IYAMD: Episode 71

“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Marsilia asked in a gentle voice. It was a soft, cloud-like voice.
Jaha couldn’t take his eyes off and unknowingly asked.
“Do you like me?”
At first, it was definitely supposed to be a disapproving look. He wasn’t in his right mind at the time.

Marsilia smiled softly, his eyes sparkling.
“Did you just find that out?”
If hecknew, he wouldn’t be asking. Jaha lightly frowned and asked back.
“Why?”
The question came out in an unexpected way. But upon asking, he realized that the timing wasn’t important. He became more curious about why Marsilia liked him.

No, Jaha might have already known the reason. He had heard several times that he was an important person to him. But that hasn’t changed even now, has it? Then, that man started looking at him differently from the beginning. If so, could there be another reason? He was curious.
The man who had been looking down thoughtfully met Jaha’s gaze after a moment and spoke.
“Well, I wonder why. I don’t know either.” A hint of embarrassment subtly appeared on his face.
“Actually, I just realized that I like you too.” Jaha frowned even more at his answer, which didn’t sit well with him. He kissed him even though he didn’t know why he liked him. What a lecher.
Marsilia raised her hand and gently smoothed the furrow between Jaha’s brows as she approached. He whispered almost inaudibly, standing just close enough to Jaha’s lips to almost touch them.
“When I see you, I get so thirsty that I can’t stand it. I thought it was because of the long wait. I thought I was going crazy from waiting for you for so long.”

Marsilia squeezed his eyes shut. He lightly exhaled as he brushed his lips and against Jaha’s face. The man’s lips on his cheek felt ticklish.
At first, it might have really been like that. But now, it’s a bit different.
“How is it different?”
He barely touched his lips with his and whispered, staying in that position.
“It’s hard to explain. But I’ve wanted to deeply connect with you for a long time. I was desperate to be with you and to hold you.”
He cupped Jaha’s chin with his palm. Just before their lips fully met, he sighed and spoke.
“I wish you were mine. Not because of the Soul Mark, but just because I want you to be mine.”
What kind of gaze is hidden behind his closed eyes?? Lost in thought, Jaha couldn’t resist his kiss and welcomed his tongue as it delved into his mouth.

He gently pushed his tongue into Jaha’s mouth. Marsilia, after sucking on his tongue, pulled back, wiped his wet lips on Jaha’s.
“How about you? Have you started to like me a little?”
Jaha was still at a loss for words in response to his question, which he had asked countless times before. As he gently brushed the short golden hair of the man who still had his eyes closed, Jaha’s heart ached.
“I don’t dislike you.”
He opened his eyes wide and looked down at Jaha.
“Huh?”
Jaha hesitated for a moment and then answered truthfully.
“Maybe, I might have started to like you a little. Enough to not mind kissing you.”

The green eyes widened significantly. Watching his eyes round in surprise calmly, Jaha smiled faintly.
“But I still can’t do other things.”

When Jaha gently pushed his chest, he willingly stepped back. He slid his hand, which had been cradling his chin, and naturally took Jaha’s hand.
The man who slowly kissed the back of his hand looked up with sparkling eyes.
“I’ll take it slow. So you can get used to it.”
Jaha sighed and raised his eyebrows.
“Are you saying you won’t do it until I want you to?”

Marsilia straightened his posture and frowned with a troubled expression.

“Then you’ll end up saying you don’t want to do it for a lifetime. I don’t have that much patience, Jaha. Waiting a lifetime is hard.”

“Then how long can you wait?”

“Probably around tomorrow.”

Seeing the playfully twitching eyebrows, Jaha laughed.

“Having patience isn’t even up for debate.”

At that level, it might as well be nonexistent.

As Jaha tried to pass him and step outside, Marsilia hugged him from behind.
He pressed his lips firmly against Jaha’s neck and then whispered.

“I don’t plan to do anything right now. It’s neither the right situation nor the right environment. But since I know you’re getting used to me, I have no intention of giving up. I will constantly try to touch you. I’ll kiss you and try to caress your bare skin.”

Jaha looked down at the man’s hand gently caressing his chest. The hand, coiling around his body like a snake, alternated between caressing his lower abdomen and chest, revealing his impatience.

The man, who had been kissing along his neck repeatedly, sighed, withdrew his hand, and stepped back.

“I hope you get used to it quickly. More than just a kiss.”

Jaha turned his head to look at him for a moment before leaving the tent. It seemed they were in the middle of preparing dinner, as the smell of the campfire mixed with the aroma of food wafted through the air.

Feeling a strong hunger, Jaha left the man who wasn’t coming out of the tent and walked towards the place where the knights had gathered.

Right now, he didn’t want to think about anything. For now, he just wanted to fill his stomach.

He wanted to calm his churning stomach, digest what he had eaten to replenish his energy, and then think things through carefully.

If he was going to work on reconnecting the things he had severed, that was the first step.

Some might be unable to wait and would be restless, but for Jaha, order was important.
To revive the things that had been broken over the course of more than two years, more than anything, time was needed.

He didn’t want to rush.
However, one thing was clear. He was now able to properly envision the future.
He doesn’t know what kind of ending it will be, but compared to the times when he didn’t even think about it, isn’t it a significant improvement?

So, he hoped Marsilia would wait patiently.
Of course, I didn’t expect him to be well-behaved even a little bit.

…

The next evening, as soon as Serez Hastings received a brief letter, he jumped to his feet.

“Count Hastings?”

Emileo, who had been half-asleep while doing paperwork, called out in surprise. However, Serez didn’t answer and instead began shaking a small bell on his desk like a madman.

“What is it?”

“Carriage! Prepare the carriage, no, no need for carriage! Prepare a horse immediately!” The usually calm Serez shouted, his eyes wide, and the servant who heard the bell rushed out to send someone to the stables.

“Count Hastings?”

Emileo approached him as he grabbed his coat.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m going to the Mage Tower.”

“Excuse me?”

“I received word that a dragon appeared in the Deto Mountain. I need to go request assistance from the Mage Tower. A dragon, can you believe it? It must be a divine punishment. Why else would this happen now? Wait, what if His Majesty secretly committed some crime? Did he force himself on Lord Jaha?”

Serez, who had been insulting the Emperor as a beast, quickly put on his coat as the servant knocked on the door. He swiftly approached the door, nearly running.

Before stepping out, Serez glanced back at Emileo.

“Don’t go back, wait here. Don’t move. No, don’t run away, wait here. Got it?”

“Yes, understood.”

The sound of footsteps running down the dark corridor, lit only by the Emperor’s office, was loud. Even louder, though, was the scream of the Emperor’s chief aide, who was running down the hallway.

“AAAHHH!”

The knights accompanying him flinched at the sheer hysteria of Serez’s voice. The same could be heard as they galloped toward the Mage Tower.

The sound of pigs being slaughtered echoed between the knights racing alongside, with Serez yelling unintelligible curses, urging his horse forward. The horse was galloping so fast that it was frothing at the mouth, and they managed to reach the Mage Tower before dawn.

As soon as Serez jumped off his horse, he pounded on the large door on the first floor.

Bang, bang, bang, bang! The loud noise echoed all the way to the 12th floor of the Tower, and finally, the door opened.

“What on earth…”

A man in a blue robe came out, complaining, but Serez pushed him aside and stormed in.

“Where is the Tower Master?”

“Excuse me? Who are you, and what are you doing causing such a ruckus at this hour?”

“I am Serez Hastings, the chief aide to His Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Arhen Empire, Marsilia Serentio Arhen. Are you the Tower Master? If not, take me to him immediately.”

As the Black Knights who escorted the Emperor’s aide began pouring in behind him, the mage frowned.

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

Serez shot a cold glare at the mage and motioned toward the knights behind him with a slight flick of his finger.

“Guide me to the Tower Master before I cut off your head and find someone else. Don’t even think about doing anything foolish.”

The sound of knights drawing their swords echoed. The young mage involuntarily took a step back and trembled.

“If you think you’ll be safe after doing something like this, you’re gravely mistaken.”

Serez snapped his fingers, and in that instant, the knights’ swords lunged toward the mage’s neck.

“Ahgh!”

Startled, the mage fell backward, and Serez smiled brightly. Seeing that sight seemed to ease his mind a bit.