CH 75

Chapter 75

They entered the inside of the duke’s manor quickly.

Citrina sat quietly in the reception room, which was now normal and familiar to her.

She was no longer facing him, but looking at him through the corner of her eye.

“…Del.”

Citrina just quietly called his name once. Hearing Citrina’s voice, he spoke slowly.

“What’s the matter?”

His voice was cold and unfamiliar to her ears. It was a voice that sent a chill down her spine.

Citrina spoke quietly.

“…Nothing, just.”

“Just what…”

Desian strode up to her. It didn’t take long before he was sitting by her side.

The coldness around her was replaced by warmth.

Today, Citrina got to see the dark side of her family once more.

It wasn’t a big deal.

She was going to give Baron Foluin the cold shoulder.

Citrina continued slowly, looking at the man who was always warm and friendly to her.

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“Today I saw Baron Foluin. His attitude was as bad as ever. I would have been hurt in the past, but now I don’t feel anything.”

The corners of her eyes heated up, but there were no tears.

It wasn’t a big deal.

“Well, to sum it up…it wasn’t a big deal. I took care of it.”

Citrina rubbed at the corners of her eyes. There were no tears.

“It seemed I cut off the family ties completely.”

“What did he dare to say to you?”

“It wasn’t much, but I’m a little disappointed that I share their blood.”

Yeah, that was about it.

Citrina coldly cut off his words. However, Desian’s expression was horribly distorted.

“I will not forgive them for leaving even a small wound on you.”

Desian snatched the hand away that had been at her eye. It left a painful rawness.

“What shall I do? I’ll do whatever you want.”

His voice was frighteningly dismal. Blue veins stood out on Desian’s right hand.

His face looked like a mess.

His face was frighteningly devoid of any expression.

‘Desian can make this kind of face?’

For Citrina, this was her first time seeing this sort of expression.

For a moment, Citrina felt flustered.

However, it was Desian’s touch that calmed her nerves.

At that moment, Desian slowly released her wrist. His grip on her slender wrist was cautious. It was a strange, awkward touch as if he was holding a glass that could shatter at any minute.

This was the man who delicately touched her while approaching her little by little.

Desian Pietro waited for her to cross the line. [T.L. Note: Meaning he is waiting for her to make the next move and not force her.]

Citrina felt it as she accepted his touch.

Now, it seemed as though Citrina was starting to fall in love with all of her senses.

In other words, it was her turn to make the next move.

“Del.”

“Yeah.”

“You know, I.”

Citrina whispered as she looked at him.

Now she wanted to have a warm life too.

“Can you give me a hug?”

Desian wasn’t bothered by Citrina’s bland words.

As soon as Citrina finished speaking, Desian hugged her.

His touch was extremely delicate as if he had waited for this for a long time.

His body was always cold, but now the familiar coldness felt ironically warm.

There was a slight smell of cigars,

mixed with the familiar smell of his cologne.

And the pounding of his heart.

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Listening to Desian’s heartbeat, Citrina felt herself perplexingly calming down little by little.

“Give me all of your grief.”

“But I don’t want you to be sad.”

“…”

The feeling of her affection was quite dizzying.

Desian thought he was losing his mind. Citrina’s sorrow, affection, and joy were his.

Finally.

Like an ice pick ravaging his body, the feeling spread through Desian’s entire body. For him, a person who had never had a deep connection with another, her emotions always touched on something new.

“…Del.”

Citrina’s cracked voice reached his ears like electricity.

‘Somehow. It seems crazy.’

Desian squeezed his hand around her waist harder this time. Somewhere inside Citrina’s body, the beating of her heart grew louder.

-Boom, boom, boom-

It was so loud he could hear it.

Citrina did not cry. In a dry voice, she spoke slowly.

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“Just in case, if Baron Foluin comes by, block him off. He’s a stranger to me now.”

“I told you not to.”

“Huh?”

“I told you not to do that”

“…”

“I won’t do it for anyone but you.”

With that, Desian’s eyes twinkled like melting sugar.

‘Wait a minute.’

Citrina had never found it difficult to control her facial expressions. That’s because it was a habit she had practiced since childhood.

“Don’t be too nice to me either.”

Citrina whispered harshly.

“Not to anyone else.”

“…”

“It’s only for you.”

Desian whispered firmly, then dreamily and sweetly.

“Del.”

“Yeah.”

In response to his clear answer, Citrina chose her words carefully.

There were a few moments of silence.

It wasn’t to the point of driving him to impatience, but just a bit of silence.

Citrina put her thoughts in order slowly.

“I want to know more about you.”

She became cautious and deliberate.

“I’ll tell you.”

Desian’s answer was nonchalant, but Citrina could hear the discomfort in it.

‘I’m curious what kind of person you are.’

Desian told her he would tell her everything.

So was it okay to ask what the ‘real’ Desian was like, not just what the rumors had to say?

These new thoughts were clashing inside her head.

Was it okay to start a relationship without knowing each other perfectly?

Citrina thought about it carefully. However, she didn’t have an answer for him right away.

-Ah, I’m hungry!

That’s because Gemma woke up after a long time without warning.

Should she…smack her?

The sudden voice made Citrina look down at the glittering pendant.

Smoke appeared as if it was about to take shape, and then disappeared with a loud voice!

-I, I’m so sorry!

Gemma quickly went back into the pendant without trying to take shape. It was a quick escape, almost like a vanishing act.

“Anyway…….”

Citrina trailed off, forgetting the question she was going to ask. Desian’s lips curled slowly into a smile.

“You’re awake now.”

-Ah. Yes…

Hiding in the pendant, Gemma replied very obediently. Citrina was also surprising still.

-Gemma…

-Let me explain my ability! So now I can read the stories in the gems, I can turn stones into gems, I can turn gems into other gems, I can communicate with Citrina directly without using the pendant, and I can even channel my power directly into Citrina’s body!

Gemma suddenly started listing off many of the abilities she possessed.

Citrina was stunned as she listened.

The sadness and confusion that had been flowing through her disappeared.

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Anyway…

Gemma, it seems you’ve become really powerful all of a sudden.

This, the scale was too big. It wasn’t a scale she had expected when she first became aware of her knowledge of this world.

But since Gemma looked so proud, Citrina praised her for now.

“Oh…well done.”

Naturally, Citrina was happy as a materialistic person would be. But the sentiment in Gemma’s words made her feel both happy and sad.

-I became strong to protect you.

Gemma gravely said. The way she ran her fingers through her hair was almost frightening.

“Renew your contract, Gemma.”

Beside Gemma, Desian spoke in a soft voice. Gemma glanced at him, her teeth chattering.

-R, r, right, the co, co, contract. I’ll renew it, so hold your hand out.

Citrina slowly reached out her hand. Higher spirits were foreign to Citrina. She was nervous, not knowing what to expect.

Gemma hopped up onto Citrina’s hand. The slightly larger spirit closed her eyes and put her hands together as if she was praying.

A fine stream of light began to flow down Citrina’s fingertips.

Citrina breathed in the fresh, innocent, and possibly raw air from Gemma.

Gradually, a mark was carved onto her wrist. In a circle was an ancient word shaping rapidly in a web of light.

Citrina sucked in a sharp breath, trying to ignore the sharp string on her wrist.

-It’s the mark of the contract.

She had heard of marks of a contract engraved on a person’s body when they formed an agreement with a higher spirit. It wasn’t fully described, but she couldn’t help but be impressed.

-Now you can use some of my abilities on your own.

Gemma spoke solemnly. Citrina felt like she hadn’t changed at all.

“How do you feel, Rina?”

“It seems I’m healthier.”

It was a similar feeling to going to bed early and waking up on time, refreshed. She felt recharged.

“Um…so far, that’s it.”

Desian, who had been watching the spirit and human contract, said quietly.

“It will change.”

The sentence was vague with no subject or object. Citrina raised an eyebrow.

“Rina, it will be different.”

Desian spoke with a set jaw, looking at her.

Citrina looked into his jet-black eyes and slowly bit her lip.

Somehow, it felt dangerous.

She found it hard to look Desian in the eye.

Citrina chanted slowly.

“…Yeah. It seems like that will change.”

Not once since their first meeting, when she had originally thought to rehabilitate the villain-

never before had she found it difficult to meet his eyes.

Citrina took a slow, deep breath.

Her feelings for Desian had slowly been ripening, bit by bit.

Now it was time to decide what to do with these feelings.