“I was worried. You must have gotten on the ship, but you didn’t show up anywhere.”

“I thought you wouldn’t recognize me until the end.”

“Yeah, even though I knew I’d worry, doing what you want is you.”

He let out a straightforward laugh.

It looked somewhat bitter, but it was beautiful, so I silently watched him.

The saying that doing what you want with the devil is praise.

Although I knew that it was not generally accepted as praise among humans, I didn’t mind.

After all, I was born like this and will continue to live like this.

Merem also seemed to know that, so he seemed to be swallowing his words.

“…Wherever you go, whatever you wear, I’ll recognize you.”

“I regret that.”

“So if you’re going to choose a government, just choose it in front of me. Let me see who you choose. You’re qualified for that much.”

As much as he has the qualification.
Overflowing with reality.

Right now, my health, energy, and lifespan – Merem was the one who made all of these.

If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have survived, let alone handle such things.

So, I was grateful to him.

I wanted to give him anything I could, and if he asked for the best thing I had, I wanted to give it to him.

This emotion was a bit different from the passion I felt for Enrique.

The love I had with Enrique was so overwhelming that I couldn’t see anything else, but the affection I felt for Merem was a gradually accumulated kind.

His occasional gentle smiles, the way he looked back at me after training, the relaxed expression when he was in a good mood.

Your body flowing in the brilliant sunlight.

“Yeah. You’re just so beautiful.”

In the end, I admitted it.

It was Pyvelle who made me admit it.

“How can I not cherish you? I can’t lie that you’re not special.”

But I couldn’t confess this. I didn’t want to leave any lingering affection for him.

During that time, Merem stared at me and lightly kissed my lips. A shiver ran down my spine where his lips touched. The skin on the part he kissed tingled.

Ah, his two eyes were demanding something from me.

Merem knew that the words spoken by the eyes were more genuine than those spoken with the mouth.

“Leo. Tell me why you’re trying to avoid me.”

“That’s…”

“Give me the reward you found.”

His tone was strange. Sometimes it sounded like a gentle coaxing, and at other times, it sounded like he was playing around.

If talent is something that makes it unbearable unless you listen, is it a talent?

Thinking that I would just shake my head if I opened my mouth, I just shook my head.

I don’t want to kill you. I don’t.

“I can’t accept it if you don’t tell me why you’re avoiding me.”

That’s right. I would feel the same.

After hesitating for a long time, biting my lower lip and wobbling it for a long time, I gave an answer that was close to a postponement.

“When we get off the ship. I’ll tell you then.”

“…Really?”

“It’s a promise.”

Merem, who had been avoiding explaining and just running away, finally caught me and stood me in front of him.

That’s the kind of man he was.

He never tried to avoid anything, an upright personality that had never tried to trick his fate in any way.

But I was a bit different from him.

If I tell the reason with my mouth, it would be when I send Merem back to Quan.

I already knew that there was an opinion planted among the nobles to return Merem’s eyes and ears to Quan.

It would happen someday, wouldn’t it?

I thought. I thought so too.

At first, it was because Merem was still young. He hadn’t prepared to return to my country yet. He had to grow up more.

I used that excuse.
Afterward, because I needed Merem. Because I needed the magical core he provides. Even when tired, with Merem’s positive energy, I could quickly recover.

I tried not to send Merem away with excuses like that.

But…

“It’s probably better to send you away before I kill you.”

In the end, I couldn’t prioritize you over my own benefit as a demon.

And I could already tell how much regret it would leave me.

“I’ve dedicated countless magical cores that you need. If you want more, I’ll even capture demons for you.”

“Demons, you say.”

“The assassins who just came, they were sent by another demon.”

Merem nonchalantly spoke and kissed my palm.

Feeling a tingling sensation, I clenched my hand and held my breath, locking eyes with him.

Ah, there was his summer.

“As a betrothal gift, how about the formidable core of a demon?”

“…”

“I’ll allow you to love me.”

Now I admitted my mistake.

The vague uneasiness I felt right after receiving daggers from my sisters now swirled under the name Merem.

“I love you, Leo.”

His summer consumes all other seasons, burning fiercely. It imprisoned me in an eternal summer, preventing me from seeing anything else.

Thud.

My chest sank, and I gasped for breath.

“To return to being a demon…”

I had to abandon Merem now, before being completely engulfed by his summer.