Chapter 119
“…I don’t dislike you.”
“Then do you like me?”
He asked in a whisper. As if tempting her to admit she liked him, to be honest.
Then, Kylus’s voice whispered again.
“If your feelings match mine… may I kiss you now?”
Kiss me…? Alice’s gaze traveled to Kylus’s red lips.
Full and sensual lips.
In this moment that felt like a beautiful dream, Alice surrendered to the temptation as if entranced.
“Yes… I’d like that.”
But the moment her dreamy voice sounded, she snapped back to reality.
Alice hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Ah! No, I mean…”
press
But before she could finish speaking, a soft touch landed on her lips and withdrew.
Smooth, soft, vivid sensation. Alice blinked slowly at the incredible feeling.
And slowly processed what had just touched her lips.
Don’t tell me what just touched my lips was… really Kylus’s lips?
Alice couldn’t easily accept this unbelievable reality, but could no longer deny it when Kylus pressed his lips to hers again.
“If you dislike it, push me away, Alice.”
Kylus cupped both her cheeks as he properly kissed her.
Alice instinctively gripped the fabric of his shoulders defensively.
But when he gently and carefully sucked her lower lip as if asking permission, she could no longer resist.
She relaxed her grip and slightly parted her lips as if granting permission.
The moment she closed her eyes, Kylus eagerly invaded her depths as if he’d been waiting.
Moving one hand from her cheek to the back of her neck, he deeply explored her lips.
His hand supporting her neck seemed to promise he’d never let her go.
Kylus’s lips left no room to breathe.
Alice exhaled shakily, gripping his clothes tightly.
“Mmph… ha…”
The kiss was so passionate it was hard to believe it came from the usually composed Kylus, making Alice dizzy.
When the heat rising from deep within her spine overwhelmed her mind, Kylus’s lips finally parted.
Opening her eyes slowly, she saw black eyes swirling with burning desire. An intense gaze that seemed ready to devour her.
As Alice caught her breath, Kylus released his hold on the back of her neck.
“Ha… ha…”
“I love you. I’m completely mad for you.”
Whispering his love again softly, he tucked her pink hair behind her ear with gentle, affectionate touches.
Alice wanted to say something too, but suddenly felt dizzy and fell backward.
“Alice!?”
She heard Kylus’s alarmed voice at seeing her collapse on the bed.
But Alice truly had no strength to move a finger.
Hard to believe, but ridiculously, her still-recovering body had been completely defeated by just one of Kylus’s kisses.
Really. No wonder she’d felt off when her head felt ready to burst with heat.
“Alice, Alice. Please, regain…”
And so Alice lost consciousness again to Kylus’s urgent voice as the last thing she heard.
Right at that meaningful moment of their first kiss.
When dawn passed and the sun rose high.
Alice suddenly opened her eyes without any warning.
Her dizzy head wasn’t bothering her anymore after sleeping. In fact, her mind was perfectly clear. Smoothly, Alice quietly sat up.
Leaning against the headboard, she thought about what happened last night.
‘I love you. Enough to sacrifice my life for you, I love you with everything I have.’
Kylus’s confession.
‘If you dislike it, push me away, Alice.’
And the passionate kiss that followed.
Maybe I was dreaming?
Alice blinked blankly looking at the sunlit room. It all felt so unreal.
So she raised her hand and pinched her cheek.
Very hard.
“Ow!”
Pain proportional to the force hit her cheek, making her cry out.
Alice dropped her hand and muttered quietly.
“It wasn’t a dream. Really… Kylus, he…”
“Said he loved you.”
“Right… kyaa!”
Alice jumped at the low voice suddenly beside her.
No way… She slowly turned her head to see Kylus sitting beside the bed.
From his appearance, he seemed to have been by her side since dawn.
Then he must have heard all my stupid behavior and muttering…
As if proving this, Kylus said to Alice.
“You thought my confession was a dream?”
Should I faint again?
Alice briefly considered it at the overwhelming embarrassment.
But even if she fainted again, Kylus would still be there when she woke up.
Alice cleared her throat with her usual shameless expression and asked.
“Your Grace, you haven’t left yet.”
As if nothing had happened.
What else could she do? She still didn’t know how to process his confession and electrifying kiss.
She was happy he loved her too, but it was too soon to start counting days. She still had much to do.
Besides, she still didn’t want to live as a duchess.
Kylus let out an ambiguous hum. He looked at the brazen Alice with a peculiar gaze before speaking.
“No, I haven’t. How could I leave? My wife fainted from one kiss. Was my kiss that rapturous?”
Rapturous… He was right, but how could she admit it so openly? Even Alice couldn’t be that brazen.
“What! My body wasn’t fully recovered yet… that’s why!”
As Alice reacted defensively in embarrassment, Kylus chuckled.
“I know. I was just teasing since you were pretending nothing happened.”
“That’s…”
He’d deliberately tested her.
As Alice flustered in confusion, Kylus rose with a smooth smile.
“I won’t pretend not to know anymore. And I definitely won’t act like nothing happened.”
Gentle but firm eyes.
Kylus stood still, watching Alice, then slowly leaned toward the bed.
His hands planted on either side of her, naturally closing the distance between them.
As Alice’s golden eyes trembled slightly, Kylus whispered.
“If you keep pretending, I’ll make you remember myself.”
Tilting his head, his face drew closer.
Just as Kylus’s breath brushed her lips, Alice snapped to her senses and quickly covered his lips with her hand.
Kylus paused, then chuckled softly.
His breath spreading across her palm and his charming eye-smile made Alice’s cheeks flush red.
‘That was really close.’
A moment later and she would’ve had an intense kissing scene part 2 in broad daylight.
Alice spoke honestly to Kylus, who still gazed at her while pressing his lips to her palm.
His intense eyes clearly said he wouldn’t back down so easily anymore.
“…I won’t pretend anymore. But right now… there’s too much going on. I need time to think. Life as a duchess… isn’t what I wanted.”
She truly needed time now.
She didn’t want a love where she hastily accepted Kylus and later hurt each other.
Kylus seemed to feel Alice’s sincerity as he obediently withdrew.
Sitting back in his chair, he spoke calmly.
“I’ll wait however long it takes. I’ll always be by your side anyway. Whenever you’ve decided, just reach out to me.”
Alice nodded while fanning her heated cheeks with her hand.
Kylus smiled as if finding her adorable.
‘His emotions are showing too much. So this is what he meant by not hiding anymore.’
Alice’s heart kept fluttering at Kylus, who now openly showed his feelings more than before.
His tender gaze seemed to tickle her entire body.
If he continued like this, she might fall completely for Kylus without time to think.
Though she was already almost fallen. ‘No, marriage still needs careful consideration.’
Alice tried to regain her reason, taking a deep breath.
Setting aside the romantic play for now, she recalled the important matter.
Yesterday’s hunting competition.
Though she unfortunately missed Hasis, fortunately she learned Kylus knew the Empress’s dual nature.
So she should focus on Lady Viscount Rosetta for now.
Even if she gave up on the Empress, she could still catch the Second Prince as long as Lady Viscount was alive.
Alice asked Kylus.
“Your Grace, did you say earlier that Lady Viscount was under the Duchy’s protection?”
Kylus erased his smile and answered seriously.
“Yes. She’s at the estate now. I was worried about the attack on you both and the Second Prince’s concerning expression, so I didn’t send her back to the Viscount house. I sent someone to notify the Viscount.”
“Ah… you did great, thank you.”
Alice felt grateful for Kylus’s perceptiveness and relieved.
