Chapter 8

Chapter 8

‘Wow…’

At that moment, I couldn’t help but inwardly marvel at the way he smiled, as if he could enchant someone with just that look.

‘Ah, another slip-up.’

Just how many times was I going to stare blankly at that face?

‘Get a grip.’

Thankfully, I quickly realized I’d been gazing at him in a daze and hastily composed myself, subtly averting my eyes from his.

‘But why is he here?’

This was the Imperial Library and only members of the royal family had access. It wasn’t strange for the Emperor himself to come here, but the fact that he came while I was here… felt a little suspicious.

‘Don’t tell me he came to see me? Does he know I’m here?’

That possibility weighed the most in my mind, and though I grumbled inwardly about my quiet time being disturbed, my thoughts were interrupted when Calix suddenly called out to me, breaking the silence.

“Ariel.”

“Yes?”

I replied, but I still avoided looking at him, keeping my gaze low.

“Ariel.”

He called my name again. But this time, his voice sounded… different. It carried a heavy, subdued tone.

‘What’s this? Did his mood suddenly shift?’

Just a moment ago, his voice had been warm and gentle, but now that warmth had vanished completely. I was about to lift my head in confusion when… 

A large hand gently seized my chin and forced my slightly lowered face to tilt up. And just like that, my gaze locked with Calix’s intense, crimson eyes. The heaviness I sensed in his voice earlier was now reflected clearly in his stiff eyes and taut lips.

“…Yes?”

“You’re finally looking at me.”

Well, that’s because you’re holding my chin like this.

I held back the urge to say that out loud, opting instead for an awkward smile, trying to smooth over this bewildering situation I didn’t quite understand. But for some reason, he showed no sign of letting go of my chin.

“Um, Calix…”

I was about to ask him to let go, but before I could finish, his hand withdrew on its own, perhaps he’d read my intention.

He hadn’t been gripping tightly to begin with, so it didn’t hurt or feel uncomfortable. It was just his searing gaze that felt overwhelmingly awkward.

Whenever he looked at me like that, I couldn’t breathe. And yet… somewhere inside, a strange tickle stirred.

His eyes held both the sharpness of someone trying to strip away all my defenses, and the desperation of someone silently begging for an answer.

I didn’t particularly hate that gaze. But for someone who didn’t harbor any real feelings for him, it was simply too much to bear.

Even now, he hadn’t looked away from me for a second.

Just like before, I tried to turn my head to escape his gaze. But before I could even move, he caught me again. This time, he cupped both of my cheeks in his hands.

“When you’re with me…”

Now that he held both my cheeks, I couldn’t avoid the strange tension building between us. A wave of nervous energy surged through my entire body.

Trying not to show it, I swallowed hard.

“Don’t look away. Don’t take your eyes off me. You should look only at me.”

His words weren’t just a plea. They were more like an inescapable command, binding me. The look on his face was deadly serious, almost frighteningly so.

I didn’t know how to respond. I just blinked, staring at him, and then he continued.

“I’ll only ever look at you, too… forever.”

Strangely, those words snapped me out of the emotional fog I’d been in.

Maybe because I already knew how things would unfold… where this man’s heart was headed. Even the last time he confessed how much he loved Ariel, I’d scoffed internally. And this time was no different.

Ironically, the moment Calix said those words, I was able to collect myself again. The strange tension between us shattered instantly.

“Yes. I’ll do that, too…”

The words came out mechanically, without an ounce of sincerity. Naturally, I didn’t make the same mistake I had before.

Where his heart wandered wasn’t my concern. His feelings weren’t mine to claim, and because of that, there was no need for regret or sadness. All I had to do was play the role of Ariel flawlessly, bring about the same ending as the original, and walk away when it was done.

‘So for now, let’s just focus on fooling this man.’

I gave him a bright smile as I replied. His previously rigid expression finally softened into one of satisfaction.

“I love you, Ariel.”

“…Yes. Me too.”

But no matter what, I just couldn’t bring myself to say those three words back. So that vague response was all I could offer.

“But you know…”

Still holding my cheeks, he suddenly changed the subject.

“Yes?”

An uneasy feeling crept over me.

He was smiling, but there was something ominous about it. It felt like he was about to drop another huge bombshell.

“Before studying history and geography, shouldn’t we first have a child to share our stories with?”

And just like that, my dread hit the mark.

“R-right… Haha…”

I laughed awkwardly and went along with it.

“Now that I know your heart, I’ll just have to try even harder.”

…Excuse me? Try harder than this?

At the mention of ‘try harder’, a whirlwind of scenes between Ariel and Calix flashed through my mind like a highlight reel.

Try harder how, exactly? If it goes any further, seriously… 

‘Will my body even survive this?!’

Panic set in as I realized that if I let this continue, I might not make it out in one piece. As things spiraled out of control thanks to my own foolish cover story, my head started to pound.

‘Ah…’

This is bad. 

The damage was already done. He was now staring at me with a burning intensity, like all preparations had already been made. The atmosphere around us changed in an instant.

“Ariel…”

And in that moment, before I could even fully register the situation or prepare myself, Calix devoured my lips.

“Mmph…!”

He was urgent, like a man being chased.

No, that wasn’t it. He’d always been like this in my memories.

Every time he touched Ariel, it was as if it might be their last moment. That desperation only made him more relentless, and it left Ariel breathless.

“…Were you thinking of something else?”

Suddenly, his lips parted from mine, and his voice, low and heavy, filled the space between us.

“What? No, I just—mmph!”

I tried to respond, but before I could finish, he claimed my lips again.

It was so unfair. I had been thinking about him. That was the problem!

But he didn’t know that. And perhaps as a punishment for not focusing, he kissed me even more fiercely.

I couldn’t breathe.

The kiss was overwhelming, one that scattered my thoughts and left my mind completely blank.

At the same time, a strange thrill spread throughout my entire body, making everything tingle. Then, just as I began craving more of that feeling, my instincts took over.

My body leaned toward him on its own.

Sensing my reaction, Calix wrapped his arms around me tightly, as if in welcome.

I didn’t resist. I reached up and circled my arms around his neck.

At this point, I had given in, letting things go wherever they might lead. Or maybe… in that moment, I’d truly been captivated by him.

Regardless, right now, this kiss and this moment felt overwhelming and blissful.

As we continued to lose ourselves in each other, his hands that had been holding my cheeks began to wander. Slowly, his fingers traced down, brushing over the nape of my neck and the top of my collarbone with clear, sensual intent.

Alarm bells rang in my head, and my half-melted brain snapped back to reality. I frantically searched for a way to stop things from going any further. If I hesitated even a second, I was sure his hand would go lower.

Then, an idea struck me.

In what I hoped was the most natural gesture, I grabbed his hand resting on my collarbone. I did it to keep him from moving it any further.

At that touch, his lips finally parted from mine, leaving behind a slightly awkward sound.

“Haah…”

“Haah…”

I gasped, drawing deep breaths into my lungs now that his lips had finally left mine. We’d both been kissing so long, breathing only through our noses.

……

T/N: When you don’t have romantic feelings and you simply lose yourself in the moment lol