BR 1.9

“Let’s get going. The sun’s already starting to set behind the mountains.”
“Already? So we’re going to that room now?”
“Yes. We have to go now.”
“We’re finally going.”
“Is it that good?”
“Yes, it’s good.”

He answered promptly and well enough, but there was absolutely no soul in Erons’s voice.

“Well, I’m glad you like it so much, but… ”

This pointless attempt to stop Erons from going outside had yielded an unexpected result. It revealed that Erons had an immense interest in paintings.

While following Nike, Erons spotted a door slightly ajar. Intending only to close it, he glimpsed through the crack a room densely packed with artwork.

This was the first time Nike had seen Erons so excited, his eyes sparkling. When Erons earnestly begged to be let inside, Nike readily opened the art storage room.

Yet, once inside, Erons showed no sign of leaving. No matter how much Nike spoke to him, he wouldn’t even glance at him.

Nike understood his heart was full, but at least during a conversation, he should make eye contact once.

“It seems you care more about clothes than me, and more about paintings than clothes.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”

His expression was unchanged, but Erons noticed.

The eyebrow that had always arched straight up drooped slightly. Not just a little, but significantly. He was deeply hurt. Though he knew he shouldn’t think this, that look was somehow endearing.

Erons dashed over to him and whispered, “Your Grace. I like you better.”

“… Ah.”

A long-forgotten thrill shot up from the tips of his toes. Stunned by the overwhelming emotion that felt like his heart might stop, Nike let out a small gasp of admiration.

“Not that person. I like you better. I like you, Nike.”

The one who confessed, not quite a confession, with a bright smile, was more beautiful than anyone else. Lovely. Adorable. No. 

No words in the world could describe him.

The paintings lining the walls behind Erons were also renowned for their beauty. Yet, they too were rendered useless in this child’s presence.

His light was so bright that everything else was swallowed by darkness.

“Child, you shouldn’t say things like that carelessly.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a very dangerous statement.”
“But I’m just saying I like you?”

Black hair fluttered past his nose, brushing his cheek. It stopped at Erons’s ear. As the contrasting colors drew near, the lowest sound he could produce flowed into Erons’s eardrum.

“I mean… that I’m excited by you.”
“Ah…

His cheeks burned fiercely at the low whisper. The heat spread even to his ear, where a faint breath still lingered.

He hadn’t intended to excite him.

He’d only wanted to ease his disappointment.

Erons fanned his flushed face. He wanted to cool down quickly. It was terribly embarrassing to stay like this, his face so red.

“You’re beautiful.”
“Eh, eh?”
“You’re so beautiful it’s dazzling. Those mere jewels don’t even register in my eyes.”
“Ah, well, that… That’s too kind, Your Grace.”
“What can I say? It’s the truth.”

His boldness only made the heat surge, doubling instead of cooling, making his face feel like it would burst.

‘Do fathers usually express themselves like this? Do ordinary fathers show their sons this much affection? Do they get excited around their sons?’                      

Fearing his thoughts might drift in strange directions if he stayed alone with him in that confined space any longer, Erons bolted out in a panic.

“I, I’m going there now!”

Not knowing where he was headed, Erons walked aimlessly. As he practically ran, Nike swiftly caught up and grabbed his shoulder.

“Not that way.”

The direction he pointed was the exact opposite of where Erons had intended to go. 

Why did embarrassing situations always seem to follow him to the very end?

They finally arrived at the place he had boasted was worth the greatest anticipation. While the other doorknobs gleamed like pure gold, this one was a clean wooden knob that clearly showed no signs of human touch.

Nike gestured for him to open it, and Erons turned the knob. Contrary to appearances, it was quite stiff, and even the slightest turn produced an unpleasant squeak.

Frowning at the strange sound, he opened the door, revealing the room’s interior. But the scene Erons had anticipated did not unfold.

“…Nothing?”

Nothing was there.

Not even the most common candlestick adorned the ceiling or walls.

Opening the door wide, the faint light from the candles illuminating the hallway barely lit the interior.

Only then did he see a narrow table, placed in the center of the room he thought was empty, with a crystal ball placed on it. 

But that was all. The place was truly empty.

Only questions arose.

What could one possibly do in a room where nothing could be seen outside and no light could enter?

When Erons hesitated to enter, looking uneasy, Nike pulled him inside. Closing the door, the interior was so dark that one couldn’t see even an inch ahead.

“I call this place a sealed room. It wasn’t made with that intention, but the term ‘sealed room’ seems to fit it perfectly.”
“It certainly looks that way to me.”
“Really? Well, with no windows, not even a speck of light gets in, so it’s bound to seem that way. Wait here for a moment.”

Thud, thud.

The echoing footsteps soon stopped. Judging by how quickly the sound faded, they seemed to have halted before the crystal ball.

“Ugh!”

A blinding light struck his eyes without warning, and Erons raised his hand. Once his eyes had somewhat adjusted to the intense brightness, he slowly opened them.

His eyelids, which had been tightly shut, fluttered up and down before lifting so wide they seemed ready to pop out.

The scene visible through the gaps in his fingers was utterly different from what he had seen moments before.

“This… what the hell is this…?”

In an instant, the darkness enveloping them vanished, leaving only brilliant light. The old, rust-colored brick wall had transformed into a glass wall.

And it was glass all around. Beyond the glass lay the mansion’s backyard, a place Erons had never even been allowed to see.

It was a breathtaking sight. 

Freshly blooming flowers formed buds, preparing to unfurl their delicate petals, while trees bearing green leaves intertwined to form a dense forest. 

Countless birds’ nests flitted past on the branches, and beneath the flocks of birds, knights wearing armor trained intensely, wooden swords pointed at each other.

Staggering at the unbelievable sight, Erons stepped forward and touched the glass. What he expected to be cold was surprisingly warm. And smooth. 

It was just ordinary glass. Hardly different from any other glass.

“Do you like it?”
“This… was definitely a brick wall… Just an ordinary wall.”
“Magic was used.”
“Magic?”

Turning his head, Erons noticed the orb Nike was covering with his hand. The orb, swallowed by darkness and emitting not a single glimmer of light, now glowed red.

It was magic, something he’d only ever heard about.

He had heard that mages were scattered throughout the empire, but seeing one at the orphanage was unthinkable. For Erons, and certainly for the other orphans, magic was something that only existed in their imaginations. 

To see it here…

Erons unconsciously kept touching the glass. Even after witnessing the bricks change right before his eyes, he still couldn’t believe it.

“Is it that surprising?”
“Yes! I’ve only ever heard about magic, never seen it before.”
“That Fedor brat must have…”
“Fedor? You mean Lord Fedor?”

“No, never mind. In any case, it seems you like this place.”
“Yes! It feels so open and refreshing. I never knew the back of the estate was this beautiful.”
“Don’t you miss the outside air?”
“Ah, that’s true, but… just being able to see outside like this is wonderful enough. I’m satisfied.”
“You’re such a simple soul. Just wait and see.”

Whoosh.

Warm wind brushed his hair, making it flutter.

Unlike artificially created wind, this naturally occurring breeze carried the scent of young grass from sprouts just peeking out, filling the air with a refreshing energy…

“It’s the wind coming in from the garden.”
“How? This is glass, right?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I used magic. Letting a little wind in is no trouble at all.”

A crimson glow pulsed within the orb, now shining brighter than before.

“So that orb casts the magic?”
“You mean this?”
“Yes.”

“Well… If I say no, it was indeed done by this orb’s magic. If I say yes, it didn’t move on its own accord, so saying yes feels wrong too.”

“What does that mean? It’s confusing.”
“The magic does come from this orb. How I use it is my choice.”
“Are you a mage, Your Grace?”
“Me? No. I’m just an ordinary human.”

He casually claimed to be ordinary, but honestly, he was far from ordinary. He was a Duke, a dominant Alpha, and wielded magic

How could that possibly be ordinary?

“Then why does the orb obey you?”

“Any member of our family can do it. Like this. Just place your hand on the orb and think of what you want, and it moves on its own. Just like I showed you the outside world and let the wind in. There are many other things it can do.”

“Then can I do it too?”
“Of course. But it seems we don’t have much time now. Let’s try it next time. I’ll bring you back.”
“Yes!”

He was thrilled.

The magic he’d never seen before, the orb imbued with it, and the changes it wrought made his heart race. The idea that he, too, could wield something he’d only seen in dreams filled him with anticipation that surged to his very scalp. 

Was it okay to feel this good? Was it okay for him to be this happy?

Shhik, shhik. Bang! Taang!

The sounds of knights sparring mingled with the wind, reaching up to this floor. Perhaps because the day was warm, they were training bare-chested. 

They’ll get hurt like that.

But such worries proved pointless; they performed high-difficulty training without a single scratch. In terms of skill, they were true warriors, worthy of the Royal Knight Order.

“Cool…”
“Who?”
“The knights!”

Nike narrowed his eyes, glancing at the knights with a slightly agitated expression. Why the hell are they taking their clothes off for no reason? And why the hell is the training ground right here in the most conspicuous spot?

“What’s so cool about swinging around a mere wooden sword?”
“Isn’t it really cool how they use swords like that?”
“I handle it better than those guys.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you see? That dog trying to pounce on you… The dagger stuck in its shoulder.”

Of course, he remembered. He couldn’t forget that day, even if he tried. 

Erons hadn’t realized the sound of flesh being pierced came from the man’s shoulder, not his own, until blood splattered his face.

He’d only known the dagger bore the Duke’s crest; he hadn’t known the one who plunged it there was the Duke himself. He’d been out of his mind, and besides, only he and the rapists were around.

“You mean the Duke stabbed him?”
“Yes. I did it.”
“I had no idea. I didn’t sense a thing.”
“Who approaches an enemy announcing, ‘Here I am’?”
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. Then how did you stab him?”
“I just threw it.”
“… You just threw it? Just whoosh?“
”Whoosh.“
”And it hit?“
”Yes.”

A sword thrown from a distance where no presence could be sensed struck the enemy’s shoulder. How many could make such a bold attack with a hostage present?

Could the knights outside, no matter how skilled, pull that off?

They couldn’t. 

At least, that’s what Erons thought.

To him, Nike was a hero. The hero who saved him. Even if there were others more skilled, to Erons, there was no one greater.

“That’s cool.”
“You still think those guys are cooler than me?”
“No! The Duke is way cooler.”
“How cute.”

A large hand rested on his head. He smiled at the one lightly ruffling his hair, and the other smiled back.

It was warm. The touch, the smile, the wind enveloping his body.

“Child, do you like this room?”
“Yes! I love it so much.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I’d like to move the orb to wherever you want, but unfortunately, it’s designed so it can’t be moved outside. So, from now on, this door will always be open for you. You can come whenever you wish.”

“Really?”
“Of course. Have I ever lied to you?”
“No, you never have!”
“Then you can trust me.”
“Wow! Thank you, Duke!”

Overjoyed, he ran into Nike’s arms. He buried his face in his embrace and rubbed against him. He was happy. This whole situation felt like a dream.

“If you’re that grateful, give me your mouth.”
“… My mouth? You mean a kiss…?”
“Like this.”

Peck.

Peck. His lips landed on Erons’s cheek. They’d become a pair who’d shared countless unintentional, almost-kisses, but this light skin contact felt strangely new.

It tickled and was somehow mysterious. Erons didn’t dislike that fuzzy feeling.

“It’s not a demand. If you don’t want to…”

Erons’ soft lips touched Nike’s, cutting him off. More precisely, he touched the corner of his mouth. It was a difficult place to call a lip.

Because the significantly shorter person was standing on tiptoes, it landed somewhere between a lip and a cheek.

“Thank you, Your Grace. Thank you for everything, from top to bottom. Truly.”

The child smiled. 

Beautifully.
Radiantly. 

The face smiling while repeatedly saying thank you was so warm it could melt even a frozen heart.

Did he know how beautiful that is?

A hand that rose slowly rubbed his chin and then cupped his cheek.

Erons placed his hand over the one that was silently stroking the cheek.

In that instant, Nike’s face drew closer. Their eyes met in midair, his gaze fixed solely on one person.

Without breaking eye contact for even a moment, the approaching figure’s breath was hot. 

Endlessly hot, as if representing his own feelings.

Their noses touched as he drew near. Soon, their lips would meet too. Erons slowly closed his eyes. He did not refuse. He did not push him away.

It was an action born of his having grown accustomed to deep physical intimacy, completely unaware of the meaning behind the kiss the other desired.

Soon, their lips brushed.

“Ahem! My Lord.”

If only it hadn’t been for the intruder’s cough, they would have touched.

Erons flinched, then snapped his eyes open and turned his head toward the exit. The intruder was Pelson. 

Whether because the door opened or a stranger entered, the glass illuminating the courtyard reverted to the bricks it had first been. Because of that, the interior was once again painted in darkness.

Though he turned his head following Erons, Nike’s expression was distinctly different from his. It was a face brimming with dissatisfaction, verging on outright anger. 

Just a little more would have been enough. Why, of all times, now? Why couldn’t he have come just one minute, or even ten seconds, later? Why now?

Their lips had barely touched, the kiss barely begun, yet it had to end. His voice dripped with irritation.

“Dinner is ready. Would you care to come down?”
“… The timing is absolutely ridiculous.”
“As the head steward of the Duke Debelov’s residence, shouldn’t I have this much tact?”

Felson shrugged nonchalantly, enduring his Master’s glare. He seemed to grow more insolent with each passing day.

Sighing at the sight of him, Nike had no choice but to lead Erons out of the private chamber. 

Gritting his teeth, he vowed to repay this debt someday.

What began as a search of the mansion had somehow turned into spending the entire day holed up in a secret chamber.

Whenever Erons sought out his study, Nike would drop whatever he was doing and head to the chamber with him.

He deliberately ignored Pelson’s shouts echoing from far away.

Even now, as they descended the stairs, they had just spent a considerable amount of time in that chamber. 

Passing a floor he had never visited before, Erons suddenly found himself curious about it.

“Your Grace, who uses the fourth floor? Is it empty?”
“No. It only appears so because its occupant is absent. It’s where my son resides.”
“You mean Lord Fedor?”
“No. That boy is on the second floor, as you know. My other son, you haven’t met yet. He’s away on an expedition by the Emperor’s command.”
“There’s another Lord?”
“Yes. I have an eldest son, born three minutes before Fedor.”

Fedor had a twin brother, another Young Lord. And…

Another brother.

It had already been well over a month, so he hadn’t expected there to be someone else he hadn’t seen yet. The faint thump-thump of his heartbeat echoed in his ears.

Erons let his imagination run wild about this Young Lord whose face and name he didn’t even know.

If they’re twins, do they have similar personalities? Lord Fedor dislikes me. Will he dislike me, too? I hope he’s a little kinder. Not quite as much as Your Grace, but just a little…

What kind of person is he? Ah, I’m curious. So curious. I want to meet him soon!

Nike tried to say something, but not a single word registered.

His curiosity about the newcomer overwhelmed his ears, bouncing his words away.

The Duke, Fedor, and Fedor’s twin, whom he hadn’t met yet. And Erons.

These four were the members of this household Erons knew. If what he had been told was correct. But wasn’t it a little strange? Unlike other households, there was a missing member.

The ‘Duchess’.

“Your Grace, may I ask something?”
“Of course.”
“It seems I’ve never seen the Duchess. Where might she be? You said you would receive me, but surely we can’t proceed without her permission.”
“…The Duchess.”

A dark shadow fell across his face. The corners of his mouth turned down in a lonely frown that made even the observer’s heart ache.

“She’s gone.”
“Has she gone on a journey?”
“No. She died. A very long time ago.”
“Ah…”

It was a sigh filled with regret. Only after hearing that answer directly did Erons realize why his expression had darkened. Why had he foolishly jumped straight to the question?

It should have taken only a moment’s thought.

Even if she had gone on a journey, a noble lady could only travel accompanied by her spouse. The Duke is currently at the mansion. Therefore, she couldn’t have gone on a journey.

So, there are only three possible reasons for the lady’s absence.

She is suffering from illness, she has separated from her spouse, or in the worst case, she has met her death.

“… I’m sorry.”
“No. It’s understandable if you didn’t know.”
“I was too short-sighted.”
“It’s fine.”

It could be considered a mistake, but it wasn’t a major one. He didn’t know. He’d simply never seen her before and asked out of curiosity. Knowing that, Nike didn’t scold him. Instead, he comforted him.

“The vacancy will be filled soon, so don’t worry too much.”
“Are you going to remarry?”
“Hmm, well. I don’t think I’m at the stage where I can give a definite answer yet.”

A bitter smile crossed his face, perhaps recalling his late wife. This was the first time he had seen him look so defeated. Nike was always gentle, yet he had always been firm inside.

But right now, it felt like even that firm core had softened and burst.

How deeply must he have loved his wife to still mourn her, unable to forget?

“I hope Your Grace finds someone wonderful to remarry.”
“Don’t worry. There is someone more beautiful and kind than anyone else.”
“Really? You have someone in mind? That’s a relief. So, will Your Grace handle the adoption alone?”
“That’s the plan. And there’s nothing left to do. It’s already been settled.”
“Huh?”

Though uneducated, Erons knew this much about adoption. Imperial law stipulated that when a noble took in an adopted son, a trial must be held at the imperial palace.

If the noble was of high rank, like the Duke, the Emperor’s permission was required for the adoption to be official. And the trial required both the head of the household and the prospective adoptee to be present.

Erons had remained within the mansion the entire time. Since his arrival, Nike had never gone out either. They hadn’t seen a single speck of dust from the Imperial Palace, so how was that possible?

“How is that possible? I’ve never been to the palace.”
“You know the law before it was amended. It’s different now. It’s been changed so it can proceed immediately with mutual consent, even without the Emperor’s permission. You were going to take my surname anyway, weren’t you?”

“That’s… right.”
“We proceeded shortly after you arrived. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you beforehand.”
“Then I am now…”
“Yes. Erons Debelov. That is your new name.”

His name was Erons. A name without a surname, Erons. He had lived his entire life that way. When others called him, when he introduced himself to others, it was always just Erons.

Those five letters were all there was.

When he was over twenty and still hadn’t found new parents, even getting kicked out, he thought this was his fate. A life without family, without parents.

Then Erons got a surname. And he got a father.

“Are you that happy?”

Sniff, yes.

“Crying from happiness is fine, but I want to see your smiling face. Your smile is very pretty, you know.”

The words that he had dreamed of for so long, that he had a real family, a real father, were enough to stimulate Erons’s tear ducts. It felt unreal, yet it hit his heart so hard that the tears he shed couldn’t be controlled and flowed down. The more Nike’s hand wiped away the tears, the wetter Erons’s face became.

“Waaah. What should I do? What should I do… I’m so happy, but the tears, ugh, won’t stop…”

Unaware of the glances around him, he wailed and sobbed. Though his crying was heartbreakingly pitiful, to Nike’s eyes, that face looked quite adorable. The tears kept flowing no matter how much he wiped them away. How could he stop them?

Would a small kiss stop them?

Nike brushed a wide swipe under his eyes with his thumb, casting a shadow across his face as he drew near. Erons flinched at the sudden stillness of his touch and the darkening of his vision.

As the face grew closer, a flustered Erons could only blink rapidly.

Then Nike pressed his lips forward.

“My Lord. “The knights have arrived. You should probably go out.” “Damn it….”

With so many people in the mansion, there were always interruptions. But why did the timing have to be like this? 

Just as their lips were about to touch, just as their noses were about to brush, Keld insensitively approached.

“Are you deliberately trying to interrupt us in pairs?”
“It seems less my fault and more your fault, my Lord. Even if you don’t care about the timing, couldn’t you at least choose a place? I’m embarrassed for you.”
“Shut up. I’ll go. Go prepare first.”
“I will obey your orders.”

Who knew kissing would be this difficult?

Tsk.

Nike, who had lightly clicked his tongue, finally wiped the last traces of tears from Erons’s face.

His feet wouldn’t budge. He didn’t want to go. 

Needless to say, being with this child was far better than going to meet those people.

Still, he had to go. There was more to do than just meet them. That matter… it was something he absolutely had to resolve with his own hands.

“I’m sorry. Something urgent has come up, and I must go.”
“I’m fine. Go ahead, Your Grace.”
“See you later.”
“Yes.”

He pressed his soft lips fiercely against his brow. 

It was a long, deep kiss that conveyed his regret at leaving just like this.