“What?”
When I shouted in too much surprise, Cesare made a gesture to be quiet. It meant to be careful because Cain might wake up. As soon as I covered my mouth, Cesare spoke.
“Don’t you think one kiss is too little for transferring all the mining rights?”
“W-well, that’s true.”
I never said all of it. I was only going to give him the first quarter’s income. But those words only spun around inside my mouth. Because the word “kiss” was already stuck in my head.
‘Kiss. Cesare will kiss me. I can do it again. Kiss? Mitche, is this right?’
Mitche also tilted his head at first as if he couldn’t believe it, then soon smiled brightly and nodded. I frowned and asked carefully.
“You’ll really do it…?”
“Lionel Mellans. Even if I repay you for great-aunt’s matter, material things seem meaningless. Even this quill pen is high-grade among high-grade, isn’t it?”
Cesare snatched the quill pen I was using and said indifferently. It’s a top-quality quill pen with a small sapphire embedded below the silver pen stand.
“Besides, the basis of trade is originally bartering things that the other party thinks are valuable.”
Cesare waved the quill pen in front of my eyes and sweetly whispered in my ear.
“I don’t want to kiss, but I don’t want to be a shameless noble either. So… how about 3 kisses?”
My head spins at the shocking number. When Cesare willingly offers to kiss me, how could some small provincial mine be a problem? I was so happy my mouth wouldn’t close, when Cesare tilted his head slightly and smiled brightly.
“Still, it’s transfer rights, so was that too little? Then 5 times?”
“Sold! Sold!”
“Shh!”
When I shouted excitedly, I heard the sound of Cain tossing and turning. Cesare pressed his finger firmly on my lips and glanced toward where Cain was.
“Ugh. Muscle loss… can’t happen…. *mumble*….”
When I shut my mouth, I heard the sound of Cain mumbling and falling back asleep.
“Cain’s waking up, so absolutely no noise.”
Noise? I’m not making any noise right now, I thought, and immediately a strong grip twisted my head and Cesare kissed me.
“Mmph?”
Through the slightly parted gap between my teeth, his hot breath was entering. At the sweet tongue play that seemed more skilled for being the third time, my body melted smoothly. Eventually, without resistance, I slowly closed my eyes and clung to his collar.
“Mmmngh….”
After sharing hot breaths, I slowly opened my eyes. Then I could immediately see him greatly entwining my tongue and stretching out saliva long, which was so lewd. Regretful that it was falling, I stuck out my tongue again as if to meet the tongue still connected slickly with saliva.
“More….”
“More?”
Then Cesare also closed his eyes again, firmly gripped my chin, and overlapped our lips again. At the ecstatic kiss, my whole body seemed to melt red-hot.
“Ahhngh….”
As a finish, I curled my toes and sucked in the climactic breath all at once, and when I separated my lips, Cesare rubbed his lips and said matter-of-factly.
“3 left, Lionel. We did it twice already, so you won’t go back on our promise, right? Write the documents now.”
That just now counts as two times? Really? You’re counting by the number of times lips touch? Is this right?
Setting aside the kiss just now, I made a tearful face feeling wronged that it was counted as two times, but Cesare only firmly held out a piece of parchment.
“If it’s the Kort mine, this is it, right?”
‘From next time, I absolutely won’t separate my lips. I’ll hold my breath and won’t separate them. *sob*.’
Having already kissed, I had to write the documents transferring the Kort mine income while crying and eating mustard. When I desperately looked into it later, as expected, he had no great-aunt relative.
I’ll never fall for the same trick again. *sniff*.
* * *
The library at sunset.
In the encyclopedia corner where you couldn’t find people at all even if you tried, I was sitting on the floor studying for exams with Lucy. It was because I absolutely couldn’t look at Cesare’s face. I was so pathetic, melting smoothly whenever I saw his face.
“Did you fight with Yanox again? Or is there another reason?”
Lucy, who was reading a book across from me, suddenly spoke while lighting a portable lamp. I asked gloomily while looking at the shadow lengthening below the lamp.
“What other reason?”
“Political reasons or something. Rumors are spreading that the Yanox ducal family is in disfavor with the imperial family. I heard even financially they’re not doing well? Isn’t that why you temporarily distanced yourself from him too?”
“That’s a false rumor. How amazing is the Yanox ducal family? Besides Cesare, the Duke of Yanox is still actively working and achieving merits, so what are you talking about?”
I waved my hand unnecessarily and acted casual. But just looking at William’s group distancing themselves from us, it was true that Cesare’s position was gradually narrowing.
The other nobles who had stopped by for homecoming must be digging into Cesare’s background, who had been unnecessarily sharp toward Cedric. Then it would only be a matter of time before information spread that the Yanox ducal territory wasn’t in a good situation right now.
“Actually, I wish you wouldn’t hang out with Yanox. The assassin last time resembled Yanox too, and there’s something suspicious about it.”
“Lucy. Cesare isn’t that kind of kid. If you get to know him, how nice….”
If you get to know him, what a fucking bastard he is? Lying to me and taking away mining rights. Huh? Kissing me when he won’t even like me. Huh? Just casting Brainwashing Magic on me.
But I suddenly had doubts.
‘If he wants to keep me by his side, he could just erase my memories with Brainwashing Magic. Or he could keep giving me suggestions to continue as friends.’
Then he could have continued as before as if nothing happened. Of course, in preparation for that, I wrote down everything that happened so far on a note imbued with holy power. Anyway, it means he doesn’t need to keep me by his side while doing kisses he dislikes.
‘But why didn’t he do that? Is there something more I don’t know? Maybe Brainwashing Magic has more restrictions than I thought?’
The more I kept thinking, the more my head throbbed. Usually only smart people get possessed in romance fantasy novels, so I wonder why of all people, I, who has a bad head too, got possessed.
“Knngh….”
“Is that a Maltese?”
“Hik?”
I was just sighing when I was startled by a voice heard from behind. I was so surprised that I jumped up from my seat and collided hard with the owner of that voice.
Boing, at the familiar sensation touching the top of my head, heat rushed to my face. Mitche! Hurry up and open the sandwich shop! The original sandwich is coming!
But Mitche just crossed his arms with a sullen expression. Anyway, I hurriedly stepped back and bowed my head.
“Cedric sunbae-nim!”
Cedric lightly adjusted the chest he bumped into and smiled gently. The wing-shaped brooch fixing his cape sparkled with an elegant light.
“Mellans, already studying for exams? You’re diligent. I came because I heard a puppy whimpering sound somewhere in the library, but I didn’t think there’d really be one. Haha!”
“Yes, well, but I was about to leave. I have to eat dinner. Hehe. Lucy, I’m going.”
I don’t know why, but I hurriedly stuffed my assignments and textbooks into my crossbody bag and organized things. Even though there’s nothing particularly guilty about now when I’m distancing myself from Cesare.
“We just met, so don’t rush. How about having dinner together with Lucy and me?”
“Uh, now because of that security terror something law, I shouldn’t be with sunbae-nim, right?”
When Cedric took a step closer, my heart became more anxious and I stepped back.
“Haha. What kind of law is that? Priest Heiss just finished repairs, so how about togeth—”
“Wait!”
I stopped short, cutting off Cedric’s words.
“Lionel? What’s wrong?”
“Mellans?”
“……?”
Why did I stop?
Rather, I couldn’t continue my words in an even more confused mood. However, I had a strong intuition that I shouldn’t be here.
“Lionel, you’re even breaking out in cold sweat, are you okay? You don’t look well!”
“Mellans. Are you sick somewhere?”
“I’m not sick but….”
Suddenly my legs trembled and my head rang frantically. With the sensation of my brain freezing hazily, I looked ahead, only gripping my crossbody bag in bewilderment.
Only the thought ‘I have to get out of here right now’ came to me.
– Hey. Run away!
At the voice suddenly ringing in my head as a signal, my legs moved on their own!
“My stomach doesn’t feel good so I’ll go ahead!”
“Wait, Mellans!”
When I quickly grabbed my bag and started running, Cedric also chased me, seemingly sensing something was strange. Seeing that, I ran even faster.
“Mellans!”
“Waaah! Why are you chasing me!”
“Stop right there! I haven’t finished my business yet!”
“Don’t chase me!”
“Then you shouldn’t run away in the first place!”
But that’s not up to me!
Without even the energy to respond anymore, I ran at full speed between the bookshelves. The students’ assignments and scrolls placed around flew about, and students studying in the quiet library looked at me and Cedric running at full speed with strange eyes.
“Hwaek, hwaek!”
Running frantically, I discovered Cedric still chasing and pushed open the large oak door right in front and burst out.
“Mellans! It’s dangerous! That’s a terrace!”
I had completely forgotten that I was in the encyclopedia section on the 5th floor with Lucy earlier. Therefore, before me spread a beautiful outdoor terrace filled with purple sunset glow.
There I also saw a man and woman who had been posing to kiss and a solid marble railing.
“Move aside! Kiss later!”
“Kyaak. Romeo!”
“Juliet sunbae!”
Romeo and Juliet, you two keep loving each other. I’m going to run away. I squeezed between the couple and desperately grabbed the railing. Behind me, Cedric was walking over while panting.
“D-don’t come closer… sunbae-nim. Hwaek.”
“Whew, just a moment, of time, oh my, excuse me to you two…! Whew. Finally!”
Cedric didn’t forget to ask for understanding from the surprised fleeing couple while catching his breath. And he slowly approached me. With each step he came closer, red warning lights seemed to keep ringing in my head.
Eventually, not knowing what to do, I looked around and placed one foot on the railing.
“If you come closer, I’ll faaalll!”
Cedric stopped in surprise at my extreme action. Then he lowered his posture as if taming a fierce beast and spoke in a low voice.
“Shh. Mellans. It’s okay. I won’t do anything. Calm down!”
“Don’t come clooser. Pleease. *sob*.”
– Kyaaak! Someone’s about to fall from above!
Some student below discovered me and started screaming. I made a tearful face and pleaded with Cedric. But Cedric also pleaded with me while breaking out in cold sweat. Something was going wrong, very wrong.
“Mellans! Please calm down and lower your leg first! You’ll fall!”
“I don’t want to fall either! It’s because Cedric sunbae-nim keeps coming clooser!”
I shouted loudly and gripped the railing tightly. When I sneaked a look down, people looked like dots from so far below that even the back of my knees tingled. However, even though I didn’t want to fall, my body kept moving in that direction.
‘I’m going to die! I’m going to die…!’
