BR 2.5

As usual, Erons knocked on the office door. Normally, the moment he knocked, permission to enter would be granted, but today, even after knocking dozens of times, it remained dead silent.

“What is it? Is no one there?”
“Master Erons?”
“Ah, Mr. Pelson.”
“Please just call me Pelson.”
“Ah… Yes, Pelson.”

Though he encountered him every time he came to see Nike, Erons still found him slightly uncomfortable.

His first impression was of a handsome steward. He had the looks of someone you could call brother, yet the more Erons looked at him, the more he felt an inexplicable sense of dissonance. He sensed that what he saw wasn’t the whole story.

That’s why he still couldn’t bring himself to call Pelson by name comfortably. The same went for Keld.

“Is His Grace not inside?”
“If he knew you had come to see him, he would have been most pleased. Unfortunately, today His Grace has gone out. I myself am not sure when he will return.”
“Did he go far?”
“Yes. He set out on quite a long journey. So far that it’s impossible to guess when he might return.”
“I see… Thank you for letting me know.”
“You’re welcome. Ah, Master Erons, what… what… who’s that fast?”

Erons was out of his seat in a flash. 

Perhaps it was his small, slender frame. His feet were remarkably swift. 

He had intended to give the new young Master, who lived so carefree, a hint while the Lord was away. 

Unfortunately, Erons had kicked away the opportunity Pelson had painstakingly created for him.

“Well, there’s still time.”

Another chance would come.

Without knowing where or why, Erons simply envied Nike. 

Watching the fields through the window, seeing the courtyard through the crystal ball, breathing the outside air. Beyond that, he’d done nothing related to the outside world. 

He hadn’t set foot outside the mansion once, as Nike wished.

Now that he was gone, he could have snuck out, but the innocent child didn’t know how to sneak around doing bad things. He suppressed his desire to let his smoldering heart burst out and wistfully went to see Fedor instead.

“Huh? Who is it?”

A man as tall as Fedor, with a sturdy build made of muscle. Black hair, pale eyes. Beneath the knight’s armor, a glimpse of flesh was slightly shimmering.

Though he was a stranger, he didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar. The rough-looking face was somehow familiar. Because he resembled Fedor and Nike quite a lot.

It’s him!

Even from a distance, his appearance alone made him recognizable. Fedor’s twin, whom he’d never met. That other brother he’d so desperately wanted to meet.

Overwhelmed more by excitement than nerves, Erons rushed straight up to him and tapped his arm.

“Hello.”
“Ah, I’m…”

He was a Fedor twin through and through.

There was a significant height difference between him and Erons, too. Erons had to tilt his neck and chin back so far to meet his gaze.

Up close, he was even more handsome. So much so that Erons forgot the greeting he’d intended. Being breathtakingly good-looking seemed to be a trait of this family.

Just a little touch revealed a body solid enough to feel its firmness, and his handsome face exuded a masculine aura perfectly suited to his position as a knight.

Gulp.

Instinctively swallowing, Erons recalled the greeting method Fedor had taught him. The same one he’d done yesterday, and the one he had to do today, whenever he met him.

That crazy greeting method. He knew it was crazy, but what could he do? They said it was the way nobles greeted each other.

Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Erons abruptly grabbed his arm.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

Led by the delicate hand, he bent down. Erons stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. It was an utterly audacious act. To kiss him before even exchanging names.

Seeing Erons, who clearly looked much younger than him, press his lips against his, he was utterly stunned. He couldn’t bring himself to hurl insults like he did in the knights’ order or throw a punch. 

There was no trace of malice on the delicate child’s pure face, even if he rubbed his eyes clean.

“You’re the young Master, right?”
“Well, yes.”
“I’m Erons. I’ve been here for about two months now.”
“… What the hell? Why did you…”

“Hah, heh. Ahahahaha!”

The laughter wasn’t from either of them. Turning toward the sound, he saw someone who had clearly been nowhere in the hallway moments before appear, clutching their stomach and gasping for breath.

“Ah, my stomach hurts. You’re driving me crazy, seriously.”
“Fedor.”
“Mr. Fedor?”

The one who had been secretly hiding and watching was Fedor.

I knew he was naive, but I never imagined he’d go this far. 

Every single thing Erons did was so fascinating that he couldn’t look away. He’d always thought trouble would come someday, but he never imagined it would be caused by his own twin.

Witnessing this completely unexpected scene, Fedor laughed so hard that tears streamed down his face.

“Why, why are you laughing?”
“I’ve seen it all in my life. Thanks. You gave me a belly laugh.”

Erons, completely oblivious to what he’d done wrong, was utterly bewildered. From his perspective, there was absolutely no reason to laugh.

He’d just greeted him out of happiness, so why was he laughing?

Erons was Erons, but his brother was quite the sight too. Fedor saw it.

His usual expressionless face, but beneath it, panic was oozing out. The scene of his twin being startled by Erons’s audacity and Erons just blinking his eyes was so perfect that Fedor wanted to frame it as a painting.

It struck a chord deep within him. “Look at this kid’s face. Seems pretty shocked.”

“Why are you shocked?”
“Why? Because of you, of course.”
“I… did I do something wrong?”
“You can’t say you didn’t.”

Fedor’s arm slung casually over his twin’s shoulder gave him a distinctly delinquent air.

It didn’t suit his status as a great scholar at all. His twin frowned, clearly displeased at being touched by Fedor, but Fedor didn’t care and pointed at his lips.

“That thing earlier… was that your first kiss?”
“… Huh?”
“You snatched it away without permission. This brat’s first kiss.”

It didn’t make sense. He’d said nobles greeted each other like this. How could he have never done it before?

“You never did it with Lord Fedor?”
“Me? With this beastly brat? Are you crazy? Ugh.”
“But last time, you clearly said this was a greeting…”
“Of course it was a lie, you idiot.”
“… A lie?”

“Yeah. Who in their right mind would rub their lips together every time they meet? Especially with blood relatives. A noble who lives and dies by appearances would never do something so vulgar.”

He had thought it was crazy, but since Fedor said it, he’d believed it wholeheartedly until now. Betrayal washed over him, followed by a wave of embarrassment and bewilderment, causing Erons to raise his voice.

“But you said you do that with everyone!”
“That? Just a test. To see how stupid you really are.”

Had he mistaken their closeness? He thought he’d opened his heart a little. The realization that Fedor had merely been toying with him, hearing it from his own mouth, was unbearable.

It was humiliating. That he’d played right into Fedor’s hands, just as the other had wanted, proving himself a fool.

He bit his lip, struggling to hold back the sobs welling up, but Erons was too fragile to bear the betrayal he now felt. In the end, before the tears could fall, he kicked his heels and fled.

His feet were incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, Erons vanished without a trace. Left alone, Fedor’s twin let out a deep sigh.

Seeing what Erons had done to him and the tears he’d just held back, it was clear Fedor had played another cruel prank.

“Same as ever. That damnable personality of yours.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“What about him?”
“Him?”

Fedor, who had been glancing at the spot Erons had left, pulled his lips into a wide grin.

“He’s special. Very, very special.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“A brother.”
“A brother?”
“To be precise, a potential brother.”
“…What? What the hell did you two get up to while I was gone?”
“Like I’d do that? Registration is the head of the household’s responsibility.”
“Ha, Father’s always…”

His twin pressed a hand to his forehead as if splashing cold water.

“You’d be surprised if you heard. The reason he’s living in this mansion. Let’s talk outside. Let’s get some fresh air.“
”It’s not you who needs fresh air, but that kid.“
”Him? He can’t come out anyway.“
”Why not?“
”Let’s go outside and talk.”

They moved from the hallway to the gazebo in the garden. The topic of conversation was, of course, Erons. A bright smile spread across Fedor’s lips as he sipped his tea.

Though he usually didn’t enjoy tea, perhaps because it had been so long since he’d laughed and drunk freely, the tea tasted quite good.

“Can’t we talk now? We didn’t come here just to leisurely drink tea. What happened while I was gone?”
“It’s about Riman.”
“What about him?”
“That one, Riman.”
“So what about Riman? Wait. That Riman?“

He’d expected some reaction, but his twin’s response was quite satisfying. His eyes widened as if his eye corners would split, and he nearly dropped his teacup. Seeing this stoic, emotionless guy so startled was quite entertaining for Fedor.

“Surely… it can’t be the Riman I’m thinking of?”
“That’s right. Father said so. Since the one who always insists he’s right said it’s true, then it must be.”

His pupils, shaken by the unexpected answer, finally settled back into place. Riman was a name they had long forgotten.

He had lived forgetting it, thinking there was no particular need to remember it. Yet here he was, hearing it now.

I wonder if he’ll hold out.

It wasn’t that he was particularly worried about Erons. He was simply curious about the future he could clearly envision for Erons. How that small, seemingly fragile figure would endure and survive. How fiercely he would struggle to hold on.

The twin, bowing his head in the swaying wind, stared blankly at his reflection in the tea water and laughed it off lightly. Was this any of his business?

He’d probably manage just fine.

“He’ll have a rough time.”
“Well, maybe not. He’s quite loved, after all.”
“I see it differently. Father doesn’t seem likely to maintain his current state.”

“We’ll have to wait and see, but maybe that guy’s future will turn out surprisingly brilliant. If he’d ended up anywhere else, fine, but he had to come here of all places.”
“Is that so?”
“Well, just… that’s my take on it.”

His twin’s expression darkened. To others, it might just look like a blank expression, but Fedor read that subtle shift. 

Worry?

It seemed both stifled and tinged with a hint of melancholy, a complex mix of emotions including a subtle sense of disappointment.

Who was it for, that expression? His biological father, the Duke? Of course, that was part of it, but surely not the whole story.

“Don’t teach the kid weird stuff.”
“Weird stuff? Oh, kissing? Why? Must be sore because someone stole your first kiss, huh?”
“Bullshit. I just feel sorry for the poor guy who got taken advantage of without knowing anything.”
“Acting all virtuous. I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry.”
“Yeah, right. I’ll stop worrying once it actually ends.”
“Ah, whatever. Don’t bother me if I say not to.”

Fedor’s irritation was palpable as he gulped down his lukewarm tea. His twin watched his every move intently.

It was extremely rare for Fedor to display his emotions so intensely.

Fedor didn’t realize it then. He hadn’t realized he’d spoken words he couldn’t take responsibility for.

“What? Why is that seat empty?”
“Well, that… He said he wouldn’t be eating, so we didn’t set it.”
“Why skip a meal? What’s the deal?”
“We don’t really know either… “

It was unprecedented. Why would that guy, who never skips a meal no matter how bad the situation, refuse to come to the dining hall? Erons, who always made sure to eat every meal, had refused to show up for the first time.

Why isn’t he coming? 

Just when Fedor, who was usually clueless, was racking his brain and couldn’t figure it out, his twin looked at him with pity and opened his mouth.

“You stupid bastard.”
“What?”
“It’s because of you.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“Already forgotten? This afternoon.”
“He’s skipping meals over that? Ha, what a joke.”
“You’re the one who messed up.”
“What did I do?”
“If you’re worried, go see him.”
“Are you crazy? Who’s worried about who?”

I knew he was stupid, but I didn’t know he was that stupid.

Haa, the twin let out a short sigh and shook his head. It was pathetic how he denied it, being the only one who didn’t know what everyone else knew.

How could the mages even consider such a guy as the next master of the Magic Tower? He’d never understood it, but today was an especially bad day for it.

“Forget it, let’s not talk about it.”

Erons’s cute rebellion, which they thought would end that day, surprisingly lasted a long time. Over five days, in fact. Erons demanded that every meal be brought to his room and didn’t step outside even once.

“That stubborn brat. He’s not coming again?”
“Yes, he said he wants to eat in his room again today…“

”It’s been almost a week. What the hell is this?“
”I told you, you go see him.“
”I said I don’t want to!“
”You used to brag about how you’d handle things yourself. Well, you’re doing a great job.”

He’ll come out on his own when the time comes.

Fedor shook his head slightly, trying to erase Erons from his mind, and picked up his chopsticks. As always, the food was impressive, but even putting that deliciousness in his mouth didn’t feel particularly tasty. Something kept bothering him.

“Shouldn’t you go soon? You’ll dry up waiting, you know.”
“Shut up.”
“If you don’t go, should I pass on the message for you?”
“Are you crazy? What kind of bullshit are you spouting?”
“Better than the nonsense you’d spout. You might start crying again, you know.”
“…Damn it.”

Clang!

Fedor flung the cutlery he was holding and stormed out. Watching this, a faint smile touched the lips of his twin.

“Who knew vacation would be this much fun?”

Bang, bang!

“Hey.”
“…”
“Hey. Kid.”
“…”
“Hey!”

Bang! Bang, BOOM!

He pounded on the door relentlessly with his fists, as if he intended to break it down. And he was yelling too. It was so loud it hurt his ears.

Erons thought he’d leave soon. He knew better than anyone that Fedor wasn’t the type to worry about him. But Fedor’s roar went on longer than expected.

“Hey! Hey, aren’t you coming out? Hey!” Fedor kept it up endlessly, and Erons, unable to take it anymore, jumped up. He finally opened the door he’d resolved never to open, revealing himself.

“… Why are you here?”

Clearly furious, he opened the door just wide enough for a bug to squeeze through. Erons’s face, barely visible, was filled with wariness.

No matter how much he put on a front, to Fedor, it just looked like a petty tantrum.

“And you. Why aren’t you coming out?”
“What’s the problem with me being in my own room?”
“Huh. Look at this?”

Erons’s voice was quite sharp. It was clear dissatisfaction. On top of that, he was clearly trying his best to glare.

You could see it. 

Yet, he was probably scared, darting his eyes around. 

How cute for a grown man to act like this.

“So you’ve gotten better at talking back now that you can read a bit. Trying to protest against me or something?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it?”
“… Just…”
“Right, it’s because of me.”

Fedor’s body, clearly visible beyond the door, gradually blurred and vanished. Startled, he flung the door open, but the hallway where Fedor had been was empty.

Why did he leave? He wasn’t the type to back down so easily. Feeling a chill, Erons turned around, doubting it could be true.

“Ah.”

Just as he suspected. Fedor hadn’t gone anywhere else; he’d used magic to enter the room. Without the owner’s permission.

“Don’t just barge in. This is my room!“
”Ah, shut up. You’re going to burst my eardrums.”

As Fedor nonchalantly picked his ear while wandering around the room, Erons’s shoulders rose and fell cutely in anger. But honestly, he wasn’t scary at all.

Fedor gave a smirk that wasn’t quite a smirk, then raised his hand, and a book appeared in it.

“It’s about the traits. You said you wanted to study.”

Fedor thrust it out abruptly. He hadn’t mentioned the traits at all until now, but here he was bringing it up. It was quite thick; holding it with one hand would make his arm go numb in no time, but Erons knew this and still didn’t take it.

“Why this?”
“I’m giving it to you.”
“So why?”
“Just… well. Consider it an apology.”
“Then you won’t tease me anymore?”
“Depends on what you do.”
“That’s not fair!”
“Ah, enough noise. Fine, I’ll stop.”
“… Really?”
“Yeah. Really. So just take it. My arm hurts.”

It was a completely untrustworthy offer, but Erons took the book anyway. Who knew when Fedor would give him another book gift if not now? He carefully placed the book he’d received on the side table.

“Now, please leave.”
“Geez, you’re cold. I went and gave you a gift, and you won’t even let me sit down for a bit?”
“You were the one who messed up first, Fedor.”
“That’s why I gave you that.”
“Honestly, you don’t even seem genuinely sorry right now.”
“Who says that? I am sincere.”

“You don’t look it at all? I don’t want to accept an insincere apology, but since you came all this way, it mustn’t have been easy, so I’ll take it. But that doesn’t mean I forgive you. I still find it uncomfortable to face you. So…..”

Erons wanted to end the conversation with him. He wasn’t sorry anyway. He was probably just saying this to tell him to stop sulking in his room and come out.

So he turned his back. A signal that he didn’t want to talk. Then, a broad warmth spread across his back, instantly binding his body.

“Sorry.”

Fedor, pressed close behind him, embraced him softly. His breath touched his ear. Strong arms wrapped around his chest and waist.

Caught off guard by the sudden situation, he couldn’t even think of escaping. Fedor slowly tightened his grip, ensuring Erons couldn’t pull away. And when Erons refused to budge, he turned him around to meet his eyes.

“I’m sorry. For teasing you.”

Really? Those words came out of his mouth?

Even though he saw and heard it himself, Erons couldn’t believe it. Fedor, that Fedor, apologizing. And making proper eye contact, too.

Fedor’s gaze was unwavering. It was fixed on Erons, not budging an inch. In contrast, Erons seemed deeply flustered, his eyes darting away like they were creating waves.

“Why are you rolling your eyes like that? You’ll pop them out.”
“Pop, pop out? How could my eyes pop out… “
”So just keep your eyes still and look at me. You know my temper. I can’t handle this kind of thing.”

This time, he embraced him, still facing each other. Fedor, who had been pressing Erons’s nape against his chest, bent down to his much lower shoulders and buried his face there.

The rhythm of his breath spread out across the nape of his neck. It tickled and felt warm, creating a strange sensation.

Feeling like even non-existent anger would melt away if they stayed clinging like this, Erons pushed him away. Surprisingly, Fedor didn’t resist and let himself be pushed away obediently.

“There won’t be a next time. This is really the last time.”
“Oh, come on.”
“What did you say?”
“I’m so, so sorry and grateful.”

Liar. 

The apology was a lie, of course. That tone, gently mocking and deliberately provoking, was pure Fedor. Erons glared at him, then chuckled.

He smiled, “If you’re sorry, then answer my question.”

“What is it?”
“Why are your eyes purple?”

Every time I saw them, I couldn’t help but wonder. Dominant alphas had blue eyes; recessive alphas had green eyes. Betas had brown eyes. Dominant omegas had black eyes, while recessive omegas had gray eyes.

Each trait has a fixed eye color, and this is an unchanging rule.

But Fedor’s eyes belonged to neither side. Though he was an alpha, he had neither blue nor green eyes, but violet ones instead. Those mesmerizing purple eyes, as if holding the vast universe within them… How on earth did he come to have them?

“Didn’t I tell you? It’s because I’m a mage.”
“Are all mages purple?”
“No. Usually they’re red, but I’m a hyper-dominant Alpha, so it mixed with my original color.”
“You’re a hyper-dominant Alpha, Fedor?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you know?”
“Of course not. You never told me. So the other young Master is…?”
“Same as me.”

He had heard of the hyper-dominant Alpha trait, but this was his first time seeing one in person. Outwardly, he looked no different from a dominant Alpha. If Fedor hadn’t been a mage and had eyes like Nike’s, he would never have known until Fedor told him.

Suddenly, Fedor seemed different, and he stared at him intently.

When Erons slightly parted his lips and stared blankly at his face, Fedor gently pinched his cheek, not hard enough to hurt.

“You’re all calmed down now. Judging by those random questions you were asking.”
“No, I wasn’t? I just asked because it came to mind.”
“You’re all calmed down, right?”
“… Not really.”
“You are.”

A kiss landed on the cheek he’d turned away quickly, avoiding eye contact. He’d hugged him without asking, and now he kissed him without asking either. 

Too exhausted to be surprised anymore, Erons just looked up at him silently after receiving the unexpected kiss.

“I’m holding back a lot right now. Just this once.”
“What? What are you talking about? Suddenly what – !”

The fingers that had been pinching and caressing his jaw soon moved up to his lips. His thumb rubbed Erons’s lower lip once, twice. 

The slow touch felt slightly sticky, as if coated in honey.

”Stay still. I’ll do it.”

He cupped his face with the hand that had touched his lips. As the warmth of his hand warmed his cheek, those deep, soul-stealing eyes slowly drew closer.

And…

“…” 

He stopped.

“I’m sorry.”

Because Erons’s raised hand blocked the space between them.

“I don’t want to do this.”
“Why. Is it uncomfortable?”
“ … Yeah.”

His voice was firm, even as it trailed off. So was his hand. The hand gently pushing away his chest was rejecting Fedor.

Why did this delicate thing, which seemed like it would fall apart if you just tapped the back of his hand, feel so solid? Fedor, who had been looking down at the bowed head, instead of pulling his hand away, ruffled Erons’s hair.

“Be here on time starting tomorrow.”
“Are you leaving?”
“You told me to go.”
“Ah… Yes, goodbye.”

Fedor, his eyes tinged with a subtle emotion, stared at Erons for a moment, gave a faint smile, and then vanished. 

Left alone, Erons touched his lips in a daze.

“I told him… I told Fedor I didn’t like it… ”

His heart pounded so loudly it seemed to echo in his ears. He’d shown a smiling face before leaving, but it hadn’t been a real smile. Erons worried Fedor might have been hurt. How could they grow closer only to drift apart again?

“Still, I don’t regret it. You have to say what needs to be said.”

Because what he didn’t like, he didn’t like. 

Resolving not to be swayed by him anymore, Erons threw himself onto the bed, trying hard to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.