Esika’s story ended only when the night grew very deep.

Esika talked about Dokryeong.

About his life, the place where he lived, the things he liked, and up to his last moments…

Including the fact that he died for her.

And that Resban might be his reincarnation.

“I… don’t remember. But now it makes sense. The longing for you that didn’t suit the war-loving crown prince was older than I thought.”

Resban, having heard the story of the past, looked at Esika with his eyebrows furrowed.

Even if he didn’t remember, Esika could feel Dokryeong’s soul in him.

“…Don’t remember. The me from my past life was truly pathetic and only caused you worry. And the past is just the past… You are Crown Prince Resban.”

Now the two are living a different life from their past lives.

“The most noble and brilliant in Turecian.”

Resban slowly reached his hand towards Esika’s cheek.

And he cupped her cheek.

“The reason my heart aches as I listen must be because your words are true.”

A voice mixed with slightly rough breaths is heard.

For a moment, the faces of Dokryeong from the past and Resban overlapped.

Soon, the afterimage of Dokryeong faded, and Resban’s face slowly became clear.

“Then, and now, I’m destined to desire you until death, it seems.”

“…”

“Inevitably.”

Esika felt an ache in her chest.

If only she had known Dokryeong’s feelings a little earlier, if only they had been together then.

Even knowing that regret was already useless, she felt regretful.

For seeming to have done something terrible to him.

But he… Resban was consistent.

“I’ve chased you to the ends of hell. And now I’m by your side again.”

Esika, looking into Resban’s deep eyes, nodded once.

He didn’t question anything.

She should have just ignored someone like herself, but he chose to die with the spirit.

It was the right choice that the spirit should have made, but the spirit of that time missed him.

But now she was with him, holding his hand.

“So Dokryeong achieved his goal through my body, in the end.”

Resban said to her with a cool smile.

That day, the ten-mile demon fire that enveloped the spirit’s body and the palace brought those entangled in bad relationships to this life.

The emperor who gave everything but thoroughly betrayed her became Duke Callian Klaus, becoming a neglectful husband,

The empress dowager who committed all sorts of evil deeds and tore apart the people who were like family to the spirit became the empress here too, enjoying luxury.

And the spirit became Esika, gaining the opportunity to directly punish the two.

Esika took everything from Callian and abandoned him, returning the karma of his past life.

She made him acutely experience the loneliness and pain she had suffered, the agony of losing a loved one.

Now only the punishment for the empress remained.

She must surely receive retribution for her sins in a painful way.

“Don’t you resent me? Even though you don’t have Dokryeong’s memories.”

“How could there be such a thing. What you told me is all there is.”

Resban cut off Esika’s words in a flat tone. He is Dokryeong’s reincarnation, but he is not Dokryeong.

Esika looked at Resban for a long time, then nodded and gave a bitter smile.

“It’s just that, in my opinion, the current me seems to be a better man than the me from my past life.”

Resban said, wrapping his arm around Esika’s shoulders.

“That man only confessed his feelings in his last moment, dying while embracing you…”

Esika closed her eyes, resting her head against his firm chest.

Resban’s gentle touch brushed through Esika’s hair.

Resban’s relaxed and low voice was heard.

“I’m holding you, alive and breathing, now, so I’ve won.”

A faint smile appeared on Esika’s lips as she leaned into Resban’s embrace.

She had prepared herself for the possibility that Resban’s feelings might change if he learned about their past lives, but it seems that was just a misconception.

**

Resban woke up in the early dawn and gazed at the sleeping Esika.

Her skin was soft, her forehead round, and her nose bridge high.

Her eyelashes cast a faint shadow downward.

He slowly turned his head and kissed her lips.

“…”

Esika slowly raised her eyelids and met Resban’s gaze.

Resban gently pressed on her shoulder to make her lie down, then lay on top of her and kissed her neck.

Esika let out a small moan at the hot and dizzying sensation.

Resban’s rough voice is heard by her ear.

“Perhaps because I heard that story, I dreamed of you… in the flames.”

Resban gently bit her shoulder as if he couldn’t lose Esika to anyone or anything.

Esika gripped his shoulders tightly, feeling the tingling sensation, and said,

“I guess I shouldn’t have told that old story. If I had known I’d have such a nightmare… Huh.”

Resban kissed Esika’s collarbone.

Then he slipped his hand between her waist and pulled down the silk dress in one motion.

It was still dawn, before daybreak.

His eyes were especially bright in the darkness.

“…!”

Esika flinched at the sensation of him touching her skin.

She put her hands in his hair, but he paid no mind and continued to explore her.

She could tell Resban had woken up at dawn by the subtle movements.

She had trained enough to sense others’ movements even while sleeping.

But she thought he would just leave the bedroom first…

“…!”

Resban kept holding Esika’s wrists as she tried to push him away.

Then he started to gently kiss her body.

From her neckline to her collarbone and other tender flesh.

As if tasting the sweetest dessert in the world, her trembling reactions melted in his mouth like a delicacy.

“…”

He swallowed his breath.

With one hand that had been holding down Esika’s wrist, he lifted her chin even higher as she lay there.

And he continued with kisses so intense it was overwhelming.

After sharing kisses until they were exhausted, he kissed her shoulder again.

“I suddenly had such a thought.”

She felt a cool sensation where the dress had slipped down to her waist.

The man’s firm hand slowly cupped her thigh.

Esika shook her head, feverish. He seemed somewhat hurried today.

His eyes filled with lust and desire made it clear that formal refusal would be futile.

“…A man who only gazed at you his whole life.”

The room was dark, but Esika’s body would be clearly visible to his eyes.

Esika tried to use force, but her body held by him didn’t move.

Embarrassment washed over her along with the heat.

“How much he must have yearned for moments like this.”

Esika covered her face instead of reaching out to him.

Her whole body trembled at his gaze touching sensitive places.

Resban is… mischievous.

Perhaps that story had stimulated him.

Arousing his desire to conquer even more.

“…!”

Esika weakly struggled, putting strength in her knees at the dizzying sensation.

His breathing touches more sensitively inside her body.

Esika hurriedly tried to get up to push his shoulders, but she could only squirm.

The fact that morning was breaking made her feel even more embarrassed.

“Sweet.”

Esika’s eyes wavered slightly at the moist voice.

Before her marriage, on an outing with Dokryeong who had become a cult leader, Esika had once offered him a red deadnettle.

He had put the deadnettle Esika gave him to his mouth and muttered to himself.

Why was that voice overlapping now?

“…Resban…”

Her body was hot as if hugging a hot water bottle.

Esika called his name as if sobbing.

“Resban, Resban…”

A tingling sensation spread from her spine, sending thrilling signals to her fingertips and toes.

His kisses were so lewd that Esika had to shudder.

“The me from my past life would have called you like this.”

And a low voice flowing into her ear, she embraced him.

“Yeongryeong.”

“…!”

For a while, she couldn’t see anything as if the sun had completely risen.

His face becomes clearer in her blurred vision.

A man with black hair and brilliant golden eyes.

To her looking at him with wavering eyes, Resban uttered in a low voice.

“…I saw you again in my dream.”

In the dream, Esika, who had only shown her back, turned around and showed her face.

She was Esika, and she was Yeongryeong, the woman Resban loved in his fate.

And when cherry blossoms covered the scenery where they stood together, Resban realized.

Why he had come to chase this woman so much.

“…I understood how much that man wanted you.”

Soon he surged into Esika.

At the dizzying and thrilling sense of fulfillment, Esika firmly gripped his solid shoulders.

The reason Dokryeong was always a good elder brother to Yeongryeong, not just a man, was because he had to remain that way for her.

If he had the chance, he would have taken Yeongryeong and never let her go.

Like opening a box in the deep sea, Resban accepted even the desires he had.

Because his past was Dokryeong, and his present was Resban.

“Resban…”

Esika looked at Resban with tear-filled eyes.

Resban kissed her.

And whispered softly.

“You are mine now. Esika.”

Esika, looking at Resban with wavering eyes, nodded.

The passionately connected bodies of the two began to move again.