“I’ll make the decision. The two of you, leave,” Ail cut in, interrupting Kamiel’s attempt to steer the conversation. Ruth tilted his head, looking at Ail curiously.

“It would be better to hear their opinions. I’m not very familiar with Clozium’s geography.”

“I know enough. Just leave.”

Ail’s sharp tone left no room for argument. Kamiel and Jessie exchanged resigned glances before offering a polite farewell and leaving the room. Ruth, left standing awkwardly by the door, approached Ail with the map in hand. He spread it out on the table in front of Ail and began explaining while pointing to various marked spots.

“The shortest route from Yorkhen to Karileum is through the mountains. However, given the rainy season, it might be better to use the valleys…”

As Ruth earnestly went over the map, Ail’s focus wasn’t on the details or even the map itself. His gaze was fixed on Ruth’s face, and his hand moved to gently stroke Ruth’s hair. Feeling the soft touch, Ruth glanced up at him.

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Do as you see fit. You’re the one in charge, aren’t you?” Ail replied.

“This is Clozium. We need to prepare for contingencies. While the map shows no immediate issues, the season—”

“Enough. Just handle it,” Ail interrupted, clearly uninterested in the logistics. Instead, he gestured for Ruth to come closer.

“Come here.”

Ruth sighed, understanding Ail’s intentions all too well. “I still have things to sort out.”

“Leave it. The route’s the same regardless. You’ve already chosen a guide and planned the path; there’s nothing more to verify.”

Ail wasn’t wrong. The route had been decided, and Ruth was only following standard protocol by presenting the plan. Still, Ail showed no interest in hearing further details.

“Do you have something else you want to discuss?”

“Yes,” Ail answered simply.

If he had something to say, he could have spoken from his seat, but Ail stubbornly insisted on having Ruth move closer. Reluctantly, Ruth approached, and Ail wasted no time pulling him into his lap. Wrapping his arms around Ruth’s waist, Ail leaned his head against Ruth’s shoulder.

“What did you talk about with Lyman?”

Ruth’s body stiffened slightly at the question, but he quickly relaxed and answered. “We only spoke briefly. I took measures to delay his return to Karileum as much as possible.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

Satisfied with the response, Ail nodded. After a moment’s thought, his expression darkened. “Your mother sent me some of Lyman Kaizel’s confidential documents and correspondence.”

Ruth leaned back slightly, his curiosity piqued. “My mother did?”

“Yes. I plan to use them to pressure him. Not to accuse him of treason—I won’t kill him so easily. I’ve been through too much trouble to let him off lightly. As much as I’d like to tear him apart right now, he’s still useful. Instead, I’ll quietly recover what we lost from Virel.”

Ail’s unexpectedly pragmatic approach left Ruth shaking his head slightly as he ran his fingers through Ail’s hair. “He tried to harm Your Highness. That’s treason. He must face the consequences.”

Ruth believed firmly in justice—that crimes should be met with appropriate punishment. His father’s actions were indefensible, and Ruth had accepted that retribution was inevitable. His return to Karileum was made with that understanding in mind.

Sensing Ruth’s thoughts, Ail tightened his grip around Ruth’s waist, pulling him closer with such force that Ruth let out a small gasp. As Ruth tried to adjust to the constricting embrace, Ail leaned in and brushed his lips against the soft skin of Ruth’s neck. He then abruptly bit down, hard enough to draw blood.

“Ah!” Ruth cried out at the unexpected pain, twisting his body in an attempt to pull away. It wasn’t a playful nibble—it hurt enough to sting and bleed. Ruth struggled, but Ail’s firm hold on his waist kept him from escaping.

“Let me go. That hurts,” Ruth protested.

When Ruth, irritated by the unfamiliar pain, protested, Ail began licking the wound again. Blood seemed to have seeped out, and Ail was licking it up. The sensation sent a chill down Ruth’s spine. Feeling unsettled and genuinely frightened of Ail for the first time in a while, Ruth tried to push him away in earnest, but Ail spoke.

“If the Kaizel family is charged with treason, you won’t be able to return to Karileum either. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of using that as an excuse to run away again?”

Realizing Ail’s suspicion, Ruth clicked his tongue in frustration and frowned. Ail was truly a man who doubted everything without reason.

“If that were the case, would I have volunteered to command the knights Order? I’m not that irresponsible.”

“You never know. You initially said you were stopping by Vera, so maybe you planned to disappear from there.”

Ruth suddenly understood why Ail had taken the longer route instead of the direct one. He’d thought it was to avoid additional troublesome checkpoints, but it turned out Ail was worried he might run away. What an overly suspicious, worrisome, cunning, and devious man. Ruth couldn’t fathom how he had fallen for someone like this. Clearly, he had his own issues.

“Am I really that untrustworthy?”

“Completely. Rock bottom. Someone who’s run away once can do it again.”

“That’s only because Your Highness was so cruel to me back then.”

“I’m going to keep being cruel.”

Ruth was at a loss for words at Ail’s unapologetic declaration that he intended to continue tormenting him. It almost made Ruth consider running away again.

“If you keep this up, I really might run away.”

“Try it. I’ll catch you and cut off your arms and legs.”

At the chilling proclamation, Ruth couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh.

“If you do that, I’ll die from blood loss.”

“Then I’ll cut them off one at a time.”

Hearing Ail mutter this seriously, Ruth let out a deep sigh.

“… If I ever get caught after running away, I might as well just kill myself.”

“If you do, all your friends will die too. To keep you company, I’ll put your mother, sister, and all your friends in the same coffin with you.”

Ail was someone who would actually carry out such threats. Realizing this, Ruth gave up discussing the matter any further.

“… Stop thinking about things like that and focus on cleaning up the mess instead.”

At this, Ail finally pulled his lips away from Ruth’s neck. The stinging sensation remained, and Ruth looked at Ail with an aggrieved expression. Ail, however, only smiled brightly and planted a soft kiss on Ruth’s cheek this time.

“I’ve already thought it all through.”

“And what are you planning to do?”

Even if Ail managed to handle everything flawlessly, attacks from all sides were inevitable. Ruth couldn’t imagine a way to clean up the mess Ail had created. Although he trusted Ail’s ability to manage the situation, he knew it wouldn’t be easy.

As Ruth stared at him with a worried expression, Ail changed the subject with a smile.

“More importantly, you still haven’t answered me.”

“About what?”

“My marriage. Do you want me to get married?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ruth averted his gaze. It was a topic he didn’t want to discuss, one he tried to avoid, but Ail persistently sought an answer.

“That’s not something up for discussion. It’s inevitable.”

“What if it weren’t inevitable?”

“There’s no point in hypotheticals.”

As Ruth continued to avoid his gaze, Ail grabbed his chin, forcing him to look directly at him. With an unwavering stare, Ail repeated the question, slowly and deliberately.

“Answer me again. I won’t accept a vague reply. Do you want me to get married?”

“… I don’t want to answer.”

When Ruth tried to avert his gaze again, Ail tightened his grip, holding Ruth’s gaze firmly. Forcing their eyes to meet, Ail pressed on.

“Answer me. That’s an order.”

Though he shouldn’t have had to say it aloud, Ail’s relentless insistence drove Ruth to send him a resentful glare.

“Do you enjoy tormenting me?”

“I do. So, if you want to end my fun, just answer. Do you want me to get married?”

Ail’s incessant questioning finally ignited Ruth’s stubbornness.

“… How would Your Highness feel if I said I wanted to marry someone?”

“You can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because your bride would die before the ceremony.”

“… Don’t say things like that so lightly.”

“It’s not just easy to say—it’s easy to do. If you want to save those ladies’ lives, all you have to do is behave yourself.”

“And yet, you’re saying you’ll still get married?”
Ruth glared at Ail with indignation, and for the first time, amusement flickered in Ail’s eyes.

“That’s why I’m asking.”

“If I say I don’t want you to, will you not do it?”

“I won’t.”

“How?”

“I’ll make Nathan my heir. After all, marriage is for securing an heir unless there’s a strategic reason for it. As for any other noise, I’ll keep the ministers so busy they won’t have time to complain.”

“… Do you really think that’s possible?”

“I’ll make it possible. Fine, let’s say it’s not. If it’s not, what will you do? Push me into getting married? If I do, I’ll have children—at least three sons. Can you live with the idea of me marrying another woman, sleeping with her, and having children with her?”

At Ail’s shockingly specific explanation, pain began to cloud Ruth’s eyes. Seeing the genuine hurt there, Ail smiled cruelly. This was the reaction he wanted. If Ruth had brushed the issue off as if it didn’t matter, Ail had planned to push until he made him cry. And once Ruth cried, he could comfort him. ^[1]T/L note: Sadistic bastard.

He despised the idea of Ruth being hurt by someone else, but if he was the one inflicting the wounds, he welcomed it.

Wounds were a mark—proof that Ruth thought only of him, suffered only for him, and carried scars etched deeply into his soul, never to fade. That thought brought Ail greater satisfaction than any fleeting pleasure. He would tear Ruth apart emotionally, only to mend him again with love and care. That was far better and more efficient than being ignored or seeing Ruth turn away from him.

Smiling as he gazed into Ruth’s eyes, Ail waited leisurely for his response. But Ruth remained silent for a long time, staring into Ail’s cold and calculating gaze. After what felt like an eternity, Ruth finally spoke with difficulty.

“… Let me raise the children instead.”

At Ruth’s long-awaited response, Ail sighed as if exhausted. Then he scowled at Ruth, his irritation evident.

“You’re so damn difficult to deal with.”

“… I don’t like clinging to impossible hopes.”

“Why do you give up before you even try?”

“Because some things just can’t be done.”

Though Ruth’s stubborn response infuriated him, Ail forced himself to stay calm this time. Losing his temper would only lead to another argument, and he had learned how to handle Ruth better. As Ruth’s mother once said, the more you push Ruth, the more he pushes back. Gentle persuasion worked far better.

“Just be honest. Don’t think about anything else. Don’t assume it’s impossible. Answer me: are you okay with me getting married?”

Ail’s softened tone caused Ruth’s gaze to waver briefly. As if deep in thought, Ruth hesitated. When Ail urged him again, Ruth sighed as if giving up.

“I don’t like it. I don’t want you to get married.”

At last, Ail’s eyes lit up, his golden irises shimmering brilliantly with delight. Ruth regretted not saying it sooner—seeing Ail this happy made him realize his stubbornness had been pointless. It always came down to this. Ruth was obstinate and frustrating, while Ail was persistent. Though they wanted the same things, their communication often faltered.

Realizing this, Ruth smiled bitterly, only for Ail to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“I knew it. Of course, you’d feel that way.”

Ail’s genuine, boyish grin made Ruth laugh softly. At moments like this, he seemed no older than eighteen.

“So, you’re really not going to do it?”

“I won’t.”

“But you already announced your engagement to Salina.”

“I’ll overturn it.”

“And how do you plan to manage that in this situation?”

“That’s what my brain is for.”

When Ail kissed him again and muttered this, Ruth’s expression hardened slightly.

“What scheme are you plotting this time?”

“Politics is just a battle of wits. All you have to do is trust me and wait.”

Though Ruth had doubts about whether Ail’s plan would succeed, he didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Ail’s neck and continued their tender kiss.