RHH | Chapter 2.6

Absalom raised his eyes. Leehwan saw a firm resolve in them. Perhaps it could even be called greed. It stirred something in Leehwan.

“Who said you could decide that? Who do you think you are, deciding whether to stay or leave?”

“Use me.”

“I don’t need…”

“I’m quite useful. I have money, information, and above all, I can make anything you want happen. If you don’t trust me, I’ll even stake my name on it.”

Absalom spoke to Leehwan with a look and tone that seemed sincere. Stop it. Leehwan gritted his teeth. A question born of self-loathing whispered to him.

‘Think about what it means that Absalom was hurt by those words.’

Don’t fall for it. Leehwan twisted his lips.

“You can make anything happen? Then can you exterminate all the monsters? Of course, you’ll have to stake your name on it.”

It was a demand that Absalom, as a dragon, could never agree to. Leehwan prepared to mock Absalom’s hesitation or silence. But then Absalom smiled faintly and asked in return.

“Is that all you want?”

There was no hesitation. Leehwan’s expression hardened.

“Understood.”

Taking Leehwan’s silence as agreement, Absalom turned to leave. Leehwan reached out, but Absalom’s sleeve slipped through his fingers.

Leehwan quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed Absalom. When he turned him around, he saw fear in those deep blue eyes.

Absalom pulled his hand away. Leehwan grabbed him with his other hand.

“Let me go, Leehwan.”

His voice was almost pleading. Don’t fall for it. His tattered heart whispered in fear. But in the end, Leehwan asked.

“What are you, really?”

It was a question similar to the one Leehwan had asked Absalom just a day ago. As Absalom hesitated, Leehwan spoke again.

“Is that nothing to you? Is it that easy?”

A warm hand covered Leehwan’s. The same hand that had been trying to pull away just moments ago. Just as Leehwan was about to shake it off, a short answer came.

“Yes.”

He was the King of Monsters. That meant Absalom was also a monster. So now, he was declaring that he would kill his own kind and himself.

Was he serious? At some point, Leehwan found himself staring into Absalom’s eyes. The deep blue eyes were resolute. The faint light shimmering behind them—could it be hope?

“Why…”

Leehwan muttered unconsciously, then bit his lip. What was he hoping for by asking that? He sounded like someone who wanted to hear something specific.

‘That can’t be.’

Leehwan clenched his teeth. Hadn’t he been betrayed enough? His heart wavered at the slightest hint of possibility.

Just then, Absalom’s lips moved. Leehwan shook his head, not wanting to hear what he was about to say.

“Enou…”

“Because this is the path that will make you comfortable, Leehwan.”

The words were loaded with meaning. Leehwan looked at Absalom with confused eyes. If the meaning behind those words was what Leehwan thought, then Absalom was breaking down one of the many walls of lies between them.

“I knew. About Alexander, the Knight of Salvation. I knew and approached you.”

Leehwan swallowed dryly without realizing it.

“…Why?”

“I just… got curious. So I wanted to get to know you better.”

That’s the truth. Leehwan stared blankly at Absalom. Leehwan. The trembling red lips in front of him finally found him. Only then did Leehwan come to his senses and shake off Absalom’s hand.

What does it matter if it’s the truth? Did he plan to waver over something so incomplete now? Leehwan coldly chastised himself and glared at Absalom.

“You’re an idiot. Do you really think I want the extermination of monsters or something?”

Despair filled Absalom’s eyes. Leehwan returned to his bed. Absalom followed.

“Then what should I do? What do I need to do to stay with you?”

“What did you say earlier? That you wouldn’t leave me. That my feelings didn’t matter, so you apologized, right?”

Leehwan sneered and lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over his head. Absalom showed no reaction during this time. The last thing Leehwan saw was Absalom’s pale, wax-like face.

‘You might regret it.’

The whisper was faint and fleeting, like a spark about to go out. It grew within him, fueled by Absalom’s pale face and the memory of their encounter. In the end, Leehwan threw off the blanket.

Absalom was standing exactly where Leehwan had last seen him. It was an absurd comparison, but he looked like a child abandoned by its mother. The discomfort of taking out his anger on a child tormented Leehwan.

When Leehwan stood in front of Absalom, the trembling eyes turned to him. A lowly desire for revenge and hesitation clashed within him. In the end, the latter won.

“…Talking to you makes me feel like I’m a terrible person. So just go. Before I act even worse here.”

He had lived his whole life righteously, and had been forced to live that way. For Leehwan, emotional tyranny left a bitter aftertaste, no matter how justified it seemed.

Feeling a bit relieved after venting, Leehwan turned away. But then Absalom stepped closer. A long, firm arm reached out and pulled Leehwan into an embrace.

It happened in an instant. Leehwan, unable to comprehend the situation, stayed still for a moment. He only came to his senses when Absalom’s lips touched his cheek.

Absalom’s lips were cold, unlike his usual warm body temperature. A lukewarm breath followed. Leehwan, who had opened his mouth in anger, couldn’t say anything. Absalom’s lips were trembling.

The lips soon pulled away. Leehwan rubbed his cheek roughly and spoke in a low voice.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Even to his own ears, his tone was cold and emotionless. Absalom tightened his arms and spoke.

“It’s okay if you act badly.”

Once again, this time, his lips touched the nape of Leehwan’s neck. Leehwan punched Absalom’s thigh. It must have hurt, but Absalom didn’t make a sound.

“See? Even now, I’m the one doing wrong. So it’s okay for you to be angry. It’s not being bad—it’s justified anger.”

Leehwan looked down at the arms tightly crossed in front of his chest. Let go. When he spoke in a heavy voice, Absalom released him. It felt strange that something that hadn’t budged no matter how much he struggled now moved at a single word.

Leehwan turned to look at Absalom. He was making a face like he was holding something back. Yet, Leehwan could see the misery hidden behind Absalom’s eyes.

Every time Absalom made that face, an illusion was born. The problem was that Leehwan wanted to believe that illusion was hope. He grabbed Absalom by the collar and pulled him close.

Absalom’s silver hair swayed like a veil with the rough movement. A cool scent enveloped Leehwan. He stared at Absalom for a while before finally speaking.

“I won’t trust you.”

“Okay.”

“I might hate you and torment you. I might take out my anger on you and hit you.”

“That’s fine.”

“I’ll use you like a dog.”

“That’s what I want.”

The more Leehwan spoke, the more hope bloomed in Absalom’s eyes. Was that a lie too? Leehwan mocked himself and finally gave Absalom the answer he wanted.

“Do as you please.”

Absalom smiled with unmistakable joy. Leehwan pushed him away.

Dawn hadn’t broken yet. After chasing Absalom back to his room, Leehwan lay down on the bed again. But the sleep that had been chased away didn’t return. As he tossed and turned, a question arose. It was so obvious, but in the heat of the moment, he hadn’t been able to think of it.

‘Why is Absalom acting so submissive?’

Leehwan had regressed, so it made sense for him, but from Absalom’s perspective, only a little over a year had passed since they first met. They had probably only met a dozen or so times.

Yet, Absalom treated Leehwan with reverence. He waited on him willingly and did everything Leehwan asked. Even though there was no reason for him to do so.

‘Is love the reason for all of this?’

It wasn’t impossible. After all, Leehwan had been the same. He had fallen in love in less than half a year, let alone a year. He had ignored obvious doubts and charged forward like a blind warhorse in the direction Lucien pointed. Thinking back on it, Absalom’s actions weren’t entirely incomprehensible.

But this premise required that Absalom love Leehwan. Leehwan couldn’t believe that premise. A long sigh dissipated into the hazy light spreading from the east.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

Leehwan headed to the blacksmith early in the morning. The sword he had carried since his escape had dulled after the battle at Ermentas Cathedral. Thanks to purchasing a decent sword, he returned in a rather satisfied mood, only to be greeted by damp air.

“Welcome back, Leehwan.”

Absalom, holding bathing supplies, greeted Leehwan. Absalom crossed the room and set the items down next to the bathtub. Inside the tub, steam rose from the gently rippling water. Leehwan glanced at him.

Absalom, who usually let his long hair down, had tied it up tightly and was fully focused on preparing the bath. His cheeks were flushed from the heat, and his pale nape, damp hair clinging to it, was eerily alluring. Leehwan unconsciously averted his gaze.

“The towel is here, the razor here. This is soap, so lather it up before using it. After the bath, apply this to your face and body. Oh, and…”

Absalom, who had been explaining each item, suddenly blushed. He hesitated before continuing.

“Do you… need help with your bath?”

Leehwan firmly shook his head.

“Get out.”

“Call me when you’re done.”

As soon as Absalom left, Leehwan quickly undressed and stepped into the tub. It had been a while since he had enjoyed such luxury, and not only his body but also his mood relaxed.

Leehwan hadn’t been away from the room for long. It would have been impossible to boil this much water and bring it up to the room in that time. Magic, perhaps? He brushed his wet, clinging hair aside and pondered.

Having Absalom by his side would certainly make life easier. And not just for bathing. Absalom had meticulously cared for and guided Leehwan, who had been too busy fighting monsters to learn about the world. Without Absalom, this journey would be several times harder.

For now, he decided to keep Absalom close for that reason. If Absalom ever showed signs of betrayal again, he could always cast him aside later. Leehwan concluded this as he stepped out of the tub.

After roughly drying himself and dressing, he went to find Absalom. He knocked on the door of the adjacent room, and Absalom emerged.

“Finished? Then while I clean the tub, you can wait in my room for a bit… You didn’t apply the lotion, did you?”

Back in the Imperial Palace, Leehwan had used cosmetics to look good for Lucien, but not anymore. Without answering, Leehwan brushed past Absalom and entered the room. Absalom sighed and approached Leehwan.

“You’re just being lazy, right?”

Absalom sat Leehwan on the bed and brought over the bottle of lotion. He glanced at Leehwan’s expression before running his fingers through Leehwan’s damp hair. The wet hair quickly revealed his forehead.

“Close your eyes for a moment…”