Moonlight Ball - Chapter 131

It had been a month, and during that time, a subtle current had been forming between Sidrain and Iris. They spent their days and nights together, but they had yet to establish any kind of romantic relationship. It was a strange and tense situation, and when they were in the company of others, they could hear strange rumors, but Iris didn’t know what to do. She had never experienced anything like this before.

“I don’t know what Sid wants to say, but you’re free to speak whatever pleases you. I have nothing to say to the Surah family,” Iris declared, her voice sharp and final. “We’re completely done with each other.”.

“But why can’t you even look at Margaret En Surah?” Sidrain asked.

Sidrain took Iris’s hand, and when she tried to pull away, he kneeled down and kissed the back of her hand. It was an unexpected gesture, and Iris stood frozen, unable to move or react. His masculine fingers were intertwined with her delicate ones, and he held on tightly, refusing to let go.

“Ris, I know I was stubborn, but you have to admit it too,” Sidrain said, looking up at her with a determined gaze. “Our relationship isn’t over yet. Some things never truly end until they reach their conclusion.”

As a dragon killer, Sidrain had faced countless crises in his life. From slaying dragons to the assassination of his father and his eventual coronation, he had been forced to struggle and fight to survive, to writhe in blood and mud to survive. For Iris, her childhood had likely been her own crisis, and it was Elaine who had plucked her from that turmoil and brought her to the tower. But now, if Iris truly wanted to stand on her own, she had to face that crisis on her own.

No one can stand alone until they do so. Even if someone tries to appear independent, they will still have the weight of their problems clinging to them like mud, making it hard to stand or sit anywhere.

“Stop,” Iris pleaded. She closed her eyes and took shallow breaths to try and regain her composure. But Sidrain refused to let her have a moment of peace. He spoke in a cold and detached tone.

“Your mother was hanged, but she was actually murdered. She fled from the Countess after being mistreated. But the Countess continued to exploit and mistreat young maids, regardless of whether they lived or died. She called them foolish when they became pregnant.”

“Stop!”

Iris couldn’t bear to hear any more of Sidrain’s words, so she covered her ears in an attempt to block out the truth. Sidrain grabbed her and held her with his knees as she crumbled to the ground. Eventually, Iris relented and collapsed into his arms as they knelt together, as if in prayer. Though she pushed him away, Sidrain refused to let go. Iris struggled and hit him, but he simply held her close, absorbing the force of her thrashing body. He held her firmly, their bodies entwined under the pale light of the moon.

Iris uttered a soft whimper and lowered her gaze, her hairpins cascading down her shoulders like tiny drops of liquid silver. “Why are you doing this to me?” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seidrain enfolded her in his arms, and she peered up at him, unsure of what to expect. “Do you truly wish to be alone?” he inquired, his voice gentle and tender.

For a moment, Iris considered lashing out and demanding to know why he was causing her so much pain. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw the deep well of loneliness that resided within him.

Seidrain’s voice was scarcely more than a whisper. “You may not realize it, but the moment I pledged myself to Tesalia, it was your name that echoed in my mind.”

In that instant, Seidrain was no longer alone. Though he had never been a part of Iris’s existence, she was irreplaceable to him. She was the sole companion who could bid him a fond farewell and smile as she did so.

Sidrain’s scarlet eyes searched for the appropriate words, but failed to find them. He closed them briefly, then reopened them and spoke in a subdued tone.

“I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you… and when I believed I might die, you were the only one on my mind. Not as a relative or a friend, but as someone I had scarcely glimpsed.”

Iris’s exquisite lashes trembled, and she gazed up at Sidrain for a fleeting moment before bowing her head.

“That’s not what I meant… I didn’t mean it that way, I swear.”

Suddenly, Iris comprehended the reason for Sidrain’s sulking and ire over the last month. His distress was worse than either of those moods. Her offhand words had deeply wounded him.

Her lips trembled with surprise, and she was at a loss for words. Socializing with others was a rarity for her, and she had never considered how careless words might harm the person she adored. Her thoughtless remarks had shattered Sidrain’s heart like a stone striking a frog, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

Overcome with emotion, she flung her arms around Sidrain and embraced him tightly. Her delicate frame, generous bosom, and floral aroma enveloped him completely. She held him close, her fingers entwined around his form, and their lips met in a kiss. Her touch was as gentle as she was, and it felt like a fine mist drizzling down upon him. Sidrain shut his eyes and parted his lips to receive her tender caress. In the moonlight and her kiss, all of his pain dissipated into nothingness.