* * *
“I’ve just been busy these past few days.”
He spoke lightly, lips still half-pressed against mine.
As our lips met again, I thought, “No matter how busy you are…”—but then changed my mind.
What does it even matter?
Maybe Ateol just did it because people were watching.
Like when he took down the Kraken.
Thinking that way made the past three days I spent burying myself in worry feel stupid and embarrassing.
So I lightly bit Ateol’s tongue.
He flinched slightly, but it didn’t faze him.
He just kept stirring up my mouth however he pleased.
After a long while, our lips parted.
As I exhaled and relaxed my hands, the two raccoons suddenly bolted across the room and began furiously scratching at the door.
The door creaked open slightly, and the two slipped out like water through the narrow gap.
Once Ray and Roy’s tails had vanished from sight, the door closed behind them.
I wiped my lips, which were already swollen and sore.
I could hear their footsteps fading down the hall.
Ateol, who had somehow already stood up and was now staring at the closed door, turned to face me.
Our eyes met, and I flinched before I could help it.
Ateol tilted his head slightly.
“I thought I’d given you plenty of time…”
“…”
“I’d like to hear your answer now.”
Huh?
“To the proposal, I mean.”
“What kind of proposal is that without even a ring?”
That came out way too fast.
Ateol’s smile deepened.
“Actually, I have one. But I didn’t give it to you because I was worried about how shocked you’d be.”
“…”
I couldn’t argue with that.
The gesture itself could be brushed off as a dramatic performance.
But giving me a ring?
That would’ve sent the entire country into a frenzy—either a good one or a bad one, depending on how I responded.
What he did during the Lantern Festival could be taken as a public expression of affection, maybe even courting.
It fit the narrative that “The Emperor is desperately trying to win over the Tower Master.”
But a ring? That’s different.
That would turn all the rumors into undeniable truth…
Wait a second.
Did he say he prepared a ring?
“You’re lying.”
“It’s true.”
“Then show me.”
“I hid it in the deepest part of my room. I’ll show you later.”
I stared at him.
I couldn’t tell if he was serious or bluffing.
“I don’t believe you. So I’ll just say no.”
“Does that mean you’ll say yes if I show you the ring?”
“…Not exactly.”
“Well, that’s fine. Even a heavy stone will eventually reach the bottom of the sea.”
It was a local proverb.
It meant that even a heavy stone would eventually settle on the seafloor—emphasizing perseverance.
It was something people said when they were waiting patiently for someone they loved.
But could he really say that?
After going completely silent for three days?
That was pretty fatal.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask Cloden or anyone else if Ateol was just busy, so I had no idea what had actually happened.
I wanted to ask, “Were you busy?”—but the words wouldn’t come out.
Whenever this kind of thing came up in a novel, I used to scream “Just talk to each other! Communicate!” and hit my chest in frustration, but now I realized—it’s really not that easy.
And besides, there are plenty of things in this world that even talking can’t fix.
“I apologize for not contacting you. I was really busy.”
“I figured…”
Did that sound sarcastic?
I didn’t mean it to.
It was true.
Ateol was the Emperor.
Unlike me, who could curl up with two raccoons when I felt down, he had a mountain of responsibilities.
Maybe the past three days really were so overwhelming that he didn’t even have time to send a short letter.
Still… couldn’t he have sent at least one messenger?
I’ve never liked playing games like this.
He was the one who proposed, but the past three days made it feel like I was the one on my knees, begging.
I spent each day staring at the windows, the doors, until time slipped away.
If his goal was to make me restless and anxious, he hit the bullseye.
“…Why did you do it?”
That’s what I finally asked after a long pause.
“What do you mean? The proposal?”
Yeah, the proposal.
Lying down to talk felt weird, so I sat up and leaned against a tall cushion.
Ateol saw that and pulled up a chair.
“There’s no ‘why’ when it comes to a proposal.”
“Of course there is.”
“Hm… you’re right.”
Proposals are full of ‘why’s—emotional and practical ones.
Ateol crossed his legs and looked at me like he found this whole thing amusing.
“But my reason is simple. I want to marry you.”
“…”
“What about you?”
I.. I avoided his gaze.
Marry? Emotionally, I hadn’t even thought about marriage.
I glanced at my status window.
HP 12, MP 999+, Ateol’s affection: 99%. What’s that 1% that’s still missing?
And what’s the real meaning behind this ‘affection’ stat?
This must be why reading someone’s heart is considered a cursed ability.
I like Ateol, but I can’t fully trust him—not just from his gaze, or his gestures.
They say “affection” isn’t the same as actual feelings, but that name makes it impossible not to associate the two.
And 99% is not 100%.
“I… don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“What about you? Why do you want to marry me?”
“Well, I thought that if we had, say, three kids, you might finally focus on surviving here instead of thinking about running away.”
What is this, ‘The Woodcutter and the Fairy’?
I hate that story. …
If Ateol had said something emotional, like “Because I love you so much,” would I have wavered a little?
“So why are you so determined to keep me here?”
“If you really want to know, I’ll explain it two ways.”
Yeah, I want to know.
I want to know so badly it’s killing me.
I narrowed my eyes, and Ateol answered with a playful wink.
“First, the practical reason: Having the Tower Master on my side is a huge advantage—even now that I’m Emperor. You understand that, don’t you?”
“…I do.”
Siwoo already has a strong connection with Duke Roanes, and he’d likely side with her.
But Ateol might be able to win him over.
Especially now, when Siwoo’s been apart from her for a while—this could be Ateol’s best shot.
“And second, the emotional reason. That one’s more important.”
“Emotion?”
“Yes. My emotion. I absolutely don’t want to let you go.”
“What does that even mean.”
“It means exactly what it sounds like. Haven’t I said it already? If I lost you, it’d feel like…”
Ateol tilted his head slightly and looked at me.
“I feel like I’ll regret it so much that I’ll wish I were dead.”
“…Why?”
This time, I really couldn’t understand, so I asked.
Had we shared such intense emotions?
Sure, it’s possible to develop feelings—even love—in just a few hours.
But so intense you’d talk about death?
“I don’t know either.”
“…”
“Not knowing makes me want to hold on even more.”
Ateol slowly reached out, took my hand, and kissed the back of it.
My heart thumped hard.
* * *
