Chapter 74
The Male Lead Obsesses Over Proposals
68. The Only Understanding Person
“…Hold me, Ben.”
Benerucia seemed to be trying to touch me as little as possible.
That, in turn, sparked anxiety within Senelia.
“Sel… you again…”
However, the moment she saw Benerucia’s twisted expression, Senelia realized something.
That the wounds she had left on him might not just pass by in an instant.
Until now, even when Senelia confirmed she could hurt Benerucia, she never thought the damage would run deep.
It was a misjudgment.
She acknowledged that fact.
“No.”
This time, Senelia firmly denied Benerucia’s assumption.
“It’s just… when Ben is by my side… His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t come looking for me and causing trouble. On such days, I could rest in peace… And because of that, when Ben is beside me, I unconsciously feel reassured.”
It might seem trivial, but for Senelia, it was a sincere truth conveyed with great courage.
She wanted to get even a little better now.
Benerucia’s chest swelled and fell.
He slowly exhaled.
Only after hearing Senelia’s words did he feel relieved, realizing she wasn’t trying to throw herself into him again.
“…I was wrong to misunderstand.”
Embarrassed, Benerucia rubbed his face unnecessarily.
Senelia shifted to the side, patting the space beside her.
Seeing that the misunderstanding had been cleared, her voice grew lighter.
“Let’s rest together.”
Benerucia, who had been quietly watching the empty space, cautiously lay down beside Senelia.
Although it wasn’t their first time lying together in bed, he acted with extreme caution.
Because of his carefulness, Senelia too suddenly became careful in her movements.
After all, they had been together in bed since their first meeting, but they had never simply lain like this before.
Senelia had never expected such a thing, and Benerucia had always been preoccupied with confirming that she wouldn’t run away from him.
Both of them hesitated, and an awkwardness filled the bed.
“…Heh.”
Unable to overcome the awkwardness, Senelia was the first to laugh.
Once, she had dreamed of this—lying quietly in bed together, aware of each other’s presence, so tense that they could barely move.
Now, eight years later, it was happening for real.
But it didn’t feel unpleasant.
When Senelia smiled, Benerucia gazed at her face as if spellbound.
She had always smiled quietly and gracefully in front of him, like a true noble lady.
He had never seen her smile so brightly before.
That first smile made his heart noisy.
“Sel.”
Benerucia carefully pulled Senelia into his arms.
It was slow and gentle enough for her to push him away if she wished.
Yet Senelia did not.
Only then did Benerucia strengthen his hold, trapping her in his arms.
He wanted to show her just how loudly his heart beat because of her.
He wanted, even a little, to prove his love to her.
“I love you.”
Benerucia buried his face in her hair and murmured.
It was quiet, yet in the still room where only the two of them existed, it was loud enough to convey his feelings.
Senelia flinched at his words.
She wasn’t yet able to declare her love to Benerucia openly.
There were still too many things holding her back.
Yet, as if understanding her hesitation, he did not rush her.
“I love you.”
Once again, he simply confirmed his love to her.
In the quiet, only Benerucia’s heartbeat made the night noisy.
Benerucia had brought someone for Senelia to learn magic—a spellcaster like herself.
“My name is Demonic. Pleased to meet you.”
Demonic extended a hand to Senelia.
Her eyes widened at the sight of him.
Black hair, black eyes.
A combination of colors she had never seen in this world.
She had even possessed them in another world, long ago, when she was an ordinary citizen.
Senelia could not hide her astonishment.
She had never imagined seeing in reality what had only existed in her memories.
“My hair and eye color are a bit unusual, right?”
Demonic awkwardly smoothed his hair.
“There isn’t anyone in this world with the same hair and eye color as mine.”
This world…
It clearly separated itself from her current world.
Spellcasters here only spoke Korean.
Unable to contain herself, Senelia immediately asked if her guess was correct.
《“Are you Korean?”》
She wanted to know if the spellcaster before her had merely learned Korean, or if he was a Thorn of Cloracan, like herself.
《“Perhaps…”》
At her question, a trace of surprise appeared for the first time on Demonic’s gentle face.
He seemed to choose his words carefully, then continued cautiously.
《“Lady Daphné… you also came from the same place as me?”》
Senelia froze, staring at him.
Someone from the same place as her.
A Thorn of Cloracan like herself.
His words clearly meant that.
Senelia instinctively asked, urgent.
《“Then Demonic… you also know who the protagonists of this world are?”》
After discovering that she had been reincarnated into the storybook world, Senelia had carried the unstable memories of the original story.
Perhaps, she thought, she could stabilize those memories completely.
Then, within them, she might even find stronger cards to oppose Clifd.
Senelia unknowingly stepped closer to Demonic.
His black eyes gleamed strangely as he met her desperate gaze.
He lowered his voice, whispering so only she could hear.
《“If you mean that this world exists for Benerucia Apron and Lucalina Elihan… then yes, I know.”》
“Ah…”
Senelia wavered.
Demonic quickly supported her by holding her arm.
“Demonic, please help me.”
Senelia clung to his arm as if holding on for dear life.
No one in this world knew the truth she carried.
The moment she confirmed that Demonic knew, her doubts melted away rapidly.
Senelia had never forgotten who she was.
Before realizing she had reincarnated, she had lived in this world knowing nothing.
Thus, she had believed her identity fully belonged here.
But the moment she met someone with black hair, black eyes, Korean, and knowledge of the truth…
She could not help but trust Demonic.
He was the only other person who knew the heavy truth of this world that she alone carried.
His presence struck at a loneliness she had never fully recognized.
《“Have Clifd Heliosa or Benerucia Apron discovered that Lady Daphné is a Thorn of Cloracan?”》
Demonic asked calmly.
In the original story, only the royal family of Heliosa knew the truth about the Cloracan Thorns.
It was not difficult for Demonic, as a fellow Thorn, to guess why Senelia clung to him.
After all, the Heliosa royals were always wary of Cloracan Thorns.
《“Then is this marriage also forced…?”》
Demonic’s eyes narrowed.
A strong displeasure flashed across his face.
《“No. But I cannot tell you the whole truth yet.”》
Senelia shook her head hastily.
She wanted to tell Demonic everything, but a binding spell by Clifd’s court mage prevented her from revealing the truth.
《“Clifd Heliosa did something to Lady Daphné, didn’t he?”》
Yet, as one who knew the world’s truth, Demonic easily recognized who had put her in difficulty.
Anyone familiar with the story would naturally know the differences between Clifd and Benerucia.
《“Do not worry, Lady Daphné.”》
Soon, Demonic held her hand reassuringly.
Unlike Senelia’s hands, his were warm.
As if he were a savior rescuing her from the bitter cold.
《“In this world, only Lady Daphné is the same kind of existence as I am.”》
Over Demonic’s face, Senelia saw a loneliness similar to her own.
《“So how could I not help you, Lady Daphné?”》
His words sounded infinitely trustworthy.
As if he alone could truly understand Senelia.
