I wonder who Bellifor’s contractor is that can afford this.

Is it my bias that Enrique or Helene come to mind first?

“Leo.”

Just then, thick, strong arms embraced me from behind.

“Don’t look at filthy things.”

It’s not dirty at all since they were killed cleanly.

As I was about to retort like that, I belatedly realized that Mereum had called me ‘Leo’.

“Oh my. Did you find out?”

“From the beginning.”

“To think you knew all along and still teased me. That’s too much.”

“You wanted me to pretend I didn’t know.”

I obediently followed as Mereum led me away.

Pushing through the bustling crowd, passing through a relatively quiet corridor and climbing stairs, we arrived at an observatory.

As if no one was interested in this place, the area around the giant telescope was empty.

“Your skills have improved a lot, Mereum.”

Mereum hadn’t said a word the entire way there.

Feeling somewhat awkward, I cleared my throat and offered praise.

“It seemed there was nothing more I could teach you. You can even freely use the Spirit King’s power.”

“……”

“Not only are your speed and accuracy impressive, but your situational judgment is excellent too. I was thinking how well you’ve grown.”

Could it be the praise wasn’t good?

Mereum gave no response. He just leaned on the railing, gazing at the distant sea.

Scratching my cheek, I precariously perched on the railing and cupped Mereum’s cheeks with my hands. He nuzzled his cheeks against my hands, acting coy.

“Can I give you a goodnight kiss?”

“It’s not bedtime yet, but.”

Mereum, who had been looking at me with one eye slightly open, came closer as soon as permission was granted.

Smooch.

After lightly touching my forehead and pulling away, he looked at me with a deeply sunken gaze.

In that gaze, so dark and equally heavy, I realized.

‘That boy whose cheeks, ears, and nape would all turn red from just one kiss is gone now.’

My heart clattered, making an uncomfortable noise. It was the sound of something not quite fitting together.

“I was worried. You should have been on the ship, but I couldn’t see you anywhere.”

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

“Well, that’s you, doing as you please even knowing I’d worry.”

He let out a soft laugh.

It seemed somewhat bitter, but it was also so pretty that I just quietly looked at him.

Among demons, doing as one pleases is a compliment.

I know it’s not used as praise among humans, but I didn’t mind.

After all, this is how I was born and how I’ll continue to live.

Mereum also seemed to swallow his words, knowing this.

“…No matter where you go or how you dress, I’ll recognize you.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“So if you’re going to choose a lover, at least do it in front of me. Let me see who you choose. I deserve that much, don’t I?”

You certainly do deserve it.

In fact, more than that.

My current health, energy, lifespan. Mereum created all of this.

If it weren’t for him, I would have been struggling just to survive and couldn’t have done these things.

So I was grateful to him.

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

This was a slightly different feeling from what I felt for Enrique.

If the love I had with Enrique was falling helplessly with nothing else in sight, my attachment to Mereum was the kind that built up gradually.

The way he occasionally smiles gently, the way he looks back at me after training, the way his eyes relax when he’s in a good mood.

Your body flowing with brilliant sunlight.

‘Yes. I simply find you lovely.’

I finally admitted it.

It’s because Fievel stirred me up.

‘How could I say I don’t cherish you? I can’t lie and say you’re not special.’

But I couldn’t confess this. I didn’t want to leave him with lingering feelings.

Meanwhile, Mereum looked straight at me and lightly kissed my fingertips. A chill ran down my spine. The skin where he kissed tingled.

Ah, his two eyes are courting me.

Mereum knew well that the words spoken by eyes are more truthful than those uttered by mouth.

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

“That’s…”

“You should give the prize you’ve found.”

His tone was strange. Sometimes it sounded like he was gently coaxing, and other times like he was whining.

Is it a talent to make it unbearable unless I listen to him?

Feeling like I would answer if I opened my mouth, I just shook my head slightly.

I don’t want to kill you. I.

I don’t want to kill you.

“If you don’t tell me the reason you’re avoiding me, I can’t accept it.”

I suppose so. I would be the same.

After hesitating for a long time, chewing on my lower lip and deliberating for ages, I gave an answer close to a postponement.

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

“…Really?”

“I promise.”

Mereum had caught me, who had been running away without explaining, and finally made me stand straight in front of him.

He was this kind of man.

With an upright personality that had never tried to avoid his fate, he faces everything head-on.

But I was a little different from him.

If I tell him the reason with my own mouth, it will be when I send Mereum away from my side.

Having planted eyes and ears among the nobles, I already knew there were opinions that Mereum should be sent back to Quan.

Someday, shouldn’t we do that?

I thought so too.

At first, it was because Mereum was still young. Because he wasn’t ready to return to his country. Because he needed to grow more.

I made such excuses.

Later, it was because I needed Mereum. Because I needed the demon core he gave. Because even if I got tired, I would recover quickly with Mereum’s yang energy.

I tried not to send Mereum away with such excuses.

But…

‘It would be right to send you away before I kill you.’

After all, I’m a demon, so I won’t be able to prioritize you over my own benefit.

And I could already tell how long a regret that would leave me with.

“I’ve offered you countless demon cores you needed. If you want more, I’ll even catch a demon for you.”

“A demon, you say.”

“The assassins that just came, they were sent by another demon, right?”

Mereum said nonchalantly as he kissed my palm.

Feeling ticklish, I clenched my hand into a fist while maintaining eye contact with him, holding my breath.

Ah, there was his summer.

“If I give you the core of that insolent demon as a courtship gift.”

“……”

“Allow me to love you.”

I now acknowledged my mistake.

The vague sense of unease I felt right after receiving the daggers from my sisters ripples with Mereum’s name.

“I love you, Leo.”

His summer burns, consuming all other seasons. It trapped me in an eternal summer, making me unable to see anything but him.

Thump.

My heart sank, and I exhaled the breath I had been holding in gasps.

‘To return to being a demon…’

I had to abandon Mereum even now.

Before being consumed by his summer.