A week later, Lusian made his way to the location Elizabeth had indicated in her letter, where they would finally meet again.

  She had planned everything with precision: the place, the time, and the way to avoid any prying eyes. Too much time had passed since their last farewell, and the distance between them had become unbearable.

  The memory of their last kiss still burned in their minds.

  When they finally saw each other, the world seemed to stop. For a few seconds, they simply stared, holding their breath, until the pent-up desire broke every barrier. Lusian stepped toward her, and Elizabeth did not retreat; they met in an embrace that condensed all the days of waiting into a single moment.

  The kiss that followed was intense, desperate, almost painful. Every touch was a silent confession, an attempt to memorize the other before being forced apart again. Hands trembled, sighs intertwined; time dissolved in that stolen instant.

  Lusian knew he shouldn't, that the right thing was to step back—but his heart, that indomitable force, screamed otherwise. Elizabeth clung to him as if mere contact could erase the weight of her name and the duty that kept them apart.

  For a moment, the outside world ceased to exist. There were no titles, no lineages, no promises of others—just two souls silently seeking each other, united by a passion as forbidden as it was inevitable.

  When the tremor of emotion subsided, they remained in each other's arms, breathing the same air, eyes closed, hearts overflowing. Elizabeth buried her face in Lusian's chest, overwhelmed by what had just happened.

  "—Is this my birthday gift?" Lusian asked with a soft smile, trying to break the tension.

  Elizabeth frowned, trying to maintain her composure."Of course not, this wasn't supposed to happen," she said, her voice trembling. "You took advantage of me."

  Lusian smiled gently, not letting go."—Take advantage? I don't recall hearing you tell me to stop," he replied teasingly, though his gaze remained tender.

  "—That's not true! I…," she stammered, searching for words, "You're impossible." She lightly struck his chest, more from embarrassment than anger.

  Lusian caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles."—Admit you enjoyed it as much as I did," he whispered, his voice dropping to a soft murmur.

  Elizabeth looked away, biting her lower lip. The blush on her cheeks betrayed her."—Maybe… a little," she murmured at last, a mix of shyness and challenge in her tone.

  Lusian let out a brief laugh and pulled her closer."—Then you don't regret it," he said, brushing his lips against hers.

  Elizabeth sighed, surrendering to the warmth of his embrace."—No… I suppose not," she confessed in a whisper, resting her head against his chest.

  Silence enveloped them. Only the murmur of the wind and the steady beat of Lusian's heart could be heard, against which Elizabeth allowed herself to drift into calm. He, in turn, caressed her hair delicately, savoring the peace after the storm.

  Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined something like this. In his past life, he had never felt such a pure, inevitable connection. In that moment, he realized that beyond desire or duty, what bound their souls was something beyond explanation.

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  All this time, he had tried to act as the true Lusian Douglas: the perfect heir, the nobleman with a firm gaze and steady steps. But the truth was different.Inside, he was still Erwin Lenox, an ordinary young man who had spent his days confined to a room, searching for meaning among screens and games. Someone who, before awakening in this world, had a different life… a different culture.

  And yet, there he was, feeling the warmth of another person, listening to a heartbeat that responded to his own. For the first time, Erwin realized he might not need to imitate anyone. That he didn't have to be "the true Lusian" to experience something genuine.

  Perhaps, by simply being himself, he could write his own destiny.

  Every sigh of Elizabeth's, every brush of her skin, reminded him that he didn't need all the answers to feel, to love, to exist.He allowed himself to be vulnerable, to drop the mask, letting the insecure boy he had once been breathe freely under the name of Lusian.

  For the first time, he didn't think of his past or the weight of an uncertain future. Only of this moment.Of her.Of himself.

  As Elizabeth rested in his arms, he closed his eyes and made a silent promise: he would stop acting, stop pretending to be someone else. He would live as Erwin Lenox, even within Lusian Douglas' body. He would learn, fall, rise… but he would truly live.

  After all, what good is surviving if one never dares to live?

  When Elizabeth finally calmed her breathing, she looked up at Lusian. Her eyes, still alight with a mix of desire and determination, locked with his.

  "—I'm going to break your engagement with Emily," she said firmly, not breaking eye contact.

  Lusian watched her silently for a moment. There was tenderness in his eyes… and a hidden sadness. He knew that engagement would end sooner or later, when Emily's destiny was revealed and blessed by the Goddess. But he couldn't say it. No one would believe him if he claimed to know the future. And if he misstepped even once, both of them would be crushed under the weight of the kingdom.

  "—I understand your desire, Eli," he replied calmly, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. "But if we expose ourselves now, we'll only bring chaos. This kingdom runs on appearances, and one wrong move could destroy us all. When the right moment comes… we can show ourselves to the world without fear."

  Elizabeth frowned. In her eyes reflected the same struggle that burned within him: love and duty, passion and destiny.

  "—Then let me do it my way," she insisted, clutching his arms. "I don't want anything or anyone to stand between us."

  Lusian kissed her gently, trying to soothe the storm that had awakened in his chest.

  "—I trust you, Elizabeth," he whispered by her lips. "I know you'll find a way… without risking what we're building."

  She nodded slowly and nestled against his chest. Her breathing matched his, as silence wrapped around them. Deep down, Elizabeth knew Lusian was right. But her heart—untamed, impulsive—burned with the desire to scream to the world that he belonged to her.

  Lusian returned to his room, his mind still trapped in the images of Elizabeth's body, the warmth of her skin, and the sweetness of her voice calling his name. For a moment, his happiness brushed the heavens. But reality struck with the same force as the sun dispelling a dream: the next day, he would return to the duchy and remain there for eight long months, far from her.

  His chest tightened with frustration and emptiness. He collapsed onto the bed, burying his face in his hands. Everything they had shared—the passion, the surrender, the silent promise of an impossible love—seemed now like a mirage, fading with the distance.

  He closed his eyes, trying to imprint every detail of that moment: the scent of her hair, the brush of her skin, the broken rhythm of her breath. If he could preserve these memories intact, perhaps he could endure the absence that awaited him.

  A long, weary sigh escaped his lips. In his mind, happiness and sorrow intertwined like two threads impossible to separate. He knew that from this moment on, he would have to be more careful than ever. One misstep, and everything would collapse.

  Fortunately, he had Sofia's help. Thanks to her, the impending monster invasion in the territory would not be a problem. The army was already being mobilized, and the defense was being reinforced with military precision. Lusian trusted that, when the time came, he could fulfill the terms of his engagement and come to the Carters' aid without major complications.

  Yet, even with everything in order, something unsettled him. A persistent feeling, like a shadow at the edge of his awareness, told him that the true challenges ahead would be neither political nor military.