RD | Chapter 45

“Anyway, I’ll need your strength for this. Will you help me?”

Ian clasped his hands together and asked earnestly.

“Yes….”

Keith wished Ian would stop acting. For some reason, the whole situation made him feel uneasy again….

“Even if it means facing some peril?”

“Do you doubt my sincerity? Of course, I will.”

“Then let’s use this together.”

Ian pulled something out. Keith looked at it, and his expression soured—it was a grotesque mask. It appeared to cling to the face, though its exact material was hard to identify.

[Demon Mask]
Makes those who see you mistake you for a demon.

“It’ll make you look like a demon.”

“…….”

Keith had absolutely no desire to wear it. As he grimaced, Ian questioned him sternly.

“You said you’d come, and now you won’t even wear this?”

“I didn’t say no… but do you really think this can hide your divine aura?”

Keith was skeptical.

Ian tilted his head. “Just smile?”

“You should be grateful the Inquisitors didn’t get their hands on you.”

Keith was startled as soon as the words left his mouth. That was hardly something one should say to a divine figure. But Ian didn’t seem to care. Taking advantage of Keith’s moment of shock, Ian placed the mask on him without warning.

“What are you doing…!”

“Ow! That hurts!”

Instinctively, Keith grabbed Ian’s wrist.

It was slender.

Pulling Ian closer, the gap between them narrowed. Keith realized he had stopped breathing for a moment.

He consciously tried to release the strength in his grip.

“…Don’t touch me so roughly. My instincts might not remember how fragile you are.”

Ian was just as startled. His wide eyes blinked as he nodded once.

Keith lowered his gaze.

“…I always feel sorry for you. I didn’t realize how delicate you were.”

Unintentionally, Keith’s eyes fell on Ian’s neck. The bandages were gone, revealing its pale, slender form.

It was fragile, even to look at.

‘I didn’t grab him that tightly.’

Keith hadn’t meant to harm him, but at that moment, Ian’s neck could have snapped….

He gently brushed his fingers against Ian’s neck. The skin was soft and delicate, its faint pulse thumping against his palm. Ian flinched and looked up at him.

Their gazes locked.

Keith froze.

Carefully, he withdrew his hand and stepped back. For some reason, he felt as though he had done something inappropriate…. It wasn’t like that. He just… worried about Ian.

…Probably.

At that moment, Louis appeared out of nowhere.

“Of course, I’ll be coming too, right?”

Ian massaged his wrist as he turned to Louis.

Why had he zoned out just now? His wrist had been grabbed, sure, and Keith’s low voice had been intimidating….

“No, you’re staying. Just us two.”

“Why not? The two of you alone—it’s too weak a force, isn’t it?”

Ian couldn’t understand why Louis looked so worried.

‘After seeing what Keith can do, he thinks our strength is lacking?’

He reassured him.

“It’s not because you’re useless. Fewer people mean less risk of being spotted. Plus, we need someone to guard the dungeon. The dragon is staying behind too.”

“Why not Actus?!”

“He needs to recover. How do we bring someone who sleeps 20 hours a day? He’s heavy. Am I supposed to carry him?”

“I can carry him.”

“You need to fight. How do you fight while carrying him?”

Ian shut down Keith’s nonsense as well.

The real reason Ian and Keith were going alone was simple: Ian didn’t want to share the experience points.

‘Get Keith to max level, then send him to the Demon King.’

Meanwhile, Ian would stay and defend the dungeon.

In other words, he’d slack off.

A perfect plan.

The thought brought a smile to Ian’s face.

Keith, knowing Ian smiled whenever he was up to something suspicious—or divine—remained silent.

Louis was about to argue further when Sema suddenly pulled him aside, looking as if he’d just had a revelation.

“Wait a moment!”

“What now?”

Louis, annoyed, tried to shake him off. He had no interest in whatever Sema had figured out.

“Just come over here. I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

Dragging Louis away, Sema led him to Ian’s subordinates and declared:

“Ian has been abstinent for a long time.”

“……?”

“You all know Ian has a reputation for being a playboy and liking beautiful people, right? Why else would he insist on taking Sir Keith alone? We need to let him enjoy a long-overdue honeymoon. Don’t interfere!”

“……!”

‘Is that why?’

Louis was stunned by Sema’s insight and consideration. He had simply been throwing a tantrum because he didn’t want to lose his position as Ian’s number-one subordinate…. But Sema was thinking about Ian’s well-being, both physical and emotional.

‘Now I see why Ian values him.’

Louis had never understood why Ian kept such a clueless magician around, but now it was clear.

“What’s a playboy?” Momisia asked Contacca.

Contacca wasn’t sure if this dungeon was a good place for Momisia’s education.

“Well, it’s someone who likes beautiful people.”

“Sir Keith is beautiful.”

Momisia declared this solemnly.

“I see….”

‘This dungeon is definitely not good for her education. Ian may be a great man, but….’

Deciding it was best to remove Momisia from the scene, Contacca took her away. He had no intention of explaining why Keith’s beauty might be “good” for Ian.

Ian, thankfully, hadn’t heard Sema’s nonsense. He wouldn’t have cared anyway; Sema never said anything useful.

But Keith, with his keen hearing, had caught every word. And he was puzzled.

‘A playboy?’

That wasn’t a term for someone who liked beauty—it was for someone who toyed with others. While such people occasionally existed in the Vatican, they were subjected to strict discipline and months of confinement. After being re-educated, their behavior usually improved. It was an issue, but not a huge one.

Still, the idea of Ian being a playboy troubled Keith greatly.

‘But Ian is beautiful himself. What would it even mean for him to toy with others?’

If anyone seemed more fitting for the role of “toyed-with beauty,” it was Ian.

Keith briefly imagined pinning Ian down. With his slender frame and delicate skin, Ian would likely squirm helplessly beneath him.

…It would be a pleasant sight.

The warmth spreading through Keith’s body startled him.

Why was he imagining this?

‘Stop it.’

He scolded himself.

Yet, his lower abdomen ached strangely.

Could it be that Ian… considered him an object of lust?

If that were the case, Keith would have to firmly reject him. He would need to teach Ian proper doctrine, explaining that licentious acts were wrong and that such relations should only occur between married couples.

But what surprised him was the lack of disgust. In fact, his heart felt strangely light.

‘It must be because he’s a holy figure.’

The thought that someone so divine might think highly of him… must be why he felt good about it.

Keith followed Ian, then paused in the square. Catching sight of his reflection in the fountain, he touched his chin.

‘Is this face… okay?’

He had never evaluated his own looks. Though many admired him, it was surely for his virtue and deeds, wasn’t it?

“What are you doing? Get ready; let’s head out.”

“Yes, Lord Ian.”

There was no need to overthink.

Before joining Ian, Keith remembered an important matter to report.

“Lord Ian, the sword you gave me has reached its limit. Even with a master’s touch, it seems it would need to be reforged entirely.”

“Well, it wasn’t a great sword to begin with. It held up well enough. Should I give you a new one? How about taking a few extras?”

“No, I’d like my own sword returned.”

“Your sword?”

Ian stopped walking.

Keith nodded.

“Yes. My squire has been safeguarding it at the Vatican. I’d like to retrieve it.”