***

Warning: Implied Su*cide 

***

As Layla sticks out her tongue a little, the cool forest wind touched her. As she slowly brought her face closer, Bioust’s soft hair tickled the tip of Layla’s nose first.

It was just treating his wounds, but her heart was strangely pounding. She felt like she was eating a somehow deliciously made raspberry jam spread on a somehow well-baked bread.

And she was also a little curious.

If she were to lick Bioust’s ear, would he feel the same way she felt?

Would Bioust also feel a tickle at the sole of his feet, would his shoulders shrink on their own, and would he stop breathing as if something was caught in his throat?

If Bioust was the same, she would be relieved that she wasn’t the only one.

And if he felt like that, she wanted to see what Bioust would look like.

With her trembling heart, Layla put her tongue on Bioust’s ear.

“Ah!”

As soon as Layla’s red tongue touched his ear, she frowned.

“… Bitter!”

Layla exclaimed, hastily pulled her head back. Thanks to that, the head of Bioust, who was bowing down, was also lifted.

“Ah! Is it because the ointment has herbal ingredients?”

“If that’s the case, then you should’ve said so!”

“It’s because I have never tasted it as well.”

“Twe! Ptui!”

Without even listening to Bioust’s words, Layla spat out. She thought it was because of this that she hated seeing his smiling face earlier.

‘He obviously knew. It was a trap. He just wanted me to taste something bitter and see my flustered expression. This pervert! Otherwise, the reason why his smile that is usually affectionate would feel insidious…!’

Suddenly, Layla’s feet stopped stomping. She was astonished at her own thoughts.

‘What felt affectionate! What would you do if you felt that!’

“What’s wrong?”

Bioust asked Layla, who had stopped on her feet.

“Your face looks red too. If you’re having a hard time…”

“No!”

Layla yelled at him as she turned to Bioust, who looked at her with a worried glow on his face.

“I’m going! I said I’m going!”

Layla took a step ahead of Bioust.

Bioust did not follow Layla immediately, but he stared at her back for a moment.

‘What an interesting cat.’

He didn’t know that she would offer to treat him first. To think that she would lick his ear with her red tongue when she has that sultry scent. And her face was innocent, as if she knew nothing.

No, Layla really doesn’t know anything. She had no idea what it meant for a woman to lick a man’s ear, so she made the offer first.

‘What a waste.’

Bioust, who was secretly excited for Layla to lick his ears, was truly disappointed.

However, he inhaled Layla’s scent abundantly when she came close, her densely saturated scent lingered on his nostrils, and he felt her small but warm tongue lingered on his earlobe.

Just by reminiscing on that brief moment earlier, he would be able to reach his climax alone tonight. Soon, a time will come when being alone won’t be enough.

***

It was the same guard as last time that was guarding the Baron of Valencia.

Whether he had already recognized Layla the moment he saw her figure, or he had begun to smell her, he had already covered his nose.

“Go away.”

Layla gave Bioust, who was walking behind her, a command but not like a command.

“How come?”

“That’s our house.”

Layla raised her arms and pointed at the Baron’s mansion.

“I see.”

Staring at Layla’s fingertips, Bioust nodded his head. It was the mansion where he slept in the best room last night, ate breakfast, and left feeling relaxed.

“So go wherever you’re going.”

“Like I said, how come?”

“I’m going home after a long time, and I have to ask for something, so I can’t have a strange man with me.”

In fact, Bioust didn’t understand Layla’s words at once. Hearing he was a prodigy from a young age, understanding all the words of the demanding royal tutors, scholars, and ministers, and giving excellent answers, he did not understand Layla’s words.

Of course it was obvious. Because there hasn’t been any person who dared to call the perfect Crown Prince a strange man.

“So…”

Bioust’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at Layla wondering if the strange man she was talking about was him. If Layla knew that, she would have sent him a glance that would ask him to get lost.

“Well, if that’s what you want.”

Bioust smiled bitterly and took a step back. Then, with a satisfied expression on her face, Layla bravely headed to the Baron’s mansion.

With each step, the frown of the guard standing at the entrance became more evident.

Glancing, Layla turned around and saw the Biost standing there.

‘Idiot! That’s why you look equally suspicious.’

Layla made a go away gesture,motioning him to go somewhere immediately. Biost, who was standing there, understood her beckoning, and when Layla took a few more steps and looked back, he was already gone.

“Stop.”

This time, Layla frowned as she looked at the spear pointed in front of her chest. And the guard’s face at the gate was already frowning before Layla could frown on him.

“You don’t know who I am?”

“…”

“You saw it last time. I am a daughter of Baron Valencia.”

“I know.”

“Are you stupid? I said I’m the Baron’s daughter of Baron Valencia.”

“… I know.”

At Layla’s venomous remark, he spoke out with honorifics.

“Put this one away as well.”

But the spear that was pointing at her chest remained the same.

“I said, put it away.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Tell Father immediately-”

“I have already sent someone. So, please wait”

“That you’re pointing this meal thing in front of my chest?”

“…”

“Even worse, to my heart.”

The guard’s face visibly stiffened with tension at Layla’s cold words. It wasn’t the same attitude as last time.

The tension and fear on his face was speaking. Now he knew about that as well.

That Layla wasn’t just a stinky madwoman, she was a witch.

People have always been like that. He saw her in two forms. A disgusting woman who smells. Or, a fearful witch who casts curses.

The man merely transitioned from the former to the latter.

“Scared?”

At Layla’s words, the tip of his spear twitched and trembled.

“Afraid?”

There was even more tension on the man’s face. The man held the spear with more strength. Because of that, the spear that was almost touching her chest, press~, finally touched Layla’s chest.

Layla lowered her head and looked at the tip of the spear that touched her.. Now the window was shaking.Now the spear was shaking.

Slowly seeing the witch staring at him, radiating blue fury, the guard almost peed.

“Layla!”

The witch’s eyes shook at the voice of a middle-aged man from behind the guard. All the blue anger disappeared as if it was a mirage.

“Father.”

“So you… survived.”

It was hard to guess the meaning of the words coming from the Baron. Whether he was pleased or regretful that she was alive, Layla just stared at him with an ambiguous voice and tone.

Father and daughter. Lord of a Manor and a witch.

The one who tried to kill and the one who almost died.

An awkward silence passed between the two of them.

“The house was burned down.”

“… I see.”

“So I can’t go back to the cabin again.”

“… I see.”

“…”

“…”

The Baron didn’t say anything to his daughter who said her house was gone. But the fact that he didn’t say anything, there was already an answer.

He didn’t tell the guard to remove the spear or open the gate. He had no intention of bringing his daughter into his house.

And Layla, who was not an idiot, noticed it too.

“I…”

Layla opened her mouth and closed it again.

The baron was still inside the bar-like gate, and the spear was still aimed at Layla’s heart.

Coming here was of no use. She was an abandoned daughter.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

Instead of asking for help, Layla asked a question.

“That…”

“Do you want me to die?”

“…”

The Baron could not answer, and hesitated. He just didn’t make eye contact with his daughter, who looked at him quietly.

Perhaps it was because she wasn’t his daughter but a witch.

“Me too.”

Drip~ A single drop of tears fell from Layla’s eyes.

The feeling of sadness was remote from her. Sadness was like expecting something, and that something broke, it was that kind of feeling. However, Layla didn’t have that.

Throughout Layla’s life, it was anger, resignation and abandonment, rather than sadness, that ran through her.

“I also wish I was dead.”

The spear that had pierced her chest was no longer piercing Layla’s chest. It wasn’t because the Baron had pitied her daughter and told the man to put it away, nor was it because the guard sympathized with her sorrow and removed the spear.

It was because Layla took a step back and began to move away from the Baron’s mansion.

The worthless sorrow that rolled around the bottom of her emotions, had to strength today as well.

Layla walked slowly, thinking about the poisonous mushroom or poisonous weed that the forest may have during the season. She thought of the bottomless puddle that was there when she climbed up the stream valley.

She has now decided to forsaken God. She decided not to think about what her future would be like.

Layla has decided to end this hell today.

***

T/N:

I’m in pain…

***