“Shall I fetch something to cool it down?”

“It’s fine. This is my just-desserts.”

“It’s not Lord Gaizel’s fault…”

In front of the depressed Tistye, Gaizel smiled gently. He covered Tistye’s hand, which had been placed over his cheek, with his own.

“Your hand is cold.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, hence why, it feels good.”

What Gaizel had just said was childish, Tistye’s heart was tickled.

Feeling playful, Tistye reached for Gaizel’s other cheek.

 Gaizel, whose face was held by Tistye’s hands, gently lowered his face and showed a wry smile.

Towards that gentle expression of his, Tistye smiled back.

Ah, I…

…Eventually, Tistye approached Gaizel’s face. She tilted her face, and covered Gaizel’s face with her own.

Gaizel was taken aback while Tistye closed her eyes at that very moment.

When she placed her hands, which were on Gaizel’s cheeks, on the bed, Gaizel pulled her into his embrace. As if violently announcing its existence, her heart thumped loudly inside her chest.

I, I, I’m, kissing, His, Majesty, right now—!

She hadn’t been able to do it no matter how much she tried—but now, everything happened naturally. At the unknown emotions welling inside her, Tistye finally exploded with embarrassment and pulled back.

Gaizel, on the other hand, was completely stunned. It was as if the pain in his cheek had completely disappeared. He didn’t even seem to notice that Tistye had disappeared from his arms.

Taking advantage of his rigidity, Tistye urged Gaizel to go to bed in a deceptive manner.

“Then, let’s head to bed for today!”

“Y, yes…”

Finally regaining his senses, Gaizel hung his coat beside of the bed and sat next to Tistye.

Tistye wrapped herself with a blanket before he could say anything further and lied down with her back to Gaizel.

As the sound of movement continued, Tistye becomes relieved. It seemed that Gaizel was preparing to go to bed as well.

However, soon enough, she could hear Gaizel’s turmoil from behind her—probably because he had fully realized what had just happened.

[“—Unintentionally, I stopped thinking—but what happened just now!?”]

[“—Even if I remember what happened, my heart is still…”]

[“—P, perhaps, I’m still being possessed?! Am I dreaming!?”]

Although he didn’t say a word, Tistye began to get overwhelmed by the endless dismay of Gaizel.

Although she didn’t know why she had kissed him just before, Tistye shut her eyes tightly. She was scared of Gaizel whom was right behind her. If he kept emphasizing it anymore than that, she wouldn’t know what to do.

However, her wish wasn’t granted. Gaizel quietly called out to her.

“Tistye, uh…”

“W, w, what is it!?”

“No, uh, it’s no a big deal…”

A second passed before Gaizel resolutely opened his mouth.

“Can I…”

“Yes?”

“Can I embrace you?”

“Eh…” Tistye could only muster such a half-hearted reply. In her heart, she realized she had misspoken.

[“As I thought… after being assaulted like that, who wouldn’t be scared? If it’s possible, I want to start over… however, is that impossible? Even though Tistye’s courage brought her this far… I made her feel uncomfortable…”]

Lord Gaizel…

Apparently, her half-hearted replied earlier was more damaging to Gaizel than she thought.

She felt that the voice of his heart was growing more and more depressed.

Tistye couldn’t help but get up and stared back at Gaizel.

In front of Gaizel whom was visibly depressed, Tistye spread her arms.

She was sure she was blushing wildly—but still.

“Y, you may…”

“…Tistye—”

At the same time Gaizel made that a remark which seemed to sprang from the bottom of his heart, his powerful arms hugged Tistye’s body tight.

The two lied down within the blanket and laughed secretly.

As their body temperatures grew to match each other, Gaizel quietly asked Tistye—

“—are you, not scared?”

“…I’m not.”

“…That’s a relief.”

With that said, Gaizel carefully caressed Tistye’s hair. It felt comfortable to be combed by such a large palm, Tistye narrowed her eyes involuntarily.

Gaizel seemed relieved, perhaps realizing Tistye wasn’t scared by said gesture.

Apparently, that day indeed ended with just an embrace.

At last, Tistye closed her eyelids while being buried within Gaizel’s strong chest. Perhaps due to the drowsiness, the voice of Gaizel’s heart spilled.

[“Will ask… Randi… if the ceremony… can just be advanced to tomorrow…”]

While listening to such an unreasonable request, Tistye smiled happily.

---

***T/N: Part of me was really happy, like: “Omg–! OMG–!!! IS THAT A SEMBLANCE OF CHEMISTRY AND PROPER COMMUNICATION I SEE–!?!?! YES, AUTHOR, YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, KEEP THIS UP!!!!! BECAUSE DESPITE EVERYTHING, GAIZEL IS STILL AAA+++ ON MY BOOK, AND DUDE CAN STOMP ON ME JUST FINE.”

While the other part of me was like: “Uh, Gaizel??? Tistye??? Suppose if it’s truly an enemy who want to wreak havoc in the kingdom, ain’t it already considered an achievement when they managed to take control of the Emperor’s trusted aide–HECK, EVEN THE EMPEROR HIMSELF!? Ain’t that basically a milestone? Uh… you guys not gonna mull over it? You guys just gonna go to sleep ‘kyakyaufufu’-ly? Author, isn’t this the time for them to actually don their Empress and Emperor’s mantles and assess the situation critically–no? They seriously are going to sleep, just like that? Guys? GUYS?!!?!”

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