The brand had been quietly spreading by word of mouth among the nobility, known for selling all kinds of items that aided in an enjoyable night life.
There were no public stores or official distributors. It was said to be a brand so exclusive that only regulars who used the products could trade them discreetly—something so rare it was nearly impossible to get your hands on. Since Banteon never had a reason to seek it out, this was the first time he’d ever seen one in person.
‘They really do sell all sorts of things.’
At first, when he’d heard the brand described, he simply assumed it was for desperate men interested in peculiar things. But now that he saw the crimson glow with his own eyes, he realized this wasn’t just some ordinary drug. There was something distinctly unusual about its aura, enough to live up to the rumors.
Of all the gifts he’d received, this one was by far the most intriguing. Unlike the others, Banteon discreetly stashed it near the bed, flipping it over to hide the logo before tucking it into a corner. There wasn’t even a manual inside the box.
“Is that all for today’s gifts?”
He nodded in satisfaction as he looked around the mostly tidy room. Although he still handled the upkeep himself, if this situation continued much longer, he might have to hire additional help.
Shaking his head, Banteon shrugged on his jacket.
***
From a distance, a brown, fluffy mop of hair came bouncing toward him—Keslan was running over.
“Teacher!”
If he had a tail, it would be wagging with excitement. Come to think of it, Banteon often bumped into Keslan without needing to set an appointment.
“What brings you here?”
“Ah! My room’s that way. I saw you out on a walk and ran over!”
He pointed to one of the Espers’ dorms located a fair distance away. Although there were no major obstacles or buildings blocking the view between Banteon’s usual walking path and the dorms, it still wasn’t close enough to easily spot someone. He sometimes forgot, but Keslan really did live up to his status as an A-rank Esper.
Eyes sparkling, Keslan asked Banteon,
“I heard the news—he caused a scene, didn’t he?”
There were too many people around to answer that casually. At the mention of “incident,” Banteon could feel ears perking up all around. With a polite smile, he tilted his head toward Keslan. Let’s go somewhere quieter.
Keslan picked up on the signal instantly, nodding hard enough to make his hair sway.
The two of them walked down the corridor, looking for all the world like a normal teacher and student pair. Even so, they could feel the sting of curious gazes trailing them. Everyone must have heard the rumors about Delroz.
People were intrigued—what sort of relationship did Banteon have with Delroz that they met secretly in the middle of the night? What had happened to trigger the emergency alert?
“This is intense.”
Keslan mumbled under his breath from a step behind Banteon, unaccustomed to such scrutiny.
“Does it bother you?”
“I’m fine! Honestly, I’m just happy to be with you.”
Such a sweet response made Banteon smile fondly.
Unless one had lived a life under constant attention like Banteon, or was an unrepentant menace like Delroz who didn’t care who watched, it would be hard not to be affected by this kind of atmosphere. Though clearly a little awkward, Keslan resolutely kept his place beside Banteon.
“Should we go to my study?”
Finding a quiet place in this environment would be difficult. The area was full of Espers—no matter where they went, someone’s ears would be tuned in. His own study, equipped with sound-blocking measures, was the safest option.
Keslan beamed at the suggestion. The surrounding gazes sharpened even more. With attention already at its peak lately, this would no doubt be the next rumor circulating around the Center. By tomorrow, a new round of gossip would likely begin.
They’d probably speculate endlessly about how Banteon rejected Delroz only to get close to a young A-rank Esper. Still, he didn’t care. It would be noisy for a while, and then pass.
Once Delroz’s symptoms ended, everything would return to normal. They weren’t official partners, just temporarily matched, so things would wrap up quickly.
The current media frenzy was just a spike in interest. In time, no one would bat an eye if either of them ended up with someone new.
As soon as they arrived and closed the door to the study, Keslan rushed forward and clung to Banteon’s arm.
“Teacher, what happened? That bastard didn’t rough you up, did he?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Granted, he had barged in during the night and buried his face in Banteon’s. The memory still left a tingling sensation where cheeks and neck had touched. But there was no need to make things complicated by telling Keslan all that.
Even though Banteon brushed it off like it was nothing, Keslan’s expression remained filled with concern.
A small boy barely reaching Banteon’s shoulder, looking so worried—it reminded him of a little guard dog trying to protect its master. It was almost adorable. Making up for what he’d held back in the hallway, Banteon vigorously ruffled Keslan’s hair.
“That tickles.”
As Keslan grinned brightly, a conversation from before flickered through Banteon’s mind.
“Keslan. You once said Delroz broke your bones, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. I still think he did it on purpose.”
Back then, Banteon had assumed it was just Keslan’s imagination—a misunderstanding. But maybe not. Delroz might have already been suffering from Guide Awareness Syndrome at the time, and even then, Banteon had been the only one capable of guiding him.
That beast of a man may have instinctively sensed a threat in Keslan.
If that was the case, then there was a high chance that after being released from solitary confinement, Delroz would once again threaten Keslan. Come to think of it, this whole incident had started with Keslan. Hadn’t Delroz barged in during the night purely because they’d spent time alone together?
“Keslan.”
“Yes?”
“If Delroz does something similar again after he’s out of solitary…”
“It’s okay.”
Before Banteon could even finish his sentence, Keslan smiled brightly. He already seemed to understand exactly what Banteon meant.
“That ignorant brute will definitely try to keep me in check.”
“Wouldn’t that be dangerous? Maybe it’s better if you kept some distance from me, even now.”
“It’s fine. If I get hurt, you’ll worry about me, right?”
Banteon hadn’t said that as a light warning. Keslan had already been injured badly once—his bones broken. Yet he smiled with the same clear, unbothered face.
“I don’t mind getting hurt, as long as I can stay by your side.”
“Hmm…”
If he said it like that, there was no forcing him to back off. It would only come off as a rejection rather than concern. Banteon looked at the boy seated across from him.
“Still, if Delroz threatens you again, contact me immediately through your terminal.”
“I don’t know your terminal code, though.”
Apparently, Banteon had never even shared his code with him. He was honestly impressed by his own neglect. It had been over a year since he’d begun meeting Keslan privately, and now that he thought about it, he didn’t even know where Keslan’s dorm was.
“Give me your terminal. I’ll add mine.”
“Really?”
“If anything dangerous happens, call me right away.”
“Hehe.”
While Banteon took Keslan’s device and entered his code, Keslan blushed and smiled shyly.
“Guess I’m lucky today.”
“Do you need anything else? If it’s reasonable, I’ll grant it.”
It was a question Banteon wouldn’t normally ask—something he’d never say to anyone else. But he thought he could at least offer this small gesture to Keslan, who had once gotten injured just for being associated with him.
Caught off guard, Keslan’s eyes went wide. He hesitated, then cautiously glanced up, trying to gauge whether it was okay to say what he wanted. Finally, he spoke up, voice tentative.
“Then… maybe…”
“Go ahead, say it.”
“Would you go on a date with me outside the Center?”
His hand paused at the words “a date, just the two of us.” It was a request that might draw attention, and he remained quiet. As Banteon’s silence stretched, Keslan waved his hands in a panic.
“It’s okay if you say no! It was just something that popped into my head…”
“…Well, maybe it’s not such a bad idea.”
“Huh?”
Keslan’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
Keslan wouldn’t be a bad match. He was adorable, perceptive, and—most importantly—knew his place. He wouldn’t do anything to cross a line.
Besides, Banteon was starting to get irritated by the unpleasant rumors tying him to Delroz. Maybe now was the time to make it clear what his actual type was.
“Uh… So, is that a yes?”
Keslan’s eyes sparkled. Those eyes had always seemed to shine, but now it felt like they were practically pouring out light.
“Yeah. I don’t know if it’ll be the kind of date you’re hoping for, though.”
“Of course it will be! I’ll love anything! I’ll plan everything—the course, the schedule, everything!”
“Then I’ll look forward to it.”
“Yay!”
As soon as Banteon agreed, Keslan jumped up from his seat, flustered as he opened the study door. He bowed deeply before disappearing. Banteon let out a soft chuckle.
It was the first time Keslan had ever excused himself before being dismissed. This is why younger lovers can be fun. Banteon leaned back in his chair with a relaxed sigh.
***
“Enjoying some rest?”
Instructor Sodel approached Banteon with a smile. He was sitting leisurely on a bench, but as soon as she spoke, he quickly slipped into a more formal, public expression.
“It’s been a while.”
“I’ve been meaning to thank you for taking over my class. Sorry it took so long.”
“Not at all. I was the one who was away.”
After that substitute class, Banteon had run off to join the Subjugation Squad the moment he ran into Delroz. Since Instructor Sodel had returned to the Center afterward, they hadn’t crossed paths until now. Even after she came back, she hadn’t had any classes, so they hadn’t had a chance to meet.
