I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 182
“Alright, but you must visit before the year ends. Otherwise, there won’t be a room for Ber.”
“I’ll come, so don’t clear it out.”
Despite the year drawing to a close, the simple dragon promised. Alright, I’ll have to ask for details later.
“Send them back.”
At Ber’s nod, the dragon flicked his fingers with a pout. In that brief moment, Ber waved, and Tess and I were expelled from the dragon’s domain.
“What kind of place is this to send us? It should’ve been Count Daidi’s domain!”
The infuriating dragon sent us to the mountain peak Tess had shattered. The precision of the location was too calculated to say it was a mistake of the dragon’s magical interference.
The mountain was difficult to climb down to, so why bother?
“The scenery is quite nice though.”
Tess, still holding my hand, leisurely scanned our surroundings. As I tugged at the hand he held, he looked at me with curiosity.
“What’s happening here?”
“I came because Euseniel’s trace suddenly disappeared. It probably got cut off when Euseniel was swept into the dragon’s barrier.”
Up close, I noticed the dark circles under Tess’s eyes. Has he not been sleeping well?
“Initially, I made it here, but couldn’t find the barrier’s entrance. I figured if I stirred things up, the other party would come out on their own.”
“So, you destroyed the mountain peak?”
“Yes.”
Tess smiled innocently, causing my head to ache.
“Tess, you don’t have to worry so much about me, or rather, it’s not that.”
Telling him not to worry was futile. Obviously he won’t listen.
“Can you hear sounds from Alin and also from other regions?”
“Yes. I can sense presence too. It takes more focus the further away from Alin I am.”
No wonder he’s been irritable. Although I can’t grasp the exact extent of his senses, keeping track of my whereabouts while managing state affairs…
How many people are in the empire for him to only single me out?
The mere imagination gave me a headache.
As I touched his slightly tousled bangs, warmth blossomed on his pale cheeks. His long eyelashes quivered, half-lowering his eyelids.
“Being with Euseniel is indeed the best.”
Of course. That way, you won’t have to search so hard.
Suddenly showing up like this was surprising, but truly, I was genuinely glad to see him.
“Let’s head to Count Daidi’s domain together… no.”
I almost extended the invitation thoughtlessly but shook my head in reconsideration. The Emperor appearing outside the capital without notice, wouldn’t give favorable rumors.
Then, alongside Euseniel Hardland. Especially if Count Daidi himself found out, he might accuse the Emperor of losing his senses over a romantic entanglement.
Worse still, the fact that I’ve long since lost my sense for love, complicates matters.
“Why stop mid-sentence, Euseniel?”
“Just, be careful on your way.”
Tess appeared slightly disappointed.
Realistically, it wasn’t plausible to ask him to stay longer.
Perhaps what Tess wanted wasn’t necessarily to stay but maybe a kiss, or just a word of affection.
But initiating such things felt too awkward and embarrassing!
Especially under the bright day, my courage dwindled even more.
“Do you really see souls? It’s not just something you made up to avoid tricky situations?”
“I truly can see them. I swear on it!”
“But how could you not know!”
“Know what, Euseniel?”
That I missed you!
Must I spell it out myself, embarrassingly so?
Although I found it somewhat charming that Tess could see souls, it seemed utterly futile.
Recalling how Tess yearned to hear words of affection from me, I took a deep breath. This felt more nerve-wracking than facing monsters.
“I, I!”
His black eyes fixed unwaveringly on me.
“I missed you.”
“Ah.”
He seemed genuinely unaware, as his pale cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red than before.
“Ah, I see.”
Seeing his smile creep up, I got excited and grabbed his cheek to twist it.
“You can sense people’s feelings, right? Then how could you not know?”
“Euseniel.”
Tess wrapped his hands around my cheeks, ignoring my words and said what he wanted to say.
“Kiss me.”
Always so willful, truly! I nearly gave him a noogie but his lovely smile disarmed me, making it impossible to refuse.
“Close your eyes.”
Gently closing his eyes, Tess slightly tilted his head down.
His silken hair fluttered in the breeze, enveloping me in a sweet scent. Gazing upon his beautifully long eyebrows, I extended my arms to hug his neck.
When I took a bite into the red fruit, it was the sweetest in the world, its tender flesh revealed itself smoothly at the touch.
Tess remained still, trembling slightly as if experiencing our first kiss together. The quiver spread to me, making my breath slightly rough, but I didn’t stop.
The deep scent of wood mixed with sweetness slowly filled my sense of smell, and the liquid that flowed into my mouth carried the same taste.
As if we were the only two in the world, there was silence around us.
Ah, Tess.
I think I understand why you say we should live just looking at each other.
When a fluffy tingling filled me from my toes to the top of my head, our lips parted.
Reflected in his clear eyes, my face was as red as a tomato, and in mine, Tess looked like an apple. He even licked his wet lips and his eyelashes fluttered.
He was always so eager to devour me, yet now he blushes like a child who was unaware of the world at times like these.
Tess’s reaction made it less awkward for me, so I was able to hold his large hand. I played with his smooth, unblemished fingers.
Lifting that hand, I buried my face in its palm, and felt him twitch. There was Tess, gazing at me dreamily. He whispered with a mesmerized smile.
“Come back soon, Euseniel.”
“I will.”
Tess looked surprised to hear my response, eyes wide in bewilderment. It was cute though I didn’t show it.
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