How to Tame That Gentle Hero - Chapter 10.7

Tears were already welling up in Resena’s eyes. She jumped up from her seat and ran toward Vernas, who was walking toward her.

Thump.

He embraced Resena’s body as she crashed into him forcefully, his brow furrowed sadly. However, when Resena kissed him, that expression gently melted away, instantly transforming into an affectionate one.

“Resena…”

“Vernas.”

Their deep breaths mingled. Resena clung to his neck and cupped his cheek with one hand. The touch of his soft skin felt familiar, but it wasn’t enough to judge a person by.

Because she missed him.

Simply because she didn’t want to be apart.

When she looked up at him, bright blue eyes shining like radiance from his finely featured face, gazed only at her. Vernas lifted Resena in his strong arms and strode forward with large steps.

Sitting on the bench, he embraced Resena’s slender waist and continued with gentle kisses. The lovers, completely absorbed in their kisses for a while, only began to exchange words after several dozen minutes had passed.

“I missed you, Vernas.”

“Resena…”

“I was concerned when you said you were going to the holy land with Eldis… I worried that something might happen.”

Resena then added.

“But strangely, I wasn’t worried. I felt that Vernas would firmly support Eldis from behind. And because I thought you would be his strength, I could just wait.”

“Resena…”

Vernas looked down at Resena affectionately. Despite his tendency to show a blunt demeanor to others, she liked that he was affectionate to her. Resena caressed Vernas’s cheek over and over. Only when the touch of his soft skin reached her hand did she finally feel that Vernas had returned to her side.

“Vernas.”

“Yes, Resena.”

“Now that you’ve completely returned, you won’t go anywhere for a while, right?”

At those words, Vernas smiled faintly and rubbed his cheek against Resena’s palm.

“Yes. I won’t go anywhere for a while. Because I need to be by your side.”

“Vernas…”

“I was sad while we were apart. I thought of you many times while we were separated. Resena, I wish you would always be by my side forever.”

Resena’s expression showed joy at those words. As she threw herself into his arms and whispered, “Yes, I will,” Vernas kissed her forehead.

After staying still like that for a while, Vernas bent his head toward Resena to meet her eye level. He gently stroked Resena’s hair and then touched the obsidian earring hanging by her ear.

“It’s beautiful. Will you wear this at the Founding Festival too?”

“Yes. And the necklace as well.”

The obsidian necklace around Resena’s slender neck sparkled. Vernas, who was looking over her delicate neckline that made him want to covet it just by looking, reached out and traced from her ear down to her collarbone with his hand.

When Resena flinched with an “Ah,” he withdrew his hand and smiled slightly. It felt as if her body temperature was rapidly rising. Moreover, he wrapped his arm around Resena’s back and pulled her closer to him. She was happy to be completely trapped in his firm embrace.

“I heard about you participating in the parade with Eldis.”

“Yes. That’s how it turned out.”

Vernas traced around Resena’s eyes with his fingertips, wearing a strange smile.

“Eldis intends to make you his official lover. With your permission, of course, Resena.”

“….”

“Then, am I being cast aside?”

Resena shook her head vigorously.

“No. I want to be your lover too, Vernas.”

“…Haha.”

Vernas chuckled and grabbed Resena’s chin, pulling her toward him. After sweetly kissing her lips again, he spoke in a gentle whisper.

“Then, Resena, may I also become your official lover?”

“Vernas…”

“Even if Eldis is your official lover, I, too, want to be your official lover, Resena. So… don’t reject me. Accept me as your complete lover.”

“Vernas…”

Vernas looked down at her sweetly with a gaze as if melted with honey, making her lean fully against his chest. As she breathed in his fresh scent deeply, Eldis somehow came to mind, and Resena shook off that thought.

Because when she was with Vernas, she didn’t want to think of another man.

“Yes. I’d like that, Vernas. You are my official lover. No matter what people say, you are mine.”

At those words, Vernas smiled slightly.

“Yes. I belong to you. No other woman can obstruct you who possesses me. In the end, whoever you choose in the end is your heart’s decision, but sharing you with Eldis like this isn’t bad either. After all, this moment with you is the greatest moment for me.”

“Vernas…”

Vernas pressed his forehead against Resena’s with a mischievous, playful expression. As excited breaths escaped from his lips, Resena closed her eyes, imagining a kiss. The way she gently lowered her eyelids was so lovely that Vernas couldn’t resist kissing her.

The more he looked at Resena, the more he could feel his heart growing. Although he was hiding his identity from her, when he received different courtship from her in his other form, it felt as if his mood was soaring to the edge of the sky.

“Then Resena, shall we meet at night during the Founding Festival and watch the fireworks together?”

“Yes. I think I’ll have time at night.”

“Then let’s have dinner together and watch the fireworks in the square. The fireworks I watch with you will be very special.”

‘Special…’

“Yes. I’d like that…”

Even as she spoke, Resena blushed from her pounding heart. Vernas gently stroked her clear cheek, admiring its loveliness. How adorably red it was, like an apple that had spent the summer. Haa, he finally pressed his well-formed lips against it.

“…You’re beautiful, Resena.”

After staying close like that for a while, Vernas slowly pulled his lips away. He quietly rose from his seat, but when Resena, sitting on his arm, slightly tugged at his sleeve, he carefully set her down.

Soon Resena smiled brightly and gently clung to his arm.

“Then let’s have dinner together today and take a walk to the square. Where will you take me this time?”

Vernas escorted her politely and whispered pleasantly.

“Since you seem to have come on horseback today, I’m thinking of letting you taste a delicacy that can be enjoyed near here. Resena, do you like grilled fish?”

Resena opened her eyes wide.

Grilled fish was something she had quite liked in her previous life. But in Crevasta, it was difficult to even see fish. Because the imperial capital was in the middle of the inland, it was difficult to obtain fresh fish, and freezing fish with magic was also expensive, so it was very rare for fish to appear on the tables of ordinary nobles.

‘Of course, fish does occasionally appear on the table at the House of Arnasus… but this is the first time I’ll be eating it grilled.’

“If there’s a precondition that the grilled fish isn’t fishy, I can eat it well without being picky. I really like it.”

At that, Vernas smiled affectionately.

“That’s good. There’s a place near here that makes good grilled fish. I can already imagine your pleased face.”

At those words, Resena chuckled.

“But where do you get the fish from? The coast is so far from the imperial capital, I’m not making Vernas go bankrupt, am I?”

At that, Vernas laughed softly, “Haha.”

“I have enough money for that, Resena. It would be too sad if I couldn’t buy whatever my loved one wants. Besides, my heart always wants to show the best to Resena.”

“…Vernas.”

“That’s why I always take you to the best places I’ve been to. But wherever it is, if you want to go somewhere else, tell me, Resena. Whatever your heart desires, accommodating you is a great joy to me.”

“Really…”

Vernas lifted Resena’s interlocked fingers and kissed the back of her hand. Then he looked down at her with seductively upturned eyes. Resena inhaled with a reddened face.