Chapter 103: Red lips

Ethan's POV

When I felt like my head was about to split open, I barely managed to open my eyes and I can tell the first thing I saw was a different ceiling. As I touched my forehead in pain, I looked around and saw I was in a dark but spacious room. I immediately noticed a woman sitting at a desk in the dim light at the corner. When I focused my eyes on her face, I realized it was Isabella.

She seemed quite engrossed in the papers in front of her, so much so that she didn't even notice me sitting up on the couch.

"Isabella?" I called out, and finally, she looked at me, her crimson eyes glowing in the dark. Honestly, I must admit that she had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. The tiny black lines within her red irises created a harmonious artwork that was truly stunning.

When Isabella looked at me, her worried expression was visible even through the darkness. Our relationship had always been special, and honestly, it would be more accurate to say we were like siblings rather than mother and son. In fact, Isabella was younger than all two queens, which was quite extraordinary considering she was the First Queen.

She was only 53 years old now, which was the typical marriage age for someone at Kaizer Stage 6. Yes, 53 is quite an advanced age in my former world, but considering Isabella was expected to live at least 300 years, she was still very young.

In this world, marriage age serves as a form of hierarchical display. The higher your Kaizer power, the longer your lifespan, which is why especially powerful people marry at older ages. A person with no Kaizer power, if there are no abnormalities, will die at around 50, and therefore, in this lowest social class, marriages occurred under the age of 18.

So, despite being a world filled with magic and anomalies, its societal morality was quite similar to the medieval period of my old world, though with significant differences.

The nobles, for example, abhor and even look down on the Kaizer-less commoners who marry young. Marrying so young was a sign of lower class to nobles, so they preferred to marry at much older ages. This was particularly prevalent among nobles with high Kaizer power. But in Isabella's case...

well, there was no chance of rejecting a marriage proposal from a king, or rather, from Richard, who was still a prince at that time. Richard had definitely married Isabella because of her abilities.

After all, a prince marrying a powerful woman would enhance his claim to the throne, whereas marrying a weak woman would diminish his claim. By marrying the woman with the greatest potential in the Asina Kingdom, Richard solidified his legitimacy to the throne and successfully sent many powerful and powerless nobles around him.

Richard's ascension to the king had a significant contribution from Isabella. By the way, Isabella was quite popular in her youth, and other princes, besides Richard, had also proposed to her. Yes, all the Asina princes, even those who were married, had proposed to her, saying they would divorce their current wives. So, the royal men of that time, so to speak, had pursued Isabella.

As for why Isabella accepted Richard among all of them, honestly, I don't know the reason, but I'm sure Richard must have deceived or seduced Isabella with his cunning nature.

After Isabella looked at me, she got up from the desk and approached me. Her steps were silent but determined, as if every movement was planned. When she reached me, she bent down and looked at me, remaining silent for a while. Her eyes had a mix of concern and affection, a rare emotion from Isabella.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softer than the usual cold and distant tone. "Why did you get yourself so drunk? What happened?" she added, sitting beside me.

Isabella's voice surprised me. It was different from her usual detached demeanor; she spoke with concern and gentleness. I had rarely seen her like this before. As I locked my eyes on her face, I tried to process her question. Why had I lost control like this? Ah, right...

I had been abandoned twice, and also recently witnessed Emilia's death before my eyes. Considering all that, staying sober until now was actually an achievement.

"It's nothing important," I said simply.

"Ethan. I've known you since you were a baby, and it's the first time I've seen you like this," Isabella said, with deep concern in her eyes. Despite her soft voice, there was a hidden determination. I realized I couldn't escape her gaze, but sharing everything with her felt difficult at that moment.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my emotions. My gaze locked again on Isabella's crimson eyes. It seemed like as I looked into those eyes, everything I had been through, everything I felt, became insignificant. "Really, it's not important," I said again, but this time, the fatigue and strain in my voice revealed my disbelief in my own words.

Isabella frowned and moved a little closer to me. The distance between us was closing, and her familiar scent helped calm me a bit more. "Why are you keeping me away, Ethan?" she said gently. "Maybe I'm not your mother, but I care for you just as much like Luciana," she said as I felt her arm on my back.

Well, maybe it's good to open up to someone, right? After all, don't psychologists and experts in the field say so? Besides, I need to move past these separations and look forward. So, for once, just this once, I decided to open up to someone.

"Alright then, if you want to listen, I'll tell you, but only if you bring a good bottle of wine," I said, smiling.

Isabella smiled slightly, her worry easing a little. "Wine? I can make an exception for you tonight," she said, standing up. With silent steps, she left the room, leaving me alone at that moment. I leaned my head back and took a deep breath. I knew it was time to express the pain I felt inside.

A short while later, Isabella returned with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. After filling the glasses, she quietly sat beside me. I raised my glass towards her and, with a slight smile, said, "To the ghosts of the past."

After taking a sip, I felt a sense of relief as the wine slowly flowed down my throat. I closed my eyes and finally; the words began to flow. "You know, Isabella, I've always felt lonely throughout my life... Even when my mother or sisters were bustling around me, I still felt alone.

Even in the midst of a crowd, I couldn't find a solution to my loneliness, and that's when I met Emilia…" and thus, I began to calmly open up to Isabella, which soon turned into a pleasant and soothing conversation between us.

Noticing that Isabella also had a drink from her glass and seemed slightly tipsy, I realized she needed to open up just as much as I did, and I allowed her to share her feelings. As Isabella took a sip from her glass and let out a deep breath, signs of mild intoxication became apparent on her face.

I had always been accustomed to seeing her calm and distant, but this time, I could sense the vulnerability beneath her tough exterior. She placed her glass on the table and turned towards me, tilting her head slightly.

"Ethan, sometimes I feel like a pawn rather than a queen," she said. Her voice was far from the strong tone I was used to. "My marriage to Richard... yes, it might have been a strategic move for the throne, but... it was never a real marriage. My whole life feels like just a duty.

Everything is a calculation, a plan, an expectation... And a responsibility."

Her words surprised me. Isabella, whom I had always known as strong, determined, and composed, was revealing her inner turmoil at this moment. I understood the silent pain and loneliness she had been enduring. I slowly took her hand with a compassionate touch.

"Isabella, I've never seen you as a pawn and I'm sure Richard is the only one who sees you that way." I said sincerely. The crimson gleam in her eyes deepened at that moment. It was as if she wanted to say something but was struggling to find the words.

We stayed in silence for a while, sipping our wine and seeking comfort in each other's presence. Then, Isabella gently rested her head on my shoulder. "Sometimes I wish everything were simpler, Ethan," she whispered.

"On the contrary, I prefer things to be more complex. When everything is simple, it loses its allure," I said. There was no doubt that both of us were already under the influence of the wine, but thankfully, we were not yet drunk.

Isabella lifted her head from my shoulder and smiled slightly in my direction. "Maybe you are right," she said softly. "Life's difficulties are what make us who we are. seaʀᴄh thё Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

But if things were simpler, you would have known before you were with Avanne or Althea and before all this mess happened that you couldn't have a relationship with them and you wouldn't have suffered like this," she said as she looked into my eyes, "and I would have realized more easily how stupid these unpleasant feelings I am feeling right now are," she said almost in a whisper.

Isabella's last statement stirred something within me. Seeing that even a strong woman like her could be so vulnerable at such a deep level was unsettling. We all carry something, hidden burdens that we don't show to others. Perhaps Isabella had never found anyone to share those burdens with, just like me...

I refilled my glass and, looking at Isabella, sighed. "Or maybe Althea and Avanne could have realized my flaws and how far from ideal I am for them earlier," I said.

Isabella listened to me without taking her eyes off mine as she sipped her wine. When my words hung in the air, she furrowed her brows and looked at me. "Flawed and far from ideal? Don't belittle yourself so much, Ethan. You're probably the man of many women's dreams," she said.

"Nonsense. Then why do women leave me? Why do the women I care about abandon me? Clearly, it's quite difficult for women to form romantic relationships with me," I said, but chose to remain silent about Roxanne for a moment. Isabella seemed increasingly irritated by my words, and the effects of the wine were clearly intensifying her reaction.

"You're the one talking nonsense! Just because a few women don't appreciate you, don't be so insecure. I'm sure the majority of women on this continent would want to be with you," she said, raising her voice. Her cheeks were beginning to flush, and her body was very close to mine.

"Then prove it! If most women find me attractive, show me," I said, raising my voice as well. The effects of the wine were starting to hit me, too.

The spark in Isabella's eyes became even more pronounced, a clear sign of how deep the wine's influence was on her. We locked eyes for a moment, and after that intense gaze, I felt Isabella drawing even closer. We were dangerously close, and I could feel her breath against me. Despite the wine she had drunk, she didn't smell of it at all.

In fact, the pleasant scent of violet-like perfume from Isabella's skin tickled my nose and made me involuntarily want to get even closer. But in the next second, I realized that this closeness would make it impossible for me to react to whatever Isabella was about to do.

we moved even closer. As we were so close, I felt Isabella's hand trace my face. For a moment, our eyes met, and I felt her warm breath on my face. A small smile appeared on her lips. The concern and gentle demeanor in her eyes were replaced by a determined expression. "Okay," she said, her voice taking on a firm yet soft tone.

"Then I'll prove it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Isabella suddenly closed the gap between us and her lips met mine. At first, it was a soft and gentle kiss, but it soon became deeper and more passionate. In that moment, it felt like the world around us had vanished. The wine, the scent of violets on her skin, and her warmth made everything more intensely.

After the kiss, Isabella's arms wrapped around me, and I embraced her as well. Our heartbeats quickened, and the depth of the moment was stronger than anything else. This kiss was not just a physical contact but also an expression of an emotional connection.

We looked into each other's eyes, and the passion in both of our gazes was palpable. It was as if we both needed this urgently, and honestly, even if I had been in my right mind, I would have already succumbed to those intense, passionate eyes and soft, beautiful lips. And indeed, I had already succumbed.

Watching Isabella's flushed face as she looked into my eyes, and her fearful gaze as if she had made a mistake, made her even more attractive. And to be honest, I couldn't hold myself back any longer and it wasn't long before I attacked those beautiful red lips like a wild animal...