hurt on your own.”
“I promise.”
I answered in a voice no louder than an ant’s and turned my head. Right before me, the blue lava of his eyes blazed as if it would spill out.
It was only natural that my face heated up. I raised my right hand to gently hold his jaw and slowly leaned in, pressing my lips to his neatly placed ones. I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer. The light kiss gradually deepened over time. Just as it was about to become more intense, I pushed his shoulders lightly and pulled back a little. Catching my breath, I asked,
“You said this was treatment. I think this is enough.”
“No, not yet. Just a little more.”
As he tried to pull me back in and press our lips together, there was a knock on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness, it’s Melas.”
Phew. The intruder’s arrival made Raymond let out a long, reflexive sigh. Instead of answering, he muttered to himself, full of dissatisfaction:
“I just want to run away with you.”
His gaze seemed sincere, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t help but retort,
“You can’t run off after causing all this trouble.”
“Well, I just need Aileen.”
“Raymond. Really.”
I tapped his chest with my small hand. Normally, a man would laugh and feel ticklish in this situation, but for some reason, Raymond bowed his head and shivered, clutching his chest as if he’d been attacked.
Ah, right—I am strong, after all.
“Are you okay?”
“Mm. Yeah.”
Startled, I asked, and he barely steadied the discomfort.
Knock, knock. Another insistent knock followed.
“Come in.”
Raymond straightened up and reluctantly allowed me entry with a pout. His lips protruded slightly, looking displeased.
Living under the same roof made it inevitable to be tempted. The advantage was that we could see each other whenever we wanted, but the drawback was that we had to exercise self-restraint.
Falling in love at this crucial time was unthinkable!
I forced down the longing that kept rising. Just as the Grand Duke was preparing diligently, I couldn’t afford to be idle either.
So I prepared a large number of potions for the war and trained my body with exercises whenever I could. Raymond entrusted my personal training to Coa. The training focused on mastering physical skills, moving nimbly, learning self-defense, and improving evasion.
One day, as preparations progressed smoothly, I sat alone in my room and took a small box from a drawer. It looked like a ring box. Opening it revealed a small, gleaming red orb sitting inside. It was a pill I had separately taken from the Emperor’s warehouse before.
It seemed the right time to give this to Raymond.
This miraculous medicine is said to last nearly a year once ingested. For it to take full effect, it’s best to give it at least a week in advance. I closed the ring box and let my eyes gleam.
Knock, knock.
“Raymond. It’s Aileen. May I come in for a moment?”
“Yes.”
With permission granted, I opened the door and entered.
“Aileen. Welcome.”
Raymond’s expression lit up like starlight when he saw me. He was alone in his office, handling work.
“I have something to give you.”
“What is it?”
I approached his desk and gently placed the ring box on it. His eyes were filled with curiosity, as if wondering what it could be.
“Open it.”
Without further prompting, he picked up the box. The sparkle of expectation in his eyes vanished the moment he opened the lid, replaced entirely by question marks.
“This is…?”
“It’s a medicine I saved when we raided the Emperor’s warehouse last time. If you take this, your combat abilities will improve significantly.”
“Oh. You even prepared this for me? How thoughtful.”
“It’s nothing.”
“I was hoping it might be a marriage proposal, but that’s disappointing.”
“Excuse me? Hahaha. Of course not.”
It would be odd to propose marriage right before a war.
But Raymond, who spoke so casually, looked a bit disappointed that it wasn’t a proposal. A few days later, though, he seemed to regret thinking it wasn’t a proposal. Right before going to bed, he suddenly came to my room to complain.
“Aileen.”
“What’s wrong, Raymond? Are you hurt?”
He leaned against the door, staggering slightly. Startled, I reached out to support him.
“Was it true that you were going to propose to me?”
“Huh?”
What kind of ridiculous question is this in the middle of the night?
I blinked, dumbfounded, and Raymond held his forehead, groaning. Something about him seemed different than usual. He exuded a dangerous, decadent aura. What had happened?
“The medicine you gave me before… what is it exactly? What did you feed me?”
“Exactly what I said. It’s a medicine to make you stronger…”
Could there be side effects?
In the original story, the Emperor had no side effects from it. Was it unsuitable for Raymond’s body?
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Well… actually…”
I helped him into the room, patiently waiting for him to speak as we walked. Sitting on the sofa, Raymond took a deep breath to relax. When he finally spoke, his red lips looked strangely alluring.
“As Aileen said, I’ve become stronger.”
“Oh, the effect already? That was fast.”
His face was slowly reddening. I was pleased by the good news but waited for the rest of his explanation.
“Even with all this strength…”
“Even with all this strength…?”
“It’s too much.”
“Huh? Isn’t that good?”
Surprisingly, it didn’t feel entirely positive.
“There’s so much energy that I can’t control it. I’m not tired, so I can’t sleep.”
“Wow, the medicine’s effect is incredible.”
It seemed more like a special effect than a side effect.
“And besides…”
“And besides…?”
“I keep thinking of you, Aileen.”
“Ah…?”
Raymond’s gaze pierced me, sending shivers down my body. It wasn’t exactly fear, but it was intense.
“I think of you morning, noon, and night. At night, it’s unbearable. I want to hold you.”
Listening to his explanation, I could sense the atmosphere in his eyes.
Ah, I got it! It’s like reading an erotic novel! That… feeling?
“Ugh.”
I hurriedly covered the exclamation escaping my lips with my hands. Then I remembered—the Emperor in the original story had taken a blue orb. So the red orb Raymond swallowed must be the one the Emperor took after meeting the heroine. The very legendary medicine that made him exclaim with happiness!
Seeing my astonishment, he held his forehead again, bowing his head deeply, and cleverly shielded his lap with one hand.
“What should we do? Seems the medicine has changed.”
“Indeed. At this rate, I’m in real trouble.”
This was serious. I had given the medicine hoping for victory in the war, but now it was causing other… expectations?
I recalled clearly that the effect of the medicine lasts a year.
