Chapter 66
“I’d rather hurt little by little than all at once.”
With that, she quickly reached out her hand. But just before she could touch him, Euphen slipped aside.
When she deliberately furrowed her brows, he widened his eyes in mock surprise, then soon laughed.
“Are you angry?”
At his tone, which made it sound like she only looked cute, Lynette pouted.
“I am angry.”
“Still, no.”
She tried again to catch him off guard and reach for him, but there was no way she could win against someone who trained every day.
Even so, she didn’t give up and kept reaching for him. The way he easily twisted his body to avoid her, as though playing with a child, only fueled her stubbornness.
“Your Highness!”
Her breath rose up to her chin, and she frowned as she let it out roughly. With both hands pressed to her waist as she panted, Euphen burst into laughter.
“No matter how cutely you get angry, it’s a request I can’t grant.”
“I’m not getting angry cutely.”
“Did being called cute make you angrier?”
The despair and gloom from guiding felt like a lie now, as the two of them were playing around as though it were nothing.
Being like this, it really did feel like nothing. Enough that she almost forgot why she had been so despondent.
“Hooh, haah..”
Lynette drew in a deep breath and let it out. Euphen, seeming to enjoy this brief moment, he was smiling just as he had in the past. Like before her regression, when he hadn’t known she suffered every time she guided. Seeing that smile made a sharp ache tighten inside her chest.
Part of her wanted to leave it at this playful exchange, but the truth was, Euphen needed guiding. As she had said before, it was simply a matter of choice.
Whether it would be bearable pain a little at a time, or unbearable pain all at once that would draw screams from her lips.
She wanted to choose the pain she could bear with little by little. If it were the latter, Euphen would also endure and endure until it was resolved all at once, making the pain double.
So Lynette squeezed her eyes shut and threw herself at him. If Euphen didn’t catch her, she was ready to crash straight into the floor.
In that brief moment, she saw the hesitation on his face, whether to catch her or let her fall onto the hard ground.
“Lynette!”
In the end, he caught her. His voice, sharp with anger, rang in her ears.
Without steadying herself, Lynette immediately stretched out her arms. Before Euphen could push her away, her thin arms pulled him into a tight embrace. It was almost as if she were clinging to him, but it didn’t matter, since all that was needed was contact.
A dull ache seeped into every part of her body that touched him. Perhaps because he wasn’t using his power, it was only a weak pain that’s easily endurable.
“Stop.”
Euphen gripped her arms, trying to pull them away. The more he did, the tighter she held on. His grip grew stronger.
“This is enough. Lynette, please stop.”
At that, she slowly lifted her head from where it was buried against his chest. The face that had been smiling happily only moments ago was now contorted.
Lynette let out a trembling breath. The aching sensation had lessened somewhat, though it hadn’t gone away completely. She knew well that no matter how little backlash there was, because she is a ‘fake’, pain would always come with it.
Still, it was nearly complete guiding at this point. Whether it was because he hadn’t used his power, or because she had embraced him with her whole body, she couldn’t tell.
She unclasped her fingers and slowly straightened up. Then, seeing Euphen’s hardened expression, she quietly took a step back.
“Are you angry?”
The words were the same, but unlike when he had asked playfully earlier, this time they were entirely different. Euphen shut his eyes tight and dragged a large hand down his face.
“Don’t do something like this.”
But she already knew it was useless, no matter how many times she said things like ‘It’s necessary. I don’t want Your Highness to suffer.’
Lynette parted her lips, then chose the one reason she thought he couldn’t refuse.
“I want to touch Your Highness.”
“If you guide me-!”
“Even so. If I truly can’t touch you, isn’t that sad?”
“I’m more saddened by you being in pain.”
“It’s only for a moment. Just a very short moment…”
“……”
A long sigh spilled from Euphen’s lips.
“Not being able to touch at all because of guiding… That’s cruel.”
“It’s for your sake.”
“If it’s truly for my sake, then at least once a day, just for a moment, let me touch you.”
Euphen looked at her with a darkened expression. Surely he knew himself, waiting endlessly for Eshar’s awakening would still end with Lynette guiding him.
Even if he gave the order, once he lost consciousness, Shirin and the others would never stay still. On the contrary, they might even punish her, demanding why she had let it come to that point.
“Horrible.”
Muttering in a self-mocking tone, Euphen let out a dry laugh. There was no joy left in it.
“Just for a very short moment.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t ever do anything dangerous again.”
“…Yes.”
She nodded quietly. She wished he would smile as he had earlier, but she knew that was too greedy.
His face stiff, Euphen slowly turned away.
“Rest now.”
Lynette stared blankly at his retreating back. He looked as though he was carrying heavier emotions than ever before.
And she sank into gloom, feeling as if all of this was her fault.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.