“I went through the old documents first. As a result, I learned that the painting wizards’ body temperatures became abnormally low after performing magic. Hypothermia was said to be the most common cause of their death.”

“Hypothermia.”

“Yes. They will experience extreme coldness, but if they summon something beyond their own strength… In the worst-case scenario, some of them freeze to death on the spot.”

Theobalt and Grandma Tabby were also in the room where Shay and Lacius were. Anxious knights and Maynard stood outside. Lacius refused to let them in.

“Shay doesn’t seem to know this.”

“As far as I can see, yes. But because of Your Highness, it looks like the lady’s life won’t be in danger.

“… I suppose so.”

Lacius put his hand on Shay’s forehead with a brooding face.

He already knows how to make her better.

But it wouldn’t be good for her health if this kept happening again and again.

“Tabiona. Continue looking for information about Painting Wizards. As soon as possible.”

“I’ll take your order.”

“And Theobalt.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“I will have an audience with His Majesty, the Emperor. Send a request for me.”

A command given in a blunt tone.

But they were more used to it. Because it’s only in front of Miss Shay that he shows affection.

Theobalt lowered his head slightly and asked cautiously.

“In what name would you like to send it under?”

Lacius currently has three authorities.

Archduke, Knight Commander, and Presiding Judge.

It was a question of which he should put first among them, and also an attempt to read Lacius’s intentions.

“By the authority of Archduke Schweiden.”

“……!”

“I want to meet the painting wizards in the capital.”

The man who was supposed to hate and avoid getting involved in politics. He has always stood back every time he has to enter noisy areas alone. The greatest change that took place in the Archduchy of Schweiden was not the reduced stalking or the increased number of servants. It was the current Lacius.

The lady who’s breathing faintly in the bed right now. Because of her, everything started to change.

Eventually, Theobalt and Tabby withdrew.

Lacius slowly approached Shay, who seemed to be in a deep sleep.

In the past, she opened her eyes and was the one who approached him.

Lacius tried to wait as long as he could because he felt like he was attacking someone who was sleeping. However, he could no longer allow her to tremble from the cold.

“I’m sorry, Shay.”

Lacius apologized first. It’s some kind of medical procedure.

A way to save Shay, which seems much worse than last time, and prevent her health from deteriorating further.

After convincing himself thus, he kissed her slightly parted lips.

Before, enough heat was conveyed just by doing this.

However, the feel of her soft lips made his heart tremble.

Seconds passed, and Shay finally lifted her eyelids.

Silver-colored eyes with dreamlike light turned towards him. 

And the moment the startled Lacius tried to pull himself away.

Shay extended her pale arms and wrapped them around his neck.

“Not enough.”

Shay whispered that, craving more heat. The skin that touches him is still very cold. This time, it was clearly not enough.

“Give me more.”

Shay smiled seductively and swallowed his lips. Her lips were probably cold enough to scare a normal person, but it didn’t matter to Lacius.

Lacius pulled the woman, who was unconsciously clinging to him by her waist and made her sit slightly. Then he made his body a little hotter and poured heat into her lips.

“Uhmm….”

Shay let out a faint sound as if the hot energy that was being passed to her felt good. Tongue and tongue intertwined. He swept her mouth as if to steal all of her salivae, and coveted it deep into his throat.

Lacius was barely sane due to the sweetness of her lips. Pressing down on her chin, he forced her to open her mouth a little more and poured heat on her until she ran out of breath. Seizing her little tongue, he sucked it and twisted its roots before flicking it. Shay’s body then shuddered and responded more aggressively.

“… … .”

Soon, their lips were dripping with saliva. Lacius stared at her gleaming lips with a clouded gaze. He wanted to devour them once again.

He knew it was a kiss that has gone beyond the purpose of treatment at some point. However, he wanted to do it again, even if he had to come up with dozens of excuses to do so.

“Mmm….”

However, his lustful gaze was broken by Shay’s tossing and turning.

‘… She seems to be all right now.’

Lacius, who had barely come to his senses, was relieved to see Shay’s cheeks flushed red.

Her temperature has risen enough. She will be fine staying like this.

‘I’m going crazy.’

After observing Shay for a while, Lacius quietly got up. His lower body felt excessively heavy. Before she woke up, he had to run dozens of laps around the training ground.

* * *

‘Where am I….’

A dark and narrow road. I was standing all alone in this place covered with black dust. I opened my eyes in an unfamiliar space and looked at my hands and feet first. They seemed neither broken nor bound. It means I can move.

‘Which way to go?’

Nothing would change if I just stood there, so I walked first. After taking about 10 steps, a three-lane road appeared. After some thought, I decided to go straight.

“I love you so much, why won’t you look at me!”

After some time, a sonorous voice resounded throughout the space. It was so loud that I quickly covered my ears, but someone who seemed to be a woman shouted again.

“I, I love you more. I met you first. I am more—!”

Umm, I think I heard this—no, I read this a lot somewhere. Deep in thought, I looked around. Then, surprisingly, somewhere around the corner, I saw a beautiful woman with red hair crouching down.

‘Ah, the original Shay?’

I was surprised to see the face I see in the mirror every day.

I cautiously approached in case I got caught, and now I was able to hear her sobs. Shay crammed her body into the corner of her bedroom and cried with her face stuck in her lap.

“I-I also love you very much… So why can’t I, why?”

Because you’re not the female protagonist. I knew the answer, but I didn’t say it out loud.

It has to be an illusion created by something within me anyway. The contents of the book I read were unfolding before my eyes.

“Who the hell is she? She’s no better than me!”

Shay eventually broke down. Unsightly, damp, and messy. But I understood her feelings, and it made my heart ache.

I was scared. Scared that I will end up like that too.

‘Is this a warning from myself?’

Despair took hold of my heart. I felt bitter. No matter how I tried to catch him, Lacius was an existence that was impossible to capture. Because he was destined to fall in love with the female lead the moment he met her.

No matter how much Lacius is a good man to fall in love with and make my heart flutter literally every day. I shouldn’t fall deeply into unrequited love like the original Shay. Because the moment I put everything on the line for it, it’ll become a deadly poison.

‘I should end my feelings here. We have to be smart. ‘

I admit that I have a great deal of human affection for him. It is also true that I am strongly attracted to him. But I was different from Shay. I am also precious, so I would never do anything to ruin myself.

Never.