“My lord? You still haven’t heard from him?”

Asked a blond haired boy, raising his head as he groomed his sword.

The boy, who looked about sixteen years old, had an elegant face and was as pretty as a temple angel statue.

Although he belonged to the Knights of Villequier, everyone knew he solely served the Duke of Rasiane.

None among the knights has had a life as rough as this boy, for the boy’s mouth was so crude that one can’t help but to think he had been possessed by a demon from hell.

“He said he’d be back in about a month, so just relax and wait.”

Replied the Knights of Villequier’s commander, who stood beside the boy knight supervising the knights’ training.

His jet black hair, like the color of a crow’s feather, glowed under the natural light, while his blue eyes scoured over the movements of every knight.

The boy knight stood up with his well polished sword, sighed, then spoke.

“These guys are boring. His Excellency should be here.”

“You break more than ten bones when you fight these guys, so try to refrain yourself.”

“So, his Excellency said it’s fine. I also enjoy it.”

Thinking to himself that such words belonged to a deranged lunatic, the commander inattentively shook his head. The boy knight warmed up his muscles by skillfully stretching his body as they spoke.

“My lord, are you confident you’ll be able to find the Mage Tower’s weak point this time? Can I look forward to it?”

“…Well, that’s the goal for the time being.”

“For the time being?”

“Just go and train.”

Nudging the boy knight’s back, the commander stopped answering.

From the side, the boy knight, who was relatively docile to the commander, ran towards the knights without complaining. His lock of golden hair fluttering behind his back, glistening.

As soon as he approached, the other knights stopped and grumbled. Their faces were filled with terror.

With a pretty smile on his face, the blond boy knight asked.

“Who wants to spar with me?”

Rosenia’s breathing gradually grew ragged. Losing strength throughout her whole body, she found herself unable to stand properly. When she was about to fall due to her shaky legs, Llewellyn grabbed her waist tightly and embraced her.

“Ha, Rose…”

“Duke, your grace…”

“Rose, Rose…”

Rosenia was a little frightened because Llewellyn seemed to have lost his reasoning. He called her name like a madman while pressing against her lips.

As if Llewellyn was born to do so, he devoted himself only to swallowing her lips and her.

Her body kept shaking with the feeling of being eaten. She couldn’t tell if it was because of excitement or fear.

The biggest problem was that Rosenia couldn’t push Llewellyn away either. The word ‘stop’ lingered on her mouth while her mind was saying the exact opposite. Kissing him felt so good that she couldn’t even show a small gesture of rejection.

Rosenia thought she must have been crazy after all. Amidst her worries between the political problems of the two families, Adrian, and the female lead, she couldn’t stop.

The devil in her mind whispered, ‘It’s a very brief meeting, so it doesn’t matter.’ That was what she truly thought. To her, what happens here at this summer villa is only a slight deviation…Once she goes back to the Mage Tower, it’ll be more than a year, no, more than a year before she’ll likely see him again…

“Ha…”

Llewellyn, who had lowered his lips for a moment, looked at her with his misty languid eyes. His emerald eyes were filled with ecstasy.

Maybe it’s because of the kiss, or something else, but Llewellyn seemed full of energy.

Bringing his face down her cheek as if dealing with a precious treasure, he breathed unevenly. The way he raised his lips into a smile, he seemed to be overwhelmed with joy.

“Rose, you…”

“…”

“You kissed me first.”

Muttered Llewellyn in a radiant voice as he hugged her.

Her whole body was drained of strength by the kiss and she was relying on him for support.

Llewellyn’s big hand stroked her back. Feeling herself calming down by his hand, she gradually caught her breath.

Then, as Rosenia slowly came to her senses, she suddenly realized it. What she just did.

‘Crazy…!’

She shuddered with her eyes wide open in his arms.

Massive regret and shame flooded in like waves.

‘What the hell did I just do? I can’t believe I kissed the male lead that I had to rightfully avoid!’

Bam!

Rosenia pushed Llewellyn away as hard as she could. No, that’s what she wanted to do. His chest was so robust that even though she pushed him as hard as she could, he didn’t budge.

‘I think I’m the one that’s getting pushed back!’

Dumbfounded, Rosenia stumbled precariously with her mouth agape. Then, Llewellyn held her gently by her shoulders.

“Rose…”

Llewellyn called her in a worried voice. Her face blushed at the thought that her quivering might have been conveyed to him as well. She kissed him first, but then shook like a puppy in the rain. She couldn’t bear the embarrassment. Pushing his shoulders with trembling hands, she spoke.

“Uh, it’s fine, please let me go…”

“No.”

“…?”

Rosenia looked up at Llewellyn with her eyes wide open at the totally unexpected answer. His emerald eyes slanted as their eyes met. He tightly embraced her.

“You’ll fall if I let you go.”

“N-no.”

“No? Quivering like this…”

Said Llewellyn in a soft voice as he slowly caressed her back. It was an incredibly tender touch coming from someone who had just pounced at her like a beast.

Rosenia thought about pushing Llewellyn away again, but ultimately dropped her hands in despair. When she had resigned her body to him, he stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead.

From such a kind act as if they were lovers, Rosenia felt like she was going to lose herself again.

‘Does he treat all women like this? N-no wait, he’s not himself right now…What am I doing with a crazy person?’

A moment of guilt struck her.

‘This has to end now. I need to get a hold of myself…’

As Rosenia struggled in his arms, unexpectedly, Llewellyn easily let her go. She backed away and avoided his gaze. Fortunately, her body stopped quivering and her legs were no longer shaking.

Still looking away from him, Rosenia mumbled.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“…”

“I was too impulsive. From now on, it won’t happen again.”

Rosenia thought she’d hear a reply right away, but the silence lengthened. She sneaked up and looked at Llewellyn. He was quietly watching her with an unreadable look.

‘Should I tell him that I need to go to bed to escape this situation…?’

While thinking about it with a precarious mood, Llewellyn finally spoke.

“Rose to me…”

He spoke slowly, as if to savor each letter.

“To me, you’re impulsive. Rose, that’s you.”

Before long, Llewellyn, who looked to be in a good mood, raised his attractive lips and smiled. He even laughed out loud.

“Haha.”

‘…Why are you laughing?’

Rosenia blinked in bewilderment. Not knowing how to react, she stood staring awkwardly as Llewellyn swept down the corner of her mouth with one hand and muttered to himself.

“It was really worth it.”

“What?”

When Rosenia reflexively asked back at the abrupt remark, Llewellyn smiled.

“Nothing.”

“…?”

“Anyway, I think we should get some sleep now. Would you like me to carry you to your bedroom?”

The unexpected proposal startled Rosenia and she shouted ‘No!’ When she stepped back, waving her hands, Llewellyn kept smiling as if he found it funny.

Llewellyn didn’t force himself towards her like he did before. He just stood there leisurely smiling at her. She felt the air surrounding them to be a little serene. He took one step closer, facing her squarely. It was a short distance that could be reached, but she knew she shouldn’t cross.

He held a handful of her scarlet hair in his hand and gently kissed it. Llewellyn, who had her full attention, looked up and spoke.

“Good night, Rose.”

“…”

Rosenia caught a glimpse of some madness within his intense gaze, so she thought he was also out of his mind.

It was worth the thrill of being kissed by a man so beautiful that even God would be jealous, but her heart was stained with embarrassment and anxiety.

‘This man…The Duke of Rasiane, what can I do to get him back to his senses?’

‘…I don’t know. Let’s get some sleep and think after.’

Rosenia was so tired in body and mind that she wanted to go into her room and hide as soon as possible. She wanted to go anywhere that this man could not reach.

Slipping back, her hair, which had been held in his hand, scattered in the air. Looking away from his gaze, she mumbled.

“Then, good night.”

With quick steps, Rosenia quickly turned around and ran to the second floor. When she entered her beloved attic and locked the door tightly, only then did she relax.

Rosenia slid down against the door. The low ceiling of the attic gave her a strange sense of stability unique to narrow spaces. But her agitation didn’t subside as easily.

“Ah…”

Letting out a deep sigh, Rosenia buried her face with her hands. At this rate, her heart is going to be in tatters.

‘How much longer do I have to look at this man? Should I be nervous?’

‘Should I not have come to the villa?’

For the first time, Rosenia regretted coming to this beautiful seaside villa.

Her summer vacation, which she thought would be peaceful, was flowing in a chaotic direction due to an unexpected encounter.

Rosenia’s eyes were wide open in the morning.

Actually, having woken up at dawn, Rosenia only slept for three or four hours.

In any case, Rosenia was determined with an unknown mission to get up earlier than ‘him’.

Rosenia ran away from Llewellyn yesterday, but after finding some composure, she felt uneasy about leaving him alone.

‘He’s out of his mind and might get into trouble!’

Her familiar may be watching him, but she can’t rely on it. Because he was Duke Llewellyn Rasiane and not anyone else.

Just because Llewellyn was out of his mind, doesn’t mean his strength has weakened. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to subdue the familiar.

Rosenia quickly finished brushing her teeth and washing her face, then changed into a comfortable summer dress before coming down to the first floor.

Fortunately, Llewellyn seemed to be still asleep. As she approached the bedroom she gave him, she opened the door very carefully.

When Rosenia peeped through the crack of the door, she saw the figure of Llewellyn sleeping like an angel.

Llewellyn was lying in a perfectly straight posture and fast asleep. Staring at him, Rosenia thought to herself that he didn’t deserve to be called ‘an honest and upright young man’ that everyone had labeled.

However, sadly, Llewellyn was out of his mind partially due to the aftereffect of the mana poisoning…She was even unclear when he would suffer from the mana poisoning again.

Feeling a little scared, Rosenia forced her feet inside. Regardless, she had to wake Llewellyn up for breakfast. And putting aside whether he’ll tell the truth or not, she was going to have to ask him a bunch of questions about this and that.

Rosenia quietly approached the bed and carefully reached out her hand.

When her fingertips touched Llewellyn’s bare skin, she was greatly surprised by her impulse. But she soon calmed down and shook him.

“Duke Rasiane.”

“…”

“Duke, get up. It’s morning.”

“…”

“Duke?”

No matter how many times she called him, he showed no sign of waking up, so she was wondering if she should pinch his cheek a little.

Llewellyn, who gently lifted his eyelids, looked at her quietly.

Maybe because of the morning sun, or perhaps because of his excessive beauty, it blinded her eyes.

With her eyes squinted in a moment of carelessness, her arm was clasped tightly by a large firm hand. Then not surprisingly, she was pulled on the bed.