RGS Vol 7 Part 26

Side Story 2.6 

Karas, nodding his head vigorously, seemed to have gained confidence during the brief moment of silence.

Yes, Abel doesn’t dislike me, he thought.

Roster barely managed to suppress a wave of laughter surging inside him.

“The problem is getting Lord Abel to tell you the reason himself. However, you’d rather he speak up voluntarily than force it out of him, right? It would hurt your pride otherwise.”

It seemed Roster had hit the nail on the head. Karas nodded again, his eyes filled with trust.

How pure he is.

For a moment, Roster felt joy, thinking Karas was like a clueless younger brother. However, just as Roster was savoring this thought, Karas bluntly revealed the method he had chosen.

“I’ll use the ultimate caress to make him talk.”

Ultimate caress?

Roster raised his eyebrows as high as he could, realizing this was something he had heard from Ashler.

What?

So, he’s still going to force an answer out of Abel?

Besides, who knows if Ashler’s so-called ultimate caress will even work on Abel?

Roster quickly shook his head.

“Your Majesty, that might be too risky. Lord Abel might get more frightened and hurt than pleased.”

Despite his sincere advice, Karas looked puzzled and refuted.

“But the ultimate caress is said to work on everyone.”

D*mn Ashler.

What nonsense has he filled the Emperor’s head with?

Roster cursed inwardly at Ashler’s arrogance. Just because he was tall, had a handsome face, and was popular with women, he seemed to have gained some unnecessary confidence. However, for Roster, who had shed tears of frustration every time the woman he was interested in chose Ashler, it was infuriating.

As expected, a traitor’s arrogance must have known no bounds.

“Yes, it might work. For ordinary people who would fall for someone’s appearance alone.”

The deliberately casual remark seemed to have an effect. Karas showed interest. Roster, inwardly smiling at the attention, added seriously.

“But Lord Abel is special. There’s something absolutely necessary you need to check before trying any ultimate caress. Once that’s confirmed, you won’t even need such a thing.”

What is it?

Under Karas’ questioning gaze, Roster flashed a broad smile and raised his hands towards somewhere.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Although Abel had to spend the entire day lying in bed due to his supposed illness, there was a good thing about it. He could pretend to be asleep when Karas visited in the evening. Fortunately, Karas would simply watch Abel for a moment before leaving early.

Previously, Karas would have stayed beside Abel even after he fell asleep, so this was an unexpected change. When Karas left immediately, Abel was rather surprised than relieved.

Perhaps Karas was angry because he kept avoiding him?

Despite his worries, the embarrassment and his pounding heart he felt when he faced Karas came to mind, making him lie back down on the bed.

The butler’s medicine didn’t seem to help. In that case, avoiding Karas until he got better on his own seemed his only option. Thinking this would bring peace of mind, Abel woke up even earlier the next day and fled to the forest. He spent the whole morning digging and planting small saplings he had brought, trying to forget about Karas.

By lunchtime, he finally sat down, and looked proudly at the small forest he had created over the past two weeks. Although most of the blackened ground was now gone, most of it was still bare ground without grass. However, the soil had turned a yellowish-brown color, and the sparsely planted saplings with bare branches were beginning to grow, just as he had told Karas.

The land was coming back to life.

The first seedlings that he had planted had already sprouted green leaves. Abel couldn’t take his eyes off the small leaves and fumbled with his hand beside him.

The bread he brought to eat for lunch should be around here. Just as his hand reached into the air, he finally grasped the bread. Abel was about to bring it to his mouth when he suddenly realized something important.

Grasped into the air?

He turned his head. However, a voice reached him first.

“I’m hungry.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Bang!

The door slammed shut, and Clara stood in front with his arms crossed. At the same time, Ashler and Kin pressed down on Roster’s shoulders, forcing him to sit down on the chair. Recently put in the same situation as Ashler, Roster reacted similarly. He raised his head confidently, looking around as if to say, ‘What’s all of this about?’

Kin’s eyebrow twitched at Roster’s audacity.

“Roster.”

Even before the interrogation began, Kin spat out his name with clenched teeth, his tone was disdainful. His hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword. Ashler calmly stopped him and asked Roster.

“What on earth is going on?”

“What?”

“Why was His Majesty’s afternoon schedule entirely canceled? Why are you the only one who knows, and where has His Majesty gone to?”

“Oh― it’s nothing important.”

Roster’s response was similar to Ashler’s previous one but with an added level of arrogance that far surpassed him.

Clang!

Kin finally drew his sword.

“Roster! Can’t you answer properly?!”

“Hmph.”

“!”

Kin was rendered speechless by Roster’s sheer audacity. Clara, who was standing behind him, added a word.

“Sir Roster, you should answer while we’re asking nicely….”

“Shut up, Clara.”

“!”

The two were taken aback. However, the one Roster was most furious with was still standing right in front of him, questioning him.

“Just tell us what exactly is going on. We need to know where the Emperor has gone, don’t we?”

With irritation evident in his question, Roster finally let out another ‘Hmph’ before responding.

“He went to the Dragon Forest.”

“But Lord Abel instructed His Majesty not to enter there yet! Are you saying he went there first on his own accord?”

When Ashler asked in shock, Roster nodded.

“That’s right. But it’s also because I advised him to go. Since nothing was progressing with Lord Abel, I suggested him to make the first move.”

Roster patiently waited for Ashler’s reprimand. He expected Ashler to yell, ‘How could you give such dangerous advice!’ and draw his sword, allowing Roster to challenge the traitor to a duel.

Come on, say anything.

“That’s a great idea.”

“What?”

Roster asked in surprise and Ashler even patted his shoulder.

“To be honest, it was getting a bit frustrating. Lord Abel does seem to be avoiding him. In times like this, it’s a good move for His Majesty to take the initiative. You did well, Roster.”

“…”

“Wow, you actually did something good for once. Hey, are you crying?”

Flinch. Startled, Roster quickly turned his head and grumbled.

“C-Crying? No way! I just yawned, that’s all. Ah—yawn.”

It was a fake yawn that no one would believe, but to the moved Roster, it didn’t matter if they saw through it.

 Ashler, you really are a good guy after all.

Just moments ago, he was being cursed as a traitor, but now Ashler had seemed to become the most understanding and forgiving person in the world.

“Well, I was just doing what I had to do. Ahem, His Majesty is wise and will surely persuade Lord Abel with my small advice. After all, using that crude ultimate caress method would only hurt Abel, right?”

As he spoke, Roster flinched and looked up at Ashler. However, Ashler, who had already turned cold, was drawing his sword, exuding a chilling rage.

“You called my ultimate caress method crude?”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

I’m hungry.

Again, Karas said he was hungry. Abel couldn’t open his mouth properly due to his pounding heart. But Karas, oblivious to this, sat down casually right next to him. Close enough that he leaned his head towards the bread in Abel’s hand.

Ah.

With a big bite, Karas tore off a piece of the bread and raised his eyes to meet Abel’s. Startled, Abel froze, staring blankly at Karas until their eyes met. When his eyes met his yellow snake-like eyes, Abel held his breath. Karas kept his gaze locked on Abel as he began to chew the bread slowly.

One side of his cheeks bulged with bread, but Abel couldn’t breathe until Karas finished chewing. His eyes were involuntarily drawn to Karas’ moving jaw and the slight parting of his lips with each chew. Then it started again. The tingling sensation.

His rapid pounding heartbeat spread a tingling sensation throughout his entire body, heating it up. Naturally, this heat carried memories of the kiss that had followed Karas’ ‘I’m hungry,’ and melted along with it. Watching Karas chew the bread, Abel’s thoughts flashed to the sensation of those lips and jaw that had touched on his own and moved the same way.

A rush of unwelcome heat spread across his face. His skin turned noticeably red, enough to be seen at a glance, but Karas simply stared at him. His gaze made Abel even more self-conscious. He instinctively tried to avert his eyes but was stopped by a question.

“Do you dislike looking into my eyes that much?”

Abel, who had just averted his gaze to the side, quickly shook his head in surprise.

“N-No, not at all!”

Despite his words, he still couldn’t look directly at his eyes. Had he done so, he would have seen that his question wasn’t entirely serious. Karas had asked with the assumption that, of course, Abel didn’t hate his eyes. However, when Abel kept avoiding his gaze and turning his head away, Karas became annoyed despite knowing better.

To the point where words that he didn’t mean came out coldly.

“It doesn’t matter even if you do.”

Ah? That’s not it.

Abel shook his head again, more vigorously this time.

No, that’s not it.

He mumbled under his breath and slightly raised his eyes to sneak a glance. When his eyes met his cold yellow gaze, his heart sank for a different reason, and the unwelcome pounding of his heart grew stronger. Once again, he quickly looked away, closing his eyes tightly as he spoke pleadingly.

“Really, it’s not like that, prince. I really like your eyes. I really do. It’s not because I dislike them.”

“Then?”

The indifferent but sharp question made Abel bite his lower lip. He turned his head further to the side and subtly moved his hips backward.

“I-It’s just, just no particular reason. Just…”

“So you’re saying you dislike them for no reason.”

“Ah! No, that’s not it, I’m, I’m sorry! I’ll explain it to you next time!”

As soon as he shouted, Abel jumped up like a grasshopper and started running. As Abel fled while Karas was momentarily distracted, Karas’ eyes narrowed in anger.

D*mn it, did he think I’ll let him get away?

His rising anger was now beyond control.

‘Ask him the reason first. It definitely won’t hurt your pride at all.’

Roster’s advice was entirely off the mark. Not only was his pride hurt, but he could barely control his seething anger. As Abel began to run, Karas swiftly followed him and grabbed his arm. Abel, who was caught, screamed in surprise and swung his free arm to escape.

Karas seized that arm as well, pulling Abel in front of him. Abel’s shoulders were completely tense, and his eyes were tightly shut to avoid looking at Karas. Karas, who was holding Abel from behind, roughly moved his hands at the sight of his entire body rejecting him. He then restrained both of Abel’s arms with one hand and grabbed a fistful of his fine hair with the other, forcing his head back. Abel’s face was turned towards Karas, but as his last line of defense, he kept his eyes tightly shut, causing wrinkles to form on his eyes.

Fine, if you don’t want to look at me, stay like that.

Once you scream in pain, you’ll have to see who I am.

 Karas tightened his grip on his thin blonde hair. Hearing a small groan, he brought his lips near Abel’s ear and warned him.

“Even if you hate me, you’re mine.”

“I-I, I don’t hate you. It’s just when I look at the prince…”

Just when you look at me, what?

Karas waited patiently, but the rest of the words did not follow. Just as he couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to lift Abel, he heard a faint voice. His entire body was flushed red with embarrassment.

“M-My heart races too much!”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖Continues in Regas Volume 8⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖