“My younger sibling has been dead for a long time. When I went to meet them, the demon contracted by Espen was pretending to be my sibling.”

“Demon…”

Among numerous species, demons were the worst. Because they fed on negative emotions such as human fear, malice, and anger, they sharply delved into human psychology and had no hesitation in exploiting it.

‘Not only did Espen make a contract, but also pretended to be human.’

I held Hadel’s face with both hands. In my cold and smooth hands, warmth from Hadel’s cheek flowed gently.

I urgently asked, “What about you? You must have been persuaded to make a contract! You didn’t sign a contract, did you?”

Facing me with our eyes locked, Hadel smirked. Then, he bowed his head and pressed his forehead against mine.

“I told you it was dangerous. So, I killed them mercilessly.”

“Weren’t they tempting you a lot? Wasn’t it hard to resist physically?”

“I didn’t even listen.”

I was thrilled with this response. It seemed like I hadn’t given proper warnings, but Hadel heard my few words and acted accordingly.

Kissing Hadel’s cheek and lips, I said, “Good job.”

“…”

However, instead of receiving my kiss, Hadel’s body seemed to tremble noticeably. With such a strong reaction, I blinked and looked up at Hadel.

“Hadel?”

Hadel, like a puppy, lowered his head and brought his forehead close, saying, “Give me more praise.”

I thought this level of intimacy between us was nothing. It seemed like his immunity had dropped again during our long separation. Continuously pecking kisses on Hadel’s face, I whispered.

“Hadel, you did well. Thank you.”

“Marian.”

Only then did Hadel seem to relax. Letting out a long sigh, he called my name with a languid voice.

Then, pressing his face against my neck and whispering tenderly, he said, “I’m relieved. It ended safely.”

“Yeah.”

Upon Hadel’s words, I realized that all the frightening things that had made me afraid were over. Holding Hadel, I whispered.

“It’s over.”

Since I woke up again, it had been a series of unbelievable events. Opening my eyes, I found myself turning into a weasel instead of a person, then learning that I could transform into a person again when in contact with Hadel.

‘Espen.’

He, who had brought me from the world 100 years ago to the present, was no longer in this world. It felt like I had experienced a long nightmare.

I patted Hadel’s neck.

“There’s no one left to torment you, Hadel.”

“Yeah.”

“A lot will change, won’t it?”

“I don’t know.”

Although Hadel replied like that, I was confident that Hadel’s situation would change completely. Originally, Hadel being pushed to the northern region was Espen’s plot. Since Espen was gone, it was right for Hadel to return to the central region.

‘We also need to correct prejudices against the fire attribute.’
With Espen, who fueled hatred against the fire attribute, now gone, we can gradually fix things. Changing people’s prejudices is indeed a challenging task that requires time.

As the prince, Hadel now holds the highest position in the country. However, surprisingly, Hadel asked me, “Will you continue to stay by my side, Marian?”

Laughing at his appearance, I kissed Hadel’s cheek and replied, “Of course.”

With my confident answer, Hadel’s eyes finally softened into a gentle curve. In a kind voice, he whispered, “That’s all I need.”

Come to think of it, Hadel had always been like that. He didn’t demand much from me, nor did he have any ambitions. All he wanted was for me to stay by his side. So, willingly, I held Hadel’s hand.

I wanted to kiss him right away and confess my love, but we were not granted any more time. People who had escaped from the palace and those who had rushed to rescue them were now mixed together. Finally, it became known that Hadel was the one who helped them safely escape.

“Your Highness.”

“Hadel, Your Highness!”

Some were cautiously watching Hadel’s reactions, while others were overwhelmed with gratitude as they searched for Hadel.