I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 168

“Tess, you don’t need to apologize for that. Intercepting my letters and the… well, you only thought about it, so let’s move past that. Had you acted on it, it would have been wrong.”

Throughout our history, we’ve been walking parallel paths.

We confirmed our affection for each other, yet realized we’ve never discussed our pasts.

I told you I decided to stay because of you, but it seems my message didn’t fully reach you. For various reasons, I’m still partly ignoring what you desire most.

Tess, you and I haven’t changed at all since our childhood.

“Tess.”

“Yeah?”

Filling my lungs with the now chilly air seemed to bring me back to my senses.

“Alright. I’ll admit it.”

I clasped his hand that was holding mine.

“In my head, I was filled with plans to leave, and that remained true until recently.”

“…”

“But as I’ve said before, I’m not leaving now. I swear it. As long as you don’t make me angry.”

I cast a spell on Tess’s hand, making a golden vow of life, just like he had done before.

“Euseniel!”

“I want to show you because it seems like you don’t trust my feelings.”

Tess was astonished.

“And as I’ve mentioned before, Tess. Mother seems to have noticed your pact with the devil, and it’s causing her anxiety. She’s afraid you might lose control.”

“I know.”

His voice was heavy but calm as he laid out the facts.

“Besides, elves and I are natural enemies. She must fear that my very existence could harm you.”

“I’ve received assurances from the Fairy King that it’s harmless, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

Even if it was harmful, I wouldn’t have let go of you, but such words probably wouldn’t reach the current Tess.

“The promise I made before leaving still stands, Tess. I will marry you.”

His visible relief showed that he must have taken my earlier joke seriously.

“You’re the only one I consider my partner.”

“Euseniel.”

The tension around Tess’s eyes eased.

“I just need some time. A time to convince my family.”

“…”

“Please, just give me a bit more time.”

Tess’s smile held a tinge of bitterness, and it took me a moment to realize.

The last one waiting for me would always be you.

I believed that you would willingly wait for me. Yes, you would wait, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t get hurt.

“I…”

Saying something like, ‘I’ll convince my parents soon’, felt too irresponsible to utter.

To break the now somber mood, I changed the subject, and Tess willingly played along.

“But how did you open the drawer?”

“You know, Euseniel. It’s easy once you understand the structure of magical arrays.”

Hearing this for the first time was incredibly interesting, and by the end of the explanation, I was exhilarated from acquiring new knowledge.

“Magic can really be used in so many ways.”

“It all depends on how you apply it. Now that you know, Euseniel, your skills will improve quickly.”

The mix of our magic between our still-clasped palms tickled pleasantly. It felt so good, how could I ever let go?

Still, I couldn’t help but issue a warning.

“If you mess with the birth control again, I won’t let it slide. Understand?”

Tess averted his gaze, and when I tried to pull my hand away, he quickly nodded in agreement.

“I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

I felt like I should flip him over my shoulder for that, but what’s the point of teaching conventional values to someone who’s half-mad?

So, I decided it was enough to get his promise not to do it again.

We put the tension aside and leisurely walked through the maze. After all, it was a date.

But soon, we sensed someone approaching, prompting us to pull up our hoods.

“Thank you for coming.”

A trembling woman’s voice reached us.

I tried to halt Tess, but he looked puzzled, wondering what the issue was.

Continuing on this path would inevitably lead us to cross paths with the woman and her company—a voice I’d heard too often.

“Let’s make it quick since we’re short on time. You promised never to bother me again if I came here.”

“Yes.”

“What did you want to talk about?”

A man’s voice demanded they get straight to the point, familiar as well.

Feeling uneasy about the impending encounter, I tried to move away, but Tess stood firm.

“Tess.”

I whispered his name, but he ignored me, focusing intently on the conversation beyond the high bushes.

“Tess, shh.”

His large hand gently covered my mouth, then he pulled me into his wide embrace. Wrapped in his thick cloak, I found comfort and rested my head on his chest, hugging his waist. The pleasant scent made me sniff around, and Tess stroked my head in response.

Feeling a fuzzy warmth inside, I playfully kicked my legs, causing Tess’s cloak to unravel.

“You’re such a mischief-maker, Euseniel.”

He whispered to prevent any sound from escaping as he retied his cloak. Peeking out slightly from the loosened cloak, Tess’s lips met my forehead.

It was a strangely wonderful feeling—a soft, unfamiliar fluffiness spreading warmth throughout my body.

As his strong arms encircled me, I felt incredibly cozy, different from when we cuddled in bed.

“Well, Weathering.”

“It’s Blest.”

Jolted back to reality by the other side’s conversation, I shivered, not from fear, but Tess sweeping my back. It wasn’t that I was scared.

Yet, his touch was comforting, so I stayed still until a hand ventured into my hair, tickling my scalp. The drowsy sensation made me rub my forehead against his shoulder.

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