After some time had passed, Eddie, who had been silent, slowly began to speak.
“The tournament is in a few days. Have you made all your preparations?”
“What preparations are you referring to?”
“Well, since we’ll be staying for a few days, travel preparations and such.”
Eddie wondered what kind of preparations people made for travel in this world. It seemed like it wouldn’t be too different from modern times, yet many things would probably be different.
Ketron, true to being a traveler who had journeyed around the world almost empty-handed, didn’t seem particularly concerned about that.
“I don’t need any special preparations.”
After all, Ketron had arrived at this inn with almost nothing, so he didn’t have many possessions to begin with. And although Eddie had grandly called it travel, it was just to the neighboring city.
To Ketron, it probably felt like an extension of going to the market with Eddie.
Honestly, it was Eddie who needed to prepare. Of course, there were practical preparations like clothes for their few days’ stay, but more importantly, mental preparation. Mental preparation sufficient to enjoy a tournament where countless people would gather.
He still struggled with crowded places. Going to the library, which he had chosen as a way to try to overcome this, had instead refreshed the feeling of fear in his heart, so it had been counterproductive.
However, when Ketron responded nonchalantly, somehow Eddie’s heart felt lighter too. After all, it was something he needed to overcome, and what was there to worry about when accompanied by the strongest man in the world?
“Let’s eat lots of delicious food and see plenty of fun things.”
In the end, that’s all Eddie said. Let’s go and have fun. Saying this, Eddie buried his face in Ketron’s embrace.
Being held in someone’s sturdy arms was quite a pleasant feeling, more than he had expected. Wondering why he hadn’t known this until now, Eddie quickly found the answer.
There weren’t many people larger and sturdier than him to begin with, and even if there were, he had never become close enough with such people to engage in such intimate actions.
It seemed Eddie wasn’t the only one unfamiliar with this behavior.
“Eddie.”
“Yes…?”
“What’s with this childish behavior?”
Ketron seemed quite perplexed by Eddie’s actions.
Although the emotional distance between them had narrowed considerably, this kind of lingering physical contact was unprecedented.
Yet not pushing Eddie away was Ketron’s way of being kind, if it could be called kindness.
After briefly wondering how to respond, Eddie quickly ended his deliberation and answered.
“I just want to feel that you’re a living person.”
Not a character in a novel.
Swallowing those unspoken words, Eddie buried his face in Ketron’s chest again. Fortunately, Ketron didn’t ask what he meant.
“Oh.”
Eddie suddenly marveled at the feeling of the soft yet firm muscle against his forehead. As the thoughts that had been troubling his mind before embracing Ketron were mostly sorted out through their conversation, he belatedly realized that the body he was embracing was quite—no, very—impressive.
So this is what thick chest muscles feel like.
Eddie lifted his arm from around Ketron’s waist and placed it on Ketron’s chest.
Squeeze, squeeze.
“Ohh.”
Soft, yet firm. It even had elasticity. Ketron’s body, befitting a swordsman who had trained his physique to the extreme, possessed overwhelming physical conditions, but it wasn’t stone-hard, proving it was still a human body.
Eddie kneaded Ketron’s chest, hardly aware of what he was doing.
In his defense, he had become too accustomed to Ketron. Perhaps it was because he thought they had become somewhat close.
But even so, it was too intimate, or rather, too private an action. And not just a brief touch before pulling away, he had been kneading it for quite some time as if it belonged to him.
Eddie noticed something was off only after he had been fondling that chest with his hands for a while.
“Ah.”
A belated realization struck Eddie. What am I doing right now?
Even between people of the same gender, wouldn’t this already qualify as sexual harassment deserving handcuffs in modern times? Wait, why did I do that?
They say regret, no matter how swift, comes too late. Eddie chided himself in the suddenly quiet atmosphere. What the hell did I just do?
Eddie stared at Ketron’s chest for a long time, pondering. He was afraid to check what expression Ketron was making. But he couldn’t just remain silent like this either.
Finally, Eddie gathered nonexistent courage and raised his head.
Their eyes met. Unlike usual, those pitch-black eyes, deeply subdued, were quietly looking down at the scoundrel who had been fondling his chest.
Eddie, uncharacteristically flustered, stammered.
“Um…”
What should he say? Sorry? I didn’t mean to?
Eddie’s wandering apology took a slightly different direction.
“Do you want to touch mine too…?”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, right?
Going all in, Eddie took Ketron’s hand and placed it directly on his own chest. He could feel Ketron’s hand slightly curling at this sudden and outlandish behavior.
Eddie knew there was definitely some logical leap in his way of thinking. Combined with his innate lack of tact, he knew others might see it as eccentric behavior.
Ketron, who was perhaps the person most accustomed to Eddie’s unintentional eccentricities, didn’t get angry at such words and actions.
Instead, for some reason, he briefly looked up at the ceiling and heaved a deep sigh.
“That’s quite alright.”
Then, declining, he removed his hand from Eddie’s chest.
Eddie didn’t understand those words at first, but soon realized it meant “feeling better?” and unconsciously nodded. In fact, his slight depression had already lifted without him noticing.
“Huh? Oh, yeah.”
“Then sleep.”
I’ll stay by your side until then.
Those words had some mysterious power, allowing Eddie to experience the strange sensation of suddenly feeling sleepy in a body that hadn’t felt tired until then.
Ketron gently stroked the back of the rogue who had arbitrarily kneaded his chest, helping Eddie fall comfortably asleep.
Perhaps because the tension that had been building all day suddenly released, Eddie drifted off to sleep in Ketron’s arms.
Ketron, unexpectedly finding himself in the role of a lullaby singer, looked down at that peaceful face once Eddie’s breathing became steady.
It had been somewhat baffling and absurd—first noticing Eddie looking uneasy since the library, then Eddie suddenly claiming to be depressed and insisting Ketron lie beside him, then talking about wanting to feel that Ketron was a living person, randomly kneading his chest muscles, and finally promptly falling asleep in his arms when told to sleep.
But then again, when had this man ever been any different? He had always been like this since the moment they first met.
The strange thing wasn’t this man, but rather himself for allowing this man to freely cross his boundaries.
But it couldn’t be helped. Eddie normally appeared like a dependable adult, but occasionally showed signs of instability that made him seem like a child left at the water’s edge.
It seems like you’re the baby, not me.
Even after Eddie had fallen deeply asleep, Ketron continued to hold him like that for quite some time. Thinking that the warmth of the person in his arms wasn’t bad at all.
* * *
Time passed in an instant, and before they knew it, the day to depart for the neighboring city had arrived.
The planned schedule was three days, but Eddie mentioned it could potentially be extended depending on the situation.
“The first day is for exploring the area, the second day is for the tournament, and the third day is for returning home.”
How about that, perfect, right?
Looking at Eddie, who was telling him this terribly flimsy plan with a sparkling face, Ketron didn’t say anything special but simply nodded.
Just before leaving the room, Ketron briefly looked at the Holy Sword. The Holy Sword, which he rarely used except when occasionally taking it to the backyard to swing during exercise, was leaning against the wall.
As he gazed at it, Eddie’s words flashed through Ketron’s mind.
“Travel preparations and such.”
Preparations.
The Holy Sword was as heavy as it was large. If there was no evil to vanquish, it was an inconvenient item to carry around.
But somehow, he had a feeling that he should take it with him this time.
Ketron’s “feelings” like this were quite often accurate.
As if realizing that Ketron would be taking it along, the Holy Sword asked in an expectant voice:
「Is Arthur going to be in the tournament?」
“No, I heard he won’t be there.”
「Ahh.」
The Holy Sword openly showed disappointment at those words.
Not yet. It wasn’t yet time to stain this Holy Sword with Arthur’s blood.
Ketron smiled slightly. Although Arthur wouldn’t be there, Ketron could make one promise to the Holy Sword.
“Don’t worry. Still, this time—”
He said as he skillfully slung the Holy Sword onto his back.
“You’ll get to rampage.”
He had that feeling. And his feelings were usually quite accurate.
The weight pressing down heavily on his shoulder felt familiar. It wasn’t a bad feeling.