08 I Want to Protect You

(Kyle's pov)

The way Ella looks at me is strange.

Soft, nostalgic, yet carrying an almost sorrowful affection.

Like she's looking through me at another person.

My chest inexplicably sank.

Could we have met before?

That's impossible.

I've never left the Elven Kingdom. Moreover, with her human status, she couldn't possibly have entered the royal court.

So, who exactly is she looking at?

I suppressed that strange emotion and looked away.

Ella quickly reinvested herself in potion research.

When she mentions the herbs that need to be collected, her eyes light up slightly. When talking about formulas and medicinal effects, she's so serious it's like she becomes a different person.

I don't understand why she would be willing to go to such trouble for an ordinary person's hair loss problem. After all, those ordinary people without magic power are no different from slightly larger ants.

No pharmacist would customize potions for ordinary people. Rather than waste that time, they'd work for mages or magical races and earn more money.

A pharmacist with exceptional talent like Ella is truly wasted in this remote small town.

Thinking this way, I can't help but start mocking myself. With my current status, what right do I have to say such things?

Ella relies on her own skills to run a shop and earn money. Everything she has, she's fought for herself. And what about me? Everything I had as an elven prince was so easily taken away.

I'm the most useless one.

When I gripped Ella's wrist, I could clearly feel her body stiffen slightly.

But she didn't struggle. She just quietly looked at me. Those eyes were excessively clean.

I lowered my head and bit through the skin on her wrist. Warm blood surged into my mouth. My limbs felt numb and tingly like an electric shock. My cold body warmed up again because of Ella. I think I can never give up this feeling.

So warm.

Like a dying traveler finally touching sunlight again.

The emptiness and cold brought by the curse were filled bit by bit. Even the restless darkness deep within my body temporarily quieted down.

Ella leaned in my embrace. She is the sun that belongs exclusively to me. I will guard her forever.

I have no way to move during the day, so we can only go to Veiled Gorge at night.

Wings have only brought me pain, but I'm very glad that now I can use my wings to fly with Ella. She looks very happy.

She clutched my clothes tightly, looking down at the shrinking town below. Her eyes were startlingly bright.

"Kyle! Higher!"

When she smiled, even the wind seemed to become lighter.

I originally had no interest in this kind of thing, but seeing her so happy, flying occasionally isn't bad.

We quickly reached Veiled Gorge. This place is more dangerous than I imagined. Everywhere are traces of residual magic power. I also saw several claw marks from high-level magical beasts. I've been fleeing for many days. Along the way I've seen many magical beasts that should have been hidden deep in the forest. This is very unusual.

But what does it have to do with me? I'm no longer an elven prince. I don't need to be responsible for my subjects either.

I only need to protect Ella well. That's enough.

Ella found what she wanted. The harvesting process for this thing is really complicated. I simply placed her on the rock platform, let her harvest it herself, and I was responsible for keeping watch.

I checked the surroundings once. There were no major magic power fluctuations. Very safe.

So I relaxed slightly and felt this moment of tranquility.

Just then, a strange fluctuation suddenly came through the air.

I turned around quickly, but it was already too late.

Two black shadows suddenly appeared and attacked Ella!

She lost her balance and fell from the cliff edge.

My heart was instantly gripped by something. I think in that instant I couldn't breathe.

Ella! Ella!

Without hesitation, I crushed those two damned Amorworms. This is a type of insect with magic power. It releases something that stimulates desire, making people indulge and unable to extricate themselves.

I didn't expect there would be such things here.

Ella was hurt. I didn't protect her well.

She curled up in my arms, her breathing scorching hot, her body constantly trembling.

"Ella."

I lowered my head and called to her.

She drowsily opened her eyes. Her gaze couldn't focus. She just uncomfortably burrowed into my embrace.

I held her and quickly flew down the mountain. I should immediately call for a court physician, a mage would work too, or a human doctor... I held poor Ella, standing there at a loss, not knowing where to go.

I'm a wanted criminal. Where should I seek help?

At this moment, I realized that my so-called "protecting Ella" was nothing but a complete and utter fraud.

Kyle, you have no ability to protect her at all.

Ella suddenly gasped painfully. She began unconsciously pulling at her collar.

"Hot..." Her voice trembled.

I immediately grabbed her hands: "You'll be fine, Ella. I'll cure you..."

But what should I do?

I could only hold her, keeping her from accidentally hurting herself.

She pulled her own clothes into disarray. Large swaths of snow-white skin on her shoulders were exposed in the moonlight. The shadows on her chest were faintly visible.

I turned my head away, not daring to look anymore.

But suddenly I smelled a scent that fascinated me. Ella had accidentally cut herself.

I hurriedly took off my outer shirt to wrap around her arm, but she wrapped her whole body around me instead.

Ella seemed to treat me as the only heat source that could relieve her pain. Her soft body pressed tightly against me. Her burning little hands tore at my clothes... This woman, she, how dare she...

The night wind blew open my black hair. My upper body was completely exposed in the moonlight.

If Ella were still awake, she'd definitely be frightened by my body, right? Terrible black magic marks spread from my shoulders and neck all the way to my chest, with a trend of gradually extending downward.

When the magic marks cover my entire body, I will completely become a prisoner of darkness.

I calmed down and pressed the wildly moving Ella in my arms, preparing to throw her into the lake to sober up.

"Hey, wake up—"

Suddenly, she looked up and kissed me.

In an instant, the entire world fell silent.

The soft sensation on my lips reminded me—I was being forcefully kissed.

She caressed my neck and gently kissed me. Then her lips moved all the way down. Warm breath fell on my collarbone, my chest, carrying small trembles.

The vein at my temple almost instantly jumped.

"Ella, sober up..." I pinched her chin, forcing her to look into my eyes.

She squinted and nuzzled my cheek: "...I'm so hot..."

This can't go on.

Since I can't treat it, then I'll transfer the poison to myself.

I took a deep breath and suddenly pressed her into my embrace, turning over to trap her beneath me.

Ella looked at me with wet eyes, full of dependence and trust.

I lowered my head and bit her neck.

My fangs pierced again into the wound left by the Amorworm, then sucked hard.

The toxin quickly transferred through the blood. In that instant, I could feel something explode violently inside my body.

Burning heat, restlessness, desire—all surged up together, harder to suppress than the curse.

Ella finally slowly quieted down. She curled up in my arms, her body still trembling lightly, silently sobbing.

I touched her face and lowered my head to kiss away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

"It's okay now. Don't be afraid."

I've never comforted anyone like this. My voice was so small I could barely hear it myself.

But Ella seemed to really hear it.

She slowly relaxed. Her forehead pressed against my shoulder as she gradually calmed down.

But I became increasingly uncomfortable. My body temperature kept rising. Ella in my arms made me unable to suppress my restlessness.

The Amorworm's toxin worked together with the contract, making my rationality begin to crumble. I wanted to have Ella, to possess her!

No.

I looked down at Ella in my arms. Her face was pale, her lashes still wet.

Like some kind of fragile yet soft little animal.

I absolutely cannot hurt her.

Placing her by the lake, I turned and charged directly into the lake water not far away.

I don't know how much time passed before I finally barely calmed down.

When I returned to the shore, Ella was still sleeping quietly.

I straightened her clothes and picked her up again.

She looked somewhat haggard. Even her breathing was weaker than usual.

Looking at her, that strange aching feeling in my chest surfaced again.

If only...

If only I were still an elven prince.

If I still possessed my past power and status, she wouldn't need to suffer like this at all.

Falling from prince to prisoner, I had already given up hope.

But at my most desperate moment, I happened to escape to this small town.

And happened to meet Ella.

Perhaps this really is fate.

Fate kept me alive, so there must be a reason for it.

One day, I will return to the Elven Kingdom.

I will personally go ask the Lifewarden—

That so-called prophecy of destroying the kingdom, is it real or not?

The room gradually quieted down.

Outside the window, the sky began to lighten.

I sat at the bedside, held Ella's hand, leaned against her bed, and slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.