For the Young Villain’s Happy Ending - Chapter 150

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Side Story Episode 3

On the left ring finger of the Emperor of the Betuzhenia Empire and the Grand Mage were identical rings, as if they were made from the same mold.
At first, no one believed it. But the witnesses multiplied—from one to two, from two to dozens, from dozens to hundreds.
‘His Majesty the Emperor and the Grand Mage are lovers?!’
It was astonishing news.
Two people whose natural beauty seemed wasted on their frozen expressions, two people who seemed incapable of falling in love with anyone—

“They were holding hands, I tell you…! And smiling, no less…!”

From the start, Raina and Kevenriak had no intention of hiding their relationship, so sightings of the two together surfaced and accumulated from all corners.
Everyone wanted to confirm the truth, but no one had the audacity to ask that Grand Mage or that Emperor directly if they were lovers.
Then who else could they ask?

“Of course they’re lovers!”

The source of information appeared from an unexpected place.
Vivian Asperada, now the heir to Duke Asperada.
At a social gathering, Vivian answered the ladies’ questions with gleaming eyes. She longed to spill out the poignant love story of those two, who seemed like protagonists from a romance novel.
‘But I can’t, I mustn’t.’
It was a secret to take to the grave. Their love would transcend even the grave and reach the afterlife.
Otherwise, there would be no eternal love anywhere in this world.
‘Isn’t this what readers dream of? That the protagonists’ love lasts forever.’
Her heart raced at the mere thought.
Vivian recalled her own lover in her mind. Tiernan Fargan. The Imperial Prince of the Tunterra Empire. He had his clumsy moments with romance, but he was someone reliable she could lean on.
I hope we too will share such a deep love someday.
To Vivian, who dreamed of a happy ending, a young noblewoman beside her asked carefully.

“My lady, will Count Hart become the future Empress?”
“The Grand Mage….”

The ears of all the noblewomen at the gathering perked up toward Vivian.

“Won’t she become the Empress? I cannot even imagine anyone else standing beside His Majesty the Emperor! Of course, this is merely my hope.”

Vivian’s wish spread from the noblewomen to their husbands, and from their husbands to acquaintances, becoming distorted with each retelling.
“The Emperor and the Grand Mage are getting married soon!”
“They’re holding the ceremony this year?”
“I heard that if the Hart Countess becomes Empress, she won’t even need the title of Empress Consort.”
The rumor, now solidified as fact, spread even to neighboring nations. The entire continent now awaited the wedding of these two—
Yet ironically, between the two who had already completed the Dragons’ bonding ritual, the life-sharing ceremony itself, no word of marriage had ever been spoken.

***

“…Ah.”
I opened my eyes in the darkened bedroom. There was another presence on the bed besides me. It was Kevenriak.
Like my last memory, I felt the soft touch of his lips against my shoulder. The moment I lost consciousness seemed to have been fleeting.
Today marked the fourth day since arriving in Hibei. Kevenriak had returned to me every single night without fail.
For lovers, the night was as long as the day—a complete time belonging only to us, undisturbed by anyone.

“Did you know those two are planning to marry? The Emperor is absolutely smitten with the Grand Mage!”

I ran my fingers through Kevenriak’s dark hair. The strands were slightly damp with perspiration.
‘Marriage….’
The words of a man I’d overheard in the plaza of Tunchar days ago came to mind. I hadn’t lived a life so brief that I would be sensitive to the word marriage, so I had let it pass without concern.
Yet it was not something I could ignore entirely.

Last early winter, Kevenriak confessed to me, asking me to spend our entire lives together. I gladly answered that I would.
I often gazed at the ring settled on my ring finger and imagined what the future with Kevenriak would hold.
First as master and student, then as lovers, and after that….
‘What comes after that?’
Our hearts were already intertwined. We had promised to spend our lives together. We would face death together too. Kevenriak and I shared our very lives.
Weren’t we already in a deeper relationship than husband and wife? Would marriage truly change anything?
‘It would. Because I would become Empress.’
I understood why Kevenriak had never mentioned marriage until now. An Empress cannot be lonely. She cannot be free. Responsibility and duty follow. All things I despised.
“What are you thinking about?”
His low voice resonated through my eardrums. Blue eyes gleamed between wet strands of hair, searching me.
In the darkness of the bedroom, he resembled a predator—a black panther with noble bearing and desire mingled together, watching its prey.
Though he seemed to hide it, Kevenriak occasionally wore that expression of wanting to devour me, just as he did now.
What expression would he make if I told him I knew?
“I was thinking of His Majesty the Emperor.”
….
I smiled with my eyes. For a moment, his gaze was stolen by my smile before his lips moved.
“How troublesome.”
He was frustrated. Every time, all his attention was consumed by the Raina before him, yet I remained composed. Composed enough to think of other things even while he was here.
“You won’t be able to think of that anymore.”
Then he would have to try. He had some skill in such efforts.
Kevenriak brought his lips to mine. My arms wrapped around his neck as I raised myself up.
Shortly after, I collapsed forward, resting my forehead against his shoulder. The composure had long since vanished from my face as I exhaled ragged breaths and gasps.
The bedroom was filled with our desire.
It was a greedy night.

How much time had passed? Kevenriak lifted his body from atop mine.
My fingers, lying on the bed, brushed through his dark hair before falling back onto the blanket.
Kevenriak, kneeling on both knees on the bed, exhaled a languid breath. In his blue eyes that held me, instinct dominated over reason.
“Raina.”
I knew what it meant when he looked at me like that and called my name again—
‘I was usually confident in my stamina….’
As my consciousness grew hazy, I parted my lips slightly before simply closing my eyelids.

***

“Guild Master, I’m asking seriously. Do you have a hidden lover?”
“No.”
“Wow. I sometimes worry about our Guild Master. I’ve never once heard you mention liking anyone. Why not try dating, try marriage if the opportunity comes? How wonderful would that be?”
“Why are you picking a fight?”
“When did I ever?”
“Does marriage make you happy?”
“Sigh. Our Guild Master is teasing me. Happy? Of course I’m happy! The moment I walk through the door after work, my angelic twins come rushing at me saying Dad’s home? When I’m holding one child in each arm, my wife hugs me and says I worked hard—! Wow, my happiness meter breaks through the atmosphere.”
“Then why do you look so stern?”
“Because our esteemed Guild Master dragged me away from clocking out and into a dungeon. And of all things, a demon-type… an S-rank where the entrance won’t even open until we clear it…. I’m looking at a month at the tower’s peak. And when the angels ask me who this old man is, the Guild Master has to take responsibility.”
“Clear it today.”
“Pardon?”
“Clock out today. I’ll take down the boss for you.”
“…That’s so cool. Really.”

Raina Hart opened her eyes to the morning sunlight streaming through the window.
‘My body feels refreshed.’
Last night felt like a dream—her body was perfectly fine. Her pajamas were on properly too.
When I turned my head to the side, I saw a handsome face with eyelids closed, black hair glinting in the sunlight.
He was beautiful, that’s what I mean.
It was a secret from Kevenriak, but lately I had developed a small hobby: admiring Kevenriak’s sleeping face.
I propped my hand under the pillow and gazed at his profile. Eyebrows so dark and neat they seemed deliberately groomed, skin so smooth not a blemish in sight, a high bridge of his nose drawing a beautiful line connected to his forehead. And….
His eyelids trembling slightly.
“Are you done pretending to sleep?”
I spoke to Kevenriak with a light laugh, teasing him.
The best part of this small hobby was when it ended. When his eyelids lifted and those clear, sea-blue eyes revealed themselves.
When his eyes found me and drew that tender curve, my heart—the one sharing his life—spoke of love. Though this time, that moment came a bit earlier.
“Did you know?”
“My heart was pounding so hard I couldn’t pretend not to notice.”
“…I could feel you watching me.”
I caressed Kevenriak’s cheek. He met my gaze for a moment, then opened his mouth like a man without excuse.
“Your body….”
“Thanks to someone casting healing magic, I’m perfectly fine.”
Without explanation, I could picture his panic—discovering me unconscious and regaining his senses.
“Did you use cleansing magic too? Did you dress me yourself?”
“…I was wrong.”
I teased the apologetic Kevenriak a bit more, then graciously offered my forgiveness.
Then I let out a small yawn. My body felt refreshed, but I was short on sleep.
“Get some more rest.”
“Are you going back to the Imperial Palace?”
“No, I need to return.”
Kevenriak pressed a kiss to the corner of Raina’s eyes.
“Wherever you are.”
“That’s lovely to hear.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
….
Rather than bidding him farewell, Raina followed the curve of Kevenriak’s back with her gaze as he rose from the bed. Then, quietly, she moved her lips.
“Keri, shall we get married?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————