RVMPT Chapter 110

Chapter 110

The single whisper from Harold began to shake me to my core.

Thump, thump, thump—my heart pounded hard. My fingertips and toes tingled. My mind was a mess, my ears rang, and I could barely breathe.

‘Did Harold just say he loves me?’

I looked up at him through my blurry vision. I found myself staring at his lips. Those lips… did they just say that…?

‘He said he didn’t earlier, so I thought I misunderstood.’

But hearing that confession now, after already assuming the worst, made it all the more shocking—and a little unbelievable. It’s not that I thought Harold was lying. I just doubted my own ears. Maybe I’d heard it wrong.

Just as I was about to ask him to confirm, Harold took my hand and placed it on his chest.

“…!”

My eyes widened.

I could feel the strong beat of his heart through his solid chest, burning into my palm.

‘Is his heart about to explode?’

It was pounding so hard.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

That’s when I realized the noise that had been deafening me wasn’t just my own heartbeat.

Blushing furiously, I bit the inside of my cheek. When my fingers instinctively clenched, Harold smiled lazily and leaned in close.

His gaze stayed locked on me, filled with nothing but me. His scent—fresh and forest-like—felt unusually warm today. As I inhaled, Harold whispered sweetly:

“I love you, Diana.”

“Hiccup—!”

I slapped my hand over my mouth. A hiccup? Right now?

But no matter how much I tried to hold it in, the hiccups wouldn’t stop.

“Mm… hic.”

I tried to keep quiet, but my shoulders jerked every time another one escaped.

Holy power, why can’t you fix this? You’re useless! I thought angrily, blaming my divine magic for not stopping something as silly as hiccups.

Suddenly, a soft laugh spilled above my head.

Even with my ears buzzing from all the noise, Harold’s laughter rang clear.

I couldn’t bear to look at him, so I stared at the floor.

Then, a large hand gently cupped my cheek. His hand, which had felt hot just moments ago, now seemed lukewarm—proof that my face had gotten even hotter.

What does my face look like to him right now? Like a volcano about to erupt?

The thought made me want to hide under a blanket forever.

Harold, either unaware of my embarrassment or just not caring, touched my face with such tenderness, as if handling something precious.

Then he said it again.

“I love you.”

Over and over, he said it without hesitation.

“I’m in love with you.”

“…Hic.”

He seemed completely determined now, wanting to leave no room for misunderstanding.

Then, Harold lifted my chin and placed a butterfly kiss on my forehead. He followed it with kisses on my eyelids, below my eyes, the tip of my nose, above my lips, and finally on my chin.

It was shocking that I hadn’t noticed before just how full of affection his touch always was.

I clenched my fingers tightly. They were slick with sweat.

“Harold…”

I murmured, another hiccup slipping out between my teeth.

“…You don’t have to say it anymore. I understand now.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

I nodded firmly.

Once I realized how deep Harold’s feelings were, I could see everything clearly.

He never tried to hide it. He just never said the words outright. It was me who had been blind to it all.

Now that I knew, I felt like crawling into a hole. I buried my face as low as it could go.

Harold chuckled and sat down on the rug.

He rested his chin on my knee, which felt strange. Normally, he’d never sit somewhere like that.

Our eyes met—his navy-blue gaze waiting patiently. I had tried to avoid his eyes, but that was clearly impossible.

“I love you.”

“Don’t say that…”

“But I want to.”

He looked so satisfied. If he were a cat, I swear he’d be purring right now.

How did I not notice his feelings until now?

I felt guilty. And… confused.

I couldn’t quite put a name to how I was feeling. My emotions were tangled up, but I was certain of one thing: I felt good.

Hearing the truth made me feel relieved. And since the moment he confessed, my chest had been full of warmth.

Even though his feelings were intense, they didn’t overwhelm me.

How is that possible?

Yes, I liked Harold. But I always thought it was just friendly affection. If he felt something deeper, shouldn’t I be a little uncomfortable?

Just as I thought that, Harold asked me a question, as if reading my mind.

“Diana, do you still think you just like me as a person?”

“…I don’t know.”

If he had asked me that yesterday, I would’ve said yes. But now… I wasn’t so sure.

I used to think I blushed around him because I liked pretty faces. I used to think I enjoyed his company because we got along. But now… what if that wasn’t it?

Could it be that I…?

No, wait. Hold on. My overloaded brain refused to accept that thought and went completely blank.

I stared at the wall, dazed, when Harold suddenly grabbed my wrist.

Then he kissed the blue vein beneath my platinum bracelet.

“Diana, you love me.”

“…!”

The shock was so intense, my hiccups stopped immediately.

“Don’t you?”

He asked, but it wasn’t really a question. It was a declaration, as if he was planting a flag at the summit.

“Hmm? Diana.”

He gently grasped my wrist and smiled, his breath sending a strange thrill up my spine.

“J-Just wait! I need some time to think…!”

“…”

“So much happened today! Just give me a week… please!”

I pleaded desperately. I had just found out that Harold was behind the Aneis Guild, that he’d been secretly advising me all this time, and that his feelings for me were real.

And all of that happened in less than two hours!

There was no way I could process everything so quickly.

Maybe my plea worked, because Harold lifted his head and replied, 

“I’m pretty good at being patient.”

Oh…? Then maybe he’ll give me the week I asked for?

Feeling hopeful, I let out a relieved sigh—until Harold wrapped an arm around my waist.

“But not anymore.”

And with that, he pulled me down.

“…!”

I fell into his arms with such force, I couldn’t even scream.

He caught me easily, so I wasn’t hurt—but my heart pounded like crazy.

I finally looked up and saw his deep navy eyes, dark and intense with desire.

He smiled and growled softly.

“Accept that you love me, Diana.”