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“I want to kiss, make out, hug, and roll around on the bed…”
“…That’s.”
Like a child whining, Rohan listed the things he wanted to do in a small voice. Arpel hesitated, his eyes noticeably trembling. Facing those moist eyes, his words got stuck and his mind went blank.
In fact, if he had thought a little deeper, he would have realized that Rohan was joking. He tended to dislike being treated like a child.
So this was nothing more than a misunderstanding that Arpel, who had broken down at the sight of Rohan’s pitiful face, had started on his own. His hands, which couldn’t stay still and kept vaguely rising and falling in the air, seemed to show his bewildered heart.
We shouldn’t. We should sleep early to be less tired tomorrow. We’ve come a long way, so we need to rest well…
But the next moment, when Rohan bit his lip and lowered his eyes, the train of thought in Arpel’s mind was cut off. His gaze wavered as the lingering attachment hanging under Rohan’s eyelids shook his heart.
“…One hour only.”
In the end, what came out of Arpel’s mouth was a vague permission. Instinct had finally overcome reason.
At the same time, evident joy bloomed on Rohan’s face. His contained smile was still beautiful, cute, and dripping with affection that made the area around Arpel’s heart tickle. Seeing that, he even had the vague thought that everything would be alright.
A similar smile spread across Arpel’s face. He felt he could never win against that face. It would probably be the same in the future too. He could dare to predict the countless years lined up before him.
But Arpel should have known. That one hour easily becomes two hours, and two hours easily become three.
***
“…Aren’t you sleepy?”
“No, I’m fine.”
He asked while glancing at Rohan standing beside him, but the answer was consistent. Even when he narrowed his eyes to examine closely, Rohan still looked no different from usual.
The memory of last night flashed through his mind.
Perhaps it was because they had returned after a long time to the place that had once been a precious haven for them.
Rohan seemed particularly excited, and that enthusiasm was clearly evident in his touch. What started as a fresh kiss quickly deepened and became more intense.
Swept up in the persistent movements and buried under the immense affection pouring down from him. In the end, at some point, Arpel also responded actively, and from then on, as if magic had been cast, time began to flow incomprehensibly fast.
Arpel quietly raised his hand and rubbed his lips. Kissing, hugging each other and lying on the bed exchanging light conversation, and then at some point, passionately kissing as if they would devour each other…
His ears turned a faint red as he inadvertently recalled the process in detail. It felt like the sensation from that time still remained on his lips. An emotion that could be either shyness or deep satisfaction stirred his feelings.
But there was something that captured Arpel’s attention even more.
“Why…”
“Yes?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Rohan seemed to have become even more lively despite not having slept properly. Arpel’s face was filled with questions as he couldn’t find the reason.
Surely, because their dalliance had gone on longer than intended, he must have slept less than usual, but contrary to his worries, Rohan seemed fine. He stared intently at the still glossy milky skin before averting his eyes.
Whatever the reason, it was a good thing for Arpel that Rohan seemed to be in good condition. If Rohan had been droopy when he woke up in the morning, Arpel would have deeply regretted his actions from last night, not only failing to stop but completely giving in.
“It’s quite noisy outside.”
“They said a guest was coming.”
After tilting his head for a moment, Rohan looked out the wide-open window. The cool breeze gently seeping in, the rustling bushes, and occasional bird chirps. A faint murmur mixed with this otherwise peaceful scene.
“…”
As the noise continued, Rohan’s face gradually hardened. Arpel couldn’t help but read the displeasure settling over it.
He quietly reached out and stroked Rohan’s cheek as if to soothe him. It wasn’t hard to guess why Rohan was feeling displeased. According to Dionel, today’s visitor to the temple was…
“Should we not go?”
The captain of the Imperial First Knight Order.
Despite losing his closest aide with Oscar’s death, the Emperor had turned that crisis into an opportunity. He pretended that the worst crisis had befallen the empire and incited the people. Voices calling for cooperation between the imperial family and the temple grew louder day by day.
The result was the knight captain visiting the temple today. The temple, maintained by the faith of countless people, couldn’t ignore the unified voice of the citizens.
Rohan already hated the Emperor and the imperial family. He couldn’t possibly feel welcome towards the Emperor who had finally pushed his influence into the temple, or the knight captain who would surely follow him.
That’s why he asked. Even though Rohan’s reputation might suffer if he really did it, Arpel didn’t want to see him struggling even more.
“No. We should go.”
But Rohan shook his head. His expression, which had become calm in a short moment, seemed to be imagining the upcoming meeting with the knight captain.
How admirable. Arpel’s hand, which had been touching Rohan’s cheek, slowly moved up to brush his light brown hair. Each strand beautifully sparkled through his fingers as warm sunlight fell on it.
Arpel didn’t know. The fact that soon, that mature expression would crumble.
***
“Hello. I am Raphon.”
Raphon Crum, captain of the Imperial First Knight Order. His first greeting left a good impression on many of the priests.
“I hear that priests discard their family names when entering the temple, with the mindset of serving the god for life. Although I am a person of the imperial family, I wanted to emulate your dedicated mindset while I’m here.”
His tone filled with respect for the other party, and his attitude of understanding and personally practicing the temple’s culture. Perhaps because of this, quite a few of the ordinary priests who didn’t know the background viewed Raphon positively.
Among the priests, there were also nobles, but their number was extremely small. Even if there were, most were nobles of low rank. It was natural. High-ranking nobles reigning at the top of the empire wouldn’t give up their family names and abundant lives to shut themselves in the temple.
Owen was a very unusual case. This was why those who knew his former status openly treated him as eccentric.
Therefore, most of the priests were commoners, and some nobles who knew this fact often looked down on the ordinary priests who were neither high-ranking nor noble. But Raphon, who came directly on the Emperor’s orders, did not do so.
As the captain of the First Knight Order, he was surely a high-ranking noble. Yet Raphon bowed his head to the ordinary priests without hesitation and followed the temple’s culture. Saying that at least while he was here, he wished they wouldn’t mind his status.
“He seems better than I thought.”
“I know, right? Did you see him bowing earlier? I was so surprised I almost fell over. If we hadn’t stopped him, he might have hit his head on the ground.”
“If he’s like this, wouldn’t it be okay for him to stay at the temple?”
Even people who didn’t have very good thoughts about nobles and the imperial family gradually warmed to Raphon. Public opinion among the ordinary priests leaned to one side. It reached the point where it was useless for the high-ranking priests to indirectly tell them not to act too friendly.
Although this only applied to the ordinary priests, as in any society, there were many more ordinary priests than high-ranking ones in the temple. Ordinary priests couldn’t lead the temple, but they were beings who knew how to lead the atmosphere within the temple.
“Cunning bastard.”
In an instant, the temple’s atmosphere turned favorable towards Raphon. Owen, who had been quietly observing this spectacle, rarely mixed in swear words as he made a scathing evaluation of Raphon.
Only a few priests who knew about the dirty tricks the Emperor had been playing were wary of Raphon. Even then, they couldn’t show it because he had come under the guise of an envoy for cooperation.
And among them, the person who hated Raphon the most was…
“Hello, Mr. Rohan. Mr. Arpel.”
“Yes.”
“…”
“I’ll be going if you have no business.”
None other than Rohan.
Their relationship went wrong from their first meeting. As long as the alias “Blessed by the God” was attached to Rohan’s name, he had to give a moment to talk with Raphon. It seemed like they would have a three-way conversation with Dionel in between, but then…
‘Perhaps you didn’t bring the sword?’
Raphon, who had discreetly looked Rohan up and down, suddenly brought that up. Rohan barely suppressed the urge to furrow his brow as he answered.
‘You seem to have a lot of interest in me.’
‘I can’t help but be interested. After all, you’re a person who received the blessing bestowed by the Demon God. I respect you very much as well.’
Listening to the voice that was smooth as if oiled, Rohan was certain. This guy is a snake. He smiles amiably and acts kindly, but his insides are utterly cunning. His skill in pointedly asking about the sword’s whereabouts and then wrapping it up by saying he respects Rohan was also like that.
‘Ah, perhaps that person isn’t here?’
‘That person?’
‘Yes. You see, I’m fond of heroic tales… I’ve heard rumors about Mr. Rohan from here and there. There was a story that you always travel with one priest. I’m embarrassed, but I became curious if the rumor was true.’
It was the same with his behavior of immediately making Arpel the topic of conversation as soon as he finished the subject of the sword. Rohan, who had been listening quietly, twisted one corner of his mouth upward.
At that moment, he realized. This guy knows that Arpel is his sword.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
