LUCIA

Chapter 79 Realization

[You seem to have fallen in love.]

The king's words remained like a tenacious afterimage, refusing to disappear. While enjoying the aftertaste of messy sex, Hugo held her in his embrace and gently caressed her back. As he felt her smooth skin with his cold hands, he lost himself in thought.

Love. He acknowledged the connection between blood ties and strong feelings in the light of his experiences. But he didn't understand the foolishness behind the belief that a man and a woman, who didn't share an ounce of blood, could meet and have a relationship stronger than blood.

To him, a woman was just a partner for enjoyment. He did not disdain nor despise the women that rushed to him like moth to a flame for his wealth and power. It was a natural and reasonable trade wherein they exchanged with one another. Not only in his relationship with women, but in his life itself, it was continuity of constant trade.

His marriage was also the same. The beginning was definitely an excellent trade with no loss. Physical satisfaction was a bonus. His wife was a satisfactory trading partner.

But by the time he came to his senses, his emotional state was repeatedly plummeting and rising. From the moment he recognized his emotionally unstable state, he began walking a strange equilibrium of stability in instability. Tranquil satisfaction and torturous anxiety were coexisting in his mind.

'How did it end up like this?'

Hugo looked back, retracing his steps.

'I was too relaxed.'

Hugo was completely relaxed when it came to her. There was never a part of his wife that he was wary about. She was royalty but she had no relatives let alone ties with the royal family. She didn't have personal desires like power or greed. In the eyes of a predator like him, she was a small herbivore with no teeth or claws. Her ability to fearlessly enjoy peace at his feet while being so awfully weak was fascinating. There was no one like her at his side until now.

It was a very comfortable feeling, the feeling of relief that he could relax and have no need to be wary. With the cozy peacefulness, his mind and body was at ease and he let down his guard. By the time he detected an abnormality, his feelings for her had already become a flowing stream. The more he denied it, the harder it was to turn back. It was not a stream that could be block off with a dam, it had become a gigantic sea.

In his cursed bloodline, an unquenchable thirst lay asleep within. Whether it was by chugging liquor, getting drunk on women, or even killing people, the thirst was not quenched however she was able to relieve that thirst. And at the same time, she gave him another overpowering thirst.

'...Love?'

He could not define the tremendous changes in himself with that one word alone.

"...Speaking of me."

Hugo thought she was asleep but he could hear her small whisper very clearly.

"If there was someone I wished would rather die."

Lucia kept thinking of the Count of Matin, whom she met at the banquet hall. She overcame her fear of him but in place of that, her anger was pushed forward. The fact that she had suffered at the hands of such a vulgar pig made her feel angry and mortified. She gnashed her teeth at the thought that things might turn out opposite from the dream and he may not die. The fact that he was breathing under the same sky as her was revolting.

After speaking impulsively, Lucia regretted it. It was so abrupt and rash. When he asked her what was going on, Lucia despaired on how to reply. The moment she said those words, his hand on her back stopped moving but it was only for a moment. Her ear was on his chest and she could hear his calm heartbeat.