IWSC CHAPTER 36

“Ares.”

“Speak.”

He responded promptly to my call.

“Do you regret confessing to me?”

“I absolutely don’t regret it.”

“Becoming my lover, you won’t regret it under any circumstances?”

Ares walked up to me and locked eyes. His gaze was steady and beautiful.

“No matter how many times you ask, the answer will be the same. Even if you leave me, I will never regret it.”

“What if you were to leave me first?”

“Promising this might sound trivial now, but I swear I will never turn my back on you.”

Haha… Although humans are inherently foolish beings who can’t see one step ahead, why does Ares not consider the possibility of him leaving first? Life is such an unpredictable entity.

Perhaps he sensed my doubt, and he firmly emphasized once more.

“I didn’t confess lightly, but since you want an answer, I’ll give it. No matter what happens, I don’t regret holding onto you.”

With him saying it so strongly, I couldn’t help but find it unavoidable.

I chuckled softly.

I felt it was a waste of time even considering whether to accept Ares now or not.

I must summon the courage to bear the sadness. Even if I face rejection from him, I should be grateful for the fact that I was able to stay by his side as a lover for a brief moment before leaving. If I happen to leave him first, I should give him the opportunity to love without regrets, even when he holds Leia later.

Since my remaining time is short anyway, I should do everything I want and leave without any lingering attachments.

“Ares, can you trust what you just said? I’ll remember it until I die.”

Even though sadness already started to fill my chest, I purposely smiled broadly. There’s no time to be sad when there’s so much love to give.

Instead of words, Ares responded by embracing me tightly, as if his heart would burst.

I felt his heartbeat through my chest. Taking a deep breath, I leaned my head on his shoulder.

“Bianca, don’t be afraid. I’ll make you happy.”

Ah, this sensitive man. It seems he sensed my fear.

Now, I have to show him that I’m not afraid anymore. Just as he embraced me, I raised my arms and wrapped them around his lower back.

“Hehe. Got it. So, Ares?”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Aren’t we about the same age?”

“……”

“Let’s drop the formality. We’re lovers now.”

I chuckled and threw an unexpected question at him.

Well, isn’t it true? If we’re lovers, aren’t we the closest to each other in the world? Of course, it’s better to use polite language to show respect, but with the little time I have left, who cares about such formalities?

“Hehe… Bianca, you really…”

Ares tightened his arms around me. His laughter resonated through his body, reaching me as well.

“Yeah… you’re right.”

He stopped laughing and spoke to me with the warmest voice.

“I love you, Bianca.”

Me too, Ares.

At the carriage depot, throughout our journey to the Duke’s mansion, Ares couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He held onto my hand tightly, refusing to let go until I pointed out that I needed both hands to hold the reins.

“Ares, I know you’re happy, but we need to drive safely, okay?”

As he attempted to hold the reins with just one hand, neglecting the front view, I reminded him sharply. In response, Ares grinned and nodded emphatically.

Suddenly, I became curious. When exactly did he start liking me?

He claimed it was from the first moment he saw me, but I first saw him at my social debut party. To put it simply, on my 18th birthday. Moreover, that day marked the beginning of my unrequited love.

I spoke to Ares, who was driving the carriage.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“When did you first see me?”

“On the day you debuted in society. Probably on your birthday party.”

“…Right.”

I chuckled in disappointment.

“We both started our unrequited love on the same day. And since then, we’ve been sighing in tandem.”

Ares said with a smile.

“You’re my first love, Bianca.”

“…Me too.”

I smiled along with him. It seems we even share the fact that we are each other’s first love.

When the carriage arrived at our house, Ares helped me get off. After bidding farewell and heading towards the main gate, he suddenly grabbed my hand.

“?”

“Oh, well….”

He hesitated with a suddenly flushed face.

Why is he acting like this? I looked at him with a puzzled expression, waiting for an explanation.

In that moment, he approached me, planted a short kiss on my forehead, and quickly stepped back!

Soft, warm, and even a bit tender—though the contact was brief, the spot where he kissed felt as if it had been touched by hot iron! My face, in turn, blazed up like it was on fire!

My expression must have undoubtedly looked dumbfounded! Otherwise, Ares wouldn’t be smiling so broadly like that!

“Goodnight, Bianca.”

Ares bid me farewell, releasing the hand he had been holding with a gentle gesture.

“You too. I had a great time today, Ares.”

Even though my face was probably all shades of red, I smiled and said goodbye again to him.

Ares stood there, watching me until I walked quite a distance towards the main gate.

Returning to my room, I opened the locked diary and unfolded the part I had noted in the morning. I added an arrow to the section that said, ‘I went on a date with Ares,’ and wrote, ‘Lea becomes aware. Introduction of the ‘pillar” beneath it.

I held the pen for a while, contemplating.

In the novel, the ‘pillar’ represents crucial events in Lea’s romance. Now that she has realized her feelings and I am dating Ares, I wonder what the next ‘pillar’ will be.

…Come to think of it, I’ve become a complete villain, haven’t I?