After I Died, He Died After Me Too - Chapter 47

Chapter 24.1

Seeing her clearly under the bright light made everything feel even more surreal. When she brushed her long, golden hair over her shoulder, it revealed the delicate line of her neck.

“Your Highness… This is something a maid should be doing…”

Every time his fingers grazed her soft skin, she flinched slightly. Even though she tried to sit composed in the chair, the blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her.

“The maid won’t be coming.”

“Pardon?”

Bianca looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise. It was exactly as he said. If she realized he had dismissed all the maids last night, she definitely wouldn’t take it quietly.

“I’m not generous enough to let those who’ve lost their qualifications stay in the palace.”

“Lost… their qualifications?”

“Yeah. They were secretly guiding someone else behind my back during the night, and not just a little, either.”

Dexter said this as he carefully watched Bianca’s reaction, studying every shift in her expression. Her neatly shaped brows furrowed slightly, and her blue eyes flicked from side to side.

‘I think I can guess what’s on her mind.’

She must be feeling uneasy at the thought that the candidates were gone. And now that she knew it wasn’t just the pheromones controlling her, her mind must be in turmoil.

“Are you not eating properly?”

Dexter gently placed a hand on her shoulder as he asked. Her eyes trembled again. Watching her shrink away from just his touch left a bitter feeling in his chest.

Yet, whenever he released his pheromones, she would cling to him desperately, as if under a spell. But as soon as that moment passed, she turned cold, like someone who felt nothing. She didn’t seem to realize that this only made him more restless.

Maybe that was why she could sit there so calmly now.

“My father will be hosting a banquet soon to make an official announcement, so if you see the Count today, let him know in advance.”

“…Do you think people might question it?”

“Question it?”

Dexter’s voice rumbled low as he repeated her words. The hair slipping through his fingers was so soft, it felt like strands of spun gold, or like holding a piece of the Milky Way.

It felt almost pathetic how just looking at her left him so captivated. Longing for her alone, struggling alone, obsessing all on his own. But even so, he had no intention of letting her go. He refused to repeat the meaningless loss of his past life. This time, he had the strength to protect her.

“Why would anyone question it? It’s clear to everyone that you’re my Guide.”

Dexter softly placed a hand on her shoulder.

“A reason no one can deny.”

Anyone who saw a 98% match rate couldn’t possibly deny it. Even without him doing anything, just showing that number was more than enough. There wasn’t a single person who could reach such a near-perfect match without even knowing Bianca’s rank.

“The reason why you and I are meant to be paired…”

“Don’t forget. We’re just a pair bound by contract. Your Highness can terminate the contract at any time, and since you haven’t imprinted me, it doesn’t matter if you receive guiding from someone else.”

“It seems so easy for you to draw a line between your heart and your emotions.”

“….”

Even with eyes that looked like they might tear up at any second, she still managed to pierce straight through his heart.

“Ah. It seems Lady Astri’s body and heart don’t move as one.”

Bianca’s clasped hands twitched.

What use was it if her expression didn’t change? She still reacted to such a small remark. Still, she tried so hard to hide her feelings, and it kept gnawing at him.

As Dexter brushed Bianca’s hair, he suddenly tightened his grip.

“Hht, that hurts.”

“I’m not very good at this.”

“I can do it myself—heut.”

“If you keep moving, it’ll get tangled.”

It was a lie. Hair that soft wouldn’t tangle no matter what. Even though she was thin from not eating properly, her hair still gleamed with a silky shine. It even smelled sweet, like it had been dipped in honey, and every time he ran the brush through it, it made him lose his mind.

‘I’m like an animal in heat.’

It wasn’t an exaggeration to call himself an animal. Just being near her was enough to make his blood burn. He glanced down at his lower body and, as expected, clicked his tongue in frustration at the sight of his arousal, pressing hard and visibly against his pants.

When he lifted his gaze to the mirror, their eyes met. The flustered look on her face was unmistakable, and it only made him want to tease her more. There was no doubt she had seen what was standing stiff against his thigh.

Her eyes, unsure where to look, finally drifted upward.

As she silently stared at the ceiling, Dexter, who had been watching her the entire time, picked up a small hand mirror and held it in front of her face. Bianca flinched in surprise and moved back, her back bumping right into his solid stomach.

“Ah!“

As she kept wriggling, Dexter’s composed expression finally began to crack. The way she kept brushing against him made it harder and harder to maintain his calm. She must have felt something strange pressing into her back, because she froze again, startled.

If she could steady herself that way, he would’ve let her. But if he moved even slightly, the fragile balance she had found would crumble.