The distance between Nigel and Inas had started forming a long time ago.
There were already signs of discord the moment Nigel fled to the Academy as if running away, leaving Inas behind. They had so much left unsaid, but Nigel turned his back on all of it.
Inas, unable to accept the situation, broke his promise and used magic to chase after him to the Academy. Nigel had to coax and placate him with great effort just to send him back. He thought that was the end of it.
But a few days later, news came of the youngest person on the continent to manifest an Aura Blade. Naturally, it was about Inas.
He had broken their promise to limit his strength to someone of their own age. Then again, Nigel had also selfishly abandoned him. So when Inas returned via teleportation a few days later, Nigel could only smile silently. He had no grounds to stop him anymore.
Even after that—when Inas became a dominant force known across the continent, when he earned Ruder’s trust and secured the position of Duke, even when he stationed numerous people around Nigel—Nigel had plenty to say, but remained silent.
He was too busy to focus all his attention on Inas. He had to keep up with his Academy classes and assignments, all while making achievements as a Divine Messenger. There was barely enough time to breathe, so thoughts of Inas would soon fade.
Their relationship lingered in that strained state, both carrying small grudges.
But the rift between them became blatant after Nigel completed the Academy’s foundational curriculum and chose to specialize in spatial magic.
Inas came immediately upon hearing the news and was furious. At first, he demanded to know how long Nigel intended to stay at the Academy. Then he began criticizing Nigel’s choice of major.
Though spatial magic was his declared field, Nigel had no intention of delving deep into it. He just wanted to learn the basics of teleportation.
However, Inas hated the fact that Nigel showed any interest in crossing dimensions at all. Because Inas didn’t want Nigel to return to his original world.
“I want to see the world that exists after the ending—together with you.”
“I don’t care. I just want to go back to the world I came from.”
Even if he barely remembered anything about it, that was still the world where he had been born. Better that than living wrapped in the shell of Nigel Grau Montstein, burdened by guilt over his very existence.
The two stood on opposite ends of a fundamental divide. There was no coexistence to be had. Nigel clashed with Inas head-on.
Initially, he intended to stop after learning just enough for his purposes, but Inas’s stubbornness only fanned his competitive spirit. Determined to push back, Nigel stayed at the Academy longer than planned, pushing himself beyond his limits.
If Inas had truly wanted to, he could’ve crushed Nigel easily. But fortunately, he didn’t. Instead, he would just sneer and mock him.
“No matter how hard you try, I doubt you’ll ever master dimensional teleportation magic.”
“Why not just beg me instead? You might have a better shot that way.”
“I look forward to the day you give up and come crawling back.”
All irritating words, dripping with condescension.
There was a moment when Nigel thought of stripping Inas of his status as heir in anger, but it was already too late.
Inas had proven himself in a major battle, showing that he was more than qualified to be heir despite not being of Montstein blood. Moreover, the fact that he was unlikely to betray Nigel earned Ruder’s trust.
Ruder formally adopted Inas as his son. It was just for appearances, but that made Inas Nigel’s older brother.
Ruder no longer saw Inas as just a knight. He relied on him, trusted him. And Nigel couldn’t bear to destroy that. The guilt toward Ruder was simply too heavy.
It had been a year since Inas officially became Duke. This year marked the great battle in which monsters poured out of Intusnica.
Inas was handling the first of the major battles better than any Duke in history.
And so, seven years later, it was Inas—not Nigel—who had become deeply entrenched in the affairs of House Magnus.
Not Nigel, son of the former Duke who had relinquished his title after falling ill.
“Nigel.”
Inas called his name again, urging a response.
His body reeked of blood as he embraced Nigel. Their bodies were pressed together, so the blood and bodily fluids clinging to Inas smeared onto Nigel before he could even react.
Disgusted by the sensation, Nigel grimaced and forcefully pushed him away, lips tightly sealed.
But Inas didn’t back off. Instead, he caught Nigel’s wrist and pressed his lips deeper against Nigel’s body.
“Mm…!”
Inas’s smooth lips slid across Nigel’s skin. The ticklish sensation left behind a faint dampness and heat. When Nigel let out an involuntary gasp, Inas grew even more aggressive.
Having just stepped out of the bath, Nigel was wearing only a thin robe, which was easy for Inas’s large hands to slip under. Rough palms roamed his body, exploring lightly, while firm teeth grazed his skin.
“S-Stop it!”
Nigel shoved Inas away with all his strength.
This time, Inas stepped back not because of the push, but because of Nigel’s trembling voice. His hands, too, were faintly shaking.
“…Ah.”
Inas let out a low sigh and reached out.
A chill of magical energy brushed across Nigel’s skin. In the blink of an eye, all the blood and fluids clinging to both their bodies vanished.
“I rushed here when I heard you’d arrived, so I didn’t have time to clean up. I apologize.”
“……”
His tone implied that Nigel had only pushed him away because of the blood and grime.
Though dumbfounded, Nigel didn’t argue. Instead, he adjusted his disheveled robe. Still, the fact that his bare skin remained partially exposed annoyed him.
He wouldn’t have cared so much in the past.
“Nigel. Northern nights are still cold, and it’s easy to catch a cold. Especially since you’ve become accustomed to the milder central climate. You should dress more warmly.”
“Are you blaming me now?”
For showing up in front of a servant looking disheveled?
Nigel’s eyes flared, but Inas immediately shook his head.
“I wouldn’t dare. It was the servant’s fault for barging into your room, and mine for not managing them properly.”
Nigel recognized the pattern in Inas’s composed tone.
If Inas looked like he was about to kill someone but refused to blame Nigel at all—then it was obvious who his fury was aimed at.
“Don’t kill them.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t gouge out their eyes.”
“……”
Caught red-handed, Inas looked troubled for a second, then smiled softly.
“Understood. I’ll just expel them. We can’t allow someone who dares show disrespect to you to remain in the estate, after all.”
“Fine.”
Nigel didn’t intend to stop him beyond that. If Inas refused, Nigel would’ve stepped in himself.
How dare a mere servant act insolently toward a direct blood relative of House Magnus?
Well, not that there was anything real inside him anyway.
As Nigel buried the familiar bitter thought, Inas silently watched him. Then, without warning, he stepped forward and lifted Nigel into his arms.
It had happened often in the past, but not recently. So Nigel was startled.
“W-What are you doing?!”
“I’m sorry, Nigel. It was my failure for not managing my people properly. This won’t happen again.”
“……”
“And what I said earlier—I truly meant it as a warning out of concern. You must be tired from the sudden travel. If I’d arrived any later, you probably would’ve gone to sleep without drying your hair and caught a cold.”
“Why would that matter to you if I get sick—”
“Because Father would be worried.”
That calm use of the word “Father” left Nigel speechless.
Right. He was now Inas Idenbach Montstein.
As he rolled the jarring combination of words around in his mouth, Inas laid him down on the bed and reached for Nigel’s still-damp hair.
The touch sent chills down his spine, and Nigel flinched. Inas chuckled softly and kissed his forehead.
Magical energy flared from his fingertips and dried Nigel’s hair in an instant.
“You wouldn’t want to trouble Father, would you?”
“Sure. But did you really need to touch me to cast the spell?”
“That’s true, but…”
“If you’re done, take your hands off. And please don’t touch me inappropriately, Brother.”
The mocking tone made Inas’s eyes flicker.
His pitch-black eyes caught the light, shimmering eerily like sunlight breaking into a bottomless abyss.
Nigel stared blankly at the sudden surge of desire in Inas’s gaze.
Inas’s hand pressed down on Nigel’s shoulder. The distance between them disappeared in a blink as Inas’s shadow loomed over him.
His body heat seared through the thin robe.
Looking down at the tense, rigid Nigel, Inas sighed and backed away on his own.
“If you say things like that, it turns me on. Be careful.”
“……”
What the hell was that supposed to mean? Was calling him “Brother” a turn-on?
Nigel barely kept his eyes from drifting downward and frowned.
No matter how hard he thought about it, he just couldn’t understand.
And even as he stared in confusion, Inas remained calm. Or rather… patient, perhaps.
“Good night, Nigel.”
Inas whispered with such gentle affection, as if he truly were Nigel’s older brother, and kissed him on the forehead.
