Chapter 33
“Anything at all. Just say it.”
“Are you serious?”
“I don’t lie. Unlike some people.”
“……”
“Come on, tell me. Anything you want.”
“If that’s the case…”
If she wanted a dress, he would give her an endless supply, enough to wear a new one every day for the rest of her life without ever repeating.
Now that his emotions had awakened, Vylon’s thoughts were racing, overflowing with fantasies of jewels, dresses, and carriages, far beyond any practical reality.
“A boar’s claw.”
The unexpected request brought Vylon’s runaway thoughts to a halt. He let out a chuckle, followed by a long sigh.
“I forgot for a moment that you’re a witch.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You told me to ask for anything!”
Feeling slightly insulted, Kalynia turned her head sharply. Vylon raised one eyebrow, watching her before he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
“I’ll get it for you soon, so you’d better practice saying ‘thank you’.”
“You’re going to brag about getting me one little thing? Never mind, I don’t want it!”
“Too late. I’ve already decided to give it to you.”
I’ll give you anything. Whatever you desire.
Vylon closed his eyes, smiling.
“A forced gift? That’s not a real gift!”
Kalynia muttered, turning to face him.
“The way you’re grinning makes me think you’re up to something. I feel uneasy.”
“Witches do have sharp intuition.”
“What are you planning to make me do once I get that ‘gift’?”
Before Kalynia could press him further, Vylon leaned in and sealed her lips with a quick kiss.
* * *
For the first time since their marriage, Vylon went hunting. Ignoring all other game, he searched specifically for a boar.
Before the war, he’d been a seasoned hunter, so it didn’t take him long to capture one. In fact, the journey to and from the forest took more time than the hunt itself.
“How would one go about getting sick?”
On the way back to the castle, Vylon turned to the count riding beside him.
“The queen wants to give me a potion, but I never get sick.”
The count glanced at the duke beside him, confused, while the duke frowned as if he’d also heard something strange.
“Because I can’t take her potion, the queen’s disappointed.”
“So… Your Majesty is trying to fall ill because the queen is disappointed?”
“Do healthy people know any way to make themselves sick?”
The count’s expression turned to shock. Both he and the duke shook their heads, answering that they had no idea how to make oneself sick on purpose.
Disappointed, the king rode in silence all the way back to the castle.
Naturally, he didn’t expect his haughty queen to be there waiting for him.
But to his surprise, Kalynia was there, waiting.
“Welcome back from the hunt, Your Majesty.”
Kalynia, aware of the onlookers, greeted him properly with respect. Her pretense didn’t last long, though, as she eagerly glanced around, looking specifically for the boar.
Of course. She hadn’t been waiting for him, but for the boar.
He’d expected this, so he wasn’t exactly disappointed. Seeing her delight, he felt a sense of satisfaction, as if he’d brought the perfect gift.
All things considered, he thought he’d done well for his first gift.
“The boar’s claw, as promised, is yours, Queen.”
But Kalynia was behaving strangely that day. Though focused on the boar, she kept glancing at him, as if she had something to say.
When he asked why, she flinched, biting her lip and finally looking back at him with determination.
“Your Majesty.”
Her voice was stiff, and her steps toward him were awkward. Suspicious of her behavior, he watched as she raised herself on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
He knew very well how soft and warm her lips were, having kissed them countless times. But she had never once kissed him on the cheek. Not even once.
“Thank you for the gift, Your Majesty.”
She stepped back with a soft smacking sound, fidgeting with her hands behind her back, stealing glances at him to see his reaction.
For a moment, he was frozen, his eyes wide open, barely breathing as he processed what had happened.
“Your Majesty.”
It was only when the count, unable to bear it, patted him on the back that he inhaled sharply. By then, Kalynia had disappeared from sight.
Vylon, still stunned, raised a hand to touch the cheek where she had kissed him, too hesitant to rub it, fearing he might erase the sensation.
He carefully brushed his cheek, savoring the memory, and then clenched his hand into a tight fist.
“Sometimes, being loved isn’t so bad. Yes, not bad at all. Really, not bad at all. I like it…”
He muttered to himself, then ordered the servants moving the boar to clean the claws carefully and deliver them all to the queen.
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