6.2 Short story 2

It was a dark evening, after everyone had returned home, when Himmel came to find Hans.

To be precise, rather than ‘coming to find’ him, he had worked with Hans in the office all day. While others were leaving work, he had lingered, and once even Hanna had gone and only the two of them remained, he had approached him heavily, saying, “Um……, Hans, there’s something I’d like to discuss.”

“Discuss? Sure, sounds good. What is it? Hmm, shall we sit over there and talk?”

Hans cheered inwardly, ‘Finally!’ and led Himmel to a table in one corner of the office.

Hans had noticed that something was off with Himmel since last week. Perhaps it was even before then, but it was last week that Hans realized Himmel was looking at him as if he had something to say. In fact, Hans had been so frantically busy with a major project that had come in last month that he hadn’t noticed until the quick-witted Hanna gave him a hint.

‘Hans. Himmel has been acting a bit strange lately. Do you have any idea why?’

‘Himmel? Strange? Why?’

As Hans answered absentmindedly while scanning documents regarding a secret contact between the heads of government Read on Read BL Novelsdepartments [visit our site]unauthorized copyof two hostile superpowers, Hanna clicked her tongue and poked him in the ribs.

‘For a while now, he’s been looking at you every chance he gets with a face like a puppy that needs to pee.’

Only then did Hans look at Hanna. Then, instinctively turning his gaze toward Himmel’s seat, he locked eyes with Himmel, who was indeed looking this way with a dark and anxious expression. As soon as their eyes met, Himmel flinched, stood up, and walked out. Watching his retreating back, Hans murmured, ‘You’re right, that is strange,’ and Hanna nodded, replying, ‘Right?’

Agreeing with Hanna that ‘if I ask him first, given Himmel’s personality, he might shut up like a clam, so it’s better to wait,’ Hans spent the following time silently enduring Himmel’s restless gaze.

After enduring and waiting, Himmel had finally stopped Hans today, as if he had made up his mind.

“So, what is it?”

Hans asked kindly, personally brewing tea and handing it to Himmel, who sat alone at the vast table of the empty office.

Even after finally speaking up after long deliberation, Himmel seemed unable to get the words out, merely rolling the teacup in his palms. He finally spoke after barely swallowing a sip of the tea, which had cooled to a reasonable temperature.

“About, Richard and…… Christoph.”

“……!”

So that was it.

As the tension in Hans’s heart regarding what he was about to say eased slightly, he also began to rub his chest, which felt a bit heavy.

Himmel was a young and talented asset of Tarten.

Having officially started working for Tarten as soon as he became an adult, he had stayed in Asia helping Tarten until recently, returning a few months ago to start working at the family home in Dresden.

Considering how roughly he had been tossed around traveling various countries from a young age, Himmel was a remarkably upright young man. Not only was he competent and brilliant, but his nature was also straight and kind, and Hans had internally marked him as a promising talent.

That was why, when Hans had to be hospitalized for a month due to an unexpected accident a while ago, he had entrusted some of his duties to Himmel. It seemed a problem had arisen then. Well, not necessarily a ‘problem.’

Due to some urgent matter, Hans had been hit by visit our sitea vehicle that ignored a signal and crossed an intersection, leading to a month-long hospitalization. During that unauthorized copytime, [Read on Read BL Novels]Hans assigned some of the tasks of assisting Richard to Himmel.

Of course, he couldn’t have him fully assist Richard, who was buried under an unimaginable amount of work; it was only assistance after regular business hours. He believed that much—even if it was more than double the workload of an average person—was something Himmel could handle. And indeed, Richard had expressed no complaints about Himmel.

So, Hans had nothing to worry about after returning to work following his discharge.

“About the relationship between Richard and Christoph…… Hans, you know about it, right?”

Himmel spoke while gauging Hans’s reaction. Hans gave a vague nod while drinking his tea.

Relationship between Richard and Christoph, Part 1.

Relatives of the same generation in the Tarten family.

Relationship between Richard and Christoph, Part 2.

Archenemies who had lived like foes, clashing in big and small ways since childhood.

Relationship between Richard and Christoph, Part 3.

A relationship that had secretly and intimately become entwined at some point.

The first was a relationship anyone who knew Tarten would know, and the second was a relationship that anyone who knew Tarten a bit better would be aware of.

However, as for the third, it hadn’t been explicitly revealed externally, but those who were close to Richard had more or less figured it out. They simply avoided it and kept their mouths shut because they didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Hans, being one of them, glanced at Himmel, who had a dark and heavy expression.

Once he had started talking, it was as if a dam he had been barely holding back had burst; Himmel was visibly distressed, showing a face that didn’t know what to do.

He had likely discovered that third relationship while staying by Richard’s side during Hans’s absence.

Indeed, for Himmel, who had been overseas [unauthorized copy]and likely [Read on Read BL Novels]only knew about the first and [Read on Read BL Novels]second relationships, the third would naturally be shocking.

No, but.

Was it something to be that distressed about?

Hans was actually perplexed by Himmel’s reaction.

Of course, Hans had also been flustered when he first realized their relationship.

It was Richard and Christoph, of all people.

They were two who had snarled at each other as if they couldn’t live under the same sky, and at times it felt as if they were sincerely aiming for each other’s lives. Even now, on the surface, their relationship was one of rampant vitriol and slander. The idea of those two embracing and mixing passionately while naked was unimaginable. Hans himself wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t accidentally encountered the scene firsthand.

So, it was understandable that Himmel was surprised, but to have such a dark and agonized face.

Was Himmel a homophobe? What was Himmel’s religion? unauthorized copyOr, shifting perspectives, [stolen content]was Himmel actually harboring a one-sided love for one of them……?

Hans’s diverse train of thought didn’t last long.

“Even if I tell the police…… it wouldn’t matter, right?”

Himmel’s words, suddenly whispered in a very low voice, reached his ears a beat late.

“Huh? ……Police?”

At a word he hadn’t considered at all, Hans blinked and murmured blankly. Himmel continued to whisper to himself with a serious face.

“Right. I should try to persuade Richard first. That he shouldn’t do that. ……But I wonder if he would be convinced…….”

“No, wait, Himmel. The police?”

“Of course, I can’t just do that without trying anything first. And I [unauthorized copy]know that telling the police wouldn’t be visit our siteparticularly helpful. After all, how could they possibly hurt a single hair on Richard’s head? Moreover, I wonder if Christoph, [stolen content]the party involved, would even want to testify……. Oh, my god.”

“Wait, hey, Himmel?”

Himmel, who had been sighing while staring into space, suddenly looked at Hans. Hans was speechless at that serious gaze.

“Hans. I respect Richard. There is no one who manages themselves as thoroughly and handles all matters as meticulously as he does. Who doesn’t know how hard he worked to reach his current position? Even I, who only helped with his peripheral tasks for about a month, was exhausted to the point of death. He is truly an admirable and respectable person, I admit it. I knew there were some problems in his private life, but since those are flaws anyone as a human has, I didn’t mind much. ……But!”

“……Hey, Himme—”

“Of course, I know too. How much he hates Christoph. I know what Christoph did to him. I don’t particularly like Christoph either. No, to be precise, I should say I dislike him. That cruelty, coldness, a nature where no consideration or warmth for others can be found. Yes, I have no affection for him. ……Still!”

“Him—”

“Even so! Rape is not okay?!”

Himmel, who had been rattling off words without [unauthorized copy]giving [unauthorized copy][Read on Read BL Novels]Hans a chance to intervene, finally shouted indignantly as he grew more agitated.

“……Huh……? ……Ra—”

Hans, whose mind had gone blank, murmured in shock. Interpreting that reaction in his own way, Himmel stared at Hans with wide eyes.

“Hans, you didn’t know?”

“Uh……, uh……?”

“Well, I suppose so. Who could have imagined it.”

Himmel let out a long sigh and shook his head. Setting down the teacup and sinking into his chair, he rubbed his face anxiously.

“I knew they were in a relationship where they had, physical relations. I suspected it as soon as I returned to Tarten.”

He’s not as oblivious as unauthorized copyI thought. Well, stolen contenthaving rolled around in Tarten, there was no way [visit our site]he’d lack that much intuition—

“At first, I couldn’t believe it. I found it strange and surprising how those two became like that. But since Richard is such a person of good character, I thought Christoph might have been influenced by him.”

“…….”

No, maybe he is a bit oblivious. Well, before I took over assisting Richard, I also thought Richard was a person of good character……. Hans reminisced faintly about the distant past.

“I thought as long as they got along, any relationship was fine. What does it matter? If they like each other, it’s a good thing. ……But, I thought that was the case,”

“You thought that?”

Up to this point, his thoughts were the same as Hans’s. If they liked each other, what did the relationship matter? That was why Hans hadn’t said a word. Most people who knew of their intimate relationship felt similarly.

But why was this young man agonizing so much?

“Oh, my god, Hans……, that wasn’t it.”

Suddenly, Himmel clutched his head.

“Then what?”

Hans, who had become anxious himself, pressed for an answer.

“It was rape, Hans. It was rape.”

“――.”

Hans had also happened to witness the relationship between Richard and Christoph. It wasn’t intentional; he had simply gone to retrieve a forgotten item, never imagining that they would be engaged in such intensely private acts in the office past midnight, only to stumble upon the scene.

He had always known that Richard’s inclinations were severe enough that some called him a complete pervert. He had seen Christoph clinging to him in tears. However, he had assumed it was merely a mutually agreed-upon sexual preference.

“Maybe… they just have those kinds of tastes? Like, they were Read on Read BL Novelsjust in the [unauthorized copy]middle of some light play.”

“No. Those were absolutely not the eyes of someone who had consented! Christoph was truly suffering and crying, and Richard… Richard was forcibly covering his mouth so he couldn’t scream! He was doing that while keeping him gagged so he couldn’t make a sound!”

Oh, goodness, I should have helped him then… I’m a coward, I was so shocked and terrified that I just turned around and left, I should have helped, Hans felt stunned as he looked down at the good-natured young man who was clutching his head in agony.

 

 

In truth, Hans was well aware of Richard’s tastes.

Before Richard settled down with Christoph, rumors had already circulated covertly about how he treated the women he dated. That was why some called him a complete pervert.

Still, it was a matter of personal preference, and as long as it was a consensual relationship, it was none of his business what two consenting adults did.

Thinking as such, he [unauthorized copy]had spent his [stolen content]days paying visit our siteno mind to the relationship between Richard and Christoph.

Then one day, Christoph came to see Hans.

‘Hans.’

Hans looked back in bewilderment at the expressionless, cold face that, as usual, gave no hint of what he was thinking.

‘Yeah?’

Why would someone with whom he had no particular friendship come to visit him?

Still, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as it used to be. Having seen him constantly because of Richard, he had come to realize that this man wasn’t just a human butcher, as he had once thought.

‘I asked a few people, and the consensus was that you would be the most normal and conventional.’

‘…?’

However, smooth conversation was difficult. Sometimes, he had no idea what this guy was talking about…

‘I don’t know what you mean, but thanks. But about what?’

‘Sexual preferences.’

Hans almost spat out whatever he was drinking. Had he been drinking something, he definitely would have sprayed it.

Hans wiped his mouth—though he hadn’t been drinking anything—and looked at Christoph, whose expression remained entirely unchanged.

‘…Thanks for that. Right, so?’

A few people? Just how many people, and who were they? How do they know my sexual preferences? …No, even I think I’m very general and ordinary.

‘I’d like it if you could help me a bit.’

‘…With what.’

This unpredictable conversation was becoming frightening. A chill ran down his spine.

After a few seconds of silence with a slight frown, Christoph spoke as if dissatisfied.

‘Actually, I don’t know exactly which acts are normal and which are not. So, I want you to tell me.’

‘…How.’

Tell him about sexual acts. How? For a moment, a very terrifying image flashed through Hans’s mind, but he hurriedly erased it.

At that exact moment, he felt a shiver, as if Richard—despite knowing full well that he was attending to outside guests—was watching him intently from behind.

No. Absolutely not. I have never harbored, nor will I ever harbor, any ulterior motives toward visit our siteRead on Read BL NovelsChristoph. No matter how Read on Read BL Novelsmuch he looks like a statue, absolutely not. I am normal and conventional!

Whether he noticed Hans’s spine turning cold or not, Christoph, after another pause of silence, tossed out a request.

‘Give me some audiovisual materials.’

‘…Huh?’

Hans, who had been shrinking back in tension, blinked again.

‘Just a few audiovisual materials that you consider to be normal and conventional. Then I’ll be able to know which acts fall within the ordinary range.’

‘Audiovisual…’

Audiovisual materials regarding sexual acts.

Surely he wasn’t [Read on Read BL Novels]asking for Read on Read BL Novelschildren’s sex education videos; in short, he visit our sitewas asking for porn…

‘… … …Why all of a sudden?’

As Hans asked, desperately clinging to his fraying sanity, Christoph remained silent longer than before and then began to mutter as if he had chewed on a bug.

‘…Richard… says that everyone usually does things like this and that, but… it’s strange.’

‘Things like this and that…’

‘…Is it… normal to apply yam inside the body and then do it?’

Was it his imagination, or did Christoph’s face, as he asked with utmost seriousness and gravity, momentarily look as if he were about to cry?

‘Yam…?’

Strange words kept coming out. Words that had no reason to appear in this situation.

Yam… Right, come to think of it, during the Oriental dinner the other night, a salad made of grated mountain yam was served. I remember Emma grumbling in the kitchen that her hands were uncontrollably itchy because she grated the mountain yam herself. But why apply that inside the body, and then do what…

‘—.’

Hans stopped his train of thought right there.

He felt that he must not think any further.

Perhaps reading Hans’s face, another wrinkle formed between Christoph’s brows.

‘It’s not normal, right?! He said it’s something everyone commonly does when they want to enjoy something special occasionally, that lying bastard Richard…!’

‘Wa-wa-wait,’

Hans hurriedly grabbed Christoph, who had turned red and was about [Read on Read BL Novels]to reach into his pocket and stolen contentrun out. He was terrified of [Read on Read BL Novels]what Christoph might be clutching in his pocket.

‘N-n-no. It’s not… that rare. People do that occasionally, probably.’

I’ve never done it. Nor do I want to.

‘Really…?’

As Christoph looked back suspiciously, Hans saw a pointed silhouette poking out of his pocket. That pointed thing he was gripping tightly in his fist was a knife. It was definitely a knife. And the current Richard would likely open his arms wide to Christoph without any defense.

Driven by the single-minded desire to avoid a bloodbath, Hans forced a smile.

‘Of course, of course. It provides a light stimulation, doesn’t it? Though it must have been… a bit itchy.’

‘—It wasn’t “a bit.” It was so terribly itchy that I couldn’t stand it. To the point where I—.’

Christoph stopped mid-sentence. His angry face was mixed with a sense of unfairness and sorrow.

What on earth happened… no, let’s not imagine it.

“Everyone’s crazy, doing something like that as a norm,” Christoph muttered to himself in frustration, then suddenly returned to his usual expressionless face and looked at Hans.

‘So,’

Hans flinched involuntarily at that eerie tone.

‘Hand them over. The audiovisual materials.’

‘Audiovisual materials, what do you mean—’

‘I need to know what things are generally done. Give them to me. Quickly.’

‘—Now? Right now? No… who would put such things on the office computer!’

When Hans protested, Christoph clicked his tongue and checked his watch. It was time for him to leave as well. He had come to Berlin the day before yesterday for the weekend and was scheduled to return to Dresden soon. Considering he usually left before evening, it was already late.

‘Fine. I’ll send them by email. Three or four will do, right?’

Finally sighing, Hans spoke with his hands raised. After a moment of consideration, Christoph shook his head.

‘No. More. The more I know, the better. About… ten.’

‘Ten? Okay. I’ll send them within two or three days.’

Only then, seemingly satisfied with Hans’s answer, did Christoph nod and turn away.

Before long, Hans saw Christoph’s car leaving the mansion through the window. Only then did Hans, who had been standing there blankly as if his soul had left his body, collapse back into his chair.

Richard, what on earth are you doing to a guy who knows nothing…

Moaning under his breath, Hans turned on the computer.

Porn… searching for porn isn’t hard.

As for the general and normal ones… …they’re everywhere.

Since it was a holiday night, there was no one in the office. His work was mostly wrapped up. Hans sighed and began to aimlessly pick out porn.

‘Just because it’s an office computer doesn’t mean there’s nothing… there’s even a web hard drive. How does he not know about that…’

It was while he was muttering to himself and downloading a few videos.

‘What are you doing, Hans?’

Without a sound, Richard was suddenly standing behind him.

Hans flinched for a moment, but since he was mentally exhausted, he didn’t even have the energy to be greatly surprised. Above all, if you thought about it, wasn’t this man the culprit behind why he was doing this now?

‘…Aren’t you itchy?’

When Hans asked, looking back bleakly, Richard raised an eyebrow in curiosity. However, this man, who was terrifyingly intelligent and quick-witted, seemed to have figured out a lot in a short time.

Ah, did you have that conversation with Christoph? he smiled crookedly.

‘Of course I’m itchy. I put it in after applying plenty. Since I applied it to him and enjoyed the sight for a while before putting it in, it was much less for me than for him, but I was itchy too.’

‘…How did you endure that itchiness?’

‘Endure? Why?’

‘… … …’

Right, he probably didn’t endure it. Hans remembered how Christoph had become gaunt overnight.

With a disgusted face, Hans licked his lips and turned back to the computer, but he felt Richard leaning over his shoulder. Richard’s hand gripped the mouse instead of Hans’s and began scanning the files.

‘So, the reason you’re rummaging through these with a tired face at this hour must be related to that guy. Why, did he ask for some reference materials?’

His intuition was truly top-tier.

‘He says he needs to know what’s normal. …Take it easy. Don’t you feel sorry for him?’

As Hans looked back at Richard with a click of his tongue, he flinched. He saw Richard’s eyes turn cold.

‘I don’t feel sorry for him at all, Hans. If we look at the overall picture of the relationship between him and me, I’m probably the pitiful one.’

‘…Why you?’

‘He knows nothing. How much I—.’

Richard stopped mid-sentence. His lips tightened bitterly, and he clicked his tongue.

Hans also fell silent.

How much he…

—He knew. Hans, who had watched him from right beside him, couldn’t help but know how hard he was trying, how anxious he was. To the point where Christoph, who had never learned how to be loved and thus didn’t know it, sometimes seemed cruel.

This man was looking only at Christoph with a deadly passion.

‘Anyway, fine. This works out well. Christoph does need to learn a bit. Yes, it’s for the best.’

Richard began to rummage through the open web hard drive folders at will.

Flustered, as if his secrets were being exposed, Hans tried to stop him with a “Hey, wait,” but before he could, Richard, who had randomly opened and skimmed through a few, clicked his tongue lightly.

‘Right. This must be your taste. That’s why Christoph came to you.’

He didn’t know if it was an insult or a compliment, but it felt like an insult…

‘How many did you agree to send?’

‘Huh? Ten, ten videos.’

‘Ten,’ Richard muttered and nodded.

‘I’ll pick them out and send them to you. Give those to Christoph.’

‘What?’

‘I’ll find videos suitable for Christoph to use as reference materials and give them to you, so you deliver them to Christoph.’

‘…’

Of course, you shouldn’t add any unnecessary comments, Richard gave him a meaningful look, and Hans, frozen like a frog before a snake, stammered.

‘You want me… to give them… as if I’m the one giving them…?’

Richard shrugged nonchalantly.

‘I was just feeling frustrated because he knows so little that I have to teach him slowly, so this is great. He needs to see and learn something too.’

‘…What are you planning to give him?’

‘Something appropriate for his level.’

‘No, wait, then what does that make me…’

As Hans was about to protest, Richard gently gripped his shoulder. He flinched like a frog caught by a snake.

‘Hans.’

The low, soft voice sounded like the hiss of a snake.

‘Isn’t your role to help me? I am busy and have much work. When something arises that distracts me, your role is to eliminate it. Otherwise, it will surely interfere with work. Whether it’s my work or yours.’

Gulp. Hans could only swallow hard, unable to say a word.

After lightly patting Hans’s shoulder, Richard stepped away and turned around. I’ll have to pick some good ones; I’ll send them tonight, he left behind, his voice sounding somehow cheerful.

Listening to the receding footsteps, Hans clutched his head.

 

 

…And, cowardly crushed by power, Hans ended up silently forwarding several videos Richard had sent him to Christoph.

Curious about what on earth those videos were, he peeked at one. He skipped to the middle and suddenly saw a bright, handsome young man wailing through tears and snot—it certainly didn’t look like acting, regardless of what had happened before—screaming, “Please! Please put it in! Please shove that big thing into me! Deeper, deeper! Harder! Please!! I think I’m actually going crazy!!” while shaking hips that were spread wide and fixed by a device. Hans quickly turned it off.

He was terrified.

He felt sorry and guilty toward Christoph, who would watch such things thinking they were ‘normal and conventional,’ but swallowing his own shallow cowardice—unable to bring himself to tell the truth—Hans deleted the videos from his transmission history, never intending to look at them again.

I’m sorry, Christoph.

But please, don’t put all the blame on me.

To make an excuse, you’re also not without problems for having no common sense of that level at your age…

“Anyway, the most important thing is one’s own judgment. One’s own choice.”

Someone was speaking in the seat next to him.

“They’re a fully grown adult. Whatever choice they make or whatever they do, it’s not for others to comment on.”

“Ah, I entirely agree. Provided that it’s agreed upon between the parties involved and no one is being harmed.”

“Of course. What does it matter? As long as it’s not something like rape.”

At the jokingly added remark, the people conversing burst into laughter together. No matter how much of a metaphor it is, that’s trash, it’s something that should never be done, the boisterous chatter pierced Hans’s ears like arrows.

At the same time, like a phantom, Himmel’s trembling [stolen content]voice echoed in [stolen content]his ears. stolen contentMy goodness, Hans, that was rape!

‘No, surely Richard wouldn’t have gone that far. Even if his tastes are a bit peculiar, he’s not the kind of person to do it forcibly…’

‘It’s true. I told you he was covering his mouth. Forcing the mouth of a crying, struggling Christoph shut—if that’s not rape, then what is it? He was doing it while keeping his mouth closed so he couldn’t call for help, couldn’t say a single word!’

Amidst the memories continuing to echo in his ears, Hans ended up putting down his fork. The lunch served was Schnitzel, which Hans loved, but he had completely lost his appetite.

What should I do…

If… if Christoph gained wrong knowledge from the videos I ignorantly sent, and because of that, a crime became accepted as normal, what on earth would I do…

Just as he was forcing himself to drink water, feeling as if the pieces of Schnitzel were raging in his stomach, the restaurant door opened and Christoph entered. …He almost vomited the water.

Since it was the first weekend, Christoph had come to Dresden.

His radiant appearance, perfectly suited for the elegant mansion of Tarten, showed no sign of changing with time. [Read on Read BL Novels]The sunlight pouring in stolen contentbehind him as he took a seat by the window suited him dazzlingly well.

Perhaps he hadn’t slept well last night, as his complexion was dark and the area around his eyes was reddish and swollen, but he was still breathtakingly beautiful.

…Dark complexion and reddish eyes… Even now, the way he sat in the chair seemed slow and awkward, as if his body were uncomfortable.

Looking at Christoph from across the table, Himmel’s expression darkened. Hans felt the same.

The following week, after sending the videos, Hans recalled the moment he ran into Christoph while visiting Berlin on business. When Christoph had started to say, “Are those videos really typical—” before abruptly trailing off into a dark silence, Hans felt his heart—his conscience—sting.

‘Uh… um… look, that really depends entirely on an individual’s taste and preference, so you don’t necessarily have to use those videos as a standard…’

‘Right, well, compared to some of them, that guy was actually on the bland side… yeah…’

Christoph had muttered gloomily, as if speaking to himself, and hearing those words made Hans feel gloomy as well.

What on earth were “some of them”? Considering he Read on Read BL Novelshad even set an order for the videos, Hans suspected that the first one unauthorized copyhe had briefly played was likely the lightest and softest of the lot.

‘Um—, uh… are you… okay?’

After struggling for a while to find the right words, Hans finally managed to ask. Christoph clicked his tongue lowly and gave a dissatisfied nod.

‘I can manage somehow. Besides, there are other ways when things get really hard.’

‘Other ways?’

‘Mm. I happened to find one recently… I’m not particularly keen on using that method, but still, I can use it when I truly can’t stand it anymore.’

‘? What kind of—’

However, just then, someone called Christoph, and Hans didn’t get to hear the answer.

He was curious, but hearing that there was something like a last resort [Read on Read BL Novels]allowed [visit our site][Read on Read BL Novels]Hans to let go of his guilt, if only by a tiny bit.

…However.

Despite that, seeing such a fragile and beautiful young man—regardless of the reality of the situation—sitting there with a hollow gaze and a complexion so pallid he looked as if he might collapse at any moment, Hans felt as though a part of it was his responsibility, and his conscience began to prick him once again.

While Hans was rubbing his aching stomach and aimlessly dismantling his schnitzel, Richard entered the dining room.

He seemed to be in a hurry, as if searching for a runaway lover, but he slowed his pace upon spotting Christoph.

From the looks of it, he had been working in his office all morning and returned to the bedroom at lunchtime, only to be surprised to find the person he expected to be lying there had vanished. Hans watched them out of the corner of his eye while stuffing whatever that schnitzel-thing was into his mouth.

“Why did you come alone? I told you I’d help you walk.”

“Don’t treat me like an invalid. I can move perfectly well on my own.”

Looking down at the sullenly responding Christoph, [Read on Read BL Novels]Richard nodded. As he sat down Read on Read BL Novelsbeside him, he suddenly shifted his gaze to Hans.

“Ah, Hans.”

Hans flinched reflexively and looked up with a startled, “Uh, yeah?”

Richard spoke. “I’ve handled all the important matters, so please push back the rest of the schedule. I’ll be resting from this afternoon onward.”

So that’s why you worked all morning, Hans thought, nodding while chewing. Then, Christoph spoke.

“I’m going riding.”

As if worried that something might happen during that leisurely afternoon, Christoph spoke preemptively. Richard stared at him blankly.

“In that condition?”

Can you do it? He asked in such a kind and soft voice that visit our sitehe seemed genuinely concerned. After visit our sitewatching Christoph visit our siteshut his mouth fiercely, Richard nodded.

“Fine. If you really want to. I haven’t been around the riding trail in a while, so I’ll take a turn for the first time in ages.”

“The riding trail? You… are going to… follow me?”

Christoph spoke mockingly. Richard gave a cool, effortless smile.

“Normally it might be difficult, but given your current physical state, I think I can manage.”

“—Try it if you can. You won’t even get a glimpse of my horse’s tail.”

“You’re quite confident. I see you’re very sure of yourself.”

The riding trail was something to be confident about. Hans had never seen a rider superior to Christoph. Christoph merely snorted, as if Richard’s words were absurd.

“Then shall we make a bet?”

Richard said casually, taking a spoonful of soup.

As if reacting by reflex to the word ‘bet,’ Christoph flinched and stared intently at Richard.

“…On the riding trail?”

Richard nodded. Christoph let out another absurd snort, then tilted his chin up.

“And if I win?”

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“…I want to sleep peacefully tonight.”

The master of Tarten was offering to grant anything! A man who could move Read on Read BL Novelsthe Read on Read BL Novelsworld if he set his mind to it was saying he’d do whatever he wanted! And all [unauthorized copy]he wanted was to sleep peacefully tonight.

Hans almost shed a tear, moved by the poignancy of such a modest hope.

“Deal.”

Richard readily agreed and looked at Christoph.

“Then what if I win? What will you do for me?”

Christoph hesitated. Basically, the stakes of a bet should be equal.

As Christoph stared at Richard in silence, Richard smiled.

“Are you nervous?”

“—The riding trail? Not a chance. —Fine, then I’ll [visit our site]do whatever [stolen content]you want too. Whether it’s staying up all night or whatever.”

Christoph declared with a fierce expression. Richard nodded calmly and began to drink his soup. Christoph also began his meal with a combative spirit.

And watching them,

“….”

Hans said nothing. With a seemingly pleased Richard right in front of him, he couldn’t say a word.

Not only did Christoph’s current physical condition not look great even to Hans, but Christoph’s favorite horse had accidentally eaten poisonous grass during a walk the day before yesterday and was still suffering from a stomachache. Furthermore, the riding trail—where Christoph could most enjoy himself and utilize his strengths to run freely—had been closed since last week due to the hunting schedule planned for late autumn.

…Why did he feel as if he were witnessing a scene of fraud? And yet, why couldn’t he say anything? In the midst of this cowardice, into what kind of predicament had Christoph been driven without even knowing it?

Himmel glanced at him with a dark face. His stiff expression made it seem as if he might actually go to the police. This plunged Hans even deeper into agony.

He hadn’t blindly believed Himmel’s unauthorized copyoutcry about unauthorized copyrape, stolen contentbut for some reason, his suspicions were steadily hardening.

If a man is capable of fraud, why wouldn’t he be capable of rape? Crime naturally breeds crime. And those who contribute to the promotion of such crime are the bystanders, the accomplices, or the helpers.

“—”

Hans dropped his fork. The schnitzel began to dance in his stomach.

“What is it, Hans?”

Richard asked curiously, maintaining his usual thoughtful and good-natured demeanor. Right now, that seemingly virtuous appearance felt even more painful.

“No, my stomach is just… excuse me.”

Hans eventually stood up and left the table. His fragile conscience was pricking him like a needle.

 

 

His stomach, which he had managed to soothe by drinking buckets of cabbage juice along with stomach medicine, began to rage violently again late in the afternoon upon seeing Christoph return from the riding trail with a terrifyingly grim face, throwing his riding crop aside.

Christoph strode into the west wing, throwing off even his riding gloves, with Richard following leisurely behind him.

Judging by the expressions and the atmosphere, the result was obvious without asking. No, the result had been predetermined from the moment Richard mentioned a ‘bet.’ Unless he had intended to lose on purpose, Richard was not the type of person to lose a bet.

Christoph must have known that as well, but because the event was riding, he had let it slide.

“….”

Hans poured a cup full of cabbage juice from a kettle, drinking it like juice. He’d heard cabbage juice was effective for stomach pain, but he didn’t know why it wasn’t working.

Out of a shred of conscience, he had managed to keep Richard tied up in his [stolen content]office during the afternoon. He had [unauthorized copy]forced him to sit in the stolen contentoffice, claiming there was work that absolutely could not be postponed and must be handled today.

…But the night is long. He had scraped together all the urgent tasks and piled them in front of him—he wanted to pile on the less urgent ones too, but he felt Richard would notice immediately—but it wasn’t an amount of work that would take all night. He could keep him there until late evening, but until the night…

Hans sank into sorrow as he looked out at the sky, where the sunset had vanished and it was beginning to grow dark. He could see Himmel sitting far off in the garden. He couldn’t see his face from this distance, but seeing him slumped on the bench, it seemed that the righteous young man was also lost in deep agony.

“….”

Right, wrong is wrong.

No matter how it was, even if he ignored a bet that smelled strongly of fraud, rape was out of the question.

Feeling as though he had unintentionally participated in the fraud, Hans eventually couldn’t shake off the guilt—and as a severe bout of stomach pain hit him again—he bolted upright.

He had to say something to Richard. He didn’t know how Richard would react after hearing it, but he couldn’t just turn a blind eye to a crime.

I’ll tell him!

Before that resolve could fade, Hans hurried out of the room and headed for the office.

“Richard!”

Bursting into the office, Hans flung the door open and called out to him. And—an empty room greeted him.

“Huh…?”

Slowing his momentum, Hans entered the office feeling somewhat deflated. He needed to speak while he had this energy; he couldn’t let his heart soften again. Clicking his tongue, Hans approached the desk. Seeing that the work was still spread out on the desk, it seemed Richard hadn’t gone far.

Wondering if he had gone to the restroom, Hans glanced down at the desk and gasped.

“He’s almost finished… this monster…”

For an ordinary person, it was an amount of work that would require staying up all night, and while he visit our sitethought this man might finish by nightfall, [visit our site]he hadn’t expected him to be nearly done by early evening.

Hans shook his head in amazement and sat on the sofa by the window, praying that Richard would return before his resolve softened.

The sounds of children laughing and chatting drifted in from outside. Turning his gaze, he saw the children designated as the next generation of successors getting out of cars, returning from their external education. They were giggling with red cheeks, seemingly very excited.

Suddenly, Hans recalled a time long ago when he was their age. Richard and Christoph had been around that age too. Even then, they hadn’t been on particularly good terms, but the bond as members of Tarten remained intact. From then until now, consistently.

“….”

I wish everyone could just live well, Hans thought sincerely.

Regardless, they were both Hans’s brothers and friends. Though there was a difference in how much he liked one over the other, he wanted both of them to do well. At the very least, he never wanted one person’s happiness to be built upon the sacrifice of another.

But to think, rape… Richard? …Christoph?

Even thinking about it again, it was unbelievable.

Hans knew very well how fervently Richard looked only at Christoph. Not to mention how Richard gave him armfuls of gifts every time Christoph came to Dresden or every time Richard went to Berlin—it seemed he had specially ordered something this time as a gift for Christoph—he carved out every spare second of his time and poured it lavishly onto Christoph.

From Hans’s perspective, Richard sometimes seemed like a lunatic. No, he was a lunatic.

As long as he got the work done—and in truth, it was obvious that interfering wouldn’t do a bit of good—Hans had left him be, but he was indeed a madman who just happened to be excellent at his job.

“I don’t think he was like this before…”

Hans muttered with a sigh.

It wasn’t like this back when Richard was spreading rumors with women. Although his reputation varied somewhat due to his sexual preferences, Hans had never seen him devote himself to someone to the point of carving away his own time. He had always left plenty of leisure for himself and met them by cutting out appropriate chunks of his remaining time; back then, he was always cool and composed.

He never imagined Richard would chase one person so fervently, for years on end.

“….”

In a way, he was almost envious…

Staring blankly at the sky, Hans shook his head.

He hoped it wasn’t true, but please, let it not be rape. Let it be Himmel’s misunderstanding. Please.

“Anyway, where did he go to be gone this long?”

Closing the curtains on the now-pitch-black window, Hans stood up and approached the desk to organize the completed work. Since the remaining tasks seemed like they would only take twenty or thirty minutes, he decided to tidy up the finished ones first.

After carefully organizing the documents and materials, Hans hugged a bundle of folders and opened a drawer, then tilted his head in confusion. The key to the cabinet room was missing.

Turning around, he saw the key left sticking in the door of the cabinet room.

“My goodness, leaving this just lying around…”

Hans clicked his tongue and walked toward the cabinet room.

The cabinet room attached to the inner part of the office was a strictly managed area where all sorts of materials were densely stored. Not only the key but also a password was required to open the door, but still, the key should not be handled so carelessly.

“Who did this… oh,”

It’s even open, Hans clicked his tongue. The door opened easily with a simple pull.

Surely no data has been leaked, Hans entered the cabinet room anxiously. The moment he stepped inside, where the storage bins were packed tightly, Hans paused.

A faint light was flickering deep inside. Someone must be in there. …Ah, is it Richard?

Just as Hans was about to step toward the light.

Right then.

“—”

He heard a sound.

A faint sound, like the cry of a small animal.

For a brief moment, hearing that vague sound made Hans stop dead in his tracks.

What is it?

What could it be?

This uneasy premonition.

His feet felt frozen, unable to move from the spot.

In a silence so heavy he felt he could hear his own cold sweat dripping, slowly, slowly, the sounds from inside began to reach him.

“—You seem to have kept it in well. All afternoon. …Haha, impressive. It’s incredibly wet.”

“—”

Again, a whimpering sound like a puppy, mixed faintly with something like the splashing of water.

It was a familiar voice. Too familiar.

Hans turned his head creakily. He didn’t want to see, but as if confirming a terrifying scene was the only way to make the fear vanish, his gaze instinctively searched for a gap between the cabinets.

Through the gap in the storage bins, silhouettes flickered. The first thing that caught his eye in the shimmering light was a white backside. And a large hand gripping that backside.

That hand was slowly shaking and pulling out something deeply embedded between the buttocks.

“—Crazy, son of a bitch,”

A suppressed cry spat out the words intermittently. Then, the sound of laughter followed.

“I’m just collecting the prize for winning the bet, so there’s no need to talk like that. Keeping this inside your body for the afternoon is nothing, is it? I was going to demand something more, but I stopped here out of consideration for you, so it’s disappointing when you talk like that.”

“Calling this… a gift,”

“Why? You seem to like this quite a bit. Look at how deliciously you’re gripping it; it won’t even come out easily.”

Along with the laughter, the large hand thrust the object it had been pulling out back in deep. A low cry burst out like a moan.

As it was slowly pulled out again, glistening and soaking wet, the object was a dildo shaped like a penis. It was a large-sized dildo, so big that Hans flinched involuntarily the moment he saw it; even though it had been pulled out considerably, the tip was still buried inside the body.

…Dildos these days come in shapes [visit our site]that look exactly [visit our site]like the real thing, even the veins are clearly visible, Hans thought with a horrified face, when—

“Crazy bastard… it’s creepy… because it feels like you’re… you’re still inside me, it’s creepy,”

“You know it well. I had a mold made of my own thing and ordered it in the exact same shape. I put quite a bit of effort into the production so the texture would be identical to the real thing. I suppose it was worth thrusting mine into you every weekend, since you can tell they’re the same.”

……Was that it? He mentioned preparing some kind of unique gift.

Hans stood there, speechless, his expression souring.

“Didn’t you like it? That’s why you eventually couldn’t wait any longer and ran all the way here, right? Well, did it please you? Tell me, Christoph.”

“――.”

“Come on.”

The owner of the laughter-laced voice—Richard—pushed stolen contentthe dildo deep inside again as if urging him. stolen contentThe sound of wet splashing was followed by the sound of stifled sobs.

Christoph seemed determined to keep his mouth shut, as if he didn’t want to speak, but as the dildo slid in and out dozens of times with a squelching sound, his words finally began to leak out in fragments.

“……Still,”

The one gasping out words was Christoph, pinned face-down on a small table, unable to move under the weight pressing down on his back. Now that he looked, his wrists were also tied behind his back with a shirt.

“Still, felt like I was doing it with you, ――even while reading the book, while eating dinner, while talking to other people, still, you, inside――,”

Richard laughed softly. He stroked Christoph’s back as if praising him for doing well. Christoph’s shoulders trembled faintly.

“Yes, it seems you kept your promise obediently. The front is standing very taut.”

The hand that had slid off his back moved to the front. Christoph flinched at the touch gripping his groin.

“――You told me, not to do it alone,”

“Yes, good boy. I was going to be angry if I found any trace of you doing it yourself. ……Do you like it that much? You’re leaking right in front as soon as I touch you.”

Christoph grit his teeth. His complexion turned an intense shade of red. Suddenly, Richard bit Christoph’s cheek and then kissed him. No, it would be more accurate to say he was devouring him. Even then, the hand slowly shaking the dildo did not stop; rather, it was getting faster and faster.

“Stop, you crazy, no more, I don’t want,”

“Christoph. Christoph. ……What should I do? I really want to swallow you whole. I can’t stand it; I want to eat every bit of you, right down to the bone.”

Just as his rough whispers suggested, Richard bit into Christoph’s cheek, lips, and neck as if he were actually going to devour him. Each time, Christoph’s body jerked and leaped.

Then, at one point,

“Can I put it in just like this?”

Richard whispered, tracing the entrance—already filled Read on Read BL Novelswith the dildo—with his finger, then stolen contentslightly wedging the tip of his finger into that narrow opening. Christoph’s body stiffened with a sharp intake of breath.

“I want to leave this in a bit longer――but I want to go in too. ――I want to put them both in together.”

“……No, ……no, I can’t,”

A voice fraught with terror leaked out faintly, but it was cut off by Richard’s low assertion.

“You can. You’ve loosened up enough. ……Look, even now, the inside is twitching as if one more finger isn’t enough. ……Haha, your cock has swollen even stiffer than before, Christoph.”

“No, I don’t want, don’t,”

“I want to put it in.”

Click. The small sound of a buckle being undone echoed threateningly. Christoph’s face seemed to turn even paler.

“Ri, Richard, stop,”

Christoph suddenly opened his mouth urgently, but he was forced to swallow his words. It was because Richard’s large hand ruthlessly covered Christoph’s mouth. Christoph’s eyes widened.

Leaning over and pressing closely against Christoph, Richard pressed the tip of his member against the entrance—where the dildo was still inserted. Then, he began to rub it as if slowly prying the entrance open. The member pressed against the opening, which was already stretched tight by the thick dildo, glistened threateningly like a weapon that would tear through the white body.

Christoph squirmed beneath Richard. However, Richard did not budge, keeping Christoph’s mouth firmly blocked. Over his face as he looked down at Christoph, the expression of a savage beast overlapped.

“――! ――――!!”

Tears dripped from his large eyes. He shook his head as if trying to say something while struggling, but the hand firmly blocking his mouth did not move.

Lowering his head, Richard licked those tears with sweet relish. His gaze, shimmering with cruel pleasure, was like a predator truly intending to devour a young animal.

Looking intently into the blue eyes that seemed to be pleading, Richard kissed the eyelids. And the moment he quietly applied pressure to the hand gripping the dildo,

“Ri, Richard……! You can’t do that……!”

The person who shouted, barely squeezing the words out of their throat, was Hans.

At that cry, everything stopped.

The movement. The sound. The presence. Even the breathing.

Everything.

“No, you can’t, Richard. I don’t know about other things, but rape is something that should never happen between people.”

Hans, still turned away behind the filing cabinet, stammered in a voice that sounded as if he were being strangled.

What should he do, should he turn back and leave, or should he go out to help—to save him—? While he had spent countless hours tearing his hair out while assisting Richard with work, he had never struggled with such intense agony in such a short span of time.

What to do, what should I do? As Hans agonized, his sidelong glance caught Read on Read BL Novelssight of Christoph, whose mouth was covered and tears were dripping Read on Read BL Novelsfrom those large eyes, ――indeed, [unauthorized copy]the sorrowful sight of a beautiful person had a powerful effect.

At the sound of Hans’s voice, which had shouted out instinctively, everything there froze.

Ah, I did it. I actually did it. But still, I succeeded in stopping a crime scene somehow…….

It was while Hans was having such thoughts with his mind in a mess.

Perhaps Richard’s grip had loosened slightly due to the unexpected situation. Christoph twisted his body and barely escaped from Richard’s grasp that had been blocking his mouth.

As if he didn’t have a moment to care about anything else, he didn’t even look toward Hans. As if he couldn’t miss this brief window, Christoph whispered urgently.

“――Love.”

Because his voice was so choked, Hans couldn’t understand what he said at first. But soon, the words poured out in succession.

“I love you. Richard. I love you. ……Please, so,”

Before that strong hand could block his mouth again, he kissed the palm of the hand. Over and over, like a young puppy nipping at its mother.

Richard, who had turned a terrifying gaze toward Hans, paused and looked back. Looking down at Christoph with a somewhat flustered, dismayed expression, he clicked his tongue.

“Hurry, ……not this, you, ……you come in. ――Only you. I don’t want anything other than you. Only you, ――please. ……I love you.”

Words of appeal, kissing repeatedly while the hand that had tried to block Christoph’s mouth remained still.

Richard, who had been staring down at Christoph with savage eyes, ground his teeth softly.

“You’ve become cunning, Christoph.”

Instead of blocking Christoph’s mouth, that large hand roughly stroked the white cheek.

“I intended to enjoy this a bit more, but if [visit our site]you do this――I won’t be stolen contentable to hold back.”

He probably knew exactly what he was doing, but Richard muttered with a click of his tongue and pulled out the dildo he had been gripping with his other hand. Almost simultaneously, the member that had been rubbing the area, swollen and stiff, pushed back in to fill the space.

“――!”

Christoph gasped.

Thwack―― the sound of flesh hitting flesh struck the eardrums along with a wet sound. Soon after, the sounds of rough breathing and moans mingled. It was impossible to tell whose mouth they were coming from. For the two were already entwined, indulging in each other’s lips as if trying to devour them.

Soon, the squelching sounds began to intensify. The sounds mixed with sobbing grew louder.

“Please, ……please hurry, ……quickly, since a while ago, all afternoon, you inside, I feel like I’m going crazy, ……I love you.”

Gasping words were heard intermittently. Eventually, only the whispers of “I love you, I love you” continued, barely audible. As if those words were a spell to make his wish come true.

Richard growled menacingly.

“Shut your mouth before I block it again. Stop trying to break my patience. I want to stay inside here for as long as possible.”

“――Please, I, I’m going crazy,”

Perhaps his mouth was blocked again after that. Only the sound of gasping sobs could be heard, mingling with the rough breathing of a beast.

In those vivid and sweltering sounds, where the noises of something—a table or a filing cabinet—clattering and colliding felt distantly far away, Hans felt as if his own sanity was fading.

Even with his reason not functioning properly, he could tell something was wrong. A terrifying suspicion crept up his spine—a belated realization that his action to stop the crime might have been the wrong path from the very beginning.

“――――.”

How long had it been? After an intense period of time that felt like a mere instant yet terribly long, a low, rough roar and a cry reached their peak, and immediately after, the storm-like heat vanished as if it had been a lie. And just as the air began to cool, very slowly,

“You can’t lose consciousness already, Christoph. I’m far from finished.”

Hearing Richard’s quiet and terrifying whisper, Hans flinched, shrugged his shoulders—and he suspected Christoph did the same—and crawled away.

No. I have to leave. I have to get out of here now. Otherwise, I don’t know how devastated my psyche will become.

Struggling with a body that was frozen and barely moving, Hans crawled out of the cabinet room, and in his distant mind, he thought:

――What on earth have I done?

――Now I’m going to be squeezed to death by Richard for a while.

――That bastard Richard, bad bastard, wretched bastard, enviable bastard, pervert bastard……

And so on, he lamented.

 

 

Brave and righteous intentions do not always lead to such results.

Hans sat with his hands clasped, head bowed low like a sinner, staring only at his hands. Three meters in front of him, Richard sat behind a large desk.

‘Hans? Let’s have a quick talk.’

That was all that had been said in the phone call that morning, and Hans had been summoned feeling like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.

Behind Richard, who had his back to the window, the morning sunlight was shining brilliantly. As Hans, who had spent almost the entire night awake, pressed his eyes and glanced at him, the man looked refreshed, like someone who had enjoyed a very deep and satisfying sleep.

“――So, you’re saying that because Himmel told you I was raping Christoph, you believed it and stepped in.”

“…….”

Richard let out a hollow laugh. Hans only mumbled.

“Well, how was it? Did it look that way to you? You saw it yesterday, so you should know.”

“……No, well……, it wasn’t exactly like that, but……,”

“But?”

“……But then again, it didn’t seem like it was all consensual and harmonious either, I think, perhaps…….”

He didn’t know what he was saying. Richard seemed to feel the same, as he tapped the desk with his index finger. It was the same gesture he used when urging someone to speak clearly when a business report was insufficient.

Seeing that gesture, the resentment he had suppressed suddenly surged up.

“No, really, honestly! To an outsider, aren’t [stolen content]there Read on Read BL Novelselements that could be [Read on Read BL Novels]called forced? Why on earth did you tie the kid up?!”

As Hans shouted out in anger, Richard looked at him without batting an eye and replied nonchalantly.

“If I don’t tie him, I can’t block his mouth.”

“――Why the hell are you blocking his mouth?!”

That’s why I’m saying it’s rape!, Hans argued, even clenching his fists, and only then did Richard frown and click his tongue.

“If I don’t block it, Christoph says it before we can even properly start. In a way that makes it impossible for me to do anything more.”

“What does he say――.”

Hans stopped mid-sentence. Something flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning.

Last evening, when Hans had Read on Read BL Novelssuddenly shouted between them, what had Christoph [unauthorized copy]said urgently, as if not wanting to miss that brief gap?

“If he says it like that, I end up having to give him everything he wants. But lately, he’s been trying to say it too quickly, so I blocked his mouth on purpose. ――Everything was going well yesterday, but you ruined it, Hans.”

“――.”

Hans stood with his mouth open, unable to say anything. It seemed Richard’s resentment wasn’t entirely wrong, but for some reason, the feeling of unfairness didn’t fade, so he mumbled incoherently.

“No, but, you were too much. No matter what, putting that big thing in and then you also together………… does that even make sense?”

However, that mumbling also trailed off as he received a cold gaze.

“I only do it to see Christoph’s reaction; I don’t actually put it in. Not yet.”

“……Not yet…….”

Sensing a dark future, Hans shuddered. He wanted to [unauthorized copy]shout to [Read on Read BL Novels]Christoph to run away, but if he did, he would likely suffer a terrible fate first.

Richard let out an annoyed sigh. He leaned back in his chair and looked at Hans with a frown.

“I thought you’d know me a little, since you’ve been by my side all this time, Hans.”

“…….”

“Do you think I would hurt him?”

That was――no.

He could say that with certainty.

Richard would not hurt Christoph. No, he couldn’t.

The man who looked at Christoph every single moment as if he were [unauthorized copy]looking at a treasure, with such passion visit our siteand caution? ――He could never do that.

The moment that thought occurred, a belated realization flashed through Hans’s mind.

I see. He couldn’t. This man could never possibly hurt him.

Stupidly, he had been fooled by a few small things that were confusing. In essence, it was an impossible thing.

“And one more thing, who do you think Christoph is?”

“Eh……?”

Hans answered blankly to the sudden question.

Who is Christoph? He’s a Tarten brother, currently helping with work at T&R in Berlin, and before that…….

“Do you think rape can even be established with him?”

“――.”

Right. He had stupidly forgotten again.

What kind of person was Christoph Tarten?

A human butcher who looked like a statue…… Hans almost said it out loud but quickly shut his mouth. However, Richard probably guessed what Hans was going to say. Richard snorted.

“He’s a guy who could slit my throat if he set his mind to it. And you call that rape?”

“……But you’re the kind of guy who would do what he wants even if his throat got slit…….”

Richard frowned slightly but didn’t bother to deny it. Instead, he leaned even deeper into his chair.

After staring into space in thought for a moment, he spoke slowly.

“It’s a good thing to know nothing. It makes it easier to lead his tendencies toward my tastes. ……But do you know, Hans? If his own tendencies aren’t ‘truly’ that way, no matter how much I try to lead him, he won’t follow. In other words,”

“――.”

“He’s a guy whose tendencies matched mine from the start.”

He was his from the beginning. From the start. A perfect fit for him――and only him. For him alone.

“……What a stretch…….”

“No, I’m serious, Hans.”

Richard shrugged lightly. He wasn’t making a stretch or a joke; he was calmly stating the facts as they were.

“I would never hurt him. ……I couldn’t. [visit our site][Read on Read BL Novels]I [unauthorized copy]can’t do anything other than what he desires.”

He murmured softly. In that strange tone, which seemed partly self-deprecating and partly satisfied, there was clear sincerity.

Nothing other than what he desires.

Hans could only stare at him as he confessed the obvious truth, unable to say a word.

 

 

“I won’t say much. Just let me tell you one thing: no matter what you see in the future, never pay attention to their relationship. If you do, only your own sanity will suffer.”

Hans spoke bluntly to Himmel.

Himmel, observing Hans with a suspicious look, asked cautiously.

“Really? ……Can I put my mind at ease?”

“You can.”

Despite Hans’s reassurance, Himmel’s eyes continued to dart around as if he were still anxious, but after seeing how haggard Hans had become overnight, he simply swallowed hard and nodded. Hans sighed and added,

“Really, there’s no problem with them. Not between the two of them.”

Hans felt as though he had aged a hundred years in a single night,

but only after hearing that exhausted voice did Himmel seem to accept the sincerity of the words, nodding with a look of slight relief.

Hans waved his hand, telling Himmel to go on his way, and let out a long sigh.

He was exhausted. Sunday was already [unauthorized copy]slipping [stolen content]away, and he felt as though he had been brutally overworked all weekend without a moment’s proper rest.

Massaging his shoulders, which had grown stiff for no apparent reason, Hans let out a groan of “Ooh, my back,” and looked out the window as the sun began to dip.

Christoph was stepping out of the west wing. Seeing that he was fully dressed, he was likely heading back to Berlin. Then again, it was Sunday afternoon, so it was time to return.

Earlier that morning, after facing Richard, Hans had wandered the hallways in a daze, his mind troubled, before stealthily poking his head into Christoph’s room.

Christoph, who had been buried deep in his bed—heaven knows what time he had finally fallen asleep the previous night—glared fiercely at Hans with swollen eyes and muttered in a voice that was still thick with sleep.

‘Even if they say that much is normal, how can everyone do something like that…?’

Hans, unable to respond immediately because he could only vaguely guess what ‘something like that’ referred to, watched as Christoph remained sullenly silent before spitting out in frustration:

‘In the videos you sent me, some people put in three. If that’s the case, two shouldn’t be a big deal, but… I really don’t think I can do it.’

Christoph shuddered and pulled the duvet tighter around himself.

I’ve never been unable to do something to this extent in my life. Christoph, who had lived his life achieving superior results in everything he touched, muttered gloomily.

Hans had much to say but couldn’t bring himself to say it, so he hesitated before speaking.

‘Umm… if you really can’t do it, maybe you don’t have to…?’

If those words ever reached Richard’s ears, it would be a catastrophe, but he couldn’t help but say it for the sake of this pitiful man.

However, after a moment of silence, Christoph clicked his tongue.

‘But he wants it.’

‘—.’

If possible, he wanted to do it for [unauthorized copy]him. Even if he unauthorized copy[stolen content]was still unfamiliar and awkward with it, to the point where he kept asking him to stop.

Still, he wanted to grant Richard’s wishes, even if only in small increments. And while it was occasionally—no, quite often—terrifying, it wasn’t that he hated it.

He liked those moments when the man looked happy.

‘—So, are you okay?’

Hans asked. The blue eyes, lost in thought, glanced at Hans. After thinking for a moment longer while maintaining eye contact, Christoph nodded readily. Without a single lie, without a hint of hesitation.

‘Either way, it’s getting better. Both him and I. …I think we’re doing alright in our own way.’

Doing alright.

That was how Christoph viewed their relationship.

And those words were undoubtedly true. For Christoph was neither foolish nor dull.

The weight pressing on Hans’s heart lightened further. At the same time, with a relaxed mind, he thought:

Ah, they are adjusting to one another like this.

Just as Hans let out a light sigh of relief,

‘Besides, they say it’s something everyone does, so there’s no reason I can’t. There’s a certain sense of achievement when I succeed, …and, though the process is difficult, it feels good in the end.’

Christoph nodded as if he had convinced himself that this must be why everyone did such grueling things.

‘….’

…He wasn’t foolish or dull, but he was certainly quite naive…

The light sigh was sucked right back in. Was [Read on Read BL Novels]it just his imagination, or Read on Read BL Novelswas his heart feeling heavy again?

—I can’t do anything other than what that man wants.

Suddenly, a fragment of what Richard had said earlier flashed through Hans’s mind. …So, he’s carefully guiding him bit by bit so that Christoph wants it.

Unable to bring himself to convey that part, Hans quietly withdrew from Christoph’s room.

It might not be rape, but it felt like a scam was in progress… Watching Christoph’s retreating figure in the distance, Hans felt like an accomplice and poured himself another glass of cabbage juice from the kettle, drinking it in one gulp. It seemed this stomach ache would persist for a while.

Just then, Richard came rushing out of the east wing. He had likely been attending to something in the east wing and hurried out upon seeing Christoph leave.

Christoph looked back, perhaps because Richard had called out to him. His face, which had been as expressionless as a carved sculpture, softened slightly. He looked annoyed, frowning as if it were a nuisance, but for some reason, that looked more comfortably relaxed than a smiling face.

Catching up to Christoph in an instant, Richard snatched the car keys from him. Then, walking ahead of him, he intended to drive him to Berlin.

Even though they had done this every week for years, it was as if the stolen contentmoment of parting was stolen contentstill too precious and regrettable, and [visit our site]they wanted to delay it by even a second.

Christoph seemed to be grumbling—likely complaining that he could drive himself—but in the end, he followed obediently, and Richard began to walk, naturally gripping Christoph’s wrist.

“….”

Watching them drift away through the window, Hans suddenly let his shoulders slump.

Yes. No matter which path they took.

In the end, that was how it was.

Richard could not do something that Christoph truly did not want.

Christoph wanted to do what Richard wanted.

That was how they were filling their relationship. Though it seemed creaky, [stolen content]in truth, they were Read on Read BL Novelsensuring [unauthorized copy]there were no empty spaces.

Hans sighed. A hollow laugh was mixed into the end of the sigh.

That was enough.

With no reason for anyone to intervene, and no way to intervene, they were walking side by side, holding onto each other just like that.

[End of Side Story 1]

Diaphonic Symphonia Side Story