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King Reigen was not what Serizawa had come to expect from royalty.

Granted, he had only ever known one other king before—King Suzuki, a mad tyrant with unfathomable magic who had aimed to conquer the entire world. But as his personal guard, Serizawa had stayed at King Suzuki's side for several years, answering to his beck and call like a loyal dog to its master. He'd seen firsthand how King Suzuki ruled with an iron fist, he'd listened with rapt attention whenever the king deigned to speak to him, and he'd taken to heart every single lesson taught by his king like they were the words of a god.

"Might makes right, Serizawa," King Suzuki would always say after leaving unforgiving destruction in his wake. "Those with powers like us deserve to be recognized for our strength." And with no one else able to challenge the king, Serizawa thought it must be true.

But then, in what should have been a swift, effortless battle to conquer an unassuming province that was barely on the map, King Suzuki's reign of tyranny came to an abrupt end. The idea of anything in this world defeating King Suzuki had been unthinkable to Serizawa, and yet here he was, now serving King Reigen as his personal guard instead.

It had taken a long time for Serizawa to adjust to this new change, and King Reigen was probably the biggest factor. Almost everything about him defied what Serizawa had come to believe about kings. For instance, King Suzuki had considered mercy to be a weakness unfit for a ruler, and yet King Reigen had not executed the invader after his defeat. Instead, he had merely locked him away in the castle dungeon like any other lowly prisoner.

"After he's had some time to think about what he's done, perhaps he should toil in the fields for a few years," King Reigen had said to Serizawa once.

Serizawa had tried to imagine his former king slaving away in dirt and grime, and found that he could not despite the man having had all of his power wrenched away. "...It would be a very demeaning punishment, my lord," was all he could think to say.

But a strange look had crossed King Reigen's face at that. "Punishment? No, the dungeon is his punishment. But once that is done, he should learn how to be a proper member of society again."

Then King Reigen had smiled kindly at him. (That was another strange thing, how often he smiled. King Suzuki had rarely smiled, and when he had it was only from cruel satisfaction after getting what he wanted. Even then, that satisfaction had never lasted long...)

"There is nothing demeaning about farmwork, Serizawa. Without it, everyone in this world would starve, rich or poor."

Despite still being a royal guard, Serizawa found his daily life to be quite different under King Reigen's rule. The padded armor that Serizawa was used to wearing every day was discarded in favor of a court suit that King Reigen had ordered to be tailored for him. It was made from brown silk twill, embroidered with intricate golden patterns, and felt far, far too elegant for someone like Serizawa. The king had also had his unkempt hair cut and stubble shaved to appear "more presentable for his court," though Serizawa couldn't understand why anyone would care about his looks when he was just a guard.

King Reigen had no interest in conquering other lands, so he did not spend his days planning out his next attack or ordering his servants around. But instead of lounging around and basking in his luxury in this time of peace, King Reigen's daily pastime involved riding into town on horseback and hearing what his people wanted his help with.

King Suzuki had thought the commoners were beneath him. They had only existed to serve him, for the weak must bow to the strong, and he did not care for their wellbeing whatsoever. But King Reigen knew the townspeople by name and was more than willing to try and solve their problems in any way he could, no matter how trivial they seemed. These problems ranged from tracking down an evil spirit rotting away their crops to giving young teenagers romantic advice. (Sometimes, Serizawa wondered if King Reigen was giving this advice from personal experience. The thought tended to leave a sour feeling in his gut, for some reason.)

King Reigen often called upon his young ward, Shigeo, to help with the more magical problems. King Reigen himself was also supposed to be a powerful mage, as most kings were, but unlike King Suzuki he never deigned to use his powers in public. "Mob needs more training," King Reigen would simply say, and no one questioned it.

Serizawa had once asked Shigeo if he really helped the townspeople every day.

"Not on Sundays," was the unexpectedly mundane reply from the boy.

"Does he not find this work beneath him?"

Shigeo had blinked at him then, like he was the absurd one instead. "A king looks after his people."

Sometimes, King Reigen would even ask Serizawa for assistance. When it came to magical problems, this made sense, and Serizawa appreciated being able to use his powers for good for once. But bizarrely, sometimes King Reigen would just turn to him and say "What do you think, Serizawa?" with that brilliant smile, and Serizawa would splutter in surprise before trying to muster a response.

What use did a king have for the thoughts and opinions of a mere guard? For some reason, King Reigen constantly sought them out as he struck up conversation after conversation with Serizawa.

"Say Serizawa, what was the best thing you ever ate?"

"Ah, it's so hot, I'm boiling like a fish. Do you think we should go back to the castle early?"

"Have you ever been to the theater, Serizawa? The performers here are quite talented..."

At first, Serizawa had wondered if this was some strange test to see if he was of sound mind and fit to guard him. Unsure what King Reigen wanted to hear from him, he'd initially just responded with simple, curt replies and prayed that would be good enough to satisfy him.

King Suzuki had talked to him from time to time, doling out his own thoughts about the world and how he believed it worked, but he had never talked with him. He had never truly cared to hear what anyone had to say, not even his own wife and son, for he was to rule the entire world.

But King Reigen just kept talking and talking to him, and as they spent more time together, Serizawa realized that the man really did just want to have a conversation with him. Even when it sometimes took a while for Serizawa to get his thoughts together, King Reigen was always patient enough to listen.

And as these conversations became more and more frequent, Serizawa realized that he had finally found what his past self had yearned for the most.

Months continued to pass, and the trees shed their colored leaves before being covered by white snow. The snow made it difficult for the castle inhabitants to go into town, so they all stayed in the castle more often. Serizawa didn't mind staying indoors, but sometimes he found himself too tempted to regress into old habits. If he didn't have to accompany the king every day regardless of the weather, perhaps he would have.

It was during one of these days when King Reigen called him into his private quarters. There, Serizawa found him sitting at the kitchen table with a small plate of custard pudding and a spoon.

"Take a seat," he said warmly, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

Serizawa thought he was joking at first—surely someone like him couldn't sit at the same table as his king—but when he brought this up, King Reigen just scoffed.

"It's just a table, Serizawa. The world won't collapse if we sit together!"

When Serizawa finally sat down, King Reigen pushed the plate to him.

"One of my guests in the castle today brought dessert as a gift, so I saved you a plate in case you wanted some."

Serizawa blinked at that, unsure if he was hearing things correctly.

"You said you liked custard pudding, didn't you? Or did I remember that wrong?"

His face flushed red then. "N-No, my lord, but..."

"Then it's all yours if you want it."

Something like this was all his? Serizawa's mind spun as he tried to think of what to do. The thought of accepting such a fine delicacy felt out of the question, but at the same time, he couldn't refuse a gift from his king. Plus, it had been a long time since he'd had anything sweet...

Still bewildered, Serizawa took the spoon with a shaking hand and scooped out a small piece. He gave one last hesitant glance at the king, who was still smiling at him encouragingly, before raising it to his lips. To his delight, the pudding was soft and silky and practically melted in his mouth. It wasn't exactly made the way Serizawa was used to, but the sweetness and texture were all that mattered.

"Do you like it?" King Reigen asked. All Serizawa could do was nod mutely, still in slight disbelief that this was happening, but the king's smile widened anyway. "Perfect."

Although Serizawa had tried to take his time, before he knew it he'd finished the whole thing. He swallowed and licked his lips, savoring the sweetness that lingered on his tongue. Then he saw the king still looking at him from across the table and blushed in mortification.

"A-Ah, forgive my manners my lord—!" he stammered, rushing to his feet so he could bow. "Thank you very much for this gift, I'll try to repay it with the wages you've given me—!"

"Oi Serizawa, no need for that!" King Reigen said, waving his hand dismissively. "The whole point of a gift is that it doesn't need to be repaid. Besides, it's the least I can do after all you've done for me."

Serizawa's hands trembled, his fingers itching for the handle of an oil-paper umbrella that he'd lost along with his former king. "But my lord, I really haven't done much for you..."

Indeed, in this time of peace, Serizawa had yet to do any actual guarding. Back under King Suzuki's rule, he'd always been on high alert, prepared to defend his king against any enemy or deceiving traitor. But things were always quiet here in Seasoning Province.

"Nonsense," King Reigen muttered. "You protected me from that vile creature the other day."

"Huh? O-Oh, you mean the cockroach?"

King Reigen shuddered. "Don't speak of the devil so casually! It might hear you and come back!"

Sometimes, Serizawa felt like his king could be rather silly. But even just thinking that sort of thought about his king felt incredibly rude. "...Even still, my job is to guard you from actual people, and I haven't done that at all."

"Well, is a doctor useless if no one is injured or ill?"

"...No..."

"Then the same applies to you, Serizawa. And besides, you make a fine companion if I do say so myself."

Serizawa blinked. "I—I do...?" He couldn't imagine how, given how much he struggled to speak sometimes, but King Reigen just nodded.

"Yes, I quite enjoy our time together. I hope you do as well? Although I suppose that isn't fair of me to ask..."

"No, I also enjoy it!" Serizawa quickly said. "It's just... I'm not used to talking to people at all..."

"Heh, I have the opposite problem." King Reigen said, leaning back on his chair. "I just love to hear myself talk. Now that I'm a king, everyone just lets me jabber on and on about anything."

"Now that you're a king?" Serizawa repeated curiously.

King Reigen froze, his eyes widening briefly, before laughing. "Well of course I wasn't born a king!"

"Ah of course, you must have been a prince once."

King Reigen's smile faltered a little, like he was debating if he should correct Serizawa or not. "No, I was the son of a duke," he said finally. "A duke of a place far, far away that's quite insignificant, really. But years ago, I defeated the previous king of Seasoning Province in a duel of magic. According to the traditions of this land, if someone of noble blood defeats the monarch in battle, they become the new ruler."

"...Oh." Serizawa wasn't sure what to make of this new information. It honestly explained a few things, like how the townspeople would whisper about "how things were before" or how Serizawa had noticed there were no paintings of King Reigen's family in the castle.

"I apologize for not telling you earlier," King Reigen said in an unusually soft voice.

"No, it's all right. I'm just surprised no one told me."

"Well, I suppose no one here likes to talk about those times."

"Why? What was the previous king like?" Serizawa asked, and King Reigen huffed.

"The old man behaved like a child, honestly. He cared more about his own ego and showing off his power than looking after his people."

"Ah, I see. So that was why you challenged him to a duel?"

King Reigen pursed his lips together in a thin line, furrowing his eyebrows in disdain. As Serizawa averted his gaze from those unusually cold eyes, he realized that this was the first time he'd ever seen true anger on his king's face.

"He was kidnapping children," the king said in a low voice. "He had his soldiers kidnap children with powers like Mob and Ritsu and force them to be soldiers."

Serizawa felt his blood run cold at the thought. "Why would he do something like that?" was all he could think to say.

"...Apparently, he was allied with our dear friend Suzuki."

Serizawa couldn't hold back the horrified gasp that left his throat. "No!"

Why was he surprised? He'd seen how ruthless King Suzuki could be. He'd seen how young some of the people in his forces were. Hell, hadn't Minegishi just been 16 when they began serving him?

Perhaps it was the fact that King Suzuki's cruelty had plagued Seasoning Province long before his attempted invasion, and yet Serizawa had the gall to walk among its people as though he'd been completely innocent in the whole affair.

The anger left King Reigen's face as he glanced at Serizawa in concern. "Ah, but it's all right. That's all in the past now."

But Serizawa rose to his feet, utterly sick to his stomach. It was taking all of his mental strength just to keep his powers from exploding. "I—I have to go—!" he blurted out.

"What?!" King Reigen also shot out of his seat in alarm as Serizawa turned to leave. "Hey, wait! Stop! Th-That's an order!"

Serizawa froze in front of the door, though he couldn't bring himself to turn around and face his king. He braced himself for King Reigen to scold him for trying to leave without being dismissed, but instead he heard something deeply unexpected once again.

"Look, I'm sorry for upsetting you. That wasn't my intention when I invited you here, and I should have known better than to talk about Suzuki without warning."

Serizawa couldn't help but laugh wryly. "Why are you the one apologizing?"

"Uh, because I upset you?" King Reigen sounded confused now.

Serizawa shook his head. "I know I have no right to question a king, but I have no idea what you were thinking when you made me your personal guard."

"You told me that was the job you were most comfortable with!"

"Even still, how can you trust me to guard you? N-No, how can you even look at me after what I've done?"

"...l don't understand what you mean, Serizawa."

Serizawa wondered if King Reigen was being intentionally obtuse now. Surely someone as smart as him would know full well what he meant. "I helped King Suzuki," he said shakily. "For years I was there at his side, and not once did I do anything to stop him. I even protected him when other people far braver than I tried to stop him. And the worst part is? No one forced me to do it, I did it all on my own!"

He shut his eyes tight, shuddering as he tried and failed to hold back tears. He felt disgusting now, disgusting and vile and completely unworthy of being in King Reigen's presence of all people.

King Reigen had fallen unusually silent, but Serizawa tensed up when he heard his footsteps approach. "Turn around for me?" the king murmured.

Serizawa didn't want to, but he obeyed, keeping his back hunched and his head bowed. He couldn't bring himself to see what must be revulsion on King Reigen's face.

"A-Ah, oh dear..." King Reigen mumbled before stepping closer.

Serizawa flinched as delicate fingers brushed against his chin, coaxing him to lift his head slightly before a handkerchief was pressed below his eyes. He gasped softly, paralyzed in shock as the king gently dabbed away his tears.

"You are not responsible for what Suzuki did," King Reigen murmured. "His actions were entirely his own. Besides, you turned against him in the end and saved my life."

It was something that Serizawa still could not believe he had done even until this day. When he thought back to it, it felt like he had been possessed by someone else, someone far braver and nobler than himself. Even then, he hadn't wanted to stop King Suzuki by force. He'd naively hoped that he could get him to see reason for once, perhaps in the same way Shigeo had for him...

Serizawa swallowed down the painful lump in his throat. "But I still helped him all the way until then, my lord. I knew what he was doing was wrong deep down, but I didn't care."

"Why didn't you care?"

His voice trembled again. "...Because... Because I wanted to believe he was a good person, and I thought he knew better than me about everything. I also owed him a debt... He saved my life, or at least I thought he did."

"Ah. Yes, his son did tell me that."

Serizawa blinked at him. "Shou talked to you?"

King Reigen had a soft smile on his face. "He was very worried about you after his father's defeat. He thought we would punish you as a member of the invading force, so he wanted to vouch for your good heart."

Shou, of all people, should not have been the one to say such things about Serizawa. "No, you still should've punished me. Me defending you doesn't undo the years before that."

"And what good would throwing you in the dungeon have done?"

"It would have been what I deserved."

"But what good would it have done, Serizawa?"

Serizawa faltered. "Then maybe you should have sent me away to toil in the fields. Not walk alongside you as a free man, at least."

"I could have," King Reigen admitted. "But I figured this would be better for you."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't need to reevaluate the value of your fellow man, Serizawa. I think you understand that just fine, despite your powers. No, what you need to do is reevaluate the value of yourself. "

As the king put his handkerchief away and gave him some space again, Serizawa struggled to process his words.

"What do you think my value is, my lord?"

King Reigen chuckled sadly. "That's not something for me to decide, Serizawa. That's up to you."

"You said I was a fine companion to you," Serizawa mumbled.

"I did, but... Ah, perhaps I should rephrase myself."

Serizawa flinched as King Reigen pointed his finger right at his chest.

"What do you want to do in your life?"

"...What do I want?"

"Yes. In fact, in all the time we've spent together, I don't think I've ever heard you use the phrase 'I want'. Even a selfless person like Mob will say he wants things like muscles, fashionable clothes, and attention from other girls. But what do you want, Serizawa?"

"I... I want..." Serizawa found himself shaking as his eyes darted back and forth across the room, scrambling to find an answer. "I want..."

Did everyone else already know their wants in life? Was having desire another normal part of living that Serizawa wasn't aware of? Would he ever stop feeling like he hadn't changed a bit ever since King Suzuki had coaxed him out of his room?

Oh... Perhaps...

"...I want... to be a real person..." Serizawa mumbled, fixing his gaze to the floor.

King Reigen blinked in confusion. "But you are?"

"I don't feel like one, my lord. I don't know anything about myself, really. I've barely lived in this world as it is."

Sadness clouded the king's face now, and Serizawa felt guilty for it. "...I see. I'm... I'm sorry you feel that way, Serizawa. Am I responsible for this in any way?"

Serizawa quickly shook his head. "No, my lord. My time spent here has helped, I'm sure. But this has always been the case for me, ever since I was a child. Did Shou tell you about my time as a recluse?"

"...He did, yes."

"I never thought I would leave," Serizawa admitted. "For 15 years, that room was my entire world. My poor mother would try to lure me out with sweets and toys that we could barely afford, but it was no use. Then King Suzuki brought me out of that place, and I only did whatever he wanted of me. And now I'm here, and I'm free, and yet... I don't know what I want. I never thought I could want."

"What would make you feel like a real person, then?" King Reigen asked. "Do you think you should go back home or travel somewhere—"

"N-No—! Please let me stay here, my lord—!"

Serizawa hadn't meant to sound so desperate, but King Reigen smiled with a faint tinge of what looked like relief. "Well, you're always free to stay as long as you'd like. I was just making sure you didn't feel like you couldn't."

"No, I like it here." It was Serizawa's first time saying it out loud, and he was surprised to find that his feelings were completely truthful. "The people here have been so kind. Shigeo is my first friend ever, and I'm glad I met him. I'm also glad I met you, my lord. I have learned so much from you, and I have enjoyed our time together more than words can say."

"Is that so? Then I'm glad." King Reigen put a hand on his own chest. "You must know that as your king, I must do everything in my power to help you. A king looks after his people, after all."

Serizawa blushed. "But my lord, you've already helped me more than enough..."

The king grinned at him cheekily. "Then perhaps I shall bring you more sweets, since that's what gets you to talk more apparently."

"H-Huh?! No, that's not necessary—!"

But the king promptly burst into laughter, and Serizawa's heart fluttered at the sight.

Serizawa's first winter in Seasoning Province was a learning experience in many ways, especially with Shigeo and his rambunctious group of friends. He learned how to use an axe to chop firewood, how to build a snowman that looked like King Reigen (crown and cloak and all, though the real king only wore those for special public occasions), and how to spend a New Year's feast with other people around.

But by far the most memorable lessons he had were when King Reigen himself taught him how to read and write. Having grown up as a peasant, Serizawa couldn't even spell his own name, but the books in the library had piqued his interest. When King Reigen had caught him staring at the pictures inside, he'd asked if Serizawa would like to learn, and the rest was history.

King Reigen had admitted that there was only so much he could teach, but had promised that he would hire a tutor for Serizawa in the spring. Serizawa was more than grateful for the offer, if not worried that he was taking advantage of the king's kindness, but the king had insisted so that was that.

Still, Serizawa knew that he would miss sitting next to the king in the library, paying rapt attention to his words, sometimes sneaking furtive glances at his admittedly attractive face. King Reigen was always patient as he showed him the proper way to use a quill and read him all sorts of stories and fairy tales in that clear, confident voice of his...

The spring sun eventually returned, melting the snow to reveal green patches of grass once more. Flowers sprouted from the earth, and so did the townspeople from their homes. King Reigen resumed his daily routine of visiting them to hear out their problems, and there were already a number of things they wanted his help with.

Serizawa accompanied him as usual, but he would also return to the castle early so he could see his tutor in the late afternoon. His education was tough at first, but he eagerly pushed on. Having a tangible goal to work towards for once in his life was refreshing, and one of his most treasured moments was shakily reading through a long passage in front of his friends and the king, who all eagerly clapped for him after he finished.

"Look at you, learning so much so fast!" King Reigen said to him later on after slapping him on the back in approval.

Serizawa flushed red from the king's praise and scratched behind his head. "It's—It's not that much..."

"Nonsense, nonsense. Soon you won't be needing me anymore!"

Something about that statement knocked the wind out of Serizawa like a punch to the gut. "Th-That's not true!"

King Reigen waved his hand dismissively. "Bah, no need to be so humble. Take some pride in yourself!"

Something about this response made Serizawa feel indignant, though he couldn't pinpoint why exactly. "But my lord, I couldn't have done any of this without you."

The king was silent for a few moments before he let out a laugh. Perhaps on the surface it sounded normal, but Serizawa had grown accustomed to his genuine laughter, and this one sounded slightly off somehow. "Even still, you're the one who put in all the effort, no? Plenty of people would let a good tutor go to waste, but you have the resolve and discipline to really learn for yourself. You should take pride in that."

"I do, but—"

"I know! I shall give you a bonus today in celebration of your achievement. Go to town and buy yourself something nice!" He winked at Serizawa. "Maybe even take someone out if a pretty girl catches your fancy..."

"A-Ah, that's not necessary my lord...!"

"Bah, nonsense! A king looks after his people...!"

It was times like these when Serizawa wondered if he truly knew King Reigen or if his real feelings were kept veiled behind a thick curtain. Whenever the thought crossed Serizawa's mind, guilt immediately followed suit and he'd tell himself he was reading too much into things. After all, King Reigen was a good man, that Serizawa would always be certain of. He wasn't like King Suzuki, cold and selfish yet deceptive.

And yet, sometimes Serizawa found himself staring at the king and that smile of his, wondering if he was truly happy. But why wouldn't he be?

Serizawa always had Sundays off, which was another thing that had caught him off guard. At first, he'd had no idea what to do when completely left to his own devices, so he would continue to follow King Reigen around the castle like a lost puppy. Looking back on it, he felt quite embarrassed with himself—surely the king must have wanted his space, but he had remained as tolerant and friendly as ever.

Gradually, he'd started venturing out into town. Initially he'd just accompany Shigeo and his friends, but now he was confident enough to go by himself. Sometimes he liked roaming the marketplace and actually using his wages for once, buying himself things that caught his attention like souvenirs or snacks. It was a strange feeling at first, being able to purchase items for himself, but he grew to cherish that sense of self-fulfillment.

For the past few weeks, however, Serizawa had been nervous about something he had bought. The item itself wasn't the issue, as it was simply a small wooden figurine carved into the shape of a cute dog standing on all fours, its thick tail curled towards its back as it lolled its tongue out. No, the problem was who he had bought it for. Part of him felt foolish for even daring to give the king something so cheap and insignificant, but the other part of him thought it couldn't hurt. At the very least, Serizawa wanted to show some tangible appreciation for him, but he just couldn't muster up the courage to try, so the dog just sat in his pocket the whole time.

One Sunday evening though, he returned to the castle and saw Shigeo standing at the bottom of the stairwell leading to the king's private quarters. For some reason, the boy was staring down at the carpet, fidgeting with the cuffs on his white, embroidered sleeves. His ghostly friend Dimple was hovering beside him and talking to him about something.

"Are you all right?" Serizawa asked.

Shigeo flinched a little before turning to face him, smiling slightly in what looked like relief when he recognized him. "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking, though."

"Did you want to talk to the king?"

Shigeo faltered at this question, but Dimple rolled his eyes.

"The kid's just worried about him."

Serizawa's eyes widened. "Why? Did something happen? Is he okay, did he get hurt somehow?"

He was beginning to regret having taken the day off when Dimple waved his arms about in exasperation. "Ugh, calm down! He just had a bad day, that's all!"

"Oh..." Serizawa glanced up the stairs, wondering what was happening up there behind closed doors. "Do you know what's upsetting him?"

"No clue, honestly," Dimple muttered. "But after his meeting with his advisors, Reigen barely said a word at dinner when he usually never shuts up. Then the guy said he was retiring to bed early and left before finishing his plate!"

"Master never wastes his food," Shigeo said in agreement.

Serizawa had seen his king eat many times by now, and the way he dove into every meal and snack like he was a starving man (often burning his tongue in his haste) did not seem very regal of him, if Serizawa was to be honest. But he'd never seen his king leave any plate unfinished, barring that one time he'd tried a soup that was incredibly spicy.

This was concerning.

"Then... are you going to go talk to him?" Serizawa asked.

The hesitance returned to Shigeo's face. "I want to, but I don't know if I could help," he admitted.

"I think you're good at comforting people."

"Thank you, but... Master is different, I suppose. When he's troubled about something, he always keeps it to himself no matter what."

It was a strange feeling, hearing the king's closest companion confirm Serizawa's sneaking suspicion.

"He trusts you, though," Serizawa said.

"Maybe, but I'm his disciple. I think he'll just keep pretending that nothing's wrong because he doesn't want me to see him differently. Plus, I can't explain why, but I have a feeling that he'll just tell me to leave it to the adults..."

"Oh..."

There was an awkward silence before Dimple suddenly pointed at Serizawa.

"You."

"Me?"

"If you're so worried about him, then you should be the one to talk to him."

"H-Huh? No, I'm not good with that stuff! And I'm just his guard, he wouldn't confide in me—"

"Well you're the only adult Reigen actually trusts in this place, idiot."

"What?! Th-That's not true!"

But Shigeo was nodding his head. "He likes you a lot."

"Shigeo?!"

The boy looked up at him with eyes brimming with faith. "I really do think you're the only person who could get through to him."

"But..."

"Please sir. I really would appreciate it if you tried, at least."

Dimple pointed at Shigeo. "Yeah, this kid's gonna be the king of this place one day, so you better do what he says!"

"D-Dimple, don't say that...!"

Serizawa felt the wooden figurine in his pocket, remembering why he'd bought it in the first place and wondering if now would be the perfect time to give it. Even if the gift was beneath the king, at the very least his gesture might make him feel a little bit better.

"...I want to help my king in any way I can. He's heard me out so often, always comforted me in my times of stress... I want to return the favor and be a shoulder he can lean on."

Dimple made a face like he wanted to gag. "Ugh, I knew you liked him for some reason, but..."

But Shigeo was smiling brightly at him now. "Thank you sir. I hope he opens up to you."

"I hope so too."

And with that, Serizawa climbed up the stairs and made his way through the halls to the king's bedchamber. He stopped in front of the door, hesitating for a few moments, before knocking on it.

There was no response.

"My lord?" Serizawa called out, his voice echoing in the empty silence. He'd never realized how isolated this area of the castle was. "It's Serizawa, I just want to talk..."

Serizawa was about to give up and head back down the stairs when the door opened halfway, revealing King Reigen in a purple nightgown made of shiny satin. Had this been any other situation, Serizawa would have been utterly flustered at the sight, but right now he was distracted by the unusually weary look in the king's eyes.

Those eyes brightened when they saw him, however.

"Ah, Serizawa! Back from town, I see!" he said with a smile, but that faded a little the more he looked at Serizawa's concerned face. "Is something wrong?"

I should be asking you that, Serizawa thought, but he remembered what Shigeo had said about the king always keeping things to himself. He had a feeling that being too direct would just make the king get more defensive, so he would have to approach this more carefully.

"No, nothing's wrong. I, um, just wanted to talk, is all. But is now even a good t—?"

"Come in, come in!" King Reigen said, opening the door wider and stepping to the side.

Serizawa reluctantly entered, feeling extremely out of place despite how surprisingly sparse the room was for a king's private bedchamber. Though the door to the bathroom was closed, the bedchamber mainly consisted of a lit fireplace, a wooden desk, a bookshelf against the wall filled with tomes and various souvenirs, and the canopied, curtained bed itself which was easily the most luxurious part of the room.

A few candles on the king's desk provided additional light, allowing Serizawa to see a parchment and quill beside them. Before he could stop himself, his eyes roamed over the drying ink, stuck in his new habit of trying to read whatever he could. He briefly caught the words "Ma" and "no reason to worry about me" before King Reigen quickly stepped in front of the desk, blocking his view.

"Sit down if you'd like," King Reigen said, gesturing to the foot of the bed.

Serizawa blushed at the thought, feeling like he'd dirty such a lavish thing just by standing near it. "Standing is fine, my lord."

"Then should I call someone over to bring some tea?"

"No, that's not necessary. But thank you, you're too kind."

King Reigen's upper lip twitched at that. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Serizawa felt his heartbeat pick up and wondered if the king could hear it somehow. "U-Um... Well, I..." He swallowed, finding his nerve again. "I came here with a gift, actually."

For a few moments, King Reigen just stared at him, dumbfounded. "A gift?"

"Yes, for you. It's, um..." Serizawa's hands shook as he reached into his pocket and held out the wooden dog. "I know it's not much my lord, b-but—"

"Ah. I see now."

Surprised by how cold he sounded, Serizawa looked at the king's eyes and felt his stomach twist when he saw bitter annoyance in them.

"Thank you Serizawa, but you can keep that for yourself," he said curtly before turning around, crossing his arms over his chest.

For a few moments, Serizawa couldn't breathe. His heart felt like it had been stabbed with a knife, and stinging tears rushed to his eyes.

"M-My lord?" he whispered, his voice trembling too much to speak anything more as he tried his hardest not to cry.

He'd known deep down that perhaps this gift was too insulting, but to see King Reigen actually reject it so thoroughly...

"I'm not upset with you," King Reigen said quickly, though he still kept his back to him. "I promise you've done nothing wrong. You only meant well, trying to give that thing to me, but I can't... won't accept it."

His voice dropped to a disdainful mutter.

"I respect myself far too much for that."

A few tears spilled over against Serizawa's will, and he held back a pathetic sniffle as he stumbled backwards to the door. He'd been an utter fool to think someone as lowly as him could ever be worthy of being someone the king could open up to. He'd wanted to help him feel better, but all he'd done was just upset him even further.

"I—I see," he mumbled shakily. "I'm so sorry, my lord. I won't bother you with such tr-trivial things again..."

"Serizawa?"

The king was turning to face him again, but Serizawa quickly bowed his head and fumbled for the doorknob behind him.

"I'll s-see you tomorrow—"

"Serizawa!"

The king rushed forward and gripped his shoulders to stop him. "What on earth has gotten into you?"

Serizawa stared down at the floor, pressing his quivering lips together so the tears wouldn't get into his mouth.

"O-Oh no..."

Once again, the king rushed to wipe his tears away with his handkerchief, and the gentleness of it all only made Serizawa cry harder. He'd come in here to comfort the king, but ultimately he'd messed things up so much that now the king was comforting him.

"What's wrong? Was it the anger in my voice? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that, I meant it when I said I wasn't upset with you, but I just... Oh, I'm so sorry..."

"N-No, I'm sorry..." Serizawa whimpered, sniffling. "I knew you p-probably wouldn't like it, b-but..."

King Reigen's eyes widened in shock before they narrowed. "Did he threaten you?" he asked in a low voice.

The question was so unexpected that for a few moments, all Serizawa could do was let out a confused whimper. "Wh-Who...?"

The king clutched his shoulders tighter. "Serizawa, as your king I am ordering you to tell me the truth. Do you understand?"

Serizawa was so bewildered, he just nodded.

"All right. Then were you threatened to do this?"

"T-To do what...?" Serizawa mumbled shakily, wondering if the king was drunk.

"Serizawa, there's no use in playing dumb with me. If you're worried I'll have the duke's head for threatening you, then don't be! I'll just—" King Reigen sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth. "I'll just throw him in the dungeon for a few months or something, after I knock some sense into him myself of course!"

"I really don't understand, my lord," Serizawa mumbled. "Which duke are you talking about?"

There wasn't much nobility left in Seasoning Province. To ensure his full control, the previous king had revoked all of their titles and disposed of the nobles who didn't comply. King Reigen had reinstituted the titles of those who were left and not serving time in the dungeon (even generously granting Shigeo's father the honorary title of Baron, making the boy also part of the nobility), but it still left Serizawa wondering who the dukes of Seasoning Province were, if there were even any left at all.

"What in the—Duke Roshuuto, of course!" Reigen yelled before suddenly letting go of Serizawa like he'd burned him. "Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm scaring you again aren't I?"

But Serizawa just blinked at him in confusion. "Who is that?"

"The—The dark-haired man who always wears that pompous black cloak? Looks like he smells shit everywhere he walks?"

As Serizawa slowly shook his head, King Reigen carded a hand through his blonde hair. "Then—Then where the hell did that gift come from?"

"...The woodcarver from town?"

"Oh great, what for?! Does he also want a favor from me?!"

"...No, he just... sold it to me a few weeks ago because I asked..." Serizawa whispered, feeling ashamed again just admitting it out loud.

King Reigen stared at him, his mouth agape as he finally began putting the correct pieces together. " You got me that gift?"

Serizawa nodded slightly.

"...Why?"

Was he really making him say it? "I just... I just thought you might like it," he mumbled, sniffling. "You really like dogs, so I th-thought..."

The king gasped in horror. "Oh, I'm an idiot. Oh, I'm the biggest idiot that ever walked on this planet, oh—!"

"Please don't say that," Serizawa whispered.

"But I am, Serizawa! You were just being your sweet self when you tried to give me something, but I was so caught up in myself that I took your kindness and stomped all over it!"

"It's all right, my lord. It was just a misunderstanding in the end."

"Yes, but that misunderstanding made you cry! No, I made you cry!"

"I cry very easily, my lord," Serizawa said with a watery smile.

"That doesn't make it any better!"

A tense silence fell over the room.

"...I'm so sorry," King Reigen murmured again. "How can I make up for what I did?"

Serizawa wanted to say he didn't have to, but he knew the king wouldn't accept that, so he thought carefully. "...Can we start over?"

"Start over?"

He thought about explaining, but then decided that maybe it would be better to just demonstrate. Hoping that King Reigen would understand, Serizawa left the room and shut the door behind him. He then waited a few seconds before knocking again. "My lord? It's Serizawa, I just want to talk..."

After some moments, the door opened. "Ah Serizawa, what an absolutely unexpected visit!" King Reigen said with a wide smile. "Come in, come in!"

Serizawa entered the room and they quickly repositioned themselves to where they'd been previously.

"So what brings you here?"

"I... I wanted to give you something," Serizawa said, pressing on despite his voice shaking a bit again. "Something that I thought you might like."

Serizawa waited for another canned response, only to realize that the king was now staring down at the fist still tightly clutching the figurine.

"...May I see it?" King Reigen asked in an unusually quiet voice.

Serizawa's hand trembled as he held out the figurine again. This time, Reigen carefully took it from him and turned it here and there, slowly grinning in delight.

"Oh, it's adorable. It looks just like a Shiba!"

"Does it?"

King Reigen ran his finger along the curled tail. "Absolutely! Have you never seen one before? They're the cutest things ever. One day I'll show you a real Shiba and you'll see what I mean."

Serizawa smiled at the thought. "That would be wonderful, my lord."

King Reigen fawned over the figurine for a little longer before glancing back up at Serizawa. "And... you're sure you want to give this to me? "

"Yes, although I know it's not much."

"I don't care about that, Serizawa. But thank you. It's just..." The king released a heavy sigh, his smile turning bittersweet. "I guess, since I'm a king who could have anything one could ever need and more, I wouldn't expect anyone to give me a gift for no real reason."

"It's not for no reason!" Serizawa said indignantly. "I thought you'd like it, so I thought you should have it! Plus, you've done so much for me, and I wanted to show you how much I appreciate it."

"Is that so?" King Reigen murmured, looking down at the figurine in his hands again.

To Serizawa's surprise, the king closed his eyes and planted a quick kiss on the dog's forehead, giggling afterwards. He felt heat rush to his face as he tensed up and looked away, not sure why he was reacting like this.

"Sorry, it's just too cute," King Reigen said, and Serizawa found himself wondering if it was normal for the king to kiss cute things.

"I'm glad you like it, my lord."

"Of course, Serizawa. Thank you." There was a warm sincerity to the king's voice as he said this. Then he turned to carefully place the dog on the side of his desk. "I shall cherish this gift for the rest of my life. Now, is there anything else you came to see me for?"

Only now did Serizawa remember the real reason he had come here. It seemed like the king was in better spirits after his gift, but he still didn't know what upset him today. Was it okay for him to leave without addressing it?

Serizawa thought of the weary look on the king's face the first time he'd opened the door and made up his mind.

"You mentioned... a duke?" he asked hesitantly.

King Reigen visibly tensed up. "Yes, I did. Why?"

"You don't seem to like him much."

"More like not at all," the king muttered under his breath. "But yes, I find Duke Roshuuto rather disagreeable. He never fails to brag about himself and act like he's better than me in every way. Why are you bringing him up now?"

"As... As your loyal guard, I want to know if I should keep him away from you," Serizawa said, feeling like he was just making up a poor excuse to pry.

But King Reigen just smiled at him. "Ah, if only. But your job is only to keep dangerous people away from me, and as odious as I find him, Duke Roshuuto is very much harmless. In fact, he's been trying to form an alliance with me, if you would believe it. He owns some land adjacent to ours in Cuticle Province, land granted to him by King Jodo."

"Still, if you don't like him, surely you can ban him from speaking to you!"

"It's not that simple, Serizawa. We don't want to make an enemy for no good reason, especially when he just wants to be allies."

"If that's what he wants, then maybe he shouldn't bother you," Serizawa grumbled.

The king laughed again. "I normally wouldn't mind being allies with Duke Roshuuto, politically speaking, but I do mind how he's been going about it."

"How so?"

King Reigen sighed. "Well... he's been trying to court me, I guess."

It took Serizawa a few moments to process what this meant. When he did, his breath hitched and his heartbeat skyrocketed. "M-Marriage—?!" he squeaked.

"Repulsive, right?"

"But—But if he's in love with you, why would he act like he's better than you?"

"If he's—?!" King Reigen choked on his own saliva and doubled over, coughing loudly. "You think—You think the duke likes me—?!"

Serizawa tilted his head in confusion. "You said he wants to marry you."

The king laughed a little before sighing again. "Oh, that's a sweet thought, Serizawa. But royalty don't marry each other out of fanciful, silly things like love. "

Serizawa felt stung by that statement and he wasn't sure why. "Love isn't silly," he said quietly.

"...No," the king admitted. "But even though the duke thinks I'm no better than the mud on his shoes, he wants to marry me and combine our lands. That is the only reason he's even trying to court me, although it mainly involves forcing gifts on me that I don't care for."

The more Serizawa heard about this man, the more he utterly despised him. "Even if he's from another kingdom, where does a duke like him find the gall to look down on a king as openly as this?"

King Reigen shrugged. "I only won this title by defeating an old man in combat—that doesn't command respect in everyone. Duke Roshuuto is quite convinced that he could've easily done it himself had he been there."

"But old man or not, the former king must have been very strong if King Suzuki was allies with him," Serizawa countered. "Few could have defeated him like you did."

King Reigen looked off to the side. "...Mm."

"And besides, you saved your people and looked after them well. You have more than earned your title as king, and..." Serizawa's voice trembled. "And I don't think you should listen to that awful man, much less marry him."

The king gave him a soft smile. "You're too kind, Serizawa. But don't worry, I refuse to marry him, even if some of my advisors will keep trying to convince me otherwise."

Serizawa sighed in relief, but then heard something else that made him freeze.

"...Still, sometimes I wonder..." King Reigen murmured to himself so quietly, Serizawa almost missed it.

"...My lord?"

The king flinched a little, realizing he'd been overheard. "A-Ah, I'm not saying I'd like to marry him in the traditional way. He's too awful for that. But the duke doesn't want that either, you see! He can't stand my presence, and he only wants the benefits of our legal union. Therefore, he'd surely agree to a marriage that only exists on paper. And wouldn't we all benefit from that?"

For some reason, Serizawa's stomach churned at the thought. "But... But marriage shouldn't be... That's so..."

"Pragmatic?"

Serizawa's mind drifted back to King Suzuki, who he'd sometimes catch staring down at a golden ring in the palm of his hand, quiet and bitter and...

"...Cold," Serizawa whispered.

The king hesitated for a few moments. "Well, everyone treats these things differently. I'm sure someday you'll marry a lovely person who is just as sweet as you."

That was a deflection disguised as a compliment, wasn't it? How often had the king done this without Serizawa realizing it?

"I appreciate that thought, but what about you, my lord?"

"Well, isn't that what's so wonderful about life?!" King Reigen said with a clap of his hands. "It's full of so many possibilities!"

Serizawa gritted his teeth. "Even the possibility of a marriage with someone you hate?"

"Oi, I said I wouldn't do it!"

"But you still think it would be justified if you did."

"Well, some people in my life are extremely concerned about me being a bachelor."

Serizawa thought about the half-written letter on the king's desk. "...But would they really want you to marry someone even if they don't make you happy?"

King Reigen fell silent. "...I guess not. I guess they're more concerned I'll be lonely forever. But realistically speaking, it will be very difficult to find someone who'd want to spend the rest of their life with me, romantically or not."

The king was normally so wise, Serizawa couldn't believe these words were actually coming out of his mouth. "That's not true!"

"I meant with me, not my crown. I'm sure there's plenty of people who'd love to stay with me for that, not that I could blame them." The king looked at Serizawa with a smirk, only for it to falter when he saw the guard's heartbroken expression.

"...My lord, do you really believe that no one in your life who actually cares about you would ever want to stay by your side?"

The king scoffed. "Well when you put it like that, it sounds absolutely depressing."

"But you're not denying it."

"Eh, I don't think it's a definitive truth. I just think that if you're pessimistic enough, it leaves room for pleasant surprises."

Serizawa had never taken King Reigen to be the pessimistic type at all. It had seemed like no matter what, the king always had something positive to say whenever someone else was filled with doubts. But the more Serizawa thought about it, the more he realized that the king was only optimistic whenever he was comforting someone or encouraging them.

"There's no need to be pessimistic, my lord," Serizawa said indignantly. "There are people in your life who care about you. Think about Shigeo and his friends!"

"They're children, Serizawa," King Reigen replied. "I'll always treasure them, but they'll all grow up and go off into the world eventually. That's just how these things go."

Serizawa stared down at himself, at the brown suit that King Reigen had bought for him ages ago. "...And what about me?"

"What?"

"Do you think I'll leave too?"

The king laughed sadly. "Why wouldn't you? Surely you don't want to be my guard for the rest of your life."

"But I like it here. I like being at your side."

"You'll get bored of it," the king muttered. "Everyone gets bored of their job eventually."

Something in Serizawa snapped, and before he knew it, he was towering over the king.

"I'm not here because it's my job!" Serizawa yelled. "I'm here because I want to be! I'm happy whenever I'm with you and I care about you and your well-being and I want to be at your side for the rest of my life!!!"

The scorch of his frustration petered out as he caught his breath, and with it came the realization that the king was now wedged between him and the desk, staring up at him in pale shock.

"M-My lord, I'm so sorry—!" Serizawa gasped out, backing away immediately.

Then came the sound of multiple objects in the room crashing back down, and the king flinched with a yelp of fear before whirling around.

Serizawa scanned the room in horror. Books had tumbled from their shelves and various items belonging to the king were scattered about the floor. "No no no no—!" he cried out, rushing to use his powers and put everything back the way they were. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—!"

"Oh thank god!"

Serizawa turned and saw the king climbing out from under his desk, the dog figurine clutched in his hand. With a smile of relief on his face, the king blew the dust off of it and wiped the head with his sleeve.

"I was worried it would break!" the king said happily before placing it back on his desk. "Good thing this thing is sturdy..."

Serizawa stared at the king, dumbfounded.

"But enough about that. Are you all right, Serizawa?"

"I... I lost control..." Serizawa mumbled, wringing his hands together. "I let my powers run wild without kn-knowing again..."

"I know you did. But are you all right?"

"I'm sorry, I could've hurt you, I—"

Serizawa flinched as the king gently cupped his slender hands over his own large, trembling ones. "Serizawa, I'm fine. All you did was knock over a few things in my room, and you fixed it right away. Let's not act like anything worse happened, okay?"

Serizawa wanted to refute, but the kind yet firm look in the king's eyes told him that he would not hear a word of it. He took a shaky breath before nodding, and the king smiled at him.

"I believe you were trying to tell me something?"

Serizawa's eyes widened as he recalled what had triggered his outburst in the first place. "I'm so sorry my lord, I... I can't believe I raised my voice at you..."

"Me neither," the king said with a gentle laugh. "You're always so timid, so it caught me off guard."

Serizawa bowed his head in shame. Losing his temper like that was both childish and beyond disrespectful. Some kings would even consider it treasonous, though King Reigen was always too forgiving.

"I still don't understand why you'd say those things," the king admitted, tracing his thumbs around Serizawa's knuckles. "I don't see the appeal in a life like that, to be quite honest. But I suppose there's no denying how strongly you feel about it."

"I really do want to stay with you," Serizawa said softly. "For as long as you'll have me, I'll gladly remain at your side and protect you."

When the king flinched and let go of his hands, Serizawa feared that he'd said something far too honest for his liking.

"I'm sorry if I shouldn't have said that, my lord. Perhaps that wasn't proper of me."

"No, no, it's just..." The king glanced off to the side, chewing his lip. "...Before you say those kinds of things, there is something you should know about me."

Serizawa tilted his head curiously. "Yes, my lord?"

The king scratched his head with one hand. "Well, ah... there's two things, actually. Maybe we should sit down for this." He went over to the edge of his bed and sat down with a heavy sigh before patting beside him.

Sitting next to the king on his fancy bed felt far too improper, but by now Serizawa knew there was no point in mentioning that to him. When he sat down, the bed creaked under his clumsy weight and he felt even more out of place. But he waited for the king to gather his words.

"I am going to tell you two things about me that I have hidden from the rest of the world. The only other person who knows the truth is Mob... and I suppose the rest of my family."

Serizawa felt his heart pound with anxiety. "Wh-Why are you trusting me with this?"

"Because you deserve to know, Serizawa. I can't stand there and hear you talk about wanting to be with me when I've been lying to you this whole time."

"...What... have you been lying about?"

The king drew a deep breath. "First of all, I don't have any magic powers."

Out of all the things the king could have said, Serizawa wasn't expecting that at all.

"Oh. I see."

The king blinked at him. "You're taking that awfully well."

He was, wasn't he? How often had Serizawa heard the king proclaim to have immense powers beyond everyone's perception? And yet... "I suppose I have never seen you use magic even after all this time. I have also never seen your aura, although I assumed you knew how to hide yours somehow. But my lord, why would you lie about something like this? And how did you defeat the previous king without any magic?"

"...The answer to those questions lies in the second truth you should know about me."

"What is it, my lord?"

King Reigen winced. "About that, Serizawa... I am not actually from noble blood at all. "

Serizawa frowned as he tried to process the implications of this. "...What do you mean? Was your father actually a commoner at first, but gifted with dukedom by his king?"

"No, he was never a duke or any of those fancy titles. The Reigen family is full of respected merchants, but... we have never been anything more than mere commoners."

...What?

The king glanced up at Serizawa, a nervous smile on his lips. Perhaps he was hoping for some reassurance, but Serizawa was honestly too stunned to do anything but stare back at him like he'd grown a second head. He didn't know how to feel about this revelation. Just how deep did this lie go? What did this say about King Reigen exactly?

Had he been manipulated by the person he trusted most once again?

The king's smile faded at Serizawa's prolonged silence and he lowered his gaze in shame, but he continued to speak.

"Since our father was a merchant, my sister and I grew up fairly well. But when I was still young, the trading business fell on hard times. My sister was quite older than me, but after my parents married her off and paid her dowry, they had no money left for my education. I wanted to learn, though. To me, knowing how to read and write was the key to becoming someone successful. So I made a deal with the son of a duke who didn't want to go to school at all. While he fucked off every day to do god knows what, I took his identity and went to school in his place. Guess that was pretty lucky of me, right?"

Serizawa slowly nodded, half-expecting the king to laugh and say he was just kidding about everything he'd just said, but the king had never sounded this serious before.

"The ruse went well, but I didn't stop there even after finishing my education. Pretending to be of noble blood let me mingle with the upper class who would otherwise want nothing to do with me, and plenty of them were more than happy to part with their money over the littlest things. All I had to do was play the part of a royal advisor and they'd pay me in riches and jewels. But eventually my family found out what I was doing, and they were horrified. It got to the point where my father disowned me."

Serizawa couldn't hold back his gasp of horror, but the king waved his hand dismissively.

"Ah, I don't blame him at all. If my lies had been exposed, our whole family would have been ruined. He even wrote to me a few months ago, saying he thought he was protecting me this way. He thought disowning me would scare me into stopping for my own good. But I was selfish and stubborn, I just couldn't bear to live the boring lives my family lived even though it was honest work. I was a reckless fool who only wanted to chase what I thought was exciting."

The king sighed wistfully.

"Somewhere down the line, I ended up in Seasoning Province. I added 'mage' to my list of fake titles, and that lie led Mob into my life. He was looking for someone to teach him how to control his powers, so I spent a few years pretending to do just that. But then one day he and his brother went missing... King Ishiguro's doing, as you know. I smooth-talked my way into the castle and broke all the kids out, but the king and his forces got in the way."

There was a long pause as a heaviness clouded the king's face.

"I don't exactly remember what happened after that, really. I remember trying to tell Mob and the others to run away and not fight back, but then someone slashed at me from behind with a sword. It hurt like hell at first, but then I suddenly felt better and was able to get up. It was like nothing had happened at all, except I know that's not true because I still have the scar from it. And the weirdest part of all? I actually had powers for once."

Serizawa was confused again, and it evidently showed on his face because the king chuckled a little.

"I believe Mob was behind it somehow. Perhaps that was his way of letting a trusted adult deal with the situation for him. Regardless, I made the army stand down and tried to get Ishiguro to see reason for once, but he was too stubborn for his own good and kept attacking me. I'm honestly not sure how I beat him, but I guess with a combination of Mob's raw strength and me just not wanting to die... I ended up overthrowing the king and taking his place."

The king gave a rather wet laugh.

"And there you have it, Serizawa. That's the full truth about me. I apologize for keeping it from you for so long. It was cruel of me, especially knowing what Suzuki did to you. In a way, I did just the same, and I am truly sorry. You may do whatever you want with the truth, expose me to the world if that would help."

"...That would not help," Serizawa murmured. "That would just be petty revenge."

"Sometimes revenge can be satisfying when it involves giving people what they deserve."

"Well I don't want that. I just want to know why you became king."

"Huh? I just told you. I defeated Ishiguro with Mob's powers, and since everyone thought I was of noble blood, I became king."

"Surely it was not an automatic process. What if you had refused to become king?"

"...I did turn it down at first," King Reigen admitted. "Despite all my lies, I knew someone like me didn't belong in a position of authority. But the people begged me to take it. Ishiguro had disposed of all other nobility to keep himself in full control, so if I didn't take his place, a mad struggle for power would break out. People from all over would rush in to fill his spot, war would start, and the people were terrified of that. So I said yes. I told myself I'd just do it for a few years until I could find a replacement, but... living in a castle with all my needs tended to has been wonderful, as lazy and self-indulgent as it is to say."

Serizawa stared down at his lap. "...I see. Thank you for telling me this."

"There is nothing to thank me for, Serizawa. If anything, whatever it is you decide to do now, I shall do anything I can to help—"

Serizawa stood up abruptly. "No, that won't be necessary."

"A-Ah, right. You don't need my help, of course."

"That is not true, my lord."

The king froze before choking out a laugh. "You don't need to call me that. Anyway, what is it that you want?"

Serizawa didn't say anything. Instead, he moved in front of the king before bending down on one knee, keeping his head bowed in deference.

The king cried out in alarm and stood up, flailing his hands about. "Oi, stop that! What on earth are you doing?!"

"I am swearing my utmost loyalty to you, my lord."

"Have you gone mad, Serizawa?! Weren't you listening to me?! I lied to you! I lied to everyone!!!"

"I have heard your confession, my lord. But what I said before all of this has not changed. For as long as I live, I shall gladly remain at your side as your guard and companion."

The man spluttered above him. "I'm not even a real king! I don't deserve this title!"

"A king looks after his people, does he not?"

"That's—"

"Selfish lies may have brought you here, but you earned your title when you protected the children of this province. That noble deed was no lie."

The king scoffed. "Protecting children is the bare minimum! Any human being would have done that!"

"King Ishiguro and King Suzuki would say otherwise. But even still, I have seen firsthand how much you go out of your way to help your people. Most royalty would just reap the fruits of their luxury, but you leave your castle almost every day to help them."

"...I have to play the part of ruler as convincingly as possible, right?" King Reigen said with a weak laugh. "I mean, I don't have powers. If the people didn't like me, then they could easily overthrow me."

Serizawa slowly got to his feet. "My lord, you cannot convince me that that is the only reason for your generosity. But even if it was, that would not change the fact that you have helped so many people, including me. I would not be the man I am today without you and your kindness, you're a good man and there's nothing you could say that would change my mind."

The king was quiet now, his voice a soft trembling whisper. "So even after everything I just told you... you still...?"

"I still want to stay with you," Serizawa said with conviction, offering his hands to him. "If you will have me, at least."

The king looked down at Serizawa's rugged hands, laughing incredulously, before gently holding them like they were something to be treasured. "Of course I want you here, is that even a question? You're the best thing that's happened to me ever since I became king."

Serizawa blushed madly. "M-My lord..."

"Yes, my Katsuya?"

Serizawa jolted with a loud squeak and the king snickered.

"Too much?"

"N-No my lord, I just didn't expect that..."

"I suppose that means I should start accustoming you to it, Katsuya. "

The king turned one of Serizawa's hands over and bent down to kiss the back of his fingers. Serizawa squeaked again and felt his heart skip a beat as the king laughed even harder. He had a wistful thought then, a thought that he would like to hear that sound for the rest of his life.

The king sighed happily and leaned his head forward, resting his cheek against Serizawa's hammering chest as he laced their fingers together. "Oh Katsuya, I never thought I could ever feel so comfortable around someone before I met you. You've always been so kind and sweet no matter how much you've worked hard to change yourself for the better. And I know you've been making new experiences in life for yourself, but I just can't help but want to share all of them with you. Is that all right?"

The guard smiled fondly down at his king, his face pink with delight.

"That would make me the happiest man on earth, my lord."