Ryan walked out of the kitchen, strolling absent-mindedly through the royal corridors.
As he approached his room, Kaelith hurried toward him, her steps quick but uneven, as if she couldn't decide whether to run or walk. The girl stopped a few feet away from him, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve, her lips pursed into a small, lopsided frown.
"Your Highness," she said.
"Hm what?"
She shifted her weight to one foot, her fingers tugging at her sleeve as she glanced at him, then away. "You bought a slave!" she blurted out.
He was taken aback.
Why was she being so dramatic? It was cute, but why so dramatic?
"What happened?"
"Am-am I a bad maid?" Kaelith asked, on the verge of tears. "Did I do something wrong? Why would you need a slave out of nowhere—is it because of yesterday? Why? Are you tired of seeing me all the time? Am I—"
Tears beaded down her cheeks and she began snifling.
An arrow struck Ryan's heart. Too damn cute. I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her so much.
They had been so close for so many years. So, kissing her should be alright, right? Maidservants usually ended up marrying their young masters anyway.
Ryan took a deep breath.
This was his new life—his chance to be bold, to stop hesitating like his old self who'd died a virgin in a drunken crash. Ryan Armedius wasn't that guy anymore. He was a prince with a cheat-class system, and damn it, he was going to act like it.
I am no- no longer my useless past self, so she shouldn't hate it. She might also like me back.
Ryan's gaze focused on her lips.
He reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder, and guided her into the room. She followed, her head tilting up to watch him, her fingers brushing against the doorframe as he eased the door shut.
His heartbeat quickened.
With a gentle push, he steered her toward the bed, then gave her a firmer shove. She stumbled backward, landing on the mattress with a soft bounce. Before she could sit up, he climbed over her, straddling her hips with his knees.
She looked up at him, eyes wide.
"Wha-What are you doing?" she stuttered.
He caressed free her cheeks with his hand, it was so warm. Her breath hitched, a faint flush creeping up her freckled cheeks, and for a moment, the room was so quiet he could hear her heartbeat.
Their eyes both locked onto each other.
Ryan gulped, his face moving closer to hers.
Kaelith's arms weakly rested against his chest.
"Kaeli," he said, voice low, face close enough for breath to mingle against hers, "you're way too cute when you're jealous." Then, before she could process that, he slid his hand behind her neck, and pulled her up into a deep, reckless kiss.
For a heartbeat, she was statue—every muscle frozen, her breath snagging in her throat like she'd been struck by lightning. Then her free hand jerked up, slamming against his chest with a frantic thud, he just pinned her hand and continued.
A sound tore from her mouth—a mix of a gasp and a moan swallowed by his mouth. He pressed harder, reckless and unpracticed, the kiss clumsy but fierce. Her lips didn't move, didn't know how to move, and that only fueled his audacity.
When he finally pulled back, a line of saliva still connecting them, her face was a furnace—crimson flooding from her neck to her hairline, her eyes so wide they might've popped out.
"You! You–!"
Her pinned wrist twisted free as she shoved herself back, scrambling until her back hit the headboard with a bang.
She covered her face with her hands, clutching her head.
Ryan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a nervous expression flashing across his face as his heart hammered against his chest. The adrenaline hit hard—but guilt hit harder, sinking its claws in before he could catch his breath.
Who am I, getting ahead of myself and kissing her, she must hate me now.
His hot headedness cooled down.
He looked at the girl, a bad premonition in his heart.
"I…" he began, paling. "I am sorry. I thought, I thought it was a good idea—"
She removed her hand from her face, blushing hard as she stared at him. Then, she pulled the sheets towards herself and slowly covered herself in it.
She had hid herself.
Ryan just watched, dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. After a long moment to settle his own heart, he walked closer, gently prodding the blanket cocoon.
"Go away!" she shouted.
"..."
He almost went away in a guilty panic.
"Don't go away!"
He returned.
"Did I do something bad?" he asked.
She remained silent.
Heh, that's true. Why would such a cute girl want to kiss a guy like me? She must be disgusted.
Ryan clenched his fists.
That was it. He must not be handsome enough—he had heard there were skills out there that could enhance the user's appearance. He should have searched for some of those skills to use on himself to make his appearance better. He shouldn't have dared to kiss her before that.
Now, a bond made from childhood is ruined!
His heart clenched.
A hand poked out of the cocoon and clutched his palm. He held it like a lifeline, his face much paler.
Kaelith pulled his hand into the cocoon, still silent for a spell. Then, he felt a soft sensation under his palm, making heat rise up in his chest.
"Ryan, that's my heartbeat," she whispered.
It was soft.
Very soft.
"...I like your heartbeat."
"Why'd you do it out of nowhere?" she complained.
"I—I don't know. I thought it was a good idea. You- you are okay with it? I thought—Was I bad? Eh…"
He rubbed his nose.
"You bit my tongue, it's bleeding…" she said.
"..."
Ah damnit.
"Can-can I see you?"
"I don't want you to see me," she said in a fluster. "But wait I don't want you to go away either—stay here, alright?"
Ryan nodded. "I will not leave!"
A long silence stretched between them, the softness under his palm making Ryan feel her gentle but flustered heartbeat. He was not the only one that was so nervous.
"Kaeli?" he called.
She hummed weakly.
Think about something to talk. Something romantic. Something—Somethin! She was not pushing him away, so she obviously did not hate it entirely. Something romantic.
He said with a loving voice, "Tell me about Martial Arts."Fuck, I couldn't think of anything else to talk about?!
She also paused. "...what?"
He tried to fix it. "I mean, martial arts. The stuff that makes you strong."
She remained silent for a long time. "What do you want to know about it?"
"Things?"
"Idiot prince." She chuckled.
His face heated up. But as he was thinking about that, Kaelith slowly removed the cocoon around her and sat up on the bed.
Ryan's heartbeat quickened at the sight of her. Rosy cheeks, bitten lips, and those soul suckingly tender eyes. Her maid outfit was a mess, half of her neckline and waist clearly visible.
Ah, fuck, I don't deserve her.
But she was so close he couldn't help but wish she were his own in all the ways that mattered.
She moved away from him, leaving the bed and straightening her clothes.
He remained still.
Kaelith turned to him with her face still completely red, freckled cheeks hot. "Don't bite me next time," she said quietly. "It hurts."
Ryan was done. She had killed him.
"And ask your mom about martial arts, she knows better than me!"
The girl ran away in a fluster.
He fell back on the bed, then clenched his hand tightly.