96 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
“This is really insane.”
From the start, Reikart's characteristics were abnormal.
But they were becoming increasingly bizarre.
Even if he didn't particularly strain his ears to find the sound.
Even if he didn't focus on where Alisha might be.
He could know where Alisha was as easily as breathing.
Was this because of his obsession with Alisha?
"No."
He spoke aloud without realizing it at the sudden thought.
If this ability was due to his obsession with Alisha, he felt he couldn't bear how awful he was.
Reikart consciously exhaled.
It was an attempt to come to his senses.
Reikart deeply reproached himself, feeling Alisha sitting in the tea room.
He just knew.
Alisha went back to the bedroom and quickly came out.
Walking down the east end of the second-floor hallway, Alisha approached Reikart's room at an incredible speed.
This is strange, not normal.
Reikart clung to the bed, pretending not to notice the presence lurking in front of the door.
If there was no reaction, she would soon return.
Alisha, who had been standing in front of the door for a moment, slowly moved away.
Suddenly.
When Reikart came to his senses.
His hand was opening the door, throwing words at Alisha's back.
"Alisha, what's wrong?"
Alisha turned around at the sound from behind.
"Nothing."
The moment Alisha turned around, a sweet fragrance poured over Reikart.
"Then?"
"I was just checking what you said earlier. Doesn't it hurt when I'm close? How is this distance?"
"It's enough."
Reikart said, trying to ignore the sweet smell.
"Will you always stay this far away in the future?"
Alisha gestured, gauging the distance.
The movement of her hand, as if saying it was quite far, flowed slowly in Reikart's eyes.
The sweetness that clouded his head seemed much stronger than before.
Perhaps it was because Alisha was smiling.
He decided to mention later that he could tell where Alisha was even when she was two floors away.
Reikart thought something might be wrong with his head.
He let go of the doorknob he had been holding onto like a lifeline and approached Alisha.
"Would you like to come in?"
It was a question that made him blush, considering he had told her not to come closer a little while ago.
"Yes."
Alisha replied with a refreshing smile.
The room was quiet.
It was enveloped in a silence without a single small sound.
Alisha's world was too noisy.
The sound of her heart beating, resonating throughout her body, made her head spin and her ears feel muffled.
Alisha glanced up at Reikart, who was sitting next to her.
It must be noisy for him.
Reikart, who had invited Alisha into the room, naturally took her hand and guided her.
He took Alisha to the private room inside the bedroom.
The private room, located further inside than the bed area, was Reikart's personal space.
The private room was not large, giving it a cozy and friendly impression.
A soft carpet was laid on the floor, and a pair of sofas were placed in front of the window.
On the opposite wall, a large painting of a lake that took up the entire wall was hung, adding to the beauty by connecting to the golden ceiling painting.
Reikart offered Alisha a seat on the sofa and sat next to her.
Summer sunlight streamed in from the window behind them.
Alisha was holding his large hand, looking at the gently rippling lake painting.
Then she saw the innocent angel painting looking down from the ceiling.
The beautiful painting penetrated her vision, throbbing with a thump.
It was strange that her heart was racing just from holding hands.
She shook off her self-reproach and depression, and held his large, lukewarm hand pleasantly.
A heart-fluttering time was passing.
When it was evening.
Reikart and Alisha headed to the dining hall, holding hands.
There was no fuss directed at the two.
It wasn't the first time Alisha and Reikart had held hands.
But it was the first time they had held hands throughout the meal.
The cook who was bringing out the dishes flinched but said nothing.
The sociable kitchen assistant stared intently at their clasped hands, but that was all.
Henrik, Connie, Roderick, and Juan acted as if they hadn't seen anything.
Only Jamie, caught off guard while coming to report, made an 'uh' sound before quickly shutting his mouth.
The meal ended peacefully.
After a long walk, Reikart took Alisha to the Duchess's room.
"Good night."
"Good night, Ray."
Reikart and Alisha greeted each other while holding hands.
The two who exchanged greetings slowly retreated.
Regret was evident in their falling hands.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yes, see you tomorrow. Have a good dream."
Alisha waved her hand as she entered the room.
Soon the door closed.
Reikart lingered in front of the closed door for a long time.
He scratched the back of his head, trying to do something, but then turned around.
"...How do I say it."
Reikart, who was walking quickly, turned around again and instantly went to Alisha's room.
And with a sigh that seemed to fade away, he headed to his room.
In the dark night, raindrops fell one by one from the window.
The rain quickly intensified, and soon the window was soaked with rainwater.
Alisha fell asleep late.
The aftermath of suppressing her giggles while listening to the footsteps going back and forth in front of her room was quite significant.
She barely calmed her floating feelings and fell asleep.
But she soon woke up.
She heard the sound of rain in her sleep.
Alisha, who woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window, ran frantically.
When Lua is in the sky and it rains, Reikart is dragged into endless pain.
Alisha ran in one breath through the passage connecting the Duchess's room to the Grand Duke's room.
The light feet that broke into Reikart's room jumped onto the bed.
A large hand lightly caught Alisha's body, which was invading the bed.
"Did you come?"
Reikart, who had been asleep, knew from the moment Alisha's presence moved.
He gently hugged the back that had jumped into his arms.
"Ray."
Reikart burst into laughter at the worried voice.
"I don't hurt."
The sound of rain hitting the window was clear.
"Really...?"
Alisha, who had been whispering worriedly, stopped moving.
Soft lips overlapped on her cheeks, which were flushed from running.
"Yes, I don't hurt."
Reikart replied diligently, repeatedly matching his lips to her reddened cheeks.
His lips descended like stamping a seal along the red heat of her cheeks.
Kisses fell, scattering sweet sounds on her dazed blinking eyes, on her briefly closed eyelids, on her temples.
"......"
Alisha was still at the sudden multitude of kisses.
Alisha, who had been moving hesitantly, finally realized that she was sitting on Reikart's lap.
"I told you not to come closer because I thought this would happen."
Reikart whispered lowly and continued the endless kisses.
Kisses fell all over Alisha's face.
She was just receiving soft kisses.
Alisha couldn't move for a moment at the feeling that her face was about to explode.
Every time his lips touched her forehead, her cheeks, her chin, her lips, an unbearable numbness struck Alisha.
Reikart, who was smiling at Alisha's flustered face, slowly whispered.
"I love you, Alisha."
Alisha burst into a smile at the confession falling in her ear.
She reached out and covered the face that had whispered sweet words.
Alisha gave Reikart more kisses than she had received.
It was a night full of sweet sounds.
Alisha woke up and was startled.
It felt like her heart was dropping.
Reikart's face came into her view as she lay on her side.
Golden eyes were staring intently at Alisha.
The golden eyes, receiving the light, sparkled strangely as if honey had been poured into them.
She wordlessly blinked her eyes at the face lying right in front of her, drawing her gaze.
"Hello."
Reikart, who had greeted her, tilted his face and kissed her dazed cheek.
"......Hello."
Alisha couldn't easily shake off her dazed feeling.
She had fallen asleep late and had run with all her might in her sleep, so she couldn't easily shake off her sleepiness.
The fact that a face with tremendous features was looking at her right in front of her also contributed a little.
It was only after a long time that Alisha realized that this was Reikart's bedroom, on the bed.
She also realized that she was using Reikart's arm as a pillow.
The distance between them lying face to face was less than a hand span.
Unlike herself, who was just waking up and disoriented, Reikart's face was neat and tidy.
It was as if he had never slept.
"Did you sleep well?"
Reikart said, kissing her other cheek.
Perhaps because of the aftermath of running around frantically in her sleep, Alisha felt like she had just closed her eyes for a moment and opened them.
She felt like she would fall asleep instantly if she closed her eyes again.
But she couldn't close her eyes.
"Didn't Ray sleep?"
Alisha rubbed her sleepy eyes and whispered.
"I closed my eyes for a bit. I was too nervous to sleep."
Reikart said slowly.
At his words, Alisha became worried, then bewildered, then felt like she was about to burst into laughter.
It was still dawn.
The outside of the window had a bluish light.
The dawn room had a strange atmosphere.
It was like a mysterious and unfamiliar world.
The most eye-catching presence among them was the man sending her sweet glances.
"I have something to confess."
Alisha tried to burst into laughter but stopped.
"Please tell me."
Right now, Alisha was so disoriented that it felt like she was floating in the air.
She felt indescribably good.
But she knew that this feeling would be shattered after hearing Reikart's confession.
She had already heard the confession that made Alisha the happiest last night.
She could guess without hearing that the confession that would follow would be bitter words.
"Right now, I can live even if Alisha Reine is just next to me."
Alisha nodded at Reikart's words.
"Alisha, you don't have to love me. It's okay if you don't like me. It's okay if you just pity me, feel sorry for me, and sympathize with me. Just don't leave my side."
Alisha's eyebrows furrowed.
"Ray."
"Originally, I should be telling you to run away from me, but. I love you, Alisha. Don't abandon me."
Reikart's confession was almost like a plea.
Alisha unfurrowed her eyebrows.
"Is your confession to me to pity you and ask me not to leave?"
"No. I'm going to confess the reason why you shouldn't marry me."
Alisha's eyes shook erratically.
"Ray."
Don't marry me.
It was a word she didn't want to hear at this moment.
"The Grand Duke Tessen has been known as a monster for generations. Language has a terrifying power. Because the Grand Duke Tessen has been known as a monster, the world has believed that all Grand Dukes Tessen are monsters. In fact, at least I am a monster."
Reikart narrowed his eyes and smiled only with his lips.
"The Royal Dot is a mark of punishment. All members of the Imperial Family with the Royal Dot establish the Grand Duke Tessen in their generation to avoid punishment. The Title Oath of the Grand Duke Tessen is to concentrate the curse on one person."
Alisha's purple eyes widened.
"And if you make a marriage vow with the Grand Duke Tessen, the punishment will be passed on to the bride. To be exact, the bride is a kind of sacrifice."
She had guessed that the Imperial Family had a secret.
But she never thought they had a cycle that imprisoned one person in pain and sacrificed another.
'Don't marry me, Alisha.'
Reikart's confession was truly for Alisha.
"Sacrifice...."
"I am a descendant of a Celestial Being. He had a certain responsibility to him. But he loved the Emperor of the Rune Empire and could not fulfill his responsibility because he formed a family with her. His descendants are inheriting the tasks and punishments that he could not fulfill."