Chapter 114

Ever since Cain had fully come to terms with his own feelings, even facing Viola had become an ordeal in itself.

How on earth had he managed to look at her so calmly, all this time?

Just thinking about her now made his heart pound, and being in front of her made him feel as though he might lose his reason entirely at any moment and go completely mad.

No — thinking back on it, he'd always been like this, really.

He'd simply been foolish enough not to recognize that the name of this unfamiliar emotion was love.

Frustrated, Cain roughly raked a hand back through his hair.

Do other people really carry a feeling this exhausting around with them for their whole lives?

Something the Emperor had once said, offhandedly, drifted back to him.

"Being fond of someone, you see, means they keep coming to mind. No matter what…