Turning
chapter-326

"Commander, you never said you would go to such lengths to play the role of sowing misunderstanding," the voice stated.

"What are you talking about? I thought it was obvious that I had considered this much and accepted it."

Yuder leaned against a chair, gazing at the back of the man undressing with a nonchalant face. There was a faint throbbing inside his head, but the other man merely seemed pleased.

They had just returned from spending dinner time at Baron Willhem's main residence. Kishiar had led Yuder to his room as if it was the most natural thing to do, and Yuder had no choice but to watch the backs of his disappearing comrades, his shoulders shivering behind him.

Whether they were nearly dying to hold back laughter or not, the stares reflecting from Baron Willhem's servants as Yuder entered Kishiar's room were utterly impossible to ignore. Until the door was completely closed, the servants watched Kishiar's retreating figure with eyes no different from the nobles at the banquet. That contemptuous yet somehow trivializing view was so disgusting that, if his abilities had been intact, Yuder would have wanted to wrap it in the wind and throw it out the window.

Pretending to be the dissolute Duke of Peletta to break down Baron Willhem and other people's wariness, Kishiar's plan was a perfect success—excluding Yuder's complicated feelings.

Yuder watched Kishiar humming and wandering around, recalling the last day of the harvest festival party. The event that should have been joyful shattered into pieces with the assassination of the second son of the Apeto family, Lenore Shand Apeto. He had felt a similar sensation then, staring at the back of the man standing alone in splendid formal attire.

This time, it was supposed to be different, as everyone already knew about the 'dissolute Duke of Peletta,' but it wasn't. Watching Kishiar skillfully control the atmosphere of the banquet and direct everyone's emotions toward him was, in some ways, even more difficult than before.

'Would it have been better if I had not heard that remark?'

He found no answer in those red eyes that declared every accusation his own. He must have been lost in thought, as he only realized that dinner time was nearly over when someone came looking for him.

The fact that his calm had been so greatly shaken by a single word was hard to believe even for himself, but the reality was clear. Kishiar had truly made all the accusations target him. And as promised, he would take responsibility to ensure that Yuder suffered no harm.

Responsibility. That unfamiliar word dried and vanished in his mouth.

"Why such a serious face? Was that last kiss too intense?" Kishiar asked, placing the wine and glasses that Baron Willhem had ordered before Yuder.

"No."

"Then why?"

"Commander, are you really alright?"

"What do you mean?"

Kishiar tilted his head as if he truly didn't understand. Yuder swallowed back the words he was about to say, 'being despised by others and hearing their accusations.' He didn't want to mention anything related to those irritating people. In the end, all he spat out were words no different from before.

"You didn't have to go this far..."

There was no need to play the role of the dissolute duke so thoroughly. It would have been enough to display a haughty demeanor just a bit, act a touch fussy, and show a nuance of flirting with men. Even then, Baron Willhem would have considered Kishiar as good as the rumors. Was there any reason to stir the pot more? Especially the moment he saw the noble's face scoffing at Kishiar and snorting at the mention of Yuder being called a beauty, he simply couldn't hold back his words.

"Perhaps the problem was that I did the job too well."

Kishiar, who had come to his own judgment, sat beside Yuder and skillfully poured a drink. He filled another glass halfway and handed it to Yuder.

"In my excitement, I may have lost control a bit. If you ask if it's okay, the problem was that it was too much fun."

"... How can that be fun?"

"Do I look like I'm lying? It was really fun. It's been a long time since I had such a good time."

Kishiar let out a lingering smile.

"You should have seen their faces when I kissed you. I can't wait to see how much Baron Willhem writes about me in the letters he sends to the other dukes. If he writes less than ten lines, I'll be disappointed in him."

"...Did you work so hard in anticipation of that?"

"Actually, there was a bit of personal motive involved."

At the word 'personal motive,' Yuder frowned, and Kishiar raised his hand to lightly press and smooth his forehead. Unlike the perfume, Kishiar's unique body scent that swirled coolly like peppermint slid down from his forehead, touching the tip of his nose as it passed.

"I don't often have the chance to do as I please with you in public. I simply took advantage of the opportunity and gave it my all."

Was that really all? Were there really no other feelings of humiliation, anger, or hurt?

Yuder was confident he would detect any hint of concealment from Kishiar. But those eyes, more transparent than the glass in his hand, were as straight and calm as ever when they revealed the truth to Yuder. He truly harbored no resentment for the scorn and insults he had to bear unnecessarily and sincerely enjoyed the situation... The realization of this made Yuder feel weak.

‘How can you act like that?’

Yuder silently repeated the unanswerable question.

Though he had seen many in his previous life, he had never seen one as strong as Kishiar. He was indeed a special being. And because he was so strong, Yuder Aile felt all the more pained.

The realization of how agonizing it was for such a strong person to be so troubled by Yuder's insignificant wound was particularly painful because he had keenly felt and watched it all this time.

Some facts sometimes strike more heavily after time has passed than they did at the moment. It felt that way now.

"Anyway, we have to sleep here tonight, so tell me in advance if sharing the bed will be uncomfortable."

"...Wasn't it just to spend time and return, as before?"

"We have to sleep here while we're here. Don't you remember what I said?"

"When did you say that?"

Kishiar said he had explained on the way back to the annex. It seemed that the anger piled up by the nobles and servants was quite intense, as he didn't remember it well. Yuder kept silent for a moment, then agreed, and touched his lips to the glass. The golden liquor burned his throat as though trying to ignite anger, but of course, he did not feel the least bit drunk.

"I thought you would refuse, but you accepted quickly."

"Isn't it something we've already agreed to do?"

"Yes, but I won't force you."

"You praise me so warmly in front of others, even flattering me, and yet you say such things."

"Personal feelings are one thing; this is something else."

"Anyway, I'm... okay with it. If it bothers you, Commander, I'll sleep on the floor or in a chair. Just speak freely."

"Surely I wouldn't make you sleep in such a place."

Kishiar laughed as though he had heard a very amusing joke. He picked up a bit of the salt and sugar that were piled on a small dish carved in the shape of a flower from crystal, spread it on the rim of his glass, and lightly clinked it against Yuder's glass.

"Now, let's commemorate the success of today's operation."

The liquid trembled with a clear sound. Yuder took a sip of the liquor and suddenly focused on Kishiar's wet lips. A white powder, whether sugar or salt, was smudged on his red lips, tracing a fine line. It was a truly poisonous sight to the eye.

"If you keep staring at me like that, it's a bit embarrassing."

"...It was the powder that caught my attention."

"The powder?"

Kishiar, who seemed to question back, discreetly licked his lower lip and shook his head.

"I don't really know. It'd be nice if a lover wiped it away."

"Isn't it a time when we don't have to play that role?"

"Then I'll change it to 'It would be nice if an assistant did it.'"

Even though it was clear he knew, there was no argument. It was still a bit painful to look at him every time, yet there was also an intense attraction.

"If my efforts today have pleased you, then reward me with this. That's enough for me."

There was no way to refuse his proposal, looking at how vivid and beautiful the man was with regained sight.

Yuder slowly raised his hand and brushed Kishiar's lips. The tiny powders tickled his fingertips momentarily, but that was fleeting. No sooner had his hand touched the middle of his lips than the man, who seemed to have waited for it, sucked it in as if swallowing. The moment he mischievously bared his teeth and bit down hard on the fingertips soaked in liquor, Yuder inadvertently held his breath and shuddered.

"Aah..."

A shock like lightning struck him from the bitten part, radiating throughout his body. Heat rose from the pit of his stomach, and the emotions he had barely suppressed exploded all at once.

Yuder abruptly pulled his hand away and pressed his lips to the spot instead. Even though he knew that it was not long ago that he had reached out and kissed Kishiar first, it strangely felt like a very distant memory. Though his impulse had been somewhat rough, Kishiar, without any sign of surprise, embraced Yuder's neck. He welcomed the charging lips and tongue, which he had desired, as if a satisfied beast had devoured them.

Yuder tasted the bitterness of the liquor, the sweetness of the sugar, and the saltiness of the salt all at once. As their tongues entwined, one of the three would unexpectedly pop up to strike his head and then vanish, repeating the pattern in a frenzy.

By the time he came to his senses, he was lying atop Kishiar on the sofa. The fact that he continued even without realizing he had been swept up in the momentum was astonishing.