In order to flee from the hellish Shevaria Ducal Household, Melissa Ernel von Shevaria enters the Imperial Palace and becomes the Emperor's Consort.
However, why was it that when she finally found her long-awaited freedom, things had gone wrong once...
"I'm bewildered, Aiden. How do you believe I should respond to this?!", the green-haired maiden cried, clenching her hands down the snowy ground.
To quickly respond to her calling, Aiden thoughtlessly approached the matter that she was about to unfold.
"Milady, what are you—?"
"I like you...!!!"
Widening his eyes at the perceived sentence, the man who was on his knees left his jaw half-open as he stiffened up like a rock at the sight of his lady's blushing demeanor.
"I like you too... Aiden."
He couldn't believe what his ears just heard even if it was considerately mentioned twice through her lips, specifically to prove that he wasn't simply imagining things.
He persisted to trust the fact that there was no way that she would think about someone as lowly as himself to be rightful of that one and only position in her heart. Nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt him to admit that he yearned for a sign of extreme joy to be engraved on his face at the same time, no matter how hard he was trying to avert his rising expectations from the twists of developments.
Not to mention, it wasn't like he bore affections toward her without expecting for even the least of his love to be reciprocated.
"...Might you be playing with my feelings again, perhaps?"
"I'm sorry about that, but— I swear, I'm being honest this time...!!"
"Then, is this because of the suspension bridge effect?"
"Of course, not!!"
The bodyguard tenaciously held onto the fear of falling into a devastating deception, as he constantly replied with possible causes which were rephrased as an excuse to his convenience.
Melissa frowned at the annoying attitude that he was taking. Although it was a matter of truth that she wanted to smirk before the foolish scenery of his surprise, anyone wouldn't be too tolerable when they respond to the affectionate feelings of another with sincerity, only to get deflected this way.
The events would only tire themselves if it would never reach its most befitting conclusion. And the both of them were well-aware of that fact from deep within.
But even then, Aiden didn't wish to give in. Rather, it was more like he hoped to receive a proof that signified the truthfulness of the decision of the maiden on his front. Because even if he was respectful to her judgements, that didn't equally mean that he was fine with the results to become half-baked due to her lingering hesitations, only to lead to another discord between their relationship.
He didn't wish to get encouraged with mere words, just so the person could let him down greatly the next moment although as selfish as it would seem.
On the other hand, Melissa, who knew the weight of her very actions from this point, was determined to do the means of allowing the situation to thoroughly move forward to the next stage.
Which was why, as though replying to Aiden's hopes, she began to make her move with a manner of drawing her face closer to his side, replacing the embarrassment that she carried with a gulp of courage.
"...!!"
The black-haired man couldn't help but widen his eyes once again, through the opportunity.
Everything might've happened in a rapid speed and at most, while he was still engrossed with the contemplation that regarded the previous matter more, but it was also true that he managed to clearly grasp what just occurred.
A soft sensation touched his left cheek, although brief. A single sensation that appeared to suck out a portion of his soul, which now one-sidedly whispered about being regretless, and likewise drained his energy like some sort of sorcery.
It was but a peck. A short, light kiss on one of his cheeks. And that was all it was.
But to rephrase it within Aiden's perspective, all it took was that one action from the person that he was deeply in love with, for his cheeks and ears to mutually get dyed in beet red.
"Would that... suffice......?"
To add up to the excitement ascertained from the rates of his heartbeat, it was as if he fell harder for the lady before his presence by that one sentence which was followed by her extremely embarrassed state as he took a good look at her expression after a while.
And seeing that peculiar view, he understood it immediately.
'Ah...... So this was also her first...', he thought with a sense of triumph and delight in hand.
Only this time around could he not deny the naked shape of her earnestness toward her choice, incomparable to the hateful duality that he nonchalantly flexed about during the previous moments.
Right now, without any care about any of his dejecting worries, he simply did his best to savor the fleeting happiness that he felt in this memorable day.
But to get ahead of himself in spite of knowing how he'd only get scolded for it later on, he decided to fool around for a bit by taking advantage of the flow of the events.
"Just now...... what did you—?"
Believing at his playful yet well-made pretense, Melissa responded;
"Wha—?! You must be kidding...!!", she continued, yelling to form a breath before her open mouth amid the cold atmosphere.
"Don't tell me you want me to repeat what I just did?!!"
"Please do."
Watching her current behavior made the person before her figure melt, resulting his lips to draw a gleeful smile that answered the smallest doubts that she internally held on as he spoke of his reply.
"You...", she glared at him like she was looking at a degenerate.
Soon after, she sighed, either to forgive Aiden's cockiness and to finally permit herself to return to her calm composure. Then when she was done with that, she slowly stood up from her position and shook off the snow that clung onto her clothes and head at several parts.
And looking back at the same guy's direction after proceeding a step away from the area where she lingered for a long period of time, with the intention of going back to the mansion so they could finally keep themselves warm, the maiden began to speak.
"How long do you plan on staying there? You'll catch a cold.", saying that, she casually held out her hand to him, to come for his aid alongside a typical and predictable ulterior motive.
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With quite of a blissful smile from ear to ear that he couldn't suppress, Aiden pleasantly accepted her offer and replied;
