The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 8 Part 6 - Trap

Things had taken an unfortunate turn. Perhaps it was because he had become impatient, with only one step left to go. Overwhelmed by the intensity of it all, Anais had fainted. As soon as she lost consciousness, the diamonds on the ring turned completely black.

Rahil let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair. On the bed, Anais lay limp, her body trembling slightly from the aftereffects.

“I’m sorry….”

Rahil gently caressed her cheek, then lifted Anais and carried her to the bathroom. He laid her in the empty bathtub and pulled the bell cord to summon the maids, instructing them to clean up the bedchamber. He wanted the bed to be fresh and ready for them once they were done bathing.

Returning to the bathroom and to Anais, Rahil stepped into the tub and turned on the faucet. He adjusted the water to a lukewarm temperature and held Anais close, waiting as the water slowly filled the tub.

Taking care of someone in such a vulnerable state was a first for Rahil. But even in this quiet, intimate moment, he found himself cherishing the time they were sharing.

‘I think it’s best to remove the rings as soon as possible…’

Rahil decided to see if the ring could be removed from Anais’s finger before beginning to wash her. However, even as he cleaned her entire body, she remained deeply asleep, too exhausted to wake. The only response she gave was a slight shift in her body when his hands brushed over more sensitive areas, which made him feel a brief, mischievous urge to tease her.

After finishing the bath, he dressed her in pajamas, then got dressed himself, and carried her out of the bathroom. Rahil laid Anais on the freshly cleaned bed and settled down beside her.

Thanks to his exceptional stamina, he wasn’t tired. But after everything that had happened at the Dragon’s Palace, he felt uneasy about falling asleep. If its obsession was strong enough to leave behind such an illusion, it didn’t seem like the dragon would easily give up. The entire situation felt unsettling to him.

‘Let’s just forget it. I even saw the bones. The dragon is dead, even if it left behind some magic.’

Still, he placed his sword within reach beside the bed. It never hurt to be cautious.

Rahil pulled Anais close and tried to sleep.

Meanwhile, Anais, who had fallen into a deep, almost unconscious sleep, began to dream. The world around her was shrouded in night, surrounded by darkness, but she could make out a dense fog that seemed to blanket everything.

She looked around, unsure of where to go. Although she was dreaming, she was aware of it, so fear didn’t grip her.

― …Anais….

A soft, resonant voice made Anais shiver. It was the voice that had echoed in her mind before, the one searching for “Radiel.”

‘It know my name?’

A chill ran down her spine. It felt like an unseen force vengeful spirit had been keeping a watch on them.

“Who… who are you?”

― Anais…….

The voice, sweet and resonant, made her pause in confusion. She couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from, but she had the sense that staying put would be dangerous.

As she looked around, the fog began to part, revealing a path. At the end of the path, she saw the familiar sight of the Dragon’s Palace, its details now clearer and more vivid than when she had last seen it. The gap in space had grown larger, as if inviting her to enter.

‘…It’s just a dream, so it should be okay, right?’

She knew she would wake up beside Rahil. Taking advantage of the dream, she thought she might be able to uncover the identity of the voice. With that in mind, Anais slowly started walking down the path. Yet, a strange unease caused her heart to pound harder with every step.

Rahil felt a familiar, oppressive force suffocating him, a sensation he had experienced before. Annoyed, he furrowed his brow and reached out beside him, only to find the space empty.

Instantly, he was fully alert. The same magical presence he had encountered at the Dragon’s Palace was now trying to pull him back into sleep, but Rahil quickly dispersed it by spreading his own energy, forcing it away.

‘Anais!’

He shot out of bed, immediately noticing that the space was already starting to tear open. This gap was far larger than the one he had seen before, and through it, he could clearly see the landscape of the Dragon’s Palace garden.

Anais, seemingly sleepwalking, was headed straight for the portal. Her outstretched fingers had already touched the edge, and her body was being slowly drawn into the other side.

Rahil leaped off the bed, grabbing his sword, and sprinted toward Anais, who was being pulled into the portal.

***

Emilio awoke drenched in cold sweat, as if he had just escaped a nightmare. He had dreamt of being tormented by dragons, demons, and spirits from the underworld.

“What the hell?! Guards!”

The room was filled with a strange, oppressive magic. Emilio recognized it immediately. It was the same magic from the Dragon’s Palace, though now much stronger.

He quickly released his own magical energy, pushing back the foreign magic that had filled his room. The clash of energies caused sparks to fly, and a strange, eerie scream echoed through the air.

It must have been the cry of the sleep spirit summoned by the dragon. Emilio was sure that the entire Empress’s Palace had been put to sleep by this dragon’s magic.

“Damn it, has the Empress already been taken? Rahil!!!”

In the urgency of the situation, formalities slipped his mind, and he instinctively called out his friend’s name.

Emilio tumbled off the sofa and rushed to open the door to his room. As expected, the guards stationed outside were all fast asleep.

“Wake up!!!”

His voice, amplified by magic, echoed through the halls of the Empress’s Palace, shaking the dragon’s magic. The disruption caused some of the enchanted sleepers to start stirring. Without wasting a second, Emilio ran to the door of the Empress’s bedchamber.