episode_0203

Do I really have pheromones that charm women? It was such a sudden confession that I couldn’t help but think that.

For a moment, I wondered if she was playing a mischievous prank, or perhaps launching a so-called ‘confession attack,’ but…

‘……She’s serious.’

The moment I read the tension, anxiety, and impatience in her golden eyes, even that thought was out.

Lucretia Hael was truly serious now. She had genuinely proposed to me.

The reason was something I found difficult to understand. No, to develop romantic feelings just from having been intimate?

‘Could that… be?’

Feeling an inexplicable, subtle tickle, I seriously pondered it.

…Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem entirely impossible either.

“Hmm…”

I sighed sincerely. When someone speaks so earnestly, is it wrong to dismiss their feelings as shallow?

It wasn’t as if I didn’t understand the concept of ‘physical attraction leading to emotional affection’ either.

Putting all that aside, I had put a girl in a situation where she had to say something so embarrassing.

Wouldn’t doubting her sincerity in this situation be a tremendous offense?

I touched my face in embarrassment and subtly glanced to the side. Cheon Soyul, pretending not to, was clearly listening intently, her ears perked up.

Needless to say, she was my Wife-nim. Engagement aside, if I were to marry in the future, Soyul had to be the one.

Therefore, I couldn’t accept this confession. After giving a wry smile to Baek Ayun, who was anxiously looking back and forth between me and Cheon Soyul, I took a breath.

Then, I answered Lucretia directly.

“I’m sorry, Saintess-nim.”

“…”

It was a short, blunt refusal. Lucretia’s face fell, and though I felt conflicted, there was nothing I could do.

“To receive such a proposal from someone like you is something I’m purely grateful for, without measuring various things, but…”

“…”

“I imagine you may have already guessed to some extent.”

I spoke to Lucretia, and the moment I turned my head, she also cast a distant glance in the direction my gaze was heading.

“……Eek.”

And Cheon Soyul, having received both her gaze and mine simultaneously, flinched subtly.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly and said,

“She’s my fiancée.”

At my words, Lucretia’s expression became dim again, but…

“……Is that so.”

Soon, as if she had indeed guessed it, she nodded without much agitation, bitterly clutching her arm.

Her expression and gesture were like those of a woman who had been heartbroken… No, she truly *was* heartbroken.

The resulting silence was so unbearably uncomfortable that I wanted to escape immediately, but I couldn’t bring myself to.

Lucretia, who had seemed to be silently composing herself for a while, soon subtly turned her eyes to her distant comrades.

Awakened individuals from France who had come to support Istanbul with her.

Perhaps because she had told them beforehand, they were restlessly watching Lucretia from a distance where they couldn’t hear the conversation.

‘Wife-nim, please help me.’

In that brief moment, I found an opening and sent a pleading look to Cheon Soyul.

Cheon Soyul, receiving my gaze, twitched her shoulder and met my eyes, but.

‘Excuse me? Wife-nim?’

‘…’

‘Hey.’

As if my utterly firm refusal wasn’t commendable, she turned her head away sharply, avoiding my gaze.

Since I had rejected Lucretia’s confession specifically for her sake, I felt a strange sense of betrayal and slightly parted my lips.

“Hyunjin.”

It was then that Lucretia called me again.

I flinched and turned my head.

“……Yes, Saintess-nim.”

“Lucretia.”

“Yes?”

She extended a slender finger and poked my chest. It wasn’t hard enough to push me back, but it had a surprisingly significant amount of force.

I blinked, looking down at Lucretia, and she flashed a fresh smile.

“Please call me by my name. ‘Saintess-nim’—don’t you think that’s too formal?”

“Y-Yes…?”

“I faintly knew it. That I might be rejected.”

The topic changed before I could even respond to her words.

Lucretia let out a faint laugh, her expression complex as if the aftertaste was bitter.

For a moment, I wondered if I should apologize, but perhaps that would be even worse.

While my eyes darted around with such thoughts, Lucretia chuckled softly.

“Don’t overthink it, Hyunjin. There’s no need to feel bad or worry about having rejected me.”

“……Saintess…”

“Ahem.”

“……Lucretia. Are you alright?”

When I immediately corrected my address and spoke, following her sharp-faced pointer, Lucretia shrugged and replied,

“My, are you asking if I’m alright after *you* rejected me? You’re truly wicked.”

“……*Ahem*, I’m sorry.”

“Of course, I’m not exactly alright.”

“…”

Lucretia lowered her voice and delivered her answer.

I hardened my expression, but conversely, Lucretia’s expression wasn’t as dark as I’d expected.

*Thwack!*

Before I could even question it, she grabbed my neck.

“…”

?

My neck?

*Mwah.*

I wasn’t given time to react. The moment I failed to refuse her touch, this kiss was predetermined.

From the side, Cheon Soyul gasped silently in horror, and Baek Ayun startled, covering her eyes.

“……Mmh…”

Even then, Lucretia stood firmly on her tiptoes and took my lips.

Sucking on my lips was a given; she inserted her tongue and meticulously swept its inside.

It was an extremely passionate deep kiss, saliva intertwining stickily.

I remembered being very awkward with kisses like this at first…

When did she become so skilled? My mouth was thoroughly ravished before I could regain my senses, and how much time had passed?

“……*Pfft*.”

It might have only been about ten seconds, but I was too disoriented to accurately measure the time.

Regardless, Lucretia, her face glowing brightly, licked her lips with her tongue.

“Th-Lucre…”

I tried to call her name, my expression and gaze entirely bewildered, but before I could, she blocked my mouth with her index finger.

“Shh, don’t say anything more.”

“…”

“I’ll be satisfied with this for today. But…”

Then, turning leisurely, she looked back at me with a dazzling smile and winked.

“We’ll meet again, won’t we? If you and I continue to operate in the Awakened society.”

“……Um.”

“So I’ll wait. For a slightly more positive answer next time.”

“Y-Yes? Yes?”

“Who knows what will happen with your married life, right?” Lucretia added, glancing at Cheon Soyul, then walked away in the opposite direction.

She had left, openly wishing for a catastrophe between me and Cheon Soyul.

I began to sweat profusely and cautiously observed Cheon Soyul’s expression.

I expected her to explode in a tremendous rage, but…

“……Wh-what, wha, uh, what.”

Or perhaps it was because it was excessively shocking?

She, too, was frozen rigid.

She couldn’t even think of stopping the departing Lucretia, nor could she confidently retort with any words of defiance.

Was this what a champion looked like, frozen by the challenger’s brazen provocation?

‘……Crazy.’

I was equally dumbfounded. I hadn’t imagined she would do something so bold, a declaration of war like this?

My lips, which had met hers for a brief moment, still felt moist.

Involuntarily, I raised my hand and gently touched my lips…

“……Did it feel… good?”

‘Ah.’

That was arguably the biggest blunder I made that day.

A trembling voice pierced my ear.

Having failed to stop Lucretia in time, Cheon Soyul, who belatedly came to her senses, turned to look at me, and I was caught red-handed.

I quickly lowered my hand and hid it behind my back, but it wasn’t a situation where that would work.

*Crackle, crackle!*

Golden lightning began to flash around Cheon Soyul’s eyes. She twisted her lips into a savagely cold smirk as she looked at me.

“If it felt so good, why didn’t you just get engaged to *that* woman instead?”

“……That’s not it, Soyul-nim.”

“You seem to like kissing that woman more than kissing me, don’t you? Hmm? Am I wrong?”

“It’s really not like that. Truly. Just, let me explain…”

I desperately blurted out words, trying to approach her, but.

*ZAP!!*

A sudden burst of lightning energy restricted my attempt to approach.

I flinched and stopped, and Cheon Soyul pouted, puffing out her cheeks.

“That’s enough. Get lost. Divorce me. Die.”

“…”

And in an instant, I received four commands. However, the unfortunate part was that I couldn’t fulfill any of them.

…Lucretia was clearly the one who caused this, so why do *I* have to suffer the consequences…?