Beosu Volcano Island.

“What’s going on? The curse that was getting stronger is showing signs of stagnation!”

“We don’t have time. You know it’s useless if he doesn’t change completely before he turns twenty-six. We don’t need a half-human, half-beast.”

As the two figures in black cloaks covering their heads spoke anxiously,

“Something must have changed around the Emperor. His body, which was about to turn into a beast last time, was stopped by something.”

A small, diminutive pretty boy stirred the boiling lava with his hand as if it were cool water.

Emperor Maxwell, whose curse manifested at twenty-two, transformed into a black panther on the night when the white and black moons met once a month.

The curse that turned the Emperor into a beast once a month was supposed to become more frequent over time. And later, it was meant to become the master that completely dominated the mind and body of the cursed Emperor.

A fate of never returning to human form and living as a beast for life. That was the destiny of Emperor Maxwell of the Helterd Empire.

“Shouldn’t he be transforming into a beast much more frequently than once a month by now?”

As the woman knelt and offered a towel to the boy who had brought his hand from the lava, the boy quietly answered.

“Maxwell was such a strong human that he could slow down the curse’s progress until now, but even he can’t help it anymore. This year, when he turns twenty-six, the curse’s power is surging most powerfully. He will collapse, unable to endure.”

The boy added, his silver eyes like opaque glass beads hiding beneath white eyelashes.

“Last night, for the first time, the beast almost succeeded in emerging on a night when the two moons didn’t meet… but it failed due to something.”

The boy spread his pale hands that seemed as if the volcano’s flames would pass right through them and muttered to himself.

“The energy I felt in my hands that night clearly showed Maxwell was transforming into a black panther. But suddenly, the beast’s energy about to burst out disappeared from my hands. As if it was sealed, losing its power.”

The man who lifted the dry boy onto a rock beside the endlessly erupting hot lava turned pale as paper and asked.

“Co-could it be… that the Emperor has… fo-found…?”

“That’s impossible. No one in this world knows about the Lumen Savior. The last Lumen Savior is dead. Didn’t we confirm it with our own eyes?”

The woman shouted hysterically and turned her gaze to the boy. The boy, sitting cross-legged on the rock, whispered as he fell into sleep.

“The Lumen Savior no longer exists in the human world. Even if one did exist, they could only suppress the curse’s power to some extent… unless they give up their own light, they can’t break the curse.”

The two stood looking at the boy, but no more answers came from the sleeping boy.

“We need to check if someone new has appeared by the Emperor’s side.”

“He’s not one to show vulnerabilities, so it’s unlikely, but I’ll look into it.”

The two exchanged glances and hurriedly left the cave.

“Yo-Your Majesty… outside…”

“It’s alright. Even if thunder strikes inside the carriage, it won’t be heard outside.”

As Arabel looked anxiously at the carriage window, unable to take her eyes off it, the Emperor grabbed her slender chin and turned it. When her eyes met the Emperor’s, who was smiling confidently with one corner of his mouth raised, Arabel’s face turned a pretty apple red.

“Hup.”

Arabel’s body, which had been sitting side by side with the Emperor on the carriage bench, was lifted by strong hands and placed on the Emperor’s lap. Arabel, still not used to the Emperor’s active displays of affection, gasped in surprise.

Unlike the flustered Arabel, the Emperor skillfully spread his legs and placed Arabel’s legs between them.

With one arm supporting her back from behind and the other encircling her front, Arabel was trapped helplessly in his embrace.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Emperor’s red eyes captured her round eyes, still full of shyness, preventing them from escaping.

“Don’t close your eyes.”

As the Emperor’s face drew closer, Arabel closed her eyes, but a deep voice was heard above her lips. Clear eyes beneath fluttering long eyelashes captured the Emperor’s face before her.

The handsome man, whose sight always made her heart flutter, was looking at her with eyes that said she was the most beautiful and precious.

Feeling the vibration of her heart, where excitement was now taking the place of fear of the unknown, Arabel pressed both hands gently against her chest.

The Emperor took Arabel’s small hand and brought it to his lips.

A hot kiss gently pressed against her palm, then a long, thick flesh came out and tickled the inside, stroking it.

Though it was her palm that tickled, when she felt a tingling thrill up her spine, a startled Arabel tried to pull her arm away from the Emperor.

Displeased with her action, the mischievous flesh now blatantly went back and forth between her fingers, then swallowed all five fingers in one bite and wouldn’t let go.

His deepened red eyes, which had begun to emit light, were still persistently following Arabel’s gaze.

The movement inside her hand felt as if it was exploring an even more intimate place, causing her innocent body to tremble all over.

The Emperor’s lips curved into a satisfied smile after finally releasing Arabel’s hand. His lips gently overlapped and delved into Arabel’s soft lips, which were slightly parted in confusion at the unfamiliar changes in her body.

The Emperor breathed warm breath into her, as if to reassure his lover who was still confused by the unfamiliar stimulation.

Without rushing or hurrying, he slowly enveloped her soft lips, matching her pace. The large hand caressing her thin back was incredibly affectionate. Her stiff body gradually relaxed and leaned into his embrace.

“Put your arms around my neck.”

When the Emperor softly spoke between kisses, Arabel wrapped her arms around his neck as if clinging to him.

The Emperor’s lips taught the secret language of lovers, sometimes so gently and tenderly it gave her goosebumps, sometimes so aggressively and greedily it drained all strength from her body.

Taking even the heated breaths escaping from between Arabel’s reddened lips, the Emperor began unbuttoning Arabel’s coat with his long fingers when…

“Your Majesty, we have arrived at the annex palace.”

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the footman who had been standing at the back of the carriage jumped down and reported in front of the carriage door.

The Emperor’s red eyes glared at the carriage door as if about to emit light, repeatedly clenching and unclenching the hand he had brought to the front of Arabel’s coat.

After bidding farewell to the Emperor, Arabel stepped out of the carriage door held by the footman.

The trio of maids, who had received the message, came running out with bright smiles to greet her, when they encountered ten candidates returning from horseback riding lessons at the main gate.

Although there were scrutinizing gazes, there were no longer many eyes that blatantly disregarded Arabel. The maids following behind the ten young ladies glanced at each other before bowing their heads to Arabel in greeting.

It was a first. Other maids showing courtesy to Arabel. The trio of maids twitched their lips, feeling that last night’s thorough cleaning had paid off.

“Who are you bowing your heads to? Are you trying to tarnish the honor of the Kingdom of Sevils by greeting just anyone?”

Princess Lilibet shouted at her maid with a vicious expression. Soon after, Margaret, who had joined forces with her following the Empress’s orders, cautiously scolded her own maid.

“Didn’t I tell you not to greet just anyone?”

Vera clicked her tongue softly, thinking she should escort Arabel inside before she faced worse treatment.

“Young lady, please come in. You must be so tired.”

As she spoke, Dina, as if she had been waiting for this, said in a slightly louder voice.

“Oh my, your face is half gone. You must have been very exhausted last night. Ho, ho, ho.”

At Vera and Dina’s fuss, Arabel’s face turned bright red, and the gazes of the candidates and maids quickly hardened.

And soon, they fixed on her swollen and bruised lips. The jealous and hostile candidates silently glared at the small lips, imagining whose lips might have touched them.

As Arabel hurriedly tried to enter the annex palace,

“Pfft.”

At that moment, a sneering sound came from among the group. Everyone’s attention shifted from Arabel to Lady Grace.

Grace took a step forward and looked directly at Arabel as she spoke.

“No matter how much you try to show off your swollen lips after spending the night with His Majesty the Emperor, we all know that you are nothing more than a one-night plaything to His Majesty.”

Insulting words for Arabel poured out bitterly from between Grace’s twisted lips.

“There are many rumors about you and His Majesty, but His Majesty hasn’t shown any signs of acknowledgment.”

As other young ladies nodded in agreement with her words, she continued triumphantly.

“That means His Majesty doesn’t want to officially recognize you. He only thinks of you as a partner for nighttime amusement. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have sent you back to the annex palace alone after spending a night together outside, would he?”

Princess Lilibet, Grace’s rival, took her side and spoke loudly for everyone to hear.

“Unlike us, His Majesty can treat you carelessly, so he might show temporary interest. I understand.”

Arabel gently grasped Vera’s arm as she tried to retort.

She looked alternately at Dina and Rosa, who were trembling with indignation, and shook her head slightly as she moved towards the entrance.

Not only the other young ladies but also the maids were snickering and whispering behind Arabel’s back, loud enough for her to hear, when

“Understanding? I didn’t know I needed your understanding to spend time with Lady Arabel.”

The carriage door opened, and a cold baritone voice flowed out along with long legs stepping onto the stairs.

In an instant, the surroundings became as quiet as a mouse.

All eyes gathered on the Emperor who had revealed himself… and soon moved to the exposed neckline above the loosened collar of his uniform jacket.

In their widening eyes, a deep red mark that could not possibly be claimed to be from a mosquito or insect bite, but only from small and cute lips… came into clear view.

The Emperor approached Arabel with graceful steps as if measured with a ruler and stood beside her. The sight was like a beast baring its sharp teeth to protect its master, sending chills down the spines of those gathered.

The Emperor slowly raised his arm to embrace Arabel’s shoulder and looked down at the group with his red eyes.

His red lips touched Arabel’s crown and left, then he softly let out an ominous voice.

“If you move those vulgar mouths wrongly once more, I will crush not you, but your families and kingdoms until they turn to dust.”