A strong wind blew into the square. The torches in people’s hands swayed left and right as if they were about to go out. Cersinia’s long skirt fluttered in the wind which was strong enough to make leaves fall. Through the hem of the fluttering skirt, white, slender ankles appeared and disappeared repeatedly. Charles smacked his lips with greedy eyes on what he saw. Soon after, as the strong wind calmed, the torches, which seemed to be extinguished, blazed again.

“If you beg me to save you now, I’ll look after you,” Charles whispered into Cersinia’s ears.

How much he hoped for a day alone with Cersinia. He smirked even more as he imagined Cersinia grabbing onto his pants, begging for mercy right now.

‘Ah, should I really kill him?’

Cersinia gritted her teeth. Her crimson eyes subsided coolly, which had not lost their composure since the beginning and she wouldn’t allow them to lose it at the end.

“Now is the only chance.”

When Charles’s shady eyes gazed at her body, Cersinia closed her eyes with a face that looked like she was about to get sick at any moment. It was to show her willingness not to be shaken, although she hated his face. Charles was annoyed by her unexpected response. He thought she would beg him to live right away.

“Can’t you just beg me to save your life?

He said through gritted teethas if threatening her. If she wants to be his woman, he is willing to look after her. But what he got inreturn was a snort as if it wasn’t worth dealing with him.

“Y-You crazy witch!”

Charles blushed with a sense of humiliation and shouted.

“Don’t you see what situation you are in!”

With shaking shoulders, Charles raised the torch high to give Cersinia a stinging taste.

‘If you can’t be my woman, then I won’t let anyone have you.’

He smiled bitterly and lowered the torch towards her.

“Gasp!”

The villagers who were watching let out short screams. Some even covered their eyes as if they didn’t want to see the terrible sight that was about to unfold. Goredon also covered his daughter’s view with his hand. His back was soaked in a cold sweat.

“…”

Cersinia felt the hot flame approach. Everything was going in the direction she wanted. As soon as the flame touches her, she will use her power to increase the flame, then slowly escape through the flame. It was a pretty good plan.

“Take him!”At that moment, dozens of horseshoes were heard with the loud voice of a man. Soon after, the voices of people running around were heard too. Despite the unexpected sound, Cersinia didn’t open her eyes. She was just waiting for him to burn her quickly. That way, she can end this boring situation. But no matter how long she waited, the flame didn’t touch her. Rather, she felt cold from the autumn wind.

‘What happened?’

Cersinia pricked her ears to grasp her situation. But she heard nothing. The noisy square became quiet without her knowing.

“Cersinia.”

A deep, low-pitched voice flew through the silence. She slowly lifted her eyelids at the sound of her name. The voice, which she heard for the first time in her life, sat heavily on her chest without knowing why.

“What is this…”

Her eyes widened. Troops in blue uniforms were setting up a human barricade. The villagers who were blocked by the troops were all bowing their heads.

“Urgh!”

Cersinia’s head turned downward at the groan heard at her feet. Charles, who was holding a torch, was lying on the floor with his face down. The man in the uniform, who climbed over Charles’s body, held Charles’s hand and bound it. Next to Charles was the torch which was previously lit and was now emitting only dead smoke.

‘How did this happen?’

Cersinia, bewildered by the unexpected situation, looked around. She needed to understand the situation a little more.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Surprised by the presence behind her, she twisted her body. Another man in uniform stood next to her with a small knife.

“I will release you.”

With those words, the man put his hand on the rope that was holding Cersinia. The rope was broken helplessly by the sharp blade. Blood flowed again from her limbs that were being tied after finding freedom. It went up with a tingling sensation. Cersinia checked her wrist with a puzzled face. She was tied so tightly that traces of rope remained intact.

“Cersinia.”

Again.

A friendly voice…like the one of a person who knew her. It was a warm tone that touched her heart. Cersinia raised her gaze to find the main source of that voice. Just in time, men in uniforms split sideways, paving the way. Between them, a black horse with shiny fur walked with the sound of hooves.

A man was sitting on the black horse slowly approaching. He was wearing dark red clothes that contrasted with all the blue uniforms. And unlike the latter with monotonous design, his outfits are decorated with splendid gold. Cersinia stared at the distinctive pattern painted on the uniform. She has never seen it before but somehow she felt familiar with it. Her mind was jumbled up. The man skillfully stopped the horse and gently jumped to the ground. Landing lightly, with no sound of his footsteps he walked with a long sword around his waist.

“…”

Cersinia just stared blankly at the approaching man. His dark hair was gently ruffled under the scorching sun. His soft and sharp-looking eyes coloured dark purple were shining brightly like the night sky. From the red lips under the straight and high nose that passes through the pupils to the sharp jawline. He was a handsome man.Beneath his broad and tight shoulders that further maximized his manliness, his muscles were twitching in his clothes in accordance with his steps. Most women would be captivated by him. Walking with his long legs, the man was like a living statue.

‘How does this man know my name?’

Cersinia just blinked since she couldn’t understand the current situation.

‘How can a man I’m seeing for the first time know my name? Did the rumors really spread to other villages?’

She was worried at the moment. She wanted to live quietly, but something seemed to have gone wrong from somewhere. She bit her lips and blamed herself.

‘If only I hadn’t used my power in that cabin…’

If so, wouldn’t this have happened today? Once she felt the anxiety, it didn’t go away quickly.

The man stopped in front of her, who was lost in thoughts with a serious expression. Without hesitation, he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head toward her. Cersinia’s thinking circuit stopped in an instant due to his sudden behavior. She was so shocked that she couldn’t think of anything. The anxiety that had engulfed her body was gone.

The man’s hair fluttered in the breeze. Then the unfamiliar but familiar body odor passed over the tip of her nose. His familiar body odor was tainted with the scent of a male. Cersinia’s heart trembled strangely. He carefully grabbed Cersinia’s hand. He held it very weakly, in case she got hurt. Then he brought her hot hand to his lips and kissed the rope mark.

“What…” her voice trembled slightly in embarrassment.

She hardened her face at the soft touch. But she didn’t pull her hand out of his grip nor pushed him away. It is because of the familiar scent. The man had been kissing the back of her hand for a long time. As if dealing with a precious treasure.

Cersinia glanced down at him. His hair was shining like the Milky Way under the blazing sun. She knew this jet-black hair color. The dark purple eyes that glistened under the sun and the friendly tone that called her name. However, the man in front of her now looked so different from the person she once knew.

How much time had passed since he kissed her hand? But then he finally pulled his lips. The spot where his lips touched was hot as if a flower had bloomed. The thrilling feeling spreaded throughout her body. The man’s eyes lifted with longing. Cersinia faced the eyes that projected herself. Dark purple eyes and crimson eyes like flames intertwined in the air.

‘No way…’

Cersinia’s pupils trembled. She was confused, and dizzy. She knew it couldn’t be true. This man was a completely different person. But with that familiar gaze, Cersinia opened her mouth without realizing it.

“Ben…?”

He was so satisfied by how his name passed her red lips that he smiled so gently.

“My Cersinia, I’ve missed you.”