However, the moment he caught the falling Banteon, he knew for certain. From the tips of his fingers, every nerve cell in his body moved toward him. He was simply frustrated that, startled by the unfamiliar sensation, he hadn’t been able to fully shield Banteon as he fell.
As they left the cave and made their way back to the village, Delroz had only one thought running through his mind. ‘I want to touch him more. I want to be closer to him.’ Clinging to that desire, he clumsily made excuses like a child, trying to carry or hold him any chance he could.
Even knowing Banteon was a man he hadn’t wanted to touch before, it was difficult to control his body’s instinctive reaction.
It was, by his own judgment, an utterly pathetic thing to do.
Beyond the fully open door, Banteon lay asleep on the bed.
He was surrounded by lavish tapestries and luxury bedding that seemed out of place on a military airship.
Yet even amid that opulence, Banteon’s presence didn’t fade. He looked more precious than any decoration, like someone born atop gold. When he first saw him, Delroz had scoffed inwardly, thinking all men looked more or less the same, but now he couldn’t look away.
Silently, he gazed down at Banteon lying straight under the blanket. If it weren’t for the gentle rise and fall of his chest, he could have been mistaken for dead.
“Ah, he must be exhausted. Shall I wake him?”
Delroz raised an arm to block the approaching Sotenru.
“But you need to be guided—”
“Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
Receiving Delroz’s gaze, Sotenru quickly bowed his head and stepped back. There was no need to wake Banteon just because he had exerted that little bit of strength. With that silent dismissal, Sotenru was cast out, leaving only the two of them in this private chamber.
There was no need for the hassle of waking someone up just to guide. Simply being quietly by his side was enough.
Delroz sat quietly beside the bed where Banteon lay. He stared intently at Banteon’s sleeping face. The flutter of his eyelashes, the subtle creases in his slightly parted lips. He looked as if he didn’t want to miss even the tiniest sign of life.
No matter how he looked at him, Banteon had the features of a man. Certainly, he had a beautiful face, but not with lines delicate enough to be mistaken for a woman.
When he saw Banteon’s pale feet sticking out from under the blanket, Delroz gently pulled it up to cover them.
Banteon had once claimed not to be a light sleeper, yet when he was truly out, not even being carried away would wake him. Even when his temperature rose high enough to burn Delroz’s hand, he wouldn’t stir. Though he knew Banteon’s ankle had nearly healed, Delroz had still done the foolish thing of pacing back and forth in front of his hotel room, worried he might spike a fever.
“…Mm.”
Perhaps sensing a presence, Banteon stirred with a faint groan. His fingers moved slightly, slipping out from under the blanket. Delroz hesitated, then placed his hand over Banteon’s fingertips. The momentary touch awakened a growing desire, and before he realized it, his palm was completely enveloping Banteon’s pale hand.
He could feel Banteon’s pulse through their joined hands. Delroz counted each beat silently and closed his eyes. Feeling the steady rhythm, the corners of his mouth lifted on their own.
“…Good.”
Delroz was surprised at the words that had left his own mouth and opened his eyes. What had he just said? Had he really voiced his satisfaction over something as small as holding a hand?
He stared at their joined hands, then at Banteon’s face in turn. Yes. It wasn’t just in his head.
It felt as though time had stopped. Right now, this moment was enough. Without doing anything, simply existing in the same space, touching—just that filled him with an indescribable feeling.
“…I like this.”
Once again, he spoke his heart aloud. His own voice in his ears sounded genuinely happy.
***
[The airship will be landing shortly. All personnel, please remain in your designated zones. I repeat, the airship will be landing shortly. Please collect your belongings and wait in your assigned area.]
The voice over the speaker roused him.
When had he fallen asleep? Through the window, he could see the blue sky and clouds floating like cotton. The airship, which had been gliding smoothly without sensation, was now gradually slowing and descending.
When Banteon sat up, he saw a tea set before him. The fragrant black tea and soft desserts made for a refined spread.
Who had prepared this? Whoever it was, it deserved praise.
After washing up and adjusting his attire, the ever-tidy Banteon stood before the mirror. Satisfied with the long-lost sight, he finished his hair and put on his glasses.
Knock knock
“Bante, are you up?”
As expected, Tearot didn’t earn the nickname “watchman” for nothing. When the door opened, Tearot was already standing there, fully packed and ready.
“What about the monsters?”
“All done. Only the recovery team is left; the rest are heading back to the capital.”
Speaking casually, Tearot pointed to the window. Looking down, Banteon saw the familiar landscape of the capital—a massive fortress encircled by thick walls.
“We’re finally back.”
“Yeah. Feels like it’s been a while.”
“So, what happened with him? I was so curious I couldn’t sleep a wink.”
Banteon calmed the impatient Tearot.
“It’s a long story for now. I’ll tell you later.”
The airship that had been soaring through the skies was now gliding at a low altitude, rapidly sweeping past the buildings of the capital. Landing was imminent.
Tearot grumbled as usual about how Banteon kept putting off the story, but still led the way to the exit of the airship with practiced ease. As Banteon followed behind, the eyes of the people around them followed in turn.
When they reached the exit, Delroz was already standing there. He gave Banteon a quick glance, then looked at Tearot beside him and frowned.
As expected of his personality, Delroz wore his freshly issued uniform in a relaxed, half-unbuttoned manner that defied its crispness.
The massive craft touched down like a sliding feather. The red emergency light switched to green, signaling standby, and the squad members began preparing to disembark in order.
The first to step off was Sotenru, both the captain of the vessel and the commander of the operation. Following him, Delroz and Banteon walked out slowly together.
Banteon squinted against the blinding sunlight that momentarily obscured his vision. And there, as if summoned by a lie, an overwhelming crowd surrounded the perimeter of the landing site.
“Captain Delroz!”
Petern came running up, his ashen hair flaring behind him, panting for breath. While he fussed excitedly beside a clearly unamused Delroz, others who had been waiting from afar began to approach.
At the forefront stood the Center Director, stroking his white beard with a kind smile on his face.
“You’ve done well. Ho ho ho.”
“I can only apologize for the concern we’ve caused.”
“It was an unavoidable circumstance during the mission. What matters is that you’ve returned safely.”
The aging Center Director welcomed them with a gentle smile. He was a mental-type Esper with formidable abilities—an individual who had risen to his position through his own power, without the backing of a family. With eyes folded into crescent moons, he looked between Delroz and Banteon, his dull gaze gleaming with intent.
“I know you’re tired, but could you spare this old man a moment of your time?”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s head to the matching test room.”
You conniving old snake. Banteon cursed him inwardly, maintaining a smiling face. Normally, he was someone whose face was hard to catch even in the halls, but in moments like this, he’d stand right at the center of attention and drive in the wedge.
There was only one reason he’d bring up the matching test at this timing. He wanted to confirm their compatibility rate here and now, and manipulate the outcome so he could maintain control.
On top of that, by suggesting the test himself, he could claim credit for initiating it, justifying it as a proactive move from the Center Director. It was a blatant ploy, but in terms of public image, it carried significant influence. He’d no doubt be the one to announce the result to the public, too.
Sotenru had likely predicted this, which was why he had warned Banteon that the test would be unavoidable.
If even a field-oriented commander like Sotenru could sense the setup, it meant the Director was resorting to unusually shallow tactics. That meant he was desperate.
The Esrante family establishing ties with an SS-Rank Esper—just that sentence alone would be enough to put every schemer and opportunist on high alert. From now on, the number of people trying to get close to Banteon would likely double.
With every step toward the matching test room—one he had visited countless times before—countless eyes followed him. A mix of curiosity and suspicion buzzed in the air.
Fortunately, they reached the room before those stares could burn through Banteon’s back. The technician, who had been waiting in advance, efficiently began preparing the equipment.
“Then we’ll begin the test immediately.”
A network of wires stretched out between the two of them. Thin, elongated cords extended from the machine and connected to Banteon and Delroz—attaching to their heads, chests, arms, and legs.
Delroz, who hadn’t spoken a single word during the entire walk, turned his gaze to Banteon. What was he thinking? His unreadable eyes stared steadily at him.
“Activating now.”
The control panel of the machine lit up. The sound of the massive heat exchangers and ventilation fans filled the room with a deep hum.
After a long pause, a giant number appeared on the digital display of the matching test room.
***
He flung the newspaper onto the desk with irritation. Reading that infuriating article first thing in the morning had already ruined his mood. On the front page of the newspaper Banteon had thrown lay a massive, bold headline.
[A Match of the Century Achieved. The Union of an SS-Rank Esper and the Esrante Family. A Miraculous Matching Rate of 98.7%]
Bante Screwed 😅