IBPC | Chapter 10.1

“I’d rather you not do that.”

As Heegon’s rut was coming to an end, he called the court ladies to prepare a proper meal. After filling his stomach to some extent, Seoyul hesitated for a while before speaking up. Heegon, who was lying on the freshly laid, soft bedding, lifted his gaze.

“What do you mean by ‘that’?”

Seoyul was sitting against the bedding, his face slightly flushed.

“Knotting… I mean.”

“Knotting?”

“Uh… that…”

How should he explain knotting? Seoyul sighed several times before speaking in a small, timid voice.

“Inside… it swells… and then… it doesn’t come out…”

Seoyul’s face grew redder, as if smoke might rise from his head. Heegon quietly looked up at Seoyul and then nodded belatedly.

“Is that what you call knotting?”

“…Yes. What do you call it here?”

“Nothing. There’s no specific term for it.”

“Then…”

“I also experienced it for the first time this time, so I don’t really know.”

“For the first time?”

“Yeah. I just got really excited in the middle, and it happened.”

Is knotting not common here? Well, there are no omegas, so where would alphas experience knotting? Seoyul touched his lower lip with his fingertips, looking a bit uneasy.

So, is it impossible to control knotting? In dramas, alphas deliberately talk about knotting or not. Maybe in this world, since there are no omegas, the concept doesn’t exist at all.

“You seemed to be in pain. I didn’t do it on purpose, but I’ll try to restrain myself next time. How do you control it?”

Heegon approached Seoyul, who was leaning against the bedding. He reached out and slipped his hand under Seoyul’s clothes. As he stroked the particularly smooth inner thigh of Seoyul’s soft body, Seoyul flinched.

“I don’t know. I’m not a Yangin.”

Seoyul gently pushed Heegon’s hand away.

“Anyway, please keep it in mind. …It really hurts.”

“I’ll try.”

“And isn’t the erotomania all gone now?”

The hand that Seoyul had pushed away crept back inside his clothes. Seoyul frowned slightly at Heegon. Heegon, stroking Seoyul’s thigh, leaned his face into Seoyul’s embrace.

“There’s still a little left. I won’t do more, so don’t worry.”

“……”

“Just for a moment… let me take in your scent.”

Heegon buried his face in Seoyul’s waist and closed his eyes.

“……”

Seoyul looked down at Heegon with a slightly embarrassed expression, then gently lifted his hand. He carefully placed it on Heegon’s shoulder and softly stroked his long hair.

The second heat and rut, which had been long, passed safely anyway. More importantly…

“Don’t sleep with anyone else…”

Just thinking about it made Seoyul’s chest feel warm and tingly. He couldn’t believe he said that while being with him… What was he thinking? Telling Tae Heegon, a prince of a nation, not to sleep with anyone else. Even his official consort probably wouldn’t make such a request.

…But he couldn’t help but feel bothered and dislike it. It was an unexpected action, even to himself. Maybe it was because he was intoxicated by Heegon’s pheromones, or something else.

Fortunately, Heegon seemed to hesitate a bit but eventually gave an answer.

“I will. …If that’s what you want.”

That one sentence was still stirring his heart. No, it wasn’t just a simple sentence. He could have scolded him for saying something unreasonable or just ignored it. But it was a sentence that made him realize that Heegon was trying to accommodate him as much as possible. Thinking about it that way, it had a deep meaning.

Seoyul quietly held his breath and turned his head to the side so that Heegon, who had his eyes closed, wouldn’t notice. Being like this for a while wasn’t so bad.

⊹₊⟡⋆

A few more days passed, and it was an exceptionally beautiful day. The sunlight was gently shining down, and the breeze was pleasantly refreshing.

In the late afternoon, Heegon sent someone to call Seoyul to the south side of his quarters. Following the eunuch Heegon sent, Seoyul arrived at a wide open space. He wondered if such a place existed in Heegon’s quarters, but then something came to mind.

He noticed that Heegon was holding the reins of a black horse.

“…Wow.”

Seoyul couldn’t take his eyes off the black horse as he approached Heegon. It was a black horse, but its mane and coat were so glossy that they sparkled in the sunlight. Its sleek, well-defined muscles and elegant yet strong physique were incredibly attractive.

Seoyul stopped in his tracks, feeling a different vibe from the horse he had ridden before. It was impressive, but also a bit intimidating.

Heegon skillfully held the reins and stroked the horse’s mane. When Seoyul approached, Heegon turned slightly to the side.

“What do you think? This is the horse you’ll be riding. I chose the gentlest one I could find.”

At Heegon’s words, Seoyul clasped his hands together, filled with both anticipation and concern.

“It’s impressive… but can I really ride it?”

What if he fell off and got hurt while riding alone? Falling headfirst from that height would be a one-way ticket to the afterlife.

Faced with a horse that was now called his own, Seoyul was filled with fear. Heegon extended his hand toward Seoyul.

“Come closer.”

Seeing Heegon gesture with his head, Seoyul swallowed nervously. He was still scared, but Heegon’s outstretched hand seemed to reassure him.

Seoyul hesitantly approached and took Heegon’s hand. Heegon guided Seoyul’s body toward the horse. Then, he placed Seoyul’s hand on the horse’s mane.

“Stroke it gently.”

Heegon whispered softly to Seoyul. Seoyul hesitated but reached out to touch the horse’s mane. The black horse’s large eyes turned toward Seoyul.

Its eyes were large, round, and sparkling, with long eyelashes blinking.

Seeing this, Seoyul slowly smiled.

It’s scary, but…

“It’s really beautiful.”

As the horse calmly accepted his touch, Seoyul gained a bit more courage and continued to stroke its mane. The horse lowered its neck and narrowed its eyes. Seeing this, Heegon spoke as if relieved.

“It seems to like you. It looks happy.”

“Really?”

Seoyul, now curious, moved closer to the horse. As he quietly observed the horse, Heegon lightly wrapped an arm around Seoyul’s shoulder.

“Though it’s gentle, horses are very sensitive and easily frightened. Riding a horse means you can communicate with it. First, you need to become friends with it.”

“What should I do? Should I give it food?”

“Feeding it would be good. After riding, brushing its coat and cleaning its body would also be nice. The more affection you show, the more it will open its heart to you.”

“I’ve never even raised a dog before.”

“There’s always a first time for everything. So, shall we start by giving it a name?”

A name?

Seoyul’s eyes sparkled at Heegon’s suggestion.

“Can I name it?”

“It’s yours, after all.”

Mine.

He had never had a pet before, and now he suddenly had such a big and magnificent horse.

Seoyul, still in a daze, stroked the horse for a while, then touched its glossy black skin. As if entranced, he spoke.

“I’ll name it Leo. I’ll call this one Leo.”

Without much hesitation, Seoyul uttered the name. However, Heegon slightly frowned at the name.

“Leo?”

Unfamiliar with the word, Heegon asked, unable to guess its meaning, and Seoyul chuckled. He looked at Heegon and explained.

“It’s called Oreo, a snack I like. Since it’s as black as an Oreo, I’ll call it Leo.”

“…? What kind of Chinese character does it represent…?”

Seeing Heegon’s continued confusion, Seoyul laughed even more brightly.

“Leo can’t be written in Chinese characters. It’s a foreign word. Just call it Leo.”

Though Heegon didn’t understand what Seoyul was saying, seeing him smile so brightly made Heegon smile too.

“Well, it’s your horse, so you can call it whatever you want.”

Heegon released Seoyul’s shoulder and handed him the reins he was holding.

“Then, would you like to start by walking with Leo?”

“With your thumb facing up, grip the reins with the rest of your fingers like this, leaving this much space. Keep your wrist bone at this level…”

After practicing leading the horse, Heegon personally taught Seoyul how to ride. First, he helped Seoyul onto the horse and showed him how to hold the reins. Even as Seoyul followed Heegon’s guidance, he trembled with fear.

“What if I fall? It’s so hard to keep my balance.”

As Seoyul struggled, Heegon reached down and lightly held his tense leg.

“When you step on the stirrup, apply pressure to the little toe, so your knees don’t spread apart. Distribute your weight evenly.”

“But…”

“Don’t press too hard with your calves and thighs. Stay relaxed.”

After adjusting Seoyul’s legs, Heegon helped him straighten his back.

“Always think of your heels, pelvis, shoulders, and ears as being in a straight line. Tighten your stomach more.”

Heegon gently pressed Seoyul’s abdomen with his palm. Seoyul looked down at Heegon with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.

“This is so hard… Is it even possible to sit properly?”

Seoyul bit his lip, trembling. Seeing this, Heegon stifled a laugh and turned his head to the side.

“I’ll walk with you, so let’s try moving first.”

⊹₊⟡⋆

“Ugh—”

Seoyul flopped onto the bed, throwing himself down. His legs were still trembling, and he lay there limply. Somehow, he had ended up riding Leo around the practice field several times. That was all he did, but once he got off Leo, his whole body was shaking.

What the heck, this is quite the workout!

Seoyul buried his face in the blanket and sighed. Moreover, Tae Heegon was surprisingly…

“A Spartan type.”

Seoyul muttered, completely drained. Just then, Heegon entered the room and asked what he had said.

“What did you say?”

At Heegon’s voice, Seoyul turned his head while still lying down. He saw that Heegon had already changed his clothes. Seoyul didn’t have the energy to get up, so he responded to Heegon in that position.

“Nothing. …It’s just a bit intense.”

“…?”

“I mean… it was a bit tough.”

At Seoyul’s grumbling, Heegon chuckled.

“Riding a horse isn’t easy. Was it very tiring?”

“…”

At the slightly concerned question, Seoyul just pressed his lips together. After a moment of thought, he hesitated and spoke again.

“It was, but… it was fun.”

“…”

“And Leo is so beautiful.”

With a long sigh, Seoyul turned his head forward again and rubbed his face into the blanket.

“Actually, where I live, it’s hard to ride horses. Unless it’s for an experience, it’s a sport for the nobility.”

“…”

“But to think I’d come to Jinha Kingdom and learn horseback riding.”

Seoyul laughed weakly, finding it amusing even to himself.