< —="" realization="" —=""> (1)

[You seem to have fallen in love . ]

The king’s words remained like a tenacious afterimage, refusing to disappear . While enjoying the aftertaste of messy s.e.x, Hugo held her in his embrace and gently caressed her back . As he felt her smooth skin with his cold hands, he lost himself in thought .

Love . He acknowledged the connection between blood ties and strong feelings in the light of his experiences . But he didn’t understand the foolishness behind the belief that a man and a woman, who didn’t share an ounce of blood, could meet and have a relations.h.i.+p stronger than blood .

To him, a woman was just a partner for enjoyment . He did not disdain nor despise the women that rushed to him like moth to a flame for his wealth and power . It was a natural and reasonable trade wherein they exchanged with one another . Not only in his relations.h.i.+p with women, but in his life itself, it was continuity of constant trade .

His marriage was also the same . The beginning was definitely an excellent trade with no loss . Physical satisfaction was a bonus . His wife was a satisfactory trading partner .

But by the time he came to his senses, his emotional state was repeatedly plummeting and rising . From the moment he recognized his emotionally unstable state, he began walking a strange equilibrium of stability in instability . Tranquil satisfaction and torturous anxiety were coexisting in his mind .

‘How did it end up like this?’

Hugo looked back, retracing his steps .

‘I was too relaxed . ’

Hugo was completely relaxed when it came to her . There was never a part of his wife that he was wary about . She was royalty but she had no relatives let alone ties with the royal family . She didn’t have personal desires like power or greed . In the eyes of a predator like him, she was a small herbivore with no teeth or claws . Her ability to fearlessly enjoy peace at his feet while being so awfully weak was fascinating . There was no one like her at his side until now .

It was a very comfortable feeling, the feeling of relief that he could relax and have no need to be wary . With the cozy peacefulness, his mind and body was at ease and he let down his guard . By the time he detected an abnormality, his feelings for her had already become a flowing stream . The more he denied it, the harder it was to turn back . It was not a stream that could be block off with a dam, it had become a gigantic sea .

In his cursed bloodline, a unquenchable thirst lay asleep within . Whether it was by chugging liquor, getting drunk on women, or even killing people, the thirst was not quenched however she was able to relieve that thirst . And at the same time, she gave him another overpowering thirst .

‘…Love?’

He could not define the tremendous changes in himself with that one word alone .

“…Speaking of me . ”

Hugo thought she was asleep but he could hear her small whisper very clearly .

“If there was someone I wished would rather die . ”

Lucia kept thinking of the Count of Matin, whom she met at the banquet hall . She overcame her fear of him but in place of that, her anger was pushed forward . The fact that she had suffered at the hands of such a vulgar pig made her feel angry and mortified . She gnashed her teeth at the thought that things might turn out opposite from the dream and he may not die . The fact that he was breathing under the same sky as her was revolting .

Lucia kept thinking of the Count of Matin, whom she met at the banquet hall . She overcame her fear of him but in place of that, her anger was pushed forward . The fact that she had suffered at the hands of such a vulgar pig made her feel angry and mortified . She gnashed her teeth at the thought that things might turn out opposite from the dream and he may not die . The fact that he was breathing under the same sky as her was revolting .

After speaking impulsively, Lucia regretted it . It was so abrupt and rash . When he asked her what was going on, Lucia despaired on how to reply . The moment she said those words, his hand on her back stopped moving but it was only for a moment . Her ear was on his chest and she could hear his calm heartbeat .

“How do you want me to kill them?”

He spoke lightly with a soft voice as though appeasing her .

“There are many ways to die . One can die from a disease, one can die from an accident, one can be killed by a suspicious person, one can die from an incident of blind pa.s.sion, and one can die as a criminal . If you tie in a rebellion, even the family can disappear without a trace . ”

“Tch…”

Lucia pouted because he seemed to be making fun of her . But her mind grew relaxed . She felt like a fool for wasting her emotions on reminding herself of that trash .

“Won’t you ask me who it is? That’s supposed to be the first thing . ”

“I don’t care who it is but if it’s the King, that’s a little difficult right now . I need time . ”

Lucia quickly sat upright . Her face had gone pale in the darkness .

“Are you crazy? How can you say that . If someone heard, you’ll die!”

“Are you crazy? How can you say that . If someone heard, you’ll die!”

“Who will kill me?”

He laughed arrogantly as though saying “even the King can’t kill me but I can . ” Lucia looked at the man before her . He seemed like he would be confident even in the face of death and somehow, she felt drained of her strength . She felt like an idiot for making a fuss about nothing .

“Huu . Alright . I was wrong . I wasted my breath for nothing . ”

As she grumbled and lay down again, Hugo chuckled and took her into his arms . He wasn’t joking or bluffing at all . If she asked him for his heart, he might even dig it out . If she really wanted it, was the King’s neck a big deal?

I’ve gone crazy . Hugo swallowed a bitter smile . He was out of his mind like this .

‘What could it be?’

Hugo’s red eyes shone dangerously . What could have caused darkness in her heart? He had never been reported of anything like that . He asked her what was going on and considered asking her who it was but he refrained . It was better to pa.s.s it over like a joke rather than questioning it seriously . He didn’t want her to carry darkness in her heart .

“If you hate someone and it hurts to endure . ”

His whispering flowed into Lucia’s ear .

“Be sure to tell me . ”

His whispering flowed into Lucia’s ear .

“Be sure to tell me . ”

If there was darkness in her heart, he would take it all .

“…What will you do?”

“Who knows . What shall I do?”

He muttered slowly but Lucia somehow felt a very dangerous air .

“Promise me . That you will . ” (Hugo)

“…I will . ”

“But that won’t ever happen,” Lucia added . Then she went on to talk about how someone took a joke too seriously and how it’s not funny if a person is too serious . Hugo watched her babble on as if he was listening to a song then he kissed her lips and hugged her tightly .

It was dangerous . He knew that . The history books warned with facts as evidence of the harsh price to pay when a man went crazy for a women . How much had he ridiculed the numerous fallen kings that fell for a concubine and drove their country to ruin .

He truly did not know that a day would come, when he could understand their feelings .

< —="" realization="" —=""> (1).

 .

[You seem to have fallen in love . ].

The king’s words remained like a tenacious afterimage, refusing to disappear . While enjoying the aftertaste of messy s.e.x, Hugo held her in his embrace and gently caressed her back . As he felt her smooth skin with his cold hands, he lost himself in thought

Love . He acknowledged the connection between blood ties and strong feelings in the light of his experiences . But he didn’t understand the foolishness behind the belief that a man and a woman, who didn’t share an ounce of blood, could meet and have a relations.h.i.+p stronger than blood

To him, a woman was just a partner for enjoyment . He did not disdain nor despise the women that rushed to him like moth to a flame for his wealth and power . It was a natural and reasonable trade wherein they exchanged with one another . Not only in his relations.h.i.+p with women, but in his life itself, it was continuity of constant trade

His marriage was also the same . The beginning was definitely an excellent trade with no loss . Physical satisfaction was a bonus . His wife was a satisfactory trading partner

But by the time he came to his senses, his emotional state was repeatedly plummeting and rising . From the moment he recognized his emotionally unstable state, he began walking a strange equilibrium of stability in instability . Tranquil satisfaction and torturous anxiety were coexisting in his mind

‘How did it end up like this?’.

Hugo looked back, retracing his steps

‘I was too relaxed . ’.

Hugo was completely relaxed when it came to her . There was never a part of his wife that he was wary about . She was royalty but she had no relatives let alone ties with the royal family . She didn’t have personal desires like power or greed . In the eyes of a predator like him, she was a small herbivore with no teeth or claws . Her ability to fearlessly enjoy peace at his feet while being so awfully weak was fascinating . There was no one like her at his side until now

It was a very comfortable feeling, the feeling of relief that he could relax and have no need to be wary . With the cozy peacefulness, his mind and body was at ease and he let down his guard . By the time he detected an abnormality, his feelings for her had already become a flowing stream . The more he denied it, the harder it was to turn back . It was not a stream that could be block off with a dam, it had become a gigantic sea

In his cursed bloodline, a unquenchable thirst lay asleep within . Whether it was by chugging liquor, getting drunk on women, or even killing people, the thirst was not quenched however she was able to relieve that thirst . And at the same time, she gave him another overpowering thirst

‘…Love?’.

He could not define the tremendous changes in himself with that one word alone

“…Speaking of me . ”.

Hugo thought she was asleep but he could hear her small whisper very clearly

“If there was someone I wished would rather die . ”.

Lucia kept thinking of the Count of Matin, whom she met at the banquet hall . She overcame her fear of him but in place of that, her anger was pushed forward . The fact that she had suffered at the hands of such a vulgar pig made her feel angry and mortified . She gnashed her teeth at the thought that things might turn out opposite from the dream and he may not die . The fact that he was breathing under the same sky as her was revolting

After speaking impulsively, Lucia regretted it . It was so abrupt and rash . When he asked her what was going on, Lucia despaired on how to reply . The moment she said those words, his hand on her back stopped moving but it was only for a moment . Her ear was on his chest and she could hear his calm heartbeat

“How do you want me to kill them?”.

He spoke lightly with a soft voice as though appeasing her

“There are many ways to die . One can die from a disease, one can die from an accident, one can be killed by a suspicious person, one can die from an incident of blind pa.s.sion, and one can die as a criminal . If you tie in a rebellion, even the family can disappear without a trace . ”.

“Tch…”.

Lucia pouted because he seemed to be making fun of her . But her mind grew relaxed . She felt like a fool for wasting her emotions on reminding herself of that trash

“Won’t you ask me who it is? That’s supposed to be the first thing . ”.

“I don’t care who it is but if it’s the King, that’s a little difficult right now . I need time . ”.

Lucia quickly sat upright . Her face had gone pale in the darkness

“Are you crazy? How can you say that . If someone heard, you’ll die!”.

“Who will kill me?”.

He laughed arrogantly as though saying “even the King can’t kill me but I can . ” Lucia looked at the man before her . He seemed like he would be confident even in the face of death and somehow, she felt drained of her strength . She felt like an idiot for making a fuss about nothing

“Huu . Alright . I was wrong . I wasted my breath for nothing . ”.

As she grumbled and lay down again, Hugo chuckled and took her into his arms . He wasn’t joking or bluffing at all . If she asked him for his heart, he might even dig it out . If she really wanted it, was the King’s neck a big deal?.

I’ve gone crazy . Hugo swallowed a bitter smile . He was out of his mind like this

‘What could it be?’.

Hugo’s red eyes shone dangerously . What could have caused darkness in her heart? He had never been reported of anything like that . He asked her what was going on and considered asking her who it was but he refrained . It was better to pa.s.s it over like a joke rather than questioning it seriously . He didn’t want her to carry darkness in her heart

“If you hate someone and it hurts to endure . ”.

His whispering flowed into Lucia’s ear

“Be sure to tell me . ”.

If there was darkness in her heart, he would take it all

“…What will you do?”.

“Who knows . What shall I do?”.

He muttered slowly but Lucia somehow felt a very dangerous air

“Promise me . That you will . ” (Hugo).

“…I will . ”.

“But that won’t ever happen,” Lucia added . Then she went on to talk about how someone took a joke too seriously and how it’s not funny if a person is too serious . Hugo watched her babble on as if he was listening to a song then he kissed her lips and hugged her tightly

It was dangerous . He knew that . The history books warned with facts as evidence of the harsh price to pay when a man went crazy for a women . How much had he ridiculed the numerous fallen kings that fell for a concubine and drove their country to ruin

He truly did not know that a day would come, when he could understand their feelings