Chapter 8 (2/2)

‘Should I say I’ve done it?’

Maribelle thought for a moment, and opened her mouth.

“I’ve never done it before.”

“You hesitated…can I trust you?”

“Well, yes, maybe I’m born with it.”

She must have been born being a good kisser. However, since she had returned to the past, she wonders if it would be wrong to say that she’s just born being familiar with it. Maribelle pushed back her guilty conscience.

As Meribell spoke calmly, Ethelred’s sharp smile loosened quickly.

“Now your use is decided.”

He lifted himself up and walked silently to Maribelle, who was sitting across from him. In no time Maribelle was trapped in his elongated shadow.

On the edge of Ethelred’s nose, a dark shade slipped. He grabbed Maribelle by the chin without hesitation and kissed her. In a moment, their breath intertwined, his tongue squeezing the moist flesh of hers.

“Let’s see how far you’re born to go.”

With a short but deep kiss, he whispered as if he were spitting fire, and Ethelred moved his upper body away. Or, he was going to.

“…you really act like you have ten lives…”

Ethelred’s eyebrows, which had been loosened, furrowed. Meribelle squeezed Ethelred’s tie, and she held his slender waist. In a way, it looked unpleasant, but in a different way, it looked interesting.

‘He’s easy to read.’

Maribelle thought. His was a face that showed emotion. He’s threatening to see if she can live ten lives with a face like this. It’s loose and flawless.

“If I were the one to run away because I grabbed some ribbons, I wouldn’t have stayed in Calende Palace.”

“Don’t you think it’s a temporary whim?”

“Do you think someone who lives a life following their whims will not survive twice?

Her answer to his question was another question. At Maribelle’s bold answer, Ethelred’s mouth curled up. It was a smile that seemed far from being gentle, at a glance a spiteful smile-perhaps a smile found only in children who burn ants to death

Ethelred’s hand touched Maribelle on the shoulder. As if it were slipping, long and delicate fingers wrapped around Maribelle’s thin neck. Rather than tightening on her neck, it looked as though he had his hands wrapped gently around her throat.

Thanks to a dress that showed off her shoulders and chest in line with the social trend, Ethelred’s hands were touching Maribelle’s bare skin. His thumb slowly swept the neckline without a necklace and the collarbone under it. It was a rare soft touch.

However, Ethelred’s eyes were tense, catching Maribelle’s eyes in an intense stare.

“It would be only ten throats to strangle to take away your lives.”

“So I won’t be here.” Maribelle said coolly.

“You don’t want death just because you’re saying it casually. Don’t you think it would be better to beg for help?”

“Well I’m not sure, Your Majesty.”

Maribelle gave a blatantly bright smile. She had already experienced death. So she can’t be afraid of dying twice.

There was only one thing Maribelle was afraid of: her revenge failing.

“People are scarier than death. There’s only one thing I can’t fail.”

“You threw yourself at me for that?”

Instead of answering, Maribelle wrapped Ethelred’s tie around her hand. She meant ‘to think what you like’. Instead of answering Ethelred’s question she whispered softly, in the same way Ethelred whispered a little while ago.

“Since Your Majesty will use me once, I’ll have to use you once.”

It was a threat, no one could deny, that Ethelred grabbed Maribelle’s neck. He actually had such an intention.

Ethelred laughed bitterly as he saw his opponent, who even when backed into a corner, shamelessly tightened her hold on his neck.

A woman who is not easily shaken or would withdraw easily. A person who has a strange agenda that does not scare off easily once he ensnares her in his eyes.

‘Is she my enemy or my friend?’

‘We’ll see if we wait and see.’ He thought.

First of all, he was very interested. Ethelred released Maribelle’s neck and took the tie that was tightly wrapped around him and gave it to Maribelle.

If there is something she wants, there is no reason why he can’t accept it. Ethelred swept a hand through his hair as if to clear it up. His relaxed demeanor returned and he directed a look at the woman sitting beautifully.

“Tell me what you want.”

“You’ve already given it to me.”

Maribelle had a tie in her hand that Ethelred had just torn apart. A black ribbon that had adorned his neck at the party.

“Thank you for the token of gratitude.”

Maribelle, who was sitting pretty, smiled prettier.

******

The fire at Calende Palace soon went out. The conversation ended, and Maribelle was sent back to the road temple, and the rest of the palace was acting normally as if there were no scandals.

Except for Ethelred and Theovalt, who know all the facts.

“Weren’t you trying to kill me?”

Ethelred raised his head in a grim manner. Not everything that happened today was sweet, but it’s definitely not bad to wait and see. Ethelred held his left hand and straightened it. This is the hand that held Maribelle’s neck.

“I think she will be useful.”

As Theovalt, who knew what happened at the ball, but did not know the conversation between Maribelle and Ethelred at Calende Palace, lowered his suspicious gaze. Ethelred looked at his empty palm for a moment, clenching his fists.

“I’ll have to send a marriage proposal.”

“Not accept a marriage proposal but send a marriage proposal?”

“Yes.”

I’ll have to ask you to go this time. At the end of his words, Ethelred smiled slowly.