Prologue
CRASH!
A sharp bolt of lightning struck down toward the head of the tiger demonic beast. The tiger demonic beast endured the lightning and rose to its feet, but it couldn’t keep withstanding the lightning that fell in succession.
BOOM! CRASH! KABOOM!
White smoke poured from the mouth of the tiger demonic beast after being struck by the pouring lightning bolts over and over. Its outer hide was intact, but its internal organs had been cooked through.
Even in that state, the tiger demonic beast managed to take a few more steps before finally collapsing unconscious. Its massive body crumpled to the ground with a reverberating thud.
At the same time, Taeyon’s lightning barrage finally stopped.
“Taeyon!”
Kaniel’s face darkened as he watched Taeyon, who had fallen to one knee on the ground, barely holding himself up with his sword like a cane.
He didn’t look well. He had clearly used too much of his ability.
Taeyon had said he shouldn’t use his ability recklessly since he hadn’t received tuning for so long, but this time he’d exceeded that limit.
What should I do? Is it okay to approach him? He said that when he uses too much of his ability and his ability wavelength becomes unstable, all his senses become hypersensitive. Would approaching him now make Taeyon uncomfortable?
Unable to judge how to act in this situation, Kaniel could only stamp his feet in place.
Just then, Taeyon, who had been keeping his eyes closed as if enduring something, suddenly coughed up blood. At the same time, crackle—electric sparks flew through the air. They were flickering as if protecting Taeyon, or perhaps isolating him.
Was that also a side effect of ability use? He couldn’t hold back any longer. Just as Kaniel, his face pale, tried to move toward Taeyon—
KABOOM! Lightning began falling again. Intermittent bolts of lightning struck the ground fiercely, indiscriminate of location.
Kaniel realized this phenomenon was a bad sign for Taeyon. Taeyon frowned, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and turned his head toward Kaniel.
“Kaniel, from here…”
The moment their eyes met, Kaniel began running without time to think.
CRASH! BOOM!
“Kaniel?!”
Lightning struck right next to Kaniel’s feet. Stones flew from the shattered ground, grazing Kaniel’s leg. But Kaniel didn’t even feel the pain.
Because right now, only the thought of getting to Taeyon filled his head completely.
“Kaniel, don’t come! You could die if you’re not careful!”
That voice couldn’t change Kaniel’s resolve either.
CRASH! Lightning fell right nearby, nearly making his legs give out and causing him to fall, but he stubbornly forced himself back up.
This wasn’t something he could give up on.
Taeyon’s ability wavelength was unstable, causing confusion in all his bodily senses and his body was gradually breaking down—and after saving his life thanks to that, he should just run away?
‘I absolutely can’t do that.’
Gritting his teeth hard, the moment he ran to Taeyon’s side, Taeyon pulled him into an embrace. He felt the hot body temperature. Hearing the sound of the sword rolling on the ground, Kaniel wrapped his arms around Taeyon’s back in return.
“I clearly told you not to come…”
“Ah, I caught you…”
As if running a fever, he felt a body temperature hotter than usual. It was a sign that his physical condition wasn’t good. But right now, in this very moment, that heat brought Kaniel relief.
Kaniel didn’t want Taeyon to get hurt or die. Preferably, he wanted him to stay healthy and at peace. He couldn’t tell him not to fight since he was a knight, but if he had to fight, he wanted him to always win. And even after winning, to remain unharmed.
“It’s okay. Taeyon would never hurt me, right?”
There was no way Taeyon would hurt him. That absolute trust was what led Kaniel here.
And now it was Kaniel’s turn to repay Taeyon’s trust.
“You need a tuner, right? Who is it? Just tell me and I’ll bring them here somehow.”
Taeyon had said his body didn’t tune well. That meant it wasn’t completely impossible to tune. Even if the efficiency was low, as long as tuning was possible, they could buy time.
If they could buy time, then they might have more options after that.
Taeyon stared intently at Kaniel. Kaniel felt some kind of complex longing in that gaze. Just as frustration was building while those lips wavered as if about to speak, Taeyon said:
“…There is one.”
“What?”
“Right now, they’re here…”
Here? Here where?
With a blank expression, Kaniel only rolled his eyes around, scanning the surroundings. There was no one in this place who looked like a tuner.
Ah, does he mean in this city?
“About my tuner… you were curious…”
“Yes, please tell me.”
Taeyon let out a low, heated breath once, then slowly pushed Kaniel away. Though his touch was trembling so much it seemed he couldn’t even push away a leaf, Kaniel obediently stepped back.
A narrow gap formed between the two. In that state, Taeyon leaned his head on Kaniel’s shoulder and spoke as if whispering.
“That’s you, Kaniel.”
Did I hear wrong? What did Taeyon just say?
Kaniel looked down at Taeyon with a blank face.
“You’re my tuner.”
In that moment, memories from the past flashed through his mind.
It was what happened in the underground city Centanid. Taeyon’s condition had been concerning like now, and Kaniel had run to him in alarm. Then Taeyon had suddenly pulled him into an embrace and clung to him, refusing to let go.
At the time, he’d thought Taeyon was just so exhausted and tired that he wanted to rest like that for a moment.
“…Me?”
So that was because I’m a tuner?
His head couldn’t process this sudden information properly. His mind was empty, but his chest boiled hotly. His heart beat wildly, and a trembling sensation difficult to describe passed over the back of his neck and spine like a shudder.
Before even finishing his thoughts, Kaniel reached a conclusion as if by instinct. He urgently grabbed Taeyon’s forearm.
“Then what should I do?”
At Kaniel’s question, Taeyon let out a pained groan and curled up slightly. Taeyon firmly grasped the hand that reflexively pulled away.
“Keep going…”
In a voice almost like a whisper, Taeyon pleaded.
“Keep touching me like this…”
Taeyon exhaled hot breaths and tilted his head slightly to look up at Kaniel. Between wet eyelashes, Taeyon’s golden eyes sparkled beautifully.
In that moment, an indescribable elation filled Kaniel completely. He had always wanted to help Taeyon. He wanted to repay the debt of having his life saved.
And right now, that wish was coming true.
He was the only person who could help Taeyon right now.
Kaniel’s heart pounded thump-thump as he met that longing gaze. At the same time, intense joy welled up.
Kaniel wrapped his other hand around Taeyon’s lower back. Sweat was seeping from Taeyon’s body.
“Like… this?”
“Mmm…”
Taeyon made a sound like purring as he rubbed his forehead against Kaniel’s shoulder, pressing firmly.
I want to touch more deeply.
I want to touch more intensely.
More. More…
Finally, Taeyon whispered in a low tone that seemed to scrape his throat.
“It feels so good…”
Kaniel grabbed his ears and curled up. Finding that appearance both cute and lovable, Taeyon pulled him into an even tighter embrace as he continued.
“But, Kaniel.”
“Y-yes.”
“It’s a little lacking.”
In an instant, the uncontrolled ability struck lightning with a CRASH in the empty space.
Taeyon looked blankly in that direction, then rubbed his cheek against Kaniel’s shoulder again as if acting cute. As if asking him not to just curl up but to look at him.
Then Kaniel slightly raised his head and looked at him.
Ah, yes. This is what I wanted.
I wanted to see those eyes.
And, and after that…
“Th-then what should I… do?”
Kaniel grabbed Taeyon’s cheeks and lifted them, then swept his disheveled hair back. Then he looked into his eyes with a worried expression.
Even in his hazy and dizzy state, Taeyon was so pleased that Kaniel was looking at him that he smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth. But strangely, Kaniel’s expression became even more tearful.
Taeyon opened his mouth, thinking he should ask why he had that expression.
“I’m sorry, but… may I lick your mucous membranes?”
“…What?”
Only after seeing Kaniel’s stunned expression did Taeyon realize he’d said something different from what he intended.
He needed to approach this small tuner little by little, slowly.
But he wanted to lick the mucous membranes.
He wanted to bite above the ribs.
He wanted to bite the neck hard.
He wanted to drink the saliva.
His head was spinning from the desperate craving. Taeyon looked at Kaniel with heat-filled eyes. As if waiting for the lifeline he would lower.
And finally, Kaniel nodded.
Filled with ecstasy, Taeyon brought his face close to Kaniel’s. Kaniel was trembling with a tense expression.
Taeyon whispered low in a voice cracked with desperation.
“You need to open your mouth.”
Soon, scorching heat intermingled.
