* * *
A soft, warm sensation.
It was unmistakably the feel of lips.
The moment I realized that, my thoughts froze.
The only person who could be kissing me here and now… was Raizen.
‘Raizen… kissed me?’
Out of everything I’d ever experienced, this felt the least real.
While I sat frozen, not knowing what to do, his lips slowly pulled away.
I lowered my hands that had been covering my eyes.
After blinking a few times, I saw Raizen standing in front of me.
“…”
“…”
His expression was calm, but his eyes were lowered and the tips of his ears were red.
Seeing that, my own face started to heat up.
I could feel what he was feeling, even if his face pretended otherwise.
That alone short-circuited whatever reason I had left.
Why now?
Not even a confession?
Not even anything close to one?
Those thoughts sank deep, out of reach.
“No, Raizen…”
You’re going to make me misunderstand like this.
Make me hope for too much.
‘God, I’m losing it.’
It wasn’t even a kiss—just a light touch of the lips—and yet I felt like I was floating.
My chest swelled so much it was honestly scary.
A small cough came from Raizen.
“…I didn’t know what to do when you cried.”
So that’s why he kissed me?
That reason was a bit absurd.
And I wasn’t sure Raizen even knew why he did it himself.
Raizen, not knowing his own reason for acting like that… it felt unfamiliar.
But strangely, kind of adorable too.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
‘I really think this might be okay.’
Since coming to this world, the future always felt vague and terrifying.
But for the first time, I felt a strong certainty.
That Raizen and I—we—could move toward something better.
And at the time, I completely forgot how that kind of certainty usually comes from wanting something too badly… and not from anything real.
[Engaged?]
“Yeah.”
At my answer, Seol went quiet.
He tilted his head and seemed lost in thought, then cautiously came closer.
He bumped his forehead against my thigh once, then rested his chin there.
“What? You don’t like it?”
Raizen was the reincarnation of the soul that had killed Baldur, so the ancient gods hated him.
I figured Seol, a divine beast, might feel the same.
His attitude toward Raizen had never been particularly warm.
Instead of replying, Seol just let out a soft sigh.
“Hm? You don’t like him? Because he’s a soul who committed a sin?”
Still resting his chin on my leg, Seol shook his head.
[It’s uncomfortable, but that’s not the reason.]
Though… he didn’t exactly deny disliking Raizen either.
[I just… want you to be happy.]
My heart ached a little at those words.
I instinctively reached out to stroke Seol’s head, and he began to purr.
He looked like a fox from the canine family, but his behavior was completely feline.
Was it because he was a divine beast?
“You’re really like a cat.”
Was it my imagination?
His body flinched for a moment.
But when I looked again, Seol just seemed a little sulky.
[I’m a divine beast. A great divine beast!]
“Sure, sure.”
Clearly unimpressed with my lukewarm response, he slapped his tail on the floor in annoyance.
I tried not to laugh, but just then, he stood up and turned transparent.
A short while later, someone knocked on the door.
It was Mila.
She entered with a tight expression I hadn’t seen before—clearly trying to contain her anger.
“Mila…?”
I called her quietly, puzzled.
Her brows furrowed sharply.
“Master…”
She sighed softly, then put on a neutral face.
“You’ll need to come out for a moment.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Well…”
She hesitated, then continued carefully.
“Duke Luavis and his son have come to see you.”
“What?”
‘Kim Minsoo and Duke Luavis?’
I felt like I might get indigestion before even having breakfast.
Kim Minsoo I could understand, but the Duke himself?
As I stood up, Mila came closer.
“I’ll help you get ready.”
“Thanks. Please be quick.”
With Mila’s practiced help, I got ready in no time and headed to the drawing room.
When I arrived, the servant waiting outside announced my presence.
The door opened right away.
As I stepped in, several pairs of eyes turned to look at me.
Thankfully, Raizen wasn’t one of them.
“Sei, come in.”
“Apologies for being late. I just heard you had arrived.”
With those words, I sat down, lacing my tone with the unspoken, “Who told you to barge in uninvited anyway?”
Across from me sat Duke Luavis and Kim Minsoo.
“They really look disgustingly alike.”
When I first saw Duke Pantheon and Reisen, I found it curious.
But with this one?
It was just unpleasant.
The air around them was different, but the sharp, icy eyes were eerily similar.
Duke Luavis gave me a displeased look as he sipped his black tea.
Next to him, Kim Minsoo… smiled at me sweetly.
“That guy’s a real lunatic.”
How twisted do you have to be to smile like that in front of the person you tried to kill?
A chill crawled down my spine.
“Well, now that all parties are present, let me say it again. My son acted rashly, driven by emotion. I apologize for his behavior.”
There wasn’t even a hint of sincerity in his voice.
In fact, his face seemed to ask why he even had to say such things.
It was clear Kim Minsoo had engineered this whole situation.
“Just what the hell did he do to make this happen…?”
Does Kim Minsoo know how to manipulate Duke Luavis?
Or is it that, maybe—just a little—Duke Luavis is a better person than I gave him credit for?
Still, for a duke from the House of Luavis to come personally to the House of Pantheon and apologize?
“I apologize, Young Lord Pantheon. I let my emotions get the better of me and behaved disrespectfully.”
Kim Minsoo apologized with a perfect gentleman’s tone.
But his deep olive eyes glinted with anything but remorse.
I glanced at Duke and Duchess Pantheon.
They nodded slightly—permission to accept the apology.
“I accept your apology, Young Lord Luavis.”
“But please know my feelings are sincere.”
How can someone saying they like me sound this repulsive?
If I could, I’d scrub my ears clean.
Still, in this kind of setting, whoever shows discomfort first loses.
So I smiled even wider, deliberately.
“Ah… what a shame. Refusing your proposal wasn’t just my decision—it also reflects my family’s wishes.”
For a moment, Duke Luavis’s brow twitched.
Kim Minsoo, on the other hand, continued to smile as if nothing had changed.
“People can always change their minds.”
That sentence screamed: You’ll end up doing exactly what I want.
The arrogance of someone who believes the world revolves around them.
Is that what happens to your mindset when you live over and over again as the protagonist?
“The Kim Minsoo I read about in the novel wasn’t like this.”
Not that I felt sorry for him. Just… unsettled.
“But we’re still good friends, aren’t we?”
“Haha…”
“What a load of crap.”
What followed was pure formality.
Duke Luavis offered to compensate for his son’s offense, and Duke Pantheon declined.
Of course, Luavis had expected that answer—and smiled with smug satisfaction.
The awkward meeting finally ended.
I left the sitting room before anyone else.
As I walked out, Kim Minsoo quickly caught up and spoke in a calm, relaxed voice.
“Young Lord Pantheon, may I have a word?”
“Think again.”
I paused briefly and turned to look at him, ready to give some excuse to refuse.
“Think carefully—about what I know.”
Kim Minsoo knew I was Sean Kreveta.
Duke Luavis… didn’t.
Even as he threatened me, the bastard had the nerve to smile.
My teeth clenched before I realized it.
Even talking to Kim Minsoo right now might be falling into his trap.
But news of Sean Kreveta’s survival needed to be revealed carefully and suddenly.
If Duke Luavis caught wind before then…
“What should I do?”
I hadn’t yet made up my mind when—
“Oh dear, looks like I’m late.”
A voice like salvation rang out behind me.
* * *
