RHH | Chapter 3.5

Those without skill couldn’t recognize the skill of others. As if to prove this, the knights confidently reached for their weapons. Leehwan glanced at Wibaeng, who alone wore a grim expression.

“If you want to die a dog’s death, I can make that happen right now.”

He said this while gripping his sword hilt. Wibaeng was the first to react.

“We should retreat.”

“What are you talking about, Sir Wibaeng? Why should we retreat?”

Wibaeng shook his head heavily. Lucien’s face stiffened as he understood the implication. But the other knights didn’t.

Two knights charged at once. Mounted knights versus Leehwan on foot. To anyone watching, the former had the advantage. But it was they who fell, not Leehwan.

A black afterimage cut through the air. The sound of rough impacts followed.

Thud! Thud-thud!

The knights fell from their horses, groaning. The clash ended in an instant, causing the following knights to hesitate. Leehwan spoke to them.

“You should take them and get them treated.”

The knights, cautious, moved to retrieve their comrades. While checking for injuries, they noticed something strange. Not a single drop of blood had been spilled. Yet, the groans of pain confirmed that several ribs and other bones were broken.

“Come to think of it, he didn’t even draw his sword earlier……”

One knight muttered. If Leehwan had attacked with his sword, the two knights would already be dead. They had heard rumors of his monstrous physical abilities, but they hadn’t expected this. A clear aberration. Disgust flickered in the knights’ eyes.

Lucien felt the knights’ morale dropping by the second. What should I do? As he grew anxious, Leehwan spoke.

“I won’t hold back next time.”

A chilling sound rang out. Leehwan’s sword, from hilt to grip, was entirely black. The short glint of silver in between was undoubtedly the blade. The sound of swallowing came from the knights.

“If you retreat now and keep quiet about me, I’ll let you go quietly. So, choose. Will you die here, or will you retreat and keep the secret?”

Lucien looked at Leehwan with trembling eyes. He didn’t know this man who pushed a single option and urged him to choose. He didn’t know this man who so casually announced his intent to kill. Unconsciously, he pulled on the reins.

Leehwan’s lips curved into what seemed like a sneer.

“Then, farewell.”

With that, Leehwan turned to his own group. But no one dared to attack his back.

Leehwan, who had turned his back to Lucien, headed toward Absalom. Absalom’s eyes were filled with resentment. Before clashing with the knights, Leehwan had told him to stay put, and it seemed he hadn’t liked that. Leehwan took his arm and led him away.

“Let’s go, Absalom.”

Absalom followed obediently. So, Leehwan thought he was acting as usual. It was a clear misconception. Leehwan only realized it when they reached the inn.

As Leehwan entered his room and naturally moved to close the door, Absalom, who had followed him in, closed it first. Leehwan turned to him after turning on the light.

“Do you have something to say……!”

Bang!

A strong hand gripped Leehwan’s shoulder and shoved him against the wall. As Leehwan panicked at the unexpected situation, Absalom pressed his body close. A rich scent of his natural aroma wafted up. Leehwan’s head spun.

“Why did you stop me?”

“What?”

At first, Leehwan didn’t properly understand Absalom’s words. Reflexively questioning him, Absalom gritted his teeth.

“This time, there was a clear reason to kill. So why did you stop me? Like that……”

Absalom’s grip tightened. A voice, dark as if scraping the bottom of hell, followed.

“Is that person still so lovable to you? Even after what happened, you still……?”

By then, Leehwan had regained his senses. He examined the context of the conversation. His heart, which he had barely calmed, began to race again.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? Do I really have to say it out loud!”

The growling voice, like a wounded beast, gave Leehwan certainty. He cupped Absalom’s cheeks with both hands.

“I want to hear it.”

His voice was so earnest it made even Leehwan himself feel embarrassed. Absalom couldn’t have missed it. His deep blue eyes widened. Leehwan watched as they flickered with surprise, then settled.

Absalom released Leehwan’s shoulder and stepped back. The warmth that had moved away felt hollow. Leehwan slowly lowered his hands, which had been hovering in the air.

“Absalom.”

“Don’t do this.”

“Don’t do what?”

Leehwan stepped forward and reached out. He grabbed Absalom’s collar, pushed him against the wall, and closed the distance, just as Absalom had done earlier.

“Say it properly. What is it that I shouldn’t do?”

Absalom looked at Leehwan with calm eyes. Leehwan didn’t like that. His grip tightened involuntarily. Noticing this, he loosened it, but Absalom spoke.

“The kind and deeply affectionate Leehwan. Truly fitting for someone sent by Iella for humanity’s sake. But don’t be so tender with me. Every time you are, I really…… can’t bear it. I want to disappear, into the ground or the sky, anywhere.”

The strength left Leehwan’s hands. His rapidly beating heart slowed in an instant. The disappointment was as painful as he had expected.

“What are you trying to do, you.”

“I don’t know. Really, what did I want to do? I don’t think I ever dreamed of a day like this.”

Absalom muttered with his head bowed. His voice was wretched. Even in his desolation, Leehwan felt concerned and called out to him.

“Absalom.”

“……The relic. If we just get the relic, it’ll be fine. Right? They’ve found you, so your whereabouts will be known soon. We need to move quickly. Should we leave right away?”

Absalom strode toward where Leehwan’s luggage was. Then, he began bustling about, preparing for departure. Leehwan hurriedly caught up and took the luggage back from him.

“What are you doing right now?”

“You said you wanted to go home, didn’t you? Isn’t this journey for that? Then we need to get the relic as soon as possible.”

Leehwan avoided Absalom’s attempts to take the luggage back. He hadn’t yet given up on returning. But he was also genuinely upset by Absalom’s words. He spoke coldly.

“I didn’t know you wanted to get away from me so quickly. You should’ve said something. If you want, I can leave right now……”

Just then, a transparent tear rolled down Absalom’s cheek. Leehwan, flustered, closed his mouth. In the meantime, Absalom wiped his tears and shook his head.

“No. You know that’s not it. Why do you keep……”

You know that’s not it? The words surged up in Leehwan’s chest. He pressed on, as if he had never been flustered.

“What do I know? You haven’t said anything, so how am I supposed to know?”

Absalom’s expression stiffened. Suspicion began to grow within Leehwan. He pushed it aside and continued.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying right now. Because you haven’t explained it properly. It’s the same for you, isn’t it? What I’m thinking, how I feel about you…… do you know?”

Once again, Absalom’s eyes wavered. Only then did Leehwan see the fear in those deep blue eyes. The words spilled out first.

“Are you afraid of expecting something?”

The thought followed. The scattered puzzle pieces, which had lost their meaning, finally fell into place.

“Are you afraid that if I’m kind to you, you’ll start expecting something? That you’ll act on your own if that happens? Is that why you want to run away, because you can’t bear it?”

Absalom tightly shut his eyes. His trembling eyelashes didn’t look enchanting—they made him seem like a child caught in a misdeed.

“Tell me, Absalom.”

His voice was truly tender. Absalom’s shoulders shook.

“The meaning of what you said earlier. I really want to hear it.”

Absalom’s red lips twitched, then firmly closed. But in the end, what he chose was surrender. Against Leehwan, Absalom had never stood a chance from the beginning.

“I’m…… jealous of that person. Because you, Leehwan, care for and love that person. You’ve done everything for him, haven’t you? So why can’t you understand that I feel the same way……?”

As he spoke, his voice grew quieter. By the end, Absalom was almost whispering as he leaned his head against Leehwan’s shoulder.

Leehwan stroked Absalom’s head. With each movement, a sweet scent of wildflowers, grass, and fruit wafted up.

Intoxicated by the scent, Leehwan unconsciously moved closer, but Absalom wrapped his arms around Leehwan’s waist. Strangely, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Absalom was clinging to him. Leehwan recalled something Absalom had once said in his sleep.

‘You’re cute.’

He thought he understood how Absalom had felt back then.

“Look up for a second.”

Absalom’s shoulders jerked. Leehwan laughed silently. Absalom, sensing the laughter through the air, slowly raised his head. His eyes, a mix of expectation and fear, turned toward Leehwan. Leehwan wiped away the faint traces of tears and spoke.

“If, as you said, I still loved him after all that, I’d be the biggest fool in the world.”

“So, you’re saying you don’t love him now?”

Instead of answering, Leehwan nodded. At that, expectation and fear mixed with joy. They pushed against each other repeatedly. Unable to wait for the victory he desired, Leehwan spoke.

“Don’t think about anything else. Just tell me what you want to know the most right now.”

Absalom tightly shut his eyes. His eyelids, shaded with a hint of lavender, trembled before finally calming down. When he opened his eyes again, all that remained was desperation. Leehwan wondered what thoughts had led him to this point.

“Do you…… like me even a little? As a friend or anything…….”

His voice was so faint it seemed like it might disappear at any moment. Unable to contain the rising anger, Leehwan gritted his teeth and snapped back.

“Is that what you’re asking right now?”

Leehwan reached out toward the face now darkened with despair. Grabbing the collar, he pulled Absalom closer. Absalom’s deep blue eyes widened in surprise.

“Ugh!”

The first time their lips met, it was nothing like the gentle brush of a spring breeze. Teeth clashed, and lips tore. Leehwan ignored the metallic taste of blood in his mouth and growled.

“Open your mouth. I’m going to kiss you.”

“L-Leehwan?”

“Unless you’re thinking of me as just a friend.”

Leehwan tightened his grip on Absalom’s collar. Absalom, who had been pulled closer in a daze, snapped back to reality as Leehwan’s face came into view.

“W-wait a second. What’s going on……?”

Since Leehwan had no intention of getting any closer, he let go of Absalom’s collar.

The choice now lay entirely with Absalom. He muttered with a confused expression.

“Just now, you said…… that I shouldn’t even call that a question…….”

“And?”

“And…….”

Honestly, Leehwan had expected Absalom to blush at this point. The sight of his pale face turning red because of him would have been quite satisfying, so he had secretly hoped for it. But he was sorely mistaken.