RVMPT Chapter 109

Chapter 109

He let go of the mask in his hand without hesitation.

The mask bounced and rolled across the desk with a soft thud, but I couldn’t take my eyes off his face—the face I had seen so many times, now bare before me.

He didn’t stop there. He took off his dark cloak, revealing his tousled black hair.

I stared, breath held.

“…Am I dreaming right now?”

Maybe I had fallen asleep in the carriage from exhaustion.

Just to check, I pinched my thigh. It hurt enough to make my eyes tear up.

Oh no. This was real.

Then… the man in front of me really was Harold.

A chill ran down my spine, goosebumps covering my arms.

My mind was stunned, like I had just been in a car accident. My brain stuttered, and my mouth moved on its own.

“W-Why are you here, Harold?”

“This is the guild I sponsor.”

“…What?”

I thought at worst he had followed me, but this was his sponsored guild?

It felt like something heavy hit me on the head.

So I had basically planned my escape from the kingdom… right in Harold’s front yard?

Why isn’t this a dream?

How do I fix this?!

My brain was blank. I couldn’t come up with a single way to cover this up.

I swallowed hard, trying to recall the time I had asked him what he’d do if I ever tried to run away.

At the time, he’d said it wouldn’t change anything, but now I remembered the way his expression had frozen.

I’m totally screwed.

In a panic, I glanced at Harold. He wore a beautiful, picture-perfect smile.

But I knew—it was the smile he wore when he was angry.

The air around him was heavy and dark. Instinctively, I edged backward.

Then Harold grabbed my hand. I flinched, realizing that I was acting like I was going to run again.

…Had I provoked him?

He intertwined our fingers tightly, like chains, and asked in a low voice,

“Diana, why were you trying to run?”

“I wasn’t trying to run! I was just… trying to surprise you, maybe…”

“…”

“…”

Even I knew how bad that excuse sounded. I shut my mouth.

His smile deepened, and I gulped.

I’m so dead.

Like a rabbit watching a lion’s jaws open wide, I began to tremble.

But then Harold’s eyes narrowed. He let out a sigh, burying his face in his palm.

Suddenly, the heavy tension in the room lifted. That couldn’t be real—he couldn’t have calmed down that quickly.

Confused, I watched him carefully.

If I weren’t in panic mode, I might’ve figured it out… but my brain was frozen.

Then Harold stood and walked toward me.

“Let’s go back to the mansion.”

He slipped one arm under my legs and the other around my back, lifting me effortlessly.

He walked out of the room. The guild leader, who’d supposedly fainted in the bathroom, stood quietly to see us off—completely fine.

During the carriage ride, neither of us spoke.

I was too rattled to say anything, and Harold seemed lost in thought, staring out the window.

The air was suffocating.

Once we arrived at the mansion, Harold carried me straight to my room and gently placed me on the bed.

“Diana.”

Now that he had time to think, he called my name again.

“I’ll forget what happened today.”

“…Forget?”

I repeated his words, startled.

“I’ll act like it never happened. So don’t try to run again. Because if something like today happens again… or if you ever run from me…”

“…”

“I’ll bring you back—again and again—until the day this life you saved finally ends.”

His voice was calm, but it carried a terrifying promise. The look in his deep navy eyes made it clear—he meant every word.

Then his hand, which was on my shoulder, slid up to my neck and brushed aside the hair covering my ear.

His touch on my bare skin was warm—almost too warm.

…Was he sick?

I took off my glove and pressed my hand to his cheek. No divine power flowed.

Not sick. I was relieved.

But the look on Harold’s face made me freeze.

“I won’t let you run,” he whispered as he pulled his hand away.

“Get some rest.”

He turned to leave.

I jumped off the bed and rushed to block the door.

“Wait, Harold.”

“…?”

“That thing you asked earlier… why I tried to run. I’ll tell you. Just… please don’t go yet.”

Honestly, I hadn’t figured out how to say it.

Should I start from the beginning, where I planned to run after healing him? Or when I thought he only cared about my powers? Or maybe when I started to wonder if he liked me… and ran because I was scared of messing things up?

My mind was a mess.

But earlier, when I touched his face to check if he was sick—he looked like he was in pain.

Not physically. Emotionally.

I couldn’t ignore that.

“It’ll take a while. Please listen till the end.”

I led him to the table beside the bed and started talking from the beginning.

As I talked, Harold’s expression changed little by little.

When I said I thought he only wanted my powers, he covered his face with one large hand.

So I was wrong. He never saw me that way.

He looked like he was on the verge of losing it.

Watching that made me feel even more embarrassed.

“…And I have one more thing to ask.”

I hadn’t planned to ask this, but the words spilled out before I could stop myself.

“Harold… do you like me?”

I clenched my fists without realizing it.

“Not just as a person… but romantically.”

Harold dragged his hand down his face and walked over to me.

“Diana. You asked if I liked you, right?”

“Yes.”

I nodded quickly, heart pounding.

“No.”

My heart dropped.

Ah. So I really had misunderstood.

I turned away to hide my expression—but his hand cupped my cheek.

His face came closer, and he kissed me.

His lips parted mine with practiced heat, but this time—I couldn’t close my eyes.

We stared at each other even as our lips met.

He kissed my upper lip, then my chin, then gently tugged at my lower lip.

Usually, our kisses were deep and overwhelming. But this one felt playful, like spring sunlight or a kitten’s gentle nudge.

It made my heart race even more.

Harold finally pulled back.

He looked at me, eyes unwavering. Then, with glistening lips, he whispered:

“I love you.”