The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind - Chapter 122

Chapter 122

They arrived at their destination, somewhere between late afternoon and evening.
It was a bit dark, but Citrina was holding Desian’s hand tightly, so it wasn’t scary.
The destination Desian and Citrina had chosen was a small, deserted ducal villa.

“This is Duke Pietro’s villa?”
“Yeah. I picked it because I thought you’d like it.”
Citrina looked at Desian and smiled broadly.

“I love it!”
With that, Citrina took a deep breath and then added something else.
“I like it because, um…it’s like, it’s like we’re the only two people in the world.”
“…Yeah. That’s why I like it here.”
Listening to Desian’s voice, listening to the rustling of the grass, they finally reached the front of the villa.
They had sent all of the villa attendants away for the night. They didn’t want to be disturbed by other people.
Duke Pietro’s small villa was located between the mountains and the forest. It was a log cabin, warm and cozy, but not the kind of log cabin that hunters usually used.
When Desian opened the door to the villa, it was filled with warmth.

“I feel like I’m on a trip.”
The living room, with its white fleece rug, had a rocking chair and a long leather sofa. Across from the sofa, a small fireplace crackled and roared.
Citrina stepped inside and added shrugging.
“I know we’re just traveling, but mmm, I’ve wanted to live in a house like this since I was a little girl. It’s like a fairy tale.”
It was a pretty house, like something straight out of her subconscious. Citrina sat down on the couch on a small rug inside the cabin.

“From the way you were talking, I thought so.”
Desian said nonchalantly and sat down next to her. Citrina looked at him in astonishment.
She couldn’t believe he knew her subconscious wishes, wishes she hadn’t even recognized.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
Desian’s deep eyes were looking at her. Citrina answered quietly.
“It’s warm, and it’s…cozy, and all the happy families in fairy tales live in places like this.”
Citrina let out a small gasp as she looked around the interior of the log cabin.
“Yeah. I thought you’d like a place like this.”
Hearing Desian’s answer, Citrina looked up at him. His dark eyes twinkled like stars as he watched her.

“Oh…it looks like you picked the stars out of the night sky?”
She blurted out. Desian would do anything she said. Both what he said and what he did were honest.
So…
Depending on her answer, the entire Duchy of Pietro could be turned into a log cabin.

‘…I’m sure Desian is capable of that.’
Citrina thought of the citrine ring on her ring finger and shook her head inwardly.
‘Desian does everything I imagine and more.’
Citrina was getting to understand Desian’s spending habits more and more. Desian tended to be a bit blind where she was concerned.
So now Citrina’s answer was important.

“Uh…Del, you know what?”
“Yeah?”
Those eyes were still twinkling.
Citrina looked at him seriously. Her answer now, it seemed, would be the answer on which the fate of the Duke Pietro’s vassals depended.
“Del, it’s not that I don’t like Pietro Duchy, I’m happy to come here once in a while, it’s a change of pace, you know?”
“Yeah. Then…let’s come often.”
Desian’s brain seemed to have the right input. Citrina smiled and nodded. Now that she was relieved, Citrina leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes in comfort.
She wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she’d arrived at night, the fact that she was sitting on the couch or the atmosphere.
In the ethereal, languid atmosphere, Citrina found Desian’s breathing distracting.

‘It’s a kind of delicate mood.’
I mean, it’s kind of like a honeymoon, so I guess I kind of expected this…
‘Let’s relax, Rina.’
Citrina whispered to herself and opened the book she’d packed in her suitcase.
There was something so comforting and calming about falling asleep with a book open when she was feeling sleepy.
Even though Desian’s gaze was boring into her.

“Del, you know what’s really interesting about this book?”
“What is it?”
Desian’s curious gaze rested on the cover of the book. It was the book Citrina had packed in her bag, <The Diary of an Elementalist>.

“The princess recommended this book to me, and the main character is very similar to me.”
“What’s it about, Rina?”
Desian’s fingertips touched her book. Citrina placed her hand over his.
“I’ll summarize it for you.”
“Okay.”
Desian’s answer was terse, but his gaze was relentlessly searching. Citrina had grown terribly accustomed to that gaze by now. Ignoring the intense stare, she tapped the cover of the book with a simple flick.
“It’s about someone like me falling in love with someone like you.”
<The Diary of an Elementalist> was actually quite an epic, but that was the only message Citrina wanted to convey to Desian in this book.
Citrina crinkled her eyes and smiled at him. Desian nodded, dazed. His gaze landed somewhere on her lips, she could feel it clearly.

‘So cute…’
She shouldn’t keep thinking cute, but it reminded her of a puppy. A very black, cute, adorable puppy.
It was strange to feel something she’d only ever felt with Aaron, now with Desian…
More importantly, she thought she knew why his eyes were sparkling.

‘Del, you can kiss me now.’
Desian had always thought of her as fragile as glass.
It was like he was afraid of what would happen to Citrina, worried that she would shatter if he touched her.

“Del.”
“…”
Citrina met his gaze fully and opened the bookmarked section. The floral bookmark marked the climax of the story.
“Look here.”
Citrina pointed to the words, her fingertips slowly drawing Desian’s gaze to them.
“…”
Citrina pointed to the part where the two main characters were kissing under the setting sun.
Citrina looked at the tendons in his hands and the tightly pressed lips.
Was this his limit?
If so, she wanted to push his threshold of patience.

“I like it like this. How about you?”
It was unlikely that today would end with a kiss, Citrina guessed.
‘But…
We’re in a relationship now, so it’s okay.’
Desian didn’t answer her.
Instead, his lips touched hers. Half-dry lips pecked hers like a sweet kiss.
With a thud, the book fell onto the rug, but neither of them cared about its whereabouts.
Instead, Citrina closed her trembling eyelashes tightly.
Lips pressed together, the tip of his tongue darting into her mouth. It was a deep, tongue-twisting, sweet kiss.
When their breath caught a little, Citrina slowly pushed Desian’s thighs apart with a slightly trembling touch.
Desian’s lips slowly parted. A little wistfully, she bit my lips lightly. Desian lowered her eyes and whispered in a deep voice.

“Me too, Rina.”
“…”
By the time Citrina had steadied her slightly shaky breathing, Desian had brought his hand to her lips. The feel of his slightly rough fingertips against her soft lips was unfamiliar.
“Kissing, I quite like it.”
Citrina lowered her eyes, feeling a gentle touch at her neckline.
“I’m curious about what comes after.”
At his mischievous grin, Citrina nodded slowly.
Again, their lips met.