The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind

That day, Citrina was at Duke Pietro’s annex. Given the events of the day, it was decided it was safer for her to stay there than to return to the townhouse.
Lita and Adilac were also quarantined away at the duke’s place.
The weather outside was mild so Citrina suggested she and Desian take a walk. She hadn’t been in the ducal garden in a long time.
The gardens were more beautiful than before as they had been well maintained. The ambiance was similar to a few years ago as Citrina looked around.

“Genfiros wants chaos.”
“Chaos…”

She looked at Desian. There was no sign of emotion as she glimpsed at Desian’s profile. No worries showed in that moment. He opened his mouth.

“Rina, do you want to kill Genfiros?”
“I never thought about killing him. I just want him to disappear from my sight.”

She didn’t have the guts to kill someone without hesitation. As she answered, Citrina looked at the roses blooming for eternity in Duke Pietro’s garden.
A rose has thorns.
Conflict and adversity were to be expected. Citrina had no intention of saving Elaina. She wasn’t even in a position to do that.

“If Genfiros wants chaos, he must have thought my death would bring that about.”

Citrina’s gaze drifted over to Desian.

“Then he won’t give up on killing me.”

Citrina’s flint-hard gaze held Desian’s.
Desian’s pitch-black eyes, as always, never faltered as she spoke of death.

“You won’t die.”
“Yeah. We still have some time.”

Desian nodded lightly.
When Genfiros had laid a hand on Citrina, Desian destroyed a holy object. Genfiros went on a rampage without realizing his wrists were tied.
There was plenty of time for Citrina to sort through her thoughts.
Desian looked at her trembling lips. Citrina spoke slowly.

“Del, I don’t want you to have blood on your hands because of me.”

She had agonized over it and come to this conclusion.

“That’s because you’re very special to me.”

Was that too ambiguous?
To her, it was completely sincere.

“Rina.”

Desian had broken through Citrina’s guard. The woman who had taken everything from him was starting to like him, so there was no point in hesitating any longer.
He ran a hand slowly through her hair.
Coincidentally, they were in the garden where they had first met. This was the same place where Desian had become intrigued with Citrina.
Desian smiled picturesquely at her as they stood together under the roses.

“You know it as well.”

A shadow fell across Desian’s face. Leaves rustled in the wind.
The air was crisp, as summer ended and autumn began.
Desian recalled what Citrina had said at that time.
In that first meeting, she had said it was summer and asked him if he liked summer.
Desian had told her, maybe.
But now was the time to give a definite answer.

“I like you.”

It was a simple line without much skinship. [T.L. Note: Skinship is physical touch that is a sign of affection. It can be between friends as well as couples, but it’s mostly associated with a romantic context.]
However, Citrina knew the deep heat that radiated from that sentence.
All of a sudden, Citrina remembered the first time she had stood there.

“So, Rina…”

And her heart leaped at his confession. Like a rushing wind, like fluttering rose petals.
She felt better.
“Let me protect you.”

Desian’s eyes were sincere.
Citrina lifted her hand and rested it somewhere near her heart. It was jumping so hard she could hear it with her ears.

“No, Del.”

She was not the sort of person to sit back and wait for someone to save her.

“When things get hard, hold me.”

Citrina smiled. It was as fresh as the cool autumn air.

“That’s enough for me.”

Even the breeze was green and crisp, with a confession as fresh as the weather.
Citrina suddenly felt that she would never forget the sweet smell of grass from this spot.
Desian smiled sweetly. Then he slowly bowed his head. Was this…
the timing for a kiss?
Citrina didn’t close her eyes. Instead, she got on tiptoe and kissed his lips first.

-smooch-

Their dewy lips met. It was embarrassing but pleasant for a first kiss.
Citrina took one, then two steps back.

“I’ll see you at dinner.”

And with that, she turned at ran out of the room without seeing his response. Citrina enjoyed being honest with her feelings.
In this life, you didn’t know when you would meet your end.
If you knew your mind, the best path was the one that followed your heart.

“Alright, Rina.”

With those words, she heard Desian’s cool chuckle behind her. It was obvious that affection was blooming on that normally bored face like the first bloom in spring. She had created that lovely kindness in him.

‘I still have a lot to do, but I never thought I would feel this good.’

Citrina tried to control her expression by trying to suppress the sweet image that bloomed in her mind.
Soon, she would need to meet with Lita and Adilac.
It’s always exciting at the start of a relationship.
Nevertheless, as with any first relationship, everyone has secrets and things fall through the cracks.