Chapter 83
I somehow felt like I’d had a good dream. Despite the nerves before the appointment, I’d slept unusually well. When I woke up, as usual, it was already evening.
The word “date” was deliberately chosen to unsettle Lecan, so I knew I shouldn’t get too sentimental… Yet, as I put on a pretty dress and did my makeup, something I normally wouldn’t bother with. I found myself strangely excited, as if I was the one being seduced.
Thanks to the magical potion I’d developed to briefly cloak myself from the shadow guards’ sight, it was easy to reach the meeting place without being followed. The “Dolce Temple” Lecan mentioned was one of the temples closed due to the weakening influence of the state religion.
‘Luckily, there don’t seem to be many people around. I don’t have to worry much about prying eyes.’
Though the temple was officially closed, stepping inside revealed its grandeur and beauty. The ceiling was covered with murals so exquisitely painted by master artisans that they took my breath away. I stood there, staring up in awe, when suddenly I heard the sound of footsteps on marble behind me.
Turning around, there was Lecan. He seemed oddly breathless, as if he had just finished a rigorous training session. As much as Lecan seemed to pierce through me with his gaze, I was equally familiar with his daily routine. He always trained with strict discipline. Even on weekends, there were no exceptions.
‘According to what I know of Lecan’s schedule, he must have already taken a bath.’
It wasn’t that I was exceptionally well-informed — his life was just astonishingly regimented. I caught a faint scent of bath salts. His youthful vigor was unmistakable, and his skin was flushed in that unique way that made it hard to look away, even if he were fully dressed in uniform.
I’d long known he was strikingly handsome, but today, he looked so stunning that, without meaning to, I found myself thinking, ‘Why is a man like this standing right here in front of me?’
I remembered it all at once — the weight of the air when we were alone together in the cave. Even without exchanging a word, just one glance from Lecan brought every moment flooding back into my mind. I found myself bowing to him instinctively, almost overwhelmed.
Even I, who had never once forgotten that he was my political rival, could not deny it. Wherever he went, he naturally commanded respect and drew loyalty.
“Greetings, Your Grace.”
“There won’t be anyone else at the temple today. Let’s take a walk.”
Lecan said this as he passed by my side. I stood there blankly for a moment before collecting myself and hurrying to walk beside him.
The temple was vast and artistic — easily a perfect place for a date. Despite being decommissioned, the lights inside were so bright it felt like daytime, enough to forget it was evening.
‘Was he always this handsome?’
I was so startled by my own thoughts that I suddenly missed a step. But Lecan, quick as ever, caught me before I could fall.
Maybe it was just a moment of clumsiness. I wasn’t used to wearing heels this high.
“Ah, thank you, Your Grace…”
Since it was summer, the dress I wore was light and thin enough that I could clearly feel the strength of his grip through my bare arm. It was a hand so firm and solid that, for a moment, I was made acutely aware of the biological difference between our s-xes.
“There’s something I’ve been wondering for a long time.”
“…Please, ask, Your Grace.”
“Why haven’t you opened your Mana Gate yet?”
I looked up at Lecan quietly, unsure why he was bringing it up now. His gaze seemed to say, ‘Why does a genius like you cling only to theory?’ The question had come at an unexpected moment, but perhaps for Lecan, it was something he had long been curious about.
If my Mana Gate had been opened, my body would’ve recovered more quickly from injuries. And by combining theory with practice, I might have become an outstanding mage long ago. For someone like Lecan, who saw me as a talent full of potential, the question made perfect sense.
‘Because of my younger brother.’
I hesitated to give such an honest answer. Somehow, it felt like it would offer Lecan an unnecessary clue. After all, my public identity, Leyesha, was officially recorded as an only child. No siblings existed on paper.
But for some reason, I could tell: if I didn’t offer a convincing explanation, Lecan looked ready to force open my Mana Gate on the spot.
‘That… can’t happen.’
“……”
Even though I was already standing upright, Lecan didn’t let go of me. I hesitated, then drew a line between us.
“…I can’t tell you. We’re not close enough to be sharing secrets, are we?”
“I’d say we’re more than close enough to be sharing secrets.”
Despite my words meant to put distance between us, Lecan responded without the slightest shift in expression.
And that was the problem. He was too close. So close it short-circuited my thinking. Looking at me with that face, with those eyes, was unfair.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.