Sonatec eventually succeeded in dragging her into the arena.

But she would never step back again.

There were things that couldn’t be forgiven and wouldn’t end without seeing blood.

Mariella cried sorrowfully throughout the long night.

What echoed through the corridors until the late night of the aristocrat’s mansion was the weeping sound of a mother who lost her child.

Elisia woke up feeling good.

‘I don’t know how long I’ve slept like this.’

Since being kidnapped from Illeon’s house, she hadn’t taken a proper rest or slept until now.

She had slept for a while due to the paralysis detoxification, but it was more like her body, unable to endure, fainted rather than actually sleeping.
Since then, due to pretending not to know Illeon, Elisia had a hard and distressing time, spending sleepless nights with swollen eyes.

“Illeon.”

Yesterday, she was delighted when he came to pick her up.

“I don’t know how I jumped from there.”

It was actually a tremendous height.

When she recalled that moment, a vacant feeling under her feet, the thin blanket wrapped around her pleasantly, and her legs tingled.

“Ugh.”

As Elisia cowered, Illeon embraced her tightly.

“Are you awake?”

“Uh.”

When she opened her eyes, what had been warmly draped over her was his arm. Elisia, unsure where to focus her eyes, hesitated in front of Illeon’s well-defined collarbone visible before her.

“Yes. Did you sleep well too?”

Embarrassed, but finally managing to say those words, he replied bluntly.

“No.”

Huh? Why is Illeon saying that?

“I couldn’t sleep at all.”

“Why?”

“Why? Don’t you remember what happened last night?”

“Yesterday? Yesterday….”

Although Illeon wished for her to remember, Elisia struggled to explain the problems she had been grappling with while holding him, which remained unresolved. He generously understood her. She remembered the night she fell asleep leaning on Illeon in the bathtub.

“Um. I remember. I fell asleep in the bathtub.”

“The bathtub? Incredible. Did you forget everything you did to me?”

What did I do?

Since Elisia had used her room alone all the time in Harumsha, she didn’t know that her sleeping habits were unpleasant.

“You ridiculed me and can’t even remember.”

Elleon’s ears turned red as he complained unfairly.

Seeing that, Elisia’s heart sank.

‘No way… did I attack Illeon?’

In various ways, for various reasons, today was off-limits. However, Elleon’s body was so beautiful that she couldn’t help but think about whether she had tempted him to the point of desiring him.

Without realizing it, while staring at the muscles that continued from the neck, shoulders, chest, to the stomach, Elisia, who was absent-minded, raised her body with embarrassment.

Hurriedly going to the mirror, Elisia untied the straps of her nightgown and lowered her left shoulder to check her back in the reflection.

“Phew. Seeing this, nothing seems to have happened.”

She couldn’t understand why Illeon acted like this.

“Eek.”

Suddenly approaching from behind, Illeon embraced Elisia and pulled her to the bed.

“Illeon. Umm.”

The man who kissed her lips soon entwined his breath heavily. Usually, don’t you just exchange light kisses in the morning? Illeon, pouring affection under the brilliant morning sun, was splendid, and even his expression and every eyelash were clearly visible.

‘Then Illeon would also look good on me.’

Her uncombed hair, not properly brushed, was a mess.

“Wait a minute. Stop.”

When Elisia pushed him away and turned her body to the side, Illeon put his lips on her back, adorned with flower-like freckles.

“Is this it? Freckles that are said to be on the bodies of priests.”

“Ugh.”
Feeling the lips slowly tracing that spot, Elisia shivered at the sensation along her spine.

“What did I do to deserve this? Are you lying to make fun of me?”

When Elisia confronted him, Illeon sighed.

“You caressed me.”

What?

“You comforted me like a child.”

Elisia chuckled.

“I felt like I was becoming a puppy. Oh, not the literal meaning of a dog.”

Illeon couldn’t comprehend what he had just said.

However, feeling a sense of guilt as if she had committed a crime, Elisia bit her lips for a while before finally being able to get out of bed.

Illeon and Elisia explored the market near the harbor.

Illeon, who purposely took Elisia out without having breakfast at the inn, looked pleased as he watched her, who was constantly opening her mouth, observing the merchants with wonder.

In front of a stall emitting a sweet honey scent, where a young lady with rich blond hair was wrapping a large candy around a long stick, they spent a long time admiring it, unable to move.

“Should I buy it?”

Elisia nodded her head, unable to resist her curiosity.

“…It’s beautiful.”

Passersby whispered that she looked like a fairy while seeing the young lady holding a fist-sized pumpkin-colored candy. Elisia’s eyes were fixed on the red flower in the center of the candy.

“It seems a shame to eat it.”

“If you leave the candy alone, it will get sticky and melt.”

Elisia tasted the sweetness by lightly licking her tongue, smiling brightly.

“It’s incredibly sweet.”

Illeon whispered low to Elisia’s ear.

“You are sweet too.”

Blushing, Elisia jumped, and Illeon continued to smile at her reaction.

“Do you have any concerns?”

Illeon asked Elisia, who sat down for breakfast at a restaurant, staring at the candy in her hand.

“Sigh. I’m worried about what my mother will say.”

Thinking about Mariela made it difficult for her to figure out what to say.

“I’ll go with you.”

Elisia looked up to see Illeon.

“So, if the angry duchess ties you up and puts you on a ship again, I’ll board that ship too.”

“Pfft.”

Illeon’s bangs, uncombed and not specially groomed in the morning, were slightly hanging down. Perhaps because of that, he looked a bit more carefree than usual. Underneath, red eyes carried a warmth. Seeing herself through his gaze, Elisia felt an unfounded courage rise within her.

“Okay. Then let’s have breakfast and go see my parents.”

“Sure. Can I get permission for our marriage right there?”

“I don’t recommend it. She’ll definitely get angry.”

Illeon and Elisia enjoyed a warm soup and bread amicably, reminiscent of the peaceful times when they always had breakfast together in the Grand Duchy.
Even if it was a calm moment akin to the eve of a storm, the two enjoyed a brief and pleasant time. However, when they arrived at the Duchy of Uter, Mariela’s reaction upon seeing them was something neither of them had imagined.

“Elisia!”

Mariela wailed as she embraced her daughter tightly, unwilling to let her go.

‘I haven’t even shown them the engagement ring yet.’

As Illeon pouted his lips, Elisia shook her head slightly.

‘Don’t say a word.’

Elisia gently stroked her mom’s back, who was still not calming down.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Uhuhuh.”

Mariela’s emotions seemed to be out of control as her tears showed no signs of stopping.

It was understandable. Considering the days Mariela had struggled to send her away from the original work over the past twenty years.

How Mariela would react to Elisia returning from the ship, where she had departed at the last moment, promising to be with Illeon, was an unpredictable matter.

“Mom, I want to be happy with Illeon.”

Now that Illeon was by her side, Elisia could finally speak properly to Mariela.

“I want to become the heroine.”