Chapter 36 Part 5: Blushed Red

After the enjoyable time was over.

Now, only one thing remained for the two of them.

There were few people in the castle today.

It would be right to say that there were almost none.

Because it’s the night of the festival.

Rosa’s expression was also filled with a pleasant afterglow.

But as she went up to her room, she became a little nervous.

Honestly, it can’t be helped.

Tonight is the wedding night.

‘Calm down. Rosa. Just let it slide. Surely Cayron will think the same.’

Of course, that was just her inner thought.

The handmaidens do not come up to the room until noon the day after the wedding night.

‘So we can sleep in separate rooms, and just be in one bed in the morning.’

But Cayron stood in front of her room as if it were natural.

Of course, Rosa was not flustered.

‘Right. It’s the last moment of the year.’

Even if it wasn’t the wedding night, it’s a night that everyone enjoys.

Rosa also wanted to see the end of it with Cayron.

Sssk-

The door opened.

The two entered the room together.

A soft light filled the room.

“Wow..”

It was beautifully decorated.

At a glance, it was the atmosphere of a newlywed’s room.

A seductive scent flowed in the air.

Candles were decorated everywhere.

On the white table was a tray.

Two glasses, a luxurious bottle of liquor.

And delicious-looking desserts were simply arranged.

The air in the room was slightly awkward.

Cayron spoke in his usual tone.

“Let’s go to the terrace. We have to see the lanterns.”

“Okay.”

Rosa agreed with that.

Cayron headed to the terrace with the tray.

Rosa followed him.

Perhaps because of the heat of the festival, or the view of the illuminated city.

The blue night sky, which was clearer than usual, was beautiful enough to be remembered.

The terrace was moderately decorated with lanterns.

In the middle was a long white rocking chair.

It was perfect for two people.

Cayron took a seat first, and Rosa naturally sat next to him.

A small silver tray was placed between the two.

The cake with strawberries on top looked quite delicious.

Rosa, who was eating it, asked Cayron.

“Want some..?”

Cayron shook his head.

Instead, he raised his finger and pointed to the blue night sky.

“It’s about to start.”

Countless lanterns will rise.

The two also had to prepare to release their lanterns.

“A foal.”

Cayron said.

He saw the picture drawn on Rosa’s lantern.

“Give it to me!”

Suddenly, Rosa threw the cake on the tray and urgently took it.

Cayron chuckled.

And as if to say, “What’s wrong?”, he showed the picture of his lantern.

“It’s a Brurba.”

Cayron said.

It’s a cute animal that resembles a white rabbit.

It was an extinct animal that was rarely seen now, but it was once an object of faith.

Very gentle and kind, but its habits are strong.

‘An animal that resembles you.’

Rosa, unaware of Cayron’s thoughts, just nodded.

‘That’s unexpected.’

She thought inwardly.

In a way.

A beast suits Cayron better.

Because he’s such a superior and extraordinary protagonist.

If you had to compare his appearance, it was more on the strong side than the cute side.

When he was young, he had the image of a cold pretty boy, but now he was a full-fledged young man.

If she were a real woman, it would be strange if she hadn’t fallen for him already.

‘Wait, what am I thinking?’

Suddenly, Rosa shook her head.

At Cayron’s unexpected appearance, she had a strange thought for a moment.

Her face flushed slightly for no reason.

But suddenly, Cayron’s words were heard.

“What wish will you make?”

It was something that Rosa had never really thought about.

“Hmm..”

Rosa fell into a sudden worry.

A lantern containing a wish.

The idea was good.

But it’s also true that she didn’t think about it very seriously when she heard the handmaidens’ story.

‘Just..’

She laughed it off.

Because she doesn’t believe in such things at all.

There was a time when she wished there was a god.

‘I don’t have any particular attachment to the original world.’

She was an orphan and grew up always lonely and struggling.

That doesn’t mean she welcomed being dropped into a strange world.

She had her own dreams.

To one day have a happy family.

Even if it was a little difficult, she wanted to help each other and live frugally.

‘If I had a little more leeway..’

She wanted to do donations and volunteer work.

For the children in the orphanage where she grew up.

Because she knows how hard it is.

So she ran forward with all her might.

Becoming a youth counselor and carefully saving every penny each month.

But all that effort, all those dreams at one time.

It all came to nothing.

It was inevitable that she felt empty.

Instead, she was forced to adapt to a new environment.

‘Fortunately, I’ve adapted a lot now..’

The only thing she’s afraid of, and the fact that she’s trying to turn away from.

Is that this whole life she’s enjoying is just a world in a novel.

Now she’s used to this life.

Her way of thinking and her mindset have all become that of Rosa Anencia.

‘What is my wish..?’

She had never really thought about it.

She is just living now.

After this contract is over.

That is, when the character Rosa Anencia exits the flow of the original work.

Only then can she find a new meaning.

But Rosa shook her head to shake off those thoughts.

‘Let’s not think too deeply anymore. It’s a good day after all.’

As she has always done.

But Cayron, who was right next to her, clearly saw her falling into deep thought.

The bitter expression she made was already imprinted in his eyes.

Cayron had no idea what the cause was.

But Rosa was always like this.

A long time ago, at the Glass Lake in winter.

And just like this moment.

It felt like she was from another world.

Sometimes, he felt like Rosa was a mirage.

“Rosa.”

Cayron opened his mouth.

“You don’t have to answer. It was a pointless question.”

Instead, he lifted the lantern and lit the wick with a candle.

“Look at this.”

Then he released the two lanterns.

Only then did Rosa return to her usual expression and watched the slowly rising lanterns.

It wasn’t just theirs.

One by one, colorful lanterns began to rise.

Ten, a hundred, and soon reaching hundreds.

In the distance, cheers were carried by the wind.

Rosa admired the red-dyed night sky.

“..It’s so pretty.”

Slowly.

But surely.

Looking at the red night sky, she remembered.

‘That’s right..’

Why she hadn’t thought of it.

She definitely had something to wish for.

‘This world doesn’t just follow the flow of the novel.’

The big picture is the same, but the details have changed.

The most powerful proof of that is Cayron’s existence.

Of course, it’s not just because of that, but Rosa purely worried about Cayron.

‘I hope he doesn’t get hurt anymore.. And I hope he walks a smoother path than in the original work..’

If a wish is a feeling of earnestly wanting something.

Then Rosa’s wish now was just that.

Sssk-

Cayron hands her a glass.

As if to say, “Drink this and shake off the bad feelings.”

Cayron is really delicate in unexpected ways.

He noticed that her heart sank for a moment.

He’s not a male lead in a romance novel for nothing.

It’s alcohol that Cayron handed her, but it’s a toast to commemorate the last day of the year.

There’s nothing like alcohol to change the mood.

So Rosa didn’t refuse the glass.

“Ah, it’s delicious.”

It was even sweeter than she expected, and it suited her taste perfectly.

Rosa was secretly curious.

‘What wish did Cayron make..?’

The red-dyed night sky is beautiful.

So that thought was put aside for a while.

Daaang-

The bell rings.

It is the bell that rings from the central tower to signal the new year.

The two, who were quietly gazing at the scenery, then clinked their glasses together.

Cayron poured a second glass.

Rosa didn’t refuse this time either.

Because the atmosphere was so good.

The night temperature was just right, and a song-like sound could be heard faintly in the distance.

The lanterns that filled the sky shone like fireflies or stars.

The scene was so beautiful.

It felt like all the hard work of the year was being soothed.

“..It’s nice.”

She’s starting to feel it.

Rosa was intoxicated by the atmosphere of such a beautiful night.

Past events come to mind like memories.

The coming-of-age ceremony, the awkward social gathering.

Cayron’s identity, which she couldn’t even imagine.

The wedding in the capital, which felt uncomfortable like wearing the wrong clothes.

The contract with Cayron.

The Archduchess of Elchen.

‘And practice..’

Her face in the night air was slightly red.

It was a year with so many things that happened.

An unknown afterglow remained in Rosa’s heart.

‘Really.. this year is over too.’

Just as she was thinking that.

“Rosa.”

At the sound of the sudden voice, she turned her head to the side.

And her eyes widened.

It was that moment.

Daaang-

The bell rang.

It was the bell of the central tower that signals the new year.

Cheers and applause erupted.

The night sky of Arnad, dyed with a thousand lanterns.

And.

Cayron’s lips came down.

The distance between the two was too close in the first place.

“Wh-what..”

Rosa was a little surprised at the kiss that came without warning.

But the rest of her words were swallowed by Cayron’s lips.

He slowly nibbled on Rosa’s lips.

Licking, lightly biting, and sometimes sucking on her soft lower lip as if to possess it.

Rosa was very flustered, but she couldn’t move.

Because this situation didn’t feel real.

But before the kiss could deepen any further, she barely pushed Cayron away.

“W-wait..”

“It’s our wedding night. Rosa.”

Cayron’s two red eyes were warmly dyed.

It seemed that he, too, was dyed by the romance of this night and the warmth of the lanterns.

On the one hand, it was very intense.

As if he knew what she was going to say.

Yet, he stares at Rosa with a clear will.

Of course, she wasn’t fully convinced by those words.

The wedding night is a natural duty for a married couple.

So Rosa had expected this to some extent.

‘But on our wedding night.. without anything happening.’

It’s impossible.

It’s not like nothing has happened between the two of them.

The two already know the magic of the act.

Especially Cayron, who said he liked kissing her.

Of course, Rosa didn’t hate it either.

She was just afraid that she would become strange every time this happened.

But such hesitation was short-lived.

When Cayron pushed her, she couldn’t refuse.

Cayron pulled her small, round shoulders.

Rosa’s upper body leaned slightly.

In the meantime, Cayron’s hand was on her waist.

Chuuup-

The wet sound of lips rubbing together.

An unfamiliar sensation spreads through her lips.

The force felt on her waist gradually increases.

So that she can’t think of anything.

Because Cayron is so skilled.

‘Where did he learn this..?’

She even thought that.

The hot heat from his large frame, the faint scent of wine felt through her nose.

The excited air of the night mixes together, making her feel like she’s going crazy.

Cayron waited long enough.

He had that kind of patience.

But he didn’t stop harassing Rosa’s lips.

However, the harassment was so gentle that Rosa’s breath inevitably became hotter.

“Ah..”

Eventually.

Rosa finally responded.

She clumsily and awkwardly entrusted her body as if reluctantly responding to him.

Her lips were slightly parted.

Cayron’s breath gradually mixes in deeply.

It felt like her head was overloaded.

It was true for both Cayron and Rosa.

It was slow and soft, making them feel faint.

The aftertaste of wine is conveyed to each other.

Suddenly, Rosa thought.

‘This kind of thing..’

How can I refuse.

If she were a real woman, she would have clung to him already.

Maybe it’s already too late.

Maybe she’s been living as a woman for too long.

When Cayron hugs her, his presence feels so big at that moment.

An unknown sense of security wraps around her whole body.

She falls into it.

Unintentionally.

Rosa is confused by that fact.

Is it because they have known and relied on each other for a long time?

Or is it because she trusts him deep in her heart?

Of course, she didn’t just accept it.

She definitely tried to push Cayron away once.

But what’s the point now?

Her two hands, which were trying to push him away, were caught tightly.

Cayron held Rosa’s slender wrists with one hand and pulled her waist with the other.

The two forms sitting side by side gradually leaned towards each other.