“Belede?”

“……Just like this for a moment, no.”

He, exhaling a hot breath, suddenly reached out to her.

“……!”

The moment she thought warmth was enveloping her back and waist, her body seemed to collapse over him.

The sound of fabric settling onto the bed resonated clearly in Beryl’s ears.

Surprised, Belede’s breath touched her shoulder. Beryl seemed to freeze on the spot.

Thump-thump-thump-thump, her heart pounded wildly, as if ready to leap forward.

“Just stay like this for a moment, if you will.”

His face was against her shoulder, so she couldn’t see his expression. However, his voice sounded extremely weary.

She could feel his trembling movements. Beryl wrapped her arms around his head.

“What happened?”

Even when asked, Belede shook his head.

“Nothing happened.”

“Then why……”

If not, then why did he seem so anxious?
When Beryl first met Belede, he seemed like a devil without any sign of unease—a devil who appeared confident, as if everything was under his control.

But he looked different now.

He looked anxious.

That’s what Beryl thought. Meanwhile, Belede burrowed deeper into her shoulder. His sharp, cold nose seemed to graze her mind, and she felt it distinctly.

—Thump, thump.

And her heart beat even more intensely.

She couldn’t tell if it was worry or the distinct contact she felt that left her unable to continue speaking.

“It’s probably due to a lack of magical power,” Belede said then.

“Ah…”

If it was a matter of insufficient magical power, she could provide for him. After all, he had said that magical power flowed from her.

If it was a solvable problem, that would be good, but she couldn’t understand why mixed emotions were overlapping.

“If we stay like this, it will get better.”

Beryl was about to nod in agreement, but Belede had more to say.

“……That’s what I had thought.”
Beryl’s movement stopped.

“But when I can’t see you, it feels unbearable.”

If it was merely a matter of magical power, just being near you would have been sufficient.

He exhaled yet again, as if intoxicated by something.

Is he reluctant to talk because something did happen?

Is it because I’m a holy woman, or perhaps he still can’t trust me.

…That could be the case, Beryl thought, biting her lip.

Then, Belede, who had been struggling to catch his breath, suddenly spoke.

“I heard the daytime report.”

“Daytime…?”

Beryl was still confused about the concept of day and night here. It’s daytime when the lights outside are on.

…What did I do during the day?

“You asked Stolas about the future.”

“Ah.”

Right, she had. Beryl was about to nod when Belede continued his sentence.

“—About your lifespan.”

“What?”

Lifespan? Beryl blinked.

She had asked about ten years into the future, but…, it felt oddly disconnected.
“Are you in pain?”

He slightly distanced himself from her and cupped Beryl’s face with both hands. Hidden in his shadow, his eyes looked darker than usual. She shook her head in response.

“No.”

“Then why did you ask such a question?”

Beryl realized there had been a misunderstanding from his somewhat hurried reply.

“I didn’t ask about ten years into the future for that reason.”

“Then why?”

His answer came back quickly, as if he were thirsty for it.

“That’s…”

Beryl thought that his eyes, which usually seemed so composed, looked slightly shaky.

Looking into those eyes, she spoke as if entranced.

“I was just curious whether I could survive here for a long time, if I could… make it through.”

If she stayed here without incident, she thought maybe she could live another ten years.

However, she couldn’t ask that question directly, knowing it would turn into a report to him.
That’s why I said it that way, in case he might think I had other intentions.

Another misunderstanding could arise.

“……Is that so?”

He asked in a somewhat softened voice.

Then he gently turned her to her side and laid her down.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

Beryl nodded confidently, but Belred examined her again.

“The human body is far too fragile to be at ease.”

Unlike himself, who couldn’t even die despite being cursed, humans were fragile.

Thus his trailing hand gently swept over the back of her head. The warmth spreading from his hand seemed to rush from her neck throughout her body.

“May I take a closer look?”

Their eyes met as he said this. He smiled softly at her slightly open mouth.

“I am by nature a skeptical person.”

“That’s—”

More than feeling distrusted, it was his slightly returned smile that touched her heart more deeply.
Could my heart be this stirred, just by the expression of one person?

As Beryl lost her words, Belred slightly lifted his body.

―Smack.

After kissing the tip of her nose audibly, he gazed at her for a moment and then laid his body against her shoulder.

“……!”

Unwittingly, Beryl let out a short breath. Her head involuntarily lifted.

“Are you perhaps short of breath?”

Belred immediately responded. Beryl shook her head.

That’s not it.