Even the flower he gifted the heroine when he imprisoned her was the same.

“I ordered this place to be made. What do you think? It’s a bit less devilish here, right?”

“……Did you hear me?”

“You were mumbling earnestly in your sleep. ‘Please let me escape the devil’s castle.’ That’s what you said.”

It was the words of a person who lost her mind out of frustration.

Having been caught badmouthing someone else’s house, she had nothing to say.

She obediently closed her mouth and admired the flowers bathed in the moonlight.

‘Beautiful.’

Moonferes were famous for blooming under the moonlight. Unlike other flowers, you could only see the buds during the day, so they weren’t commonly planted in gardens.

“Did you bring me here to show me this?”

“Yes.”

When she squinted and asked, Kashar obediently answered.

It couldn’t be, but it seemed like he knew that she had been struggling today.

‘I guess I was upset with Kashar.’

This was the reason why her stomach had been knotted, and she had felt resentful.

Seeing pretty things for the first time since coming here eased her mind.

Unknowingly, her protruding lips retreated.

“……It’s beautiful.”

She expressed her admiration for the flower garden before her eyes, just as he had praised her food.

Then Kashar smiled.

Under the soft moonlight, his smile had a sweet yet bitter taste.

“……That, about not being able to taste earlier.”

She finally asked.

Just watching his reaction made her mouth feel dry.

Eventually, Kashar, who was staring down at her, admitted the truth.

“It’s true.”

“……So you’ve been lying to me until now?”

She felt even more upset, having been shot down by the words of the person involved.

He was still holding her hand.

When she tried to shake off Kashar’s hand, he gripped it even tighter.

“No. I can feel everything you make.”

“Where does such a thing exist?”

“I only react to the food you make. I swear on this emblem.”

Kashar was unbuttoning his shirt.

He took off his clothes and turned around. On his muscular, writhing back was the mark of the red moon.

‘The oath of truth.’

An ancient token shared between Kashar and the Emperor, and his leash.

Adding an oath to this would make us contract partners, staking our lives on each other.

Frightened, I pulled my hand away.

“I suffer from madness. I’m taking poison to keep my sanity.”
I knew that well from having read the original.

As I hesitated, it seemed like he thought I was scared, and his hand gently caressed my cheek.

“That poison comes from the land of the Mines. If you consume it, you can maintain your sanity, but it will gradually rob you of your senses.”

“Senses?”

“Yes. Especially all the senses that feel good.”

It was a fact I heard for the first time.

‘I knew it caused severe headaches, but…….’

I also knew that in the end, one vomits black blood and slowly dies.

But I knew nothing about the origin of the fruit or that it takes away the good senses.

‘So it comes from the land of the Mines.’

The places where Mines and humans live were starkly different.

The reason that place hadn’t been conquered so far was that it was land where people couldn’t live.

‘It’s more serious than it appeared in the book, isn’t it?!’

Then what Kashar had lost wasn’t just taste.

I looked at him with confused eyes.

Kashar gently caressed my cheek.

“I tasted something properly for the first time in 3 years. Only from you.”

His eyes towards me were sincere.

I don’t know how the food I made revived his taste.

But.

“I feel reassured that you are by my side. I’m sincere about this.”

Kashar said this, leaning his face on my shoulder.

He was always smug and scary for such a pathetic man, but why did I want to hug him like this?

I clenched my hand into the air.

After hesitating, I cautiously embraced him.

“……It must have been tough.”

“Yes. All I could feel was the smell of blood or the taste of rot.”

What would it feel like not to taste or smell?

But knowing only the bad senses. That seemed even more horrifying.

Pat, pat.

Strength went into my hand, supporting his back.

I really doubted whether the food I made had an effect.

But if it really helped.

“I’ll help you with all my effort!”

If he could taste the food I made, maybe someday he would be able to taste everything.

‘I’m glad I can help with at least this.’

Although I’m not the heroine and can’t break the curse, I was happy that I could help him a little.

Kashar didn’t say anything but nuzzled his cheek against my neck. It was ticklish, but it was a different dimension of ticklishness than usual.

I pushed Kashar away and yelled angrily.

“Put on your clothes now!”

“Why? You like it when I take them off.”

“You’ll catch a cold!”

The scar on his back was as dreadful to Kashar as an ugly wound.

I hurriedly dressed Kashar.

Although it was summer, the night air was really cold. But my body was only hot.

“Then, let’s go back.”

“……Yes!”

Afraid that my flushed face might be visible, I quickly bowed my head.

Hoping that the dark night would hide my face.

By the time I regained my composure, we had already arrived at the third floor.

It was time to say goodbye.

I bid farewell in front of my room.

“Then, good night.”

“……Why are you going there?”

“Because this is my room?”

I had to answer obviously to an obvious question.

But he asked again as if he didn’t understand.

“We agreed to sleep together from today, didn’t we?”

“……What?”

I was completely clueless.

As I stood there dumbfounded, he mentioned our first night together.

That’s when I remembered.

The last thing Kashar said.

‘We’ll keep sleeping together, right?’

And then, what did I say?

‘I didn’t answer. I just nodded!’

I screamed in silence. My face had long since turned beet red.

The second act of the glamorous wedding fantasy I imagined during the day was about to begin with a loud trumpet sound.

But Kashar’s mournful voice brought me back to reality.

“You might not like it. Sleeping together in a contractual relationship.”

He looked particularly forlorn today.
“Having you around seems to make my headache go away.”

Headache.

It was a magical word that made me, who had broken his bowl at first sight, particularly weak.

‘Well, that’s true.’

I forgot that this man was also a newcomer like me.

A feeling that was somehow reassuring, yet regretful.

I spun Kashar’s body around and went into his room.

“Come, come. Lie down here!”

Kashar, pushed by the back, lay on the bed. I sat next to him.

“I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”

It was no different from what I had done for Louis and Evan.

“Lullaby, our Kashar.”

“…….”

Ah, is this not it?

A bewildered look was directed at me.

I should have just stayed quiet.

Why does my hand reach out to him even though I regret it?

I gently brushed his fine blond hair.

“Goodnight.”

How much time had passed?

Nodding off. My head kept turning this way and that.

As my eyes closed completely, a lessthangentle touch laid me down.

“……Uh, front yard. In the backyard.”

With the lullaby I had been muttering in my heart leaking out, I fell asleep next to him.

It was a night filled with his faint breathing. Red eyes were watching Aileen.

The moment Aileen tried to turn her back on those hot, suffocating eyes.

“You can’t.”

Kashar held Aileen in his arms.

Uhoh. He chuckled at the groaning sound, as if he was frustrated.

“It’s what you allowed.”

One by one. One by one. The redeyed snake was swallowing her up as much as it allowed.