# Chapter 53
Asher postponed meeting with Luke as much as possible. It took at least two weeks to erase the marks imprinted on his body, and during that period, Asher spent his time only at home, not venturing outside. More precisely, it was because the Duke’s surveillance had become even stricter. After all, the Duke was unaware that Asher had gone into heat. Looking at the calendar that had already changed to a new month, Asher took out the wishing stone he had kept in his drawer.
“It’s already March.”
Recently, he’d received a message from Narta, with whom he’d been exchanging letters, saying that he would visit the Blade Empire with Kan next week. Since Asher had been wondering how Narta was doing, he planned to check on the child’s condition that day and leave the empire immediately.
“At least if Kan is by my side, I can escape the Duke’s eyes and run away.”
While staring at the wishing stone, Asher discovered the document he had signed regarding Baron Varhan and the Crown Prince. At first, he had tried to think of various ways to destroy this document. But now, at the point of departure, he felt there was no need to destroy it. When the real one returned, the contract signed by himself as an impostor would have no effect, and he had tried to protect it initially because he didn’t want Luke to discover this contract.
With thoughtful eyes, Asher placed the rolled-up contract along with the wishing stone into the luggage bag he had prepared to take when leaving. Then, he confirmed that Aria’s letter was inside that bag.
“Right… there was a letter.”
Somehow, he hadn’t had the courage to read it, so he had just kept it in his bag. Aria’s death and the absence of the real Asher still remained within him like a sense of guilt. When he heard knocking, Asher hurriedly pushed the luggage bag back to its place and sat down.
“Young Master, it’s Toms.”
“Come in.”
No sooner had Asher’s words been heard than Toms entered the room. After the Jan incident, Asher had kept many people by his side, but in the end, he had dismissed them all and kept only Toms beside him. He had decided to trust the person by his side once more, and that was comfortable for Asher too.
“What is it?”
“I received word that the Grand Duke will arrive around lunchtime.”
“I wasn’t told anything about that.”
“In my opinion, I think His Grace the Duke deliberately called him here regarding the Young Master’s cycle.”
Seeing that the Duke was directly calling the Grand Duke here while not letting him go out of the house in case he might slip away elsewhere, it seemed the Duke was anxious about Asher’s heat not occurring. Asher let out a hollow laugh as he watched the Duke trying to match him with Luke by any means.
“Can’t be helped. Tell the servants to prepare.”
“Yes.”
Watching Toms hurriedly leave the room, Asher leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, seemingly anxious.
“Haah…”
In the current situation, what mattered was whether Luke remembered spending his rut with him. If he remembered, he would have contacted him first. But Luke wasn’t urgent despite the postponed meetings, and in the letters they exchanged, he didn’t bring up any mention of the villa.
“Maybe it’s fortunate that my pheromones have disappeared…”
If Luke did remember, Asher would have to silence him somehow. At the point of departure, if the Duke discovered that he had slept with Luke, he couldn’t guarantee what would happen. As if not wanting to think about it, Asher approached the mirror and adjusted his clothing.
The blue-colored clothes, as pale as his sky-like light eyes, softened Asher’s pale face. Asher lightly slapped his emaciated cheeks and forcefully drew a smile on his lips.
“It’s okay, I can do this well.”
He intended to smile calmly at Luke, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, without trembling. He hoped that Luke’s final memory of him would be as kind and gentle as possible. But his heart was beating wildly just at the thought of facing him.
The soullessly called name and Luke’s unfocused gaze still hadn’t been forgotten from his mind, but his heart was still fluttering just thinking about him. Asher placed his hand over his pounding chest and murmured softly.
“…I still… like him very much.”
He liked him so much that he didn’t want to leave, so much that regret kept holding his ankle back. But this too was his own greed. Asher recalled Braden’s resentful expression and waited for him to come.
*
As scheduled, the lunch between the Duke and Luke continued. Although there wasn’t much conversation at this meeting after a long time, the Duke guided Luke to Asher’s room as soon as the meal was finished. Even knowing it was an impolite action, Asher complied with the Duke’s wishes and led Luke to his room.
It was the first time someone who came as a guest visited his room. Since Luke hadn’t had such an opportunity either, he carefully scanned the room before sitting down in a reception chair placed in the center of the room.
“Have you been well?”
Asher wore the expression he had practiced in front of the mirror, with a gentle smile on his lips. But Luke, just like the day they first met, remained silent and just stared at Asher’s face.
“Is there something on my face?”
Seeing that Luke still had no answer, Asher pulled his lips further into a smile, with a joking tone in his voice. He had thought this action would elicit a response from him, but the more he did so, the more Luke’s expression seemed to harden.
“I heard you were unwell. Have you been at home all this time?”
“Yes, as you can see.”
If he had investigated, he would have known that Asher had been at home all along. The story of his visit to the villa was known only to Shaki and no one else. But Luke asked again with eyes that seemed even deeper in thought.
“Is that so? Then let me change the subject.”
“…”
“Where were you around the end of last month?”
Luke’s words were clearly the tone of someone who had conducted an investigation. But Asher smiled, pretending to be calm, and answered gently.
“I was at my second brother’s villa. I wanted to rest for a while.”
At Asher’s words, Luke’s eyes wavered slightly. He seemed as if he didn’t want to believe what Asher was saying. Since this meant he didn’t remember being at the villa with him, Asher bit his lip slightly as if bitter, then smiled brightly and said:
“I don’t know why you’re curious about that. Did something happen?”
Asher blinked his eyes and tilted his head as if he knew nothing. Then Luke avoided Asher’s gaze as if confused. Since this was the first time he had avoided his gaze so directly, Asher clenched his empty fist with a confident expression.
‘He really doesn’t remember.’
Perhaps this was the expected result. From the beginning, he hadn’t recognized him, and even if he had recognized him, he had only called Asher’s name with a soulless gaze. Still, it had been his first experience, and feeling somewhat wronged, Asher rose from his seat and headed to where the table was.
“I have something I’d like to return to Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
In response to Luke’s words, instead of answering, Asher brought out a small box he had prepared beforehand from the desk where he worked. It was the villa key that Luke had given to Asher.
“At first, I kept it because I had no choice, but now I don’t think I’ll need it anymore.”
“…Why are you returning this?”
“I told you. Because I don’t think I’ll need it anymore.”
At Asher’s resolute tone, Luke bit down on his molars as if grinding them, with a tired expression. It was a subtle change that wouldn’t be noticeable unless looked at closely.
“Have you never once visited the villa after receiving this key?”
“No.”
As if he had been waiting for this question, Asher answered after a three-second pause and pushed the box containing the key toward Luke. In response, Luke snickered as if in disbelief and asked while staring at Asher:
“What is the meaning of returning this?”
At the chilling tone that would make even listeners shudder, Asher hesitated briefly. Somehow, he even had the illusion that a gloomy, dark aura was emanating from Luke. Sure enough, Luke slightly raised one corner of his lips and answered in a measured voice:
“You sometimes drive me crazy.”
“…Pardon?”
“Fine. If you don’t need this key, I’ll take it. However.”
Luke stared at Asher with a gaze that seemed to have organized his thoughts. With an expression that was almost eerily intense, he briefly paused, then curved his lips gently with an expression full of possessiveness.
“You’ll have to properly face the consequences.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
