"I have no interest in becoming King. I just want Josephine to pay the price. I don't think anyone would know that better than you."
"Yeah. It was because of me."
"You know a lot."
Julian smiled crookedly...
He thought it would be refreshing to hear Bridget admit it, but it wasn't as refreshing as he thought.
"So you and I are responsible."
"Responsibility?"
"It is my responsibility to help you rebel. And it is your responsibility to take the throne, for whatever reason."
Julia. didn't want to hear anymore.
Even if it were him, she wouldn't be responsible for it. That's unreasonable.
She's not making any sense.
"...You came to the palace as my government, not as a Saintess who will save the country."
"..."
It was the same for both of them that they couldn't communicate.
Bridget thought she had to show Julian what he was overlooking.
There are things you don't know until you see them for yourself.
"If you don't understand, come with me somewhere later."
"Where?"
“Stonehaven.”
Stonehaven was a port not far from the capital.
"I have something to show you. After you see it, you will understand why I do this."
"Fine. I'll go with you. But even if I knew why, nothing would change."
Bridget nodded, confident that it wouldn't be the case.
"Thank you for your permission."
"..."
Julian didn't like Bridget's relaxed expression.
He glared at Bridget tenaciously, and when his momentum eased a little.
Bridget gently placed her hand on the center of his chest.
"Thank you, this is a gift."
And then, before Julian could say anything, she pushed away the magic that filled his heart.
Shuaak!
"...!"
Julian realized it too late and tried to fall, but she was fast.
He missed his timing and instead of surrendering, he closed his eyes tightly.
Soon, a shiver ran through his whole body.
He felt Bridget's light pouring Into his body.
Even though it was clearly the dark of dawn, he felt like he was entrusting his whole body to the bright sunlight.
A warm and gentle breeze penetrated his chest and soothed his heart.
The magic pushed by Bridget's light continued to leak out endlessly behind him.
It looked exactly like a giant wing. A hideous demon wing attached to Julian's back.
After flapping around for a while. it soon became a round ball and disappeared into Bridget's shadow.
Julian's throat twitched.
A feeling of ecstasy passed through him, so sweet that it made him want to shake his shoulders.
His mouth was watering.
'Such a surprise attack."
His clenched fists trembled as he tried not to show the dopamine bursting in his head.
As difficult as it is to endure pain, It is also in a sense sweaty to accept the intense pleasure that surges through his central nervous system.
Julian opened his tightly shut eyes and glared at Bridget. He hated her.
The tips of his ears turned red and his breathing became slightly labored.
He held onto his loose heart again and again so as not to act foolishly.
'Without notice.'
How can you do something like this, with such a straight face?
Knowing full well what it would feel like to be touched by her light.
Bridget gently patted Julian's shoulder as if to say that there was no need to try hard to endure it.
"You're tired. If you go to bed like this, you'll be able to sleep soundly without having nightmares."
The whisper sounded just like a lullaby.
He is excited.
Who wants to argue while listening to a lullaby?
"Let's meet again when you're feeling refreshed and awake after a little rest. Have a good night."
Then she turned around, but Julian grabbed her wrist.
Bridget's feet stopped...
Julian's head rested on her shoulder.
"Don't use this as a weapon."
A low, hushed voice seemed to lick her earlobes.
A tingling sensation ran down her neck and all the way to the crown of her head.
Bridget held her breath for a moment and joked as if nothing had happened.
"Was it a weapon? Not a shield?"
"Anything."
"Are you upset?"
"Just pretend you don't know,"
Bridget smiled faintly and rested her cheek on his head.
Julian took a deep breath.
He inhaled her scent deeply. It smelled like a faint wildflower scent.
It also smelled like the wind blowing through the forest.
At that moment, a dark red desire rose up from his lower abdomen.
'Should I chew it up and swallow it?'
He wanted to enjoy the sight of her, crushed beneath him, crying until daybreak.
'Ha.'
Julian let her go before he could no longer control his raging desire for her.
It was like giving up on water when your lips were chapped and your tongue was dry from thirst.
Bridget will never know.
This longing to swallow her whole.
So she must be doing this without any fear.
Ignorance is bliss.
"Good night, Julian."
Julian did not answer.
He just glanced at Bridget's back as she entered the bedroom with a heated gaze, and brushed his lips.
***
Early in the afternoon, Milea heard that Julian and Bridget were going out.
"I heard you are going out to the suburbs today, Your Majesty."
Millea's eyes were sunken with deep fatigue. It was because she had slept later than usual.
Still, Julian looked happy to be going out.
It was clear that Millea knew they were going on a date.
Julian was complaining for no reason.
"I guess it's nice not having to see me all day."
"I don't think so, but, conveniently, I can have dinner late."
Then, he turned around and headed to the dressing room to get out his going-out clothes.
"Your Majesty, leave the preparations to the young maid today."
"Why on earth?"
"It's your first date. You should be careful. I haven't been in a relationship in over twenty-five years, so wouldn't younger people know the latest trends better than me?"
Julian snorted.
Today's outing wasn't a date at all, it was more of an extension of the argument they had last night.
When Bridget said she had something to show Julian to explain 'why', it was clear that Julian was going to be frustrated.
But being stuffy is stuffy, and wanting to worry about what to wear when going out with the woman who is your official lover is a separate issue. Julian did not refuse.
Before he could change his mind, Millea quickly brought in a maid she could trust for such matters.
The maid who was suddenly called in trembled without even knowing what was happening.
In the palace, Julian was a very scary person.
Although he did not harass the servants or maids, he was often seen covered in blood.
Even though the blood belonged to people of high status, it was still human.
She'll inevitably feel scared.
Just because she was a maid who encountered Julian relatively often, it didn't mean she was used to it.
"Your Majesty, did you call?"
Julian looked at the trembling maid and said to Millea.
"How can she do anything properly when she's shaking like that?"
Millea consoled the maid.
"His Majesty will be going out. Could you help him get ready in a style that is
popular among gentlemen these days?"
"Ah..."
"I hear you had a good time with Mrs. Winston. Can you do that?"
"Ah! If that's the case, then yes!"
The maid's face lit up as Millea gave her a silver coin while easing the tension with a light story.
When you give someone advice on matters related to love, most people tend to become motivated.
The maid's expression became very serious when she was given some pocket money on top of that.
The maid went into the dressing room, picked out some clothes, and carefully explained them.
"These days, I prefer a look that looks casual but also puts things together, rather than a look that's too formal, so I've prepared something to match that. And since Mrs. Winston is wearing a green dress today, how about matching the handkerchief and cufflinks with a similar green color?"
Millea asked.
"Does that help?"
"It's the little details like this that make it feel a little more special."
"That's cute."
Millea smiled faintly.
Yes, that was the romance of the youth, giving meaning to even such small things.
"And in this weather, please dress warmly under your clothes and wear a light coat over your head, Your Majesty."
"...?"
Julian asked the reason with an expression on his face.
"These days, the daily temperature range is large, so it's warm during the day, but it gets chilly as soon as the sun goes down. During this time, women's dresses get thinner. It's hard to bear at night. You can use it to cover Mrs. Winston when she gets cold."
"Ha."
Julian looked at Millea. His eyes were filled with admiration.
Millea couldn't hide the laughter that was breaking out.
"I said she's be better than me?"
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