Chapter 268

Chapter 268

Dalia closed her eyes, clutching the pillow and sighed softly.

‘I need to admit I was wrong,’ she thought. Regardless of pride and embarrassment, she decided to confess everything to him, right down to the very core, before he could misunderstand and let her go.

—

Kaichen was unhappy with Dalia’s unusual concern for Duran. Initially, it seemed like she was being polite, but he couldn’t understand her actions, including muttering about repayment and going to see him off, so he grabbed her hand.

It wasn’t a deliberate action, driven more by instinct. As he held her hand, he was surprised to find himself experiencing deep unease.

As he gazed into her eyes, which trembled as though she had just stabbed him in the chest with her words, he felt a strange sensation, like a prickling feeling in his gut.

Now, Kaichen knew the name of this feeling, something he wouldn’t have recognized before.

Jealousy.

A mixture of emotions simmering with anger, not wanting to have what’s rightfully his taken away.

Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t help but entertain the fleeting thought that maybe this woman’s feelings could change. It was a brief thought, a “what if,” but that thought alone was enough to cool the fire that had been burning in his chest moments ago.

He had been too careless, allowing himself to relax in the face of her playful laughter and demeanor. He had thought that he alone could save this woman. But in reality, all he had done was rescue her from the time magic, unable to heal the wounds she saw in herself, wounds she found repulsive.

Kaichen wanted her to say something, anything that would reassure him, to casually dismiss the situation as a joke, to tell him it wasn’t what he thought. More than anything, he wished she would say that she had playfully teased him to provoke his jealousy.

However, Dalia only gazed at him, her lips slightly parted, her eyes trembling intensely. He had hoped for a playful response, for her to say, “It was just a joke, why are you taking it so seriously?,” and to see her smile as she usually did.

But instead, his anxiety abruptly made him lift his head, and he found himself on his knees.

He couldn’t understand Dalia. He feared she might suddenly push him away, just like that day. He had replied that he forgot when she had asked him to pretend to be someone else because she couldn’t remember her past, but he was still unable to do it.

Kaichen realized he was still harboring unease within himself based on the memories of that day. Understanding something and accepting it were different matters. He didn’t want Dalia to hate him. He hoped her heart would continue to be filled with only him, now and in the future.

His selfish desire left him sighing heavily. Eventually, he left, leaving behind Dalia, who called for him. If he stayed there any longer, he felt he might kneel and beg.

“Look only at me, don’t care about anyone else. Just look at me forever… That’s what I want.”

Even if it sounded petty, he had no other words. He didn’t want to show it to anyone, not even Dalia.

It was in that moment that he realized the emotion he felt, unlike jealousy, was “obsession.”

He went to the garden to get some fresh air, but the wind didn’t blow a single breeze. He wondered how much time had passed.

He gazed blankly at the sky. His mind seemed so empty, unlike his usual quick decision-making and planned use of time. He felt as if one side of his chest was empty. He pressed down on his pitiful and ridiculous heart while his selfish desire continued to rise, leaving him unable to figure out what to say to Dalia.

What he couldn’t understand was whether it was Dalia’s attitude that was truly perplexing or his clumsy desire, watching her and longing for her heart. He didn’t know how many times he had sighed before his ring sparkled.

Kaichen blinked slowly as he looked at the dark night sky, contemplating whether he should receive the message from Julius or not. Compared to the brief moment of contemplation, the magic flowed into the ring as if it were a habit.

Today, he needed to bring the matter to a close to ensure Dalia had no more significant troubles in the future. That alone was reason enough to answer this call.

“What is it?”

[Lady Sorel has died.]

There were no other words, just the straightforward message.

Kaichen blinked at the multitude of stars and asked, “What’s the cause?”

[Poison.]

“…How long has it been since she died?”

[You’ll need to see for yourself, but it’s probably been a few hours. After her release… she was probably attacked on her way back to the mansion.]

Kaichen’s brows involuntarily furrowed. His tone had become noticeably shorter in an instant. Julius must have immediately released Lamia Sorel l to prevent this situation from escalating into a major incident.