Chapter 83

Later on, they came across a street vendor selling accessories.

A child next to his mother played with ornamental stones, and a cat whipped the lamp with its tail and scurried away in surprise when the seller yelled at it.

Belinda smiled merrily as she felt the warmth of Aymon’s tight grip on her hand.

She thought it would be a regular walk through the market, but it was more exciting when she actually stepped outside.

It was a market she was so sick of. However, the smell of various antiques, colorful lamps, and sweet fruits pervading her nose were new. All because she was with Aymon.

“I’m happy to be out after a long time. Let’s come out more often.”

Aymon nodded as he walked slowly to match her pace.

“If you like it here, should we get married and live outside the Imperial Palace?”

As the flush spread across her face, she paused briefly before answering. 

Marriage. Marriage.

Even though she already knew it, the thrill in her heart was new. Because the upcoming reality felt like a mirage to her.

“Hey, Aymon. Later…um…if we do that…marriage…”

“Yeah.”

She was embarrassed to say the word ‘marriage’ aloud, so she kind of slurred her words. As if amused by her cuteness, Aymon nodded and smiled.

“Should I move to the forests after we get married? You like forests more, right? And you’re also the head….”

“No.”

“Huh? No?”

“Yeah. You’re the one I like. I will go anywhere you want. I will sleep on the street if you say so.”

“…….”

She was touched by what he said. The sweet words that fell like a cascading waterfall made her speechless. 

Do I have to answer jokingly or seriously?

She was at a loss about what to do next, so she just fiddled with her flushed ears.

I like you, too. I will go anywhere you want. Marrying you is like a dream. 

Those were the words she wanted to give back, but she swallowed them, fearing that her voice would tremble when she opened her mouth.

Why is my heart pounding so much when we’ve been in a relationship for quite some time? 

Looking back on it, it has always been like this. 

It was Aymon who proposed to her, even though Belinda herself wasn’t aware of that fact. Aymon also confessed to her.

It was always Aymon who pursued her first.

To make it worse, she only pushed him away after the imprinting, saying that it hurt her. Now she rushed up to him willingly, saying that she was glad to be connected to each other.

She had to express her heart sooner or later, but it was upsetting because she didn’t know when or where to let her feelings out.

Hey, Aymon. 

When she was about to open her mouth, she heard a bell ringing.

Belinda stopped walking. Aymon also stopped next to her and slowly lowered his gaze. She could see a stand with a bunch of tiny bells hanging off its fabric. 

The seller did not miss a chance and immediately talked to her.

“It’s an accessory for cats and dogs. You can hear a cute ringing sound every time your pet moves.”

Belinda squatted down and touched the ceramic bells. 

If I put this on Aymon, he won’t like it, right? And now that he’s all grown up, he’s no longer a kitten….

For some reason, she couldn’t take her eyes off it. The seller quickly put the bell in her hand.

The cold ceramic bell quickly warmed up in the palm of her hand.

“Do you have a cat or a dog?”

“Yes. A cat.”

She took a sneaky look at Aymon before answering. Aymon flinched as if he was dumbfounded, but he did not snap at her or anything.

“Then this bell is perfect for you, miss! What color is your cat?”

“Black. Whenever the light shines on him, his black fur glitters prettily. He’s a little bit vicious…but I guess pretty cats usually are kinda bossy, right?”

Aymon chuckled at her words. Meanwhile, the seller smiled and nodded.

“Of course! If roses have thorns, then cats have claws! It will be 3 silvers and 2 sclans, miss! It’s a little expensive because I brought it from abroad.”

The seller sneakily brought up the price. Belinda was hesitating for a while, but eventually decided to buy the bell. 

If I can’t put it on Aymon’s neck, I can just attach it like an accessory, right? Because it’s pretty.

When she handed 4 silvers, saying that he could keep the change, the seller smiled and waved his hand happily.

“Thank you! Take care!”

“I hope you sell a lot.”

She grabbed Aymon’s hand again and slowly walked through the crowd. The bell’s refreshing sound somehow put her in a good mood. As they walked, she randomly put the bell on Aymon’s neck.

“It looks good on you.”

Aymon only rolled his eyes and looked down at the bell. Then, he took the bell from her hand and put it in his pocket.

“Okay. I want you to put this on the kitten of the vicious cat you mentioned earlier.”

“Huh?”

Kitten? Belinda looked up at him. His gaze shifted momentarily on the street ahead as if he was having fun.

“That’s why you need to give birth quickly.”

“….What?”

Leaving her perplexed, Aymon bowed his head to kiss Belinda’s eyelids. A sweet kiss briefly landed on her skin. A lady walking down the street blushed and passed by them.

Aymon leaned over to kiss her and raised the corners of his mouth up after he broke the kiss.

“He needs to work hard day and night to have a kitten. I’m talking about that vicious cat you mentioned earlier. Right, Breedee?”

He whispered quietly. She felt the rise and fall of his hot breath from his parted lips.

Belinda was silent as the heat crept up and dyed her cheeks red.

Although she was naive, she wasn’t foolish enough to not know the meaning of his words. She even had a hard time because of him not too long ago.

Soon after, she pushed his face away and shouted ‘Perverted cat!’. As she walked away from Aymon, what he just said stayed in her mind like an afterimage.

Words he whispered so casually while rubbing her stomach. 

“Who knows… maybe you’re already expecting. Since we did it a lot.”

Aymon looked like he was having fun. Belinda quickly brushed off her embarrassment earlier and happily walked through the crowd again.

She bought and ate candied fruits, and marveled at bananas ripening to a brown color as it was grilled. Throughout all that, Aymon held her hand and stood by her side.

Belinda, who was looking through the embroidery bracelet, shook her hands and stood up. She hold Aymon’s hand again and pulled him into a narrow alley. 

“Hey, Aymon. Have you always been alone?”

Amid the lively atmosphere, Belinda asked a quite serious question casually.

She had already shown everything about herself to Aymon. About her past and trauma.

But she didn’t know much about Aymon. All she knew was that he was always alone, and lived in a mansion in the Shinsu Forest, alone, like a deserted island.

Aymon answered casually.

“It’s not a big deal. My father died without any explanation, and my mother died as soon as she gave birth to me.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Rather, she felt even more guilty because he said it so casually. 

That might be the reason why Aymon always rubbed his cheeks on hers, saying, ‘I only need you’. Because all he had was Belinda and himself.

“But I wasn’t the only one. They said the birth of a black leopard would cost everybody their lives.”

“…….”

Aymon turned his head and smiled at Belinda.

“That’s why everyone calls me the seed of misfortune and chases me away.”

Belinda creased her forehead. 

What do you mean, the seed of misfortune? Aymon was just born black!

She thought the Shinsu were noble beings, but they were so narrow-minded.

She was quite aware of that fact, but when she heard it directly from Aymon, she became furious.

“Who said that? The seed of misfortune, huh? Did they say that to your face? Those mindless elder beasts!”

“Yeah. Everyone did it to me at first. Scold them for me, please.”

Aymon replied in a playful but gentle voice. He rubbed the back of Belinda’s hand gently with his thumb and said.

“But I’m fine. It’s all in the past.”

Aymon’s voice dispersed in a breezy wind. Belinda pouted her lips because she felt like she was about to cry.

“Is this the reason why? Did you always come to me because you were lonely and struggling?”

“That’s not true. I just went because I missed you.”

Aymon said teasingly. Listening to his half-joking and half-serious answer, Belinda squeezed his fingers tightly.

Now is the time to express my heart!

I like you, too. I was really happy when you proposed. I will always be by your side from now on.

While pondering about what to say first, she grabbed Aymon’s hands and looked up at him with all sincerity. The light that shined through the cracks of the building hovered over them.

“Aymon. If you marry me, I promise I will always be there for you. I promise I will make you happy.”

Her words, which flowed out like a proposal, were filled with sincerity. 

“…….”

Aymon gazed down at her. Outside the alley, the street was bustling with people, and inside the narrow alley, it was quiet enough to hear their breathing.

Aymon closed his eyes slowly and opened them. Belinda’s blonde hair was especially bright today. It was shining enchantingly under the faint sunlight.

Aymon gazed upon Belinda as if he were in a dream. Then he slowly reached out and held Belinda in his arms.

Thump, thump.

Just above Belinda’s cheeks, the sound of Aymon’s heartbeat resounded. Suddenly, she felt at ease. Even though his body was solid and firm, her body relaxed as if it were absorbed in a deep sleep.

Above her head, his low voice flowed like a monologue.

“If I hadn’t met you when I was young, I would never be who I am today.”

Perhaps, he would be a twisted man and fall apart in loneliness. It wouldn’t be possible to be bathed in happiness while embracing his lovely human as he was now.

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Aymon put more strength into his arms. He locked her in his embrace.

“Breedee. I became the head solely for you. The forest or my position as the head, everything means nothing if it wasn’t for you.”

Aymon brushed his lips around her ear and whispered low.

“You’re really the only one for me. That’s why I’m always nervous. I feel like you’re about to disappear.”