While washing my face and rinsing off the blackness from my face in the stream, Kaidel Gongja lay stretched out with his limbs spread on the grassy field where we had been. He looked like he was enjoying the languidness of the world.

Feeling a slight puffiness in my lips, my mind was hazy, and my fingertips were heavy with fatigue.

‘Is this what it feels like when you bear guilt? What should I do now?’

I sat stupidly for a while, and when I heard the sound of Kaidel Gongja washing beside me, I snapped out of it.

As he shook his jet-black hair, water droplets scattered, shimmering in all directions.

He pretends to be so cool. Even the sunlight and water droplets help him with that.

I gathered all the reason within me, which was my existing sanity, and spoke as calmly as possible.
“Gongja-nim, what happened earlier was a mistake. Do you agree, Gongja-nim?”

“……. ”

“Let’s forget it cleanly, like adults. Isn’t overcoming mistakes and standing up the virtue of an adult?”

“……. ”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Mistake?”

“Yes. So, do you have another way to call that incident? We lived and died, got exhausted… It was just a moment of confusion.”

Then, Kaidel Gongja laughed maliciously, shaking water droplets from the tips of his hair.

I shuddered all over at that sight.

“A mistake? Is that your definition of justice?”

“Well…”

Approaching me, he looked down at me as if he could devour me with his tall stature.

“Lorisha Loar Yang. Shall I confirm it again for you? Whether it was a mistake or not.”

“G-Gongja-nim!”

“We might not know if our actions were inappropriate. But don’t call it a mistake. It was entirely real.”

I almost screamed, “A-action!”

At that moment, Kaidel Gongja grabbed my shoulders and lifted me. It was the first time I felt so light.

I froze in shock.

As if he wanted to try the intimidation he hadn’t done to the remnants of the pirates, Kaidel Gongja spoke to me.

“I’m a bit busy now, Lorisha Yang. I have to make Lord Greyan the Crown Prince. So, just stay there until I say it’s over. Understand! Trust me!”

“Yes? Y-yes…”

My response had a subtle melody between an answer and a question.

But for now, it sounded like an answer, and Kaidel Gongja, almost hugging me, supported my back and tidied up the part of my clothes crumpled by him.

Then, he walked away on his own, shouting.

“A mistake? My goodness, if this is a mistake, then what in the world isn’t a mistake!”

I couldn’t be left alone in the forest. Wandering around, I occasionally followed him, crying and stumbling.

The Imperial Palace didn’t know about the incident that happened to me. It was because it was recorded that I attended Misha’s coming-of-age party and returned.

As the tremendous event seemed like a lie as my peaceful daily life continued, I started to feel that way that night.

There was still no news about the competition in the Imperial Palace, and Misha didn’t contact me, apparently still upset.

I stayed in my room without going out for sponsorship.

When I stayed still in the room, my lips were filled with heat for no reason. It felt like my whole body was burning, and then it felt terrifying, and I wanted to escape somewhere.

Occasionally, Kaidel Gongja’s threat tormented me.

‘Just stay there…’

But as time passed, that panic state gradually became bearable.

Perhaps, as Kaidel Gongja said, we really kissed, and that moment was sincere.

That moment, those emotions, and that overwhelming presence.
That was the truth. However, Kaidel Gongja was likely just as faithful at that moment.

He had no reason to carry any sense of duty or responsibility toward me. I had no reason to consider him special.

We had different masters, and the paths of our lives were distinct.

I was a home tutor preparing for a comfortable retirement, and he was the first lion to take responsibility for the empire by the side of the future Empress.

I was fortunate not to have any misconceptions about our relationship. If I were a bit smarter than others, it would be useful in situations like this.