Under The Two Moon's

At night.

Inside the bedroom of the baron.

Genevieve can be seen hugging her child, whose eyes are closed and face is pale, while contemplating her own delusional thoughts.

Although there aren't many expectations when she married Robert, the sudden change in his behavior towards her still feels strange.

In the past, it wasn't like this; a few years ago, she witnessed her late sister Gwendolyn laughing with her current husband, while her brother-in-law treated her with love and respect.

He wasn't a guy who seemed narrow-minded at that time, nor cruel towards her.

So what went wrong?

This question always plagued her mind, leaving her feeling numb. She's tired of constantly defending herself, reiterating that Gwendolyn's death wasn't her fault

Still, she wants to believe that something isn't right, and her hope for changing Robert for the better hasn't diminished yet.

But ever since meeting Cyrus, she feels something deep within her soul has changed.

It isn't love nor affection, but rather a feeling of reliability, an indescribable sense of trust, a strange, unusual companionship that she doesn't know how to describe.

Suddenly,

A woman wearing aristocratic clothes enters the room, catching the attention of Genevieve.

Her name is Julia.

"Don't you know? It's time for young Lord Robert to take his medicine,"

Julia, the child's nanny and personal maid of her late sister Gwendolyn, intervened and spoke.

"Sister Julia, I haven't forgotten, but Rayn's running a fever today. I'm worried his condition might worsen if we give him medicine," Genevieve explained.

Upon hearing this, Julia forcefully takes the child from Genevieve's arms, accusing her in a fit of rage.

"Are you really planning to kill the young master like you did to my mistress, you disgraceful woman?"

"No, I genuinely care about him. He means a lot-"

"Enough! You're nothing more than a mere figurehead in this house. The lord hasn't acknowledged you since your marriage. Do you honestly think you're the lady of this house?"

In the past...

Rayn's condition showed no signs of improvement, and his curse continued to wreak havoc, leading Robert to consult with an unknown witch who claimed she could help.

She suggested feeding the child the blood of a rare monster alongside her potions for five years to reduce the effects of the growth curse by 90 percent.

However, Genevieve couldn't bring herself to believe such a solution. Each time she had given Rayn the potions, his health had only worsened without any improvement.

Today, she desperately wanted to stop Julia from administering it, as the child is her sister's own blood, but she feels powerless.

This also reminds her of her position in the household, as in reality, no one respects her. She has no power or authority; because of this, she exits the room, wandering around the castle at night.

Three hours have passed.

Due to the expedition scheduled for the next day, all the soldiers, knights, and even the baron himself dedicated the entire day to rigorous training.

Now, being tired, the castle is unusually serene as everyone is sound asleep, undisturbed by any commotion as even the servants are ordered not to make noise.

Although occasional howls of wolves can be heard from the nearby forest, Genevieve pays them no mind.

For her, this tranquility is welcomed, as she's eagerly awaited an opportunity like this - a chance to visit her sacred place, a greenhouse, that was ordered to be constructed by the baron when his late wife, Gwendolyn, was pregnant with their child.

It's a place where, she currently isn't allowed to set foot in, making this moment all the more special.

And so she continues walking on her path, with each step bringing her closer to the unfinished house of mirrors adjacent to the garden, an aged greenhouse with its glass panels reflecting the silver and red light of the two moons  in the sky above.

As she arrives and settles onto the grass, the fragrance of flowers purifies the air around her.

"The roses, they smell the same as ever, even though they are dead... Would my sister blame me too if she were alive... I promise, I'll take care of your son well,"

She wonders, her eyes tracing the familiar stars above.

"Do you mind if I join you, Genevieve?"

"Who-"

Hearing a familiar voice, she panics. When she turns her head, she sees a blond man with green eyes, smiling warmly at her.

"Sir... Wizard, you at this hour? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I could ask the same. What's a noble lady doing outside her home at this hour of the night? But who cares. It's a good opportunity to get to know each other."

Cyrus didn't need sleep at the moment. What he wanted most was Genevieve. For some reason, his obsession with her had been growing rapidly. Because of this, he headed towards the bedroom but couldn't find her.

After searching, he sees her quietly approaching this place.

"Sir Wizard, can you keep it a secret?"

"I can, but I have a condition."

"I'll do anything, as long as it's not excessive."

"Then, can you please stop calling me 'sir' all the time? It feels too distant. So, how about you call me Cyrus, and I'll keep your secret safe?"

She is not a fool; she understands the man's intentions and meaning, especially his dishonest eyes tracing her in places where he should not.

Strangely, there is no disgust in her heart; rather, a strange anticipation lingers.

Even so, her gaze remains the same as when treating a stranger, as she's a married woman with a firm heart, nonetheless.

"Is it really fine to call you by your name?"

"Absolutely, I even mentioned it at the dining table, but you didn't listen. All I want is to be friends with you."

"I'm married, Cyrus."

"Is there a law that says married women can't have friends? Besides, it feels like you're questioning my kind intentions, lady."

"How can I... just don't want... Cyrus to-"

"Forget about that. Tell me, do you often come here? If you do, then how about I accompany you to ensure your safety every night?"

"No, I don't. It's not something hidden from you. My position in the house is quite embarrassing. You have also felt it, haven't you?"

"Hmph! Those fools treat such a pretty lady this way. I think the baron has nothing but shit in his head."

"STOP CYRUS... he is my husband."

"Pretty sad, you should have been single."

"It wasn't in my hands... and why are you talking about my married life? Aren't you worried about the portal?"

Genevieve's fingers clench the fabric of her nightgown as conflicting emotions stir within her heart. She bites her lip, avoiding Cyrus's gaze, her eyes prying to the flowers nearby.

"What does he mean, I should have been single?" She ponders, feeling a bit of excitement as well as terror at his boldness. "He's too direct and suggestive... Is he hinting at something more... no, you're a loyal wife, Genevieve."

Anxiously, she thinks again, "What if someone hears this? People might think I'm being too forward... it's a good thing no one's here."

With these thoughts, her face flushes bashfully, as it's not often she hears such remarks. Perhaps, a part of her dislikes this loveless marriage. After all, her only reason for continuing it is to take care of the child her sister left behind.

Next Second,

Cyrus shamelessly sits next to her, inhaling the feminine scent of her perfume as her shoulder nearly brushes against his. Secretly, he steals glances at her voluptuous figure, admiring her elegant collarbone.

He can't help but notice the weight pulling her nightgown downwards, accentuating her chest as the burden of her ample bosom is quite evident.

He wonders if her shoulders ache from the strain.

'Would it be better to offer a massage?'

But he dismisses such perverted thoughts.

Truly, she is an unintentional seductress.

All of this, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Genevieve.

Initially, she felt uncomfortable, but she chose to stay composed.

Soon, the atmosphere changes as they engage in conversation, discussing portals, nobles, and daily life, among thousands of other topics.

They both don't know, but an hour has passed, especially for Genevieve. Unlike at the start, she is smiling even more, as it has been a long time since someone has talked to her.

Looking at her beautiful smile, Cyrus can't help but feel warmth in his heart. He also wonders how a mighty wizard like him has come to the point where he is shamelessly chasing the skirts of women, or is she a special case?

He doesn't know, but for some reason, she has become the source of his happiness.

"Is there actually a place where people don't age?"

"Yeah, do you think I'm making it up? We'll go there together someday."

"Cyrus, that's delusional. I'm not even allowed to set foot outside the castle, let alone accompany you."

"Then I'll just have to kidnap you."

"Puf...haha! stop with your lame jokes Cyrus."

"Are you sure about destroying the portal? I'm still concerned about yo... I mean, about my husband."

"I'm absolutely sure."

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to be more vigilant."

"Genevieve, you're so pessimistic and negative. Look at what I have for you."

After that, Cyrus takes out a wrapped gift from his space pocket.

"What's this?"

"It's for you,"

When she opens it, she sees an aristocratic black gown made of pure black silk, with red roses embroidered on it.

"I can't accept it, I'm sorry,"

"You have to,"

Genevieve protests, her gaze helpless as she looks at Cyrus. She can't understand why this guy is so irritating.

"What am I supposed to say to my husband if he asks? You're just a stranger; what will he think?" she questions.

"He will think you've befriended an archmage. Besides, you said we're friends. Do you even know how many shops I had to visit to find something like this in this remote city?"

Cyrus tells a blatant lie. He bought the cloth for his master long ago, but never gave it due to her temper. Now, he seizes the chance to present it as a gift to Genevieve, confident she won't know the truth.

Hearing about the trouble he went through to buy the gift, Genevieve's heart shakes a little, but she refuses firmly.

"I apologize, Cyrus, but I really can't,"

"I'm forcing you to accept it, and you have to,"

"Still...I can not"

"Wait a minute, I had read somewhere that you shouldn't give any gift to a girl without flowers."

"W-wait... Cyrus, it's not really a good idea to pick flowers. They need their rest too,"

"Ouch...damn it has thorns,"

Cyrus shouts, wincing as his finger gets pricked by the pink bougainvillea he has just plucked.

Concerned, Genevieve immediately grabs his hand to inspect the injury. She notices his finger is bleeding from a small cut and swiftly presses her white handkerchief against it, which now is stained with red droplets of blood.

"I said... don't pluck it at night,"

"I'm really sorry...So, do you accept my gift or not?" Cyrus asks again.

"Huh!...you really have time for that?" Genevieve replies, glancing up at him angrily.

Yes!

Cyrus have plenty of time.

As an archmage, he can easily heal himself, but he chooses not to do so.

And most importantly It would be disgraceful if he were to be hurt by something as simple as a thorn.

Also, the rebellious thought of letting the woman who is legally someone else's wife tend to his own wound is oddly appealing.

He can't help but admit this fact.

As he peers into the silver-haired seductress's eyes, filled with concern and worry, and feels the gentle touch of her soft fingers holding his hand, while her slightly flushed cherry lips twitch with concern as she inspects his wound, it only adds to her beauty, making her even more enchanting than before.

Even though he tries his best to resist, his impulsive nature still gets the better of him.

Thus! ... He failed.

Suddenly, his left hand dishonestly pulls her into an deep embrace, while his other hand supports her head with his palm.

Soon, both of them can feel the heat emanating from each other's bodies.

Startled by this sudden closeness, Genevieve struggles to comprehend what just happened and questions,

"C-cyrus what are you doing..hupp"

In response to her question, she feels something warm on her lips as the blond man's mouth covers hers. She wants to push him away, but she lacks the strength to do so. All she can do is gaze into his obsessive green eyes for a moment before closing her own and surrendering herself to the man she had only met today.

Now all that remained was a war between two clumsy and inexperienced tongues fighting for dominance that didn't even lasted a few minutes.

As Genevieve realizes the sin of their actions, she gathers her strength and finally pushes Cyrus away. That too would have been impossible if Cyrus had used any strength to begin with.

Now with a clearer mind, she acknowledges her misjudgment of Cyrus's character. He isn't trustworthy, far from reliable, and not even a good friend either. Even so, what baffles her most is her absence of hatred and lack of disgust towards him.

"W-why don't I despise him? W-why I'm not feeling angry?'

'H-he forced me, didn't he?'

'S-so does it mean I'm an unfaithful wife?'

'O-or is it because my husband neglected me? I-it must have been because I never had anyone to...'

These questions swirl in her mind as she rises to her feet and flees towards the safety of the castle.

All the while, tears continuously pour out, staining her  red cheeks.

After she left,

Cyrus ponders his missteps with Genevieve. While he experiences some guilt, he doesn't particularly regret kissing her.

However, his primary concern is his failure to ask for her consent, even though he knows she would have refused.

'Cyrus, you... bastard, degenerate son of a bitch! What the hell have you done? I got tempted so easily.'

"'What if a succubus were in front of me? I would have died already.'

'It's not gonna work like that. I gotta lose my virginity as soon as possible! To control these damn hormones.'

And so, there is a fear of her hating him, especially after seeing the tears in her eyes, which makes him a little scared, dreading the prospect of losing her.

He frets over the possibility of having to resort to kidnapping her if she refused. It's something he doesn't want to do, but he thinks his chances of genuinely winning her heart have already plummeted

Meanwhile...

on the rooftop of Genevieve's bedroom, not far from the greenhouse, a strange event unfolds.

A child appears.

His face resembles Rayn's, except for the red eyes.

However, this Rayn appears to be in slightly better in health than usual.

With an eerie, blank expression, he looks down towards Cyrus and mutters,

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕖...𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕪

If anyone were to listen, they would immediately discern that such a harsh and eerie voice couldn't possibly belong to a child.