Chapter 39

In the tender embrace of the Duke, Elise felt a mix of emotions – relief, joy, and a tinge of apprehension. As Ivetsa caught sight of her return, tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn’t contain her heartfelt exclamation, “Your Highness, I was startled to see you vanish without a trace!”

Elise pondered Ivetsa’s reaction. Granted, she had only stepped outside the palace, merely venturing as far as the castle grounds. Yet, the entire castle seemed to have been thrown into disarray by her temporary absence. The gravity of the situation struck her, and she felt compelled to offer Ivetsa some reassuring words. However, before she could do so, Rezette hurriedly passed by, leaving Elise’s comforting words unsaid.

Back in the Duke’s office, Elise noticed that the door she had exited through was now wide open. An extinguished lamp rolled carelessly in front of it. Ruben must have sent her away and subsequently shut the door, but what had transpired during her brief absence remained a mystery. Elise’s mind was filled with questions as she tried to make sense of the peculiar scene.

While she stood perplexed, Rezette appeared at the foot of the stairs. In an instant, the office below them seemed a world apart. The darkness enveloped them, and there wasn’t a single candle to guide their way, yet Rezette ascended the stairs with an assured grace, never faltering. Elise followed, and within minutes, they had reached her bedroom.

Should she apologize for her abrupt departure? Elise couldn’t help but wrestle with guilt, though it seemed undeserved. Standing still in the middle of the living room, she hesitated to remove her robe. Rezette sighed, recognizing the turmoil within Elise, and gently helped her take off the robe instead.

Rezette finally broke the tense silence, his voice tinged with concern. “I was startled,” he admitted.

Elise turned to face him, curious and puzzled. “Why are you startled?” she inquired.

“They say you went down there,” he gestured vaguely, “but the door that should have been closed was open. Your Highness was nowhere to be seen.”

She arched an eyebrow, slightly amused. “How do you know I went down there?”

A hint of worry flickered in Rezette’s eyes. “Because I came up to see you. If you had stumbled on those steep stairs, you could have fallen to your death.”

Elise couldn’t help but feel conflicted. Not long ago, she had complained about Rezette leaving her alone in an unfamiliar castle, and now he had sought her out. She knew his words were probably just a façade to check on her well-being firsthand.

She averted her gaze, hoping to avoid revealing the real reason for her impromptu adventure to the castle. However, Rezette’s gentle touch on her cheek turned her back to face him.

“Of course, you can go anywhere within Rotiara,” he reassured her. “Just don’t venture into the knights’ castle or the military areas outside the walls. If you’re curious, I can accompany you.”

Elise remained silent, her heart torn between gratitude for his consideration and the desire to keep her hidden.

“Do you remember what almost happened on the day you were captured by the Van Yela knights?” he softly asked, his eyes searching hers.

Her mind immediately flashed back to that fateful day, a day she had narrowly escaped a humiliating and shameful fate. Yet, the memories seemed to blur and intertwine with the overpowering presence of the man before her, erasing some of the details from her recollection.

“Lucky for you, Fred Roderick, who met his demise in Your Highness’s hands, was not one of my knights. But I can’t vouch for every subordinate in my faction, and I fear they might not keep a level head if something were to happen again.”

Elise felt a surge of defensiveness. “It’s not my fault for what happened,” she retorted, her emotions slightly raw.

“I didn’t say it was your fault; I’m just worried,” Rezet clarified.

Frustration seeped into Elise’s tone, “So, that’s why you keep me confined here?”

Her mind was quick to devise a solution; if he was genuinely concerned about her safety and wished her to remain within the castle walls, he could simply visit her more frequently and accompany her outside when necessary. She could take care of her duties during those visits without causing trouble.

Rezet’s eyes betrayed the thoughts that mirrored her own, but he chose to shift the subject.
“Have you had breakfast yet?”

Elise couldn’t help but see through his feigned nonchalance, recognizing his subtle attempt to evade the issue. She widened her eyes in disbelief and gasped, “You… you even stated in the contract that you would cooperate…!”

A pang of exasperation hit her. Was he implying he would never come to this top floor again? Did that mean she was to be confined here indefinitely? That wasn’t what they had agreed upon.

“So, does that mean you won’t even look in my direction from now on?” Elise’s voice quivered with a mix of frustration and hurt as she confronted Rezette.

Concerned by her sudden attempt to stand up, Rezette gently took hold of her shoulders, urging her to remain seated. “At the moment, I don’t feel like it,” he admitted, his tone guarded.

“Will there ever be a day when you feel like it?” Elise’s question held a tinge of bitterness, though she already suspected the answer.

Inwardly, Rezette knew the truth. He had a bevy of other options available to him, countless women in Rotiara who desired him. In comparison, Elise felt like an insignificant choice, someone he needn’t bother himself with.

The realization gnawed at her, and she tightened her fists, directing a fierce glare at him. “In that case, I don’t need to wait quietly here for you either. Let me go ask Ruben to show me around the territory!” she declared.

But her words hit Rezette like a blow to the heart, and his eyebrows furrowed in distress. He couldn’t ignore the implications of her outburst. Ah, so if it’s not about creating heirs, then there’s no reason for us to be together like this now? Is that why she followed me so obediently?

Since the moment he had searched the empty office and the concealed stairs, his judgment had been clouded, and now he had to confront the truth.

“I understand what you want, Your Highness, but…” Rezette began to respond, his voice tinged with a chilling edge.

She was about to protest, but he interrupted her with unwavering resolve. “I have never mentioned it before, but I detest acts that are merely driven by carnal desires like beasts,” he explained firmly.

Elise was taken aback, confusion and surprise etched on her face. “What…?” she faltered.

His gaze softened, but his stance remained unwavering. “Especially engaging with someone I don’t even know, without any emotional connection.”

Elise’s lips trembled as she spoke, her mind lost in a whirlwind of emotions. “Then why did you act that way at the inn last time…?” Her voice was quivering, desperately seeking an explanation.

Rezette met her gaze, refusing to look away. “I didn’t do anything to you, did I? I let you go without touching you,” he replied, a hint of defiance in his words.

Her mind reeled, trying to make sense of his contradictory behavior. If he had no intention of truly being intimate with her, why had he displayed such an explicit passion at the inn? And those words he spoke, urging her to “get used to what’s mine” – were they just empty promises?

The dizziness overwhelmed her, and she felt a disconnection between her body and mind. It was clear that for Rezette, there were distinct principles he adhered to, but she couldn’t fathom why he had entered into a contract with her in the first place if his intentions were so conflicted.

“I heard that the members of the council explain how a dragon is conceived and born. I was born that way, too,” he divulged, his words heavy with a history that weighed on him.

Elise’s realization dawned, and her response was a mere whisper, “Ah….”

“A monster conceived out of fear, devouring its mother when born,” he continued, exposing the disturbing truth of his origins.

The revelation was chilling, and she could feel the weight of the burden he carried. “Those who, once blinded by lust, care nothing about what lies beneath and just plunge in like beasts. I’m not far from that kind either. That’s why I try to keep my distance even more,” he admitted, laying bare his inner struggles.

Elise realized that while Rezette might have provided the court physician with detailed information about the nature of dragons, each word he spoke was an unadulterated truth.

“Surely you don’t want to embrace someone like me.” 

Elise hesitated for a moment before conceding, “…That, that’s right.”

His cold rejection sent a shiver down her spine, and silent whimpers escaped her trembling lips. The frustration within her was overwhelming, but his references to their past encounters rendered her speechless. Vulnerable and sensing the looming danger, she instinctively huddled her delicate shoulders, seeking some semblance of protection.

Rezette bit his tongue in frustration, torn between his conflicting emotions. Seeing Elise so visibly shaken, he couldn’t bring himself to push her any further. He knew he was testing her boundaries, yet he found it difficult to suppress his concern for her well-being.

Since their arrival in Rotiara, worries had plagued him incessantly. Elise’s pointed words had struck a chord, for he couldn’t indefinitely evade the obligations the contract bore, particularly when his own signature was inked upon it. He grappled with the predicament of how to navigate this complex connection with the young woman before him.

As if compelled by some unspoken force, Rezette’s hand moved to touch her long hair, its softness and warmth under his fingertips offering a momentary comfort. But he knew that avoiding her face wasn’t the answer, for his feelings weren’t as easily cooled as he had hoped.

Everything related to Elizabeth Aseica became a problem.

Having promised Elise a comfortable life in Rotiara, Rezette couldn’t simply keep her confined to the secluded high bedroom. Yet, he couldn’t allow her to roam freely either, for her beauty was like a beacon, drawing unwelcome attention from all corners. Men’s whispers and maids’ gossip followed her every step, and the more he pondered the situation, the more anger he felt.

His concern for her well-being seemed genuine, but lurking beneath, he wondered if it was merely an excuse to keep her close. Rebecca Petisson’s words haunted him: “It might be better to treat her like a precious collectible.”

Elise’s golden eyes glimmered with a mix of emotions as she shook her head, avoiding his touch. Her beauty remained as captivating as ever, and Rezette couldn’t help but marvel at the delicate patterns of her silver-gray eyebrows.

He gently cupped her cheek, lifting her face to meet his gaze. Beauty was not a sin, but the breathtaking allure she possessed had a magnetic quality that seemed almost sinful. The desire to possess her, to claim her as his own, had been stirring within him ever since he first caught a glimpse of her in the Argan Palace three years ago.

His fingertips traced the delicate contour of her cheek, and he couldn’t help but notice her flinch, as if ticklish. Elise’s sensitive ears seemed to react to the tender touch, and Rezette found himself quietly amused by his own curiosity.

This extraordinary woman played with his head and heart in separate ways, and her mesmerizing appearance left no one to blame but her enchanting allure. She could throw a fit, demanding why he didn’t hold her, all the while possessing such a captivating face. It was impossible for any man not to be captivated by her, and the frustrating situation only deepened.

But there was something comforting in the knowledge that he was the sole recipient of this side of her. The thought provided a measure of relief amidst the complex emotions swirling within him.

A precious collectible… It’s not entirely wrong. 

And slowly, the answer began to crystallize within him.

He yearned to possess this radiant gem, to have her for himself, to bask in her beauty, at least for a time. He wanted to cherish her with utmost care, ensuring no mistakes that could lead to any harm. The thought of damaging such a resplendent beauty even once was a painful notion he couldn’t bear.

And so, with a soft sigh, Rezette reached a decision.