I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 192

When I heard from Arden, Carin Heights, and Gael, it became clear that the rumors were spreading from the men’s side. Ethyl gave me a similar answer when I asked him.

But who, exactly, and why?

I wondered if it was the work of Duke Lantia, who had hoped for a match between me and his cousin, but he had been quiet for a while. Besides, he wasn’t foolish enough to be so blatant about it.

Nonetheless, these unpleasant rumors, though baseless, were widespread and had even reached my keen-eared lover.

One evening as the sun was setting, I visited the palace not for a duel but solely to see Tess.

Tess seemed tense, but he neither showed it nor complained. I was so proud of him that I couldn’t resist patting his head.

With his head tilted, eyes looking up at me, and lips slightly parted, he looked seductive. It seemed like he wanted a kiss, but instead, I took his hand on the table and held it gently.

While smiling, I made a request.

“Tess, be my partner at the New Year’s ball.”

I gently stroked his cheek as he remained frozen like a statue and repeated my request.

“Let’s enter the hall together on New Year’s Eve.”

“…”

“Don’t you want to?”

Tess quickly shook his head. He seemed to want to say something but couldn’t find his voice. He held my hand with one of his, waved the other hand in the air, and finally managed to say my name.

“Euseniel, ah.”

Eventually, Tess covered his face with one hand, struggling to speak and breathing heavily.

His shoulders shaking made me wonder if he was crying.

I wanted to explain everything to him calmly, but his reaction was so adorable that I couldn’t resist teasing him a bit more.

“And let’s announce our engagement.”

Tess’s dark eyes locked onto mine as his black hair fluttered. He looked just like a startled cat.

Even after waiting a while, he didn’t blink, like a statue, so I placed my finger under his nose. Thankfully, he was still breathing.

“If you don’t want to get engaged, we can wait-“

“No!”

Tess quickly covered my mouth.

“I will, I will. I’ll be your partner and we’ll get engaged. The New Year’s ball, right? I got it.”

I nodded to show I understood, but his gentle hand didn’t let go. I finally had to take his hand off myself.

His warm hand interlocked with mine, and a moment later, Tess blurted out.

“I feel like my heart stopped.”

He blinked a few times and asked.

“Euseniel, am I alive?”

His foolish expression made me laugh instead of scolding him.

“Of course, you are.”

“I’m so happy I could die.”

“If you die, we can’t get engaged.”

Tess looked horrified and quickly shook his head.

“I’m fine. I mean, my heart is in Euseniel’s desk drawer, but I’m alive.”

“I know. You’re talking and breathing just fine.”

“Thank goodness I’m alive…”

Tess leaned his head on my shoulder and sighed in relief, and I gently tousled his hair.

I was smiling, but I wasn’t entirely happy.

Before I asked Tess to be my partner, he was on the verge of exploding. He looked ready to do something drastic at any moment, barely holding himself back.

Does the person who started these rumors know? Do they realize their actions almost put the Northern Empire in danger?

If the culprit was a spy from the Southern Empire, their plan almost succeeded.

I didn’t suggest the engagement just because of the tension around Tess, so I could watch his reaction calmly.

“Engagement, engagement. I need to make an announcement, change the decorations… no, no. No.”

Tess, who had been muttering incomprehensible words, suddenly stood up.

Crash.

But he quickly fell with the chair. Sitting on the floor, he looked up at me pitifully.

“My legs gave out.”

His flushed eyes, slightly open eyes, and moist lips.

“It hurts, Euseniel.”

Seeing his alluring face as he whimpered stirred strange feelings within me. My mouth began to feel dry.

Maybe that’s why I let him pull me along by my dress.

Thud.

With the muffled sound of the thick carpet, Tess lay on his back and I nestled into his arms.

His hand gently caressed the nape of my neck, eliciting a soft moan from my lips. Tess, echoing my sigh, lifted me and moved towards the bed. Despite his earlier urgency, he laid me down with surprising care.

His hands moved quickly to unbutton his suit. In no time, he had discarded his pants. Next, he reached for my dress.

“It’s not coming off.”

It seemed he had remembered not to tear clothes, as he grumbled but carefully removed my dress without damaging it.

With my thighs parted, Tess positioned his center. Embarrassed by the sight, I turned my head to the side. Normally, Tess would have laughed, but instead, he immediately slid his fingers into my most secret place.

“Tess, ah, um.”

My body was familiar with his smooth and skillful fingers, responding by becoming wet despite my attempts to resist. Tess let out a soft groan as he felt my reaction.