The grinding teeth and the shivers of revulsion were self-directed—an expression of blame toward his own vain hopes. Even when pushed to his absolute limit, the foolish desire to have him, the pathetic craving that refused to let go of hope until the bitter end, disgusted him.

No matter how much he tried to shake it off, the emotions clung to him like a curse. Unable to endure both his own feelings and the murderous madness in his eyes, he felt himself breaking apart.

Staying by his side would kill him. If he could feel nothing at all, he might have been able to bear it. But as long as his heart remained bound to him, he would slowly wither away, begging for scraps of love, dying bit by bit from neglect. He would decay from the loneliness of being left behind, bereft of affection.

He had tried so hard to avoid that fate, but it was all for nothing. In the end, he was back where he started, clawing at the knife embedded in his chest, tearing himself apart.

It was as if he could hear the sharp scrape of the cold blade cutting into his heart.

“He doesn’t love you.”

The figure wielding the knife sneered as it spoke.

“He doesn’t want you.”

False affection, false smiles, false gestures—this was the end for a fool who fell for those lies.

No, even if it was a lie, it would have been enough. If he had just told him not to leave, if he had said a single word asking him to stay… If he had simply asked to keep him close, he might have abandoned everything and chosen to remain by his side.

All it would have taken was a single word, without resorting to manipulative tricks to bind him.

Not as a servant or a fake lover bound by a contract, but as one human being to another, he had wanted to be held back by him. Even now, as their relationship returned to its starting point, that longing remained stronger than ever.

Not as a command, not in the cold tone of an authoritative ruler, but as a genuine plea from the boy he had once been.

“Don’t go. Stay with me.”

If that sincerity had been conveyed, even clumsily, through words or gestures, he might have stayed.

Just one word. That was all it would have taken.

Even if the end result was the same—remaining by his side—his will and the other’s were fundamentally different. He merely wanted possession, but Rus longed for something more.

He didn’t want to stay in that place because he was forced to. He wanted to choose, to stay by his side of his own free will.

But that wasn’t what he wanted.

All he wanted was a dog to obey his orders.

If Ruth expressed his desire to stay willingly, he would mock and discard him.

He was someone who only found satisfaction in controlling others by his own power. Someone who sought puppets that moved to his words, who waited on his orders, and danced in the palm of his hand.

So, Ruth had to let go.

Before he was abandoned, he needed to walk away first.

That was the only way to survive.

It was easier to leave than to endure the pain of being discarded. At least it would be his choice.

But the lingering attachment was so deep that it hurt.

What was he supposed to do with this pain?

—

Over the city of Vera, a bleak rain was falling. Though it wasn’t the rainy season, the sudden downpour had brought a halt to business just as the day was supposed to begin. The streets were deserted.

In a grand chamber at the largest brothel in Vera, Le Bleume Hall, its owner, Kasha, lay sprawled on a long sofa, humming a tune.

His hair, black with a hint of light, cascaded from the sofa to the floor. He wore a flowing robe of crimson silk that draped from his neck to his ankles, though the buttons at the top were undone, revealing much of his chest. The stark contrast between his pale skin, jet-black eyes, and lips redder than silk created a striking image that could leave anyone dizzy. He seemed utterly defenseless.

“Kasha, put on your clothes properly.”

Rodin, who had just entered the room, grumbled in disapproval, causing Kasha to laugh brightly.

Rodin, who had always been bigger than most kids when they were younger, had grown even more imposing. Now married with two children, he managed the security of Le Bleume Hall after Kasha inherited it. To him, though, he would always be the little boy who had trailed behind him, crying and clinging to his skirts.

“So what? Who’s going to see?”

“You’re the owner. I just kicked Chelin out after he caused a scene, but what are you going to do about this? You can’t keep driving away customers like this.”

“I don’t take anyone I don’t like. I can’t stand pathetic men who come groveling and clinging.”

“Oh, come on. Who do you think is to blame for that? You enchant them, then just pretend you don’t notice?”

Chelin, a noble from Clozium, had been showering Kasha with gifts and pursuing him relentlessly for months. But because he occasionally caused scenes when rebuffed, he had banned him from Le Bleume Hall. Yet he kept showing up. Clearly infatuated, Rodin couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him, having once been captivated by Kasha himself.

Unperturbed, Kasha rose leisurely, fixing his hair as he spoke.

“Who told them to fall for me? It’s their stupidity. Let’s close up shop for today. The rain’s too heavy.”

Rodin raised his voice in disbelief as he walked toward the door.

“What? What about all the fresh ingredients we got today? They’ll be useless tomorrow!”

“Make something with them and send it to the elderly and the orphans. On days like this, bad customers always show up. It’s better to just close up.”

“Do you even care about running this business?”

“Why? Business is doing fine, isn’t it?”

Kasha grinned as he said this, stepping out through the door. Rodin, who had been staring at his retreating figure, paused briefly before following him. He caught up and grabbed his arm.

“You’ll sleep with just anyone.”

“What? What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“If you’re going to keep acting like this because you can’t forget him, then just grab someone and keep them in your room. How long are you going to go on like this? You’re the owner of Le Bleume and a symbol of this city, Vera. How much longer are you going to wallow? You said it yourself—it’s hopeless. So why cling to it?”

Rodin’s sharp reproach made Kasha glare at him as he wrenched his arm away.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Let go. You’re hurting me—you’re all brute strength and no finesse.”

“If you really can’t forget him, then go after him. What are you doing right now? Are you planning to die with him after he’s gone?”

“Ah, shut up! I don’t want to hear it!”

“Stop acting like this! Why is everyone behaving this way? Elsen is under a wanted notice in Karileum, Ruth has gone completely silent, and now you’re doing this. What’s the plan? Are you three trying to bring Vera to ruin?”

Rodin’s words hit where it hurt, and Kasia responded sharply.

“Just leave it. It’ll work out somehow.”

“I’m worried about what that man might try to do. Even if he can’t send an armed force in here, what if he sends an assassin? He’s grinding his teeth, swearing he’ll kill you every time your name is mentioned.”

“Let him kill me, or not. Why should I care?”

“It’s your life!”

“I don’t care. If he kills me, I’ll be grateful. And if he gives me one last, passionate embrace before doing it, even better. He was always good at that, you know.”

Rodin shouted in exasperation at Kasha’s flippant attitude.

“Hey!”

“Kasha, you’ve got a guest!”

While Rodin’s shouting left Kasha grimacing, a loud, excitable woman’s voice called from downstairs. As footsteps climbed the stairs, Kasha shook his arm free from Rodin’s grip and shouted back.

“We’re closed today. Send everyone away.”

“Come down. You need to see this guest.”

“Who is it this time? Chelin again? Or Grain?”

As Kasha muttered irritably, wondering which troublemaker had shown up this time, the woman shook her head.

“Come down. They’re in the Red Room.”

The woman’s tone was serious, and Kasha, who had grown up with her like a sister, suspected something important was going on. Sighing, he adjusted his clothes and headed toward the stairs.

“Fine, I’ll check. Close the shop for the day. Send the staff home and ask Rodin to deal with the ingredients.”

“Got it.”

Issuing orders to the woman and Rodin, Kasha descended to the first floor and made his way to the Red Room. Muttering to himself about throwing out whoever had come if it was nothing significant, he greeted some of the women in passing, telling them, “No business today.” The women and boys, thrilled by the unexpected break, cheered.

Arriving at the Red Room, Kasha straightened his outfit one last time and knocked on the door. No response.

A little concerned, but not thinking too much of it, Kasha pushed the door open. What he saw made his eyes widen in shock.

“Elsen!”

“Kasha.”

Elsen rose awkwardly from his seat, and Kasha rushed to him, embracing his soaking wet figure tightly.

“Welcome back! I was so worried about you, but you made it.”

“It’s been a while. I’m sorry for dropping by unannounced. I just need a place to rest for a bit.”

Drenched from head to toe, Elsen’s voice was weary. Kasha smiled and pushed him back slightly to look at him.

“What are you talking about? You’re always welcome. Ugh, you’re a mess. What happened to your face?”

Kasha spoke with concern, raising his hand to touch his cheek.

“Don’t touch him!”

The sharp voice belonged to the young boy sitting in front of Elsen. He grabbed Elsen and pushed him away from Kasha. Taken aback by the boy’s fierce reaction, Kasha stared at him curiously, crossing his arms.

“What’s this? A girl? And who are you supposed to be?”

“Don’t call me ‘this’! I’m Erita Jenin! And don’t touch Elsen!”

“Ah~ So you’re the Crown Prince’s runaway fiancée? My, my, you’re quite spirited. Is this really your type?”

Kasha cocked his head, clearly amused, as Erita turned red with anger and shouted at Elsen.

“What’s going on? Why does that voice sound like that? Elsen, you said he was a male friend!”

At this, Elsen gave an awkward smile.

“He is male.”

“How is he a man? Even if he’s tall, he’s clearly a woman!”
“I told you, He’s a man.”

At Elsen’s firm statement, Erita finally turned to take a proper look at Kasha. His long hair was loose, and he wore a feminine outfit, but he had no chest. He was unusually tall for a woman, and his voice sounded like a man’s. Yet, his beauty was striking enough to stir doubts.

“Maybe I should just show you in men’s attire. I’m definitely a man. Want me to prove it by standing up and peeing in front of you?”

Kasha crossed his arms and chuckled mischievously as he said this. Erita’s response was immediate and fiery.

“Show me.”

With determination burning in her eyes, Erita demanded proof. Kasha burst into laughter at her reaction, the sound filling the room. Erita, visibly flustered, was about to retort when Elsen stepped in to calm her down, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Caught between the two, Elsen could only sigh awkwardly.

“Let’s leave the proving for later. First, let’s do something about your drowned rat look,” Kasha said cheerfully. “I’ll get you a room so you can take a bath and change into dry clothes. As for this young lady, she might be better off dressing as a boy for now—I’ll find something suitable. We can talk more later.”

Elsen hesitated, then asked nervously, “Are you sure? Is it really okay for us to stay here?”

“Of course. It’s raining cats and dogs anyway, so I’ve already closed up shop for the day. Take a warm bath, change clothes, fill your bellies, and then we’ll talk. There’s no rush.”

Kasia hadn’t changed a bit from his childhood—still bold, easygoing, and full of energy. Seeing this, Elsen felt a wave of relief and gratitude.

“Thank you,” he said earnestly.

“Don’t mention it. That’s what childhood friends are for. Besides, Rodin’s here—we can drink and chat all night.”

“Rodin?” Elsen asked, surprised. “He’s working with you now?”

“I needed someone to watch the place, and his size makes him perfect for the job. He’s already a father of two, by the way,” Kasha said with a wide grin.

Elsen couldn’t help but smile as well. “Wow, time really has flown by.”

“It has,” Kasha agreed. “Speaking of time, tell me about Ruth. I’ve had a place ready for ages, but he never shows up. I was planning to give him the best room here.”

Kasha’s fondness for Ruth was well-known, but his words made Elsen’s expression darken again. Kasha noticed the shift but chose not to press him. The mood wasn’t right for that conversation.

“Let’s talk about it later. For now, just rest.”

Kasha unfolded his crossed arms and gave Elsen a light pat on the shoulder before guiding them out of the room. He called for some of the boys who were tending to guests and instructed them to prepare a room and clothes for the newcomers. Once the arrangements were made and Elsen and Erita had gone upstairs, Kasha began tidying up the building.

“Alright, everyone, clean up the hall and head back to your rooms. Eat, drink, and have fun all night if you want. We’re not opening shop again until the rain stops.”

“Really? Yay~~!”

His announcement sent a wave of excitement through the staff, who quickly began clearing the rooms and hall with remarkable speed. Watching them bustle about, Kasha walked to the front door and instructed the guards to close the main gate beyond the garden.

Standing at the door, Kasha paused to gaze out at the rain-soaked garden. The downpour was relentless, the heavy raindrops hammering the ground. He let out a small sigh.

“Rain like this tends to bring bad guests…”

It had been a night just like this when he had first come here. And tonight, Elsen had returned.

Something about this night felt ominous, as if trouble was on the horizon.