Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 35
Kalynia scratched her nose repeatedly for no particular reason, stopping only when Vylon pointed out that it was making her nose red.
“Why did you catch so many boars?”
Once they returned to camp, Kalynia was taken aback by the pile of boars. There were so many that she wondered if Vylon held some personal grudge against them.
“Because the queen wanted boar claws.”
Kalynia stared blankly at the mountain of boars. Yes, she had asked for some claws as a gift, but she certainly didn’t need this many. She was about to tell him that ten claws would have been plenty, but her eyes met Vylon’s, and the words got stuck in her throat.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
His expectant eyes sparkled even in the dark of night. Seeing that, she somehow couldn’t bring herself to say anything cold.
But Vylon didn’t seem entirely satisfied. Even though she had thanked him, he stayed grumpy throughout dinner and while they shared a drink afterward.
“What’s wrong?”
Kalynia asked, switching to informal speech as soon as they were alone in the tent.
Vylon glanced at her with a sulky expression, then turned his head away sharply and even let out a small sigh.
“If you have a complaint, say it.”
“I went through all the trouble of catching these boars, hoping you’d be happy, but you didn’t seem all that thrilled.”
“But I did say thank you.”
The truth was, she hadn’t been as happy as the first time he gave her boar claws, and maybe that had shown on her face. Kalynia tried to reassure him, saying she really was grateful.
“Are you only grateful in words?”
Vylon took her hand from the table, playing with her pinky finger for a while, then gently stroked the back of her hand with his index finger.
“Last time, it seemed like you showed me with actions, too…”
Finally understanding what he was hinting at, Kalynia lifted her chin slightly.
“You didn’t seem to like it much last time. You didn’t even say anything.”
“I was too stunned to react, that’s all.”
Now I’m prepared, so go ahead and express your thanks.
He released her hand and spread his arms toward her, his expression resolute, as if he’d steeled himself completely.
“For some reason, I really don’t feel like doing it… I feel like something bad is going to happen that I won’t be able to handle.”
“Don’t worry about unnecessary things and just come here,” Vylon said, gesturing with a playful smile.
Although she felt uneasy, Kalynia approached him. He had gone through a lot of trouble to catch all those boars, so giving him a kiss wasn’t too much to ask.
“All this fuss over a single kiss?”
“Yes.”
“What a petty king.”
“That’s right, I’m a petty king, Kalynia. So, before I decide to be petty and impose a punishment, you should give me what I want.”
He was so eager that even her insult had no effect.
Kalynia measured the distance between them. It was a short step away. In the past, she would never have come this close voluntarily, let alone kissed his cheek.
Her heart pounded. It was strange, considering she had just been talking about a kiss. Slowly, she reached out and took his face in her hands.
“Come on.”
Vylon, making it easier for her, turned one cheek toward her and waited. Kalynia took a breath and pressed her lips to the cheek he offered.
It’s just a kiss. It’s no big deal.
She repeated this to herself like a mantra, but her heartbeat only grew louder. Thump-thump-thump. It felt almost as if her heart might burst from the strain.
“Is that enough?”
Even after gently pulling her lips away, her heart was still pounding. Wanting to stop, she started to pull back, but Vylon turned his other cheek toward her.
“There were several boars.”
Was he expecting a kiss for each boar?
Kalynia wondered if her heart would survive if she kissed him that many times. She kissed his other cheek, then his forehead, each time gently pressing her lips.
As she kissed him, Vylon’s hand slid up her back. Even through her clothes, his touch along her spine felt oddly sensual.
She let out a small, shallow breath, wrapping her arms around his head. His hair brushed her nose, tickling her slightly as she nestled her face against his.
The two of them stayed like that in silence for a while. Outside, they could hear the sounds of people laughing and chatting. A fire burned a little ways off, with people gathering around it to drink and enjoy the day’s hunt.
Kalynia found it strange how the boisterous sounds outside contrasted with the silence inside the tent.
“Kalynia.”
Vylon loosened his hold on her and, with a small grin, knelt down on one knee.
“W-What are you doing?”
The man on his knees did not answer Kalynia’s question and instead lifted her skirt, then buried his head underneath it.
