RODH Chapter 64

64.

Rational thought was impossible.

Watching tears fall steadily from Ian’s eyes, Nevan felt like his heart was being torn to pieces.

I made him cry. I hurt that person.

Someone who must have grown up surrounded by nothing but love—and I wounded him.

That thought alone left Nevan writhing in self-loathing.

He wanted to comfort him.

He also wanted to apologize for the cowardly letter he’d written out of fear of being hurt.

But his tongue was too clumsy.

So instead, he kissed Ian—whose raw emotions poured out carelessly, even if they hurt himself.

He could feel a faint tremble through their joined lips.

Nevan pulled back slightly, then kissed Ian again.

The sound of soft lips meeting and saliva mixing sent heat rushing to his fingertips.

Then Ian turned his head away.

“Hngh.”

Whether he couldn’t breathe or felt uncomfortable, Ian was now wriggling in Nevan’s arms.

But Nevan wanted to hold on to that searing taste just a little longer.

A quiet, tender voice slipped out.

“…Ian.”

Ian’s half-lidded eyes flew open.

Nevan stared into green eyes so unlike his own, yet somehow deeply familiar, before pressing their lips together once more.

“Ha…”

Their short, panting breaths filled the silent room.

Ian, still dazed, was being swept away by Nevan’s kiss.

By the time they finally pulled apart, Ian was practically clinging to him.

“Ian.”

Nevan buried his face against Ian’s shoulder. His body was burning.

He hadn’t meant for it to happen, but when their hips brushed, a shiver ran straight up Ian’s spine.

His body trembled slightly from the jolt of pleasure.

He tried to pretend he’d regained composure, but the moment Nevan’s lips grazed his neck, Ian gave up on logic altogether.

“Ah…”

With a sigh-like breath, Nevan kissed his neck.

Staring blankly up at the pale ceiling, Ian thought of Nevan’s hot breath, the soft lips on his skin, and the furious thudding of his own heart.

“Ian.”

The skin beneath his collarbones quivered faintly.

The voice that slipped from those lips made the hairs on the back of Ian’s neck stand up.

He managed to reply,

“Y-Yes… go ahead.”

Oh no, something’s about to happen.

Ian screamed internally that now was not the time for this.

But the thrill of having finally drawn out Nevan’s emotions had his blood rushing.

No. Hold it in.

I’m a rational person. I can endure something like this.

Inside Ian’s head, logic and desire were in a fierce tug-of-war.

Whether he knew or not, Nevan spoke slowly.

“The reason I sent that letter was…”

Just when the heat pooling in his lower half seemed to settle, Nevan’s next words sent it surging again.

“…because you were badly injured.”

“I’m fine—hgh.”

“Ian?”

“…I’m fine.”

No I’m not! Not at all!

Ian lowered his head, resisting the urge to push Nevan away.

To push him down—and start stripping off his clothes—

“Gasp.”

That was trashy.

Ian scolded himself for becoming a complete slave to his secondary gender ever since his manifestation.

The heat began to subside.

What the hell am I thinking, treating innocent little fawn-like Nevan this way?

But Nevan wasn’t a fawn. He was a wolf.

Suddenly, Nevan bit Ian’s neck, and he yelped.

“Ah!”

A sharp sting followed, and the area ached.

When Nevan pulled back, Ian demanded,

“What was that?”

“I marked you.”

“Marked—what?”

“Ian, you’re not just the one who brings spring. You’re also… my dear friend.”

Do friends mark each other?

For a moment, Ian had a dumbfounded thought.

But when he saw the blush rising on Nevan’s cheeks and ears, he immediately understood.

He was embarrassed and trying to change the subject.

Ian found that side of Nevan adorable and lovely.

So, without thinking, he cupped both of Nevan’s cheeks and kissed him again.

The deep scent of fresh grass filled his senses.

* * *

I took off the suffocating silver fox cloak.

Even though I’d known—at least intellectually—that people in love kissed each other, I hadn’t expected it to feel so intense, so overwhelming that I couldn’t even move.

I had no idea how many times our lips had met.

Enough time must have passed, because Klain returned, as if on cue.

Nevan left him standing outside the door for a moment, then gently draped the cloak around me again.

He took a small stone-shaped artifact and softly traced it around my lips.

The cold stung, and I flinched, closing my eyes tight. When I opened them, Nevan’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“If anyone asks—”

“……”

“Tell them a bug bit you.”

Before I could even fully register what he meant, Nevan wrapped himself in snow leopard leather and stepped out to attend the formal ceremony.

That means we’ve made up… right?

While massaging my lips with the cold artifact, Bain came in.

He sat down close and gasped.

“What?”

“My lord, your lips are completely swollen!”

“Oh, this… I got bitten by a bug.”

“A bug?”

Bain frowned like he’d just heard something ridiculous.

But I had no choice except to stick to that excuse.

So that’s why he gave me the artifact—it was for the swelling.

How long did we go at it?

A wave of embarrassment hit me, but I stubbornly blamed it all on the phantom bug and kept defending my story.

While cursing whatever mysterious insect could’ve caused such swelling, Bain leaned in to check if my lips were injured.

He looked like he was about to poke at the swollen tissue, so I lowered both his hands and offered a distraction.

“It’s a festival—should we go outside and look around?”

“But Sir Luke said we shouldn’t watch the formal ceremony.”

“Why not?”

Bain leaned in and whispered in a small voice,

“I heard they slaughter a live mountain goat on the spot.”

“Ugh.”

“Still, the main ceremony is short. Let’s wait ten minutes, then go.”

“Sounds good.”

Until then, I focused all my energy on massaging the swelling away completely.

Bain, meanwhile, kept saying it couldn’t have been a bug, but I stuck to feigning ignorance.

Can’t you just let it go, Bain?

After some back-and-forth, ten minutes passed, and the sound of fireworks echoed outside.

“The ceremony must be over!”

Bain, peeking out the drawing room window, turned to me eagerly.

“Let’s go already!”

“Coming with!”

True to its reputation as the North’s greatest festival, the entire territory was decorated with swathes of expensive silk.

In the zones marked by blue and white fabric, sweet treats—Bain’s favorites—were displayed in abundance.

“Bain, I want to eat this.”

“Bain, I want that one too.”

“Bain, I want this one over here too.”

Knowing that if I asked him to buy them he’d hesitate and decline out of guilt, I simply picked out everything I wanted in generous quantities and bought it all at once.

Bain looked at me seriously and asked,

“My lord, are you by any chance…”

“By any chance what?”

“…pregnant?”

“I take back what I said about you being smart. You idiot.”

“Then why are you buying so much food?”

“It’s for you! If I can’t finish it all, you have to eat it. You know it’s a sin to waste food.”

“My lord!”

With his hands full of food, Bain hugged me tightly.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he sniffled,

“You really are the best, my lord. Please don’t abandon me!”

“I’m not abandoning anyone. Now get off me—I don’t want food stains on my cloak.”

“Yes, my lord.”

While Bain showcased his seemingly bottomless stomach, I turned my attention away from the stalls and toward the street vendors.

I was looking for something similar to the mana-measuring crystal ball Alvis had shown me during Samhain.

Eventually, I found a round, smooth crystal orb and approached the vendor without hesitation.

An old man, dozing off in his seat, snapped his eyes open the moment my shadow fell over him.

Then he exclaimed,

“You’re the one who brings spring!”

“You’re the old man from back then…”

I trailed off awkwardly, unsure if it was okay to call him a quack mage.

Pointing to the crystal orb, I asked,

“Is that a mana detector?”

“It is. But there’s no need to measure yours. It’s massive—I can tell just by looking.”

“Are you sure?”

Feeling skeptical, I pressed him further. He snorted.

That habit reminded me of someone… I just couldn’t place who.

As I fumbled through vague memories, the old man shook his head and said,

“This isn’t what you should be worrying about right now.”

“Then what should I be worrying about?”

After checking his surroundings, the old man whispered,

“A huge event is about to happen.”

“And where is this huge event going to take place?”

“Where else? Right here!”

He told me that someone was preparing a large-scale explosive spell.

“How do you know that?”

“I’m a sage. If I couldn’t even recognize the sound of a magic circle being drawn, I wouldn’t deserve the title.”

“Do you know the Great Sage?”

At my question, the old man’s eyes widened.

His cocky demeanor changed in an instant.

“You know my master?”

“I’ve met him. So you’re his disciple. Do you have any students of your own?”

Taking advantage of the lowered guard, I casually began to probe him.

Because he knew about my regression.

Or maybe… the Great Sage knew too.

If the sage knew, it wouldn’t be surprising.

The sage answered,

“I do, actually. I left one at the Mage Tower, but I’ve no idea how he’s doing now.”

What a responsible teacher.

I nodded and asked seriously,

“Anyway, when is the explosion going to happen? Can it be stopped?”

“Of course it can. If even one part of the magic circle is disrupted, it won’t activate properly.”

“Then could you tell me where the magic circle is located?”

“Why? You planning to go?”

“Yes.”

The sage grinned and replied,

“It’s already too late.”