༺ Heartbeat ༻
It was an emotion I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Ever since I had become the heir to the Cloud Kingdom’s throne and my heart froze as a result of the curse, I had thought I would never be able to feel this emotion again.
Yet, as I played with the boy before me, I could feel it tangibly
The sensation of the door to my frozen heart beginning to open ever so slightly.
“Weakling♡. You can’t even handle that much?”
“Wh-what are you doing…?”
“You’re my new leg rest, so just go to sleep.”
I continued to provoke Frey, casually draping my legs over his and playfully wiggling my feet.
“Uh-uh…”
“Seriously? You got excited? I really can’t deal with you…”
As Frey bowed his head and let out a moan, Aishi couldn’t help but stare in embarrassment.
Frey had gained quite a reputation for sleeping around, but she hadn’t expected to see such a cute side to him.
Was that the reason she was acting like this?
“I’m bored. Frey, tell me a story.”
“About what?”
“It doesn’t matter, just hurry.”
Suddenly, I felt a strong desire to engage in conversation with Frey. Even now, I couldn’t fully comprehend it, but I was overflowing with a longing to share a drink and talk with him. It was as though this memory had been etched into my mind, destined to happen.
I persistently peppered Frey with various questions, and as our conversation deepened, it became increasingly evident that we were both quite lightweight when it came to alcohol.
“…So, you felt sorry for me?”
“If you put it that way…”
“Pff, hahahah! You’re hilarious! You really were a weakling, weren’t you?”
Each poured their hearts out to the other.
“So why did someone like you, who is bound by the emblem of chastity, buy my family? Didn’t you say you would use them as sex slaves?”
“…I was interested in you.”
“Ha?”
“I tried to lure you in by using your family as bait…hiii!”
Surprisingly, their conversation was filled with enjoyment.
“The more I listen, the more your lies become apparent.”
“…I-I’m telling the truth…”
Still, she couldn’t take his words at face value. The emblem of chastity could easily be replicated and she sensed that he was lying. Yet, the person she had encountered today was far removed from the “worst villain in the world.”
He was someone foolish enough to easily fall for my tricks. At worst, he was a ruffian that liked to have fun.
However, if the reports from her informants were accurate, the image he currently projected was likely nothing but a facade.
Yet, she was the type to believe only what she had witnessed firsthand.
“I know this isn’t the situation to say something like this, but you’re quite pretty.”
“…Are you using pick up lines on a girl my age? How vile, just die.”
“Our birthdays are only a year apart though?”
“………”
“………”
Their banter continued for a while.
In that moment, I, who had seen him as little more than a toy for torment, began to feel something beyond mere curiosity. It was as if the frozen door of my heart had cracked open, just a bit.
‘…I can’t hear the voice anymore.’
It was then that I realized I couldn’t hear the voice that had sought to destroy me by any means necessary. Were these strange emotions somehow reawakened by the enigmatic boy before me?
After conversing with him for some time, I reached the conclusion that I wanted to grow closer to the boy in front of me. Why was it that my long-frozen and discarded emotions were now in such turmoil?
And why, when that boy spoke, did it drown out the noise of that damned voice?
“Ugh….”
“Does it hurt a lot? You really are fragile…”
Because I wanted to know the answers to these questions, I was planning on lifting the curse. Initially, when I first passed the curse onto him, I had intended to kill him. However, my heart has thawed considerably since then.
Naturally, I still held a grudge against him, and I had even heard that he was a part of the Demon King’s army.
That was why I deceived him, pretending that the curse still bound him, all the while planning to secretly remove it.
But…
My attempt had failed miserably. I tried to retract the frost within his body, but for some inexplicable reason, it remained immovable. In fact, Frey’s suffering only seemed to intensify.
In the midst of this incomprehensible situation, I continued to sweat profusely as I continually attempted to recall the curse as Frey suddenly opened his mouth.
“I’m…cold…”
As I saw his pale, anguished face, I wondered if I had pushed my prank too far. Had my control over the magic faltered during my earlier jest?
“Ho-hold on.”
Desperately, I dispelled the remains of my freeze magic. It was meant to be a prank, but due to the lingering grudge I held against him, I had inadvertently intensified the spell. It had clearly backfired.
“Ugh…”
As the temperature inside the cafe returned to normal, Frey slowly lifted his head.
“That’s better.”
He wore a weary smile as he whispered softly to me.
“Wa-wait… hold on a second…”
“I should start heading out soon.”
I tried to stop him, but with an exhausted expression, Frey began getting ready to leave.
“Your offer from earlier…I’ll accept it.”
Staring at me silently, Frey opened his mouth.
“You really can get rid of the curse, right?”
“Huh? Ye-yeah…”
“Then I’ll gladly become your toy.”
My eyes widened at his reply.
“That…No, I’ve also found myself becoming interested in you …”
He smiled gently at me and concluded with a simple statement.
“… I truly enjoyed our conversation.”
Frey struggled to his feet.
– Screech…
With trembling hands, he reached for a cane, an incongruous accessory for a child his age.
– Clack, clack.
As I observed him laboriously making his way to the exit, I felt something.
Was it empathy? Or was it something else?
“Go-goodbye…weak..ling…”
– Boom…!
“…Frey.”
With that, Frey exited the café, leaving me in solitude. I gathered my hands quietly to my chest.
“Hmph…!”
I closed my eyes, recalling the sensation of extracting the bird that had nested within my heart. Exerting more concentration than ever before, I started to manipulate my magic circuits.
“Huff…huff…”
However, the ice bird did not return.
.
.
.
.
.
“Th-this isn’t…”
The mischievous princess who, moments ago, had faced Frey with a relaxed demeanor had vanished.
“It’s not supposed to be like this…”
In her place was a terrified princess, drenched in sweat, forcefully manipulating her magic circuits.
“Why won’t it come back…? Wait.”
After a while, she ceased her efforts and began recalling the past.
“Th-that…voice…”
She began recalling the conversation she had with that accursed voice in her head.
“I can take this curse back whenever I want.”
“Nonsense.”
At that time, she had dismissed it as nonsense.
Because the voice that rang through her mind since her childhood had not once ever spoken the ‘truth’.
Furthermore, the kingdom’s Sage, who had taught her how to manipulate the curse, had assured her that she could retrieve it at any time.
“Th-there’s no way. It’s because he’s a we-weakling. If his condition improves, I’ll definitely be able to retrieve it…I’m sure.”
Murmuring to herself, Aishi continued to bite her nails in denial.
“Princess, please excuse my rudeness, but why are you meeting with that man?”
Her servant, who had momentarily left them alone and now approached her with a disapproving expression, forced Aishi to shift her attention.
“Not only does he have a terrible reputation, but he’s a dreadful choice for a husband. Do you not know that he’s terminally ill?”
“What?”
Aishi was taken aback upon hearing this revelation.
“He was frail even in childhood, but his condition rapidly deteriorated after collapsing the day following the attack on the slave market.”
“Ah…”
Overwhelmed by a sudden sense of unease, she instinctively shut her eyes tight.
“I’m not sure why his condition worsened so quickly, but according to the information Your Highness requested…”
Aishi’s servant stared at her curiously.
“He has 1-2 years at the most.”
Before driving the stake even deeper into her heart.
“……”
Silence enveloped Aishi as she drifted into a haze.
“So you should ignore someone like him…”
“Ca-call an imperial mage, and contact the Sage as well.”
After which, she abruptly gave a command to her servant.
“Princess?”
“Hurry!!!”
After forming a desperate expression to her servant, she quickly ran off.
– So you didn’t believe me in the end. Good riddance.
For some unknown reason, the sinister voice that had been quiet for some time suddenly returned, causing her to freeze in place.
“………”
“………”
“Pr-Princess?”
Despite a considerable amount of time passing, Aishi remained petrified, standing there like a statue.
.
.
.
.
.
“I-it’s cold…”
Frey, who had exited the cafe, wrapped his arms around his body as he shivered.
“Eugh….”
Even though he was no longer near Aishi, he continued to shiver from the intense cold.
“Fr-frey?”
“Master?”
Frey, still shivering, entered the carriage where Irina and Lulu were waiting for him anxiously.
“Y-you made physical contact with Aishi didn’t you? You idiot! I told you not to do it!
“So-sorry.. But I had no other-”
“Idiot! Idiot, Idiot, Idiot!!!”
Irina, rolling around the floor, threw a tantrum while emitting a chilling aura.
“Since it’s come to this, I need to cleanse you…”
Raising her hand, she began murmuring to herself.
“………..”
“………..”
Now no longer speaking, she looked at Frey with a peculiar gaze.
“Ir-irina? Why are you suddenly…”
For some reason, Frey felt increasingly bewildered by the look in Irina’s eyes.
“Huh? Uhhhh…?”
Before he could grasp what was happening, Irina hurried towards Frey, working to remove his clothes.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“…What do you think you’re doing?”
“……..”
Confused by Irina’s actions, Frey stood helplessly. Meanwhile, Lulu coldly inquired, but Irina remained unresponsive, continuing to undress Frey.
“Eugh…”
“Growl… Wh-what do you think you’re doing?”
Lulu, who became increasingly flustered by more and more bare skin being exposed, began to try to stop Irina.
“…Coo.”
At that moment, an owl that had flown in began to coldly stare at Irina.
“It’s necessary to dispel the curse. Don’t interfere.”
“Hehh?”
“C-coo?”
Irina emanated an unknown aura that overwhelmed both Lulu and the owl.
“…Th-this isn’t a romantic gesture, but ‘healing’. Frey’s life is on the line, so it doesn’t count.’
Irina spoke timidly while locking eyes with the owl.
“Ir-irina…I’m cold…”
In response, Irina cast her gaze downward at the shaking Frey.
– Tap…!
Soon after, something could be heard falling from inside Irina’s cloak.
“……!”
Frey and Lulu’s eyes widened as they saw what had fallen.
It was Irina’s top falling to the floor of the carriage.
– Snap..!
“Irina? What are you doing?”
Frey, bewildered, asked as even her undergarments followed suit.
“I have to melt the shards of that ice bird that is embedded all over your body myself.”
With a shy expression, Irina opened her cloak slightly and began to speak while averting her gaze, resulting in Frey staring blankly.
“I can’t set you on fire, and ordinary cleansing magic takes too long.”
Irina, staring at Frey, swallowed her saliva.
“Come here, Frey.”
Using magic, she heated her body up as she mumbled.
“I need to precisely melt all the cold energy that’s mixed with your body, so maximum surface contact is necessary.”
While continuing to explain the process…
“…I’m ready.”
Irina gazed at Frey, who was blushing, and completed her explanation.
“I’ll melt you, Frey.”
“…….”
“Come to me.”
Soon after, Irina’s cape enveloped Frey entirely.
“Uhhh….”
Frey’s bare skin made contact with Irina’s as his frail, young body nestled into her ample embrace.
“Haa….”
Irina tightly shut her eyes, savoring the sensation of Frey’s body pressed against hers and letting out a soft moan.
“I-I can help too…”
“Don’t! Precise mana control is required, so if something goes wrong, there will be huge problems.”
Irina urgently pushed Lulu aside as she attempted to cling to them.
– Rustle…
Irina used both hands to push Frey’s head, which had been sticking out above the cloak, back inside.
“Rest well, Frey…”
Closing her eyes as she sat back in the carriage’s seats, Irina whispered to Frey.
“…I hope you remember this moment as a happy one.
Frey’s heartbeat, completely engulfed by Irina’s cape, began to synchronize with hers.
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