The Courtesan

Chapter 112

ELAYNE

“Ariana! Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine. I won, Kalvin.”

“I heard.”

Compared to the wide smile on my face, they all had grim expressions. 

“Kalvin, why so grim? I’ve not lost my mind.”

“Ariana, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be. I really am fine. You won’t congratulate me for trying so hard?”

“My dearest, I am glad you won, so ecstatic I cannot comprehend this emotion of joy in me. I have no words to describe how proud I am of you.”

“But…”

“I am also extremely terrified. I don’t want what happened to you to happen to me.”

“The only reason I hurt that man was because he was trying to kill me. It’s not a fatal wound so I didn’t break the rules but I broke his resolve.”

“Trying to kill you?! Who was he from?”

“The church sent him apparently.”

“Those bastards!”

“If you’ve sorted out the issue with the church, I hardly think they would bother us any more. Just stay here and enjoy my win with me.”

“... Lion, Tyler, you can leave.”

The two left the room and Kalvin sighed deeply. Since I was in a good mood, I just let him process his emotions. 

“Ariana?”

“Yes, Kalvin.”

“I love you.”

“I’ve heard that a lot of times. What are you trying to say?”

“Because I love you, Ariana, you terrify me when you do things like this. I know it is out of your control and I know it doesn’t seem scary yet but when it gets worse and you can’t hold anything close to cherish it…”

“Hold it right there, mister. One, you have a full family that loves and support you. They’d go as far as cover up your mistakes and overlook the crimes of an organization that wants to take over just for your sake. I don’t have a family anymore and the only person I care for is the son of the man I hate. We are not the same. Now, I know you’re scared but you have to stop imagining me to be some delicate flower. I haven’t been something like that in years! Kalvin, look at me right now for who I truly am not who you remember me to be or who you want me to be!”

“Ariana, I truly want to. I love you for who you are and what you’ve become but the way you are now, no matter how strong you’ve gotten, it’s still so easy to kill you. No one would side with you with how big the risks are or do you want to risk the lives of the Duchess and her charges?”

“Well, I tried to change that before you decided sweeping me off my feet and away into your land was the best option!”

“Ariana, just please, listen. I would let you do whatever you want to without any reservations. The main reason I brought you here was to keep you away from the war and anything else that could’ve arisen then. You would go back to your land. However, the power you have just discovered, please, you have to learn how to control and properly use it. I will not watch as you go through the same things I did.”

“I’m sure it’s not that serious.”

“... You know what? I’m not going to argue with you. Still, I don’t want you to learn from a bad experience. Since the competition is over, can we both agree that you don’t use weapons for at least a month? Please.”

“... Fine. I can compromise.”

“Thank you. Ah... that exhausted me. I hate arguing with you.”

“I feel it’s the only way to get you to listen to me.”

“I’m sorry. To make it up to you, let me take you on a picnic.”

“Now?”

“After the award ceremony. I know a good place.”

“I accept. I’m going to be gaining a title so I’d expect a befitting picnic.”

“Wait. Was the reason you were fighting so hard gaining a title?”

“Yes. I never knew it was this much hardwork to get privilege. I like this knowledge and experience.”

“So you weren’t doing this to make sure it doesn’t fall in the wrong hands?”

“It was a part of my reasons but now that I have a title that I fought for, your parents should not have many problems accepting me.”

“Ariana, you’re confusing me.”

“I’m saying things plainly.”

“Why do you want my parent to accept you if you don’t like me?”

“I need allies.”

“If you gain the title, you become a Zerramond citizen. It would make no sense to ask them to be your allies.”

“I would make it possible. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“What would you do about my mother? You know how she is.”

“She’s your mother and therefore your problem.”

“... That’s unfair.”

“Life’s unfair. Deal with it.”

“You’re mean... but I don’t hate it. Come here.”

I  raised a brow but he opened his arms. Eventually I sighed and walked into his open arms. He kissed my forehead. 

“I was so happy when they told me you won before they broke the bad news. If you were really a man, I’d still let you break my back.”

“Next life then.”

He chuckled and kissed me full on. I didn’t reject him, laying on top of him as we kissed. His hands reached for my shirt but I pushed it away. I held his hands down before going for his neck. I bit at his neck, sucked on it and kept trailing kisses up and down his neck, enjoying his moans. I didn’t allow him do anything with his legs either, pinning him completely to the bed. 

“Ah. I thought you… said next life…”

“I’m impatient,” I said simply, kissing his lips. He gave up, letting me do anything I wanted with his body. I stripped him down completely and stared at him naked on the bed. He blushed, covering his face. 

“Hmm, your body is beautiful.”

“... This is embarrassing. Remove yours too.”

“No. I thought you were letting me do whatever I wanted.”

“... But -”

“Shush. Let me enjoy this.”

“Fine. I can cover my face.”

“You don’t get to do that too. Come on, smile for me, dearest.”

“Stop!”