Chapter 53
When Adi returned, the reception room’s atmosphere felt heavy. The cause was undoubtedly Duke Woodpecker. Seeing Yuls’s dejected mood, Adi quietly asked Roy:
“Did something happen?”
The answer came from elsewhere.
“Instead of whispering, why don’t you just ask me directly if you have something to say?”
“…”
Adi had nothing particular to say to the Duke. Besides, they were neither in a position nor of a status to question the very person responsible for the current atmosphere. As Adi stood silently without answering, Yuls brushed his hair back. Even Yuls himself couldn’t understand why he felt this way.
…Or couldn’t he?
“Adrian.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
No, he knew. He knew that his emotions had manifested in a different way. It was entirely unintended and unexpected, but somehow he’d become bothered, and now he was getting irritated seeing them with another man.
Yuls typically knew himself well. Even if these feelings were new to him, he couldn’t ignore them. Yet even while acknowledging them, he couldn’t understand them.
They’re a man, damn it.
Though currently docile, Adrian Grimaldi was Woodpecker’s son and known as the “dog” in Palesa. Having honey-sweet curling hair, flushed cheeks, eyes like fine cat’s eye gems, and a pretty face didn’t change the fact that a man wasn’t a woman.
Of course, gender shouldn’t matter for breaking the curse, but they couldn’t live together, could they?
And yet.
“I need to receive something today.”
He didn’t like the idea of someone else having them either.
“Right now, Your Grace?”
Adi asked, seemingly flustered. Though Yuls demanded kisses daily, it was bright daylight now. With servants and knights gathered around, and soon they would need to go greet the king—was he asking for a kiss in this situation?
It wasn’t exactly appropriate to show such things to others. Though some might have grown used to it…
When Adi hesitated, Yuls narrowed his eyes.
“Follow me.”
All of Yuls’s knight escorts and servants began to move.
“Just Adi.”
At these words, they stopped in their tracks. Adi likewise hesitated. After a moment of consideration, Adi reluctantly followed Yuls into the room.
Yuls closed the door and looked down at Adi as they entered.
Their face showed confusion. There was nothing to say if they thought this was just another instance of the mad Duke forcing a kiss to break the curse. That had been the reality, after all.
But the situation was changing strangely. Adrian hadn’t changed. Only Yuls himself had changed. While servants were expected to understand their master’s moods without being told, someone in a temporary relationship like Adi would find that difficult.
Before that—was he satisfied with just a master and servant relationship?
“Adi.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Of course not. If he were satisfied with just that, such curiosity wouldn’t have arisen. He wouldn’t have followed them when they said they were meeting someone, nor would he have felt irritated about knowing so little about Adrian.
Though he had indirectly understood such emotions through various books, he never expected them to approach like this.
“Count Grimaldi said he would kill you.”
Yuls Woodpecker was going mad with curiosity about Adrian.
“And today you spoke with Lev Jid.”
Once he admitted it, even the smallest things bothered him. Down to wondering what they had for lunch today, though it was probably just ordinary fare from the knights’ dining hall.
“How did you…”
“What did you talk about?”
“Nothing important.”
“Well, if it’s nothing important, you can tell me.”
Saying this, Yuls took Adi’s hand. Their feet were small, and their hands seemed small too. Perhaps it was because he had grown. But they weren’t feminine hands. They were a knight’s hands—somewhat rough, bearing traces of wielding a sword.
Beautiful.
Silently holding and staring at Adi’s hand, Yuls soon pulled them close and pressed his lips to it. Having grown accustomed to Duke Woodpecker’s contact, Adi watched him with relaxed hands. His luxuriously grown eyelashes fluttered. If not for his height and build, he could easily be mistaken for a woman.
Looking carefully, it was only the formal attire that made them appear male—if they wore a dress, they could easily pass for a woman. The more he looked, the prettier they seemed. Perhaps because of their nasty temperament, he hadn’t noticed at first.
Yuls kissed their hand repeatedly. Though the succession of kisses was somewhat embarrassing, Adi didn’t mind much. However, when an unexpected soft sensation touched their hand, Adi quickly pulled away.
“Why?”
Was that just… his tongue?
Adi rubbed their hand with a bewildered expression. Yuls, on the other hand, looked completely unperturbed. Sitting on the sofa, he lifted his chin and spoke.
“Tell me what you discussed with Lev Jid.”
“…About Grimaldi.”
“I can’t hear you. Come closer and tell me.”
Adi approached the sofa where Yuls sat. Yuls grabbed both their hands. What is this? Looking at their captured hands with confusion, Adi spoke softly.
“We talked about me returning to Grimaldi.”
“Returning?”
“Yes.”
“Wasn’t there no such discussion?”
Well, there hadn’t been time to discuss it. Adi hadn’t known the Count would make such a choice. Though they didn’t know what conversation had occurred with the Crown Prince, it was clear they would be sent back immediately after the Duke left and everything was finished. Unless someone else appeared in the meantime.
And there was a suitable person—the Crown Prince. If he stayed in Palesa rather than going to Ionad, and if Adi could stay by his side, perhaps they wouldn’t have to go to Grimaldi right away? Was that even possible?
To understand the situation clearly, they needed to meet the Crown Prince first, but there had been no opportunity and they couldn’t just seek him out randomly.
However, there might be a chance. Today all nobles and royalty would go to greet the king, so during that time…
“Could it be that the Count’s talk of killing you refers to after you return to Grimaldi?”
Yuls asked. Instead of answering, Adi looked down at him. Unusually, his face seemed lined with worry.
“Do you not want to return to Grimaldi?”
“…”
“Answer me.”
“No, I don’t want to go there.”
When Adi answered honestly, Yuls smiled brightly.
“I see.”
It was truly bewildering. Why would Yuls smile at that answer? Then, watching the Duke ask “Is that your wish?” Adi gave a hollow laugh.
“No.”
In an instant, his smiling face fell. Like in the reception room earlier, the room’s atmosphere seemed to sink. Was it the pressure that people carried? Few people could change the atmosphere around them with just their mood.
“Then you’ll go to Grimaldi?”
“I’ll try to prevent that.”
“How?”
Yuls asked.
“Do you have someone else to ask for help?”
Though Adi didn’t answer yes or no, the silence was telling enough. There was someone else to ask. Someone other than him.
“Adi.”
Who could it possibly be?
“Adrian Grimaldi.”
When there’s no one who would take their side.
“I can’t use a wish on something with uncertain results.”
Adi said. Yuls frowned. Though he had just asked if that was their wish, he hadn’t told them to use it.
“That’s my last resort.”
But through this conversation, he understood why Adi wouldn’t ask him.
“Are you saying there aren’t enough wishes?”
“Yes. They’re precious.”
“Then I should increase them.”
Yuls grabbed Adi’s arm and pulled. Losing their balance, Adi fell into Yuls’s embrace and pushed against his chest with their palms. His pectorals were more developed than expected. As Adi said “Your Grace” and tried to rise, Yuls caught their chin.
“One wish for each kiss.”
Their breaths intertwined through their lightly touching lips. The inside of their mouth tingled. Unable to process this new sensation, Adi grabbed Yuls’s cravat and pulled. With the force, the fabric loosened smoothly. Yuls’s hand enveloped Adi’s head. His fingers burrowing into their hair made their scalp and nape tingle. It was hard to breathe.
Finally unable to endure, Adi repeatedly hit Yuls’s shoulder. Seeming to understand the meaning, Yuls separated their lips. Adi gasped for breath.
Yuls also seemed unfamiliar with this, breathing heavily. His face was flushed.
“How was it?”
“…”
What answer did he want? Their feelings? Or their impression?
“Shall I free you from Grimaldi?”
At these words, Adi opened their mouth with sudden realization, making an “Ah” sound.
“If you want, I’ll gladly do it.”
Wiping the saliva from Adi’s lips with his thumb, Yuls continued.
“You can come to Woodpecker with me. No one’s hands can reach there. Not Grimaldi’s, not the royal family’s.”
What could this mean?
“So think about it carefully.”
Adi had their suspicions, but couldn’t believe it.
“No one needs you as much as I do.”
Surely the Duke couldn’t actually like them?
