Subliminal Wayfarer

He gazed at Grace’s reddened earlobe with hungry eyes.

But he soon had to sigh in resignation.

He hadn’t even transformed into a horse, yet these days, he constantly felt like an animal.

“And the most important thing is, when you attack, always look your opponent in the eye.”

Lucas whispered as if he were sharing something truly important and secretive.

He felt her body, snugly held in his arms, flinch slightly.

What started as a joke now made Lucas’s throat genuinely dry. He’s thirsty.

Grace, who seemed hesitant, turned around and looked at him.

Then, just as he had instructed, she stared straight into his eyes.

Her unwavering, unhesitant violet eyes were more beautiful than any treasure in the world.

Could the water droplets from fish playing in the clear morning be this pure?

“…You’re physically weak. Always stay by my side. So no bad people can do bad things to you.”

“I am not… weak.”

Lucas smiled and stroked her cheek.

“Yes, you have a stronger spirit and a warmer heart than anyone. But… your body just can’t keep up with the strength of your heart and mind.”

His words were gentle.

How many people could speak so kindly and warmly about someone not being physically strong?

By now, she felt almost sorry for all the misunderstandings she’d had about him.

Lucas, he was always one step ahead of her.

Now, she thought she would try to understand that whatever he did, he must have a good reason for it.

Even if, by some chance, he were to stab her in the back…

Grace looked deeply into Lucas’s blue eyes.

His flickering blue eyes were always beautiful.

More radiant than any jewel and as blue as the sky.

She could stare at them for hours without getting bored.

She had to admit it.

I must like this man, at least a little.

He’s playful, mischievous, and looks a bit intimidating, but when he talks, he’s full of humor. She had grown to like him.

Even if she had been caught up in an absurd curse because of him, she couldn’t deny it anymore.

I’m so looking forward to the day I become his wife.

Her lips curled up, and the corners of her eyes softened.

Not knowing what kind of face she was making, Grace whispered to him.

“Let’s get married. Quickly… as soon as possible.”

Lucas’s blue eyes, which she loved so much, wavered.

He took a deep breath, as if to steady himself, and then lifted her face by her cheeks.

“Grace.”

Their lips were so close they almost touched.

“I’m going to kiss you now…”

Lucas whispered in a deep, husky voice.

“Are you going to avoid it?”

Grace, startled, widened her eyes.

She should say yes, but she just wanted to tell him… that it’s okay…

But for some reason, her lips hesitated, only moving silently without making a sound.

Grace, who had been stalling, stared into Lucas’s eyes.

Eyes that weren’t thinking about rejection at all.

Eyes that looked like he could go ahead and crash his lips onto hers and kiss her passionately at any moment.

At that moment, a small mischievous impulse sprang up in her heart.

A bit of revenge for teasing her earlier.

“…No.”

Grace shook her head as she spoke.

Lucas froze and looked at Grace with trembling eyes.

His gaze was filled with disbelief at her rejection.

She gently pushed away from Lucas, who was holding her tightly.

Though she felt a bit regretful too, seeing Lucas’s expression as if he’d lost everything gave her a small sense of satisfaction.

“Not right now.”

“Why… Why not…”

“Because, well… that is…”

She didn’t have a good reason.

If she said it was just to tease him, he would undoubtedly come up with something even more surprising to startle her.

She wanted to tease Lucas a little, but she didn’t want it to backfire.

She rolled her eyes anxiously and then gave a somewhat conventional reason.

“People who aren’t married shouldn’t just do that. I need, um, some time to prepare myself.”

“…Grace.”

Lucas sighed deeply as if in distress.

Grace quickly moved away from him and turned her gaze elsewhere.

Her cheeks felt hot with a flush of warmth.

Lucas clenched and unclenched his fists, looked up at the sky, then turned around and paced the area.

He even sat down for a moment, bowing his head deeply.

“…I see. I understand. I must have been too hasty.”

After a while, Lucas got up, trying hard to suppress the trembling in his voice.

His tall figure and broad shoulders drooped like the sea.

“Yes. Marriage… I see. I was already in a hurry, but now I feel like I’m filled with even more urgency.”

His forced smile carried a hint of sadness.

‘He looks sad… am I overthinking this?’

Grace felt a bit strange watching his shoulders slump.

Was missing a kiss such a big disappointment?

He walked ahead with his broad shoulders hanging low.

Seeing his drooping shoulders didn’t feel right.

He always seemed so lively, confident, and relaxed.

His drooping shoulders tugged at her heart.

Unconsciously, she reached out towards his shoulder.

Realizing what she was doing, she quickly clenched her fist and lowered it.

‘What would grabbing him do? Now, would I say it was a joke and ask for a kiss?’

Her face burned with embarrassment.

No way… I could never say that.

Never… never!

At that moment, Lucas, who had been walking listlessly, stopped abruptly and turned around.

Then he quickly stepped towards her and said,

“If a kiss on the lips is not possible, how about on the back of the hand?”

“W-What?”

“If not on the hand, then the forehead, or the cheek… No… Can’t I just hold you? Just a little, very gently.”

Lucas pleaded as he lifted her hand.

His respectful face and even more respectful voice, combined with his earnest eyes, made Grace’s heart waver helplessly.

‘What am I, a swaying reed…’

Grace didn’t know what to do, rolling her eyes, and this time she spoke honestly without any playfulness.

“Th-Then, the back of my hand should be okay.”

Truthfully, she wanted to say that her cheek and forehead were okay too.

To be completely honest, her lips were okay as well, but she held back.

That would be just too… much.

‘It’s embarrassing.’

Grace felt the heat rising in her flushed cheeks and bit her lip.

Just hide a little bit. Just a little…

Thinking this, Grace extended the hand that Lucas was holding.

Go ahead. Here, on top of this.

Lucas slowly pressed his lips lightly against the back of her hand.

She thought he would stop there.

But just like before, she was wrong about Lucas Blacke.

Without lifting his lips, Lucas began to move them slowly.

He gently turned her small hand over and brushed his lips deep into her palm.

Smooch, smooch—

The kiss grew longer, and the strange sound echoed through the quiet garden.

It seemed as though all the birds had flown away from the earlier commotion, making it exceptionally silent.

Because of this, her keen senses were focused entirely on Lucas, no, on the back of her hand—and now her palm, where Lucas was kissing.

“……!”

It felt as if all her senses were concentrated on her palm.

It was so hot that it felt like it was burning.

Grace shivered, feeling the strange sensation flooding into her palm.

She bit her lip, trying to stifle the ragged breath that threatened to escape.

Lucas, kissing her hand reverently with his eyes lowered, slowly lifted his eyelids and looked at her.

Their gazes met, but Grace couldn’t look away.

He continued to kiss her palm while maintaining eye contact.

Little by little, her palm grew damp.

With his eyes half-closed, Lucas buried his nose in her palm and took a deep breath.

His nose gently brushed against the delicate joints of her slender fingers.

His lips claimed the gaps between her fingers.

The warm, moist heat seeped between her finger joints.

Grace’s heart pounded wildly.

It was so fast and rough that she feared she might die from it.

Finally, when Lucas’s tongue slipped out from between his lips and licked her palm as if tasting it, she flinched and pulled back.

“W-What are you doing…! That’s, that’s so d-dirty, licking my hand!”

Her legs trembled and her lips quivered.

Her face was already as red as if it might burst.

The lovely pink color had long vanished.

Only the overwhelming crimson remained.

Only then did Lucas realize his mistake and apologized.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Grace. Your palm smelled so sweet that I couldn’t help myself… If it made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”

“I-It’s not that, it’s just, that, what you did just now was too, too…!”

Even back then, when Lucas had kissed her earlobe, she hadn’t felt bad.

She had been startled, flustered, and didn’t know what to do, but it hadn’t felt unpleasant.

For a moment, Grace thought that if he hadn’t restrained himself… if he hadn’t held back… it would have been fine.

But now, this, what just happened…

“Too…”

“Too?”

She bit her lip tightly and whispered through trembling lips.

“L-Lewd!”