* * *
But how do I do that?
Rattling off personal facts out of nowhere sounds pretty off-putting.
“U-um, Tower Master.”
Oh. He spoke first.
A chance. I nodded slowly, careful not to seem too eager.
“I’m really sorry about that day. It was my first time seeing a magical beast up close… I’m actually writing a novel that features them. I just wanted a quick look, but things got out of hand.”
If someone were reading this novel, they’d be yelling at Siwoo right about now.
That was the very definition of a nuisance.
Even in real life, pulling a stunt like that would get him flamed online and kicked from any group.
“But I was honestly shocked. That kind of power…”
Siwoo looked at me with sparkling eyes. Not much remorse on that face.
“How do you use magic like that?”
How do I…?
I tilted my head.
How do I… I’d never thought about it.
Ever since I transmigrated, casting magic with this body came as naturally as breathing.
I looked at Siwoo, then raised my hand. He blinked in confusion.
“Like this.”
“Like this?”
He raised his hand, mimicking me.
“For me, it’s like that. Too obvious and easy to really explain.”
“Wow…”
Siwoo stared at his hand and then at mine, back and forth in awe.
Ugh, really. I’m saying this in front of the real deal.
Once he regains his memory, how ridiculous will this sound to him?
I glanced over—he was gazing at his own hand with a strange expression.
He’s not going to suddenly regain his memory just from this, right?
That would be bad. I abruptly stood up.
“Tower Master?”
Siwoo looked up at me with a puzzled face, but I turned almost completely away and left the Fourth Prince’s palace.
The whole way back to the tower, my head was a mess.
Should I have stayed and kept watching him instead of running?
What if he really regains his memory?
I shouldn’t have said anything.
Cloden gave me a worried look at my clearly off demeanor.
“Are you all right?”
I nodded vaguely. Cloden’s face darkened with concern.
“His Majesty the Emperor will be arriving at the tower shortly…”
There was no point asking why.
Ateol mostly showed up for no reason at all. I staggered toward the bed.
“Tell him I’m sleeping, and he should enjoy his time here.”
Even at my nonsense, Cloden only replied quietly, “Yes, sir.”
He might even sugarcoat it when passing the message.
Cloden wasn’t fond of Ateol.
Something like, ‘The Master has dozed off for a bit and wishes His Majesty a restful visit’.
What I meant was more like don’t bother me and get lost.
Either way, I had no energy left to care about Ateol.
I pulled the covers over my head and lay there, thinking only of Siwoo.
Not even my first love ever consumed my thoughts like this.
Assuming I even had a first love.
Thankfully, sleep didn’t come.
I tossed and turned until the door opened quietly.
It seemed like Ateol.
I considered staying under the covers and ignoring him—but ended up throwing them off and sitting up.
Ateol, who had been approaching the bed, looked surprised.
“You know how to pull pranks?”
Pranks?
…What, did he think I was about to jump up and yell ‘Ta-da! Gotcha!’?
That’s ridiculous.
One look at my face should make it clear that’s not what this was.
I just felt like getting up. I frowned and asked bluntly:
“Why are you here.”
“Can’t I visit even without a reason?”
“You can’t.”
“Oh? But I do have a reason today.”
Ateol smirked and moved closer, pulling up a chair beside the bed.
“It’s about that rumor.”
“……”
Not a topic I wanted to deal with.
Not that I had a choice.
Well—maybe I did have one.
“Less than 10% of people believe it. All those public appearances of yours paid off. But I figured we should settle it more firmly, so I’m considering some options…”
“I’ve got the best one.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
“Let me go.”
The room seemed to drop ten degrees.
Ateol was still smiling—but if I could measure the temperature of that smile, it was 30 degrees colder than before. His red eyes gleamed frostily.
“That’s not possible.”
“Why not.”
“You probably know the answer better than I do.”
“How would I know? I said let me go!”
I nearly shouted the classic “Stop obsessing over me!” line of every transmigrated romance protagonist—but held back.
And regretted it a moment later.
Ateol’s expression turned even icier.
If we dropped to freezing earlier, it was now practically Antarctic.
My temperature-controlled room felt like a blizzard had swept in.
“Exactly my point.”
Ateol leaned in suddenly.
I felt the weight of him press against one side of the bed.
“Do you really think I’d try to seduce you with my body?”
As soon as he spoke, Ateol slipped his hand under my clothes.
The sudden warmth of his skin against mine made me flinch.
His hand slid down from my chest to my side, boldly exploring my body.
His touch, smooth and practiced as it glided subtly over my skin, felt dangerously skilled.
I instinctively leaned back to escape, fearing I’d be swept along if this continued.
Surprisingly, Ateol withdrew his hand without resistance and stepped back, standing in front of the bed.
Why is he being so obedient all of a sudden?
Suspicious, I glanced up at him—just in time to see him slowly unfastening the top button of his uniform.
The jeweled button, tightly secured with golden thread, popped out with a soft sound, and the collar loosened.
Then he removed his cloak pin, shrugged off the cloak, and draped it over the chair.
He continued undressing, unbuttoning one, two, three buttons at a slow, deliberate pace.
The shirt beneath the uniform was revealed little by little.
Once the outer coat joined the cloak on the chair, he was left in just his shirt and trousers.
The white silk shirt clung tightly to Ateol’s frame, stretched taut over his body.
Click.
The top button of the shirt came undone, the collar parting to reveal the smooth, powerful line of his neck.
My eyes involuntarily fixed on his chest.
Ateol slowly rolled up both sleeves, then undid a second button.
His chest, barely exposed, hovered on the verge of being seen.
As he reached for the third button, his hand paused, frozen in place.
When I unconsciously lifted my gaze to his face, I saw him watching me with a languid smile.
“Should I stop here? Or…”
“…”
“Should I take off more?”
Did… did he really think I’d tell him to keep going?
Absolutely not.
I… I…
“…”
As I hesitated, Ateol pouted slightly and began rebuttoning his shirt.
“W-wait.”
Without realizing, I raised my hand.
Ateol tilted his head to the side, then gave me a sly grin as he perched one leg back on the bed.
He leaned in, and the scent of his cologne enveloped me.
Then he gently took my half-lifted hand and guided it toward his chest.
My fingertips brushed against the button of his shirt.
“Undo it.”
“…….”
“You like my body, don’t you? You’re always staring at me like you want to lick me.”
“Since when?!”
Ateol didn’t answer.
* * *
