HRB 133

Ketron’s eyes, which had been closed, snapped open in the bright sunlight.

Sunlight was filtering in through the slightly parted thick curtains. It wasn’t the soft morning light, but the intense noon sun. It felt as if it were scolding anyone who slept this late.

For Ketron, who always woke at the crack of dawn, waking up at this hour was unusual, but today he had only fallen asleep towards morning, so it couldn’t be helped.

Ketron reflexively turned to his side. Seeing the face sleeping soundly without the slightest stir, even as he sat up abruptly, Ketron smiled without realizing it.

His beloved, who had granted all his unreasonable demands throughout the night, had only just fallen asleep as the sun rose.

Though he could hear breathing, Ketron instinctively lowered his head to check if Eddie’s heart was beating well.

Thump, thump.

The heartbeat, which had been very faint while Eddie was bedridden, was now beating strongly.

“……Hoo.”

Taking the opportunity, Ketron kissed the chest where his marks were plentiful, then lifted his head and sat up. He looked at the clothes scattered on the floor, soaked and shed, and used Sorcery to clean the lightly soiled parts before picking them up and dressing.

The black garment that clung tightly to his upper body covered his neck to some extent, but as Ketron looked in the mirror, he deliberately folded down the part covering his neck.

Then, the marks Eddie had licked and bitten in the heat of their lovemaking were clearly revealed.

Only then did Ketron wear a satisfied expression.

Returning to Eddie’s side, Ketron settled down carefully. Eddie, who had been sleeping with his arm as a pillow, instinctively realized his soft, living pillow had returned, and let out a soft groan, burrowing into Ketron’s embrace.

Ketron naturally pulled him closer and closed his eyes beside Eddie.

He figured Eddie would probably not wake until late in the afternoon. It might be better to wake him a bit earlier for meals, but for now, it seemed best to leave him be.

Eventually, Eddie woke only after Ketron had patted his cheek several times and stroked his hair, enduring for several more hours.

“Mmm, hng…?”

After burying his face in Ketron’s firm chest for a while, blinking to understand the situation, Eddie finally grasped what was happening and sat up abruptly.

“Ack!”

Of course, a movement that completely disregarded his physical state came with immense pain. With an overwhelming agony that felt like his body was splitting in half, Eddie collapsed back onto the bed.

It wasn’t this bad even the day after marching with a 20kg pack in the army. As Eddie let out a silent scream and groaned, Ketron rushed to his side.

“Eddie!”

Eddie, who had been blankly looking up at Ketron’s worried face asking if he was okay, turned bright red like a tomato the moment he spotted his own bite marks near Ketron’s neck.

He had finally remembered what had happened last night.

The sheer debauchery of their night together flashed through his mind like a flashback, and Eddie couldn’t bring himself to meet Ketron’s eyes, quickly turning his head away.

“Eddie, are you alright?”

Of course, unlike Eddie, Ketron felt no embarrassment whatsoever; Eddie’s condition was paramount. He turned Eddie’s face, which was trying to look away, back towards him and was engrossed in checking his state.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Though he was far from fine, Eddie repeated only those words like a parrot, dodging Ketron’s gaze.

Meanwhile, Eddie’s face, upon spotting the pile of condoms scattered on the floor with the sheets, turned so red it couldn’t get any redder.

It wasn’t the first time he’d woken up with someone after making love, but was he this embarrassed and mortified simply because it was someone he loved with all his heart, or because last night’s encounter had been far too wild?

Recalling how they had continued their activities again and again even after the sun rose, he couldn’t regain his composure, and Eddie, with trembling arms, managed to sit up.

Then he realized he was completely naked.

“……Ah.”

His clothes were lying discarded far away on the floor. Along with the soaked sheets.

But his back ached too much to muster the strength to pick up the clothes from the floor. Finally, Eddie said in a trembling voice,

“Ket, my clothes….”

Ketron immediately picked up Eddie’s clothes without hesitation, but he didn’t hand them over to Eddie right away.

“Ket?”

Ketron’s gaze lingered, scanning Eddie’s body up and down.

His eyes, in particular, were quite predatory as he looked at the marks he had left.

At that moment, Eddie felt like a helpless fairy. Of course, Ketron had no intention of hiding the clothes like some woodcutter; he returned them to Eddie shortly after, but he didn’t take his eyes off Eddie once while Eddie fumbled to dress.

“You really are….”

Eddie, intending to scold Ketron for being a pervert, stopped when he realized his voice was hoarse. It lacked any authority, let alone strength.

Normally, he wore a stoic expression as if nothing in the world was interesting, but last night, he had been nothing but an aroused beast.

Since Eddie had initiated it, it was ridiculous to criticize Ketron for being particularly active, but there had to be a limit!

He felt like he had been wrung out, and then wrung out again until there was nothing left. Couldn’t he harbor a little resentment?

Of course, Ketron remained unfazed by Eddie’s gaze.

Instead, he lowered his head and lightly kissed Eddie’s lips. The sensation of his warm tongue tracing inside his mouth was incredibly sticky, unlike usual.

Ah.

Only then did Eddie realize he had truly peeled back a layer of Ketron. If a transparent, solid wall had protected him until now, that wall had completely vanished as of last night.

Now, if he let his guard down, Eddie would be devoured by Ketron at any moment.

Though he liked that, it also made him pout. With a complex expression, Eddie eventually wrapped his arms around Ketron’s neck.

The air quickly grew heavy, but before the atmosphere could become any more intense, Eddie pushed Ketron away.

“If we do more, I really won’t be able to take it.”

At that, Ketron chuckled, licked Eddie’s lips one last time, and pulled away. He looked like a cat purring with immense satisfaction.

Eddie, finally relieved, let his gaze drift to the messy sheets and the pile of condoms on the floor.

Since they were convenience store items that were replenished endlessly, they weren’t precious, but it was still a bit embarrassing.

If someone were to come in to clean, the messy sheets would be a giveaway, and the fact that they hadn’t been woken up until so late meant whoever was in charge knew what was going on, so it was bound to be discovered anyway. But even an oblivious person would know that condoms are tools for sexual activity.

He couldn’t leave them in such a mess, so Eddie let out a soft sound and began to pick up the condoms from the floor.

When Ketron helped him finish tidying the room, it was clearly late afternoon. Eddie, like a lover after their first time, had no time for a leisurely afterglow filled with a bit of shyness and had to hastily drag Ketron to greet the Emperor before heading to the mansion.

Eddie politely declined the Emperor’s offer to stay at the Imperial Palace, and by the time they were returning to the mansion in the Imperial Palace’s carriage, the sun was beginning to set.

“Is there any need to rush so much?”

Ketron asked, as if he didn’t understand why Eddie was in such a hurry, but Eddie nodded firmly.

“The kids must have been waiting for me to wake up, and I left without even showing my face to head to the Imperial Palace. It’s not polite.”

Eddie groaned as the carriage jolted, explaining the reason while wincing.

“……”

Ketron didn’t add any further remarks about Eddie’s concern for others, but his gaze, for a moment, was filled with displeasure and possessiveness before it dispersed.

Of course, Eddie, with his eyes closed and groaning, didn’t notice the look at all.

Eddie had to practically lie down in the carriage. While the top-tier carriage was undoubtedly comfortable, it was insufficient even for a Rolls-Royce for Eddie, whose physical endurance was close to zero.

…By the way, contrary to my plan, instead of having a deep conversation with Ketron, we ended up having plenty of physical conversation.

He had decided to tell him everything, but when the moment came to speak, his lips wouldn’t move. Lying in the carriage with his eyes closed, Eddie looked at Ketron.

Ketron, who had been watching Eddie the whole time, met his gaze immediately. The man, who stared intently and didn’t show the slightest embarrassment even when their eyes met, smiled at Eddie.

…Whatever story he told, Ketron would accept him. He felt that certainty.

Only then did Eddie feel a little of his burden lifted.

Thanks to that, when they arrived at the mansion, which felt much more comfortable than the Imperial Palace, though still a bit awkward, Eddie was able to return with Ketron’s hand in his, with a triumphant air.

“What about me and Gerold!”

However, the situation at the mansion was not as peaceful as Eddie had expected.

Ebon, who normally showed little emotional fluctuation unless it involved Eddie, was shouting furiously that day.

With a bright red face, Ebon, looking furious, was practically yelling at the other person.

“We’re just friends! Huh! Just! Friends! You idiot!”

And that other person was none other than Sebastian.

“……”

Sebastian’s face, though less red than Ebon’s, also showed a considerable surge of emotion.

“……Huh?”

Of course, Eddie, unable to comprehend the situation, let out a bewildered sound.

A scene unfolded before him that he had no idea how to process.