Chapter 144 - Book Rabbit

Chapter 144

Though I had lived a rather tumultuous life, I wondered how many times I had ever been this tense.

My lips, and even my throat, felt as dry and cracked as a parched log.

But here, I could not recklessly drink even a single sip of water.

‘This is a place where the influence of Archbishop Bio reaches.’

I had already firmly warned Arpad as well. To be careful with what he ate and drank.

“Don’t eat or drink anything unless I give it to you.”

“That’s a bit thrilling.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Thinking that you’re obsessed with me and trying to restrict me one by one is a bit exciting.”

“You really are a pervert….”

Moreover, considering the somewhat suspicious attitude of the elderly priestess of the Earth Mother earlier, it wasn’t an overreaction.

I was currently in the midst of what was clearly the final ritual bath of the day, though I’d lost count of which number it was.

Since it was a religious event, they made a huge fuss about purifying the body first before doing anything.

The reason I was so intensely nervous during this final bath was none other than this.

The act of washing my body now felt like a blatant preparation for what was to come later.

Arpad’s declaration of war (?) was still swirling in my head.

“Tonight… I won’t hold back. If you don’t want to, say you don’t want to now.”

My body grew hot, and my heart began to pound wildly.

It felt as if my entire body had become a heart, thumping and fluttering.

‘Arpad must be washing himself around now, too?’

I almost hallucinated that the water of the spring I was soaking in was rippling in time with the pounding of my heart.

It was excessively embarrassing… and also anticipated.

I could not possibly deny this flutter.

* * *

As Hilia had anticipated, Arpad was in a similar situation.

He was washing himself again, immersed in water drawn from the sacred spring.

The bathwater had been generously poured with ceremonial perfumed oil, and incense burners containing myrrh were placed in the four corners of the room.

Feeling his chest heave, Arpad scooped up hot water with both hands and washed his face.

‘What a bother.’

All he wanted was to run to Hilia right this moment.

Even for Arpad, he could not disregard the procedures at the Harvest Festival where he was participating as the chief officiant in place of the Emperor and Empress.

‘Besides, once the ritual bathing is over, only the final procedure remains….’

Then he would be free from these cumbersome, irritating events and people, and they would be left alone.

After that, no one would be able to disturb them.

Arpad felt a burning sensation as if fire had been lit all over his body.

His heart beat irregularly and clamorously.

It felt novel and strange.

‘Just as Felix said. I’m exactly like a green boy who’s lost his mind over his first love.’

To feel this fluttering and excited, as if he couldn’t bear it.

It was strange and awkward. They were feelings he had never even imagined he would experience.

Anticipation bred impatience, and this prevented him from properly controlling his own bodily sensations.

Arpad chuckled softly.

‘It seems I am human after all.’

On the water’s surface where Arpad was immersed, ripples shone white.

The pungent scent of myrrh filled his nasal passages, masking all other smells.

* * *

After the final bath, which felt abnormally long.

I put on the ceremonial robes again and was guided, surrounded by priests.

“We will guide you to the ceremonial chamber where you will spend this night.”

With each step, it felt as if my heart was being pounded.

It wasn’t an unreasonable feeling.

‘…Because it really is the first night.’

To be having such thoughts while surrounded by priests in a temple.

I felt a bit vulgar all by myself.

‘But, that’s originally what this event (?) is. It’s not my fault, really.’

From the start, it was for a couple to stay up through the night together and pray for abundance. The implication was very clear.

Hadn’t the Emperor even said he was expecting good news?

He mentioned that many imperial heirs throughout history had been conceived on this day, in this place.

Once again, my face grew hot and my throat became parched.

‘Is that old tale true? Actually, I’d like to enjoy the honeymoon a bit more… no, no. That’s not it.’

Lost for a moment in embarrassing and forward thoughts, I had arrived at the destination before I knew it.

The priests opened the chamber door with reverent attitudes and withdrew.

“You may enter. The door will remain locked until the morning sun rises.”

Good heavens. They were locking us in for the entire night.

…As expected, it wasn’t a very sacred or solemn event.

“Thank you for your efforts.”

Offering the customary reply, I stepped into the room with nervous steps.

The ceremonial chamber was smaller and darker than I had imagined.

‘They didn’t light any lamps. Ah, well, I suppose they aren’t needed.’

Behind me, the sound of the door locking echoed loudly.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could make out the room’s layout.

It was a simple space with only a bed placed in it.

And inside, a tall shadowy figure was standing.

Happy to see him, I approached and called his name.

“Arpad!”

“…….”

An answer did not come immediately.

And he did not immediately run towards me with a smile.

I realized something was wrong when I had taken a few steps towards the man’s shadow.

No matter how dark it was, there was no way I wouldn’t recognize Arpad’s form.

Even in the deep darkness of the catacombs, Arpad’s red eyes had shone like a beast’s.

Because I could tell my husband was handsome just by his shadow.

But… everything was unfamiliar.

A terrible sense of foreboding, and a chilling shudder ran up my spine.

Sensing something was wrong, yet hoping desperately it wasn’t, I called his name once more.

“Arpad?”

At that moment, the man who had been waiting for me in the darkness lunged forward.

“!”

Thud! With a strong impact, I was thrown backward.

* * *

He was clearly walking down the corridor. So why did it feel like he was walking on soft cotton that kept sinking?

Two distinct, strange sensations were shaking and wringing Arpad’s body and mind.

His body grew hot. His heart beat with an abnormally irregular frenzy, and it felt as if all the blood in his body was flowing backward. A sensation as if red-hot blades were stabbing him from fingertips to toes.

It was a feeling he knew. Because he was most wary of it, his nerves were on high alert at even the slightest hint of a similar sensation.

‘It’s a feeling somewhat similar to when the madness flares up….’

But it wasn’t just that.

There was also something opposite to the precursor of the madness.

If that was fire, then ice was simultaneously pressing down on his entire body.

A feeling as if every muscle and ounce of magical power in his body was being disassembled and scattered.

His five senses were gradually dulling. A lethargic, languid sensation, one he had almost never felt before, pulled at his limbs.

Two utterly disparate sensations simultaneously reached their peak.

The only reason he hadn’t collapsed and could still walk on his own two feet was entirely thanks to the robust body and mind granted by his dragon blood.

But Arpad couldn’t even properly grasp who was guiding him or where he was headed.

Thud. Only after hearing the sound of a door closing behind him did he slowly realize.

‘Have I arrived?’

The destination.

Destination? To where?

Arpad, a bit slowly, could recall.

He might forget other things, but one thing was impossible.

‘Hilia….’

The place where she was waiting.

The place where he was supposed to be with her today.

Inside the spacious room, incense burners containing frankincense and myrrh emitted thick smoke, and candles hanging from the ceiling burned quietly, brightly illuminating the room.

In the center of the room, lace fabric embroidered with the names and emblems of dragons and gods was draped, and inside it was placed a large bed resembling an altar.

Even in his addled state, Arpad could form the impression that it was quite blatant.

Soon, one question arose.

‘Blatant? What is blatant?’

His head wasn’t working properly. He was desperately trying to cling to the fraying edges of his consciousness, which was trying to blur.

The taste of blood filled his mouth. Because he had bitten his own tongue and flesh to shreds.

Nevertheless, his consciousness was gradually fading.

‘No.’

At that moment, a sweet voice coiled around his ear.

“Arpad.”

He lifted his gaze, which had been fixed on the floor.

Because he had eyes, he could see.

The woman standing in the center of the room.

A woman shining like a cherry blossom blooming at night.

“Hilia.”

It was clearly her.

Her disheveled pink hair over the white ceremonial robes was unusually vivid.

She was so beautiful it was almost an illusion, as if from a dream.

She nodded her head with a bright smile.

“Yes. It’s me.”

She quickly approached and embraced Arpad.

* * *

With a smile full of rapture, Evangeline leaned into the arms of the man who was tilting toward her.

‘Finally, finally I have him in my grasp!’