That’s Not What Kissing Means! - Chapter 50

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That’s not what kissing means!

 

Episode 50

 

Tap, tap, he teased her skin as if searching for her pulse.

 

“Found it.”

 

Firm warmth enveloped Evelyn’s hand from below. His thumb gently wandered over her wrist before settling on one spot.

 

Every place he touched burned hot as if scorched by fire. A strange heat circled around her wrist and chest simultaneously.

 

“Aren’t you nervous?”

 

Evelyn’s shoulders flinched at his subtle voice.

 

“What do you mean…?”

 

“Whenever Father did this, I was terribly nervous. Worried that my pulse might beat too loudly and give away the answer.”

 

That’s what he meant? Evelyn barely managed to answer aloud.

 

“Yes, I’m nervous about being caught.”

 

This trembling is purely because of the magic, she told herself.

 

“Continue.”

 

His low voice followed.

 

“The fox who obtained a magic potion and became human ardently courted the girl. They fell in love and connected their hearts with a red thread.”

 

The picture book showed a man and woman smiling brightly while caressing the thread that connected them.

 

“But soon the magic wore off, and the fox returned to his original form. Everyone condemned their love.”

 

The gentle resonance continued to ring in her ears.

 

“Under harsh gazes, the girl ran away. Into a maze where no one could find her. The fox searched for the girl for a long time. Following the connected thread.”

 

Despite the warm illustrations, it contained heavy content. She found herself unexpectedly absorbed in the fairy tale.

 

“In the maze, the fox met a candy vendor. He obtained candy that the girl loved. The merchant asked the penniless fox for his beautiful eyes.”

 

“What?”

 

Wasn’t this too cruel for a child to read?

 

Next appeared a fox winking with one eye. The scene of him happily holding candy was the one Evelyn had chosen.

 

Now she could understand why one eye was closed.

 

‘This was the story?’

 

At that moment, a strange sensation tickled her wrist again.

 

Somehow his hand had tensed up. Firm heat that couldn’t be escaped penetrated her skin.

 

Evelyn unconsciously stopped moving. Her eyes fixed on the picture book shook uncontrollably.

 

Theo raised his head to look at her. His violet gaze slowly lingered from her eyes to her nose, then to her lips.

 

And he read her tension.

 

He could feel her clear trembling. Whether it was because of the magic or because of him, he couldn’t tell.

 

Theo opened his lips again.

 

“Soon he obtained a bouquet of flowers the girl loved. Once again, he gave up part of his body.”

 

“…”

 

“Finally, the fox was able to meet the girl he had longed for so much. In his battered hands lay a ball of red thread he had collected all along.”

 

The fox was looking at the girl with the happiest face of all.

 

“But the girl’s heart had grown faint long ago. The thread connected to her heart seemed about to break.”

 

The fox in the picture still approached the girl with a bright face. It was the last page.

 

“The fox tenderly caressed the thread that leaked from the girl’s heart. He told her, who was apologizing.”

 

“…”

 

“That it was okay if her heart wasn’t firm. Because the direction they faced toward each other remained unchanged.”

 

The fairy tale ended there.

 

Evelyn, who had become thoughtful, asked.

 

“Is this a happy ending?”

 

The fox had lost too much.

 

Then Theo shrugged his shoulders. As if asking what the problem was.

 

“Doesn’t he look happy?”

 

He pointed to the fox. To its face filled with joy.

 

“I told you. If the direction of your hearts face each other, whether deep or shallow doesn’t matter.”

 

At the same time, his intense gaze turned toward her. As if Theo himself had spoken those words.

 

“…”

 

Evelyn quietly looked at him. For a few seconds, their eyes met each other.

 

His violet eyes rippled as if yearning for something, binding her.

 

His deep touch slowly caressed her wrist that was bound to him once.

 

It was Theo who broke the quiet silence.

 

“It’s harder than I thought.”

 

“What is…?”

 

“Reading you.”

 

Then he turned the page. He found the scene Evelyn had chosen without hesitation.

 

Evelyn was greatly surprised to see the fox and candy.

 

“What? How did you know?”

 

“The hint was excellent.”

 

He gestured toward their clasped hands.

 

‘Did he really find it through my pulse?’

 

Did my heart beat loudly at that moment?

 

Thinking about it, it seemed her heart naturally raced every time she held hands with him, every time their gazes met.

 

Then did Theo feel it too? My trembling?

 

With that thought, embarrassment rose endlessly.

 

Looking at her reddened cheeks, Theo said.

 

“The magic is over though.”

 

When Evelyn made an expression asking what he meant, he moved his hand on the desk.

 

Theo had already let go of her wrist long ago.

 

Only Evelyn had been lingering on his palm.

 

Her face heated up as if it would burst. Theo wore a mischievous smile.

 

“Good, if you want…”

 

“No, no! It’s not like that!”

 

Evelyn quickly withdrew her hand.

 

Her flustered appearance was lovely. He took in every part that had turned red.

 

“I don’t mind. The Ashford family has always done their best to welcome guests.”

 

“This kind of hospitality isn’t necessary!”

 

Theo continued to tease her with his words, and Evelyn struggled to counter him.

 

Eventually, in the repeating situation, both burst into laughter.

 

In the playful atmosphere, Evelyn was feeling a sense of familiarity with Theo. She felt like she was getting closer to him day by day.

 

Time with Theo felt enjoyable.

 

Perhaps life together with him wouldn’t be so bad?

 

It was when thoughts she wouldn’t normally have arose, intoxicated by the joy.

 

Whoooosh-

 

A clear light blocked the space between them.

 

Julia’s stone trembled violently, emitting white light.

 

Only then did Evelyn snap back to her senses. Her whole body turned cold as if doused with cold water.

 

The reason she was with Theo was purely because of the imperial command.

 

When the work was finished, she would leave this place.

 

“The second prophecy.”

 

Theo looked down at the pendant. His expression was hidden by the light.

 

* * *

 

Theo took out a paper knife and stabbed his own palm. The knife, driven with strong force, pierced into his flesh.

 

Evelyn asked in surprise at his unhesitating movement.

 

“No, you’ll get hurt!”

 

“Isn’t getting hurt the same either way? We need to draw blood.”

 

She closed her mouth at his matter-of-fact tone. There wasn’t really anything she could help with anyway.

 

At best, she could only inflict wounds carefully.

 

As he tilted his hand, red blood dripped down drop by drop. The pendant absorbed it and trembled finely.

 

Finally recognizing its inscribed owner, the sacred object began to move.

 

Like before, the two combined layers rotated in opposite directions, spreading an increasingly brighter light.

 

The two sides that had been spinning at gradually faster speeds suddenly stopped moving.

 

After that, the widely spread light began to split into sections, each forming different shapes.

 

Soon a line of ancient text was completed, and the sentence floating in the air no longer continued its content.

 

As if waiting for something.

 

Evelyn immediately understood. It was looking for herself, the other inscribed one.

 

She carefully read aloud the sacred object’s language.

 

“…Listen, you who face the light.”

 

As if confirming her remembered pronunciation was correct, Julia’s stone created the next phrase.

 

Looking at the ancient text formed by the condensation of light, Evelyn continued her interpretation.

 

“Dark crimson shadows will slowly roll in like fog to devour all, so guard against them endlessly.”

 

As soon as she read the second prophecy, the pendant rotated again.

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