I Ended Up Saving the Duke Who Was Meant to Die - Chapter 1.3
When I pressed down with my hips, he pushed me away more forcefully.
“Ungh.”
His red eyes shook violently. I leaned in more and gripped his hands tighter.
“Don’t you like it? Your body will become healthier. This is part of the treatment.”
“I’ve never heard or seen of such treatment.”
“Of course. This is something only I can do.”
“…Only you?”
“Only I can do this. So you’re lucky.”
Because you met me.
I pressed our lips together again to continue what I was doing.
“…Will you let me go after this is finished?”
“That’s right. So stay still. I need to heal you.”
He had been desperately refusing until now, but suddenly at my words, he embraced my waist and delved in deeper.
“Haa.”
My nerves tingled all over, making my lower body throb.
“Even so, this is as far as it goes.”
Suddenly he completely detached me from him.
“…Why?”
“This doesn’t seem good for you. Moreover, the next step is out of the question.”
I didn’t understand. Michaelo had told me that if anyone learned of my ability, they would never refuse it and would try to use it.
Yet he was refusing me.
Fortunately, the healing mission was complete. Even his deep internal injuries had been fully healed quickly through the kisses. But I was puzzled.
Why? There was no reason for him to refuse me.
As I tilted my head to the side, he completely separated me from him and said.
“We’re not married.”
“Can’t we do it if we’re not married? Even if it feels good?”
“That’s right, we can’t.”
“Isn’t this standing up because it feels good too?”
“…Ignore that. Even if you’re curious, I can’t show or tell you about it.”
“Because we’re not married?”
“Yes.”
He was firm about it.
It was different from what Michaelo had said. This man was different from the other men he had described.
He didn’t cling to me or harbor strange feelings.
Just as our strange standoff continued, there was movement by the door.
I turned my head to look at the door.
Suddenly, as if he sensed something, he pulled my hand and moved behind the door.
“Shh.”
I could feel his firm chest against my back. He easily held me with one arm. He looked big, but being held in his embrace felt even bigger than it looked.
When did he push me away so firmly before? Now we were even closer than earlier.
…Ah! He said he didn’t like it, but maybe he just didn’t like the location!
I turned my head to look at him with sparkling eyes.
“…Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not what you think, so stop looking at me like that.”
Unfortunately, it seemed different from what I thought.
Married couples…
Since it referred to those in matrimony, perhaps the next step was only possible between married couples.
The strange thing was that Michaelo hadn’t told me about this.
He only explained the theory of kissing, and the next step was the same. He just added the strange comment that he would teach me directly if the need arose. No matter how many times I asked, Michaelo avoided it by saying I wouldn’t need to use the ability. He didn’t forget to add that he was protecting me.
‘If it’s only possible between married couples, wouldn’t it be impossible for Michaelo to teach me directly?’
Now that I think about it, questions arose about his words. In fact, just kissing was enough without moving to the next step.
I gently touched my lips.
‘Come to think of it, why wasn’t he surprised when he saw me?’
He should have first suspected me of being a witch when he saw my red hair. But he didn’t even care about my appearance.
‘Well, he has red eyes too.’
Actually, if he had been surprised by my hair color or said something about it, I would have been uncomfortable even while healing him. I would have forcibly completed it since it was a mission.
‘More importantly, I came here for the mission, so why did they send someone else here?’
There was movement outside the door, and soon someone entered.
Judging by the familiar footsteps, they seemed to be from the temple.
I didn’t like the intruder.
The temple forbade interference with another’s mission unless it ended in failure.
I had successfully completed my assigned mission.
Moreover, there was no one else at the temple with healing abilities like mine.
Then why?
Something incomprehensible was happening.
‘Are they interfering with the mission?’
I immediately pushed him back.
“Ugh.”
A short groan was heard. I turned my head and raised my index finger to his lips.
“Shh.”
It seemed he was the one who needed to be quiet, not me.
The mission isn’t over until I return to the temple. So I couldn’t let my guard down until then.
‘This is my first directive. It would be troublesome if there were complications after completing the mission.’
If that happened, I might not receive another directive. Michaelo preferred a clean execution of tasks.
I confronted the person who had entered through the door.
“Huk!”
Then I grabbed their collar and threw them outside the room.
“Aah!”
“He’s mine.”
So get out quickly.
This is my mission.
After closing the door, I turned around to look at Duke Blake.
“I’m disappointed, but is it really only possible between married couples?”
His face turned pale at those words.
It’s disappointing. Disappointing, but I had to be satisfied with that kiss from earlier.
“The temple wouldn’t try to help me.”
“How do you know I’m a priest to say such things? And something else has been bothering me – why are you speaking informally?”
“…I am a Duke. Are you of higher status than me?”
“Isn’t saving someone from death more important than status?”
I tilted my head.
This man’s logic was somewhat strange. Whether Duke or Emperor, death was the end.
Since I saved him, I should have been like heaven to him.
I stared at him intently.
“I can’t talk for long. So if you have questions, ask quickly.”
“I’ve been curious about your identity… ha, what is it?”
Though he was a strange person, he was quick to adapt. Fortunately, he wasn’t completely lacking in manners.
“Ah, I can’t tell you that. It would cause trouble for me.”
“Then what can I know?”
He stared at my eyes and let out a hollow laugh.
“Isn’t it important that your body has healed? I helped you.”
“…That’s true. But I’ve never heard of such a healing method. Is that how you usually do it?”
“This was my first time.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said it was my first time doing it.”
He looked bewildered again. I stood up from my seat.
“I should go now.”
“You’re not really going back to the temple, are you?”
“…So now you’re certain I’m a priest. I need to go home.”
“Whether it’s the temple or anywhere else, you’d better not go.”
He grabbed my arm.
“Why?”
“You might die if you go.”
“They’ll kill me?”
That was impossible. There was no reason for that.
When I made an expression of incomprehension, he opened the door and pointed to the unconscious person outside.
“What’s in this person’s hand?”
“A sword.”
“They came to kill me. You seemed to know them earlier, so if there’s a conflict of interest, one of you has to go, right?”
“…What?”
That couldn’t be.
