"Brother saved me... right?"
It was because of the emerald eyes that stared up at him blankly, even though they were clouded over. It was the first time. They weren't the eyes of a dirty bastard or a monster killing people. It was just eyes filled with pure trust. It was the day his stepbrothers knocked him unconscious by hitting the back of his neck and drowning him in the river.
When he came to, he found a girl who was also drowning in the river and pulled her out, but it didn't seem like either of them would survive. Even so, he hugged her dying body and shared the little body heat he had. One more time. He wanted to see those innocent eyes as if she was looking at her savior, one more time... Just because of that strange impulse.
"Get up, Ariana."
Dante whispered, lowering his head.
"I've collected your debt from your enemies so well..."
His long fingertips reached over her forehead, which was rising and falling regularly.
"It's your turn to repay me... The price I paid for saving you."
The last voice was so soft that it was inaudible. Rio appeared with a cautious footstep.
"I, Master."
"Shhh."
"Our knights have captured an assassin at the border of the capital."
"Yes. Hold him."
"Are you going to move now?"
"No."
Dante slowly rested his chin on his hand. His gaze lingered on her lips which were quivering as if she were sleeping soundly.
"Later."
"Yes, Master."
Rio lowered his head and left the room. With cautious and slow steps.
***
I blinked blankly.
'... Bedroom?'
Memories slowly flooded back to me the moment I realized a beat later that what I was looking at was the ceiling of my bedroom. I remembered going out to the terrace to collect my thoughts after Edward and Elena were dragged out. Then, a sudden feeling of dizziness came over me, causing my vision to blur... and...
"Ariana!"
I even remembered falling onto Dante's arm.
'Oh my.'
I had thought that I should relieve the fatigue that had built up for a long time, but I never thought I would collapse like that. It was at that moment when I hurriedly tried to get up.
'... Huh?'
I realized belatedly that a shadow had been cast over my body and turned my head.
"..."
Dante was sitting there. With his eyes closed, he was bathed in the moonlight pouring in through the window. I slowly blinked. Dante didn't move at all. Sitting so still, he looked like a plaster doll painstakingly carved by God. Am I still dreaming?
Feeling a hazy sense of unreality, I absentmindedly glanced at Dante's face. His eyelashes were surprisingly long and pretty for a man. His nose bridge was straight and tall enough to make one exclaim in admiration, and his lips...
"..."
I held my breath slightly. When I was awake, I saw the lips that were so good at spitting out harsh words open defenselessly. As if possessed by something, I slowly reached out my hand. Still feeling as if I was struggling in a dream. Soon, a soft sensation touched my fingertips. Even a man with a hard body has soft lips. Such a strange realization traveled through my fingertips and soaked my head.
Thump, thump.
My heart began to pound as was going to burst. Dante, whose eyes were closed, looked different. Maybe because his fierce gaze was hidden, he seemed a little younger overall...
It seemed like he still had a boyish appearance. The moment I thought that, a strange sense of foreboding struck my mind. It was a strange feeling. It felt like I had seen this face somewhere a long time ago. I blinked my eyes blankly at that strange sensation.
"What are you doing?"
A low voice pierced my ear. I was startled and tried to reflexively pull away, but a strong force grabbed my wrist.
"Ugh...!"
My body, having lost its balance, tilted forward. I hurriedly tried to grab the bed, but it seemed too late. When I came to, my body had already placed both hands on Dante's chest.
"..."
My palms were supported by a firm feeling as if I had touched a rock rather than something solid. As if I had been cursed with time stopping, I froze and could not move at all.
'... What should I do?'
The haziness and sleepiness that had filled my head a moment ago were completely gone. Dante slowly opened his eyelids. His red eyes, like pomegranate seeds, stared at me with a languid glow. I hurriedly bit my lips and made an excuse.
"I'm sorry. I was half asleep, so I didn't realize it..."
I tried to force myself to get up, but it wasn't easy. Since I had completely collapsed, I didn't think I could get up without placing my hands on Dante's body. Dante's mouth turned up crookedly.
"Why, let's keep going."
My heart pounded again. The distance was too close. I felt my face heat up and made an excuse.
"... No, no."
I had to get up first. This distance, where I could touch him even if I lowered my head just a little, was more harmful to my heart than anything else. However, perhaps it was because I was too flustered. The more I tried to get up, the more my back relaxed. I tried to adjust my posture, but every time I did, I ended up feeling Dante's chest. Dante looked up at me, floundering, and gave a faint, empty laugh.
"This is a bit too bold."
"I'm sorry. My body keeps losing strength... Could you change your posture- hmm?"
My vision spun around and my back was pressed against the soft bed sheets. I stared blankly at the ceiling, no, at Dante's face, with my mouth open.
"Change my posture?"
Dante, who had flipped over in an instant, smiled above me.
"Like this?"
"...No!"
I shook my head reflexively. I was trapped in Dante's arms. No matter where I looked, all I could see was the man in front of me, so I wanted to close my eyes instead.
Thump, thump.
My heart, which had been beating wildly since earlier, was warning me. If I crossed a certain line here, I would never be able to go back to how it was before. I moistened my mouth, which was constantly drying up, and stammered an apology.
"Your Highness, I'm really sorry about earlier. I made a mistake without realizing it because I wasn't fully awake, so please forgive me..."
"No. There's no need to apologize."
I opened my eyes and looked at him involuntarily at his merciful answer. The lips that were just a stone's throw away formed a beautiful arc.
"You must have touched it because you were curious."
The no seemed to be blocked by a wall. Dante smiled even more deeply as he looked down at me, who was unable to say anything.
"Check more, Ariana."
"So what? It doesn't matter, we're a married couple."
The no didn't come out this time either. He lowered his head toward me, who was frozen in a daze as if possessed. What I had pressed with my fingertips earlier was now upon me. Before I could be surprised, a hot breath parted my lips and rushed in. Strong arms wrapped around my waist with great force. I was breathing nervously as I was held tightly without any gaps. It felt like I was being eaten.
A hazy yet dizzying feeling gripped my whole body. The sense of reality I had regained had disappeared and I felt like I had fallen into a distant dream again. Suddenly, the words I had heard in my sleep came back to me.
"It's your turn to repay me... The price for saving you."
The voice that lingered in my mind like a mist. That voice was not a mere illusion from a dream. A lightning-like realization struck my head. Since I was having trouble breathing, I patted his back. Dante let me go for a moment, perhaps because he felt the urgency. His reddened eyes stared at me. He sighed softly and was about to attack me again when I hurriedly opened my mouth.
"I, I.......!"
I shouted, letting out irregular, tangled breaths.
"I, I have some memories back."
Dante paused and froze. I desperately unraveled each of the tangled thoughts, one by one, like a dizzying skein of thread.
"The performance at the music festival, the forest that appeared there. In fact, that stage was a concrete representation of a place in my memory."
My clouded eyes widened slightly in surprise. I suppressed my heart which was beating so hard it almost burst out of my mouth and asked.
"I... Duke."
A sharp headache came over me, but I ignored it. This time, I was certain that I had finally reached the truth that I had given up on a long time ago, but that the man in front of me had been urging me to recall.
"Answer me. When was the first time we met...?"
Dante's body froze. The red eyes that contained me slowly dilated, and soon the corners of his lips curved. Dante whispered with a smile full of satisfaction.
"I'll give you a hint."
He smiled a little deeper as he brought his head closer.
"My first kiss was you."
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