* * *
As Karl tried to pull away and kiss Sylvian’s shoe, Sylvian urgently stopped him.
“You can’t do that to Charles—Charlean.”
“Being too kind isn’t always a good thing. It’s okay to be harsher with me.”
Each time Sylvian shook his head, tears rained down.
Watching him, Karl gently placed a hand over his own heart.
“I want you to be happy. You must forget the time you spent with me.”
As Karl bowed deeply, with impeccable form, Sylvian’s green eyes shimmered.
It was done.
“Sylvian.”
“Yes.”
After Karl left, Sylvian couldn’t stop crying.
Zeroth held him in his arms, soothing him gently, and then softly called out.
“When you disappeared, I thought someone had stolen my heart.”
“……”
Zeroth gave a faint smile at the tears beginning to well again.
He could hardly believe someone this tender and fragile had gone through so much.
To have made the decision to run away from him, to have cried until fainting—it was heartbreaking.
And yet, he found it unbearably endearing.
“I couldn’t sleep a single night. I was terrified something might happen to you. I’ve never experienced such fear in my life.”
“I—I’m sorry—”
Smooch.
“I’ve told you before, this is my fault—and the Marquis’s. We never communicated properly. We hurt each other.”
Sylvian ended up suffering for it.
That’s why Zeroth had no excuse.
He’d been harsh with the Marquis, but knowing how deeply the man had cared for Hailey, Zeroth had no choice but to admit his own mistakes—and to forgive.
“Each night, lying in an empty room without you, wandering aimlessly looking for you, I thought over and over…”
He let out a low, rueful chuckle, looking back on the past few months as if they had spanned decades.
“Why didn’t I tell you how I felt? What if we never met again—wouldn’t you at least deserve to know my heart?”
Rage, hatred, jealousy—all of it had burned away, leaving nothing but regret.
At the end of that fire, only love remained.
I should have told you I loved you.
That single phrase—so difficult—kept him from confessing, pride locking away his true feelings.
‘In the end, I was the first to become a prisoner.’
Maybe it began the moment Sylvian looked up with that innocent face and tearfully received his kiss.
Zeroth had tried to look away, to pretend he didn’t know—but what remained was emptiness, and the loneliness of being left behind.
“You… you can’t say things like that…”
Sylvian trembled like he suddenly realized something he’d needed to say.
It made Zeroth angry that Karl had touched him—but also comforted, seeing that Sylvian’s eyes still refused to look away from him.
“Don’t be afraid. You’re not dirty.”
“No… no, I am…”
Zeroth gently wiped the tears trailing down Sylvian’s soft cheeks.
He wiped them again, and again—but they never stopped.
“Sylvian. I love you.”
“Hhhuu…”
“I love you. No matter what you’ve been through—I love you.”
The words Zeroth had least wanted to say came pouring from his lips.
Seeing Sylvian sobbing, clutching his wrist, pleading for him to stop—Zeroth smiled brightly.
“Just like you love me… I loved you from the very beginning.”
“Hhic… I’m not… I’m not worthy. I’m filthy. I’ve been tainted…”
“Sylvian, you could never be filthy. I’ll prove to you every day how clean and pure you are.”
Finally, Sylvian’s small body melted into his large embrace.
Zeroth looked into his eyes and claimed the crimson lips he’d longed to taste.
“Mm!”
Is this really happening?
Sylvian was dazed as he received Zeroth’ deep kiss.
He hadn’t expected to hear Zeroth’ feelings so soon.
It had all come so fast.
When Zeroth confessed to him so earnestly, like Sylvian was the only person in the world—his heart trembled.
Finally, it was over.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
And just a few heartfelt words from him had shaken Zeroth’ heart.
Before he knew it, he had given everything away to him.
Somehow, they were kissing again.
“Z-Zeroth…”
“I’m right here.”
Sylvian clung to Zeroth’ clothes, sobbing, and Zeroth smiled sweetly before placing another kiss—like sealing a promise.
“Hh… me too, I…”
Zeroth froze at the faint words.
“I love you.”
Damn.
“Haha!”
Zeroth said something in response, but Sylvian didn’t hear him clearly.
His thighs trembled as Zeroth’ tongue playfully flicked across the roof of his mouth.
“Hh—b-but… ngh.”
“Shh. My wife has been so faithful—I’ll confirm that myself.”
At his words, Sylvian’s face turned white—and then burned crimson.
“W-wait—!”
“It’s alright. I told you, there’s nothing shameful about me checking your chastity, didn’t I?”
Wh-what?!
At Zeroth’ serious tone, Sylvian blinked and nodded dumbly.
“Just trust me. I’ll make sure you never have to worry about that again.”
Rip.
The blouse he wore came off with a soft tear.
“D-don’t—!”
“I’ll buy you a prettier one. Don’t worry.”
Smooch.
Smooch.
Kisses landed on his cheeks and eyes, and Sylvian’s anxious gaze grew hazy.
Zeroth’ eyes darkened even more.
When he realized the reason Sylvian had avoided his touch since waking up, it had torn at him.
But knowing it was to keep himself “clean” for Zeroth—somehow, that filled him with joy.
“Ah!”
“You still have such a pretty chest.”
“Eek—ah, mm!”
Zeroth focused the tip of his tongue, prodding and soothing Sylvian’s sensitive nipple with light licks.
Sylvian’s body, bouncing gently in his lap, felt utterly precious.
“A lewd little chest, all for your husband. I see no trace of anyone else. You’re pure.”
“Uugh—mmng!”
“Sylvian… should I try harder so your breasts will produce milk for me?”
He didn’t have to say that!
“Aaah!”
Sylvian instinctively kicked the sofa, his toes curling—but neither the sofa nor Zeroth budged.
“Uuahh!”
Embarrassed by the teasing, Sylvian turned his head away, and Zeroth bit down softly, taking care not to hurt him.
His flat chest tightened as Zeroth’ wide mouth sucked him in carefully, drawing gently but deeply.
“Hhik—”
“My lady. No matter how much I search, I see no filth.”
“Nnngh—don’t say that—”
It should’ve been enough to say “I love you”—but Zeroth kept pouring out sugar-sweet words like someone had stuffed him full of butter.
Overwhelmed by this sudden change, Sylvian flushed deeply and clamped a hand over Zeroth’ mouth.
Lick.
“Shall I sanitize your hand as well?”
Zeroth licked Sylvian’s palm with a wet tongue, chuckling as if every part of Sylvian was delicious.
‘C-crazy.’
As if revealing his true nature along with his confession of love, a look of joy and an almost unbearable desire to torment rose to Zeroth’s smiling face.
“Saying such things is embarrassing…”
“It seems you don’t realize just how lovely and beautiful you are, My wife. So I intend to teach you—slowly, from now on.”
“…?”
“You don’t like being treated gently, do you, My wife? On top of that, you still believe you’ve been tainted by another Alpha, don’t you?”
W-Was that it?
Sylvian had deliberately pretended to avoid Zeroth, but now, biting his lip hard at the pointed remark, he pushed him away.
“T-That’s— This isn’t okay!”
“We love each other, Sylvian. What’s the problem?”
Sylvian’s eyes widened at Zeroth’s confident words. Was he really letting it go this easily?
This was the same Zeroth who had once obsessed over purity—was he a different person now?
A flicker of suspicion crossed Sylvian’s mind.
Had he never been the possessive, obsessive male lead?
Or had he never actually said he disliked sharing?
“It wasn’t by your choice, so how could I blame you, My wife?”
“Even if you love me… I-I can’t be the pure, untouched My wife you want!”
Watching Sylvian’s tearful, despondent face, Zeroth pressed a kiss to his lips.
He had been furious that Karl had laid hands on him—but he was just grateful Sylvian had returned unharmed.
For so long, he had chased after any trace of Sylvian, praying only that he was still alive.
Given Karl’s temperament, his touch had surely been gentle.
* * *
