Chapter 123
Chapter 123: I Will Devour You
Several days had passed as she lost sleep worrying about how to reveal the truth, and Elena found herself unconsciously avoiding her fiancé.
‘Ah— what am I even doing?’
As Elena let out a long, deep sigh while gazing at the winter flowers blooming in the duchy’s garden, she heard commotion from somewhere.
When she instinctively looked up, she saw a group of knights returning from training at the opposite practice grounds.
“…!”
Her golden eyes filled with dismay as she spotted the man at their center.
Though she knew well that avoiding him wouldn’t change anything, she found herself hurriedly hiding behind a tree without thinking.
Elena swallowed hard from tension and perked up her ears, hoping they would pass by quickly.
The knights’ murmuring grew closer.
“You all go ahead.”
“Yes, understood!”
At Lupeon’s words, the knights seemed to return to their quarters, and the garden grew quiet.
There was just one problem—the heavy footsteps that had been gradually approaching stopped right by the tree where she was hiding.
‘Seems I’ve been caught…’
Realizing she could no longer hide, Elena emerged from behind the tree with an awkward smile.
As her eyes met those of the man staring at her intently, she rolled her eyes around.
Her hands felt sweaty, so she could only fidget with them quietly.
Neither of them spoke first. Only the chirping of birds in the tree above soothed the awkwardness.
Elena, feeling beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead, steeled herself and carefully spoke.
“Lupeon… you’re coming from the training grounds?”
Lupeon nodded slightly and answered in a dry voice.
“It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Elena.”
“Haha, really? I feel like I saw you yesterday…”
The man chuckled at her words and raised an eyebrow. Then he corrected her statement.
“That can’t be. I haven’t seen you for several days now.”
It seemed she had been caught after unconsciously avoiding him.
‘Of course he would notice.’
Feeling sheepish, Elena scratched one cheek and asked.
“Did you perhaps have something to tell me…?”
“You’ve been avoiding me so well lately, but it seems you failed today.”
At her fiancé’s words as he pulled up one corner of his mouth, Elena stumbled over her words as if struck at her core.
“Th-that… well, you see…”
For some reason, her throat felt parched, as if overcome with thirst.
After carefully observing her behavior, Lupeon let out a shallow sigh.
Though it was just for a moment, the man showed a hurt look before hesitantly speaking.
“Could it be that you regret becoming lovers with me?”
Lupeon seemed to have misunderstood that she had been avoiding him because of him.
Belatedly realizing that he could reasonably misunderstand the situation, Elena desperately shook her head.
“That’s impossible! I was so happy to hear your confession.”
The more she recalled his confession, the more overwhelming it felt, to the point where that day seemed like a dream.
“You were happy to hear my confession?”
When Lupeon asked again, seemingly relieved, she nodded vigorously.
Seeing his visibly brightened face made her heart tingle and ache, as she might have unintentionally caused him emotional distress.
‘Yes, I should tell him now.’
Having steeled herself, Elena decided to confess what she hadn’t been able to tell him.
“Actually, I have a secret I haven’t told you.”
Lupeon raised his straight eyebrows at her seemingly anxious appearance.
“…?”
“It’s something I must tell you.”
“I’m fine, so please speak comfortably.”
He showed an even more serious expression as he heard the desperation in Elena’s voice.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she finally put her resolution into action.
“I… made you out to be impotent in the Valdeon Empire!”
“…”
The surroundings fell instantly silent at her outburst.
Only the sound of birds flying away and bushes rustling in the wind could be heard.
When no response came from Lupeon, Elena slightly opened her closed eyes.
She met the face of a man looking perplexed, as if trying to comprehend the meaning of her words.
Elena knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to understand the current situation.
It would be simply bewildering to learn that the person who spread rumors about his impotence was his own lover.
However, she couldn’t help feeling a bit wronged.
He didn’t know, but it had been done to protect both Lupeon and Anasha.
Biting her lower lip, Elena continued in an uncertain voice.
“Even if you avoid me now, I think it’s a problem I must bear. I’m really sorry, Lupeon.”
The man who had been quietly listening to her words slightly furrowed his brow.
“Why would I avoid you?”
“Well…”
Elena hung her head low and fiddled with her hands before adding in a barely audible voice.
“Because I spread false rumors about you. Though it might sound like an excuse, I had no choice because…”
She briefly explained why she had to spread those rumors.
Of course, she couldn’t say it was because she had seen his future in the original novel, so she only vaguely mentioned it was for the alliance between their families.
“Hmm, I didn’t realize you were thinking about it all this time.”
Elena blinked at Lupeon’s meaningful words.
He let out a small laugh and spoke with gentle eyes.
“I wasn’t concerned about those rumors at all. So please don’t feel sorry toward me.”
“But because of the rumors I spread, people were gossiping about you.”
When she carefully mentioned the rumors that had circulated, Lupeon lightly shrugged his shoulders.
“They wouldn’t dare mention it in front of me anyway.”
“That may be true, but…”
“In the end, isn’t it thanks to your efforts that we met again?”
At her fiancé’s apparent attempt to comfort her, Elena fidgeted with her fingertips and asked.
“Lupeon, are you… not angry?”
“Why would I be angry? The rumors will naturally disappear once we marry and have children anyway.”
“…!”
Elena’s face flushed hot at his unexpected provocative words.
Lupeon gently fixed her windswept bangs while wearing his characteristic languid smile.
Though a bit mischievous, Elena knew his words were meant to ease her guilt.
As his gentle touch reached her head, Elena felt her heart lighten considerably, making all her previous worries seem foolish.
She was truly grateful to this man who understood and considered her feelings.
After a moment’s hesitation, Elena took a step closer to Lupeon and buried herself in his embrace.
Initiating an embrace seemed to feel much better than she had imagined.
Under the winter tree where leaves stubbornly held their place despite the season, Elena conveyed her feelings once more.
“I really like you, Lupeon.”
“…”
Lupeon stiffened, perhaps surprised by her sudden confession.
‘He’s really cute when he’s like this.’
Elena smiled brightly and rose on her tiptoes to plant a small kiss on his cheek.
*chu*
“This won’t do, Lupeon.”
“…?”
“I’ll have to stay right by your side.”
At those words, Lupeon’s blue eyes trembled slightly, and his ears and neck visibly reddened.
Elena chuckled softly and her golden eyes sparkled triumphantly.
“So you can’t back out now, Lupeon.”
The man who had been watching her intently showed an elegant smile.
Then he tickled her ear with his low, deep voice.
“Even if you want to run away now, you can’t.”
“What? Run away?”
As Elena tilted her head and asked, his eyes glinted with their characteristic blue heterochromia.
He lifted her left hand and softly kissed her fourth finger.
“…!”
“Your chance is long gone. I will devour you.”
