The two moved to the bathroom attached to the room. Van was somehow extremely tense, and perhaps because of that, he seemed to have forgotten all about the magical artifact. He didn’t say anything even when Rowy filled the bathtub with water using magic. Soon, a warm atmosphere filled the bathroom. Rowy began removing his clothes one by one with a more relaxed expression.
“Gulp.”
Hm? Gulp? Rowy looked back at Van. Van seemed somewhat spaced out. Why is he like that?
“What’s wrong? You’ll get wet, so you should take yours off too.”
Rowy said that and removed his shirt. Even while he took off his pants completely, Van remained motionless.
“What are you doing?”
Rowy handed his clothes to Van, who was standing blankly. Van, startled as he received the clothes, finally approached Rowy.
“Well, ahem. Bath, I haven’t attended to someone bathing before.”
“Then leave.”
“No! I’ll do well!”
Van hurriedly took off his top and rolled up his pants. Rowy looked strangely at him moving frantically and slowly put his foot into the bathtub.
“Ahh, as expected, it’s nice to actually submerge my body in water.”
“Should I wash your hair?”
“You said you’ve never done it.”
“I’m from the temple, you see.”
“Hm?”
Not understanding what he meant, Rowy tilted his head back to look at Van. Van supported Rowy’s head like that and naturally combed through his hair.
“Many little kids come to the temple. Washing children was a common occurrence.”
“Are you saying I’m a little kid?”
“Where in the world is there a little kid like this?”
“What does that mean?”
At Rowy’s words, Van only smiled. He was about to say something, but Van’s hands were so carefully stroking his hair that Rowy obediently closed his eyes.
“You’re the one—has anyone ever washed your hair like this for you?”
“Mmm? Me? When I was young…”
Rowy nodded. After all, he had grown up in the ducal family. Attendants were always there.
“When you were young? How young?”
“Hm?”
How young? What kind of question is that?
“Just when I was young. After I grew up, I did everything myself. I couldn’t bring attendants to the academy either…”
Bringing attendants to the academy was prohibited. The purpose was to reduce the status gap between students. It was ridiculous. The academy didn’t accept anyone who wasn’t a noble in the first place.
While at the academy, he had seen other students grumbling about being uncomfortable several times. Of course, it didn’t apply to Rowy. In that situation of being completely alone, Rowy felt a strong sense of liberation for the first time.
“It was just inconvenient. After I grew up, you’re the first to do it for me.”
“I’m… the first?”
“Yeah.”
“Why, why?”
“Well, you’re…”
Right, why is that? Blink, Rowy closed his eyes deeply and opened them. Right…. Rowy didn’t like having people by his side. Inevitably so. Rowy recalled his unpleasant childhood.
Having grown up receiving all kinds of negativity—hostility, fear, disgust—from those around him since infancy when he knew nothing, Rowy was very uncomfortable being with other people. Even though there was no longer anyone who treated Rowy that way.
‘Who knows what they’re thinking inside.’
Rowy didn’t trust humans. Then… why was Van an exception?
“Well…”
Rowy looked up at Van with his neck tilted back. Their eyes met.
“……”
Black eyes. Those eyes that Rowy had liked from the first time they met. Rowy was clearly reflected in those straight eyes. It had been like that from some point on. Rowy was always in those eyes. And that… A moment of silence flowed between them. But it wasn’t awkward. So the reason was… because….
“I don’t know.”
Rowy eventually couldn’t stand the strange feeling and closed his eyes.
“Keep them closed. Soap will get in.”
Van carefully touched Rowy’s head. The firm fingertips digging into his scalp were somehow chilling. When Rowy shifted his body, Van’s touch became even softer.
“I’ve never seen hair of such a beautiful color before.”
“They say I resemble my mother.”
Rowy said in a slightly subdued voice. Silver hair was the exclusive property of the Irad Duchy. However, while most just had faded silver, Rowy’s hair was shining silver blonde itself. He had heard that Rowy’s mother, Princess Estelia’s hair was exactly like that.
“Was your mother this beautiful too?”
“They say I look exactly like her. I’ve never seen her. She died giving birth to me.”
At those words, Van’s hand caressing his scalp hesitated.
“Do you miss her?”
“…Sometimes.”
Rowy answered honestly. It was the first time he had revealed such inner feelings to anyone. He just felt it would be okay to do so with Van. Soon, firm arms embraced Rowy from behind. In that warm embrace, Rowy slowly relaxed and leaned back.
“Haah…”
Rowy sighed lowly at the deep sense of security.
“…Then, one thing, ahem. There’s something else I’m curious about.”
“Hm?”
“Did you, perhaps… buy me as a bed slave?”
What’s he saying now.
* * *
After Rowy’s gaze turned cold, the bath ended in an instant. Van was quite embarrassed, but since Rowy wasn’t the type to care about such things, the atmosphere actually lightened quickly. After carefully drying his hair himself, applying oil with his rough hands and carefully combing it, Van asked Rowy if he could look around the castle for a bit.
“I want to check if there’s anything dangerous.”
“Dangerous? Worried it’ll collapse?”
“…Will it really collapse?”
“As if.”
Rowy laughed. As long as Rowy was supporting the castle with his magical power, it would be fine even if a meteor fell. Of course… limited to the second floor. Still, well, it’s been fine until now, so surely nothing will happen, right?
“Look around. There’s nothing much though.”
Rowy nodded lightly and issued an order to leave.
“I’m going to sleep, so get out. And from now on, go sleep in your room at night too.”
“Pardon? Why?”
“You don’t know why you’re asking?” Rowy answered with his expression. Van hurriedly followed after Rowy who turned around and headed for the bed. However, Rowy’s expression looking at Van remained cold. Van left the room dejectedly, thoroughly dejected.
* * *
And that night, contrary to Van’s heartbreak, Rowy once again called Van into his bedroom.
“I’ll change clothes by myself.”
Of course, Rowy had developed a bit of wariness that wasn’t there before… but Van didn’t mind as long as he could put Rowy to sleep beside him. It’s not that he wasn’t disappointed. He was disappointed though. With hands full of lingering attachment, Van tucked in the blanket again and stroked his hair, but when Rowy grabbed his hand telling him to stay still, Van finally sat obediently beside him.
“Have sweet dreams.”
“You, leave when I fall asleep.”
“…Don’t worry.”
Van said with a thoroughly hurt expression. Of course, Rowy didn’t care at all. How much time passed like that—Rowy’s breathing sank deeply. Van stared motionlessly at that gentle sleeping face.
‘Treating me like some kind of pervert.’
Just asking if he was a bed slave made his face turn so cold. He almost shed tears from feeling hurt. Even while thinking that, Van kept grinning and smiling.
‘Still, to think someone who looks like they’d follow just anyone knows how to be cautious. So admirable.’
With such an angelic face, and sharp-witted on top of that! …Van had already completely lost objectivity when it came to Rowy. It couldn’t be helped.
‘How could I not like him?’
Beautiful appearance and innocent personality, and on top of that….
‘I’ll protect you.’
Van recalled the time when he, who always stood in front of everyone facing demons, received powerful protection from someone for the first time. That absolute strength he experienced for the first time… all of it shook his heart.
Van humbly accepted the emotion he encountered for the first time in his life. Of course, if Rowy didn’t want it, he had no intention of forcing his feelings. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the desire to become someone special to Rowy, but Van, who had served god his entire life, knew well that love without reward was also sufficiently valuable.
‘Just, even being by his side like this…’
Van’s gaze looking at Rowy was tender. After watching Rowy for a while longer, Van left the room with slow steps. Lest he wake the sleeping person, not a single footstep sounded. Even while walking to the end of the corridor and the stairs, Van continuously checked for signs from the room. If he suddenly woke up and cried alone…. However, fortunately, there were no signs of Rowy waking up. Van finally sighed inwardly and moved his feet to the stairs.
‘He said not to be apart from the master at night.’
That statement was a concern directed at Van himself, not at Rowy who had always spent nights alone. So Van decided to check for himself what kind of danger was in this castle. With the Holy Sword, Van feared nothing in the world. What would someone who defeated even an archdemon fear?
Van, looking down at the first floor submerged in deep darkness without a single light, grasped the Holy Sword at his waist again and stepped heavily down the stairs. Thus began the midnight castle exploration.
