Episode 01
As her blurred vision cleared, Enya let out a breath of relief.
“…I’m back.”
Just moments ago, she had been inside the lair of a nightmare demon, beneath a crimson sky.
She had slain the creature—and its nest collapsed with it. She had thought she would die there, buried in the wreckage. But at the last moment, she cast teleportation and escaped safely into the Crown Prince’s office.
Her mind and body were both worn to the brink of collapse. She should have fallen on the spot—
—but she couldn’t.
Because of the arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
Only then did she become aware of the man holding her.
A man drenched in the blood of the nightmare demon, clutching her waist like a hooked blade.
Helios Defert.
A noble man who had abandoned the imperial palace to become a holy knight in order to defeat the Demon King—and the very hero who ultimately slew him, earning the title Radiance.
Covered in blood as he was now, he looked more like a monster than a man. But in truth, whether it was his appearance, his achievements, or his merit, there was nothing lacking in him.
And—
he was also a man who got along terribly with Enya, the Master of the Morgenda Magic Tower.
His grip on her waist was almost desperate.
Irritation surged within her.
Just as Enya was about to tell him to let go—
the Crown Prince rose from his seat and hurried toward them.
“What in the world is going on—ugh.”
Mid-step, he suddenly stopped, pinching his nose between his fingers.
“What a terrible smell.”
The stench of blood coming from Enya and Helios was overwhelming.
Soaked head to toe in the nightmare demon’s blood, they looked like a pair of figures dragged out of a thick pool of gore.
We need to separate.
Enya reached for the arm wrapped around her waist and tapped it. It felt like steel.
“Let go. Now.”
At her touch, the man—who had been staring blankly into the air—slowly turned his gaze toward her.
Through blood-soaked hair, his vivid green eyes gleamed sharply.
The moment their eyes met—
he shoved her away as if burned.
Enya staggered, glaring at him, while Helios seemed to come back to his senses.
The two of them looked each other up and down—
then shouted at the same time toward the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness.”
“Your Highness!”
Their gazes clashed again, sharp as blades.
Watching the empire’s finest talents glaring at each other, the Crown Prince smiled in satisfaction.
“You two seem to have gotten much closer.”
“No.”
“Not at all, ha.”
They spoke in turn—then immediately shot each other hostile looks again.
“Right, right. If you say so. Anyway, did you kill the nightmare demon safely?”
The Crown Prince waved away the guards trying to enter and asked casually.
But as both of them opened their mouths at the same time—only to glare at each other again—the conversation went nowhere.
Eventually, the Crown Prince pointed lazily at Helios.
“Helio, you speak first.”
“My gratitude.”
“Oh, no need for that. Just explain what happened.”
Helios cast a half-lidded glance at Enya.
His green eyes, filled with suppressed tension, looked almost black.
Enya ground her teeth.
Did the world even know?
That the so-called Radiant Knight Commander was actually a petty man narrower than a leech’s insides?
There was no point in speaking—it wouldn’t be believed anyway. And hierarchy had to be obeyed.
So Enya shut her mouth tightly.
Helios’ gaze lingered on her for a moment before slowly turning back to the Crown Prince.
“We successfully killed the nightmare demon.”
His low voice echoed calmly.
“However, the demon we encountered was in the midst of mating. Upon death, it destroyed its nest. While I held back the collapsing debris, the Master of Morgenda Tower used teleportation to bring us here.”
“Good teamwork.”
The Crown Prince frowned slightly.
“But Helio, Enya has both a name and a fine surname—Valencia. How long do you intend to keep calling her ‘Tower Master’?”
“…The problem is…”
“Helios?”
“…The demon’s magic… hasn’t left our bodies.”
He ignored the Crown Prince’s remark and spoke only of the matter at hand. The prince let it slide.
“What kind of magic? I don’t see any mana flow. Are there symptoms?”
Helios fell silent.
His gaze dropped to the floor, visibly shaken.
Seizing the opportunity, Enya stepped forward.
“Your Highness, may I explain in Sir Helios’s stead?”
At his nod, she continued with her head lowered.
“At times, we experience hallucinations of intense pain—as if our limbs are being torn apart. When the pain subsides, mild delirium follows.”
“A magic even a holy knight and a tower master can’t shake off, hm.”
The Crown Prince nodded gravely.
“What you’re afflicted with isn’t magic. It’s a curse.”
A curse meant sorcery.
Though rare, monsters using sorcery did exist—but that wasn’t the issue.
The real problem was that curses were nearly impossible to break on a continent where sorcery was forbidden.
Enya’s face darkened.
The Crown Prince waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t look so pitiful. There is a solution.”
“A solution…?”
“I’m quite knowledgeable in sorcery. The caster doesn’t necessarily have to lift the curse.”
Then, as if it were nothing, he spoke.
“You just have to mate.”
“…What?”
“…Excuse me?”
Both Enya and Helios froze, their expressions drained of color.
“Surely you don’t mean… me and the Tower Master of Morgenda?”
“Of course I do. Who else would I mean?”
The Crown Prince looked at them as if their intelligence had dropped along with the demon’s blood.
“A nightmare demon’s illusions fade once it’s satisfied.”
What is he even saying…?
“They were mating when they died. So if you two repeat the act, the lingering desire in the blood will be fulfilled—and the curse will naturally disappear.”
He spoke as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
“You were in that nest for some time, weren’t you? If your bodies had stayed close, the pain would’ve lessened. That’s likely why you feel fine now—you must’ve been clinging to each other when you arrived.”
Leaving the two stunned, the Crown Prince smiled brightly.
“Do it. Mate. Problem solved.”
As if everything had been settled, he returned to his desk and resumed his work.
“We should discuss post-processing and compensation. Finally!”
The first to snap out of it was Enya.
“Th-that makes no sense! M-mate?!”
“Yes, no need to overexert yourselves. Just connect below—ah, my mistake. You’re not beasts or demons. Then just have intercourse.”
The Crown Prince frowned, still not looking at her.
“You should clean yourselves first. The smell of blood is unbearable.”
“Y-Your Highness—”
“You’re stuttering. Are the symptoms returning?”
“Your Highness!”
Enya rushed forward and dropped to her knees at his feet—less out of respect, more because her strength had completely given out.
“Isn’t… there another way?”
His golden eyes finally lowered to her, mildly annoyed.
“There’s such a simple solution. Why insist on another? With Helios’s looks, you’ve nothing to complain about. And you’re not bad yourself, Enya.”
“……”
“Don’t tell me you’re only attracted to women. I could help with that, but Helios is unfortunately a man.”
“Th-that’s not it!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
The Crown Prince, notorious for his looseness in bed, clearly didn’t understand her reaction at all.
His sharp eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“Ah, are you worried about temple rules? Helio may be a holy knight, but the temple hasn’t restricted physical relations for quite some time.”
“Y-Your Highness—”
“And if you’re worried about your reputation, just arrange private meetings. No rumors will spread.”
That’s not the issue at all, you lunatic!
“Of course, I won’t say a word. You know how tight-lipped I am.”
That part, at least, was true.
But still—
“I refuse!”
“Goodness, Enya. There are fewer things in this world that are impossible than you think. Let go of your fear—you might discover something new. Were you always so lacking in imagination?”
“Your Highness, please! Isn’t there another way? I—I already have someone I love!”
Desperate, she blurted out a lie, knowing the prince’s fondness for drama.
It worked.
“Really?”
“Yes! I’ve loved them for a long time. I was planning to confess after this mission.”
“Who is it?”
“…It’s unrequited. I can’t say. It would be disrespectful.”
“Hmm.”
The Crown Prince muttered, clearly intrigued. Then, after a moment’s thought, he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Then the one you love won’t care about your past. If they do, they’re not worth it.”
Enya wanted to tear her hair out.
Who are you to decide that?!
“Your Hiiiighness! Is there really no other way?!”
“There isn’t.”
“AAAGH!”
She collapsed onto the floor, screaming.
And still, the Crown Prince remained unmoved.
“Look at Helios. So calm. You should learn from him. No—more importantly, your frail body is concerning. You’re so thin you might collapse just from touching him.”
Enya shot Helios a desperate look for help.
But he only stood there, silent.
If anything, he seemed… willing.
His gaze, sharp and unreadable beneath the blood, flickered with something unquenched.
Enya swallowed a sigh.
I knew it. I hated him from the very beginning.
And truly—
from the very first meeting, Helios had been nothing but bad news.
