It was a lie. Elijah actually wanted to go out so badly. Rose’s offer to take a walk for once was so welcome it made him want to cry. But if he showed too much happiness, he might never get to take a walk again.
In truth, his physical condition these days was maintaining its best state in nearly 200 years. He didn’t know if it was because Rose fed him so well or because he naturally exercised while mingling bodies with him.
In any case, if he used to be out of breath after just five minutes of walking before, now he didn’t faint like before even after being tormented by Rose for over an hour.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to Rose’s stamina, but it was remarkable progress. Unfortunately, it was meaningless except that he had become a body good for being Rose’s nourishment.
As he scraped away bit by bit at the crumbling potato with a spoon, Rose leaned his head against his shoulder.
“I’m so happy these days.”
“…”
“Are you happy too, Elijah?”
“…Yeah.”
Rose, who had slightly lifted his head, looked at Elijah from right in front of his nose. His persistent gaze roamed coldly over his face as if thoroughly searching his hidden feelings. Rose tapped his cheek with the tip of his index finger.
“Swallow, Elijah.”
Only then realizing he had frozen with potato pushed to one side of his cheek, Elijah quickly swallowed the potato.
“Cute.”
Rose laughed while stroking his cheek. He sucked on his lips stained with stew without a care.
“Cute and pretty… Enough to want to chew you up bit by bit starting from your fingertips.”
“…Yeah, if you like something too much, that could happen.”
It can’t happen. What truly eerie and frightening words. The potato that would crumble at the touch of a tongue stuck in his throat like a stone. Elijah could only hope Rose wouldn’t notice the goosebumps rising on his skin.
“What about you? How much do you like me?”
“I’m exactly the same as you.”
“Really?”
“…”
Eventually putting down his spoon, Elijah stretched out his arms and embraced Rose’s neck. He replaced the shudder churning violently inside with different words.
“I like you…, Rose. I like you a lot, as much as you like me.”
The red eyes melted languidly. Rose was genuinely delighted. His face looked like a child trembling with anxiety had finally regained a little peace of mind.
Rose had a rather low threshold for joy. Just because Elijah kissed him first, or just because he came into his arms before Rose reached out, he was happy as if he had gained the whole world.
Watching such a Rose, Elijah felt quite uncomfortable, as if he were deceiving him.
…No. He hadn’t deceived him.
The words “I like you” had surely been sincere at some point in the past.
Also, he was the only caregiver who had witnessed all of his weak and lovable aspects. So if he had to choose between “like” and “dislike,” he was still closer to the former.
It was just that the feeling had been carved away so much that its shape was no longer pretty.
At that crude confession, Rose seemed to be getting started again, licking and sucking Elijah’s lips as he pleased. Elijah lowered his head to avoid the kiss and muttered quietly.
“Let’s take… a walk.”
Then he quickly scooped up a large spoonful of stew and forcefully shoved it into his mouth so Rose couldn’t kiss him anymore. However, it was a useless defense against Rose, who had the stomach to sweetly swallow not only stew but also Elijah’s semen.
“Just a little…, just stay like this a little longer.”
Eventually, Elijah, who had swallowed the remaining stew in his mouth, accepted his lips.
His body, creaking and swaying like a disrupted daily life, was laid beneath him.
* * *
The moment of waking from deep sleep was always accompanied by unpleasantness. As soon as Elijah raised his upper body, he helplessly wiped away the semen flowing down the inside of his thighs with the blanket.
Silence all around. Elijah, who had lowered his feet below the bed, blinked away his drowsiness in the unfamiliar stillness.
It was when he had taken a few steps toward the table that he felt something was off.
He couldn’t hear the sound.
“…”
The sound of the chain dragging with each step he took.
Elijah slowly lowered his head with the feeling of looking down below a cliff. The restraints that had become so familiar they felt like part of his body were not visible.
The moment he realized this fact, he suddenly swayed. In the end, Elijah, who had fallen face-down on the floor, looked in shock at the shackles rolling around beneath the bed, having lost their owner. The restraints that had seemed so solid they would never open had their jaws wide open.
Huh… Elijah soundlessly drew in a breath.
“Ro…, Rose.”
Elijah’s voice echoed emptily in the narrow, empty cabin. Hurriedly getting up and pressing his face close to the window, Elijah looked around for Rose, who should be outside.
‘I’m going down to the settlement today, is there anything you need?’
He finally remembered the words that had been whispered through the gaps of his fading consciousness at dawn after their lovemaking. Elijah hesitantly stepped back. Without the restraints that had felt as heavy as if dragging his ankles into a mire, it was strangely harder to walk.
What on earth is going on?
Why…?
Only unanswerable questions swirled dizzily in his head. He had seemed particularly happy recently, so perhaps because he kept being so obedient, Rose thought the restraints were no longer necessary?
‘No.’
That can’t be. He wouldn’t change his mind so easily…
His fumbling steps headed toward the door. The feel of the wooden door handle touching his palm was unfamiliar, having not grasped it himself in so long.
“…”
Even with the moment he had waited for so long right before his eyes, Elijah stood rooted to the spot, unable to open the door. He had only stepped a few paces beyond the radius that had always been permitted, yet that alone made his heart freeze coldly.
Because the fear that Rose might be watching him from somewhere surged up. He felt like Rose would be right there if he opened the door. The face scolding him fiercely with eyes rolled back, saying he knew this would happen, already flickered before his eyes.
‘Maybe he’s testing me.’
It was too coincidental that such an opportunity came at this very time when he had decided to escape. What were the chances it wasn’t a trap?
…Should I just not go out?
That would actually be much easier for Elijah. Whether the shackles were there or not, just waiting quietly until Rose came.
‘But…’
Even if there might be another intention, it wasn’t common for Rose to show such leniency. It meant that if not today, even such a trap-like opportunity might never come again.
How much time has passed?
Elijah approached the window again and looked up at the sky. Usually when Rose went down to the settlement, he would return after half a day.
No, was it really half a day?
For Elijah, who spent most of the day doing three things—sleeping, eating, or groaning beneath Rose—it was difficult to gauge the exact time required.
Suppressing his pounding heart, Elijah hurriedly put on his clothes. It was very awkward not hearing the sound of chains dragging with each step.
I have to go. I’m sorry to Rose, but I don’t want to be trapped here anymore. I have to leave… If Rose ever fails to control his strength… I might get crushed if I’m not careful. Anywhere would be better than here.
Frightfully inciting words pounded his heart violently.
Elijah rushed out the door like someone already being chased. Whoosh—wind carrying lukewarm heat swept over his body. At the outside air seeping into his lungs, Elijah felt like his chest would burst.
Suddenly, tinnitus squeezed his eardrums. Having stopped just a few steps away from the entrance, Elijah trembled like someone suddenly left alone in an open field.
Rustle, rustle. Between the tinnitus, an eerie sound scratched at his eardrums. The sound approaching at a steady pace as if trampling dry branches stimulated his extremely heightened hearing.
‘Rose is coming.’
It was definitely the sound of him coming. Step, step. Once he recognized the sound, it became even clearer, gradually closing the distance.
Elijah immediately turned and ran. The fear was so extreme he didn’t even realize he was barefoot.
Run, Elijah. Run.
He thought he faintly heard laughter from behind. His feet stepping on wet soil sank deeply as if falling into a mire.
Breath rising to his chin choked his throat, but Elijah absolutely couldn’t stop. The impatience that a vicious grip would soon snatch his hair tickled the nape of his neck.
If you crawl like that, you’ll be caught right away.
Bright laughter tormented his ears. It sounded like young Rose’s laughter, or Igrit’s laughter, and on the other hand, it also sounded like a wicked demon’s laughter.
* * *
“It’s true. I’m telling you it wasn’t a mistake.”
Gillie passionately argued toward the two men. One side seemed to be listening to his story quite attentively, but the other side looked at him almost like he was crazy.
“So, let me confirm the description one more time.”
The man who had removed his leather gloves said as he placed them on the table.
“Snow-white skin, curly silver-white hair, red eyes. Since you said he was taller than you, that means he’s incredibly tall, right?”
“That’s right, Mage-nim.”
“Please feel free to call me Kalian.”
Gillie looked back and forth at the two mages he had met again after a very long time.
“When did this happen?”
“It was spring.”
“Were there any other letters after that?”
“No, of course not. Knowing there’s someone intercepting them, would I keep sending letters?”
Hmm… Kalian stroked his chin and leaned crookedly against the table.
“But Kalian-ssi, are you perhaps interrogating me right now?”
“What? No. What interrogation.”
Ahem, ahem. Kalian waved his hands while glancing at Bailey beside him.
“Anyway, it’s amazing, right? When I was young, I really believed fairies existed, but now it’s even more amazing that people are living up there. That day was a bit strange, but if I get another chance, I’d like to become friends.”
Gillie said as he sipped tea from a crude mug. Bailey glanced disapprovingly at Kalian, who was harboring vain curiosity about another useless possibility while pretending to ask about Gillie’s recent situation.
