Youngest 273

Episode 273

“So then… who do you think I’d like?”

Khalid spoke, furrowing his brow. I blinked at him, dazed.

“Th-then why haven’t you said anything until now?”

We’d had countless opportunities to confess our feelings. I’d been waiting for those chances like a hyena!

If he liked me, too, shouldn’t he have pounced on those opportunities like I did? Instead of running away!

“I thought… if I were to confess to you, I’d need the proper status… a title.”

Ha.

A hollow breath slipped from me. I staggered back and slumped down where I stood.

“Ah, what is this!”

My limbs flailed.

“Wait a minute. But Ruby, what about you?”

Khalid’s face grew serious as he brushed his mouth with a large hand. He seemed to have caught on to something from my reaction.

“I… like…”

“…”

“…Do you like me?”

“Then who else would I like besides you?!”

Wow. I hadn’t intended to say it like this.

It was a confession with no flair, no romance, no anything—just raw and unvarnished.

“Geez, what a mess. What is this!”

I brushed myself off and tried to stand, grabbing onto the nearby vines.

“I thought I was the only one in love…”

But before I could finish, Khalid’s strong arms drew me in as if pulling me into his chest.

My back pressed against the vine-covered wall. Supporting me to protect my back from the branches, he gazed down with a hazy look in his eyes.

“You loved me? You did?”

“Yes. But I thought you didn’t like me, Khalid, so my heart hurt so much.”

“…I don’t kiss people I don’t have feelings for. I don’t turn back time for them, either. I don’t hold them in my arms like this.”

“Me, too. But you… whenever I tried to confess, you ran away… every time your mana was restored even a little, off you went again! How was I supposed to know?”

“I avoided your words… because we weren’t anything yet, and I thought maybe you were going to tell me we should stop doing this…”

Then, as if he realized something, he gently bit my ear, a low growl in his voice.

“And most of all, the reason I suddenly ran away…”

“Ow.”

“…was because you kept provoking me so much that I couldn’t help myself. When you touch me like that, how am I supposed to stay sane?”

“What? What did I do…”

Awkwardly, I withdrew the hand that had been tracing Khalid’s collarbone.

But he caught my hand and pressed it to his chest again. The heat and hardness under my palm made me swallow unconsciously.

“Do you get it now?”

I placed my hand on his chest and nodded.

Thump, thump. His rough heartbeat pulsed beneath my fingers.

“So we…”

“…”

“So, we’ve liked each other from the very beginning, haven’t we?”

I murmured, idly toying with his collar. Khalid’s Adam’s apple bobbed sharply.

My fingers traced along it, just as he gripped my waist tightly.

“Then should we… kiss without mana this time?”

Before I could fully finish my sentence, Khalid swept me up. With my hands on his shoulders, I pressed my lips to his without a moment’s hesitation. My hair tumbled down like a curtain, tickling my cheeks.

Our breaths mingled, and my whole body sensitized and grew hot.

Neither Khalid nor I had ever kissed anyone before, so I wasn’t even sure we were doing it right.

But just the simple press of our lips made my whole body melt like jelly, awakening new sensations I never knew I possessed—a rapture beyond words.

The soft spring breeze tangled my hair into a mess. Or maybe it was Khalid’s hand, rough and urgent, running through it.

‘Ah, right. We’re outside…’

No sooner had I thought it than Khalid moved his mana, coaxing the overhead vines to grow long and shroud us from sight.

So that no one could see us.

Where had he even learned things like this?

Growth… it was a terrifying thing.

“Rubian…”

Khalid’s voice was low and unsteady as he whispered against my lips.

“Can I say I love you?”

“Why… why are you asking?”

Breathless, I shot him a look of feigned annoyance.

He kissed under my chin, eyes meeting mine—eyes brimming with boundless, blind affection.

“To me, you are the most precious and beautiful person in my life.”

“…”

“The words ‘I love you’ feel too trivial and paltry.”

“But still… say them to me.”

We met in the humblest, most wretched of circumstances, yet came to harbor a love more beautiful and precious than anything else.

How much time had we endured, and repeated bitter ordeals, just to stand here together?

“Say you love me. Don’t hold back.”

Khalid pulled me closer still and whispered,

“There hasn’t been a day I didn’t love you.”

His voice, finally releasing the confession he’d held in, was tinged with quiet tears.

“Ruby, I love you so much. I always have. I really, truly love you…”

Love you. Love you. I love you so much.

Endless confessions tumbled forth. Our breath quickened all over again in an instant. He explored every inch of me, filling me completely.

Long ago, Khalid had sworn to devote everything for my happiness—and now, at last, he’d made his wish come true. I was drenched in the joy he’d given me, smiling brighter than anyone in the world.

Me too, Khalid.

I love you so, so much.

From the moment we met in that cave…

Maybe, all along, that was what I wanted to tell you most.

After a long, ardent confession and endless kisses, hand in hand we left the garden together.

Worried once more about me, Khalid pumped mana into me generously.

“But… what is this mansion, anyway?”

I gazed up with admiration at the grand and beautiful estate. It was as splendid as our own house, perhaps even more so.

“My mansion.”

“…Huh?”

Did I hear him right just now?

Khalid gave a faint, amused smile as he watched me.

“Your mansion.”

“It’s confusing if you say it’s ‘my’ mansion or ‘your’ mansion.”

“It makes no difference—we mean the same thing.”

Uh…

Turning his words over in my mind, my cheeks suddenly flushed hot.

Clearing my throat, I waved my arms hastily.

“Alright, Khalid. I don’t want any more misunderstandings. So let’s settle this, officially.”

“Settle what?”

“Our relationship.”

When I think about how long we fumbled simply because we couldn’t get out the words that we liked each other… it seemed we ought to define our relationship in clear terms.

Khalid apparently agreed, for he met my eyes, sober and intent.

“Alright. Ruby, will you go ou—”

“Let’s get married!”

Whoosh.

A chilly breeze swept between us.

“…”

“…”

“Oh my, oh my.”

I jerked my hands away and shuffled back in shock.

‘Oh, right. We should date first.’

Maybe I’d been too influenced by friends who rushed at things like bulldozers whenever they liked someone.

“I guess I got a little ahead of myself…”

But, Khalid strode over and seized my hand tightly once more.

“Alright. Let’s get married. No matter what.”

My ears turned crimson as I bit my lip and bowed my head. With a quiet laugh, Khalid enfolded me in his arms again.

“But… do you think you can actually marry me?”

“It’s only been one second since you proposed, Ruby.”

“No, it just feels like all the mountains you have to overcome flashed before my eyes suddenly…”

With cool objectivity, I pointed to the Zevert family crest emblazoned on my clothes.

Khalid answered in a solemn voice,

“I’ve always enjoyed overcoming trials and hardships for you.”

“Oh, you really… Anyway, let’s keep this relationship a secret for now. How about it?”

“I’m fine with anything.”

The sweet scent of spring flowers drifted gently down around us.

Under that shower of blossoms, Khalid and I whispered, laughed, and shared our breaths and warmth, just like any ordinary lovers.

One of the happiest days of my entire life.

A day so joyful it brought tears to my eyes.

Ah, and the day we became engaged, when Khalid gave me a grand proposal worthy of the Empire’s history…

That’s a story for another day.

That’s how we finally became whole.