That was then. Sislin’s eyes that shook like a boy’s became clear.

In an instant, he seemed to have come back to his senses.

“Go.”

‘..What?’

Didn’t you just tell me not to go?

With teary eyes (I almost had a runny nose), I had a big question mark above my head.

‘Don’t go.. Go?’

It was a mission as impossible as combining croissant and sausage bread into a finished product.

Apparently confused about something, Sislin muttered, covering his face with a large hand.

“Damn it, looking like this.. Don’t look, go.”

He turned away from my gaze.

“Annette. Right now.”

Still, he couldn’t let go of my sleeve with his hand.

I realized in a second.

‘Oh, I guess he went crazy for a moment.’

I guess he felt ashamed of himself, that suddenly, due to some kind of illness (I could only explain like this), he was in a state of ‘falling out’ of consciousness like on the day I left.

He covered his face with a big hand, reddened to the back of his neck, perhaps recognizing that he had clung to me while crying.

He seemed to realize what he had done.

“Shit. I’m going crazy because it’s hot.”

At that time, he ripped the shirt he was wearing, and took it off as it is.

“....!!!”

‘Don’t suddenly show off your muscular body.’

‘Don’t get sick like crazy too, Sisl.’

The maids, who had been worried, were surprised and turned around.

When I saw the wide chest and muscular forearms in front of my eyes, I did not react like them. Instead, my face turned red.

It looked like some kind of ferocious beast was writhing. On that subject, his expression quickly changed and he grabbed my ankle.

Like a person who would die when I go.

“.....”

‘It’s very hot.’

I seemed to understand why he had taken off his clothes. It was because it was hot.

I took a very slow, deep breath and informed the surroundings.

“Owin, please let everyone out. I’ll try something.”

“..Yes, Duchess.”

Owin let the servants out, closed the door and left as well.

The aide probably judged that it would be detrimental to show the crown prince in this state to the subordinates for a long time. Like I had.

“..Look up. Sisl.”

I cupped his cheeks and whispered.

Sislin took a deep breath and raised his head.

From his red eyes, tears ran down his cheeks without resistance.

At this moment, he seemed to be immersed in the consciousness of the past again. I knew it just by looking at his face.

“Look at me. Can you?”

I spoke sweetly. Then, he buried his trembling head deeply in my shoulder.

An irregular breathing sound came from his shoulder, and the man, who seemed to never know tears or rest for his whole life, leaned on me like a wounded animal without resistance.

“It’s okay.”

I stroked his damp hair slowly. Kindly, as if trying to calm him down as much as possible.

However, I did not know how to fix this ‘maniac’.

‘No way..’

I pondered over what Sislin had said, and made a difficult decision.

I raised my head, made eye contact, and spoke as forcefully as possible.

“I will kiss you.”

He said that the deeper the touch, the less pain, maybe..

“.....”

The sharp eyes were looking at me with an unknown expression.

“You never know. It might be okay.”

“.....”

“..I will do it!”

Because it didn’t seem like he could calm down just with hugs.

So, this.

‘It’s like artificial respiration.’

‘If you don’t like it, tell me, Sisl.’

I closed my eyes (while Sislin didn’t) and slowly drew closer, clasping his cheeks.

Sislin’s eyelids slowly lowered as he looked down nervously at the approaching innocent face.

Yet—

Soft lips touched.

My heart was a little numb, then I felt a tickling sensation.

And my heartbeat began to pound.

“.....”

“.....”

Sislin’s eyes gradually closed.

The corners of his lips rose slightly as the lips touched.

Having done just that, Annette brought her lips away, as if she had done a great job.

Then she asked, shifting her light green eyes.

“Now.. Are you okay?”

Sislin slowly lowered his eyes and stared at her.

‘I’m glad I came to my senses, even for a moment.’

‘I almost missed the chance.’

“Not enough.”

His large hands stroked her cheeks, and his hot thumbs gently caressed her recalled earlobes.

Then he pulled her in at once and whispered, in front of her lips.

“—For a while more.”

He smirked, then his lips swallowed her in one breath, savoring her tenderness.

For a moment, thanks to being surprised, Annette’s breath was disturbed. Taking in her every breath, Sislin lifted her lightly and sat her on top of him; as if she was light without any weight.

Badump, badump.

His heart was beating uncontrollably. An unfamiliar euphoria scratched his entire body.

At the skillful and uninterrupted kiss, the helpless Annette lost strength, unable to draw back her head.

“.....”

It felt like a strong current was hitting her and her whole body was being swept away.

Annette’s face turned red.

━━━━???━━━━

‘Why is there no news?’

It was time for the Imperial Palace to be turned upside down and for a riot to happen.

Gerard looked nervously out of the window, occasionally glancing at the empty bottles of ‘toasts’.

The black snake gracefully slithered through the drawing room in an S-shape and climbed up to a shaped pillar. The statue’s eyes were covered with darkness.

“..It’s strange.”

The feeling of exhilaration had long since subsided.

It was a breathtakingly deep night.

Gerard lit another cigarette, drank a few more strong drinks, and finally called a servant.

“Check the dynamics of the Imperial Palace!”

“Yes!”

It was unnerving. If the crown prince was really going through the pain of the Crevasse again, it would have been normal for the whole of El Dorado to be overturned and noisy by now.

That ‘Monster of the Crevasse’ might go crazy, completely losing his senses and slaughter everyone in the Imperial Palace.

But it wouldn’t last long.

Because he couldn’t bear the pain, and soon his body would die.

Gerard dreamed of such a beautiful night..

The words of the servant who returned were very shocking.

“The Imperial Palace is quiet. As usual.”

“....!!!”

Gerard, whose patience had been shattered, jumped to his feet.

Blinking rapidly, he exclaimed loudly.

“Venénum! Didn’t you say that it has definitely started?”

[It’s been a long time since it started. Even he is already under the curse. Besides, I can feel his pain.. Ah, this.]

At that instant, as if noticing something, the black snake slowly rose from the goddess statue’s eyes to the top of her head, smiling.

The eerie, sultry laugh echoed through the room.

[The curse has just been lifted? Poor human contractor, it’s a pity.]

“....?!”

[Another sorcerer’s power intervened in the curse. Your curse has been neutralized by the power of that magic ‘perfecting’ the ability of Sislin.]

“What..?”

[I’m sorry. Isn’t it like you’re the only one dying? Keke~!]

The Cursed Venénum, a hedonist who enjoyed even the pain of those who contracted with him, laughed happily.

Then, Gerard’s screams rang out low. The cost of a failed curse was terrible.

The back of his hand, where bulging veins were moving painfully, was charred. As a reaction to a failed high-level spell.

Gerard covered his left eye with his black hand and looked in the mirror as he leaned down and trembled.

He could see the hideous pattern on one side of his face.

His eyelashes burned, and his eerie eyes were distorted as if it was absurd.

“..Ah!”

Soon, anger began to erupt from the palace.

“Aaaaahhhhhhh!”

In the end, the man who had lost everything in front of him again screamed desperately.

━━━━???━━━━

‘I have to stop.’

It’s gone beyond artificial respiration.

Unlike the unstoppable kiss, the hands stroking my cheeks, neck, and back were very sweet.

The embrace was warm enough to want to continue to be hugged, and the kiss was full of love.

It seemed that Sislin had read everything.

The tempo of the kiss slowed down when I was out of breath, and if there was a little gap—

He would dig into the gap and my fingertips would curl up and burn so hot that I felt numb.

If it’s like this.

‘I wish I could stay like this all night..’

A thought unknowingly struck me and shocked me to my senses.

A bright red light lit up in my mind.

The timing was also exquisite, as our lips fell apart at the same time, leaving a tingling sensation.

“.....”

“.....”

I barely opened my eyes and exhaled with a red face.

Looking at the face lovingly, Sislin smiled sneakily, revealing his teeth.

He stroked her long blonde hair with his large hand and brought it to her back.

It was then that he realized that the pain that had been tormenting him so badly had ceased.

Annette’s eyes widened.

“..Uh?”

As if she had made a marvelous discovery, she pointed at him with a weak hand, and words flowed out from her plump berry-red lips that were sweetened by the long kiss.

“Sisl, look at that hand.”

She glanced down at her hand, then at Sislin’s dark eyebrows.

“....?”

It was, like, the first time they’ve ever seen such a thing.

Ame:?WE GOT A KISS!!! *pops champagne*

Tassie:?AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *breathes* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY