Chapter 5
“Am I doing it right?”
“Yes.”
It had already been a week since she started staying at his house.
But the strange thing was—there had been no reply from Evangeline.
She had already gathered all the information she needed from the city.
As soon as she could make contact, she planned to return to the Imperial Palace, punish the middle manager responsible for this mess, and take revenge on the vampires.
And the reply was also necessary to return the cost of Edwin’s sister’s dress. The lack of contact was making her anxious.
Despite her urgency, something else had been happening quietly over the past week: she and Edwin had grown very close.
They cooked together every evening and stayed up into the early morning, talking and listening to the chirping of crickets.
What was unmistakable was how similar the two were—preferences, hobbies, even taste in food.
Maybe that’s why they felt increasingly drawn to each other.
Every time Edwin caught a glimpse of her smile, his heart raced.
He began to resent how quickly time was passing.
That sense of regret gradually deepened into something else—love.
But even so, he desperately tried to hide his feelings.
She was someone who would leave. Someone who lived in a different world.
But Selenia was just as conflicted.
She found herself wondering if she would ever meet someone like him again.
“Ah!”
Lost in thought while cooking, Selenia accidentally cut her finger with the knife.
Blood slowly welled up from the wound.
“Are you alright?!”
Edwin panicked as if she’d severed a finger, rushing to bring ointment and bandages.
“Oh no, that must sting.”
Without thinking, he held her finger and gently blew on it.
Caught off guard by his unexpected gesture, Selenia’s face turned bright red.
It was the first time she’d experienced this kind of physical contact with a man. No one in the Imperial Palace would dare lay a hand on her.
“This… this much is fine.”
Feeling flustered, she quickly pulled her hand from Edwin’s grasp.
‘Stuttering like a fool!’
She had never experienced anything like this. If there were a mouse hole nearby, she’d have hidden in it.
“No, even a small cut needs proper care.”
Edwin calmly cleaned her hand and carefully applied the medicine.
Only after he wrapped the wound with a neatly cut bandage did her finger finally leave his hands.
“Isn’t it lucky I’m a doctor?”
He smiled warmly, trying to lighten the mood.
“It’s nothing. Just a little scratch.”
Selenia cleared her throat awkwardly and turned away from him.
“By the way… has any word come?”
“…No. When did you say your sister’s wedding was?”
“In a week. But it’s alright. I didn’t ask because of the gold coins.”
Edwin waved his hand and glanced worriedly at her darkened expression.
He had only asked because he was concerned that she might be worried about the lack of contact—but she seemed to have misunderstood.
“Don’t worry about the money. You’re working in service of the Empire.”
He gently patted her on the shoulder as if to reassure her.
The warmth of his large hand spread from her shoulder throughout her body.
Whenever they talked, she always felt strangely at ease.
“You’re a strange one.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“You make people feel comfortable.”
“I get that a lot.”
His slightly drooping eyes curved softly with his smile.
Selenia found his shameless reply so endearing that she burst into laughter.
“Ha, you’re not even denying it.”
“Because it’s true.”
As he kept joking, Selenia’s laughter slowly faded. She lowered her head slightly, looking guilty.
“…Don’t worry. Once I get in touch, I’ll pay back the gold coins and everything else I owe you.”
Her gaze, filled with remorse, met Edwin’s.
But instead of relief, his expression darkened.
She couldn’t understand why he looked that way when she was saying she’d repay him.
“Um…”
“Yes?”
“When you get a reply… are you going to leave?”
“…I should.”
His voice was full of sorrow.
Only then did she realize why his expression had darkened.
She had never dated anyone, but she wasn’t so dense that she couldn’t notice something like this.
And the sadness wasn’t only on Edwin’s side.
“…Edwin.”
“Yes?”
“When I get a message from the palace…”
After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke, slowly.
“Would you come with me?”
Normally, the Imperial Palace only required that its doctors have exceptional skills. He didn’t have to be her personal physician.
But she needed someone brave enough not to flinch at her scars, and trustworthy enough to never speak of them.
Edwin had it all—skill, divine power comparable to that of a high priest, and a natural rhythm that matched hers perfectly.
He had saved her life, almost as if it were fate. It felt like they were meant to meet.
If he accepted, she would tell him the truth—that she was destined to become the Emperor—and take him back with her to the palace.
Watching Edwin blink quickly, seemingly deep in thought, Selenia swallowed hard.
Just as he opened his mouth to respond—
“I…”
Boom!
A loud explosion shook the outside.
Their eyes met instantly.
Selenia ran to the door and threw it open.
“There you are.”
The one who appeared with a dramatic entrance was—
“Luciel!”
Luciel.
His green eyes gleamed with menace as he slowly swept his gaze toward them.
His eyes passed over Selenia and landed on Edwin—with hostility.
It was a look you’d give a thief who had stolen something precious.
“To think you’d be in such a shabby place, with such a shabby man.”
Though he still wore his usual smile, his eyes were cold and humorless.
She was not someone to be touched by the likes of this man.
His green eyes flashed like a beast about to pounce on prey.
But despite having the same green eyes, Luciel and Edwin were nothing alike.
Edwin’s were like lush summer leaves—warm and refreshing.
Luciel’s were like bare winter branches—barren and chilling.
With a soft tone, Luciel added,
“Her Highness the Crown Princess…”
At those words, Edwin turned to Selenia in shock. His mouth slowly opened.
He had known she was a noblewoman, but he’d never imagined she was the Crown Princess herself.
‘I’ve fallen for someone I have no right even to look at…’
More than surprise, what hit Edwin first was despair. The realization that he and Selenia could never be.
Selenia frowned and stepped in front of Edwin.
“This man has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me.”
“But how could any human be unrelated to us? Your Highness.”
Luciel mocked her as he unsheathed his sharp claws.
His claws gave off a murderous aura, ready to tear through Edwin’s flesh at any moment.
“Edwin.”
Selenia whispered so quietly that only he could hear.
“I’ll apologize for deceiving you… later.”
“Huh…?”
“Run!”
Grabbing Edwin’s hand, Selenia sprinted. They dashed between the apple trees.
There were no holy relics, no crosses, not even a proper weapon here. To fight the vampire leader in this place would be suicide.
Their only hope of survival was to run.
“We have to get to the forest!”
She planned to find a hiding spot among the trees.
They ran through falling white apple blossoms.
To Edwin, the moment felt like a dream.
Just moments ago, they had been cooking in peace. He had been pondering how to respond to her invitation to go to the capital.
Now, a vampire had shown up in the middle of nowhere, and the woman he thought was a knight turned out to be the Crown Princess of the Apollonia Empire.
Though his feet kept moving, his mind lagged behind.
This wasn’t the time to feel anything at all—but the way the white petals danced like snowflakes, and the golden strands of Selenia’s hair flowing ahead of him—it was beautiful.
Blindingly so.
“Edwin!”
As she reached the forest, Selenia shouted urgently.
Snapping back to his senses, Edwin grabbed her hand tighter.
“This way!”
He knew this forest like the back of his hand.
He led her toward a cave that had been his secret hideout as a child, hidden between trees and thick bushes—easy to miss if you didn’t know where to look.
They slipped inside together.
“How did he even know I was here…”
Selenia closed her eyes tightly in frustration.
Edwin stared at her for a moment, then began gathering dry branches from the cave floor.
“The temperature will drop soon. I’ll make a fire.”
He quietly lit a small fire.
Selenia glanced at him, gauging his expression.
“…It’s okay.”
Edwin spoke before she could.
“Given your position, it must’ve been hard to speak honestly. I understand.”
“I… I was going to tell you. If you…”
The fire crackled and danced in her golden eyes.
She looked straight at him and continued,
“If you had said you’d come with me…”
Edwin couldn’t take his eyes off hers, waiting for her next words.
“I would’ve told you everything.”
The atmosphere grew solemn, and Edwin remained quiet.
Even if he followed her to the palace, what would change?
She was someone destined to become Empress. Someone who should marry a man who would benefit the Empire.
Not a countryside nobody like him.
A bitter smile formed on his lips.
“Edwin…”
When he gave no response, it was Selenia who became more anxious. She reached out toward him.
“There you are.”
A chilling voice made them both whip their heads around.
Luciel had found them—somehow, far too quickly.
He approached steadily.
Selenia moved to shield Edwin.
He was just a man living a peaceful life here. She owed him for saving her, for the dress, for everything.
She hadn’t repaid anything yet. She couldn’t let him die.
“If you’re going to kill someone, kill me.”
Her golden eyes glowed fiercely.
She had to protect him.
If someone was to die torn apart by Luciel’s claws, it had to be her—not Edwin.
“Well now… who should I give the gift of death to first?”
Luciel’s eyes gleamed as he examined his claws—then he lunged at her.
His claws flew toward her—
“…Edwin!”
And in the next moment, she was in Edwin’s arms.
