Chapter 207

Chapter 207

Our eyes met again.

Skid.

And then again as I rose from the chair without waiting for Cassis’ response. But with every step forward I took, my vision became dizzy. The liquor had been much stronger than I had first predicted. I stumbled momentarily as my vision went completely dark for a moment. He held me steady.

“Roxana...”

Before he could say another word, I leaned into his body. I stood still as I squeezed his collar and placed my forehead on his chest

“This used to be Lante’s office.”

Then I looked up into his golden eyes.

“That man...”

I guess I really was drunk.

“...still watches me from in here.”

In truth, even with Cassis standing before me, I still saw Lante’s dead body floating behind him. The demon of a man hovered silently in the darkness while glaring down at me with eyes full of malice. But I stared straight into those blood-curdling, crimson eyes.

“So, Cassis...”

I could sense his aura change slightly. My words had indeed stirred up something inside of him already. I turned my gaze from Lante back down to him, then whispered despite not knowing exactly what I wanted to say next.

“Kiss me. Right now.”

It was an abrupt demand, but Cassis showed neither confusion nor panic. He looked at me as though he fully understood why I said those words. Of course, that could have just been my imagination. The light from outside the window slowly covered his hardened face.

I smiled as his golden eyes shined radiantly. I didn’t wait for him to bring my lips to his first and instead lifted my head toward his. Warmth flowed between our lightly grazing lips. For a moment, I couldn’t feel any movement from him. But immediately after his breath tickled my lips, he leaned down and kissed me with even more passion, and his arms wrapped around my waist even more tightly.

I opened my lips and accepted him in.

The glass in my hand fell over as my body leaned back onto the desk. It rolled onto the floor, but the carpet prevented it from shattering. The spilled amber liquid at the corner of the table soaked the ends of my clothes, but that didn’t matter.

He continued to kiss me just the way I liked, passionately biting down on my lips as if he intended to swallow them. It was rather rough, but I loved it. Whether it was the incessant kissing that took my breath away or the alcohol that made my vision blurry, I did not know. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. I felt the cold table touch my back, but in that moment a burning flame engulfed me and made me thirsty for his elixir.

Cassis stopped for a moment as I wrapped my legs around his waist, but there was no way I was going to stop at that point. I nibbled on his tongue while caressing his neck until he began to move once more. Every time his hand ran up and down my body, I could feel my temperature rise.

His hand did not hesitate to touch my bare skin. His lips slowly brushed down to my chin and neck, leaving little bits of moist marks. Even as he tore the thin piece of cloth that covered me off, all I felt was more heat. It felt as though a storm was about to consume me whole. Yet I was the one to take the initiative. I devoured everything that he offered me greedily.

Darkness swept over my blurry vision until only the crimson eyes that shined brightly in the midst of that darkness remained. I gasped for air and smiled as I sank my face into his shoulder. Had I known such vulgar pleasure could bloom within me, I would have made sure to show it to Lante at least once while he was still alive.

I had made his trophy mine while his ghost could do nothing but watch. Of course, Cassis was worth so much more than a trophy, but from an Agrece’s point of view, I had successfully stolen the Blue Heir away from the late Black Master. Not to mention, the one with whom I was entangled was the son of my father’s arch nemesis, Roussel Pedelian. And I was still Lante’s most-accomplished daughter. The one who orchestrated my own father’s death through a coup. Could there be a more perfect combination?

How could I possibly keep myself from laughing? A wave of tumultuous ecstasy swept over my already dizzy mind. The electrical sparks surging down my spine were enough to make me shudder. To think that I would experience such emotions in my father’s room, in front of his ghost, who had given half of his bloodline to me, as I fell deeper into the pit of ecstasy and vanity with the son of his nemesis.

Perhaps I was insane.

And yet...

It was I who was here at this very moment, and it was I who was alive to enjoy such a moment. That’s right. In the end, I won.

I won this seemingly eternal battle.

I finally felt victorious as a latent sense of victory swept over me. I floundered as it consumed me from head to toe.

“...n’t cry.”

A trailing voice reached my ears. It said strange words Cassis peered down at me with his chest slightly pulled away from mine.

“Don’t cry.”

I was even more confused as to why he would say such a thing, especially with such a troubled expression smeared across his face. I laughed as I finally grasped victory in my hands, so why would he say such a thing? His chin hardened slightly. He slowly raised his hand to brush off the corners of my eyes.

Only when I felt a wet sensation at the point of contact with his fingertips did I realize that I was in fact crying.

It was weird.

Why of all times would I shed tears then? Then I thought that perhaps Nix’s tears had become my own. For a puppet, he really had cried far too much. With all his incessant wails and cries day in and day out at Grizelda’s, I could hardly get any sleep. I couldn’t help but clench my jaw the way Cassis had done moments ago.

That foolish puppet.

Nix left while I was away. I was certain that Cassis had approached him, but seeing how things had turned out, I supposed he was beyond saving. Perhaps that was why that foolish puppet ran away. I supposed he wished to ensure that I would not see him wither away.

He really had started to think like Achille. Whether Nix was the resurrected Achille or simply a puppet with contradicting personalities, I still couldn’t be sure. But I also didn’t want to find out. Just as he had said himself—it would be better for me to simply consider him a puppet. If anything, it was nice of him to disappear for my sake. He would soon die anyways without having me to pursue after him, and I don’t think I would enjoy watching his last moments anyways.

And yet...

“It’s strange.”

Something inside me screamed that it still wasn’t what I truly wanted. Was that perhaps the real reason I never tried to go after him?

“I surely won...” I mumbled without a specific audience in mind. “So why... do I feel so empty?”

A void remained unfilled inside me. It felt as though no matter how much I tried to fill it, it would simply remain unfilled forever. Cassis gently brushed my face as his hand wiped away my tears. I felt a slight pang of pain as I saw my crying reflection in his eyes. He soon lowered his head and kissed my eyelids. An endearingly silky warmth seeped into my skin like a feather.

“You aren’t empty.” His small voice tickled my ears. “But if you still feel that way...” He whispered even more softly before going on. “...we can fill you up together.”

Yes, we could fill my void one corner at a time until it overflowed. His repeated assurances almost made me believe his words. I pulled him closer as I listened to his sweet whispers. The crimson eyes in the darkness disappeared for as long as the one person living for me held me in his arms.

We continued to pull each other closer to one another without a single word. And yet, so many conversations took place between us as our bodies continued to touch. Words as astounding as the stars that shone through the window showered over my heart.

It was a deep, dark night. But the darker it was, the brighter the light shined upon it. And so I was certain that the dawn coming to drive away that night would be brighter than any other in this world.