I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 153

“What’s with that bad habit? And he mentioned that the Southern Empire might invade.”

Tess furrowed his nose.

“You said it with your own mouth.”

Tess pretended not to know, but I pointed it out.

“The Emperor of the Southern Empire dislikes you.”

The Emperor of the Southern Empire, a child of the God of Light guarding against the Northern Empire’s Emperor with the devil’s blood.

Despite the prosperity of Lux, I now understood that it could not be the national religion of the Northern Empire. The Southern Empire’s national religion was Lux.

“Not every Southern Empire Emperor dislikes the Northern Empire Emperor. It’s just that the current Southern Empire Emperor is an arrogant lunatic.”

It feels weird to hear the word ‘lunatic’ from your mouth.

“It’s a bit annoying, but let’s endure. Okay?”

“…Okay.”

I gently touched Tess’s cheek as he reluctantly replied. He grumbled but he changed into different clothes, saying he was going to meet the Chancellor.

The Northern Empire was where my family and friends lived, but for Tess, it was not only the land of his lover but also his sanctuary, where he had made a pact with the devil for my sake.

As we left the palace, the warm sun shone down, and Tess, seen in the bright light, seemed a bit thin. The area under his eyes was still dark, and his hands were not completely healed.

Still, I couldn’t resist smiling at his slightly pouting face.

“One thing to say, even if you didn’t change your hair and eye color, I would have liked you.”

Tess stopped abruptly.

Then, slowly and with a stiff voice, he asked.

“What is your ideal type? A man with black hair and eyes, you said. You mentioned that you don’t like me because I don’t fit that ideal type.”

“Well, that’s true. But the bigger reason was to get rid of you, who is so annoying.”

As if someone had smacked him on the head with a giant club, Tess couldn’t even blink.

“But seriously, I didn’t expect you to change like this.”

He still couldn’t find words.

“And aren’t you a bit too naive?”

“Why, why?”

“My taste could have changed.”

Tess looked like he had lost everything. He couldn’t continue speaking, just shivering, but he tensed his facial muscles.

“Have you ever thought that I might now prefer a blond man with blue eyes?”

“….Euseniel.”

Does a person become like this when they crawl up from hell?

“Have your… tastes changed…to a blond man?”

Tess’ pupils shook uncontrollably as he asked in a hesitant voice.

“Did it change by any chance? Huh?”

In the end, I gently squeezed the hand he had caught, feeling sorry for his uneasy reaction and decided to stop teasing him.

“You are my ideal type, Tess.”

“….”

“Of course, the way you are now is exactly the type I love. I never even imagined there would be someone who perfectly fits my taste.”

Slowly, his eyes widened a bit.

“Regardless of how you look or what personality you have, even if you weren’t human, I love you.”

It took a long time to realize this fact.

“So, don’t worry, you fool.”

I tousled his bangs, and Tess relaxed the tension in his shoulders.

“Me too. Me too, Euseniel.”

Acknowledgment

I love you.

Sweeter than Euseniel’s lips, sweeter than the liquid she spilled in excitement, is this one phrase.

Contained in the golden-flecked emerald-green eyes, you speak to me.

“I love you.”

After a long wait, I finally obtained this one phrase.

The despair I felt when your wounded soul pushed me away disappeared.

When you rejected me, Euseniel, I thought the world had ended. I couldn’t understand why I should exist anymore. I wanted to succumb to the devil’s temptation to forget everything if I surrendered my body.

But the devil is a vile and greedy creature, so he’ll likely violate you as he pleases.

I couldn’t endure that, so I fought. Knowing it was an impossible dream, I still faced the devil, hoping you would come looking for me.

From you, who came to find me, a bright light emanated and dazzled my eyes.

Even though I said the possibility of becoming a devil and the ability to see souls, your eyes were no different from usual. Even a transparent soul.

You knew I had a connection with the devil, Euseniel, but still, did you allow me to kiss you, bury myself in your body, and relentlessly lust after you?

Oh, Euseniel. My virtuous Euseniel.

There is no one else who loves me wholly like you do.

My light, my savior.

“Euseniel, come again later.”

“No.”

As if the kindness she showed just now was a lie, Euseniel shook her head.

“Come… huh?”

“If I hear that you’re eating well, sleeping well, and working hard, I might come after a few days.”

You’re still waving that tempting bait, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Alright.”

Although the Chancellor began to appear, I pretended not to notice and planted a kiss on her warm cheek. Euseniel, who dislikes public displays of affection, glanced at me, but she didn’t rebuke me.

Just this act alone makes my nonexistent heart beat rapidly.

As Euseniel exchanged greetings with the Chancellor, I casually grabbed the shimmering ends of her glossy hair. Her eyes conveyed the question of why I was doing that.

“Take care.”

Suppressing the impulse to keep her in my embrace, I bid her farewell.

“Yes.”

You smiled with your eyes half-closed. Even though you use formal language, you’re not as intimidating as before. Just because you address me formally doesn’t mean you’re distancing yourself from me.

“Your Majesty.”

As Euseniel moved away, the Chancellor called.

“What urgent matter brings you here?”

Though I spoke of official matters, my eyes couldn’t go from Euseniel.

At this moment, her soul was bathed in a radiant golden light.

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