RHH | Chapter 2.4

After thoroughly washing Leehwan’s feet, Absalom carefully dried them. Then, he took the basin of dirty water and went outside. Shortly after, he returned with a basin of fresh water.

“This is for washing your face. Use this to clean up. I’ll go get something to eat.”

Leehwan glared at the door after Absalom left. Strangely, he felt dirty.

The sound of suffering pierced the night’s silence. Absalom got up and, without hesitation, cut through the pitch-black darkness toward Leehwan.

Leehwan was asleep. Absalom knew he had tossed and turned, unable to let his guard down, and had fallen asleep late. But with such torment, it would be hard to say he had gotten proper rest by morning.

“As expected…”

Absalom sighed and muttered. Just then, Leehwan cried out in his sleep.

“Lucien… Don’t go…!”

Absalom gritted his teeth unconsciously. Lucien, Lucien, Lucien! He never imagined he would come to curse a mere human so much.

A soft sob echoed in the dark room. Absalom brushed his fingers over Leehwan’s eyelids. The moisture there was hot, salty, and bitter.

The sobbing breaths gradually subsided. Had the nightmare ended? Absalom thought so as he looked at Leehwan’s slumped shoulders.

As if mocking that thought, Leehwan’s body twitched. As if he no longer had the strength to sob, he gasped for breath and muttered with a sigh.

“…Rlom?”

Though it was a faint murmur, it weighed heavily on Absalom.

“Even in your nightmares, I appear.”

Absalom whispered in a seemingly indifferent voice as he reached out. He gently pried Leehwan’s tightly clenched lips apart. The pale lips quickly turned red. Absalom wiped the moisture from them with his finger.

If Leehwan had shown no movement, that would have been the end of it.

A red tongue emerged from the hot lips and licked the white finger. Absalom, swallowing hard, quickly lowered his head to chase the fleeting warmth.

A silver curtain draped around them, enclosing Absalom and Leehwan. The only sounds were their breaths, and the only sights were the darkness and each other’s faces.

Absalom’s lips twitched. Just a little, just a tiny movement, and he could reach what he had longed for. He had never tasted it before, but he knew it was sweet.

But he stood up. Compared to how long he had hesitated, the movement was swift. Biting his lip until it bled, Absalom returned to his own bed. The sound of him pulling the blanket over himself was rough.

And the moment he lay down completely, Leehwan opened his eyes.

When Leehwan had stuck out his tongue, he had been half-asleep. In his dazed state, something had bothered him, and without knowing what it was, he had licked it. The sound of a sharp intake of breath had woken him.

It was unmistakable. Absalom desired Leehwan.

The night deepened, and neither could sleep.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

The next morning, Leehwan and Absalom, who had given up pretending to sleep early on, started moving at the crack of dawn.

The holy relic was kept in the main hall of the cathedral. As they entered the main hall, they were greeted by the sight of dazzling stained glass. Leehwan pretended to be interested, glancing at it casually. He was mimicking the behavior of a first-time pilgrim.

Closest to the entrance was a stained glass window depicting a winged wolf. At first glance, the creature resembled a monster, but in this world, it symbolized protection. As such, it was a common sight in many places.

On the opposite side was a stained glass window featuring a snake. Leehwan stared at it for a moment before heading toward the room where the holy relic was kept. Above him, multicolored light filtered through the stained glass, casting shifting patterns on the floor.

The subsequent stained glass windows depicted the story of the holy relic kept here. Iella, who had descended to the mortal world in the form of a poor old woman to observe humanity; Iella, parched with thirst, begging for water; Iella, who was ignored by everyone until a young boy offered her water to quench her thirst.

Leehwan stopped in his tracks. He was standing beneath the stained glass window that showed Iella transforming an ordinary cup into a jewel-encrusted golden goblet and presenting it to the boy.

There, the holy relic was kept. To Leehwan, who had spent his life surrounded by the finest luxuries in the Imperial Palace, the cup looked rather plain. Yet, he knew instinctively that it was the holy relic.

No one had told him. He just felt it. The intangible energy swirling within the cup, in its hollowed center, was undoubtedly divine power.

His eyes, hidden beneath his cloak, scanned the surroundings. Six soldiers were guarding the relic. Two of them, standing closest, were glaring at Leehwan as if daring him to make a wrong move.

Leehwan clasped his hands together, mimicking the other pilgrims. He slowly bowed his upper body, staying still for a moment before straightening up. As he turned, he caught sight of Absalom standing a short distance away.

Absalom, shrouded in shadow, seemed lost in thought. His cool, detached expression felt unfamiliar. Leehwan thought that this must be Absalom’s true nature. At the same time, the memory of last night’s heated breath and the burning gaze from some time ago flashed through his mind. Leehwan’s expression twisted.

As Leehwan took a step, Absalom raised his gaze. Their eyes met. Leehwan noticed the faint haze that clouded Absalom’s deep blue eyes.

Leehwan walked through the air filled with scattered beams of colored light. Absalom gave him an awkward smile, but Leehwan ignored him and walked past.

As they exited the main hall, Absalom immediately followed. His usually chatty mouth was unusually silent today. An awkward silence hung between them.

They were almost at the guesthouse when Leehwan’s gaze was drawn to a flash of golden light. He turned his head instinctively. A blond boy was passing by.

The boy’s thick, wavy hair, its short length, and the way it shimmered under the sunlight—everything about him reminded Leehwan of someone. Just as Leehwan clenched his fist tightly, Absalom grabbed his shoulder.

“Leehwan!”

Leehwan blinked. Absalom’s face was filled with urgency. Over Absalom’s shoulder, Leehwan saw the blond boy. Only then did he notice the boy’s attire—a plain robe commonly worn by priests.

Lucien couldn’t possibly be here. Even if he were, what did it matter?

“……What.”

But the voice that came out was rough, even to Leehwan’s own ears. Absalom said something in response, but Leehwan couldn’t make out a single word.

Absalom pulled Leehwan by the shoulder. Leehwan followed without resistance.

When they reached the small room in the guesthouse, Leehwan sat down on the bed. Absalom sat on the bed across from him. Their knees almost touched.

“It’s cramped. You must be uncomfortable too, Leehwan.”

“Yeah.”

Leehwan answered, finally coming to his senses. A cold breeze swept through his now calm chest.

“When are we leaving?”

Absalom pressed him unexpectedly. Was it just his mood? Absalom’s already pale face seemed even more ashen. Leehwan felt a strange sense of unease.

“You know we can’t leave yet.”

Just because they had confirmed the location of the holy relic didn’t mean they could just take it and leave. Above all, Leehwan couldn’t afford to act suspiciously now. It was better to stay here for a few days, just like the other pilgrims.

Absalom chewed on his lip after hearing Leehwan’s answer. His eyes noticeably darkened. If you don’t like it, you can leave on your own. Leehwan suppressed the urge to say that and instead said something else.

“Go get me something to drink. I’m thirsty.”

“Will water do? Or maybe wine? Beer?”

“Water is fine.”

For some reason, Absalom’s face brightened noticeably as he left the room. Leehwan couldn’t understand why.

They stayed at the guesthouse for a few more days. Leehwan pretended to be a pilgrim, shuttling between the main hall and the guesthouse. During this time, he grew closer to someone—the blond boy who had startled him earlier.

The boy’s name was Sollino. They met in the stables. Having grown up in the cathedral since childhood, Sollino was curious about the outside world. That’s why he had come to the stables, he said.

In truth, aside from his blond hair, Sollino bore no resemblance to Lucien. His skin was tanned, his cheeks covered in freckles, and when he smiled, he opened his mouth wide.

“It might be better not to get too close to him.”

Absalom said this one night.

While Leehwan moved mostly during the day, Absalom moved at night. He busily went back and forth, checking escape routes and other details. Yet, his amiable face showed no signs of fatigue.

“I don’t plan to.”

Tomorrow would mark their fifth day here. It was about time to leave. When Leehwan said this, Absalom nodded.

“Then we’ll leave tomorrow morning? There’s a lot to prepare.”

Absalom muttered in a worried tone. But Leehwan knew better. No matter what time they left tomorrow, Absalom would have everything ready by then.

And just as Leehwan expected, Absalom finished the preparations before breakfast. Leehwan packed his few belongings and headed to the stables.

Leehwan loaded his belongings onto his horse. Absalom, who had arrived earlier, helped. With Absalom signing the pilgrim registry, all the formalities were complete. Leehwan and Absalom smoothly left the cathedral and the city of Sancoña.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

A few nights later, Ermentas Cathedral welcomed an uninvited guest.

“Ugh!”

“Ack!”

The two soldiers guarding the main hall’s entrance let out short groans before collapsing unconscious. The uninvited guest, Leehwan, laid them down in a spot where they wouldn’t be easily noticed.

The guards protecting the relic weren’t just inside the main hall. Two pairs of soldiers patrolled the cathedral grounds in shifts. The next patrol would pass by in about an hour, so as long as they weren’t discovered by then, they’d be fine.

Leehwan opened the massive doors of the main hall and entered. There was quite a distance to the room where the relic was kept. He strode quickly down the corridor. Yet, not a single sound came from his footsteps.

Midway, Leehwan spotted a patrolling soldier and quickly hid. He pressed himself against a pillar and waited until the soldier had completely passed.

He didn’t want to run into anyone if he could help it. Suddenly, a horrifying memory from before his regression flashed through his mind. Leehwan shook his head vigorously to dispel the thought.

Soon, he reached the room where the relic was kept. He paused for a moment to assess the situation. There were six people inside. He had to get through them and secure the relic within an hour.

Leehwan drew his sword and burst into the room. He swung his blade at the nearest soldier.

Splat!

Warm blood splattered across the stained glass. Before the severed head could even hit the ground, Leehwan lunged at the second soldier. Flesh and bone were sliced, organs pierced. He wanted to erase the vivid sensations transmitted through his palm. But time wasn’t on his side.

“Intruder!”

“Stop him!”

The soldiers finally noticed Leehwan and shouted. Their weapons gleamed in their hands. Leehwan charged into their midst.

With swift sword strokes, lives were extinguished. Leehwan gritted his teeth. The remaining four soldiers were dealt with in an instant, and two reinforcements who came running at the commotion were also cut down. Now, only one person remained in the room.