Chapter 230
After returning to the barracks and examining Luwen’s wounds, warm water was delivered first. Clean clothes to change into came with it too. I didn’t even ask for this, but I’m grateful.
“Come here. It’s not good if water touches your wounds.”
I sacrificed one towel, soaking it thoroughly with warm water.
“I cannot have Fei wait on me.”
“It’s not waiting on you. I’m taking care of you as your lover.”
“I can do it myself.”
When will he naturally accept my goodwill? We’ve become comfortable enough to call each other by name, but is this kind of thing still uncomfortable? But I can’t give in on this either. If done wrong, the wounds could get infected.
“…When I’m hurt, Luwen takes care of me. I want to do the same, but I can’t? Is it very uncomfortable?”
“It’s, it’s not that.”
Flustered, Luwen hesitated and wavered in his words.
“If there’s something uncomfortable, tell me.”
“It’s… not that Fei is uncomfortable… it’s my situation…”
Luwen subtly lowered his eyes. Following his gaze, I realized what was uncomfortable. An involuntary laugh escaped at his embarrassingly honest physical reaction.
“Ugh. Please don’t laugh.”
“Hey, I didn’t do anything, so why is it like that down there?”
The bulging curve was blatant.
“From imagining…”
Luwen, who seemed to want to hide as he fled into the bathtub, covering his face with one hand while groaning, was just adorable. On one hand, I became curious about what kind of imagination he had.
“What were you thinking about?”
“…Imagining Fei washing me.”
“Huh? From that?”
Isn’t that too mild? He could have used more perverted imagination.
“You’re always stimulating to me. So I’ll do it alone.”
“The location is a bit awkward, but… I don’t mind.”
Ethan might be perking up his ears, but well, I didn’t particularly care if he heard. After all, he’s not someone I’ll meet again after we part ways. It would actually be better to report that we spent some lovey-dovey time as lovers.
‘It’s much better than being suspicious for no reason and being forcibly separated from Luwen again.’
However, Luwen was quite stubborn.
“It won’t do. Right now is when you need to conserve your strength, and there are listening ears.”
“I know. But I said I don’t mind.”
“You want me to let them hear Fei’s voice? Absolutely not.”
Luwen frowned and became serious. If he dislikes it that much, there doesn’t seem to be a need to insist stubbornly.
“Then, since water shouldn’t touch your wounds, I’ll just help with your back. After that… maybe just helping you get off?”
It was a bit embarrassing to say this while completely sober, but I pretended it was nothing. The feeling that my ears were getting hot must be my imagination, just my imagination.
“Get off…”
Luwen’s face was completely flushed as he started to repeat my words then closed his mouth.
“…that too, won’t do. I’ll just ask for help with my back.”
The answer was extremely delayed. Did his reason win after fighting with his inner self?
“Puhehe.”
“Are you teasing me?”
Luwen’s expression looked so aggrieved and lovely that I burst into even bigger laughter.
“I wasn’t teasing. I was serious. But Luwen’s reaction was so cute that I couldn’t help myself.”
I moved to behind the now-docile Luwen and carefully wiped him down with the towel. Every time my hand touched him, I could feel subtle flinching. Since he was reacting to everything like this, I really wanted to tease him, so I bent my upper body close enough to touch Luwen.
“I’ll do it with my mouth. Then you won’t hear my voice, right?”
“Fei… if you’re planning to test my patience, you’d better stop.”
“You can throw away that kind of patience.”
*Crack*- The edge of the wooden bathtub crumbled in Luwen’s hand.
‘Oh, what a surprise.’
I never expected him to break the bathtub, so I froze in shock, but Luwen just took deep breaths without saying anything. Normally he would have apologized and looked after me…
‘Is he, is he angry?’
I started with the intention to tease, but if Luwen wanted it, I really was going to do it. That’s why I provoked him so much…
“Sorry. Are you angry?”
“*Sigh*, no. It was hard to endure, so I unconsciously put strength into my hands.”
“I’ll really do it for you. I’ll-“
“Fei.”
*Splash*- Luwen stood up with the sound of water. I found myself staring blankly, mesmerized by the water droplets flowing down his smoothly sculpted muscles.
“Fei.”
Only after he called me again did I belatedly respond and raise my gaze.
“Uh, yeah?”
“It’s inconvenient right now, but when we return, I’ll squeeze out every last drop, so be prepared.”
Whose… whose will he squeeze out? Mine, mine is always like that anyway… Then, so that means. Therefore. Lu, Luwen’s?
“So please leave for now.”
Luwen, who had gotten out of the bathtub, pushed me out. Driven outside the screen, I stood there blankly, unable to come to my senses. Along with the thought that I had made a mistake, anticipation arose and heat rushed to my face.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
While I was rubbing my face with the wet towel, I heard that breakfast had been brought, so I hastily responded.
“Come in.”
Even though it was dawn, a proper meal was prepared. There was even meat. I hadn’t expected such an elaborate meal to be served. When the 3rd Prince ordered it, I naturally accepted and ate, but this time it’s Ethan and the time is very early too.
‘Did the 3rd Prince give instructions?’
Since his actions aren’t consistent, I can’t guess his intentions. When did he hold a knife to my throat, when does he act like a friend, he desperately tried to separate Luwen and me, and now he’s keeping us together again.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve met someone this unpredictable.’
Thanks to my thoughts drifting to the 3rd Prince, I regained my composure and tried to continue thinking calmly, but…
‘Is he doing that on purpose?’
Luwen came out from behind the screen completely naked. Even when I try to turn my head, my eyes keep going there, which is troublesome. His leisurely movements as he dried off the moisture felt very seductive and lewd.
Because of that, Luwen’s words about being prepared completely occupied my mind and made it turbid. My memory of how I applied medicine and ate breakfast is hazy.
‘This isn’t the time to be leisurely like this.’
I tried to force out the words circling in my head and explain the escape plan to Luwen. But he already knew. He heard it from the leader when I had fallen asleep as if I had fainted.
So I told him the story he didn’t know. About Tuaso’s internal situation.
“…So we need to capture Tuaso’s imperial palace. We need to verify the facts, and since we don’t know how he might betray us, this time we’re going to kidnap the 3rd Prince.”
“Do we really need to take that guy?”
Perhaps because he was betrayed, he doesn’t seem very willing.
“He’s still the only hope who can end the war. Since he’s a human who might run anywhere, we’ll take him and send him to my sister. Then His Highness the Crown Prince will handle it.”
“There’s another way to end the war.”
“What is it?”
There’s a way to end it quickly even without the 3rd Prince?
“We can win.”
“…No, I know that too.”
He obviously knows my intention, so why is he doing this?
“We just need to cut off the heads of the enemy nation’s leaders. Without commanders, the troops become a rabble, so we can induce surrender.”
“I know that too. But that method takes a long time. Many people will die in the meantime.”
“If I move directly, we can end it quickly.”
“I know you don’t like the 3rd Prince, but…”
As I was trying to persuade Luwen, he brought his index finger to his lips. It was a signal that someone was coming, so I immediately shut my mouth.
“Fei. Can I come in?”
It was the 3rd Prince. Is he a ghost? Look how he appeared like a ghost just when we were talking about him.
“Come in.”
I actually wanted to refuse, but I didn’t want to offend him for no reason and be separated from Luwen again, so I had no choice but to allow it.
I greeted the 3rd Prince with a forced friendly smile. But when he saw my face, he became dejected. I couldn’t just ignore his obvious display of depression, so I swallowed a sigh and spoke to him.
“Is something wrong?”
“…I came to apologize.”
“For what?”
“For betraying you… I thought if I took you to Tuaso, you would forgive me. If I ended the war. If I became emperor… then I could hold onto you.”
What kind of absurd talk is this now? Really, he’s a person whose actions I can’t predict at all.
I hate unpredictable humans. It’s unpleasant when they come at me from directions I can’t prepare for.
“Why are you suddenly apologizing?”
“I, I you…”
The 3rd Prince, who had lowered his head, gripped his pants tightly. From the tension that was fully conveyed, I came to an absurd realization.
‘Does this bastard like me?’
If the source of the incomprehensible favor and goodwill came from such feelings, it makes sense. I don’t know why such ridiculous feelings arose though.
“There’s no need to listen.”
Luwen moved me behind him. He wouldn’t take such protective action unless it was an opponent threatening me. From his attitude different from usual, I knew that he too had grasped the 3rd Prince’s feelings.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
