Inas’s lips pressed against Nigel’s. The kiss deepened, slowly but surely. Nigel tried to push him away, but that effort ended as just that—an attempt. His trembling hand dropped limply to his side. Just the sensation of touching Inas was enough to send a wave of euphoria through him.
Inas pulled back from Nigel. Panting slightly, Nigel stared at him.
“Inas…”
That calm, unruffled face gave no sign that any part of his body was rotting away.
Only then did Nigel truly realize that Inas was a mage so powerful, he made Arthal Ryubal—the grand mage of the royal court—look pathetic. No magical vow could hold sway over him. Meaning, it had been a pointless worry from the beginning.
“…Next time, use words. Words, Inas.”
Flushed red, Nigel wiped his lips and snapped at him. Inas simply nodded with a smile.
“You understood even with just that?”
“…Why? Was it weird?”
“Normally, when someone touches someone else, it goes further than that.”
With an utterly innocent tone, Inas slipped his hand under Nigel’s clothes. Nigel yelped and recoiled.
“That’s already indecent enough… Wait, are you saying if you go further, the curse really kicks in?!”
“No. I’ve mastered curse resistance too.”
Then don’t add unnecessary details! Clearly, Inas found Nigel’s reactions entertaining. Nigel scowled and punched him. Predictably, only his own fist throbbed.
“Don’t mess with me.”
“Understood.”
“…”
“As for the question you asked earlier…”
Inas paused and looked at him.
The question from earlier? It took Nigel a moment to remember the impulsive question he had thrown out. Maybe… he’d rather not hear the answer after all.
That abyssal gaze seemed to trace back through a past unknown to Nigel. A past that no longer existed—something distant and unreachable. Before he could say you don’t have to answer, Inas spoke.
“Nigel.”
“…Yeah?”
“I love you.”
With those words, the fear inside him dissolved.
“You have no idea how much I love you. For a very, very long time. So long you couldn’t even begin to grasp it…”
His voice, low and soft like a bedtime story, told of time. Time so old it could be mistaken for myth. Perhaps it was even longer than the tales that began with once upon a time. From that unreachable past, Inas had loved him.
What kind of love could be built up over such a span?
The sheer magnitude of it made Nigel’s heart flutter helplessly. Any lingering doubts or anxiety melted away, leaving only an overwhelming rush of love for Inas. He wanted to freeze this moment forever.
Nigel’s porcelain-pale cheeks flushed crimson, and his pupils sparkled with a dazed, blissful light. Inas gazed at him, utterly smitten.
“You’re beautiful, Nigel.”
“Don’t say weird things…”
“It’s the truth.”
Inas reached for the embarrassed Nigel. Letting himself be guided, Nigel collapsed softly onto the bed.
“You’re more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen. I can never look away. Of course, that’s not the only reason I love you…”
“Okay, okay, I get it. Inas, stop…”
“I love you. And I love you again. So deeply, even I don’t know how far it goes.”
His murmurs continued, and his hand caressed Nigel—slowly, sensually. Just as Nigel was about to be swept up in the moment, he managed to regain his senses and shoved Inas back.
“Inas! Th-this is Sir Schumacher’s house…”
Desperately protesting with a burning-red face, Nigel watched as Inas only gave a shameless shrug.
“It doesn’t bother me.”
“What?!”
Nigel recoiled at the sheer audacity of it. Inas chuckled, amused by his scandalized expression.
“Of course, if it’s for your sake, going to a proper bedroom would be better. Or would you prefer somewhere else?”
“No—wait—hold on…”
Nigel pressed a hand to his forehead. There was still something they had to take care of before returning.
“More importantly, Inas… Where did Sir Schumacher go?”
“I sent him elsewhere.”
Thankfully, he didn’t say I killed him. They’d planned to join forces with Schumacher. It would be pointless if he was dead. Sure, the whole plan had been shaky from the start and might’ve already collapsed, but there was no need to rack up more needless casualties. Even with time reset, killing someone still left a bad taste.
With a sigh that was equal parts relief and unease, Nigel pushed himself up from the bed.
“Alright, let’s bring Sir Schumacher here first. Then… we’ll head back. Got it?”
“…”
“…Inas?”
There was no immediate reply. A chill crawled up Nigel’s arms as dread washed over him. Inas rarely gave reassuring answers in moments like this. Nigel glanced sideways, unsure what to say.
“Inas… don’t tell me you killed him?”
“I didn’t kill him.”
That answer was… strange. Nigel had always assumed Inas wouldn’t hesitate to kill, even Schumacher. He hadn’t asked right away because he’d figured the man was probably dead anyway. Nigel hated unnecessary deaths, but if time reset successfully, Schumacher would come back regardless. Still—why was Inas being so evasive?
“Then what did you do?”
“…”
“Inas.”
Nigel stood tall, eyes locked on Inas. He wasn’t actually angry—but he had to make this clear, even if it meant pretending.
“Inas, tell me. Straight.”
“Nigel.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
True silence is rarely without weight. Usually, it holds secrets one can’t—or won’t—speak.
Nigel could accept that Inas killed people, knowing they’d come back after a reset. Even if one of them was Nigel himself.
But he couldn’t stand being lied to. If that bedrock trust was shaken, everything would begin to crumble. He wouldn’t know where to draw the line anymore—how far he could believe Inas. Even if Inas ever killed him, he’d still be trapped in doubt and torment.
“Inas. Let me make one thing clear.”
“Yes. Go on.”
“The thing that shocked me most after dying and waking up again… was finding out you’d lied to me. If the Character Info Window hadn’t shown up, I still wouldn’t know you could use magic. And every time you left, I’d keep worrying if you’d die.”
“Nigel, that’s…”
“I know. You think I didn’t understand back then. And I get that. I’m not angry about that anymore. But now—I can understand.”
Nigel took a deep breath.
“So tell me everything now. No more lies. No more secrets. Show me everything, Inas. Tell me anything. Got it?”
He wondered if he’d hurt Inas’s feelings with that forceful tone—but surprisingly, Inas’s eyes lit up with a curious gleam.
“Everything?”
“Yeah. Everything.”
“Even the things you’re better off not knowing?”
“Yes.”
“Whatever you’re imagining… what I have to say will go beyond that. It might hurt you. Might even make you doubt yourself.”
Nigel hesitated. Inas wasn’t the type to exaggerate. He also understood Nigel all too well. Meaning—if Inas really did share everything, Nigel would be hurt, would begin to doubt himself.
But he didn’t waver for long.
“Tell me. I’ll handle the rest.”
He wasn’t speaking lightly. As head of the largest noble house in the kingdom, Nigel had been raised to take full responsibility for his words. Inas looked worried still, but didn’t argue—he simply nodded.
“Alright, Nigel. Alright.”
He stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Nigel’s waist, and effortlessly lifted him like a doll. Then he leaned in, kissing him from below. Their lips touched lightly, then parted. Inas smiled.
“I always wanted to show you everything. Because you love me, and I love you. I wanted to show you all of me someday. But I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. One day, I’ll tell you everything. Even the things you wish you didn’t know.”
His voice brimmed with emotion. What the hell was he hiding? A creeping unease and visceral revulsion stirred deep in Nigel’s gut. But he ignored the warning.
“Yeah. Tell me.”
If it was something Inas wanted to say—Nigel wanted to hear it.
***
Everything was pitch black. Thanks to the moonlight above, it wasn’t total darkness. But even without looking, the salty wind told him exactly where they were.
The sea.
They were supposed to be looking for Schumacher, but Nigel couldn’t feel the ground under his feet. He instinctively reached out for Inas. He knew it was magic holding him up, but the sensation of floating made him uneasy. Inas wrapped an arm firmly around his waist.
“Schumacher should be around here.”
Inas muttered a spell, and their surroundings lit up in an instant. Nigel scanned the area. The ocean was jet black and looked frighteningly deep. No land in sight—just open sea. No way anyone could survive here.
A shiver ran through him, a certainty gnawing at his gut. Inas must’ve noticed—he cast another spell to warm the air. A gentle hand patted Nigel’s back. But the chill clinging to him refused to lift.
“There he is.”
Inas spoke without emotion.
And then something slowly rose from beneath the surface.
It was Schumacher, drenched and limp.
So this was what Inas meant by sending him elsewhere. He’d dumped him into the middle of the sea.
At this rate, killing him would’ve been kinder.
Thrown into the ocean without knowing why, Schumacher looked deathly pale and completely motionless.
“I-Is he dead?”
Just as Nigel recoiled in terror, Schumacher’s eyes snapped open.
