Chapter 32…………………………………….
Cassius froze the moment he stepped onto the balcony.
She was bathed in moonlight.
Sonia’s abundant silver hair caught the light, shimmering softly.
A gentle breeze blew, making her hair sway naturally without resistance.
Sonia used one hand to keep her hair from tangling, smoothing it back into place.
Her neck, previously hidden by her thick hair, was now fully visible.
The skin of her neck was pale, smooth, and soft.
She stepped lightly down from the terrace railing.
Sonia was barefoot. Her delicate, pale ankles, just barely visible, were remarkably enticing.
He felt the urge to press his lips to the top of her feet immediately.
‘How much patience do I have left?’
He realized he was being tested.
Cassius’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
“Do you have some business to attend to?”
Her thoughts were automatically read. Sonia had initially been startled, thinking he was someone else, and now relaxed.
‘Flies have gathered.’
Cassius silently activated his ability to block interference, vowing not to leave her alone, even if the Emperor tried to speak to him.
When she received no answer from him, Sonia slowly approached.
“Did you bring this for me?”
“Yes.”
As he handed her the drinks, her hand brushed his.
Cassius simply held her hand. Sonia did not pull away.
Suppressing his ability, he decided to be honest with his feelings.
“May I kiss you?”
Sonia’s face flushed.
Even under the moonlight, the redness of her cheeks was clearly visible.
“On the back of the neck?”
She seemed to interpret it as an injection of his alpha pheromones.
“No.”
She hesitated, surprised.
Not bad—it was a good sign, because her hesitation implied consent.
Finally, Sonia made a decision.
“Then… it’s because of your cursed ability, isn’t it? You can’t check the curse on Your Holiness’s shoulder right now.”
Cassius smiled bitterly.
If she still needed an excuse, it meant their distance hadn’t narrowed enough.
Feeling determined, he asked,
“Is the nape acceptable?”
“Yes.”
She nodded—her permission given.
Setting down the glasses in his hand, he gently cupped her chin.
Pressing his lips just below her ear, he slowly descended along her neck.
He moved deliberately, not biting at once, knowing that startling her with sudden contact would alarm her.
Sliding his lips along her neck, he finally reached the location of her pheromone gland and pressed, releasing his alpha pheromones.
Sonia, now somewhat accustomed to his pheromones, did not weaken or collapse like before.
Once everything was finished, he released her.
“It’s done.”
Sonia softly rubbed her neck where his lips had lingered.
“I feel… something different.”
It seemed she had caught him using the pheromone as an excuse to indulge his own desires.
“What do you mean?”
He feigned innocence.
“I think Your Holiness’s pheromone scent has changed.”
Even among the same traits, alphas and omegas are cautious of each other’s pheromones.
Only when trust and closeness develop does the scent begin to feel sweet.
Conversely, if there’s distrust, the scent becomes repulsive.
Sonia’s reaction would reveal which it was.
Before she could answer—
“Your Holiness! Big trouble!”
A meddler appeared at the worst moment.
Annoyed, Cassius turned to see who had come.
It was one of the holy knights accompanying the delegation.
Though his expression seemed calm, the knight could sense his anger in his aura.
“I apologize for intruding without permission. But I must report this—every knight assigned to Viscount Lancelot Theodore’s protection was found unconscious.”
Sonia, putting on her shoes behind Cassius, shouted sharply.
“Lancelot?”
The reporting knight was startled.
He hadn’t recognized her in her dress.
Even when she approached closely, it was only her uniquely colored eyes that revealed her identity.
‘This is bad!’
His Holiness had instructed that Sonia mustn’t hear about the protection attached to Lancelot.
The knight swallowed nervously and studied Cassius’s face.
His mouth was set firmly, his gaze stern.
A normally gentle man becomes terrifying when enraged.
The knight froze so completely that he could not even apologize.
Sonia pressed again.
“What do you mean? What happened to Lancelot?”
The first report had been made without realizing Sonia was present; now that she was here, he could no longer continue.
Her expression darkened.
Cassius spoke.
“Report.”
“Yes. The knights trailing Viscount Lancelot Theodore’s carriage were ambushed by assailants and lost consciousness. The following unit found them, pursued the carriage, but the viscount had disappeared.”
“Lancelot has disappeared? What about the estate?”
The knight glanced at Cassius, as if to confirm he could answer.
“He has not returned to the estate either.”
Sonia collapsed onto the floor.
Cassius clenched his fists, frustrated with himself.
Sonia, the healing priest, played a crucial role in this trip to the Empire.
Worried that someone might target her, he had assigned protective knights—around her and her family.
‘My mistake. I should have contacted Viscount Lancelot from the start.’
He needed to be vigilant in case anyone aimed for Sonia’s healing abilities.
To Cassius, Sonia was the most important.
He’d assigned her heavy protection, while keeping other family members lightly monitored.
“Sonia, I will personally find the viscount.”
Sonia gave no response. Frustrated, he used his suppressed ability.
‘Lancelot…! He wasn’t home—he’s been kidnapped!’
Her mind filled with worry for Lancelot.
‘If this continues, not just Lancelot, but my parents may be in danger too… Everyone could die. I… I might die too. I don’t want to die!’
What could frighten her so deeply?
The source of her fear was buried too deep to see.
He could have forcibly opened her mind—but that would only cause her pain.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
Unable to stand by, Cassius pulled her into an embrace.
“Do not be so afraid. The viscount will be all right.”
“……”
“I will assign additional protection to your family as well. Do not worry.”
She nodded. Cassius sensed her thoughts.
‘If you cry, you can’t do anything. So don’t cry!’
It was admirable how she tried to face her terror, but it also pained him.
He wanted to help, but did not know how.
If only Sonia would tell him everything.
Then he would gladly become her shield.
***
Regaining my composure, I left the terrace with Cassius.
Outside, he quietly summoned the commander of the holy knights and issued instructions.
I glanced over the ballroom.
Prince Shane was buried among the young ladies, and Schwarz was still nowhere to be seen.
‘Who could have kidnapped Lancelot?’
There were a few candidates.
Prince Shane, Schwarz, or the Lord of the Mage Tower.
One of them.
Judging by the original story’s timeline, the Mage Tower Lord would not appear yet.
He couldn’t leave the tower, so it had to be either Prince Shane or Schwarz.
If I had to guess, Schwarz was far more likely.
In the original story, this was when Lancelot would be kidnapped and taken to the lair of the Black Phantom.
‘Brother… please, don’t resist.’
That man enjoyed crushing those who struggled.
If Lancelot just talked to him casually, he might not have been harmed.
I had to make a decision.
Should I tell Cassius everything and ask for his help, risking my priestly status?
Or should I go alone and confront them?
Both had risks.
If I told Cassius, I might lose my priesthood if things went wrong.
If I went alone, facing the Black Phantom meant a very high chance of death.
“The holy knights have been ordered to pursue the viscount. Do not worry too much.”
“Thank you.”
For now, I had to trust the Holy Kingdom’s knights.
I stared blankly at the dancers.
‘It was fun.’
Dancing with Cassius, heading to the terrace—it had all been wonderful.
But suddenly, the original story’s events intruded, weighing heavily on my heart.
And it wouldn’t stop here.
Every time the original novel The Predators’ Territory intrudes into my peaceful life, it torments me.
Until the story in the original ends, it will continue to shake me periodically.
‘Can I ever be happy?’
A sudden doubt overcame me.
It seemed that being happy, like the people dancing, was a luxury I could no longer afford.
To survive, I had to give it up. Happiness.
“Sonia.”
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
“Is there nothing else I can do to help?”
For a moment, my chest tightened, almost suffocating.
