Anya nodded fervently. No matter how he thought about it, he didn’t want to be at odds with the husband he would spend his whole life with. Anya was very desperate right now.
“Y-yes, yes! I’ll do well…”
Before he knew it, the end of his voice trailed off into nothing. Evernight’s expression still hadn’t softened. He even let out a sigh like someone whose patience was being tested. Ha, damn kid. The small muttering sounded exactly like cursing. Anya flinched and stepped back.
“Your Grace. We shall bring the bathwater.”
Fortunately, saviors appeared just then. Two male servants belonging to the inn came in, grunting as they carried a bathtub. Steam rose in wisps from the surface of the heated bathwater.
Evernight rose from his seat and took off his top. His muscular torso, sculpted like a statue, filled Anya’s eyes completely. A long scar was etched across his chest—the same one Anya had glimpsed before. Anya hurriedly turned away. His ear tips were already turning red. The trivial sound of fabric sliding off felt like thunder in this moment.
“Kid. You still want to attend my bath even seeing this?”
He had already entered the tub, resting his arm on the edge and tilting his head back. Anya had to struggle to keep his gaze from wandering downward out of curiosity.
“Y-yes… The older sisters would stay by the side like this…”
Anya mustered his courage and knelt beside Evernight. The man kept his position but rolled only his eyes to look at Anya. Anya gulped at his blue gaze. His blue eyes were like the sea from the novel illustrations he had read while crammed into the corner of his bed, hiding from his brothers’ cruel violence.
A deep abyss. A pitch-black sea where no light entered.
That’s why looking into his eyes was suffocating.
Water droplets trickled down his moderately strong jawline. Anya couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s gaze. It was as if he were under an illusion spell. Though trembling, the boy raised his hand and wiped away the water droplet gathered at the end of his chin. Even his fingertips trembled pathetically.
“…I don’t let anyone attend to me.”
A strange light suddenly flickered in his languidly relaxed eyes. He instantly grabbed the back of Anya’s neck.
Splash!
Anya was dunked straight into the bathtub and flailed about, coughing.
“Cool your head, Anya.”
Anya rubbed his eyes and looked up at the man. His crooked smile was arrogant and haughty. His gaze kept going to the man’s scar.
If he had a scar that severe, the cut must have been incredibly deep…
Overwhelmed by racing thoughts, Anya drew his knees together and moved as far into the corner as possible. The wet clothes stuck uncomfortably to his skin, but he absolutely couldn’t undress in front of this man.
Fortunately, Evernight didn’t seem to care whether Anya was in the bathtub with his clothes on or not. A sense of relief washed over him, but at the same time, there was a strange feeling of disappointment.
“Your Grace, we shall bring your meal.”
Another knock sounded. The innkeeper who entered the room looked startled at the sight of the two in the bathtub together, then expertly hid his expression. Anya buried his face between his knees in embarrassment.
“Leave it beside us.”
The innkeeper placed the meal tray next to the bathtub and quickly disappeared. He didn’t forget to keep glancing back as he left.
“Tomorrow we’ll go to the Wall.”
Evernight’s head, which had been tilted back languidly, rose.
“Th-the Wall?”
“We’re rebuilding it as we expand the northern territory.”
He picked up a deep bowl and handed it to Anya. There was a reason the inn was named ‘Rabbit & Goat.’ Chunks of meat floated in the thick stew—it looked like rabbit or goat meat.
Anya hesitated for a moment before accepting the bowl. Evernight ate the thick stew as if drinking it down, seemingly unbothered by its richness.
“Since you’re now a person of Tildyen, it wouldn’t be bad for you to make an appearance.”
A person of Tildyen…
Bella from the wooden dining hall, Ban the blacksmith, Sisou who was like a brother. Familiar faces flashed quickly through his mind. Anya resolutely spooned the stew into his mouth. Unexpectedly, it tasted savory. It felt like warmth spreading through his stomach.
While Anya timidly picked at the stew, Evernight finished his bath and stood up. At the man’s nakedness, Anya hurriedly ducked his head and buried his nose in the bowl. The gamey smell of meat hit him strongly.
“……”
Every nerve stood on end at the small splashing sound as he stepped out of the tub. Without realizing it, Anya slightly raised his head and stole a glance at Evernight’s back. His round eyes gradually traveled downward along the firm erector spinae muscles. It was an uncontrollable, intense impulse.
Each time he put on the tunic and trousers that had been carelessly tossed on the floor, his back muscles rippled. Evernight swept back his wet hair and turned around.
“Cough, cough!”
Anya was so startled he choked and broke into a coughing fit.
“Caught you peeking.”
Evernight sat on the edge of the bed with a crooked smile.
“Take off your clothes. How long are you going to stay like that?”
Anya stood up in a fluster, burning up as if on fire.
“Th-then d-don’t look.”
Anya walked to the corner of the bedroom as if being chased and struggled to take off his wet clothes.
“I’ve already seen everything anyway.”
He nearly screamed at the shadow looming over him. Evernight had approached without him noticing and, as if frustrated, grabbed the hem of Anya’s tunic and pulled it up in one motion.
“I told you, your flat chest doesn’t arouse any desire in me whatsoever.”
It was a crude choice of words. Evernight carelessly threw the wet tunic on the floor, then grabbed the back of Anya’s neck and dragged him to the bathtub. The suddenly naked Anya flailed his arms, but he couldn’t overcome the man’s massive body. All his training felt like a waste.
“Aah!”
Evernight lifted Anya up and put him into the bathtub. Splash. Along with the sound of water splashing, Anya coughed. The heated water had already cooled considerably.
“Hurry and finish.”
It was a forceful command.
* * *
The party gathered in the dining room early in the morning and obtained the stew that Riario called ‘slop,’ along with pieces of black bread, thinly sliced cured ham, and a few pieces of cheese, before leaving the inn.
It had been night yesterday so he hadn’t noticed, but in the morning, the full view of Northmoust village came into clear sight. The streets were a mess of snow, mud, and filth, and the houses looked so shoddily built they seemed ready to collapse in the winter wind.
Here and there in the alleys, quite a few people lay face-down on the dirty ground, staring blankly into space.
“Don’t look at them.”
Every time his eyes met theirs, Anya trembled at their hollow gazes.
“Noble lords. Please show us mercy.”
As they passed through the square, shabby children ran up with outstretched hands just like yesterday. Being morning, the few residents of Northmoust wandering the streets glanced at them sideways before bowing their heads.
It wasn’t exactly a pleasant morning scene. Not far past the square, a massive gray wall appeared before their eyes.
“Hey!”
“Who are you? This site cannot be entered without… Oh my, Duke Evernight!”
A worker at the Wall hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground. Then all the people who had been hanging from the Wall working rushed over to pay their respects.
“These are members of the knighthood and my consort.”
They murmured among themselves and glanced at Anya. The face poking out of the hood looked particularly young. With cheeks reddened by the dry, cold wind blowing from the frigid continent and a sniffling nose, there was no sign of the dignity befitting the rugged mistress of the North. They had thought that if this was Evernight’s consort—the mistress of Tildyen—they would be more… imposing or dignified. Or elegant and refined.
Riario pointed to the cart he had brought and said,
“Enough with the greetings. I’ve brought magical tools, so guide me to the installation site. A damned snowstorm might come soon.”
Oh my, a snowstorm?
Good heavens!
Sounds of distress came from all around. Their movements became noticeably quicker.
“I’ll go look around the Wall.”
Evernight said, turning his horse’s head toward the bustling Wall. Karen and Riario turned their horses in the opposite direction from Evernight.
“I’ll help the mage install the magical tools.”
Left in the middle, Anya’s brown horse Mil moved its legs in the air, unable to decide which way to go.
“I… I…”
“Do as you wish. Just don’t leave this area.”
Follow him. At Evernight’s chin gesture, the infantrymen thumped their chests a couple of times. Riario and Karen disappeared with the cart, and Evernight also vanished in an instant with his war horse. Left alone in the clearing, Anya looked around distractedly like a child lost in a market.
