The reason these people are currently tense is likely because they fear getting wet with water. However, it would be absurd to demand them to vent their frustration, even if it meant something like bathing, as it would also be embarrassing for Lee Hwan. It was fortunate for the people of this castle.
“Enough with the bathing. Please take care of cleaning my armor and helmet.”
The armor Lee Hwan wore during the frontline battle was stained with monster blood. If not cleaned promptly, it would corrode. As soon as Lee Hwan spoke, people carried the armor outside.
Lee Hwan stripped off his clothes and entered the bath. The slightly warm water helped soothe the fatigue accumulated over the past few days.
He stared blankly at the ceiling, and suspicions about dimensional travel, which he had deliberately avoided thinking about, briefly crossed his mind. Just the thought alone made his vision blur. Shaking his head, he immersed himself deeper into the water.
Excitement leads to mistakes and carelessness. Hadn’t he acted differently just now, causing Ducre to be bewildered? While it wasn’t necessary to suppress all impulses, he couldn’t afford to appear particularly unusual.
Quietly seizing the opportunity, he eludes them – at a moment when no one expects him to. The chance was right before him. Lee Hwan gazed at the tranquil world beneath the water, calming his mind.
When he emerged again, Lee Hwan’s brown eyes were serenely composed, having seized the opportunity nobody believed he would take. His eyes settled calmly, staring at the quiet world beneath the water.
As he rose from the water, his drenched hair clung to his face. Lee Hwan swept it away, and upon drying himself and putting on his clothes, something unsettling caught his eye. Despite the grandeur of the castle’s room, what overwhelmingly stood out was Lee Hwan’s sword. Pulling it out from its sheath, the monster’s gory mess splattered onto the carpet.
Lee Hwan roughly wiped the blood off with any cloth he could find. It didn’t matter if it corroded; he had plenty of spares.
Known as the weapon bestowed by Yela, it was inconvenient for it to be damaged in front of others. Therefore, the royal family produced several spare swords for Lee Hwan to carry wherever he went.
Moreover, the time would soon come when he wouldn’t need the Deus Telum. He casually tossed the sword aside and lay down on the bed.
The tranquil atmosphere contrasted with the heated body, making it tempting to drift into a deep sleep. As Lee Hwan’s vision began to blur, someone approached with quick steps. Following a brisk knock, a sharp voice cut through.
“What?”
“Sir Alexander, a guest has come to see you.”
Descending from the bed, Lee Hwan strode purposefully across the room. Bursting open the door with contained anger, Ducre faced him, looking perplexed.
“A guest?”
While asking, Lee Hwan thought that someone had come seeking help. Most people who approached him did so for such reasons. However, the name that came from Ducre’s lips was unexpected.
“Prince Lucian.”
For a moment, Lee Hwan stood there frozen. Somehow, a hand was pressing against his chest, feeling tight.
“He’s in the reception room on the second floor. I can guide you there right away…”
“No. Wait a moment.”
Lee Hwan slammed the door shut. Blood seeped from his clenched lips. He need to Stay calm. Although he tried hard to reassure himself, the confusion didn’t easily subside.
After managing to quell the surging hatred, now the persistent affection raised its head. The two conflicting emotions clashed and mingled, tormenting Lee Hwan.
After taking a deep breath, he reached for his uniform. With unwavering precision, he put on the uniform, just as he did every time before meeting Lucian. Only after securing the last button and grabbing his sword did he open the door again. He met Ducre’s puzzled expression.
“Are you okay?”
Lee Hwan nodded in response, taking the lead. Ducre quickly followed suit.
The atmosphere within the castle seemed more livelier than before. Lucian, whose mother was a dancer with beauty said to be unrivaled, resembled her strikingly. Moreover, he is a prince even if he lacks power. It was only natural that people were excited.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Stay calm. Lee Hwan swallowed down the surging emotions, forcing himself to suppress the turbulent passion. The rush of emotions couldn’t be entirely contained, making his throat feel uneasy. He lowered his head, attempting to conceal his flushed face.
“I greet the esteemed Prince.”
Above, a faint sigh was heard. It was the reaction that occurred whenever Lee Hwan acted decisively.
“I told you to act comfortably…… Everyone please leave.”
Not acceptable. Lee Hwan raised his head. In order to prevent himself from doing anything reckless under the influence of emotions, he needed at least one safety measure.
“It’s advisable to avoid acting too authoritative in an unfamiliar place.”
As Lee Hwan spoke, Lucian chuckled. His lush blond hair swayed gently with the motion.
“Even if the other party is you?”
“Even if the other party is me.”
As Lee Hwan responded to the question, Lucian smirked.
“You’re too naive, Lee Hwan. But that’s what’s charming about you.”
Lucian gestured again, and everyone except Weibang left their seats.
“Now, is it fine? Weibang is like family to me, so feel free to act comfortably.”
“…Sure.”
Lee Hwan took his seat, facing Lucian. Lucian, in turn, graciously poured tea into an empty cup, and the fragrant aroma filled the reception room as it slowly wafted through the air. Lee Hwan, taking a deep breath, savored the serene scent while keeping his gaze fixed on the teacup.
“I heard there was a battle today. Any injuries?”
Lee Hwan nodded, still focused on the teacup. Finding it peculiar, Lucian chuckled lightly.
“Why are you looking at the teacup like that? Did something spill on it?”
“Just feeling thirsty.”
“Well, let’s make sure you drink quickly then.”
Without lifting his lowered gaze, Lee Hwan spoke, and Lucian pushed the teacup toward him. Lee Hwan took the delicate cup and drank its contents in one gulp, wanting to wash away the surging emotions down his throat.
However, when his eyes met Lucian’s cheerful face, he realized that what he had done was entirely futile. Lucian, once endearing, brought pride with the mere mention of his name. There were times when Lee Hwan lingered near Lucian’s residence, hoping for a glance, and moments when a touch or a kiss made him ecstatic.
A weary feeling whispered within him. If someone could definitively label that harsh future as just a dream. Then, he could love Lucian without the burden of uncertainty. As Lee Hwan pondered, a voice asked, “Why with that expression?”
Bending forward, Lucian asked Lee Hwan. The faint scent of forgot-me-not brushed against Lee Hwan’s nose. Suddenly, memories surfaced of Lucian hurling sharp words at him. Even then, the same fragrance emanated from Lucian.
Despair that had been buried resurfaced. The sensation, reminiscent of that time, was something Lee Hwan never wanted to experience again.
Collecting himself, Lee Hwan stared directly into Lucian’s eyes. Within those eyes, once admired like jewels, he now sensed a chilling temperature, like minerals.
Was it because Lee Hwan was watching? Lucian’s red lips and golden eye features created gentle curves. It was a smile with a temperature that couldn’t be discerned.
Lee Hwan now understood why people described being deeply in love as ‘blindness.’
“Why are you staring like that?”
Lucian reached towards Lee Hwan’s hair, but instinctively, Lee Hwan recoiled, questioning, “Why are you here?”
Lucian gazed at Lee Hwan with a peculiar expression before shrugging nonchalantly. “I missed you. You’re not mad, are you?”
It was a misguided assumption. Lee Hwan turned away, stating, “Of course. Why else would you come all the way here?”
“Still, I came with the knights.”
“It doesn’t matter. Return as soon as it gets sun rise.”
“What about you?”
“I have another place to go.”
Lucian made a pouting expression. Lee Hwan directed his gaze towards Weibang. Weibang, too, seemed to agree and began persuading Lucian.
“Okay, okay. Getting scolded from both sides.”
Eventually, Lucian conceded defeat with a defeated expression, raising both hands and feet in surrender.
The tea ceremony of that day soon came to an end. It was late into the night, and Lee Hwan’s fatigued face hastened its conclusion. Returning to his room, Lee Hwan collapsed onto the bed. He desperately wanted to fall asleep as soon as possible, but the elusive sleep eluded him.
He absentmindedly thought of Lucian. Today, he was adorned with grace but armed with a cold, ceremonial smile. How foolish he must have been not to realize that. Self-reproach for his twenty-seven-year-old self surged like flames.
No, there was no blame for him. At this very moment, the twenty-four-year-old Lee Hwan was no different.
Did he wish for the harsh future ahead to be a mere dream? Such folly had undoubtedly invited betrayal.
In that sense, Lucian’s cold gaze was akin to a sobering cup of cold water for Lee Hwan. Whether he overturned it or drank it, it was enough to snap him back to reality. With this, Lee Hwan firmly accepted that he had regressed.
Even after tossing and turning for a long time, Lee Hwan could only close his eyes after several hours. Just before falling asleep, a question that he hadn’t considered until then grazed his mind.
‘Has Lucian ever come looking for me like this before?’
The next morning, Lee Hwan headed to Lucian’s occupied room. Surprisingly, Lucian, who had already prepared for the journey, was leaving Marselin. Lee Hwan escorted Lucian to the courtyard before him.
Soft fingertips rested on rough fingers, and a vivid pulse emanated from their contact. Lee Hwan struggled to maintain a composed expression.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, knights who had already prepared for departure came into view. Lucian approached an elegant white horse. Unlike his usual preference for carriages, this time he seemed to have ridden a horse.
What was so urgent? Considering the time of arrival in Marselin, there wasn’t a significant difference. It was a moment when Lee Hwan focused to find the nature of his discomfort.
“Lord Alexander.”
Lucian approached him, and his gentle gaze softened.
Now, there was barely a hand’s breadth between them. Lucian tilted his chin slightly, a gesture resembling a gentle press for a kiss.
“Hmm?”
Lucian let out a soft chuckle, and his lips came together. With slightly sharpened red lips, resembling a bird’s beak, he looked adorable. Lee Hwan, captivated, leaned closer, not even the scent of forgot-me-not managing to awaken him this time.
Crash—
A sound of something breaking echoed from a short distance away. Lee Hwan quickly stepped back.
“People are watching.”
The courtyard was not empty, as Lucian’s knights were present. Even if not them, one could never be sure who might be observing from somewhere. Lucian, not wanting their relationship to become public knowledge, appreciated Lee Hwan’s discretion.
However, it seemed that Lucian wasn’t pleased with this.
“Are you not going to give me a kiss after coming all the way here?”
With a determined expression, Lucian’s words made Lee Hwan’s eyes widen. Lee Hwan was always vulnerable to such expressions.
His whole body tensed. It felt like any slight movement would make him either rush forward for a kiss or tighten his grip around the neck. Clenching his fist tightly, Lee Hwan lowered his head.
“This can’t be…”
In that moment, Lucian approached confidently. As a skilled knight, Lee Hwan could easily evade such movements. However, he felt immobilized, as if someone had gripped his heart tightly.
An arm wrapped around his neck, pulling Lee Hwan’s head down. Between parted lips, a small tongue intruded.
Conflicting emotions of arousal and disgust surged within him. He desired to entwine his tongue with the flesh invading his mouth, yet simultaneously wished to sever it. As the two conflicting urges intertwined, Lucian finally released his lips.
“We may not meet again anytime soon.”
With moist lips and warm breath, Lucian conveyed these words. Lee Hwan regained his composure and looked into Lucian’s eyes. Unlike the lips expressing the sorrow of parting, the green irises were chillingly cold.
Lee Hwan sensed why Lucian had come this far. It seemed Lucian feared that their hearts might grow cold when apart. Lee Hwan faintly lifted his lips, and the two touched lightly.
“I’ll return as soon as possible.”
In a hushed tone, Lee Hwan lifted his head. His face displayed the usual stoic expression.
“I wish you return safe.”
Lee Hwan bowed his head towards Lucian, who nodded in acknowledgment.
“May fortune favor you on your journey.”
As the departing figure of Lucian faded away, Lee Hwan stood in the same spot until he completely vanished.
The sound of the castle gate opening echoed. Lucian had left. It was only then that Lee Hwan lifted his feet. Entering the castle, he wiped his lips, ensuring not even the traces of dried saliva remained, repeatedly.
Even if the image of his beloved did not pass over the mask, the feelings did not easily fade away. Lee Hwan trod on each step as if to prevent the resurrection of embracing emotions. The corpse of love clung to his heels, leaving long bloody imprints. Lee Hwan did not look back at those traces.
The deserted courtyard was swept by the autumn wind. Dry leaves danced in the air with the dust. Over this, someone’s shadow loomed. Stepping on a broken pottery, shattered into pieces, that person gazed at the spot where Lee Hwan had just been standing.
The wind blew again. Silvery hair fluttered delicately, resembling fine silk threads.
***
How often will you be updating this?
Hello, just to let you know, I update this novel once a week, specifically on Saturdays. I’m kind of busy in RL, but I promise that once I have a vacation, I might update this twice or thrice a week 😄
okay, thank you!
So we can conclude the dragon make the time go back to save our MC, and what a Fdp this Prince is! Showing up to snare him!