KPG | Chapter 1.1

“The knight commander of the Lexion Knights, Kedrick Lachenov, heed His Majesty’s command.”

One day, out of the blue, the crown prince of the empire collapsed from a sudden illness.

Every physician in the empire tried every possible method to cure him, but the crown prince’s condition only worsened with each passing day, as if mocking their efforts.

They poured tonics made of supposed miracle ingredients into his mouth and used all sorts of magical tools, yet there wasn’t the slightest sign of him opening his eyes. The emperor fell into deep despair.

But the gods hadn’t abandoned him.

In response to the emperor’s fervent prayers, the divine sent an oracle. Overjoyed at the prospect of good news, the emperor’s hopes soared—until the words relayed by the cardinal, the messenger of the gods, left everyone in utter shock.

“Feed the crown prince the milk of Kedrick Lachenov, and his illness shall be cured.”

Upon hearing the oracle’s contents from the cardinal, the emperor was beyond conflicted—he was heartbroken. Clutching his head, he spiraled into all sorts of wild thoughts.

Even if it was to cure an illness, how could they ethically justify feeding the milk of another to an adult crown prince?

And more fundamentally, how could milk possibly come from Kedrick Lachenov, a biological male?

These questions battered his mind.

Above all, Kedrick Lachenov wasn’t just anyone—he was the Kedrick of the Lachenov family, the empire’s loyal hound.

In the end, the emperor convened a meeting to discuss the matter with the nobles. Usually eager to push their own agendas, they were uncharacteristically passive, leaving the emperor with no choice but to make the decision himself.

“Respect the opinion of the person involved.”

But the person in question was none other than Kedrick Lachenov, knight commander of the Lexion Knights. He was a man of lofty chivalry, burdened with the immense duty of protecting the imperial family.

“I’ll do it.”

“Commander!”

“Quiet.”

“But, Commander! This is absurd!”

It was truly an outrageous situation. Even Mace, the deputy commander standing nearby, paled at the bizarre oracle. Yet the man’s demeanor was maddeningly calm, as if it didn’t faze him in the slightest.

“I said, be quiet.”

Kedrick’s low voice cut through the air.

His golden eyes flickered. The man accepting this ridiculous oracle exuded an almost beastly aura, and the servant relaying the message couldn’t help but think his trembling legs were beyond his control.

This was, after all, that Kedrick Lachenov of the Lexion Knights.

Rumors swirled about him: that he’d snapped the necks of thirty assassins who’d attacked the emperor’s residence with his bare hands and hung their heads on the castle walls; that his loyalty to the imperial bloodline was so extreme he’d crawl on the floor like a dog, leash and all, if they commanded it.

Even past thirty, he was always impeccably groomed, not a single beard hair out of place. His jet-black hair, beast-like golden eyes, and massive, toned physique made him appear almost too beautiful for a man.

“I am Kedrick Lutens of the Lachenov family, knight commander of the Lexion Knights. As long as my loyalty to the imperial family remains unshaken, I would gladly offer my neck if asked.”

And most crucially, this man was stubborn, inflexible, and knew nothing but martial arts and loyalty. Even though he wasn’t ignorant of the implications of the message the servant delivered, he didn’t so much as blink.

Mace, the deputy commander who’d have to fill his shoes and was the only one privy to the conversation, gritted his teeth and bowed his trembling head.

“Commander…”

It was a scene that could bring tears to one’s eyes. But the servant couldn’t help but wonder if Mace would still say such things once he realized what lay ahead.

The contents of the oracle were to be known only by a select few. Even if it was for the crown prince’s sake, Kedrick Lachenov was practically a guardian deity of the imperial family.

Publicizing such an oracle would undoubtedly damage the empire’s image.

Thus, they needed to choose the most secretive location for the task.

And so, they settled on the temple, which had kept a torture chamber for “savage deeds.” It was a place once used to slaughter the infected during plagues, but now it served merely as storage for equipment.

Kedrick donned a thin, translucent white gown. Seeing his reflection in the mirror felt strange. Honestly, the oracle itself was absurd to begin with.

As far as he knew, a man’s chest could never produce milk.

Almost unconsciously, he slowly raised a hand and lightly gripped his chest. How could something like this save the crown prince’s life? Even he couldn’t believe it. The tension made his nipples harden, which only felt embarrassingly indecent.

But he couldn’t doubt. How could he dare question the will of the imperial family?

If the emperor said the earth was square, it was square. If he pointed at an apple and called it a banana, then from that moment, apples were bananas. Kedrick’s warped loyalty was this extreme. So, he stopped doubting altogether.

“Excuse me.”

The door to the small room opened, and a servant entered. On the silver tray he carried were a black cloth and a small vial.

“Drink this, Lachenov-nim.”

“What is it?”

“A potion to help you relax.”

Kedrick uncapped the vial and sniffed it. As a man who’d faced countless assassination attempts, this was second nature. It had no scent, and a drop on his tongue caused no reaction. Without hesitation, he downed it all.

“Now, cover your eyes with this cloth.”

“With this?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The servant didn’t answer, only urging him to hurry with a look. Kedrick clicked his tongue, sensing something off, but took the cloth anyway. With practiced hands, he draped it over his eyes and tied it tightly.

Unable to see an inch ahead, his other senses sharpened. Though he hesitated, for a warrior like Kedrick, blindness wasn’t a significant issue.

Guided by the servant, he began to walk slowly. The ground started to slope, and the echo of his steps grew colder. He exhaled slowly, his breath catching slightly.

It felt like they’d been walking for nearly ten minutes. Kedrick gave up trying to memorize the path. Whether intentional or not, the servant kept turning corners, leading him through a winding, maze-like route. He couldn’t even recall how many turns they’d made.

Along the way, Kedrick began to feel feverish. His skin became so sensitive that even the brush of his clothes made him flinch and tremble. He couldn’t understand why. He chalked it up to the blindfold.

“This is the place. Enter.”

Kedrick’s heightened senses picked up presences in the room. One, two… at least three. The room was filled with unfamiliar equipment, and as soon as he stepped inside, the servant closed and locked the door.

“Welcome, Viscount Kedrick Lachenov.”

“…Who are you?”

“I’m terribly sorry to greet you like this. Remove his blindfold.”

The cold edge of scissors touched the back of his head. Kedrick barely managed to inhale. As the black cloth fell to the floor, the blinding light forced his eyes shut for a moment. But he adjusted quickly.

“…Count?”

“Pleased to meet you, Kedrick. This is our first time meeting like this, isn’t it? I’m Louis Katrise, and I’ll be in charge of you from now on.”

“How are you here…?”

Louis swept back his beautiful platinum hair with a gentle smile. His gem-like blue eyes, pale skin, and slender, graceful frame were the complete opposite of Kedrick’s rugged appearance.

“It’s all for His Highness, the crown prince, isn’t it?”

Only then did Kedrick look around, his face draining of color. His rare display of panic was something Louis decided to savor fully.

“What… what is all this?”

“What else, Lachenov? These are lovely tools to help you provide more… fruitful assistance.”

“This… this wasn’t…”

“Let me make one thing clear, Viscount. Men cannot produce milk through ordinary means. You know that, don’t you?”

Kedrick’s gaze wavered at Louis’s words.

“No, don’t make that face, Viscount Lachenov. It’s not that there’s no way at all. After discussions, scientists and physicians hypothesized that with enough experimentation, it might be possible to induce lactation. Ideally, we’d have tested it on someone else first… but if we delay, His Highness could be in danger, no?”

“…His Highness…”

The sound of Louis’s shoes clicked sharply. With a kind smile, he gently cupped Kedrick’s chin and pulled him closer. Normally, Kedrick would’ve swatted away such contact instantly, but he allowed it. Their noses nearly touched.

Kedrick realized something searingly hot was surging within him.

“So, I’ll give you a choice again. You don’t even need to say anything.”

Louis slowly bit Kedrick’s lower lip, then ran his tongue over it. The soft, hot, provocative sensation turned Kedrick’s mind blindingly white.

“Either sit over there, or walk out of here right now.”

“What… Count…”

“Choose.”

Louis smiled with a knowing glint in his eyes, as if he already knew what Kedrick would choose.

The man gritted his teeth and turned his head away. Shoving Louis’s chest, he strode toward the center of the room. Each time the rustling fabric brushed against his skin, his fingertips trembled.

Completely inexperienced in such matters, he didn’t even realize he was aroused.

“…Do I just sit here?”

“Are you serious, Kedrick Lachenov?”

“No matter what you say, I won’t waver. Don’t test my loyalty to His Majesty.”

Louis barely suppressed a loud laugh at the man’s words. With a soft, amused smile, he approached Kedrick with slow, graceful steps.

“Do you think I’m testing your loyalty?”

“It doesn’t matter if you are.”

“Have you ever considered that I might be trying to help you, Kedrick?”

“That’s enough. This is for His Highness, the crown prince. Only His Highness or His Majesty can make me reconsider my resolve.”

“But, Kedrick.”

Louis’s fingers slowly slid along Kedrick’s waist.

“Hic…”

Kedrick sharply inhaled. His ears and the back of his neck flushed bright red. As if he couldn’t believe the moan that just escaped him, his face burned as he clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Is this really just for the crown prince? Is that all?”

“What do you—ngh, haa…!”