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“You did what?”
“I destroyed an entire island, Your Highness.”
Cale delivered the report with a casual smile, as though he were informing Alberu about the weather rather than the disappearance of a landmass.
Looking back, Alberu should have recognized the warning signs the moment he saw that smile for the first time.
At the very least, he should have become suspicious when Cale somehow managed to speak about disasters with the same tone other people used to discuss lunch.
If it had only happened once, Alberu would have understood.
Cale Henituse was fighting a secret organization, after all. Extraordinary situations were bound to occur.
The problem was that it never stopped.
Every few months, Cale would return with another unbelievable report that somehow surpassed the previous one.
In hindsight, Alberu should have realized things were spiraling out of control when Cale requested enough money to purchase an entire Magic Tower.
At the time, he had assumed there was a reasonable explanation.
That assumption had been his first mistake.
“What is this?”
“Dead mana from a dragon.”
‘Now why are you telling me this with such a straight face?’
The redhead had also discovered Alberu’s secret of being a dark elf. Yet instead of using it against him or trying to gain leverage from it, Cale had simply helped him.
Back then, Alberu had not paid much attention to the strange feeling in his chest.
The slight skip of his heartbeat.
The ease with which he trusted Cale, how his gaze always followed him.
Looking back now, the signs had been painfully obvious.
And then there had been that day.
The day Cale stood laughing like a complete lunatic while covered in his own blood.
For a brief moment, Alberu had forgotten how to breathe.
The sight had filled him with a terror so intense that it drowned out everything else.
Only afterward did he realize what that terror meant.
‘Fuck.’
The curse slipped through his mind as heat rushed to his face and his heart pounded wildly against his ribs.
‘Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. No.’
His hands clenched.
‘Why?’
Of all the people in the world—
‘Why him?!’
It was on that day that Alberu Crossman realized something truly terrible.
He had fallen in love with Cale Henituse.
—
“Ah, and I may explode to death in three days if things go wrong.”
Cale delivered the statement with a perfectly straight face, choosing the shortest and simplest explanation possible. There was no time to dance around the issue, and after everything that had happened, he felt it would be kinder to spare Alberu the details.
After all, he had already dropped three disasters on the Crown Prince one after another.
Surely concise explanations were easier to process.
“I love you.”
“Huh?”
The response was unexpected…
Alberu looked just as stunned as he did, as though the words had escaped his mouth before his brain had the chance to stop them. For a brief moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Alberu slowly covered his face with one hand.
Cale stared.
The silence only grew more awkward.
“I will leave you two alone.”
Eruhaben suddenly spoke up.
His ancient eyes moved between the two men, lingering on Alberu for a moment longer than necessary. The Dragon seemed to reach some sort of conclusion before letting out a quiet sigh and shaking his head.
Now, the only ones left inside the tent were the two of them and an unconscious black dragon currently going through his first growth stage.
“Your Highness?”
Cale called out carefully.
For perhaps the first time in a long while, he genuinely did not know how to react. The situation was too unexpected, and judging by Alberu's behavior, the Crown Prince was struggling just as much.
His gaze wandered around the tent, lingering on everything except Cale. He examined the wooden table, the lamp, the sleeping dragon, and even a random crease in the tent fabric.
Eventually, Alberu brushed a hand over his face and let out a heavy sigh.
It was already too late.
The words had been spoken, and there was no pretending otherwise.
“I love you.”
“So I heard.”
Cale's response came immediately, causing Alberu to close his eyes for a brief moment.
Of course that was what Cale chose to say.
“I believe I may have panicked slightly.”
The corner of Cale's lips twitched.
“Slightly?”
Alberu ignored the comment entirely. Instead he closed the distance, his eyes landed on the dragon, bundled up in a blanket. Cale had carried him the entire battle.
This frail man, whose arms were shaking and now covered in his own blood.
Really, that redhead carried too many burdens.
“I am aware it's inappropriate and not the right time.”
His hand shifted towards Cale’s cheek. At their first touch Cale flinched and Alberu froze for a second before finally cupping it fully.
“That’s why…let me help.”
That crazy bastard had said if anything went wrong he would die so casually.
Cale took a step back, his head turning away, shifting to the exit of the tent for a second.
This prince bastard had lost it. Completely.
Perhaps he should have only told him about the possibility of dying.
‘Crazy just crazy.’
“You can't leave your duties for three days.”
Alberu let out a quiet huff before a smirk spread across his face.
It was one Cale immediately disliked.
The crown prince noticed that fact and promptly ignored it.
“Does the thought drive you crazy?”
Yes.
Absolutely.
Not only because Alberu wanted to follow him, but also because the crown prince had just confessed his feelings.
Given that Cale remained silent, merely biting his lip instead of answering, Alberu took it as confirmation.
“You won’t change my mind, Cale.”
Cale let out a groan.
Was this some kind of revenge?
Judging by the satisfied smile on Alberu's face, the answer was yes.
This was the crown prince's way of getting back at him.
Still, Cale couldn't ignore the faint tremor in Alberu's pupils. Beneath that smirk, the crown prince was worried.
“I expect my commander title to be removed, plenty of money as a reward, and absolutely no medals.”
“You punk.” Alberu snorted. “To think you're the famous Young Master Silver Shield.”
“I despise that title.”
—
Cale was in pain.
No.
If Alberu had not known what was happening, he would have thought Cale was dying right before his eyes.
The redhead had succeeded in obtaining the Water Ancient Power and was now balancing his plate.
The process was nothing short of horrific.
‘Why must he suffer this much?’
Blood flowed not only from Cale's mouth but from every other opening as well. His body trembled violently from the unbearable pain, and the worst part was that he remained conscious throughout the entire ordeal.
His eyes were still clear.
Even now, when he could no longer speak. Alberu knew exactly what Cale was trying to say.
Leave.
The stubborn fool did not want anyone to see him in this state.
“You bastard. Who would leave you when you're in this condition?”
Alberu felt terrible.
His heart ached, yet at the same time, it felt strangely hollow.
He had insisted on accompanying Cale so that the young master would not have to shoulder everything alone. And yet, all Alberu had done was follow behind him.
There was nothing he could do except remain at Cale's side.
Even that had been difficult in the beginning, because it was not only Cale who had wanted him to leave.
Ron had as well.
The old butler had sat in silence ever since they returned, a dagger never leaving his hand. He calmly polished it, occasionally twirling it between his fingers, though his gaze never once left Cale.
“Uuugh…”
Alberu's attention immediately snapped back.
With every ounce of strength he could muster, Cale slowly reached a trembling hand toward him.
Alberu did not hesitate. He immediately took the fragile hand into his own. Until now, he had been too afraid to touch Cale, worried that even the slightest contact would only add to his pain.
But this time...
He held on without a second thought.
“Human, we will stay by your side.”
The little dragon curled up next to Cale without hesitation.
Now, Cale could feel the warmth of both Raon and the crown prince beside him.
—
At some point, Alberu had fallen asleep.
He did not know when exhaustion had overtaken him, but the moment his eyes opened, they immediately searched for Cale.
The redhead was awake.
Something was different.
“Y-your...Highness.”
A trembling hand slowly reached up and gripped Alberu's shoulder, barely possessing enough strength to hold on.
“Hehe.”
Raon suddenly let out a delighted laugh.
“Meat.”
This time, the word came out clearly, without the stuttering from before.
Cale's voice, however, remained incredibly weak.
“If you...love me...”
He paused to catch his breath.
“Meat...pork…cicken.”
Silence filled the room. Alberu stared at Cale for a long moment before letting out a quiet laugh, one filled with relief more than amusement.
“Yes, of course.”
Before Alberu even had the chance to rise from his chair, Cale pulled him closer and pressed a light, almost careless peck to his lips.
Alberu froze completely.
He had not been prepared for that in the slightest, and the sudden contact sent heat rushing to his face in a way he had no time to control.
Alberu exhaled once, then immediately grabbed both sides of Cale’s head as if deciding that restraint was no longer an option. He kissed him back without hesitation, pulling him down with him until they both lost balance and fell onto the bed.
The moment the kiss broke, Alberu looked entirely too satisfied with himself, already leaning in as though ready to continue.
However, Cale lightly pressed his finger against Alberu’s lips, then looked at Raon. Alberu, confused, followed Cale’s gaze—but it landed not on the dragon, but on Vicross, who had just opened the door.
Right behind him was Ron.
“Ho. Someone seems to have a death wish.”