“About what?”
“Your complexion looks terrible.”
“It’s because the food tastes awful.”
He’d thought it would get better once he had something in his stomach, but it didn’t. Far from getting better, his head throbbed as if it would split, and a thirst different from simply being thirsty arose. It was similar to the premonitory symptoms that appeared when the Bloody Cycle approached.
‘…That can’t be.’
There were still more than seven days left until the fifteenth. Though they said the more fervent one was, the more irregular the Bloody Cycle period, it didn’t apply to Roman, who had dominant traits. Of course, his condition would hit rock bottom around the day before, but it had never been this far off even once.
The fortunate thing was that all that remained was to return. In fact, when he received the Grand Duke’s contact earlier, he’d felt deflated thinking he’d made a pointless trip, but now he even felt grateful.
As he pushed a piece of hard bread into his mouth, Kan’s voice continued. It was a rather cautious tone unlike usual.
“I heard the name Ruth mentioned earlier—did you come to find him?”
“Right.”
Roman answered readily. Though they were at a distance, it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t hear while being in the same space. He could have gone outside to talk with Grand Duke Kailton, but he didn’t move from his spot thinking they’d find out soon anyway.
“Then is Ruth really Grand Duke Kailton’s partner?”
“…Probably. Don’t tell the other guys yet.”
“Of course. By the way, doesn’t the master have one?”
“Have what?”
“A lover.”
“Does it seem like I do?”
“Then that’s good.”
Roman’s movement stopped for a moment. He’d received questions about whether he had a lover a few times before, but this was the first time he’d gotten a response of ‘that’s good’ when he answered jokingly.
“What do you mean?”
When he unconsciously furrowed his brows and asked back, Kan answered casually while cutting meat.
“After we finish eating, I’ll at least give you some of my blood. Though it’ll be insufficient since I’m general class, it might make you feel a little better.”
Only then did he understand what he meant by ‘that’s good.’ As Kan said, even when it wasn’t the Bloody Cycle, drinking a Benic’s blood made one feel better for a moment, and the reverse was also true.
Roman chuckled belatedly and answered.
“Won’t it be troublesome if Rose finds out?”
Though he mentioned his long-time lover’s name, Kan wasn’t shaken at all.
“No way. Rather, she’ll pat my butt saying I did well.”
At the brazen answer, Roman let out another laugh. Rose, Kan’s lover and also Isabel’s friend, liked him quite a bit for some reason. Even so, it wasn’t proper to drink the blood of someone who had a partner, so he decided to just accept the sentiment.
After finishing the meal and coming out, a cool breeze brushed past his cheeks. While Kan went to get the horses, Roman leaned his back against the restaurant’s outer wall with his eyes closed.
Though he’d hoped it would improve even a little, his condition was getting progressively worse. His throat felt parched as if burning continuously, and he felt an inexplicable chill. Only then could Roman accurately recognize his condition. Damn it, it seemed the Bloody Cycle and a cold had come together.
“Are you alright?”
When he opened his eyes, he could see Kan’s face, who had already appeared leading a horse. Roman clicked his tongue irritably and swept back his sweat-dampened hair. In this state, travel seemed absolutely impossible.
“I have a favor to ask. Go to the pharmacy and buy some suppressants.”
“…Suppressants?”
He heard a question asked back in a tone suggesting disbelief.
Medicine to suppress Bloody Cycle symptoms had existed for quite a long time, but its efficiency couldn’t be called good by any stretch. It was something all adults experienced, and for Neos, the symptoms disappeared completely just by drinking a Benic’s blood. Also, since having sexual relations with a partner during the Bloody Cycle allowed one to enjoy supreme pleasure, there was no particular need to develop better medicine.
In short, hardly anyone took suppressants except in very special cases such as wartime or when there was great misfortune in the household. So it was no wonder Kan found it puzzling.
“Are you serious?”
“Do I look like I’m joking in this situation?”
He was smiling, but it wasn’t a real smile. As he stood there barely holding on, a well-meaning but unwelcome suggestion followed.
“Instead of that, even now, my blood…”
“I told you I don’t want to be resented by Rose. I’ll wait here, so hurry and go. Buy headache medicine too if they have it.”
“…Understood. At least sit on that chair over there for a moment.”
Kan quickly mounted his horse. Knowing that the master rarely reversed something he’d said once, he judged it would be better to quickly buy suppressants rather than continue a wasteful war of words.
With Kan gone, Roman barely moved his steps and sat on a chair outside the restaurant.
‘…This is driving me crazy.’
The pain that had been stabbing his temples felt like it had spread even to the area around his eyes. His exhaled breath was extremely hot. As he waited for Kan to hurry back, shortly after, he heard footsteps approaching heavily.
He quickly raised his head, but the joy was brief. The person standing before his eyes wasn’t Kan but a man he’d never seen before.
“What do you want?”
Irritation was embedded in his tone. Normally one would flinch and shrink back, but the tactless man shrugged his shoulders and continued speaking.
“I’ve been watching you since the restaurant, and I’m glad to see you’re here. It’s the Bloody Cycle, right?”
At the confident tone, Roman’s mood worsened even more. In fact, he was skilled at hiding not only his inner feelings but also his expressions. If he smiled as usual, most people wouldn’t know even on the day of the Bloody Cycle, but if a clueless bastard like this could notice, it must be showing quite obviously.
At the suddenly intensified headache, he pressed his brow firmly. It would be nice if he’d leave on his own, but contrary to his wishes, even more unwelcome words followed.
“I could tell which side you were as soon as I saw you. I’ll fuck you as much as you want, so right now…”
“Get lost. You’re not my type.”
There was no way he would drink the blood of someone who was obviously far lower class than Kan, whose offer he’d already refused. But the guy who looked obviously stupid didn’t know when to back down. Finally, he arbitrarily reached out his hand and lifted Roman’s chin, then began spouting nonsense with a greedy smile.
“What’s taste matter? If the bodies fit well together, that’s taste. Your lips are plump too… If you suck well, I’ll fuck you so hard your bottom will gape open and won’t close, so stop being coy… Keurk!”
A choked moan burst from the mouth of the man who’d been suddenly struck in the throat. Roman, who had risen to his feet, kicked the man’s chest repeatedly. Approaching the opponent who staggered and fell disgracefully, he pressed his foot slowly against his neck.
“…!”
The face of the man whose windpipe was blocked turned bright red in an instant. Displeasure was rampant on Roman’s face as he looked down at the opponent writhing like a worm.
“You’ll fuck me so hard my bottom won’t close? A bastard who’s sprawled on the ground unable to even get up?”
“Master!”
People who had gathered in small groups were surrounding the area in a circle. Kan, who pushed through the gap and entered, saw Roman and asked with a surprised expression.
“What happened?”
“He was annoying.”
Kan immediately grasped the situation. It seemed he’d fearlessly made a move, pretending to be a Benic. Looking with pitiful eyes at the guy gasping with his neck stepped on, Kan belatedly came to his senses and continued speaking.
“Let’s go quickly. There happens to be an inn nearby.”
As Kan said, there was a small inn not far away. Roman, who entered the room, staggered and lay down on the bed as if collapsing. His vision was dizzy and hot heat exuded from his exhaled breath. It seemed he would be severely ill.
“The medicine?”
“Here it is.”
Kan’s hand went into his inner pocket. Before that, a worried gaze repeatedly reached Roman.
“They say there might be side effects… Will you be alright?”
“Better than not taking it.”
It was a question containing the inner meaning of whether he still wouldn’t drink blood even now, and Roman would have understood fully. But since he said he would take the medicine, there was no other way.
‘Why is he so stubbornly insisting, really.’
Of course, it was just an inner thought, and Kan reluctantly handed the medicine to Roman. After throwing the suppressant followed by headache medicine into his mouth all at once, Roman lay down on the bed with the sheet pulled over him.
“Good work. Don’t even think about staying and go to your room. Even your breathing sounds will be annoying.”
Though he had a brazen side, Kan was fundamentally a guy with depth. Knowing he would keep staying by his side if he said nothing, Roman preempted him, and shortly after, he felt signs of him going outside, leaving words to rest comfortably.
