TOY 2.3

After that, Aires was sadly unable to continue living as before.

The real problem began the very next day.

He had merely escaped the immediate crisis; the fundamental issue remained unresolved. He feared Kyle’s unpredictable mood swings when his temper flared.

Aires was exhausted from trying to please both sides.

In front of Kyle, he pretended to like him, while denying it was true to Bellus. It felt like living a double life.

In the novel, when both Bellus and Kyle chose the same target, they would often bet something very valuable. This time, too, a bet had surely begun over who could seduce Aires first.

As expected, from that day onward, Kyle began actively pursuing Aires.

Sometimes it was hard to tell if he was threatening or seducing him…

In truth, Kyle’s seduction was quite different from Bellus’s method of slowly melting a person away.

“I regret making you cry. Will you accept my apology? I promise it won’t happen again.”
”Yes…”
”Seeing you cry really hurt my heart.”
“I see…”

“But Res, you’re far too promiscuous. You’ll let anyone touch you… How about exercising some restraint?” “…”

After apologizing, he’d suddenly turn sullen and upset Aires.

“I bought flowers because I was thinking of you.”
“Thank you…”

He’d bring small gifts occasionally, acting all high and mighty.

“I feel especially lonely today. I think I need your warmth.”
“… Huh?”
“Come here. Quick, hug me.”

Kyle suddenly started coming and going in Aires’s dormitory like it was his own home, using the ridiculous excuse that he needed comfort.

He’d show up unannounced, pull Aires close like a body pillow, and make himself comfortable.

When he held Aires while sleeping, he’d occasionally touch him – though that ticklish touching was clearly part of the seduction – but thankfully, he never crossed a certain line. On days Aires returned after being away from the dorm, he’d sometimes scold him, asking why he’d been left to sleep alone.

Frankly, his seduction was as self-willed as his personality, but his unrealistically perfect looks made up for every flaw. Even when feeling frustrated, seeing his face in deep sleep drew admiration. Had he not known Kyle’s true nature, even Aires might have wavered a little.

He had this ability to act completely self-centered yet occasionally make a person’s heart skip a beat.

Moreover, as Kyle pointed out, Aires was vulnerable to stimulation. That heightened his sense of crisis.

Fearing he might get swept up in Kyle’s allure, Aires sought out Bellus with near-obsessive frequency. If he thought he saw even a glimpse of dark hair in the distance, he’d grow anxious and rush to Bellus to steady his nerves.

“Lu!”
“Res, you’ll trip like that. I’m not going anywhere, so take your time.”
“Huff, huff… Yes…”

Bellus was thoroughly pleased with Aires, who followed him around like a little duckling. Thanks to that, Aires could trail after him every day without worrying about being noticed.

Meanwhile, within Arcadia, a bizarre rumor was spreading: ‘Aires Clayton is obsessively fixated on Bellus Silentium.’

Aires had long since resigned himself to the rumors. His own safety mattered more.

The plan to quietly travel through Arcadia had been abandoned long ago.

But Aires knew he couldn’t rely solely on Bellus forever.

Even if Bellus was slightly better than Kyle, he was still a pervert on par with him. Aires needed a normal person to help him.

He had to meet Ludwig quickly.

Someone as powerful as Bellus and Kyle, yet the only sane person to be found in this novel.

Growing desperate, Aires sent a letter to Ludwig via Colin.

Given how notorious Aires’s reputation was, eyes followed him everywhere in Arcadia. To avoid drawing attention, it was better to meet Ludwig outside Arcadia.

He chose a hotel on the outskirts of the city center as the meeting place with Ludwig. It was a place where they could converse comfortably without worrying about prying eyes or ears.

Arriving at the rendezvous point, Aires waited anxiously for Ludwig. The thought of actually meeting him made his heart flutter.

He agonized over how to greet him, how to open the conversation.

Perhaps the card Aires held wasn’t particularly useful to Ludwig at this point. Having read the novel, Aires knew the information he possessed was a card significant enough to turn Ludwig’s life upside down, but from Ludwig’s perspective, it would likely sound like nothing but a wild tale.

All Aires could do for Ludwig now was slightly improve his standing within Arcadia. As a character who held considerable weight in the novel, Ludwig undoubtedly possessed striking looks. Yet, as royalty from a defeated nation, it was obvious how he would be treated in the imperial Arcadia.

Therefore, Aires planned to leverage his own notoriety a little.

For instance, by spreading rumors that Aires Clayton had set his sights on Ludwig von Ferna.

‘In times like this, infamy can be useful…’

The real Aires despised others touching what was his with a near-maddening intensity. If anyone laid a finger on his possessions, he attacked them with vicious and relentless ferocity.

His attempt to kill Theodore, Count Clayton’s own son, was an extension of that.

So perhaps people would leave Ludwig alone, if only to avoid the hassle. If anyone dared to bother Ludwig, he wondered if he should act like the old Aires Clayton. It was fortunate his memories were slowly returning.

What should he say to Ludwig? Was being honest really the best approach?

While he was deep in thought, he sensed movement outside the door.

Hearing the knock, Aires quickly unlocked the door. When the door opened, a tall man wearing a hooded cloak stood there. He bowed his head slightly in greeting and quietly entered the room.

The silver hair peeking through the hood confirmed it was Ludwig.

Aires quickly closed the door behind him. Though he seemed to be Ludwig, he asked just to be sure.

“Your Royal Highness, is that you?”
“Yes. It is.”

Ludwig answered briefly, then pulled down the hood he was wearing, as if for confirmation. In Arcadia, they had only passed each other from a distance, so this was the first time he’d properly seen his face.

Ludwig’s revealed face was… how to put it…

Yes, it lacked humanity.

His silver hair, gleaming white in the light, his pallid skin devoid of color, and his perfectly sculpted features made him look like a well-crafted wax figure.

The tear-shaped mark beneath his long, slanted eyes and crimson irises slightly softened his cold impression, but only slightly. As befitting a novel’s main character, his face was undeniably handsome, yet it seemed excessively devoid of human warmth.

It gave off an aura that made one feel even touching his skin would yield no heat whatsoever.

‘Huh, he’s more intense than I expected…’

Truthfully, Aires was a bit flustered by how much colder he appeared than anticipated. Reading the novel, he’d imagined a gentler image.

Standing well above average height, Ludwig definitely didn’t give off an easygoing impression no matter how you looked at him. In fact, he was the kind of man who had cut down hundreds, even thousands, on the battlefield with that expressionless face.

That people would even think of messing with someone like this… It was something Aires couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Faced with Ludwig, who seemed far more formidable than expected, Aires found himself at a loss for words.

He worried whether he could even win his sympathy.

As he was deep in thought, Ludwig, who had been standing quietly, spoke first, “Can I take it off now?”

“… Huh?”

‘Take it off?’

Before he could even grasp what he meant, he flung the robe he was wearing to the floor.

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he began unbuttoning his shirt. One, two buttons came undone, revealing his solid chest–

Only then did Aires grasp the situation and urgently stop Ludwig.

“Wait a moment!”

He must have misunderstood something.

Ah… The belated realization hit him. Though he’d calmed down lately, Aires’s notorious reputation still ran rampant throughout Arcadia.

Aires was the sort who, once he took a fancy to someone, would toy with them as he pleased until he grew bored. While some victims approached him willingly, countless others were dragged into it due to the gap between their families.

That was a fact known to anyone with eyes and ears in Arcadia.

In that situation, if that Aires quietly sent a letter summoning the defeated nation’s hostage to a hotel room…

It was impossible not to misunderstand.

Moreover, Ludwig was currently being ostracized within Arcadia. He was not in a position to refuse the demands of a noble heir. While Aires might be lower in status compared to Bellus and Kyle, within Arcadia as a whole, he belonged to the upper echelons.

Thinking about it, it was definitely a situation ripe for misunderstanding. If anything, Aires was too naive.

Moreover, Ludwig seemed too impassive to have come here thinking about such things…

On the surface, Ludwig didn’t appear to be the type to abandon his pride under the weight of power. That was the first impression.

But recalling the original story, his thoughts changed. Perhaps Ludwig never had any pride to abandon in the first place.

He seemed, even at a glance, like someone who wouldn’t be swayed by petty emotions. Because he viewed even his own body as merely a tool, he could endure until the very end in this novel where even supporting characters were treated cruelly.

So, had he come here despite misunderstanding that the other party was demanding his body?

Aires first tried to clear up the embarrassing mistake by speaking to him.

“… There seems to have been some misunderstanding. I am not, um, seeking a physical relationship.“

At those words, Ludwig wore an expression that said, ‘Then what the hell do you want?’ Strangely, even his expressionless face conveyed emotion.

”I wrote to Your Highness because I wish to make a deal. Please don’t misunderstand. I have absolutely no intention of asking for anything strange.”
“I see. Then what kind of deal do you want?”
“I need the skills you possess as a knight.”
“My abilities as a knight?”
“Yes.”

Aires nodded in agreement. Even having just one person within Arcadia he could call for help in an emergency would ease his anxiety. If that was too much to ask, even a distant acquaintance would suffice.

Just having one place to breathe freely would be a blessing for him.

Though doubt still lingered in Ludwig’s eyes, thankfully he didn’t try to undress again. Aires first sat Ludwig down at the table.

“Your Highness, are you aware that I’ve lost my memory?”
“Yes.”
“Then do you also know what kind of person I was before?”
“Yes.”

“… I’m relieved you do. As you know, my former self committed many misdeeds.”
“Yes.”

Aires was momentarily flustered by the answer that flowed without a moment’s hesitation. He cleared his throat awkwardly to shake off his unease and continued.

“Because of that, quite a few people hold grudges against me. But since I have no memory, I don’t even know who to be wary of.”
“I see.”
“Yes. That’s why I need someone to protect me. You can’t just bring a knight from your house to Arcadia.”
“Yes.”
“I, too, will serve as your shield in Arcadia, Your Highness. Even if I’m weak, my family isn’t so weak that people can easily mess with them…“

Though he was dismissed as a good-for-nothing son, he was still the heir to the Count’s house. Even if they ignored Aires, it was hard to ignore the Count’s house behind him.

Moreover, lately Aires had been quietly studying, so the Count no longer looked upon him with the same disdain as before. For someone who came from a world without magic, Aires was improving his magical skills quickly, and he didn’t neglect his sword training either.

Thanks to that, the family’s view of Aires gradually changed. From looking at him as a hopeless piece of trash to looking at him with eyes that said, ‘You’ve finally come to your senses a little.’

Not long ago, the Count even tossed him a pouch filled with jewels. As long as he didn’t get caught planning to run away, it seemed like there wouldn’t be any problems.

“And Your Highness, there’s something I want to make clear.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to just use you, Your Highness. I want us to be like friends, supporting each other.”

“Yes, I understand.”
“… Then what should I call you from now on?”
“Please call me Ludwig.”

People here seemed to shorten each other’s names when they were friends. After a moment’s thought, Aires had a good idea.

“How about Ruby^[1]?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“You can call me Res.”
“Yes, understood. Res.”

The conversation flowed smoothly, but Aires felt a question mark in his mind.

‘Is he really understanding and responding to everything I’m saying…?’

Why is this so simple?

Even when offering to be friends, he didn’t ask anything, just said he understood everything. It made Aires feel a little strange, wondering if he was oppressing him with his power.

But then again, Ludwig had always been this gentle-natured. That was precisely why, despite being a strong knight, he’d often been swayed by others.

That such a gentle, kind person might catch the Emperor’s eye and face danger…

‘I must watch over him carefully so he doesn’t fall prey to the Emperor’s insidious schemes.’

A strange sense of duty burned within Aires.

For several days, Aires roamed around Arcadia with Ludwig trailing behind him.

“Ludwig, come here.”
“Yes, Lord Res.”
“Ludwig, where did you go? I told you not to stray from my side! Don’t annoy me.”
“I’m sorry.”

From Aires’s perspective, it was having a reliable bodyguard by his side. To others, however, it undoubtedly looked like him tormenting a captive from the defeated nation.

The reactions were predictable. After pretending to be well-behaved for a while, they thought, ‘Ah, he’s back to being the reckless Aires.’

As intended, rumors spread that Aires Clayton had set his sights on Ludwig. Surprisingly, those who had previously picked on Ludwig vanished without a trace. Aires was secretly quite shocked. He hadn’t realized his notoriety ran this deep.

Regardless, he was satisfied that he’d neatly driven away those who tormented Ludwig.

Rumors circulating within Arcadia weren’t something one could eliminate through personal effort anyway. It was fortunate that he could use those rumors to help Ludwig.

“Thank you, Res.”
“No need. It’s nothing between friends…”

Aires waved his hand away, looking flustered at Ludwig’s thanks. He felt awkward receiving such a polite expression of gratitude for merely spending a few days exploring Arcadia with Ludwig.

With that one problem solved, Aires was now trying to get closer to Ludwig.

Surprisingly, this was proving to be the biggest hurdle.

Keeping a conversation going with Ludwig was incredibly difficult. Even when he racked his brains to bring up topics, Ludwig responded stiffly, like a machine.

“Ruby, have you had lunch?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Has anyone been bothering you lately?”
“No, no one.”

Conversations always unfolded this way, one-sidedly.

Yet, whenever Aires asked him something, he’d snap back with an answer. At times like that, Aires wondered if he was actually bothering Ludwig.

It felt like a boss persistently trying to be friends with an employee. If Aires were in the employee’s position, it would probably feel incredibly uncomfortable.

‘But I just genuinely want to be friends.’

Aires didn’t want to be Ludwig’s employer. He wanted to be that kind of close friend – someone you could chat with comfortably, helping each other with little things.

Truthfully, he’d felt a bit lonely since returning to Arcadia.

Back at the family estate, David was always by his side, but in Arcadia, there was no one he could talk to freely. Colin was uncomfortable around Aires, and the others disliked him.

Because of the notoriety the old Aires had built up, he couldn’t even make new friends normally.

So he had secretly hoped he could become friends with Ludwig. Just when he thought he might finally have a friend, Ludwig, whom he had considered an ally, wasn’t the type to become close easily.

Still, he had to try a little harder…

Ludwig was the only person in this unfamiliar Arcadia who seemed unlikely to harm Aires. He might be indifferent to Aires, but he was absolutely not the type to force anything on him.

Ludwig always appeared calm in front of Aires. It was only Aires who felt awkward during those moments of silence.

So, he thought maybe he wasn’t bothering Ludwig after all, but then he suddenly felt embarrassed that he alone was so desperate to befriend him.

What should he call Ludwig now?

‘Well, he definitely doesn’t feel like a friend.’

Rather, it felt more like someone who would immediately raise his hand if you said ‘Hand!’

“Ruby.”
“Yes.”
“Ruby.”
“Yes.”

It felt strange that he answered every single time Aires called him so annoyingly like this. If they were normal friends, wouldn’t he have snapped back to stop calling him?

Finally, Aires spoke directly to Ludwig.

“Ruby, I’m not bothering you, am I…?”
“No.”
“You’re sure?”
“Ah, so you were trying to bother me. My apologies. I hadn’t realized.”
“Huh? No! It’s not that… I was just worried you might be uncomfortable…”

Ludwig tilted his head. He clearly didn’t understand a word Aires had said.

“Ah, haha. It’s nothing.”

Aires, who had been laughing awkwardly, asked cautiously, “Ruby, are we friends?”

“Yes.”
“… Do you have any other close friends besides me?”
“No.”

Of course! It seemed obvious there wouldn’t be.

“Then, do you know what a close friend is?”
“Yes. It’s someone you eat meals with and have conversations with.”

‘Somehow, his answer doesn’t surprise me.’

“No, I don’t mean that kind of superficial thing.”
“ … ”
“I mean being able to talk freely with each other, listening when someone’s having a hard time, sometimes even fighting… That’s what I mean.”

“I don’t want to fight with Res.”
“No. I mean, the kind of relationship where you could say you dislike it if I’m being this bothersome.”
“It’s not bothersome.”

“Well, that’s a relief… But it feels like I’m always the only one talking. Ruby, don’t you have anything to say to me? Just something simple. Like what you ate today and if it tasted bad or… “

”Today I had potato salad and steak. It wasn’t bad.“
”Ah, yes…“

As Aires clutched his head, unsure what to do, Ludwig’s face seemed to light up with a question mark.

What kind of environment did this person grow up in?

The somewhat worn-out look he had in the original story – was that actually his true self?

Aires, flustered by Ludwig’s response, just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

Then, unexpectedly, Ludwig spoke first, “If you wish, I can report what I eat every day.”

“Ah… Yes…”

Had he been bullying Ludwig without even realizing it…?

Aires trailed off, stunned.