LONG CHAPTER AHEAD

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1.

The capital, Avenhol, was alive with a festive atmosphere.

The warriors who had slain the mad dragon had returned. The belongings of the youths taken by the dragon were also brought back to their families, turning the square into a sea of tears on the warriors’ first day back.

Jaynie Blurwin had not witnessed that scene with his own eyes. His family had not lost anyone to the dragon. Even if they had, he probably wouldn’t have cared much.

Thus, Jaynie hadn’t gone to the square. But even for someone like him, there was a person he was waiting for.

Leandro Heather. Jaynie’s knight. The hero awaited by all.

Even while sitting in his mansion, news of Leandro’s return reached him.

There was no need to wait for the servants to deliver the news. Cheers echoed through the open windows of the mansion. Jaynie felt a tingling sensation on his skin from the vibrations in the air.

The sound of human voices alone was enough to convey such a thrill. He could feel their cries, their joy and overwhelming emotion, even while seated within the mansion.

Leandro had returned.

Jaynie tried to focus on his book again as he sat in his chair but gave up. Covering his face with his hands, he let out a deep sigh of relief.

A banquet was held at the castle to honor the warriors who had severed the mad dragon’s neck. Jaynie thought he should wait for Leandro to return from that banquet.

If Jaynie wasn’t seen at the banquet hall, Leandro would know that he was waiting at the mansion.

A master does not seek out their servant first. They merely wait for the servant to return.

Leandro was Jaynie’s knight. Therefore, it was only proper for him to come to Jaynie. It wouldn’t do for Jaynie to be impatient.

But how could someone in love claim to be the master?

On the third day of the banquet, Jaynie couldn’t hold back any longer and set out for the castle. His younger half-brother, Verner, accompanied him in the carriage. Verner was the mage of the hero’s party.

“But, young master, even I’ve returned to the mansion like this. Even if the nobles are reluctant to let Sir Leandro go, would they override his will?”

“Just say what you mean.”

“Sir Leandro is not as busy as you think.”

Though Verner was officially recognized as the son of Duke Blurwin and Duchess Jerenia, it was widely known that he was actually born of the duchess’s affair.

Just as the household staff disliked Verner, so did Jaynie.

“Don’t call me ‘young master.’”

“Then what should I call you?”

Jaynie resisted the urge to say, Don’t call me at all.

“Have you forgotten the terms you set?”

Verner had requested that if he returned victorious from slaying the mad dragon, he be recognized as a Blurwin. If he weren’t one of the empire’s finest mages, Jaynie wouldn’t have even pretended to listen.

Leandro was heading to the mad dragon’s lair. If there was anything that could slightly increase his chances of survival, Jaynie would have been willing to grovel at Verner’s feet.

“Can I call you by your name?”

Verner asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Do as you please.”

Jaynie turned away.

Human greed is relentless, and the heart is fickle. Verner had come to the mansion as a small, innocent child. But as he grew, he began to elevate himself, seeking to stand on equal footing with Jaynie.

Such ambition, blind to one’s place, was despicable. Yet Jaynie was no different.

He knew full well that he shouldn’t go to the royal castle.

Because Leandro was a hero, because the nobles would cling to him and refuse to let him go, because he wouldn’t be able to return to the mansion.

But Jaynie wasn’t naive enough to believe such excuses.

He simply wanted to see Leandro. He couldn’t bear it until he saw with his own eyes that Leandro was safe.

“Wait in the room. I’ll bring Sir Leandro to you.”

As he stepped out of the carriage, Verner spoke. Jaynie nodded and followed the guide from the palace staff.

Prince Isota Elma would undoubtedly be in the banquet hall. He despised Jaynie.

Jaynie was far too exhausted to engage in any sort of power struggle with the prince. More importantly, meeting Leandro in front of Isota would be the worst scenario.

“Leandro.”

“Yes, did you call for me?”

Jaynie hadn’t even realized he had spoken the name aloud. In moments of despair, curling up and calling out Leandro’s name had become his personal ritual.

Even if Leandro couldn’t help him, it didn’t matter. Just being able to call his name was enough to keep Jaynie from tightening a noose around his own neck.

Jaynie turned his head toward the door.

A tall knight stood there. With a handsome face marred by exhaustion, Leandro was pulling off his gloves. He was dressed in banquet attire. Despite his broad shoulders and large frame, his muscles weren’t overly bulky, making the form-fitting, ornate clothing look as though it was painted onto him.

Jaynie jumped to his feet.

“Leandro.”

“Yes, Master Jaynie.”

Jaynie rushed forward and clung to him. He had thought of kicking the knight who had dared to make his master come searching, but all he could do was wrap his arms around him.

“Your body—you’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Are you really unharmed? Your face looks fine, but what about places I can’t see? What’s the point of a banquet? They can’t even let someone who’s been through so much rest.”

As he repeatedly touched Leandro’s face, his voice was filled with concern. Leandro gave a faint, wry smile, then gently grasped Jaynie’s arms and led him to sit on the sofa.

“I’m fine, Master Jaynie. You must have already heard as much.”

“You should have reported to me! You made me hear about my knight from someone else? How dare you insult me like that?”

Jaynie gritted his teeth. He didn’t cry.

Leandro was safe. He even had the time to visit Jaynie after Jaynie came all the way to the capital. But apparently, he hadn’t had the time to send a simple message assuring Jaynie of his safety.

Jaynie refused to dwell on that fact and break down into tears, making himself feel miserable.

Instead, he tried to swing his arm, intending to cause Leandro as much pain as he had suffered himself.

How desperately had he begged?

He had pleaded with Leandro not to go to war. Told him he loved him. Begged him to value his own life.

But Leandro hadn’t listened.

After declaring his intention to join the campaign, Leandro had left for the capital, leaving Jaynie no time to wallow in despair.

There were only three days left before the deployment. Within that time, Jaynie had to find a mage and a priest who could join Leandro’s party.

He couldn’t rely on the fools who volunteered for the mad dragon hunt. They had to be people capable of ensuring Leandro’s survival and escape from the dragon’s lair.

Jaynie had sent Verner, the genius of the Mage Tower, and Joachim, the youngest cardinal, to join Leandro. He had not only made substantial donations to the Mage Tower and the temple but had also personally persuaded them to assist.

It was only after hearing the news that Leandro’s party had departed for the Callios Mountains that Jaynie locked himself in the mansion.

Leandro might die. His body might never even be recovered.

If that happened, Jaynie would die too. No, he wouldn’t do something that foolish. But still, what if…?

Jaynie swung his fist.

Leandro caught his wrist, preventing his hand from making contact.

Of course, it ended this way. Jaynie had expected it, but he still struggled against him.

Leandro was undeniably the greatest knight in the empire. Someone like Jaynie could never hope to overpower him.

“Let go! Do you think the crown is already yours, you insolent fool?”

Jaynie hurled his anger without restraint. At some point, the grip on his wrist vanished, and Jaynie’s hand struck Leandro’s face.

Leandro’s head snapped to the side. Shocked, Jaynie quickly lowered his hand.

“Why…?”

“Do you feel better now?”

Leandro sighed and asked, his voice calm.

“…Don’t do anything unnecessary. If only you hadn’t gone to battle. If only you hadn’t defied my orders…”

“Yes, Master Jaynie. Then you wouldn’t have been angry. But I returned alive.”

“….”

“I promised, didn’t I? That I would come back alive and show you I was safe.”

A faint smile appeared on Leandro’s face. Unable to resist, Jaynie leaned in and kissed him. His tongue gently brushed against the inside of Leandro’s mouth, searching for any possible injuries.

Fortunately, there was no taste of blood, nor were there any swollen areas. Only then did Jaynie pull back, a wave of relief washing over him.

Leandro’s cheek was flushed—a mark left where Jaynie had struck him. Jaynie reached out and touched that cheek.

Through the soft, thin fabric of his glove, he could feel the solid structure of Leandro’s jaw.

Leandro had his eyes closed. Jaynie tilted his head and pressed his lips to Leandro’s again.

Leandro’s strong arms held him steady. Jaynie climbed onto him, nestled securely in his embrace. In that moment, it felt as if Leandro might actually love him.

Even though he knew it wasn’t true, Jaynie let himself be foolish.

“When is the coronation?”

“A month from now.”

“That’s cutting it close. Even preparing everything will barely be enough time.”

“With so many nobles already gathered in the capital, they said it wouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Who said that?”

The euphoria of the moment was shattered. Jaynie raised his head from Leandro’s chest.

“His Highness, Prince Isota Elma.”

Leandro smiled as he spoke.

Jaynie felt as if his heart had stopped.

No one knew Leandro better than Jaynie.

The noble knight Leandro. Jaynie could tell exactly when his serious face would break into a smile or when it would crease with a frown.

A few months ago, in the royal capital, Leandro had his first encounter with the second prince, Isota Elma. The way Leandro’s expression had changed in that moment was something Jaynie could still recall with painful clarity.

It was an expression Jaynie had never seen before.

Isota Yerenia Elma.

He was the jewel of the empire. The most beautiful omega in the land.

Anyone who saw him couldn’t help but fall in love.

In truth, he was the emperor’s most cherished prince. If the first prince, Enzo Elma, hadn’t been slain by the mad dragon, the proclamation that “the warrior who defeats the dragon will marry the second prince” would never have been made.

“Did you meet His Highness Prince Isota?”

“Yes, Master Jaynie.”

“What did you talk about with him?”

Leandro’s lashes lowered slightly.

“About the coronation… I was introduced to several nobles and received assistance during the banquet. It wasn’t a particularly notable conversation. He was kind and seemed considerate of me. I suppose it’s natural, given that we’re soon to be married.”

“…….”

Isota Elma is kind, he said.

Jaynie wanted to scoff, but it was as if his facial muscles had frozen. He couldn’t move.

“Are you all right, Master Jaynie? Shall I pour you some wine?”

“I don’t need any.”

Jaynie barely managed to respond.

Leandro filled his glass and drank alone. Through the rim of the glass, Jaynie could see his crimson eyes. They were hauntingly beautiful, almost inhuman.

Jaynie felt miserable.

He had known all along—the reason Leandro had risked his life to hunt the mad dragon. The reason he had ignored Jaynie’s pleas and rushed to the capital.

He shouldn’t have come here.

Leandro had no intention of returning to the mansion. Jaynie thought of himself begging.

“Let’s go back to the mansion.”

Even if he clung to him like that, Leandro would respond with rationality, calmly explaining why he couldn’t.

He would say he was too busy, that there was too much to prepare.

He wouldn’t need words to convey that Jaynie was no longer his master.

Jaynie had convinced himself that all he wanted was for Leandro to return alive from the dragon’s lair. He had believed it.

But now, Jaynie wished Leandro had died instead.

It was Jaynie who had turned Leandro, once a slave boy, into a knight. The fact that Leandro had been a slave was a secret known only to the two of them.

What would happen if he revealed the truth?

What if he told Isota? How would Leandro react?

Jaynie didn’t want to descend into such wretchedness. But Leandro pulled him down so easily, dragging him into the depths. Petty, venomous thoughts churned within him.

And yet.

Leandro placed his glass down.

“Shall I pour for you?”

His voice was gentle when he asked.

But that wasn’t why Jaynie looked at him.

Since hearing the news of Leandro’s return, Jaynie had been trying to sort out his thoughts.

His heart had grown cold. For the first time, he felt he could truly think.

Leandro, the former slave who dared to dream of becoming a knight.

Jaynie recalled the day he had been captivated by him. The moment when that arrogant yet naive boy declared he wanted to become a knight, and Jaynie had casually said, “Give it a try.”

And Leandro had truly become a knight. He had achieved heroic feats, earned a title, and was now poised to become emperor.

He was someone who fulfilled his goals.

Jaynie had been spellbound by him precisely because he was the opposite. Jaynie was not someone who accomplished things. It wouldn’t even be surprising if Leandro fell in love with the prince and made that love a reality.

Everyone had believed no one could slay the mad dragon, but hadn’t Leandro proven them wrong?

Even if Prince Isota didn’t yet love Leandro, it was only a matter of time.

Because Leandro was that kind of person.

“I don’t have the strength to lift the glass,” Jaynie said, looking directly at him.

“…….”

“My wrist hurts. I must’ve hurt it when I hit you.”

“My apologies.”

“Apologize properly.”

“What should I do?”

“You know.”

Jaynie closed his eyes.

“Feed me with your mouth.”

Leandro’s lips touched his, and the wine flowed into Jaynie’s mouth.

Jaynie didn’t resist, accepting the wine. The deep red liquid burned as it slid down his throat, heating his chest as it traveled.

‘This is strong. What am I drinking?’

Jaynie wanted to protest, to lash out at Leandro as he always did, using his irritation to suppress his own sense of humiliation.

But his face grew hot, and a wave of dizziness overcame him.

‘What’s happening?’

It was painful, yet Leandro didn’t let go. The wine kept pouring into his mouth, accompanied by Leandro’s tongue. Jaynie wanted to command him to stop.

But soon, his body fell limp onto the sofa, like a wooden puppet with its strings cut.

He stared up at the ceiling, his eyes wide open. Leandro loomed over him, his hands now free. Those strong, knightly hands.

Jaynie had always loved those hands.

“There truly wasn’t any significant conversation,” Leandro said calmly. “But there was one thing His Highness Prince Isota Elma mentioned that stuck with me.”

“…….”

“His Highness feared you would kill him.”

‘Poison?’

Jaynie’s throat and nose felt numb. Something wet and warm seemed to rise inside him. If this wasn’t heat, then what was it?

“How could I stand by and do nothing while someone I love trembled in fear? You of all people would understand, wouldn’t you, Master Jaynie? You’re the one who taught me that love makes people foolish, that it drives them to commit the most selfish acts.”

Leandro’s voice seemed distant. The sofa shifted as if Leandro were standing up.

He was leaving.

Jaynie reached out, grasping blindly at Leandro’s clothing. He didn’t even know what part he had caught.

A single thought burned in his mind: ‘Say the last thing.’

‘Spit it out.’

‘The poison—don’t swallow it. Spit it out.’

‘You drank it too, you bastard….’

Whether he managed to say those words, Jaynie would never know.

* * *

Jaynie Blurwin was a child of blessing. When he was born, the emperor personally requested blessings from both the High Priest and the Archmage of the Tower.

When their prayers concluded, and the emperor placed his hand on the infant Jaynie’s forehead, a dazzling light descended upon him.

From that moment on, a mark of blessing remained on Jaynie’s chest like a tattoo. Though no one could see the mark, the fact that he was blessed was never forgotten.

And for good reason—Jaynie had everything. He was the only son of Duke Blurwin and bore the features of his mother, Princess Yerenia.

Princess Yerenia was the most beautiful omega in the empire, as well as the emperor’s most beloved sister. It was no surprise that a child resembling her, like Jaynie, would be adored and cherished as if he were a treasure.

But whether that made Jaynie happy was an entirely different matter.

* * *

Jaynie was sitting in the carriage. He suddenly opened his eyes, as if waking from a seizure, startling the cousin seated beside him.

“Jaynie, did you have a nightmare? Why are you sweating so much?”

Drenched in sweat, Jaynie lifted his head and saw his cousin.

“Enzo?”

“So you’ve finally decided to acknowledge me?”

The first prince, Enzo Elma, laughed cheerfully. He had been tasked with bringing Jaynie to the capital and had traveled to the Blurwin estate for that purpose.

Although he had managed to force Jaynie into the carriage, Jaynie had treated him as if he didn’t exist ever since.

The carriage was headed to the capital, more precisely to the imperial mausoleum, for the anniversary of Princess Yerenia’s passing.

Yerenia, Jaynie’s mother and Enzo’s aunt, had lived a free-spirited life. She eloped shortly after her marriage, even bringing a child born of an affair into the duke’s mansion. It could be said that she lived doing whatever she pleased before her death.

The emperor had been furious at his sister’s recklessness, but when she fell ill, his anger softened. After her death, he had her ashes interred in the imperial mausoleum, unable to bear the thought of her resting far away in the Blurwin estate.

Yet, Jaynie had never once visited the mausoleum after her passing.

The emperor had been patient with Jaynie for a while. But by the third year, his patience wore thin, and he resolved to drag Jaynie to the capital, even against his will.

Enzo’s visit to the Blurwin estate, earning Jaynie’s resentment in the process, was for that very reason.

“Jaynie?”

Enzo looked taken aback. Jaynie was touching his face, inspecting him as if to confirm every detail from head to toe. His probing gestures made Enzo flinch. The Jaynie he knew was extremely sensitive about physical contact, reluctant to reach out even to someone as familiar as Enzo.

“Wait, Jaynie. What’s wrong?”

“You’re alive.”

Jaynie looked like someone who had lost their senses.

“Of course I’m alive. So are you, Jaynie,” Enzo said, his tone puzzled.

Jaynie hugged himself tightly, his face pale as a sheet.

“Jaynie?”

“What year is it right now?”

“It’s Imperial Year 361. Is this some kind of riddle?” Enzo frowned.

“Am I twenty?”

“Alright, let’s take a break.”

Enzo rapped on the carriage window, intending to call for a servant. It seemed Jaynie had found yet another way to delay their journey.

But then, suddenly, Jaynie began unbuttoning his shirt. His clumsy hands fumbled with the buttons, sending a few popping off. As his upper garment fell open, his pale, bare chest was exposed.

A knight on horseback approached the carriage.

“Did you call for me?”

“No!” Enzo hastily shut the curtains.

“What are you doing, Jaynie?”

Jaynie ignored him, staring down at his own chest. The mark of the blessing was gone.

He had died once. When he woke up, he had felt the mystery of magic and realized, without any conscious decision, that something extraordinary had occurred.

Had he wished to be brought back to life?

Jaynie didn’t know. No thoughts came to mind. His wide, vacant eyes filled with tears that streamed down his face and dripped from his chin.

“Jaynie, please, are you hurt? Say something. We won’t travel any further today.”

“Enzo.”

“Yes, Jaynie.”

“I’m glad to see you alive.”

Jaynie threw his arms around Enzo, pulling him into an embrace. Startled, Enzo hugged him back hesitantly.

Jaynie was acting truly strange today.

‘Is it because of the anniversary of the princess’s passing?’

The Jaynie he knew would never expose his bare skin to Enzo, nor would he initiate a hug.

But Jaynie was trembling. Enzo knew how to handle Jaynie when he acted spiteful and difficult, but he had no idea how to deal with him when he seemed vulnerable and weak.

However, Jaynie’s trembling came from something beyond Enzo’s assumptions. He was shuddering with rage.

Becoming the tragic protagonist was something Jaynie despised most. To give his body, his heart, and eventually his life to someone he loved—a foolish tale like that being his reality was something he never expected.

Jaynie’s mother, Princess Yerenia, had been the central figure in the empire’s most famous love scandal. While Jaynie thought it should be called a disgrace rather than a love story, others had a different view.

Thanks to the careless gossip of others, Jaynie had grown up hearing endless accounts of his mother’s “love” from a very young age.

Now, Jaynie could only imagine how people must have ridiculed him after his death. Like his mother. He even knew what Prince Isota would do with his corpse.

The Isota he knew would frame him as a fool who took his own life over a doomed romance.

The relationship between Jaynie and Leandro was something everyone in the know already whispered about. They would say that Jaynie Blurwin, after seeing the love between Leandro and Isota confirmed at the banquet, had despaired and poisoned himself alone in his room.

People would comment, “He truly was the son of Princess Yerenia.”

The thought horrified him.

Jaynie tried desperately not to think of any other feelings. But the tears wouldn’t stop.

He still remembered the burning heat of Leandro’s tongue, his throat, and his heart. That sensation still lingered. He could also recall the chilling stillness as his body stiffened like wood.

But what haunted him most were Leandro’s eyes as he looked down at him—completely devoid of emotion. Eyes that had utterly let him go.

Enzo’s hand gently rubbed his back.

“I’ll call a doctor. I should’ve brought one with us. I didn’t realize you were truly unwell.”

“No.”

Jaynie pushed Enzo away and opened the carriage window.

Right now, Jaynie was twenty years old, and Enzo was alive. Jaynie wasn’t a skilled mage, but he understood a bit about how magic worked.

In his final moments, he had regretted his love.

‘What a foolish love it was.’

He had closed his eyes in that regret.

Magic responds to one’s desires.

The canyon wind cooled Jaynie’s face, drying the tears that had clung to his cheeks.

‘Ah, truly, isn’t this a dream?’

If this were reality, there was only one thing Jaynie needed to do.

‘Leandro, that bastard—I’ll kill him.’

Before he could fall in love again.

Jaynie was a noble. Nobles were creatures easily swayed by temptation. He didn’t trust himself. If he saw Leandro again, he would undoubtedly…

At that moment, Jaynie leaned out of the carriage window.

“What are you doing? That’s dangerous!”

Enzo grabbed him by the waist. Feeling the firm grip supporting him, Jaynie pushed himself even farther out of the carriage.

The carriage had stopped on a road flanked by a sheer cliff. Looking up at the towering rock face, Jaynie saw a violet flower precariously clinging to the edge, its petals blooming in defiance of gravity.

Jaynie recognized this road. On the day Enzo had dragged him to the capital against his will, Jaynie had stubbornly tried to delay their journey here.

When they arrived at this path, Jaynie had commanded someone to fetch that flower from the cliff.

The servants who had served Jaynie for years knew how to handle his whims and pretended to comply. The carriage had come to a halt, but no one actually obeyed his command.

Enzo had smiled gently and said, “Alright, you want that flower, don’t you?” Then he stepped out of the carriage and instructed the servants to prepare for camping instead of indulging Jaynie’s whims.

The delay would set their schedule back by a day, but it was better than letting Jaynie fume endlessly.

That was the limit of how far Jaynie’s obstinance could go, and even he knew it.

But then, a lone slave began climbing the cliff. It wasn’t until he was halfway up that a servant noticed him and caused a commotion.

The good-hearted servants of Blurwin estate didn’t want even a slave to die from being caught in Jaynie’s stubbornness. They shouted at him to come down.

But the slave didn’t seem to hear them. Instead, he hung onto the cliff, waved a hand down at them, and grinned.

He slipped and nearly fell, but managed to grab onto a protruding rock at the last moment, narrowly avoiding plummeting to his death.

The servants loudly narrated the unfolding drama, making it impossible for Jaynie to miss the peril the slave was in.

Jaynie, mouth agape, watched as the slave struggled against the odds, climbing until he finally reached the flower.

With the flower in hand, the slave descended the cliff faster than he had climbed it. Near the bottom, he jumped down the remaining height and landed on solid ground.

By then, Jaynie could see the slave’s muscular arms and youthful face, still holding traces of adolescence.

The slave’s face was dirty, obscuring his exact features, but his eyes stood out. They were a striking, garnet-like red.

‘Like a gemstone,’ Jaynie thought.

“He actually brought the flower,” Enzo said with a laugh. “Well, Jaynie, I guess you have no excuse not to get going now.”

Enzo grinned and added, “Shouldn’t you reward him? He brought you something you wanted so badly you were willing to stop visiting your mother’s grave for it.”

Even without Enzo’s suggestion, Jaynie had already decided to reward the slave.

“Come here,” Jaynie commanded.

The slave lifted his head as if surprised by the direct order. He glanced around uncertainly, and an older servant nodded at him. Only then did the slave move.

When he reached Jaynie, he knelt and offered the flower with both hands. Jaynie took it and sniffed it.

There was no scent.

‘This worthless thing… he risked his life for this.’

“What do you want? Name it,” Jaynie said.

“Can I really? Anything… anything I ask for?”

“I said I would grant it, didn’t I?” Jaynie snapped impatiently.

Still, the slave hesitated.

Noticing the way the slave kept glancing around nervously, Jaynie grew genuinely curious. What kind of wish could such a lowly slave have that he was reluctant to voice it?

‘Lifelong wealth to live on?’

Even if it was such an outrageous request, Jaynie would grant it. A noble of his standing couldn’t allow it to be said that he had denied a mere slave’s wish. What the slave would do with that wealth—or how long he would live to enjoy it—was none of Jaynie’s concern.

“You can come closer and say it,” Jaynie offered.

With permission granted, the slave rose to his feet.

Jaynie realized the slave was extraordinarily tall. His innocent, sparkling eyes contrasted sharply with his massive frame, which seemed large enough to engulf Jaynie entirely.

“I want to become a knight. Can you grant my wish?”

That voice, filled with longing and determination.

This was the very place where Jaynie had taken in Leandro.

Jaynie turned his head, searching for Leandro, but he was nowhere to be seen.

At the time, Leandro didn’t even have the name “Leandro.” He had been a nameless slave. Nobles rarely remembered the names of their slaves, after all.

What had Leandro’s name been back then, before Jaynie gave him a new one?

Jaynie tried to recall, but the memory eluded him.

“Jaynie!”

He was yanked back into the carriage. A furious Enzo glared at him.

Before Enzo could start lecturing him, Jaynie spoke.

“Enzo, I want that flower.”

“Flower?”

“The one up there.”

Enzo followed Jaynie’s pointed finger, his expression darkening. The flower was clinging to a sheer cliff that seemed impossible to climb.

“You’re joking. Don’t be stubborn over something pointless.”

“If you get me that flower, I’ll go see Mother without complaint. I want to offer it as a gift at her resting place.”

Jaynie cut off Enzo’s protests and called for assistance.

Sir Gilliam, a knight of Blurwin who was accompanying them on the journey, was summoned. When Jaynie issued his order, Gilliam glanced at Enzo with a look that clearly said, ‘Is he being stubborn again?’ Enzo simply grimaced in response.

Left with no choice, Gilliam called for the servants and passed along the command.

“The young master wishes for that… flower to be retrieved. Volunteers?”

“Something’s dangling up there?”

“Is that even a flower?”

“I can’t see anything.”

“Is he starting this again?”

The servants murmured amongst themselves. Jaynie stared at them intently, his gaze unwavering.

The journey to the capital consisted of seven carriages in total. One carried Jaynie and Enzo, four were loaded with goods, and the remaining two were supply carriages shared by servants and slaves, who alternated between riding and walking. Whenever the carriages stopped, the servants and slaves would unload supplies, prepare meals, and attend to their masters’ needs. If Leandro wasn’t outside, he would be riding one of those carriages.

It was then, as one of the supply carriages came to a halt, that Leandro stepped out.

Until that moment, Jaynie had been in a state of disbelief. He had died and somehow returned to the past. That Leandro would do such a thing… it was inconceivable. No, that bastard was more than capable of it.

And yet, Jaynie had never once imagined Leandro would betray him. Though Leandro was of slave origin, he had been the most noble knight Jaynie had ever known.

Jaynie often dismissed Leandro’s behavior as a desperate attempt to obscure his humble origins. He mocked him with words, but deep down, he had never truly doubted him.

He had known Leandro as a young, pure boy.

Now, Leandro seemed to be listening to a servant explain what was happening. Jaynie saw him glance up to gauge the height of the cliff.

The servants were still oblivious to what was about to unfold.

Only Jaynie knew.

The slave who was not yet his began climbing the cliff. His feet pushed off the lower wall, and his muscular arms latched onto the rocks above. He ascended with astonishing speed. Leandro’s strength was extraordinary, his grip unmatched. No one could defeat him in arm wrestling or any other test of physical prowess.

Jaynie watched him scale the cliff like a wild animal, his movements swift and confident. The servants noticed their master’s fixed gaze and turned to look in the same direction. When they spotted Leandro climbing, they screamed.

“What are you doing?!”

“Get down from there!”

Leandro didn’t stop. He glanced down at the panicked servants, waved casually, and continued his climb. He neither fell nor faltered, eventually reaching the top of the cliff.

Once there, he plucked the flower and held it aloft, displaying it triumphantly in the air.

“Oh my.”

It didn’t take long for the screams to turn into gasps of awe. The servants were shouting in amazement. To them, he was already a hero. Jaynie could picture it—the day Leandro would stand before the empire, basking in the cheers of its citizens.

The slave landed lightly before Jaynie, kneeling with the flower held out in trembling hands.

His eyes were pure. This was the Leandro Jaynie had been captivated by.

Jaynie, however, looked down at the slave with a blank expression.

The excitement in the slave’s face gradually faded. The air grew still, heavy with unspoken tension. In a low voice, the slave called out:

“Young Master?”

Not ‘Master Jaynie.’

‘Why did you kill me?’

Jaynie threw the flower into Leandro’s face.

“…!”

Leandro’s startled eyes met Jaynie’s. The petals clung awkwardly to his messy hair.

Even that sight irritated Jaynie. Even when Leandro became one of the empire’s most renowned knights, he had endured Jaynie’s blows without complaint, and Jaynie couldn’t stand it.

‘Dodge it! Who asked you to tolerate this? Who told you to fetch something so trivial? Don’t indulge me! Get angry. Yell at me. Look at me!’

“Jaynie!”

Enzo exclaimed in shock. Only when Enzo grabbed his wrist did Jaynie realize he had nearly struck Leandro.

Panting, Jaynie allowed Enzo to drag him away. The carriage door slammed shut, and dizziness overtook him.

“What are you doing? You lash out at a subordinate who carried out your order? What crime has he committed?”

“Call Gilliam.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to kill that slave.”

“Jaynie.”

Enzo’s voice dropped, calm but heavy. Jaynie recognized it as a sign of genuine anger.

As a child, Enzo’s temper had been far worse. It was only after studying imperial discipline that he learned to appear composed, though his restraint was superficial. Even later, it led him to hunt the mad dragon.

With Enzo’s hands gripping his shoulders, Jaynie flinched like someone who had bitten into something sour. Enzo’s expression softened slightly.

“Don’t disappoint me.”

Jaynie nodded.

* * *

The carriage resumed its journey. As they exited the canyon, the road widened, eventually leading them to a village where they settled into an inn.

After washing up, Jaynie stood in front of a mirror. The mark on his chest was still absent, but his hair and eyes had changed.

The once radiant golden hair and blue eyes were now ashen, resembling remnants of something that had burned brightly before turning to dust.

Jaynie’s mind steadied. This wasn’t a dream. He had returned to the past.

He had the chance to change the regretful events of his previous life.

But killing Leandro couldn’t be part of that plan—at least, not yet.

TL/N: Hello dear readers! uploading this again cuz I made a huge mistake and I had to go back and redo it thankfully it’s done oh and I will post it in 3 parts now not like cut unequal chappies. Enjoyy!!!