Karaf bowed his head and spoke.

“I never doubted you. Just… too anxious……”

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead gently against Asha’s shoulder, muttering softly.

“I feel strangely unbearable anxiety. It seems like you want to run away from me…… as if you’ll leave me forever……”

Asha was slightly embarrassed.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’m not going anywhere. Haven’t I told you I made up my mind since coming to the palace?”

Asha bitterly smiled and whispered in his ear, and then Karaf finally spoke calmly.

“Yes……”

“How did you know I was here?”

“It was the intuition of a flower.”

“……. ”

Looking at him repeating what he had said before about ‘the intuition of a butterfly’, Asha slightly rolled her eyes.

But Karaf seriously said, it was not a joke.

“Where else would you go in this imperial palace? So, I found you quickly.”

His muscular chest and distinct abs were visible through his drenched pajama gown.

He had a belt over his pajamas, and from the glimpse of his thigh, it was clear he was not wearing underwear.

Asha’s face turned bright red, and she said,

“Can you please let go of my body now……?”

Karaf then realized that he was holding her as if he might break her.

Whether he was more surprised by his impulsive action or not, he quickly moved away from her.

Asha looked at the umbrella that had fallen to the floor because he suddenly embraced her.

“My clothes got soaked because of you, Your Majesty. I was just going to take a light walk and go back to sleep……”

Before she could finish, Karaf quickly picked up the fallen umbrella and covered her head with it.

“It’s too late. You’re already soaked.”

Somehow, Asha’s tone sounded cold, and Karaf, feeling helpless, took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

Asha wore his big coat and looked up at him with a slightly dazed face.

The rainwater on her fair face and wet golden hair looked pure and beautiful.

For a moment, his heart throbbed, and Karaf quickly turned his head to the side.

His face was red, but to Asha’s eyes, it looked like fever.

Earlier, his heart had been beating abnormally, and Asha realized that something was wrong with his condition.

“Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell? I noticed the pollen this morning too……”

“No. I’m fine.”

Karaf insisted, even though he looked pale.

He didn’t want to ruin another good opportunity for their second date, just because he was feeling unwell.

It was an excellent opportunity as there were no disturbances around, just the two of them.

Asha suddenly touched his forehead and exclaimed,

“It’s not okay! Your forehead is burning!”

Karaf looked at her, who had touched his forehead, with wide eyes.

“It would be best if you go inside now.”

Feeling the heat from his body, Karaf momentarily closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Raindrops splashed, pattering on his face.

The sight was unintentionally provocative and sexy.

“Yes……. We should stay here and catch a cold. Let’s go to my room.”

“……What?”

Asha thought she must have misheard and asked again.

“Why not to my room, but to Your Majesty’s room……?”

Karaf glanced at her and sternly said,

“Shouldn’t you take responsibility for making me, who is already unwell, get wet in this late night?”

“But you are the manifestation of a flower, isn’t getting wet with rain good for you?”

Asha’s counterquestion left him speechless.

Because it was true.

He usually enjoyed getting wet in the rain.

So much so that he would walk around without an umbrella on rainy days.

Embarrassed, Karaf coughed and said,

“Then you should take responsibility for disappearing without a word in the middle of the night and making me anxious. This is like a butterfly following a flower.”
Karaf wore a mischievous smile, full of secrets.

“Since I can’t sleep, come to my room and have a glass of wine with me. Can’t we share a drink together before bed?”

At those words, Asha’s body stiffened.

To her, ‘Would you like to have a drink?’ was no different than saying ‘Would you like to sleep together?’

In the past, he always drank before committing a serious act.

“No… I really don’t want to drink right now.”

As Asha turned her head stiffly to the side, Karaf immediately and desperately grasped her hand.

“Then stay by my side until I fall asleep. It’s a request.”

‘Why is this man clinging to me today…’

Asha looked at Karaf again with a disgusted face, and was startled by his desperate gaze.

His hand, which was holding hers, was trembling slightly.

His body was boiling hot, and his ragged breathing indicated that he was not in a good condition.

He looked like he would drown himself in alcohol all night if she refused to accompany him.

As the butterfly, she could not let the flower drink in such a sick condition.

Asha sighed softly, as if defeated, and asked.

“Did you have a nightmare again?”

“……”

Karaf didn’t answer, apparently embarrassed.

He wasn’t a child, and he felt ashamed of himself for waking up screaming and yelling every time he had a nightmare.