RHH | Chapter 5.8

Behind them, sunlight streamed in, enveloping them in a halo. Lucien, staring at the person bathed in light, was at a loss for words.

Reason whispered to him to doubt those words. But instinct told him that even doubting was blasphemous. The moment he showed any sign of skepticism, his spine tingled as if he had been struck by divine retribution. All Lucien could do was keep his mouth shut.

As if Lucien’s reaction didn’t matter, the self-proclaimed Iella continued.

“I was resting in the forest when someone intruded and even plucked the flowers I cherished. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the very servant I had brought here. With a dragon by his side, no less, he seemed quite content.”

Lucien felt a strange chill from the voice that rang out lightly, like a bird’s song. Unconsciously, his body trembled. As Iella approached, Lucien’s cheek was streaked with cold sweat.

“I was so astonished that I observed him closely. Can you guess what I discovered?”

Lucien clenched his teeth and barely managed to shake his head. Iella smiled coldly.

“I saw strange traces on the dragon’s body. The flow was completely disrupted. As if… time had been reversed.”

Lucien’s eyes widened. At that moment, Iella grabbed Lucien’s face with force.

“But you know what? The dragon wasn’t the only strange thing.”

Coldness and pain spread from his crushed cheek. Lucien struggled to free himself from Iella’s grip, but the slender fingers didn’t budge. Bringing their face close to Lucien’s, Iella spoke.

“Do you know why I sense the aura of death on my servant’s body?”

Lucien froze stiff. Suddenly, the image of Cheong-ram’s eyes from his dream flashed through his mind.

No way. It couldn’t be. Iella prodded him, who was in turmoil.

“Why do you think my servant attached himself to a dragon? I thought you might know the reason. Hmm? Human bound by fate to my servant. Do you truly know nothing?”

At that moment, Lucien jolted and looked up. His eyes met Iella’s. Swallowing hard, Lucien opened his mouth.

“What did you just say?”

“Hmm?”

“Fate? Who is bound to whom…?”

Iella tossed Lucien’s face aside. Their eyes, shifting colors, scanned Lucien.

“You could say you’re a victim too. The flow of time became tangled, shaking the bond between my servant and you. If not for that, my servant’s heart would have been yours forever. What a pity.”

Joy and anger surged simultaneously within Lucien. He stared directly at Iella and asked.

“Whose doing is this?”

From Iella’s lips came the word Lucien had already guessed.

“Dragon.”

Iella watched with interest as various emotions flickered through Lucien’s green eyes. Their perfectly shaped lips moved.

“Do you want to reclaim it?”

The subtle voice dug deep into his mind. Lucien looked at Iella with dazed eyes. The honey-sweet words soaked his brain, leaving no room for any other thought.

“Will he return to my side?”

As Lucien murmured dreamily, Iella laughed. Of course. Hearing the whispered answer, confidence surged that he could have Leehwan in his grasp.

“Now, tell me. What exactly happened to my servant?”

“Well…”

Lucien obediently began to speak. By the time he regained his senses, he had revealed everything, including the contents of his dream, which he had never shared with anyone. It was too late to regret; the story was already over.

Would Iella be angry that his messenger had been treated that way? Without realizing it, Lucien had already begun to think of Iella as a god. It was the natural result of bowing to the divine authority Iella exuded.

Iella’s lips moved slowly. Lucien, tense, watched Iella’s expression.

“So that’s how it was.”

Contrary to Lucien’s expectations, Iella wasn’t angry. Flustered, Lucien couldn’t respond.

“Why? Did you think I would be angry?”

Lucien subtly shook his head. At the edge of his vision, he saw Iella’s feet. Perhaps because they were a god, even barefoot, they were dazzlingly white, without a speck of dust.

As Lucien keenly felt the other’s identity from such a strange detail, Iella spoke.

“My child. I sent him for your sake, after all. So even if you used him as you pleased and discarded him, why would I be angry?”

The words were ambiguous. Lucien tensed again. Iella laughed.

“Thanks to you, I also gained something, so I won’t be angry. So stop cowering like that. We’ll be together for a while, and if you keep this up, we’ll only mess things up.”

“Will you stay here?”

“Yes. To restore everything to its proper order, staying here is best.”

Everything, to its proper order. Lucien realized that this aligned perfectly with his own desires. He looked at Iella with hope. Iella extended a hand.

“Will you help me? My child.”

Lucien knelt on the floor. He took the icy hand as if holding a treasure and kissed the back of it. Iella’s lips curled in satisfaction.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

The port city of Irmen, located at the eastern edge of the continent, was a place one had to pass through to reach Elburz Island. Upon arriving in Irmen, Leehwan and Absalom found the busiest inn in the area.

Elburz Island was famous for many reasons. Not only was it a place one could only reach by boat after a long journey, but it was also notorious for the few who returned alive.

Decades ago, a ship caught in a storm had drifted to Elburz Island. Of the dozens of crew members, fewer than ten returned. All were severely injured, and more than half were out of their minds.

According to the records left by one who managed to retain his sanity, Elburz Island was teeming with all sorts of beasts and monsters. But that wasn’t all. Chased by these creatures, if one ventured deeper, they would encounter an endless swamp. Some who tried to save their comrades from the swamp were dragged in themselves.

The one who left the records claimed to have turned his back on his dying comrades and barely escaped the swamp. But where he thought he had found safety, he encountered man-eating plants. In his desperation, he pushed his comrades to their deaths to save himself.

Most of the surviving crew members had saved themselves in similar ways. After leaving the island, they were tormented by guilt and nightmares, eventually going mad.

A place where all the horrors of the world were gathered. That was how the record-keeper described Elburz Island.

Given its reputation, anyone attempting to enter the island would naturally stand out.

Absalom, who had been filling out the guestbook, looked up. As his eyes, which had been lowered to read the book, slowly opened, the deep blue irises hidden behind silver lashes were revealed. The innkeeper, who hadn’t been able to take her eyes off Absalom, looked even more dazed.

“I have a question. Have any unusual groups headed for Elburz Island in the past few months? For example, people carrying weapons…”

The scariest part was that this wasn’t even an intentional beauty tactic. Leehwan listened to the innkeeper’s eager response, thinking just that.

According to the innkeeper, a group of about ten heavily armed individuals had set out for Elburz Island. Only a handful had returned. Rumors said they had been carrying a red stone slab about a meter in size, holding it as if it were precious.

Entering their room, Leehwan set down their luggage and let out a faint sigh. He had expected it, but hearing the answer still left him feeling drained. Just then, Absalom hugged him from behind.

“Disappointed?”

The tightly entwined arms felt like they were clinging to him. Leehwan turned his head and kissed Absalom’s cheek. In response, Absalom pressed his lips against Leehwan’s.

The sound of water echoed in the room. Absalom let out a small moan and slipped his hand under Leehwan’s clothes. As their lips slid to Leehwan’s neck, footsteps approached rapidly, followed by a knock. They both flinched simultaneously. Absalom, barely calming his rapid breaths, asked.

“What is it?”

“I’ve brought your meal.”

It was the innkeeper’s voice. True to its location by the sea, the winter winds in Irmen were harsh. They had asked for their meal to be brought to their room because the dining area on the first floor was too cold. It seemed the food had arrived.

Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Absalom headed for the door. However, his cheeks were still flushed with lingering heat.

Leehwan stopped Absalom and opened the door himself. Leaning out, he saw the innkeeper’s eyes widen in surprise. Pretending not to notice the disappointment in her eyes, he took the tray. The innkeeper craned her neck, trying to peek inside, but Leehwan closed the door, blocking her view.

Turning around, he saw Absalom with a peculiar expression. Leehwan set the tray on the table and spoke.

“Let’s eat first.”

“Alright. But…”

Leehwan tried to ignore the laughter in Absalom’s voice. Absalom then touched Leehwan’s ear with his finger. Despite Absalom’s higher body temperature, the touch felt pleasantly cool.

“Here, it’s all red.”

The finger moved away, only to touch the nape of his neck next. Here too. The voice was filled with amusement, but the slow, caressing fingers hinted at something else.

A shiver ran down Leehwan’s spine. He forced himself to speak casually.

“The food’s getting cold.”

“That would be a problem.”

Humming as if about to burst into song, Absalom handed Leehwan a damp cloth. While the cloth was a standard item in the room, the water was different.

After wiping his hands, Leehwan looked at Absalom. He was facing Leehwan with an expectant expression.

“Is this a punishment or something…”

Grumbling, Leehwan leaned toward Absalom.

The initial goal of making his face ugly was long forgotten; all that remained was the kiss. Leehwan lightly pressed his lips to Absalom’s red ones and pulled away. Absalom immediately followed, swallowing Leehwan’s lips.

The tongue, deeply entwined and rubbing, quickly made his mind hazy. Leehwan barely managed to open his eyes and look at Absalom. The slightly furrowed brow and trembling lashes tugged at a corner of his heart.

Recently, Absalom’s physical affection had increased. It wasn’t just the frequency. The increasingly persistent touches even hinted at obsession. Leehwan gently stroked Absalom’s head.

Since they hadn’t secured this relic, they would have to aim for another. For Absalom, the grace period before making a decision had been extended again. Leehwan sensed relief, joy, and anxiety all at once in Absalom’s lips.

The decision he had made for Lucien wasn’t solely based on Leehwan’s feelings. That’s why he wanted to make a complete decision this time. No matter what came after, even if he were to die before Absalom, who still had a long life ahead, he wanted to remain unwavering.

But if this hesitation was causing Absalom pain—

“Ah!”

Leehwan groaned at the burning pain on his lips. Absalom was staring at him intently, as if scrutinizing him. Absalom, who had tenderly licked the part Leehwan had bitten, muttered.

“Do you have the mind to think of other things?”

“…It’s because you’re so bad at kissing.”

“What did you just say?”

Absalom, who seemed to be holding back a laugh, scooped Leehwan up in his arms. Leehwan tapped Absalom’s waist with his foot and said.

“The food’s getting cold.”

“I’ll warm it up. A kiss is enough as payment.”

When did a punishment turn into payment? Just as Leehwan was about to say that, his body landed on the bed. Before he could get up, Absalom pounced on him. The heavy weight and warm temperature were so endearing that Leehwan hugged him tightly. Absalom whispered.

“Leehwan, you just need to think of yourself. That’s enough for me.”

The kind yet blind words stabbed at his heart. Leehwan closed his eyes.