SWNOVELXO Chapter 91: Chapter 91
A maddening sensation. Kyle Blake was sometimes consumed by such thoughts whenever he gazed upon his lover.
His lover, Shu—affectionate and vibrant, yet shrouded in a secret side—was never a tormentor to Kyle. Instead, Shu's very existence sometimes brought Kyle face-to-face with his own limitations, leaving him feeling utterly helpless.
He yearned to protect him, driven by affection and a fierce desire for Shu's happiness. Having already faced death once and been thrust into this unfamiliar world, Kyle couldn't bear the thought of any further danger or pain befalling him. Yet, fulfilling that wish proved incredibly difficult.
Looking back, Shu seemed to possess an uncanny knack for stumbling into perilous situations. From trivial encounters like "hamster thieves" and "chandelier incidents" to more significant threats involving "northern spies," "political disputes," and now, even this perilous mine exploration...
"Your Highness."
"..."
"Your Highness!"
It took several persistent calls for Kyle to finally register the presence of his retinue. He exhaled a frigid breath and turned his head with a ferocity that made James, pale and exhausted, gasp.
"Sir, why don't we take a short rest before proceeding? The battle with the wyvern has exhausted the knights. The sun is about to set, so it is dangerous to break through the mountain road like this."
Kyle's reply was devoid of emotion. "Risk? To whom?"
"..."
"Who, pray tell, has perished simply by encountering me? The true danger lies not in what we face, but in the fact that Shu has already navigated through it safely with someone else's aid. What more could possibly be left to hold us back now?"
James couldn't comprehend it. In that moment, Kyle's demand to continue, rather than rest, felt utterly merciless. Yet, wasn't "dangerous" a perfectly fitting word for Shu, who had dedicated himself to the white mage and barely managed to escape that perilous group? Indeed, none of them here had sustained injuries. On the contrary, not a single one could be confident of Shu's safety at this very moment.
"Wouldn't hurrying back make him safer? Besides, he did promise to return…" James pressed, his voice strained. "Isn't it paramount that we all return alive and well?"
Kyle halted his stride. Regardless of how paramount Shu's safety was, Kyle remained the master of Blake's estate and the Grand Duke of the Templars. When a flicker of exhaustion finally touched his usually impassive face, the quick-witted knights immediately began preparing to make camp. They instinctively knew that this was their only chance for rest.
Kyle observed their actions for a moment, then turned away. James's words echoed: Shu will return. All Shu had to do was return to him, transforming into his companion demon the moment he wished.
But the other party was the man in the white coat—the wizard, an eerie and dangerous presence, perhaps the strongest being in the lawless zone. What if he didn't give Shu even the slightest opening? What if Shu were injured in such a short time? What if his path back was blocked? Anxiety gnawed at him. For the first time, fear gripped him so intensely that his reason felt half-paralyzed.
"Shu." Kyle covered his face and muttered in anguish. "Perhaps I am no good for you." His hollow voice spread like a lost soul through the frozen mountains. "What am I to do...?"
Days later, Kyle's worries and anger, bordering on self-destruction, only intensified after he finally saw Shu. Shu's arm, poisoned by frost, had spread to his shoulder within three days, leaving him barely able to lift it. Watching Shu, who didn't utter a single sound of pain even as cold sweat beaded on his brow while receiving first aid from the wizard, only made Kyle's stomach churn with even greater fury.
He had to have acted faster. Before this 'stigma'—this injury—spread, he should have rushed to his death to prevent it. No. He should have killed him then. If he had been overwhelmingly strong, if he hadn't been pushed back by that sorcerer, Shu wouldn't have had to follow that damn wizard. Shu wouldn't have had to vomit blood trying to protect him. He was furious at the stark reality of it all. When he later realized that Shu had vomited blood because he had expended his life force, Kyle had a chilling premonition: this moment would haunt his nightmares for a long, long time.
"I will never leave you alone again," Kyle vowed, his voice low and firm.
Shu replied, his voice trembling slightly, "Am I a child?"
Though his words were blunt, Shu carefully studied Kyle's expression, a clear sign of regret for causing such concern. While he never shied away from doing what was necessary in the moment, he never wished for his lover's heart to ache.
Instead of answering, Kyle lightly kissed his forehead. A sigh, unknowingly escaping, tickled Shu's lips and cheeks. Kyle wanted to ask: Why do you not even look resentful in this situation? Why do you merely appear troubled, even when you sacrifice for others and receive suspicion in return, never showing a hint of annoyance or betrayal? This is not the world you were born and raised in, he thought, a silent plea.
"It's alright," Shu whispered, his voice settling quietly in Kyle's ear. A soothing kiss, light as a bird's feather, brushed his lips and then withdrew. "I'm truly fine, Your Highness. So, please, don't look like that."
"What was my expression?" Kyle murmured.
Shu chuckled softly. "Well, I don't quite know how to put it… it's a little hard to express." Then he moved nimbly, pressing soft kisses to Kyle's nose, lips, eyelids, and cheeks. His actions were affectionate and utterly lovely. Kyle yearned to pull Shu into a tight embrace, but he refrained, fearing he might hurt Shu's shoulders and arm.
Then Shu burst into laughter again and said, "Your Highness is kind."
Kyle lowered his gaze and smiled faintly. "You're the only one who would ever say that to me."
Kyle truly cared for him with the utmost sincerity. He tried to do everything with his own hands: feeding him, picking up things, even opening doors. It was his own fault for acting independently and upsetting Kyle, so he was trying to accept it calmly... No matter what, he couldn't let Kyle assist him with bathing!
Shu shook his head, gently pushing Kyle away as he tried to follow him into the bathroom. Kyle, dressed in comfortable clothes with a towel draped over his arm, looked down at Shu and spoke with a pitiful expression.
"I was worried about you, and I felt like I was going mad." His gaze was intense. "I wanted to tear him to pieces… but I lacked the power to win. Above all, it would be the cruelest thing for you to throw away your life, a life I owe you so much for."
Shu swallowed, gazing at Kyle's serious face. Perhaps reading Shu's shaky gaze, Kyle gently cupped his cheek and whispered, "It's all because of my inadequacies."
"..."
"So, allow me to assist you when you wash your arm."
"We all know it's a trick," Shu said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"..."
"Hah!" Shu let out a heavy sigh, then turned and walked into the bathroom. Kyle stood quietly in place, staring after Shu, unable to follow him.
Shu was halfway there, scratching the back of his head, when he turned back. "Hurry up," Shu mumbled.
Kyle strode forward with a brighter face than before. Shu caught up in three or four steps and playfully leaned on his shoulder, chuckling. "This is just this once."
"Yes," Kyle replied coolly, gently wrapping his arms around Shu's waist. Shu could clearly feel that Kyle was nervous not to touch his injured arm, so he decided to give up his stubbornness for the time being.
Alright, this must be one of Kyle's ways to relieve his anxiety, but Shu found himself growing quite annoyed. They say they grant the wishes of the dead, but why couldn't the wishes of the living be granted? He wasn't asking for anything grand… this was a fairly simple request. Kyle didn't mean to wash together, did he?
"Because not!?" Shu exclaimed aloud. He shouted into the air, and Kyle tilted his head to the side.
"What are you talking about?"
"No. Nothing," Shu quickly replied.
"Rather, take off your clothes."
"Yes?" Shu stammered, his voice so dumbfounded that even he was surprised by it. He cleared his throat a few times and turned to Kyle again. "Here? Now? Suddenly?"
"I've put calming herbs in the bathtub and cast a spell to aid in fatigue recovery. You need to get in before the effect wears off, so hurry." Kyle stated bluntly and began to shed his own clothes, one by one.
Shu quickly turned his head, his gaze darting to the bathtub Kyle had mentioned. A bathtub? Or is it a bathhouse? The large, circular bathtub was indeed spacious, easily large enough to accommodate five grown men. The gently shimmering water was the color of a hot spring, and its scent was similar. Is it like an herbal decoction?
Shu rolled up his pants and gently dipped his toes into the water. He recoiled instantly, as if touching a surprise box, leaping back towards Kyle. "What, what, what is this? What the heck? What is this?!"
"Shu?" Kyle questioned.
"No! Is that water? Not lava? Are you going to boil people in a pot and drink them?!"
Kyle looked between Shu and the bathtub, then moved in an instant, a blur of motion too fast for Shu's eyes to follow.
"..."
Before Shu could finish speaking, Kyle was upon him, pulling him into a large hug and expertly tugging off his shirt with a familiar hand.
"Wha—! What are you doing?!"
"Are you going to go into the bathtub fully dressed?"
"No, it's not a bathtub! It's a cauldron, a cauldron! If I go in like that, I'll die!"
"You won't die. It's alright."
"Die… Ahhh! It's hot!" Shu grabbed Kyle with his good arm, screaming at him never to let go. Kyle held back his laughter, then finally let it burst forth.
"Why are you laughing?! It feels like I'm going to be boiled alive!" Shu wailed. "Hamster… No, save me!"