As the sun gradually began to set, Ruth finally returned to the mansion, wearing a black cloak and hurriedly heading to his room. He couldn’t face anyone until the next day, as his face was a mess. Though he had stopped by a doctor in the city on his way back for some basic treatment, his condition was still dreadful.

Intending to skip dinner, he walked briskly down the hallway. Just ahead, he was spotted by Kamiel, who was running toward him. He recognized him with his head lowered and shouted out.

“Ruth!”

“Ah, um…”

With his hair too short to hide his face, Ruth quickly lowered his head even more. He was a little worried Kamiel would find it strange, but fortunately, he didn’t seem to care much about his appearance. Instead, he just came closer and grabbed his arm, pulling him along.

“Where have you been?”

“I had something to take care of…”

Ruth answered softly, apologetically, but Kamiel didn’t seem to listen. He just kept pulling him along, walking briskly ahead.

“There’s been a huge commotion. His Highness woke up and started looking for you, but no matter how hard we looked, we couldn’t find you. His Highness thought you had disappeared again and started causing a scene! The whole mansion was turned upside down, and I thought Jessie and I were going to be killed!”

“…But it’s not time for him to wake up yet…”

“Who cares about that?!”

Kamiel seemed to be flustered, speaking incoherently. He must have been exhausted from dealing with Ail’s sudden outburst after not knowing Ruth had disappeared, and he was probably also shocked by the fact that Ruth was missing.

“I just went out for a bit.”

“You should have at least told us! You can’t just leave on your own in a situation like this! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”

Ruth couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had gone to meet Lyman with the Red Scorpion, so he kept his mouth shut. When they finally reached Ail’s room, Ruth flinched at the noise coming from inside and frowned. Something was crashing, and there was chaos.

“Go in.”

Kamiel, looking as if he was startled by the noise, stepped back. Ruth sighed.

“It seems like he’s fully recovered…”

“Yeah. At this point, I kind of wish he would just stay in bed for a few more days.”

Kamiel was thoroughly disgusted. The normally quiet, emotionless Ail had started having seizures as soon as he woke up. He had immediately shouted for Ruth to be found, and when he couldn’t be found, he had thrown the room into chaos, making a mess of everything and nearly killing everyone in the mansion. In that moment, Kamiel had desperately wished Ail would faint again. He had even suggested the doctors give him a sleeping pill, but Ail had kicked them all out and, still fuming, vowed to kill Ruth.

Just when it seemed like they were about to meet again, the cycle of life and death began anew.

“Go inside quickly.”

Kamiel poked Ruth in the side, urging him, and Ruth reluctantly pushed the door open. Hearing the sound of the door slamming, he entered the room and sighed as he saw Ail, wrapped in bandages, causing a ruckus. It seemed that Ail had a habit of throwing things when his emotions exploded.

“Stop it.”

Ruth’s low voice echoed, and Ail turned toward him. As their eyes met, he could read a multitude of emotions in his gaze—unease, worry, and anger, as if he didn’t know what to do. When Ruth took a step closer, Ail, who had been standing in the dim room, rushed toward him. Crossing the room in an instant, Ail wrapped his arms around his shoulders in a completely different voice from the previous fierce tone.

“You’re really… so much trouble.”

His voice was tinged with a mixture of frustration, longing, and perhaps even a hint of anger, and Ruth realized how much he had been worrying about him. At the same time, he understood how little he trusted him. He had always been confident and full of bravado, but this fragile side of him was both endearing and pitiable. He reached out to embrace him.

“I’m sorry.”

“I came all the way here to see you. Don’t make me lose you again. Please, don’t do anything stupid.”

His voice was full of desperation, and Ruth closed his eyes, surrendering himself to his embrace. He didn’t want to lose him either. Their feelings for each other were the same.

“…I won’t do it again.”

While Ruth was sincerely apologizing, Ail’s breathing became ragged. His muffled groans and irregular breaths echoed in his ear. Realizing he was nearing his physical limit, Ruth quickly moved to his side. As he did, Ail, who had barely been holding himself up by leaning on him, collapsed. Ruth reached out and held him, guiding him toward the bed. Avoiding the debris of objects Ail had thrown, he managed to get him to the bed. He was about to help him lie down when Ail suddenly looked at his face and frowned.

“Why does your face look like that?”

“…Ah…”

“What happened? Why did you go out?”

Ail’s interrogation began. After pushing back his robe, he touched Ruth’s cheek, and his eyes seemed to spark with anger. Seeing him truly upset, Ruth hesitated for a moment, wondering how to explain, but in the end, he decided to tell the truth. After all, he knew he couldn’t lie to him.

“I met my father.”

At his response, Ail’s hand, which had been touching his cheek, froze.

“…Did he do this to you?”

“Yes.”

At Ruth’s confirmation, a murderous aura briefly appeared on Ail’s face.

“I’ll kill him…”

Knowing full well who Ail meant, Ruth calmly responded.

“He’s already gone.”

“I’ll kill him before that. Did he ever hurt you before?”

Ruth shook his head at his question. While Eilen had been violent with him, this was the first time Lyman had laid a hand on him. That alone showed how much he was struggling with his own insecurities.

“Just rest. You made a mess while I was gone? You’re in good condition for someone injured. Just lie down quietly.”

“How could I lie down when I woke up and didn’t see you? I thought you’d run away again, so I sent the mercenaries after you.”

Ruth bitterly smiled at his words. At his smile, Ail furrowed his brows in displeasure.

“Seems like you still have the energy to laugh. If you had come back a little later, I really would have killed you. I felt like I was losing my mind with anger… and then you return and say you were going to kill yourself… I really want to kill you now.”

“I wasn’t going to kill myself…”

“Then why did you go to meet Lyman Kaizel?”

“I just had to buy some time. There were things I wanted to confirm. And above all… I don’t do things like suicide.”

“Meeting someone who is clearly going to kill themselves in a place like this, alone, is just suicide disguised as murder.”

Ail lifted Ruth’s chin, looking into his eyes. There was quiet but intense anger in his gaze. Even in his reproachful look, as if blaming him for wanting to die, Ruth gazed at him with affection. Whether he was angry with him or criticizing him, just the fact that he could look into his eyes made him happy.

“I just needed to… clear things up. Who in this world would want to die?”

“You.”

“…If I had truly wanted to die, I would have gone alone. I went with the Red Scorpions, so I hope you understand that I didn’t plan to die.”

“Trust the Red Scorpions? They were the ones who wanted to kill you. Don’t tell me you trusted those people who kill for money, whose faces you don’t even know. Don’t feed me that nonsense. I won’t fall for such lies. If you deceive me, I’ll kill you.”

At those words, Ruth bitterly smiled, his eyes filled with tears.

“…Your Highness, you lie all the time.”

“Not to you.”

“That’s true.”

Once the conversation reached this point, Ail, feeling guilty, finally fell silent. There were too many things he could not justify. If he started explaining each one, it would take days to get through it all.

“I won’t do it again. So, don’t try to deceive me either. Stupid lies won’t work on someone like me.”

“…I don’t lie.”

“You don’t lie and tell the truth, you just don’t speak at all. I can see through you. I know your stubbornness.”

At that moment, Ruth relaxed and let out a quiet laugh.

“I know well how bad of a person you are. You don’t hesitate to deceive others.”

“Yeah, I’m a bad guy. I know. So, get used to it. I won’t change.”

Ruth laughed in disbelief, his eyes filled with tears. There probably wasn’t another man who could say such indifferent words so confidently. He wouldn’t change, nor did he want to, and he expected him to adapt. He was selfish, narrow-minded, and shameless. But somehow, he didn’t mind. At least for now, he found comfort in his unchanging demeanor.

“People change after facing death, but you’re still the same.”

“I don’t trust people who change. Once I make a decision, I don’t reverse it until I die. So, believe me. At least the things I’ve said to you, I’ll keep my word on.”

This was the most unconvincing thing Ruth had ever heard. Yet, he found himself accepting it. For once, pretending to believe might not be so bad. Just the fact that he was here, awake and in front of him, made all the lingering resentment seem to fade away.

Ail, who had quietly lifted Ruth’s chin and was looking into his eyes, whispered seriously as he gazed at his face.

“Don’t even think about dying or escaping recklessly. If you die somewhere without me seeing it, I will never forgive you.”

Ruth wanted to ask him, “Who are you to say such things to someone who was about to die just a moment ago?” But he held back. He slowly collapsed into Ail’s arms, unable to resist. Holding him close, Ail asked,

“Has Lyman Kaizel left?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s about time for me to move as well.”

“Not yet.”

“No. I need to leave here before you run away again.”

At that, Ruth let out a small laugh. However, as he rested his head against Ail’s chest, he could feel a stain beginning to form. It was a mixture of relief, happiness, and a sharp pain in his heart. The realization that his time with the man he loved was running out made his throat tighten.

“Don’t cry. I’m not good at comforting crying children.”

“You don’t need to. And I’m not a child. I’m eight years older than you, Your Highness.”

Ruth murmured this while tears streamed down his face. Seeing him so, Ail raised his hand and gently brushed his hair.

“You don’t look older than me.”

“And you don’t look younger than me either. From the start, you didn’t.”

“Did you have your eye on me since I was thirteen?”

“It’s not that… I was scared. I’m still scared of you.”

“I’m most afraid of you dying or getting hurt,” Ruth silently repeated in him mind. His words, full of sincerity, made Ail grab his chin and lift his face to force him to look up. As their eyes met, Ail furrowed his brow in pained expression as he looked at Ruth’s tear-streaked face.

“Stop crying.”

His voice, firm yet sweet, resonated as Ail’s lips touched Ruth’s cheek. Then, he trailed a path from his eyelid to the corner of his mouth, licking it.

“Keep being afraid. It’s the right thing. That way, at least, you won’t run away recklessly again.”

With those words, Ail kissed him deeply. Ruth, still clinging to him, wrapped his arms around his neck and closed his eyes. The sensation of his cracked, dry lips at first felt rough and sharp, but as their warmth and saliva mixed, it became softer.

What began as a light greeting soon became more intense. With each deepening kiss, both of their breaths became heavier. Ail, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, pushed Ruth down onto the bed. As he groped his chest over his clothes, their kiss grew deeper. After a long while, Ail finally pulled away from his lips.

Ruth, gasping for breath and staring at him, pushed away Ail’s hands that were tracing his side and waist.

“Please rest. You’ve just woken up.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. Your face is pale.”

Normally, when someone gets excited, their face turns flushed, but Ail’s face was as pale as lead. It was understandable. After all, he had just woken up after being in critical condition for several days, shouting as soon as he opened his eyes, creating a mess in the room, and then going into a frenzy… His superhuman recovery and physical strength were impressive, but he was still injured. His face looked like he could collapse at any moment, and despite Ruth’s attempts to push him away, Ail seemed intent on pushing forward relentlessly.