I wasn’t completely free of tension, but if today was the day, I had no desire to avoid it.

We were both fully grown adults now. Of course, mentally we’d always been mature, but physically, we had also reached full maturity.

Feeling inexplicably shy, I hid my flushed face and hurried toward the bathroom.

“I’ll go wash up and come back.”

“Alright. Wash up, and then let’s meet.”

Ascan headed toward another bathroom as he replied. Naturally, since this was a high-end inn, the spacious room contained more than one bathroom.

Thus, Ascan and I each entered separate bathrooms and showered alone.

I tried to calm my mind under the hot water, but it wasn’t easy.

The moment I realized that the first night I’d vaguely imagined with Ascan might actually be tonight, my heart felt like it would burst.

Beyond the nervousness about our first night together, I also had to be extra careful not to let water touch my wound, which made my shower longer than usual.

Perhaps because I’d been under the hot water for so long, my already flushed cheeks burned even hotter.

After washing thoroughly, I couldn’t possibly put back on the dress stained with blood and dirt, so I stepped out wearing the shower robe provided in the bathroom.

When I emerged, Ascan had done the same. He was sipping cold water to soothe his throat, clad in a white shower robe.

The thin robe couldn’t conceal Ascan’s perfect physique. His broad shoulders, firm chest, and long, powerful legs caught my eye.

While I was unconsciously stealing glances at him and pacing nervously, he quietly asked,

“Do you want some water too?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Ascan immediately poured a glass of cool water and handed it to me.

Partly to soothe my nerves, I gulped down the water he offered.

Then, suddenly, my eyes caught a glimpse of what lay beneath the slightly parted robe as Ascan moved. His sculpted, picture-perfect chest muscles came into view.

“Pffft.”

I accidentally choked on the water.

My mind was currently flooded with all sorts of fantasies, so even the smallest exposure from him felt uniquely thrilling.

As I coughed violently, Ascan approached with a worried expression and gently patted my back.

“Are you alright? Want more water?”

“No, no thanks.”

I wiped the water from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand and looked up at Ascan.

Just as I’d imagined before entering the bathroom, Ascan in a shower robe was dangerously sexy.

Standing so close, I could see my own reflection mirrored in his deep, abyss-like eyes.

“Ascan, um…”

Somehow, we had ended up standing very close together.

A strange glimmer flickered in Ascan’s eyes as he looked at me—but perhaps I’d imagined it, because he soon spoke in a perfectly casual tone.

“You need to dry your hair properly. You’ll catch a cold if you sleep like this.”

“Y-yeah, right.”

Ascan took my hand first and strode firmly into the bedroom. He handed me a dry towel and said, with his usual expression,

“Dry your hair and go to sleep quickly.”

“But there’s only one bed…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“…What?”

I was startled by Ascan’s completely unexpected words.

Given the atmosphere, it would have been perfectly natural for things to turn intimate.

Yet instead of setting the mood, he was drawing a hard line right here.

“No, I don’t mind sleeping together…”

Ascan, as if he hadn’t heard my muttered words, gently smoothed my damp hair and murmured softly,

“Sleep well.”

With that, Ascan left the bedroom, leaving me alone in the room.

‘…What? What just happened?’

Stunned by the completely unexpected turn of events, I stood frozen like a statue.

Ascan stood with his back against the bedroom door and let out a deep sigh.

‘That was dangerous.’

Tanashia’s appearance right now was utterly lethal. She was already breathtakingly beautiful, but appearing in nothing but a thin shower robe? It was enough to drive a man mad.

And that wasn’t all.

Her damp hair, glistening skin, and those blue eyes gazing up at him—today, they were especially alluring, making him want to sweep her off her feet immediately.

Unconsciously, Ascan looked down at his own hands.

‘…Can I really restrain myself?’

Contrary to his love for Tanashia, every time he touched her, his patience plummeted.

He had no confidence he could stop at “just enough.” Instinctively, he felt that once he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop—even if she cried.

No, he wanted to make her cry.

A wicked desire surged from deep within his chest—the urge to reduce Tanashia to a trembling, tearful mess beneath him.

That was why he always held back. He feared that if he lost control of his desires, he might hurt her.

Especially now…

“Cough, cough.”

Ascan coughed softly. Blood stained the palm he’d used to cover his mouth.

He couldn’t guarantee how much longer he would live.

He hesitated to spend the night with Tanashia in this condition.

Though the thought of dying and leaving her behind didn’t even cross his mind as much as a speck of dust, he couldn’t ignore the possibility of the worst-case scenario.

He hadn’t yet told her honestly—he didn’t want to burden her with worrying about his physical state, especially since she was already in danger from being pursued by the Calua Empire.

Moreover, he hadn’t even found the Arhane flower, the cure he needed. Spending the night with her now felt irresponsible.

‘Right. Not tonight. Once I’ve healed myself, and once Lazent Empire and Arwen Empire form an alliance—then…’

Only after neutralizing the Calua Empire and ensuring no one could threaten Tanashia again would it be safe to take that step. It wouldn’t be too late then.

Besides, Tanashia was currently injured. Even if he doubted his own restraint, he couldn’t possibly touch her while she was wounded.

‘This is right. I did the right thing.’

Ascan reassured himself. But unlike his rational mind, the image of Tanashia in her shower robe moments ago refused to leave his thoughts.

He wanted to touch her.

Merely brushing skin against skin wouldn’t satisfy him.

He wanted to become one with Tanashia completely.

A dark, primal desire swelled within his chest. He suppressed—again and again—the urge to open the bedroom door and kiss her right now.

Ascan forced his rooted feet to move and walked toward the sofa.

It looked like he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.

Contrary to Ascan’s advice, I lay down on the bed without drying my wet hair.

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it felt that he’d left me here and gone to sleep on the sofa.

‘Wasn’t the mood obvious? Could he be worried about my arm injury?’

I hadn’t paid attention before, but upon reflection, it seemed clear—Ascan had pulled back because of my injury.

He always put me before himself.

Ascan would never even dream of taking advantage of me while I was wounded.

‘Tch. I told him I’m fine.’

After tossing and turning restlessly in bed, I finally sat bolt upright. If timid Ascan wouldn’t make the first move, then I would.

Of course, if he rejected me, there was nothing I could do—but spending tonight without even trying went against my nature.

Creeeak—

I carefully opened the bedroom door and stepped out.

The lights were all off, so it was dark. Dimly, I could see Ascan lying on the long sofa.

‘Is he already asleep?’

I tiptoed closer to the sofa where Ascan lay. He appeared to be lying there with his eyes closed.

Though the darkness made details unclear, the vague outline of his form made me smile unconsciously.

‘What is it? Why does even your sleeping face look this handsome?’

His face, shadowed softly in the dim light, looked like a sculpture—eyes, nose, lips, not a single flaw anywhere.

As I gazed at Ascan’s sleeping face for the first time in a while, I found myself gently stroking his hair. His black strands slipped through my fingers like soft silk.

“Thank you for coming to rescue me today.”

I hadn’t been able to properly say it earlier, in the chaos.

If not for Ascan, I would have died today. I’d lost count of how many times he’d saved me from danger.

Words I was usually too embarrassed to say when sober—I crouched beside the sofa and whispered them softly.

“I love you.”

Honestly, nothing felt too precious to give him.

Even if he asked for my life, I wouldn’t hesitate.

Such a heartfelt confession felt too shy to say while looking him in the eyes. I knew I should say it more often, but it was never easy.

“Ah, I want to kiss you.”

Just as I murmured, gazing down at Ascan’s handsome face—

His eyelids slid open, impossibly smooth. Then, with golden eyes that seemed forged from moonlight, he stared straight up at me—and my heart nearly stopped.

“A-Asc—!”

I gasped in shock, trying to call his name, but no sound escaped my lips.

Ascan, still lying on the sofa, reached out and grasped my head. Then he pulled me down and pressed his lips firmly against mine.

It was a deep, passionate kiss, so intense I felt I couldn’t breathe.

My mind went blissfully blank. One kiss alone felt like it drained all my energy.

When the prolonged kiss finally ended, my breath was ragged and my shower robe had slipped askew. Slowly, Ascan released me.

His eyes, glowing with unmistakable heat even in the darkness, locked onto mine as he spoke.

“Who confesses to someone who’s supposedly asleep?”

“W-when did you wake up?”

“From the very beginning.”

I was startled again by this completely unexpected revelation.

Then, frowning in confusion, I asked,

“So you were pretending to sleep? Why?”

“I heard you leave the bedroom.”

“What does me leaving have to do with pretending to sleep?”

“I thought if I saw your face again, I really wouldn’t be able to hold back.”

Hold back? Hold back what?

At first, I was puzzled—but then I understood.

Ascan had also wanted to spend the night with me. I didn’t know why he was restraining himself, but I realized he’d been hiding his true feelings.

“What? I thought I was the only one thinking that.”

At my words, Ascan furrowed his brow as if suppressing something. A deeper, more intense longing glistened in his eyes.

I was exasperated. If we both wanted this, there was no reason to hesitate.

“Ascan, listen carefully.”

With those words, this time I stole a kiss from Ascan, who lay on the sofa.

It was a light, birdlike peck—but Ascan stiffened in surprise.

Before he could react, I swung myself over him, straddling his torso. I looked down at his face and gently stroked his black hair once.

“I want you right now. If you refuse me, I’ll back off—but—mmph!”

I didn’t even get to finish my sentence.

Ascan urgently sat up and covered my lips with his own.

His kisses were always passionate, but this one felt especially desperate—like I’d never experienced before.

In the blink of an eye, Ascan lifted me effortlessly into his arms. Gazing at me with eyes that looked slightly unhinged, he spoke in a voice thick with desire.

“Tanashia, I’m not noble enough to resist your temptation.”

“So if I want you, there’s no reason for you to hold back.”

At my repeated words, Ascan frowned slightly, then smiled faintly—a smile that felt like a runaway train with its brakes disengaged.

In the blink of an eye, Ascan carried me into the bedroom and laid me down. Then, pressing close without giving me a moment to breathe, he whispered huskily,

“As you said… now I can’t stop.”

His low voice was excessively seductive. Just hearing it made my ears burn.

Unconsciously, I pouted and complained toward Ascan,

“You… you’re speaking a little less politely now.”

“If you expected me to remain dignified even in bed, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you.”

Ascan removed his shower robe first. There was a world of difference between being thinly covered and being completely uncovered.

His muscular body came fully into view—covered in countless scars and engraved with arcane formulae, like a wounded beast.

But he was beautiful. Dangerously, breathtakingly beautiful.

At Ascan’s gesture, my shower robe slipped silently onto the bed. Then, as if he could no longer endure it, he murmured hoarsely,

“I wish every inch of you—from your hair to your toes—belonged entirely to me. I feel like I could go mad, wanting to devour you completely.”

Ascan’s lips traced over my face, then wandered across my entire body. When he kissed my ankle, he spoke in a rough, husky voice,

“I might not be able to restrain myself. If your arm hurts, or if I lose my senses—just shoot me with K39.”

At Ascan’s violent declaration, I couldn’t help but let out a small, amused laugh. I stroked the face beneath my feet and said happily,

“Want me more. Obsess over me. I’m yours, after all.”

At my words, Ascan’s brow furrowed—and simultaneously, a deep smile bloomed at the corner of his lips.

It was the happiest expression I’d ever seen on Ascan’s face.

No more words were needed. No—there was no time left for conversation.

Thus, Ascan and I sank into each other, lost in a blaze of heat and desire.

He was tender, yet relentless. Never letting me go, always pressing forward, until I cried out in blissful surrender.

Soon, the room was filled with sweltering air.

Through my trembling vision, Ascan’s gaze was always fixed on me. Love didn’t need to be spoken in words alone.

It flowed from his eyes, his touch, his very breath.

I kissed Ascan countless times, pressed my body against his without pause.

It was a night of ecstasy—becoming one with the one I loved.