Van’s melancholy gaze touched Rowy’s pale cheek. Those cheeks that were always soaked in tears at night.
If he left, would Rowy cry alone again? That would be hard to bear… Van closed his eyes at the rushing sadness. And… at that moment, Rowy’s hand twitched. Van looked at Rowy in surprise.
“Master?”
His eyelashes trembled with a flutter, and soon Rowy opened his eyes. Those jewel-like blue eyes were so welcome that Van finally pulled Rowy into his arms with a rush.
“Ugh… Van?”
“Really, I was so shocked thinking you wouldn’t wake up.”
“Ugh, my head hurts.”
“Are you okay? Should I call a healer?”
“No… what happened?”
“The demon was exterminated. But then you suddenly collapsed….”
“Are you okay?”
“Worry about yourself. You’ve been unconscious for a whole day.”
At those words, Rowy blinked while in Van’s embrace. Come to think of it, this place is….
“It’s Fin’s house. It would have been better if you could receive treatment in a better environment… I’m sorry.”
“Hm? No.”
If they’d gone to Seren while he was collapsed, it would have been a huge mess. Well, Van still didn’t even know that Rowy’s family name was Irad. Come to think of it, they were in such a relationship where they knew nothing about each other…. But then why was it reassuring to see Van as soon as he opened his eyes?
“……”
Rowy carefully examined Van’s face full of worry. Did he say it had been a day since he lost consciousness? His face was haggard as if he’d suffered mentally. Looking at Van’s eyes with all their blood vessels burst, Rowy opened his mouth.
“I’m fine. I think I collapsed as my memories returned.”
Many things came flooding back at once and his head hurt so much it felt like it would split—that was his last memory before collapsing.
“My memories are still cut off here and there though….”
But more came back than expected…. Rowy traced his memories. So, even when he first met Van, he had definitely known that there was a demon on the island. And that something had gone wrong.
So if he ended up going to the island with a slave, he thought he should take a strong slave if possible. For instance, a Combat Slave or something…. Of course, what Rowy purchased was a former Holy Knight who happened to be sold. …But was this really a coincidence? Rowy, who had been lost in thought for a moment, spoke impulsively.
“Still… I think God really exists.”
“Pardon?”
At Rowy’s out-of-the-blue words, Van expressed his doubt. And Rowy’s following words were….
“I think God sent you to me. I just had that thought.”
Well, maybe not. Never mind if not. Rowy answered halfheartedly. However, Van seemed to be deeply moved by those words. Van gently stroked Rowy’s cheek.
“…Do you really think so?”
…Van’s voice saying that sounded somehow wet, so Rowy tilted his head.
“Did you sleep?”
“…You were collapsed, Master.”
“Come here. Let’s sleep together a bit.”
It was still night outside. Rowy wriggled over to make room. It was a small bed that was too much for two men to get on, but the two pretended not to notice and stuck to each other.
“Haah….”
Van, who had been anxious all day, let out a sigh and hugged Rowy tightly. Not to be outdone, Rowy burrowed into that embrace. Wriggle, wriggle. Due to Rowy constantly burrowing into his embrace, the fine silver hair rubbed against Van’s nape. At that ticklish feeling, Van laughed softly. And at that sound of laughter, Rowy raised his head with a start. Since they were lying close together, their faces were near.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just, because I’m happy.”
“About what?”
Instead of an answer to that question, Van’s lips approached. With a cute smacking sound, lips touched his forehead and fell away. At that presumptuous act, Rowy’s eyes widened. He let him touch here and there, but… he doesn’t know his limits.
“What was that?”
“I was very worried…isn’t it okay?”
After kissing without permission, he makes a tearful face pretending to be hurt. At the detestable sight, Rowy snorted. Normally he would have kicked him out completely…. But it was also pitiful that his face was ruined from worrying about him. …Hmm.
“…Well, go ahead and try.”
…At the unexpected words, Van’s eyes opened wide.
“Pardon?”
“……”
“…R-really?”
“If you don’t want to, don’t.”
As if he wouldn’t want to. Gulp, Van, who swallowed, quickly grabbed Rowy’s chin. It was because he was worried Rowy might change his mind and say he didn’t like it after all. However, Rowy just obediently closed his eyes even at that rude touch. Unable to hold back at that sight, Van hurriedly pressed his lips in.
“Mmph!”
Rowy, startled by that rough movement, pushed Van away, but soon his strength melted away at the sensation of hot flesh rubbing together.
Chuup….
His mouth was stirred mindlessly. He even got goosebumps at the sensation of hot, wet flesh rubbing against each other. Explicit sounds kept ringing in his ears.
‘He says he’s a Holy Knight, so why is he so lewd….’
It was such a wet kiss that his lower back tingled. Without realizing it, Rowy wrapped his arms around Van’s neck and clung to him actively.
“Mmm….”
“Haa… Rowy, Master….”
And that passionate kiss that suddenly started,
“…Are you hard right now? Hey! Get away!”
Was concluded with Rowy’s shocked words.
* * *
“Did you sleep well? It wasn’t uncomfortable because it was cramped?”
“Mm-hm.”
“…Did something happen to hyung-nim?”
Fin approached Rowy and whispered.
“I don’t know. Just give me apple pie.”
“Yees.”
At Rowy’s words, Fin quickly brought apple pie. Van, beside such a Rowy, stuck out his lips five feet and snatched the apple pie to start cutting it instead.
“Hmph.”
Of course, Rowy snorted at such a Van. It wasn’t even funny how he was showing he was so sulky after what he said yesterday. It was even more detestable because this morning he kissed him a bunch with that expression.
While the two exchanged a silent conversation, Fin brought out more food. He said it was food made by Fin’s sisters. He wondered who he resembled to be good at cooking, and it seemed he took after his sisters.
Fin’s sisters were particularly afraid of Rowy, so thanks to that, Rowy couldn’t even see their faces. It seemed like the sisters were the ones who educated Fin not to talk to Rowy. Of course, the sociable Fin was affectionately talking about this and that as if he’d never avoided Rowy.
“The butler-nim broke his leg, so he’ll probably have trouble moving around for a while. Ah, they said he’ll be fine if he rests for a month or two.”
The one who was hurt the most in this demon incident was the butler. His leg was swollen seriously, and it seemed he was finally diagnosed with a fracture. Rowy nodded.
“He should rest well. They say when you get old, bones don’t heal well either.”
“What should we do since you probably can’t go to the castle for a while?”
“Hm? It doesn’t matter.”
“Pardon?”
At Rowy’s answer, Fin expressed his doubt. However, it really didn’t matter if the butler wasn’t there. Because the two weren’t going back to the castle anyway. Van, who finished cutting all the apple pie and pushed it to Rowy with a still sulky face, opened his mouth instead.
“We’re not going back to the castle for a while.”
“What? Then?”
“We’re going to Marzen.”
To be precise, they were planning to go to the Elysion Temple in Marzen. It was to lift the curse still remaining on Rowy.
* * *
The departure was quick. It was because Van wanted to leave with Rowy as soon as possible. After Rowy woke up, they only ate breakfast together, but Fin made a disappointed face at the news they were already leaving. However, since they were leaving for Rowy’s treatment, it couldn’t be helped.
At Van’s urging, the captain quickly prepared the boat. Like that, preparations for departure were finished before even noon. As the two were about to leave the island, unexpectedly, many people gathered at the port. Fin’s sisters, the twin brothers, and even the butler with a cane had come out to the port. Rowy looked at them one by one.
‘We’ve seen each other for two years but never even exchanged a few words….’
Yet everyone was waving their hands to Rowy.
“You should wave your hand too, Master.”
Van said while waving his hand beside him. Rowy, who looked at Van for a moment, waved his hand slightly.
“Be careful! We’ll protect the castle!”
Fin’s voice rang out all the way to the ship’s side. Hearing those words, Rowy waved his hand a bit more flutteringly.
“Now, you might get a fever again, so it would be better to stay inside. Come here. Ah, just hold my hand. Don’t touch my body.”
…Being led by the still-sulky Van’s hand, Rowy kept looking back.
