Chapter 5 Part 4
She knew what the future held. Although she was currently immersed in peace, changing the fate of becoming a sacrifice required results beyond mere effort. Aksion quietly observed her. To his eyes, Elia seemed precarious in some way. He tightened his grip on her hand. The warm sunlight and the contact with him were so stimulating that they felt prickly. It was just skin touching skin.
“Um, Aksion? Isn’t it a bit hot?”
“It’s spring. Even the winter castle needs to bask in the sun sometimes.”
Elia couldn’t argue with his words about seeking warmth.
“Is that so…?”
“Yes. And it’s natural for us as a married couple to be this close.”
Though it was Elia who first demanded marriage, Aksion had started to use that to his advantage.
Elia and Aksion were not alone in the garden. A gardener was attending to the apple tree in front of them. Maids waiting to serve and other attendants were pretending not to notice the couple.
“Isn’t that right, Elia?” Aksion’s eyes curved in a seductive smile, prompting her to nod reluctantly. She sought solace in her own thoughts.
‘If I get flustered, the people around will think something’s wrong.’
It was just the other day she had bragged about her husband to the Duke. She couldn’t afford to create misunderstandings now when she needed to boost Aksion’s morale. But the biggest problem was that she didn’t dislike it. On the contrary, she found it rather pleasant, which was troubling as she feared she might get too attached.
‘Why does he keep acting like someone with feelings for me?’
Elia wasn’t oblivious. She noticed Aksion slowly approaching her emotionally. Initially, she thought it was impossible. However, continuous denial inevitably led to acceptance. Elia dismissed his budding feelings as a chick imprinting on the first person it saw. But the warm contact and his breaths reaching her kept speaking to her.
‘Then, do I… for Aksion…?’
Get a grip, Elia. She resolved that such a thing should never happen. Even if their hearts truly aligned, there were too many things to handle before that.
‘If by any chance…’
She planned to strike before the Black Hound swallowed the sun. The hound would disappear instantly then. The Black Hound only appeared after Elia was offered as a sacrifice, after all.
‘If things don’t go as planned, they’ll try to offer me as a sacrifice by any means.’
Even a partial sacrifice like Elia was essential to prevent the apocalypse. That was why she couldn’t dismiss the possibility of being sacrificed again.
“Your eyes are busy again.” He was looking at her through her eyes. Realizing this, Elia’s gaze dropped to the table. Aksion pulled her up by her hand.
“The sun is strong. Shall we go inside?”
The sun in Mahart wasn’t as intense as the central sun, and there was a shade canopy above. Yet, Aksion pulled her along, and Elia followed him knowingly. Aksion led them to a deserted hallway, the innermost part, entering an unused reception room, making it truly a space for just the two of them.
Click.
The door closed, breaking the spell of their gazes. Before she knew it, Elia was leaning against the wall with Aksion standing in front of her. Something was happening too quickly for Elia to process. Regaining her senses, she awkwardly smiled, glancing at Aksion.
“Um, do you need my help?”
“No.”
Aksion gently denied. This left Elia speechless. His kindness was still present but not one-sided; it was a bit troubling, even dangerous. This unfamiliar sensation trapped Elia in an invisible snare.
“So…?”
She was afraid to ask the reason. It was an unbearable curiosity that made her speak. As if waiting for that, Aksion’s smile melted.
“I wanted to be alone with you.”
Since returning from the desert, they hadn’t had much time together. It was a calm reason, but.
‘We’ve come in contact for the resonance ritual every night!’
The resonance ritual had become a routine to check Aksion’s condition and end the day. Lately, he was silent during it, as if deep in thought.
“Seeing you isn’t bad, but you seem uncomfortable.”
Aksion intertwined their fingers again. Then, as if being spoiled, he rested his forehead on her shoulder. Alarms rang in her head. She thought she should push him away. However, her arms betrayed her, comforting his shoulder instead.
‘I can’t help it because of habit!’
This was the result of her habit of embracing and comforting Aksion. Her awkward hand stopped patting. Aksion burrowed deeper into her embrace, as if knowing her face was heating up.
‘Did I get enchanted by something at the goddess’s temple?’
He had changed so suddenly that she wondered if he had been bewitched.
“Why are you acting so assertive all of a sudden!” Elia eventually pushed his shoulder. Just creating a small gap made her breath heavy. Aksion raised his head, his smile gone.
“…I thought you might leave if I didn’t.”
His jet-black hair and red eyes made him look like a black beast. This was the result of Aksion’s constant contemplation during communion.
“That…”
“So, I decided to show it bit by bit.”
Aksion cut her off. He was once again the gentle fawn. His transformation was truly astonishing to her.
“…Who taught you to say such things?”
“What do you mean?”
He blinked innocently, asking back. If this came naturally, he was truly gifted. With him feigning ignorance, she couldn’t press further. It felt as if she was the strange one.
Their gazes continued to lock. She really had to push him away now. Otherwise, something more could happen. As their breaths grew closer.
Bang!
A sharp sound split them apart.
‘What was that noise?‘ It sounded like someone slamming a door. It was odd since the well-trained servants wouldn’t make such a mistake.
“I need to check this out.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Outside the door, the previously quiet castle was now in uproar.
“Sister, where are you!”
“You can’t do this!”
A servant urgently tried to stop a woman but didn’t dare touch her.
“Elia, sister!”
At that call, Elia met eyes of the same color as hers. It was her younger sister, Violet.
Violet, fuming, approached her.
Elia spoke first, seeing her fierce demeanor.
“Violet, what’s going on?”
“How can you ask that?”
Violet’s sharp question returned. In fact, Elia had known the reason the moment their eyes met.
‘Kanus must have tattled.’
Her suspicion proved correct.
“You humiliated my fiancé. How could you do that!”
‘As expected.’
Realizing her guess was right left her feeling empty. But pretending to know would only cause trouble.
Elia feigned ignorance.
“Violet, calm down and explain. I don’t understand.”
“You know very well! Kanus said everything he achieved was given to you!”
Elia’s eyes widened. She had expected Kanus to tattle, but not in that way.
‘He said I took it all from him.’
Everything Kanus had built up.
Elia smiled at his pettiness.
