“Phew...”

Cedric barely managed to escape the underground prison.

It was thanks to the key Aran had tossed to him earlier.

With great effort, he moved his fingers to undo the restraints. That part took the longest, but once his hands were free, the rest was easy.

Because of the experiments, he now possessed superhuman strength. He bent the iron bars of his cell like they were nothing and stepped outside.

“...What the hell happened...? I definitely can’t stay here.”

He looked up toward the direction Aran had vanished, moving like the wind.

The path to the stairs was blocked—rocks and debris were everywhere.

But there didn’t seem to be any other way out.

“Hm...”

He turned to look behind him—also blocked. It seemed he’d barely slipped out before the collapse.

“I wonder if everyone’s okay?”

There were still researchers and other test subjects trapped inside...

But from the sound of it, only the entrance had collapsed. The interior seemed intact. If he focused, he could hear the researchers shouting.

“Stay calm! We can last at least a month in here!”

“Something must’ve happened outside. Don’t panic!”

“Keep the test subjects under control!”

For a moment, he considered whether he should try to rescue everyone—but it didn’t seem urgent.

The real problem was his situation: trapped in a dead end, front and back.

“No choice, then.”

No time to debate. If he wanted to escape, he had to go forward. That was likely Aran’s intent as well.

Cedric began carefully clearing the rocks, making a path.

“Hup...”

In the past, something like this would’ve been unimaginable—but Cedric, now muscular and powerful from the experiments, was no longer the sickly, thin, frail man he once was.

“I’ve got to get out... I need to meet Namia...”

His one dream had never changed.

Namia Roafi—his precious daughter. ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) He’d promised to meet her again, no matter what.

What happened? Why shut down the underground? Did headquarters fall?

The situation worried him, but he pushed thoughts of Aran’s face out of his mind.

Truthfully... Aran hadn’t changed one bit since the first day he met her. Not even a little.

So is she planning to escape too? But she mustn’t meet Namia...

Aran was Namia’s biological mother—but frankly, she wasn’t fit to be called a mother.

No, it wasn’t even about qualifications. Aran was just...

“...There’s no reason they’d meet. Aran’s not the type to seek her out or show interest.”

His arm muscles started moving rapidly again.

***

“Your Highness...”

“Don’t look so sad.”

Kiaros smiled gently at me.

“I didn’t say all that to get sympathy or pity.”

“Still...”

“I said it to try and win you over.”

Oh, come on.

That kind of story—how could he treat it so lightly?

But Kiaros grinned and smoothly changed the subject.

“Anyway, it turns out Namia turned me down even though the position of Crown Princess is so amazing.”

His low voice was laced with playful teasing, trying to lift the heavy mood.

“All because she liked some useless little intern living in a collapsing house.”

I gave a sheepish smile and answered awkwardly,

“Well... when I was little, my dad always told me—only marry someone you truly love.”

“Oh? So you were thinking of marrying Kibon?”

He narrowed his eyes and teased me further.

“So that’s why you insisted earlier that he had to be the same species, huh?”

There was a clear heat behind the joking tone.

He may have shared all that to persuade me, but his gaze—no longer filled with sadness—now brimmed with desire.

“It’s definitely an important issue.”

He was close enough that I could feel his breath.

And with my head spinning from Kibon and Kiaros blending into one, I thought:

This cunning bastard... he planned this.

Transforming into Kibon to hear my honest feelings... then returning as Kiaros to keep the emotional momentum going and share his side...

Ugh, seriously, what a fox...

It was obvious now—he was trying to merge the two versions of himself through repetition.

But it was still hard to completely internalize. My brain could accept they were the same person, but my heart hadn’t fully synced up yet.

“Namia.”

He spoke with a low, resonant voice.

“How about we drop the formalities? Just pretend you’re dealing with a new version of Kibon in a different shell.”

Honestly, I had too many thoughts, and my head was spinning.

So now Kiaros was saying he’d throw away the Crown Prince title and run away with me anywhere?

So, he’s saying he’ll keep Kiaros’s looks, live with Kibon’s personality, and stay like that forever?

Just then—

From far off, a loud “Woof! Woof woof woof!” echoed through the corridor.

It seemed like Kibon (the dog) had also gotten trapped somewhere.

“Um... well.”

I snapped out of it.

“Shouldn’t we... focus on getting out of here first?”

“...Yeah.”

Kiaros looked a little disappointed by my formal tone, but he didn’t seem too surprised. He must’ve been aware of the surroundings this whole time.

He gave a small laugh and said,

“If I weren’t in my blackout period, I could just stick you in a safe place and level this whole place... but now I’ve got no choice but to sneak around like this.”

He gestured at the all-black Reformist outfit he was wearing and gave a faint smile.

“Really...”

His red eyes locked onto me again.

“To think I’d make a confession like this, dressed in this pathetic outfit, trapped underground, with nothing prepared—when I’m usually the strongest man in the Empire. I deserve a failing grade for this one.”

“...No.”

I slowly shook my head.

“That’s... really not true.”

A Crown Prince—wearing some villain’s uniform—trapped in this damp, dark dungeon, all for my sake.

The most noble man, in the most miserable condition.

“Actually, it’s because you’re in your blackout that... I can feel how sincere you are.”

“Then maybe this blackout isn’t all bad.”

Kiaros pressed his forehead lightly against mine, his voice hoarse but smiling.

“Honestly... both times I lost my powers, you were there. So they haven’t been all that bad.”

My heart pounded. Maybe, finally, Kibon and Kiaros were merging inside me.

His warmth didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

His golden hair brushing against my forehead, his red eyes inches away... none of it felt unfamiliar anymore.

At first, I thought I could never accept it...

But both men had one thing in common: they truly cared for me, loved me, and cherished me.

“I’ll wait.”

Kiaros smiled softly.

“Until your heart fully opens.”

If he was right, then my heart was already basically an open report.

But even so, he didn’t push. He didn’t try to rush me.

“I’ll work hard.”

His sweet words continued.

“Until you’re back to barking orders at me without thinking, whenever you want.”

...Wait, what?

“Until you bind me, trap me, obsess over me, and suffocate me with interference...”

...Excuse me?

“It’s been killing me, wanting to confess all of this to you.”

Wait.

Confess?

That word hit me like a lightning bolt—and suddenly, a memory returned.

When Grandpa first gave me a gift, he’d said:

[It’s a gift. If some guy ever confesses his love to you, this is what you use.]

When Victor confessed to me, I didn’t have that scroll.

But right now... I do have it.