* * *
To say I wasn’t afraid of Luke’s declaration of war would be a lie, but the fact remained that the Luna Guild had won the preliminary rounds.
This victory granted us access to the third divine beast and the coveted title of “hero,” the Empire’s highest honor.
For a guild that was on the brink of collapse, such achievements were unprecedented.
On the day of the title ceremony, I personally went to the Howard estate to fetch Jerome, who, as expected, had no intention of attending.
This was my first time at the estate, and after enduring the overly enthusiastic welcome from Duke Michael, I headed straight for Jerome’s room.
The maids standing outside his door turned pale when they saw me and tried to block my way.
“Young Master specifically ordered no one to enter…”
“It’s fine. Step aside.”
At my firm response, the maids reluctantly moved.
When I opened the door, the room was dark and filled with smoke.
It felt like I’d walked into a voodoo ritual.
Striding toward the window, I pulled the curtains open, letting sunlight flood the room.
Jerome, sprawled naked on the sofa, groaned irritably and turned over.
“Ugh…”
He pulled the blanket over his head and seemed intent on falling back asleep.
Glancing at the unopened letters scattered across the room, I picked them up.
They ranged from high-ranking officials asking him to become their advisor to love letters from ladies renowned for their pride.
It was clear how much Jerome’s reputation had grown within the Empire.
I approached him, tapping his curled-up figure with my knee.
“Hey, celebrity. Wake up.”
Even as I shook him, there was no response. Jerome, who rarely fell asleep, would sleep so deeply once he did that nothing could wake him.
It was the kind of unhealthy lifestyle bound to shorten one’s lifespan.
If only his fangirls could see him like this.
Eventually, Jerome couldn’t withstand my persistence and pulled the blanket off his head.
With a bleary face, he muttered.
“I had a dream about you… You said you found a new man. Been dating him for a few months.”
“……”
“So I threatened the guy, told him to run for his life. Then I clasped your hands, and we shot him in the back with an arrow. He shivered like a soaked sparrow in my arms. So cute.”
Only Jerome could say something so insane first thing in the morning.
As he abruptly sat up, the blanket slipped, revealing his lower half.
I quickly grabbed it, glaring at him. Jerome met my gaze and smirked.
“Why so shy? It’s nothing new. Why not say hello properly?”
“Just get dressed already. Today’s the title ceremony, remember?”
“Boring. I’m not going.”
My brow furrowed unconsciously at his childlike whining.
Jerome’s massive, unashamed manhood loomed as I tried to snatch the blanket away, only for him to grab my wrist this time.
He pulled me firmly into his embrace, locking me in his arms.
Struggling against his unyielding strength proved futile, so I sighed and spoke softly.
“You’re capable of so much more. Even if you can’t become emperor, you could be a brilliant strategist who could topple emperors whenever you wanted. Doesn’t it bother you to let that talent go to waste like this?”
Jerome’s hand, which had been idly caressing my back, froze.
Someone as intelligent as him could undoubtedly make a name for himself in many areas.
Watching him waste away like this felt deeply regretful.
After a brief silence, Jerome resumed speaking in a gentle tone.
“There’s a river in front of this estate. When I was a child, I used to wonder where it ended.”
“…”
“So one day, I decided to follow it, thinking I might find something incredible at the end.”
As Jerome said, the Howard family estate was uniquely situated by a large river.
I looked at him, signaling him to continue.
Jerome naturally took my hand, pressing his lips against its back.
His sudden shift in mood froze me in place. Lowering his gaze, he went on.
“But at the end of the river was a cliff where the corpses of traitors were discarded. Nothing incredible, just piles of bodies and pools of blood. It’s the same with creating emperors.”
“…”
“A long journey, only to end up with corpses and blood. I’m tired of it now. I’m done building sandcastles that I know will crumble.”
Building sandcastles destined to crumble.
It was an arrogant statement, but coming from someone like Jerome, who had seen and mastered so much, it struck differently.
Noticing my displeased expression, Jerome nuzzled his face against my chest like a spoiled child.
“What? Don’t like men without ambition?”
“It’s not that… but I do think it’s boring.”
“Really?”
As silence stretched, Jerome slipped his leg between mine, brushing against me.
The slow, deliberate friction of his touch sent heat rushing to my face.
Jerome’s vacant gaze fixed on my reaction, and a faint smile crossed his lips.
“In that case… should I steal the throne?”
The chilling statement made my eyes widen in shock.
When his hand slipped beneath my shirt, I shoved him away in a panic.
Jerome let out a childish “Ouch” as my flailing hand landed a hit on him.
Escaping his grasp, I shouted, flustered.
“Don’t say things like that! What if someone hears? Are you seriously planning treason? If you’re not coming, fine! I’ll go alone.”
“Come on, don’t be like that. Even if the two of us disappear, the world will keep spinning.”
Ignoring his relentless attempts to pull me back, I stormed toward the door.
My hand on the doorknob, I paused, turning to Jerome with an expression of frustration.
“Jerome, stop acting like you’ve already given up.”
“…”
“I’ll make sure you survive, no matter what. I promise.”
Jerome’s lips parted slightly at my words.
Afraid to hear his response, I hurried out of the room.
My unease lingered, a constant weight on my chest.
This peace felt like the calm before the storm.
In the end, Jerome didn’t attend the ceremony, so I had to accept the Hero’s Title on behalf of the Luna Guild.
Only one representative could receive the honor, not the entire guild.
The stinginess of the temple was on full display.
To top it off, Duke Carlotte showed up unannounced.
He spent most of the ceremony staring at me with his usual unreadable expression, only approaching me near the end.
“Well done, Jeanne.”
With those curt words, the duke left, citing a packed schedule.
His praise felt perfunctory, but considering he was the empire’s busiest treasurer, his presence at the ceremony alone felt like recognition.
Receiving the Hero’s Title, the empire’s highest honor, meant I could enjoy at least five years of freedom from marriage proposals.
The expedition to the eastern region was organized quickly, within weeks.
While the Luna Guild was the only group authorized to approach the third Divine Beast, the temple’s knights joined in due to the guild’s lack of experience and manpower.
Knowing how strong the beast was, I didn’t object.
After all, honor wasn’t more important than survival.
There was another reason too—the young rabbit siblings.
The eastern jungle was a sprawling labyrinth, and we needed guides familiar with its terrain.
The rabbit siblings, Remi and Rhea, eagerly accepted my request for help.
Ensuring their safety made additional manpower essential.
At dawn, the temple gathered the expedition at a cave deep in the Elden Forest.
Dylan appeared again, explaining the situation with his usual ease.
“This is a teleportation gate leading to Temtera Village. It requires immense magic to activate, so only certified individuals can use it. Due to the urgency, we’ve decided to open it.”
The “gate” was a large arch-shaped stone etched with strange symbols.
As Dylan threw a herb beyond the barrier and chanted, a shimmering veil of light filled the arch.
The rare sight caused murmurs among the dozens of expedition members.
Finishing the ritual, Dylan smiled and addressed us.
“One at a time, close your eyes and step through. Don’t open your eyes until you feel solid ground beneath your feet, or you’ll fall into the boundary of space-time.”
Clenching my fists, I stared at the rippling light.
As Jerome said, this might be our last battle.
King Oberon, the most capricious of the Divine Beasts, wouldn’t make it easy.
After the temple knights and the rabbit siblings passed through, only Jerome and I remained.
Noticing my tension, Jerome nudged my shoulder.
“Scared to go in alone?”
Before I could answer, Jerome grabbed my wrist and strode toward the gate.
Dylan sighed in exasperation, watching us.
“Technically, it’s supposed to be one person at a time.”
“Come on, don’t be so uptight. Besides, he owes me.”
Clicking his tongue, Dylan relented.
“Fine. But hold on tight. If you let go, your body will be torn apart.”
“You heard him, Jeanne. Don’t let go of my hand if you don’t want to be ripped to shreds.”
I would’ve preferred to go alone, but holding Jerome’s hand steadied my nerves.
Interlocking our fingers, Jerome stepped into the gate, pulling me along.
Closing my eyes tightly, I followed.
When I opened them again, what lay before me was…
A horrifying vision of hell itself.
* * *
I wanna see Jerome in person and his manhood and compare it to other MLs d*ck…