The moment a cautious voice rang in his ears, Michael couldn't think of anything.
What on earth is this loose and light hug that doesn't even feel like it?
His mood was so bad that he felt like he was going to collapse.
So in the end, Michael had no choice but to declare surrender.
“...Solved.”
"Thank God."
Eve smiled and hugged him with her arms.
He picked it up. Her skin brushed Michael's shoulder and the soft embrace slowly disappeared.
"Ah."
Michael felt sorry for himself. Only then did he realize that he had to buy as much time as possible.
Michael sighed involuntarily at the sheer foolishness.
"Ha..."
“Michael?”
"Nothing. Now that you’ve finished drinking, can I get up from my seat?”
“Yes. Yes. You’ll be busy.”
It would be a problem if his flushed face was caught. Michael coughed in vain.
He got up, pretending to block it and covering his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Please rest, Princess.”
“See you tomorrow, Michael.”
Eve saw Michael off, waving her right hand while sitting down.
Click.
The door creaked shut. She was finally left alone in the spacious bedroom.
The wrist that had been swinging gracefully and gently suddenly stopped. All the leisure left the smiling face.
“Ugh.”
Instead of the scream that could not be uttered, a moan burst from her beautiful lips.
Her face was bright red.
“What did I do..."
Eve looked down at her arms. She timidly looked at it.
It seemed as if the feeling of hugging was still there. There was no beginning or end.
Shame and trembling shook her to her senses.
She was embarrassed because it was so out of character for her to not be able to regain her composure. She even made some cowardly excuses.
'It's all Michael's fault.'
It wasn't just this one incident that was being discussed.
Since when did it start? The level of jokes and pranks that gradually increased became a problem.
They lead her to act with selfishness.
This thrilling game of seduction and being seduced is so addictive, that even though she knew it was bad for her heart, she just couldn't stop.
"Ha..."
She tilted her head back to reveal her smooth neckline. Instead of looking at the ceiling, she looked at the back of her hand.
She put it on and licked her lips.
“Michael.”
A sweet sigh flowed out. It was the name of the fever she was suffering from.
“Take care on your way, Your Highness!”
The family of the residence saw me off. I had more than half my face covered by a golden butterfly mask.
“Then I’ll be back.”
Today was the day when the masquerade ball of the Imperial Palace Society, 'A Midsummer Daydream', began.
This masquerade ball, known for its extravagance and decadence, lasted for three days.
Under the mysterious lighting that seems to have moved the Milky Way, in the dance hall, men and women dressed like flowers danced a round and round dance of courtship.
At the edge of the banquet hall, there was a banquet hall reminiscent of a banquet hall.
Food was also served. The seven-tiered tray was filled with delicacies from all over the mountains and seas, and all of them were piled up like a tower.
Instead of water, the indoor fountain flowed with fragrant wine.
Eating, drinking, and playing would cause men and women to make eye contact and heat up, so inside the double corridor that wrapped around the outside of the grand ballroom, there was a private rest area called the 'Pearl Room'.
After being honest about their desires, they moved to a dark hallway where incense was burning. Then they would slip into a small room behind a velvet curtain and spend the night on a conch-shaped couch.
“Phew..."
I sighed at the pleasures of appetite and sexual desire that spread everywhere I looked.
Otherwise, what awaits after the masquerade might not be a seven-day summer rainy season, but the destruction of the empire by a great flood or brimstone fire.
I walked around the ballroom alone without any sense of discomfort. My feet touched the outside of the dance hall.
It was a buffet area. Today I was more interested in the conversation of the nobles than in dancing.
'I wish I could get some useful information about the Night Church.'
Midsummer's daydreams are a hotbed of gossip.
As it was a hidden place, provocative and honest stories were exchanged. Most of them were of low quality.
It was just a joke or a groundless rumor, but if you were lucky, you could hear some pretty useful information.
“Have you heard the rumor?”
A conversation heard nearby caught my attention.
“Her Highness the 7th Princess has proposed to Lord Alben Redmon of the Protocol Department.”
“I heard. The proposal gift was a magnificent chair covered in jewels and gold.”
“Uh, chair? Doesn't that mean 'I'm going to put you in the Emperor's chair someday'? Be bold.”
“They broke up. Aren’t dating and marriage separate things?”
As expected, there was nothing rough about it because it was anonymous. I almost spit out the drink I was drinking when I heard it.
'It's so unreliable!'
It wasn't just about me, but the placenta of information I'd heard today was rumors. I suddenly questioned whether gathering information here was a worthwhile endeavor.
'The masquerade ball isn't even a must, so why did I come...? Hmm?'
I must have been observing them for a long time.
I felt the gazes. As expected, everywhere I looked, the men were watching me.
'Oh my, you already recognized me.'
It seemed as if the situation that Alben had warned about was coming to pass.
They took my glance as a signal to allow them to approach.
They came from all directions, closing in on the encirclement. They spoke the sweet words they had prepared, using their tongues that seemed to be coated with honey.
“Oh, noble and beautiful Golden Rose of the Palace! Won’t you dance with me?”
“Ha, such a clichéd metaphor! Ah, you who flew like a butterfly and lodged in my heart, please give me the honor of escorting you today.”
“Master of the garden! Flowers are in full bloom around you. Would you please pick a flower and decorate your bedside tonight?”
“What? No, I know who this man is, and such a devious!... I want to be one trembling flower, crushed in your hands!”
How many obscene texts have used the phrase “plucking the flower.” I understood the meaning at once. I had to get away from these stony creatures as soon as possible.
“You’ve got the wrong people, young man.”
“Huh? A young man...?”
“I’m a married woman. But I have two children.”
“What, what?!”
“I have to take care of my family, so I’ll take care of that now.”
I disappeared into the crowd, leaving the bewildered young noblemen behind.
At that time, Michael was alone in the Knights' quarters.
It was too early to go to sleep. He sat leaning against the moonlit window sill, fiddling with the black invitation.
At his feet were a silver-grey robe and a white mask, which had been bestowed upon him by Desmond II himself.
But these are the third day of the ball where the sacrifice-finding game is held.
It is for that purpose. Right now he was not eligible to participate.
'It's only ten o'clock now.'
Michael's eyes were dark as he looked in the direction of the main palace.
As the night deepens, the atmosphere of sensuality and greed that fills the masquerade ball will also become more intense.
Three days when it is easy to fall in love and indulge in mischief.
As the socialites would admit, the masquerade ball just before the summer rainy season was a lethal one for both men and women.
A girl who has never known love dances for the first time, and a boy who has never known desire learns how to overlap their bodies.
A place overflowing with sinister romance. That was the midsummer daydream.
And now Eve is there alone.
'Is this the time to be having fun?'
Michael leaned his head against the wall listlessly. Thoughts began to invade his mind.
Perhaps by now, the young Master of the Naero family is approaching Eve with evil intentions.
Michael pictured them laughing and chatting while offering Eve drinks.
That alone made his throat parched and he had to bite his chapped lips.
His spirit was never weak. And yet now Michael was easily consumed by anxiety and nervousness.
Thoughts and imaginations have now made leaps and bounds into delusion.
Before he knew it, his mind was envisioning a young man escorting Eve to a secret shelter.
Michael's chest stopped rising and falling.
He forgot to breathe for a moment and dropped the hand that was resting on his forehead. Then, he said earnestly, purple eyes with a faint glow were revealed.
'How dare you...'
It was around the time when a gloomy atmosphere began to gather around him. Fortunately, there was someone who helped him regain his spirits.
Flap flap.
Amber butterflies surround Michael.
It flapped its wings in a carefree manner.
“Oh, it’s Amber.”
Michael, who had come to his senses, held out his right hand as if he were escorting her. Amber lightly climbed onto his hand.
“Didn’t you go to the masked ball with the princess?”
Flap flap-
“You were sitting quietly by the window when the guard said you were a moth and tried to catch you?”
Flap flap!
“Yeah, that must have been disappointing.”
Michael, who had shaken off some of his gloomy thoughts, smiled faintly.
He shifted Amber onto his shoulders.
To spend more time at ease, he heads towards the distant night sky.
He looked up. The moon hanging high above was approaching its full moon.
'Two days are a long time.'
Tomorrow, the moon will be fully full.
By that time, Michael will also become a part of the daydream.
He's ready to have the most beautiful dream in the world. He just wants to fall asleep quickly.
Michael closed his eyes tightly.
What on earth is this loose and light hug that doesn't even feel like it?
His mood was so bad that he felt like he was going to collapse.
So in the end, Michael had no choice but to declare surrender.
“...Solved.”
"Thank God."
Eve smiled and hugged him with her arms.
He picked it up. Her skin brushed Michael's shoulder and the soft embrace slowly disappeared.
"Ah."
Michael felt sorry for himself. Only then did he realize that he had to buy as much time as possible.
Michael sighed involuntarily at the sheer foolishness.
"Ha..."
“Michael?”
"Nothing. Now that you’ve finished drinking, can I get up from my seat?”
“Yes. Yes. You’ll be busy.”
It would be a problem if his flushed face was caught. Michael coughed in vain.
He got up, pretending to block it and covering his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Please rest, Princess.”
“See you tomorrow, Michael.”
Eve saw Michael off, waving her right hand while sitting down.
Click.
The door creaked shut. She was finally left alone in the spacious bedroom.
The wrist that had been swinging gracefully and gently suddenly stopped. All the leisure left the smiling face.
“Ugh.”
Instead of the scream that could not be uttered, a moan burst from her beautiful lips.
Her face was bright red.
“What did I do..."
Eve looked down at her arms. She timidly looked at it.
It seemed as if the feeling of hugging was still there. There was no beginning or end.
Shame and trembling shook her to her senses.
She was embarrassed because it was so out of character for her to not be able to regain her composure. She even made some cowardly excuses.
'It's all Michael's fault.'
It wasn't just this one incident that was being discussed.
Since when did it start? The level of jokes and pranks that gradually increased became a problem.
They lead her to act with selfishness.
This thrilling game of seduction and being seduced is so addictive, that even though she knew it was bad for her heart, she just couldn't stop.
"Ha..."
She tilted her head back to reveal her smooth neckline. Instead of looking at the ceiling, she looked at the back of her hand.
She put it on and licked her lips.
“Michael.”
A sweet sigh flowed out. It was the name of the fever she was suffering from.
***
“Take care on your way, Your Highness!”
The family of the residence saw me off. I had more than half my face covered by a golden butterfly mask.
“Then I’ll be back.”
Today was the day when the masquerade ball of the Imperial Palace Society, 'A Midsummer Daydream', began.
This masquerade ball, known for its extravagance and decadence, lasted for three days.
Under the mysterious lighting that seems to have moved the Milky Way, in the dance hall, men and women dressed like flowers danced a round and round dance of courtship.
At the edge of the banquet hall, there was a banquet hall reminiscent of a banquet hall.
Food was also served. The seven-tiered tray was filled with delicacies from all over the mountains and seas, and all of them were piled up like a tower.
Instead of water, the indoor fountain flowed with fragrant wine.
Eating, drinking, and playing would cause men and women to make eye contact and heat up, so inside the double corridor that wrapped around the outside of the grand ballroom, there was a private rest area called the 'Pearl Room'.
After being honest about their desires, they moved to a dark hallway where incense was burning. Then they would slip into a small room behind a velvet curtain and spend the night on a conch-shaped couch.
“Phew..."
I sighed at the pleasures of appetite and sexual desire that spread everywhere I looked.
'I'm glad God didn't see this when he threw the world to the winds.'
I walked around the ballroom alone without any sense of discomfort. My feet touched the outside of the dance hall.
It was a buffet area. Today I was more interested in the conversation of the nobles than in dancing.
'I wish I could get some useful information about the Night Church.'
Midsummer's daydreams are a hotbed of gossip.
As it was a hidden place, provocative and honest stories were exchanged. Most of them were of low quality.
It was just a joke or a groundless rumor, but if you were lucky, you could hear some pretty useful information.
“Have you heard the rumor?”
A conversation heard nearby caught my attention.
“Her Highness the 7th Princess has proposed to Lord Alben Redmon of the Protocol Department.”
“I heard. The proposal gift was a magnificent chair covered in jewels and gold.”
“Uh, chair? Doesn't that mean 'I'm going to put you in the Emperor's chair someday'? Be bold.”
“Wait a minute, wasn't Her Highness the 7th Princess in love with Marquis Limitiello's Second Young Master before?”
As expected, there was nothing rough about it because it was anonymous. I almost spit out the drink I was drinking when I heard it.
'It's so unreliable!'
It wasn't just about me, but the placenta of information I'd heard today was rumors. I suddenly questioned whether gathering information here was a worthwhile endeavor.
'The masquerade ball isn't even a must, so why did I come...? Hmm?'
I must have been observing them for a long time.
I felt the gazes. As expected, everywhere I looked, the men were watching me.
'Oh my, you already recognized me.'
It seemed as if the situation that Alben had warned about was coming to pass.
They took my glance as a signal to allow them to approach.
They came from all directions, closing in on the encirclement. They spoke the sweet words they had prepared, using their tongues that seemed to be coated with honey.
“Oh, noble and beautiful Golden Rose of the Palace! Won’t you dance with me?”
“Ha, such a clichéd metaphor! Ah, you who flew like a butterfly and lodged in my heart, please give me the honor of escorting you today.”
“Master of the garden! Flowers are in full bloom around you. Would you please pick a flower and decorate your bedside tonight?”
“What? No, I know who this man is, and such a devious!... I want to be one trembling flower, crushed in your hands!”
How many obscene texts have used the phrase “plucking the flower.” I understood the meaning at once. I had to get away from these stony creatures as soon as possible.
“You’ve got the wrong people, young man.”
“Huh? A young man...?”
“I’m a married woman. But I have two children.”
“What, what?!”
“I have to take care of my family, so I’ll take care of that now.”
I disappeared into the crowd, leaving the bewildered young noblemen behind.
At that time, Michael was alone in the Knights' quarters.
It was too early to go to sleep. He sat leaning against the moonlit window sill, fiddling with the black invitation.
At his feet were a silver-grey robe and a white mask, which had been bestowed upon him by Desmond II himself.
But these are the third day of the ball where the sacrifice-finding game is held.
It is for that purpose. Right now he was not eligible to participate.
'It's only ten o'clock now.'
Michael's eyes were dark as he looked in the direction of the main palace.
As the night deepens, the atmosphere of sensuality and greed that fills the masquerade ball will also become more intense.
Three days when it is easy to fall in love and indulge in mischief.
As the socialites would admit, the masquerade ball just before the summer rainy season was a lethal one for both men and women.
A girl who has never known love dances for the first time, and a boy who has never known desire learns how to overlap their bodies.
A place overflowing with sinister romance. That was the midsummer daydream.
And now Eve is there alone.
'Is this the time to be having fun?'
Michael leaned his head against the wall listlessly. Thoughts began to invade his mind.
Perhaps by now, the young Master of the Naero family is approaching Eve with evil intentions.
Michael pictured them laughing and chatting while offering Eve drinks.
That alone made his throat parched and he had to bite his chapped lips.
He then envisioned the young noblemen beings dancing with their arms around Eve's waist. Then his breathing became ragged, and his grip on the window sill grew shallow.
Thoughts and imaginations have now made leaps and bounds into delusion.
Before he knew it, his mind was envisioning a young man escorting Eve to a secret shelter.
Michael's chest stopped rising and falling.
He forgot to breathe for a moment and dropped the hand that was resting on his forehead. Then, he said earnestly, purple eyes with a faint glow were revealed.
'How dare you...'
It was around the time when a gloomy atmosphere began to gather around him. Fortunately, there was someone who helped him regain his spirits.
Flap flap.
Amber butterflies surround Michael.
It flapped its wings in a carefree manner.
“Oh, it’s Amber.”
Michael, who had come to his senses, held out his right hand as if he were escorting her. Amber lightly climbed onto his hand.
“Didn’t you go to the masked ball with the princess?”
Flap flap-
“You were sitting quietly by the window when the guard said you were a moth and tried to catch you?”
Flap flap!
“Yeah, that must have been disappointing.”
Michael, who had shaken off some of his gloomy thoughts, smiled faintly.
He shifted Amber onto his shoulders.
To spend more time at ease, he heads towards the distant night sky.
He looked up. The moon hanging high above was approaching its full moon.
'Two days are a long time.'
Tomorrow, the moon will be fully full.
By that time, Michael will also become a part of the daydream.
He's ready to have the most beautiful dream in the world. He just wants to fall asleep quickly.
Michael closed his eyes tightly.
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