At Richard’s words, I was taken aback for a moment.

Hearing this, I quickly looked around to see if anyone was around.

After confirming that there was no one there, I sighed in relief, but Richard had a sign of absurdity.

“I feel like we’re having an affair.”

“… Shut your mouth. What if someone hears it?”

“Does that bother you?”

Who wouldn’t use it for a strange misunderstanding?

I wanted to answer that, but I didn’t say it because It seemed like the answer would come that he didn’t care at all.

“Why are you here?”

“Can’t I stay?”

“I heard you left, obviously.”

It is said that the day I was kidnapped by Richard, Richard returned home saying something urgent happened in the middle of the mission.

Of course, it was just an excuse to kidnap me.

‘Is it okay for the head of the temple paladin to act like this?’

How does the replacement temple work? The paladin commander is acting so selfishly, they are leaving him alone.

Apart from the question, I thought he just went back to the temple because he couldn’t see me for a few days.

“Why did you appear again?”

“Do you not want me to come?”

“Absolutely.”

Normally, he would have responded slyly that he was hurt, but Richard didn’t.

He still looked at me with a blank expression on his face.

“Are you serious?”

“What?”

“An engagement.”

The smirk had disappeared, and Richard looked desperate like a hand holding a dry branch.

Why?

“I’m serious.”

“… Lie.”

“Lie? Why do I need to lie about being engaged?”

“Did he threaten to touch Baron Sablen?”

He penetrated the truth sharply, as if he knew the truth.

But half right and half wrong.

“That’s what I mean.”

“Why?”

“What does it have to do with you, no matter what I did.”

I drew a line because I didn’t want to be involved with Richard any more.

I didn’t like going in and out of the line I had set at will.

Yurtha and Richards were those who tried to cross that line at will.

“We even kiss.”

“What’s wrong with that? Don’t act like you’ve never kissed before.”

What do you mean by just kissing your mouth?

However, Richard’s condition was a little strange.

“Is there anyone else you kissed besides me?”

“I don’t think there’s anyone at this age yet. What’s wrong with you?”

“……”

“… Is that your first time?”

“That’s my first time.”

What? This is ridiculous…

It was very frustrating. Why live without using that face?

No, no, no… That’s not important.

‘It’s difficult to just give meaning to a kiss.’

“I understand the feeling. In the beginning, it was like that.”

“You understand?”

“The first kiss feels special.”

The words I gave as if consoling didn’t seem to resonate with him.

Richard’s pretty eyebrows rose upwards.

“Is that what you’re going to say to the person you kissed and threw it away?”

“Who will throw it away…”

“You’re more promiscuous than I thought, Rosie.”

Contrary to the teasing words, he wasn’t laughing at all.

It was so close that it seemed as if the string of reason was going to burn like this.

I don’t know what you’re going to say to me.

“Don’t do that, just tell me. What do you want from me?”

At first, I thought he had me locked up, asking me to do the same.

But, as if dealing with the most precious thing in the world, a soft touch and an enchanted face.

There would be no idiot who saw it and believed it was simply revenge.

“What do you want to get from me?”

“I’ve told you many times. I want you.”

Blue eyes no longer had a cold gaze.

As if it had been heated by a fire and escaped, he could feel the heat where his gaze touched.

The heat was so hot that it felt like he was going to take over my head.

“I really don’t understand. Now I don’t need you. You can’t even smell the scent you loved so much.”

He’s not trying to get revenge, he’s not trying to keep me by his side in need.

Then?

“Do you even like me?”

A blue light that blazed quietly. His eyes fluttered as if the wind had blown.

Just as the wildly fluttering flames could not be seen, the insides that could not be hidden were also clearly revealed.

It was half astonishing and half incomprehensible.

“Do you really like me or do you have lingering feelings?”

“I……”

His voice cracked as if he couldn’t control his emotions.

My shoulders trembled as a low, gloomy voice seemed to scratch me.

“I don’t want to be more involved with you, Richard.”

“…….”

“We just had a bad relationship.”

I hoped that Richard would admit that we had a bad relationship and would not reveal his feelings to me any more.

“But the Marquis Evantes isn’t in a good relationship with you either.”

Of course. That, too, is a bad match.

“Then why is it that man?”

It’s a bad relationship anyway, but why don’t you choose me?

“Then you want me to choose you?”

“Yeah.”

“…….”

“I don’t know what he said he would give you, but I can give you whatever it is.”

The lake-like blue eyes were terrifying as if when I dipped my feet in them, a noose stretched out and gave me goosebumps as if to restrain a person..

“I’m sorry, Richard….”

“You only call my name when you’re sorry.”

He smiled bitterly.

“I’m not going to choose you.”

That will never happen.

I’ve already written him off as a passing evil.

“Forget it.”

“……”

“I can’t forget it.”

Whatever his feelings were, I will surely be forgotten with the passage of time.

When the embers burn and become a huge flame, it looks huge, but when it is extinguished, it becomes shabby.

At the same time, you’ll find that the spark was nothing.

“I can’t let go.”

He growled and grabbed my arm violently.

His body leaned toward me at the force.

Blue eyes gleamed eerily.

“If I can’t let it go, are you going to try to threaten me as lowly as you did last time?”

“What do you think?”

He raised his trembling hand and swept my cheek. Next, under my eyes, next to my nose, and then my lips with lustful hands.

But it was funny to see him hesitate because he couldn’t control his fervent heat.

What the hell are you doing like this?

I raised my hand and stroked his cheek as he did.

Thumbs left marks on my face in the order he touched me.

He looked at me with a gentle face.

“… Kiss me, Rosie.”

“Is there such a thing to say in a situation like this?”

While saying that, I put my lips to his lips slightly.

It was a dry kiss.

As blue eyes drenched in desire looked at me waiting for the moment to come, I dropped my face.

The moment I met Richard’s gaze with amazement, I pushed his chest and pulled my body out of his grasp.

“Go back.”

It was funny and unfortunate that a man who was careless and relaxed his body when treated kindly.

“Rosie.”

Richard called my name.

“Don’t get engaged.”

“…….”

“I feel like I’m going crazy now, but I might be really crazy when you get engaged.”

There was no more saying what I had to do with him.

I just stared at the man full of jealousy and resentment.

“Goodbye.”

I said goodbye sincerely.

****

It wasn’t long before we left the North.

I had to follow Argen to the capital. And I’ll get engaged there.

To be honest, at this point, I was confused even if I was sane.

‘If only Richard and Yurtha are disappeared, the purpose of this engagement will be half fulfilled…’

It’s 1 year anyway.

Argen wanted me to be a criminal after being caught working in Marquis mansion with a forged identity, so I have no choice but to solve this problem in order to live comfortably.

I can’t run away right now, can I? So I got to this point.

Argen didn’t seem to have any intention of forcing me yet. Didn’t he promise compensation a year later?

‘For now, getting out of the situation is the first priority.’

And if things don’t work out later, let’s get ready to run away again.

But is this really the right answer?

Only the future can know if it is the right choice, so that was also complicated.

It was time to reconsider whether the current choice was really the best.

Rattle—

I heard the window rattle.

I turned to look right there and saw a hand in a leather glove gripping the window sill.

I feel a bit of a déjà vu…

Sure enough, Dylan sneaked through the window and entered.

“Hey, Rose.”

And calls me in a cheeky voice.

His face was wrinkled, as if in a bad mood.

“Is it true that you are getting married?”

What is this all of a sudden?

“That’s not true.”

Dylan’s face lit up at those words.

“It’s not a marriage, it’s an engagement.”

His face got wrinkled again.