Throughout their journey north, they clung to each other whenever they had a chance. They realized that the expression “sparks fly when their eyes meet” was no exaggeration.

The places they did it were so varied that it was embarrassing to recall each one.

Not to mention the lodgings they had stayed in, but also the stream they had gone down to quench their thirst, the hot spring in the mountains they had visited to replenish her energy, and even the stable they had stopped by to change the horse’s saddle….

Kasha, whose ears turned red at the sudden embarrassing memory, took a sip of milk tea and muttered softly.

“I wanted to see the desert sunrise again….”

Suddenly, her body wrapped in a sheet was lifted into the air with a whoosh.

Leon, who deftly caught the cup that almost fell from her startled hands and set it down on the table, carried her wrapped in the sheet and approached the window.

The mysterious sand dunes of the desert, always evoking a sense of wonder, revealed a vivid contrast of colors against the blue sky.

“This isn’t a sunrise though.”

When Kasha grumbled softly, feeling strange again in his firm arms, Leon whispered affectionately.

“If you want to see it, we can stay one more day.”

The fine hairs on the nape of her neck stood up at the sound of his soft voice reaching her ears.

As if he knew her state well, his lips gently pressed against the white nape of her neck, and then his nose tip rubbed against her earlobe.

“I would welcome it anytime.”

“Put… put me down. What if someone sees?”

Kasha, embarrassed to swallow her excited breath in front of the wide open window, hurriedly exclaimed.

Then Leon replied without hesitation.

“Shall we?”

He lightly lifted her up as if he were holding a doll, not a person, and turned around to set her down on the bed.

His gaze, which met her flushed peach-colored cheeks, was too sweet and persistent.

Kasha knew from experience that when he had that look in his eyes, it would be difficult to get out of bed for at least a few hours.

Even though she knew that… Leon also knew annoyingly well that her gaze looking up at him as if daring him to come contained half permission.

“Then shall we do it here?”

Leon, who whispered softly, naturally laid her down on the bed, supporting her waist and head.

Against the backdrop of the ceiling, desire was already pooling in the corners of his eyes as he looked down at her.

He crossed his hands, grasped the bottom of his shirt, and took it off over his head, throwing it away.

Instantly, his triangular upper body was revealed. Below the sharp jawline, the distinct sternocleidomastoid muscles continued down to the thick pectorals and perfectly chiseled abs that rippled smoothly with his movements.

Noticing that her gaze was captivated by his body, Leon raised his pretty lips. Then he found her hand, grasped it, and made her wrap it around his waist.

“I’d like you to touch me a bit too.”

It was a small complaint about how he was always the only one tirelessly caressing Kasha. Despite blushing for no reason, Kasha carefully lowered her fingers along the grooves created by his abs with a curious expression.

How could it be so firm yet hot, so intricate yet beautiful?

Just by touching, it seemed like she could see the countless training sessions and painful times of discipline he had gone through. At the same time, the desire to painfully embrace that heat and firmness inside her reared its head.

Leon’s eyes, looking down at Kasha’s slow gestures and moist eyes, gradually became cloudy with a darker color.

Kasha thought.

‘I guess we’ll be skipping lunch again today.’

As if reading her thoughts, Leon whispered in a slightly hoarse voice.

“The innkeeper will bring the food. I told them to make a special meal and gave them extra money.”

A special meal. How long did he intend to keep her from leaving the bed after feeding her that?

Kasha narrowed her eyes and jokingly asked.

“You’re not still suffering from the aftereffects of the curse, are you?”

Of course, it was half a joke, but also half serious.

It was because of the constantly extending schedule that should have already reached the north by now, and the fact that they lost their reason and caught fire like this whenever their eyes met.

“If so, will you go easy on me?”

He asked, looking a little pained each time her slender, long fingers brushed his skin.

“Well….”

She replied as if pondering, but in fact, she had no intention of stopping what was about to happen either.

It had only been a few weeks since she had completed all her goals and put down the burden on her heart after a hectic few months following the regression.

Along with this journey that began without even a moment to catch her breath, it seemed as if all the desires she had suppressed had erupted.

In fact, if Leon hadn’t always been the first to pull her into his arms, she might have pounced on him first in her impatience.

The feelings she had tried so hard to hold back towards him had grown much larger than she had thought.

Whenever she saw him, her feelings for him overflowed through all the cracks.

She wanted to kiss his tanned cheeks and embrace his supple, slender waist as he rode ahead on horseback.

When she saw his kind crescent smile looking back at her, she wanted to bury her face in his chest and tell him she loved him right away.

She wanted to love and be loved so honestly and freely, without any hesitation.

Lost in thought, Leon finally descended to find her lips as if he couldn’t stand it anymore, exhaling hot breaths.

He probably didn’t notice the slightly satisfied smile that played on her lips as she familiarly bit his lips.

It was then.

Knock knock.

“Your meal is here.”

The voice of the restaurant waiter and the sound of something being set down in front of the door were heard.

“It’s here.”

As if he had been waiting, Leon abruptly sat up and pulled away from Kasha.

She was left with a desolate feeling, wrapping the empty skin with the sheet.

‘The meal… it wouldn’t matter if we skipped it one more time.’

Leon tended to be overly obsessed with Kasha’s meals.

‘Still, there’s no need to leave in such a hurry.’

Pouting her lips in disappointment, Kasha suddenly thought that she felt unfamiliar with herself like this.

In the past, it was more natural for her to be alone. The feeling of someone leaving and being left alone was innately familiar to her.

But now, she only longed for his warmth that had left her for such a short moment.

It meant that she had become accustomed to his warmth and his presence had become natural to her.

She watched Leon’s busy movements patiently with those thoughts in mind.

Leon, who put his shirt back on his naked body and opened the door, picked up the tray placed in front of the door and turned his back, bustling about doing something for a while.

‘Is he pouring tea…?’

When Kasha, tired of waiting, was contemplating lying back down on the bed, Leon approached with long strides and set the tray down on the bed.

Next to the greasy and savory-smelling chicken soup, there were crispy grilled bacon and potatoes, a spinach omelet, and even fruit jelly. It was clearly a feast that one wouldn’t expect at an inn in a small desert town.

Just a moment ago, she had thought that it wouldn’t matter if they skipped a meal, but as soon as she saw the food, her hand reached out on its own.

However, Kasha’s fingers reaching for the fork encountered an unexpected obstacle.

Leon, who had suddenly knelt in front of her, gently kissed the back of her hand.

The feeling of his soft, moist skin touching her made her fingertips curl again and her stomach tickle.

At that moment, she felt something being slipped onto her finger held by Leon. Kasha frowned and pushed him away.

“Leon? What is… this?”

Leon, who was gently pushed away, was looking at Kasha with a strangely tense expression for some reason.

Kasha’s eyes, lowered in bewilderment, gradually took on a surprised light and swelled.

On her finger was a beautiful ring with a pink ruby and dozens of diamonds adorning a platinum band.

“Leon….”

Unable to continue, Kasha alternately looked at his face and the ring. He asked again.

“Can I… stay by your side for the rest of my life?”

The pink ruby, which closely resembled the color of her eyes, was rare and difficult to obtain. Moreover, the platinum band fit her finger perfectly as if it had been tailored for her.

Realizing that he must have commissioned this ring long ago with the intention of proposing to her, Kasha could no longer hesitate. She embraced Leon’s neck as she was.

“Kasha…?”

“Yes.”

As if muttering that he had heard everything, tears and laughter mingled at the end of Kasha’s words.

“Kasha.”

The tension dissipated from his face as he untangled her arms and met her eyes, and joy welled up.

“Kasha.”

He called her name desperately one more time like a boy who didn’t know what to do in front of his beloved. Then he slowly overlapped his lips with hers.

The temperature transmitted from him was hot as always as he gently bit her lips and pressed in.

Under his hot lips painting her skin, which always had to be huddled in winter due to her low body temperature, she opened herself wide without any fear.

The heat emanating from him inflated her heart, which had always been cold and flat, and bellowed fiercely.

She embraced his neck tightly, releasing the overflowing emotions that felt like her heart would burst through moans.

Her body had already accepted his temperature and flushed red with honest desire. The firmness of him felt through a single sheet of bed was more than welcome.

The fact that he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him right now was unspeakably satisfying.

Hot breaths flowed from her lips.

“Leon….”

“Yeah?”

He lifted his head from below her, his eyes already clouded with desire.

“Let’s… stay here one more day. Tomorrow, we can watch the sunrise in the morning too….”

Kasha, whose face was peach-like and flushed, pleaded in a fragmented tone.

Seeing that, Leon suddenly paused and climbed on top of her, cupping her flushed cheeks with his hands.

His kind eyes filled Kasha’s field of vision. Then soon a warm kiss touched her lips.

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

And so, their journey was extended by one more day.