Askan cut off Tanashia’s attempt to refuse. Because he didn’t want to hear words that weren’t from the heart.

“You were curious about my body. You asked me to tell you how to steal the ability that Miss Noksia has.”

“That was then, but not now.”

“I don’t know everything about my power either. But if you wish, I will tell you everything I know. Would you still refuse?”

The reason why he had not been enthusiastic about Tanashia’s experiments until now was that he had no reason to help her.

Rather, he had to avoid revealing his identity. He had to keep his mouth shut as much as possible, as the chasers could smell him and follow him.

But now it was different. If Tanashia wanted it, considering what she had done for him so far, it wouldn’t matter if he told her a few things and left.

If she thought of the jewels she put in his bag as payment for the information, it wasn’t a bad deal.

Askan really wanted to know what Tanashia wanted from him.

“I don’t need anything like Noksia’s ability now.”

But Tanashia’s answer was not what Askan had expected.

Tanashia scratched her cheek as if she was in trouble and laughed.

“Noksia is Noksia, and I am me. Don’t worry about that now, and don’t keep it in your heart. Were you still thinking like that?”

Askan felt as if he had been hit on the head with a blunt weapon.

He had always assumed the reason she was good to him was to find out information about him. But if it wasn’t…

‘Why on earth?’

Askan had nothing. There was nothing she could gain by being good to him.

Askan looked at Tanashia with suspicious eyes and asked,

“Why are you so good to me?”

“Um, just because?”

“Do you expect me to believe that?”

“What can’t you believe? What do I gain by being good to you?”

He had no choice but to shut up. Because Tanashia’s words were true.

Tanashia answered as if it was nothing, but for Askan, it was the first time he had received such a favor without any expectation of return.

No one had ever been so good to him.

As his endless suspicion and alertness towards Tanashia disappeared, all that remained was an unknown hot emotion.

All her words so far suddenly came to mind.

Our family has many villas, why don’t you take time to visit one? Can you swim? Oh, if you don’t know, I’ll teach you.

I wish, you were happy.

You should remember too. What you like and what you don’t like.

You are, my person.

He was dizzy. His head was spinning as if he was about to faint, and an unidentified emotion was boiling in his chest.

Askan looked at Tanashia with dizzy golden eyes.

He had never been so confused since he was born.

“Do you really have no reason to be good to me?”

“Yes. Have you been fooled all your life?”

When a faint light shone from outside the window, Tanashia quickly ran to check. Perhaps people were searching around the mansion to find suspicious characters.

Tanashia opened the door again, looked outside to make sure no one was there, came back to Askan, and spoke in a serious voice.

“I understand that you want to escape from here. But not today. I will sneak you out when I see the opportunity, then you go.”

Askan couldn’t respond. Because he felt that what Tanashia was saying now was sincere.

“Make sure to pack more clothes and emergency food just in case. Oh, it would be best to take a horse. No matter how good your stamina is, there’s a limit to walking and riding a horse would help avoid suspicion more.”

It was hard to believe that Tanashia was the one leading and secretly planning this operation. He never dreamed of having such a conversation with her.

“Do you really intend to help me escape?”

“Yes. Otherwise, why would I be saying all this?”

“But why? I am a slave of the Brelof family.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have enjoyed living as a slave either. And it’s important to me that you escape without being caught by anyone.”

The word ‘anyone’ made Askan strangely feel like Tanashia knew something.

He didn’t think she’d choose a word with such multiple meanings for simply describing chasing an escaped slave from the Brelof mansion.

After a moment’s consideration, Askan brushed off the irrational suspicion. He decided she couldn’t possibly know about his past escape from the lab.

“I’d like to protect you by my side if possible. But if this is what you want, I have no intention of stopping you. Trust me this time, without any doubts.”

Trust me, trust me, trust me…

Those last words lingered in Askan’s head.

He had never once had faith in a person in his life.

More than anything, faith was not something that could be given because one wanted to give it. But Tanashia’s actions at that moment were giving him faith for the first time.

As Askan stood stiffly as if frozen on the spot, Tanashia quickly called him to the door with a gesture.

“What are you doing? You should hurry back to your room before others get here.”

Askan nodded and started to leave the room as Tanashia instructed. Suddenly, she grabbed his wrist.

He stared at the small, white hand that effortlessly gripped his wrist.

“Wait a moment. If anyone sees you carrying such a load, you’ll be the first to be suspected.”

Tanashia quickly went into the dressing room and brought out a black robe. She quickly draped it over Askan’s shoulders and straightened his clothes.

Tanashia’s small, lovely hands tickled Askan’s shoulders and head. He had no choice but to watch silently.

“It’s done.”

With a satisfied nod, Tanashia pushed Askan’s back.

“I would have liked to accompany you to your room, but we would attract more attention if we were together. Be careful not to get caught by anyone.”

“…Yes.”

“If you get caught, say I told you to do it. Leave the aftermath to me.”

“Yes.”

With that, Tanashia closed her fist in a gesture of encouragement to him and closed the door.

Askan staggered towards his room as if in a trance.

The parts of his body where Tanashia had touched were unbearably hot. His hair, shoulders, wrists, back, they all felt as if branded by her touch.

Moreover, her body scent filled the black robe wrapping his body. It was almost as if he was embraced by her.

He felt unusually dizzy that day. The path back to his room, which he had walked countless times, felt like it was spinning round and round.

In the end, Askan stopped, resting his face in his hands.

His head was hot. The time he spent with Tanashia kept appearing and disappearing like afterimages.

His mind was so full of Tanashia that it felt like it was about to burst, as if a blocked dam had burst.

Her bright eyes, smooth and white skin, and red lips.

Her clear voice and steady laughter kept ringing in his ears.

Askan felt his heart beating fast since a while ago.

For the first time, he felt excitement.