This Book is Not Available for Subscription Under the Age of 18 - Chapter 185

You’re Here Now? (2)

While massaging my throbbing temple, Merson laid me down on the bed and brought a chair over to take a seat in front of me. Just looking up at his face quietly from the bed made my heart flutter, and I couldn’t hide my smile. His gentle touch as he brushed away the stray strands of hair clinging to my face was affectionate.

“If there’s something you don’t like, I can change it to something you do.”

His words were undoubtedly about the incident just now.

“You’ve probably lived your whole life as you wanted, but I haven’t. I’m not as thick-skinned. I’m far from developing that resilience.”

“On the other hand, Erina has a strong will. A strong will that can leap into action without hesitation to protect something.”

“That’s completely different from this situation, though?”

“Since you acquired me with that strong will, it means you can use it to your advantage as much as you want.”

I grabbed Merson’s hand resting on my forehead and pulled him closer. Even without exerting much force, Merson quickly understood my intention and lay down beside me on the bed. I raised my arms around his chest, feeling the warmth seeping into my body, making me feel languid and content.

“Just having Merson by my side makes me this happy. What more could I possibly want to enjoy?”

As I spoke, Merson swiftly turned his body and pulled me into his embrace in a flash.

Thump, thump, thump.

I felt the rapid thumping of his heart, as if it were a full-speed sprint. Holding me as if he wouldn’t allow even a hair’s breadth of space, he tightened his arms a bit more. Hugging tightly, a gasp escaped me. Huh, huuh!

“Help me…!”

“I’m sorry. But I felt like I had to hold you tightly because I was just overwhelmed.”

Merson quickly loosened his grip, leaving small, tender kisses on my forehead. My breathing became easier.

His heart, still beating rapidly, created a more beautiful melody than a performance of a symphony orchestra or the finest recitation of a masterpiece by a talented playwright… If this sound resonated within me, Merson must have felt the same.

It’s alright. Everything is alright now. Truly.

Even though the course of my life had drastically changed, it was alright. Letting go of what I had clung onto like regret, it was alright. Even if I were to get hurt and shattered, it was alright. Even if my life was merely a drop of oil on the ocean, it was all alright.

Because Merson was by my side. That was enough.

“I realized it too late. I realized that as long as I could be with you, it didn’t matter where I was.”

I couldn’t forget the overwhelming excitement and relief that enveloped me when I met Merson, who had come to rescue me from Theron Abitz’s mansion. That was the moment when I fully realized that what I had longed for wasn’t to return to Korea, but to be with Merson.

“I don’t need a magnificent Demon King’s Castle. Being in the countryside Sezaine is fine. The capital would do, too, anywhere, really.”

“I’ve always felt that way, Erina.”

His large, comforting hand stroking my back made me melt into a state of tranquility, my eyelids drooping until they were completely shut.

Yes, that was always how you were.

I drifted into a deep sleep and awoke thirsty, with only a small flickering candle softly illuminating the room. As I moved away from the sturdy arm I felt on my body, Merson wriggled and half-raised his body.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Do you need something?”

“I’m thirsty.”

Merson handed me a cup of water from the table. After draining the entire cup and setting it back down, I felt the fatigue in my body going away.

Realizing that sleep wouldn’t come any time soon, I turned on the light in the room. As I went to put the empty cup back, Merson tried to take it from my hand. I gently evaded his touch and got up.

“I’m not a patient.”

Even before this incident, I had felt that Merson was overly pampering about me, but after what had happened, that feeling had intensified. I could sense he was preoccupied with whether I might get hurt or feel uncomfortable. It was cute.

As I placed the cup on the table, I noticed a document that hadn’t been there during the day.

“Pierre brought it while Erina was sleeping. The content states that Count Abitz’s punishment has been decided.”

I had heard the detailed account of the outside situation while I was trapped in Theron Abitz’s mansion through Merson.

The army of Count Abitz, who had initiated the rebellion, was subdued without even properly wielding their swords. Thanks to sending Pierre and Raynon to Sezaine in advance, they were able to prevent the Count’s army of dark wizards.

The Count’s ambition to become the Emperor, plummeted into the abyss with his first step, and he was immediately confined to a solitary cell located at the far end of the underground prison.

“Even though it’s going to be the death penalty, why did it take so long?”

It had been more than twenty nights since I recovered in the Demon King’s Castle, and I had been curious about the silence surrounding the Count’s fate, without any official announcement of his punishment.

“Is it such a problem to kill him?”

“Because there were reasons why he shouldn’t be killed.”

“Because he’s an incompetent traitor?”

I asked, but without waiting for Merson’s answer, I picked up the document again that looked like it hadn’t been opened.

“…..”

I keep getting lost in the absurdity as my eyes read through the lines. Count Abitz’s execution was clear, and although the content wasn’t long, I couldn’t easily put the document down.

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