"So… can you do it for me too?"

"I can, but I won't."

"Why? If you do it then… then I can touch you, and…." Elise tried to touch Nero but stopped midway and pulled her hand back.

"There are many reasons, but I will tell you the main two reasons." Nero exhaled sharply and continued, "First, it's dangerous, and by dangerous, I mean very very very dangerous."

"It's impossible to have all of your blood extracted and still be alive. Even in my previous world, I studied that blood is the most important thing in the body. And here too, one dies when they lose blood."

Nero shrugged his shoulders and groaned, "I have no idea how that…" Nero stopped and sighed. "How your ancestor was still alive. His body had no blood for half an hour, and it also took me a while to drink all his blood— which leads us to the second reason."

Elise quietly listened to Nero with absolute concentration and tried to understand what he was saying.

"We just touched each other and shared some kisses— exchanged some salivas, and half of my mana was drained. Imagine what would have happened to me if I drank that blood?" Nero questioned and waited patiently for an answer.

"It weakens you?" Elise guessed.

"Yes, and I slept for 40 days to recover. But that is not what I am afraid of. On the contrary, I am afraid of losing you. Do you understand now? It's very risky."

"Yeah, I am sorry for being selfish."

Nero stepped closer to Elise and pushed her against the wall.

"Don't… I will drain your—" Elise was stopped by the soft lips of Nero.

She resisted at first but gave in as soon as Nero inserted his tongue in her mouth— although she didn't touch him anywhere else.

After some kisses, Nero stopped to hear what Elise had to say.

"So you were saying something, hmm?" Nero teased.

"Don't be so mean," Elise forced a smile.

"Come on, don't make that face," Nero rubbed his thumb on Elise's face and said with a gentle smile, "I… I… I… don't want to see you making that face."

Elise let out a chuckle and smiled after saying, "I thought you were going to say 'I love you' for a moment."

"I can't say it, and I won't say it— ever."

"Why not? You don't love me?"

"It's hard to explain, and I am damn sure that even if I try to explain, it would just make things worse. So let's leave it at that, okay?"

"So you don't love Emilia or Sophia either?"

"I wish I could. I mean, I want to love them. I really do. But… there is this… you know— my brain, my heart, my soul, my body, and my powers— they keep rejecting my feelings. So I am incapable of loving someone," Nero sighed softly.

"It's hard," he added.

"You just have to say those three words, and they will be happy, I will be happy," Elise insisted.

"It's not that easy. If they were just words, then I would chant them all day and night— but they are not. And I can't lie about love because I know how it feels when someone fakes love." Nero said with a distant yet sad smile on his face.

"So are you saying you don't love them?" Elise raised her brows.

"I care about them, I really do. I want them to be happy and get along. I want them to be with me and never leave me. I want them to share their happy and sad moments with me. I want them to love me, and I… want to love them."

"I think they understand you, and that's why they are with you. That's why they love you, and I do too," Elise asserted.

"I am glad to hear that. And you also finally said you love me," Nero commented.

"Who won't fall in love with you after how you care about your girls. And Emilia's moans… they sound so satisfied and…" She nodded while staring at Nero and added, "She must be feeling heavenly every night."

"Oh, no. You are wrong," Nero shook his hand and said, "She purposely moans, you know?"

Elise squinted her eyes and asked with a confused face, "Are you saying she fakes her moans?"

"No. I didn't say that. She can easily control her moans and choose not to moan, but she moans otherwise. Do you know why?" Nero questioned with excitement in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because she wants me to shut her up with a kiss. She is a devil, a mischievous little devil," Nero sighed with a chuckle.

He was genuinely interested in Emilia's past, and he was awfully curious about how she was before she lost her memories.

They both laughed, and the time passed as they talked.

"Will we meet again, like ever?" Elise asked with an anxious look on her face.

"About that…" Nero raised his hand and created a ring out of nowhere. He placed the ring on Elise's ring finger of her right hand, "Never take it off, alright?"

Elise touched the ring and placed her right hand on her chest, "What is this? An engagement ring?"

"I suppose you can consider it as one. But what's more is I have cast a spell on this, and it will protect you."

"Protect me? From what?"

"Anything and everything. If any being touches you with ill intent, the ring will smite them. Just, never take it off, okay?" Nero asserted.

"What will happen if I take it off?" Elise asked curiously.

"Bad things," Nero kissed Elise and continued, "Not only that, you can talk to me via this ring. You just need to say my name on the ring, and your voice will reach me."

"Really? I can talk to you even when we are… away from each other?"

"Yes, and you can even summon me if you want using this ring. But since you can't use magic, it should not be possible. However, you don't have to worry. If you miss me too much, I will come back to you from whatever corner of the world I am, okay?" Nero kissed Elise again.

"How long will it take for you to come, if… suppose, you are far, far away?" Elise asked with a curious yet sad look on her face.

"I will come to you within a minute."

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