Chapter 87

The gentleman teaching the prince dance was one of the priest’s devout
followers, a distinguished old man who had been quite the dancer in his youth,
capturing his wife’s heart at a ball. Now, his wife had passed away, and he
himself had become lame from a hunting accident. Yet, this didn’t hinder him
from still shining at every ball.

The prince’s face darkened.

If this lame Mr. Buck had been recommended by anyone else, the prince would
have thought it a deliberate insult.

But since it was the beloved priest who recommended him, the prince could
only greet Mr. Buck with a grimace.

Mr. Buck bowed deeply, holding his hat with his left hand over his heart.
“It’s an honor to teach Your Highness to dance.”

“Thank you for your assistance,” the prince replied shortly.

Mr. Buck chuckled, “The priest is the kindest and noblest person I’ve
ever met. So, when he asked me, I immediately agreed. It’s my pleasure to serve
the priest.”

The old gentleman seemed to have lost his discernment with age. Words like
“kind” and “noble” had nothing to do with the priest, but
for some reason, the prince found himself smiling.

Damn love, confusing everything!

The prince suppressed his smile and confessed to Mr. Buck, “I only want
to learn the basics, just enough to get by. Spinning around a couple of times
with the others will suffice.”

“How can that be?” Unexpectedly, the gentle and accommodating Mr.
Buck was quite stubborn, shaking his head at the prince’s requests. “Your
Highness, dancing is a must for every gentleman. You can’t neglect it. The task
given to me by the priest is to teach you and to ensure that you impress
everyone at the ball. Moreover, if you don’t, which lady would willingly be
your partner at the ball?”

He didn’t need a lady as a partner, the prince thought to himself.

If he had to dance, he only wished it would be with the priest.

“Mr. Buck,” the prince said politely, “I agree with your
opinion, but I feel I need a partner to assist me in learning. What do you
think?”

“Oh, certainly,” Mr. Buck smiled. “I know many ladies who
excel at the waltz. I’m sure they’d be happy to help.”

“No, I have only one person in mind,” the prince said firmly.

Mr. Buck vehemently opposed the prince’s suggestion, but the prince
persisted. Mr. Buck soon realized that Prince Oss was as obstinate and arrogant
as rumored. The poor old gentleman couldn’t stop the prince and had to let him
leave with his cane.

*

In the backyard, Mr. Buck looked helplessly at the duo before him.

The prince looked pleased, leaning on his cane with a smile as he watched
the helpless old gentleman. The priest stood beside the prince, calm. “Mr.
Buck, let us serve the prince together.”

Since the priest himself agreed, what could the old gentleman do? He
shrugged, “Well, if that’s what you want, Father.”

The prince couldn’t hide his smile. He had thought it would take some effort
to convince the priest, but the priest had almost immediately agreed. If they
hadn’t been in public, the prince would have kissed the priest right away.

The prince was in high spirits now, while the poor Mr. Buck cautiously
reached out to the priest, who placed his hand in the old gentleman’s palm and
disappeared.

“Wait—”

The prince lifted his cane and tapped Mr. Buck’s wrist. “What are you
doing?”

Mr. Buck looked puzzled. “Demonstrating the correct starting posture,
as you know nothing about dancing, according to the priest.”

The prince glanced at the priest, his voice cold. “I do.”

“Don’t pretend,” the priest spoke up, moving the prince’s cane
away with his finger. “Your Highness, please accept Mr. Buck’s
guidance.”

Mr. Buck was shorter than the priest. He held the priest’s hand and waist,
feeling extremely awkward. The prince probably thought the same, judging from
his unfriendly gaze.

“Your Highness, please pay attention. It’s probably like this, and then
we need to take a step…” Mr. Buck whispered the dance instructions to
the priest, who nodded in agreement. Mr. Buck gently moved forward with the
priest, supporting his waist. “Have you got that, Your Highness?”

“I’ve seen enough,” the prince said icily. “Very clearly. You
don’t need to demonstrate again.”

Mr. Buck released the priest, and the prince was about to embrace him when
the priest stepped aside. “Mr. Buck, you should act as the prince’s
partner. It will be more accurate that way.”

“You’re right, Father.”

Mr. Buck, with his ample waist, leaned into the prince’s arms. “Your
Highness, try to hold me as I just did with the priest.”

The prince stared fixedly at the priest. The priest wore a meaningful smile
on his face. “Prince, please learn seriously. Don’t disappoint the
king.”

Well, why would the priest make it easy for him?

The prince embraced the old gentleman, gritting his teeth. “Be
careful.”

Although the prince maintained a stern expression, looking quite miserable,
he indeed learned very earnestly. The priest consistently acted as Mr. Buck’s
“prop,” prompting Mr. Buck to repeatedly praise the priest for his
excellent dancing skills.

Mr. Buck was a cheerful old gentleman. After dancing with the priest for two
turns, he smiled. “Oh, my, I never dreamt I’d dance with a priest one day.
You dance so well.”

The hem of the priest’s robe fluttered as he spun, and he smiled with
pleasure. “Mr. Buck, you truly are the best dancer in the Selin
District.”

Seeing this scene, the prince’s frustration gradually faded, and a genuine
smile appeared on his face.

As the evening approached, Mr. Buck prepared to leave. He kissed the priest
on the cheek and kissed the prince’s hand. “I’ll be here tomorrow at
three.”

“Thank you,” the prince said.

After Mr. Buck disappeared from view, the prince immediately turned to the
priest. Since they were outdoors, the prince wasn’t sure which window from the
surrounding buildings might suddenly have someone peeking out. He didn’t
approach the priest but kept a bit of distance. “I also want to thank you
for your help today.”

“That’s what I should do, especially since you begged me so
earnestly,” the priest said.

“…,”

Randes looked even more helpless than Mr. Buck. He glanced around, still
unable to determine if there were any eyes in the darkness. He whispered,
“I’d like to thank you personally. Can I come to your room to express my
gratitude?”

“No need, right here,” the priest said.

The prince’s forehead twitched. “Here?” He emphasized the word,
surprised by the priest’s boldness, even though the prince himself was usually
audacious.

“Yes,” the priest smiled. “Please dance with me.”

The stiffness on the prince’s face gradually softened. His heart raced, but
not as intensely as it did last night. No, there was still some intensity, but
more of it was a gentle urge to make him smile. His lips curled up naturally,
and he took a step forward. The priest seemed to sense his approach and took a
step towards him.

The prince held the priest’s waist and took his hand.

“Very good,” the priest whispered softly. “Just like
that.”

The prince silently led the priest forward, still not proficient. His palms
were a bit sweaty, and he gently pushed the priest away from his embrace, but
immediately the priest followed his lead back into his embrace.

Their bodies lightly collided, and the prince stared into the priest’s face.
It should have been an eye-to-eye moment, but the priest couldn’t see. The
prince alone bore twice the nervousness, his breath becoming erratic.

The prince led the priest in slow steps and turns. The oak trees cast
dancing shadows in the evening sun, and the priest wore a faint smile,
beautiful.

The prince stopped his steps. He whispered softly, “Father, I must kiss
you now.”

In the cabin where winter wood was stored in the backyard, the prince
embraced the priest’s waist and kissed deeply. The kiss was eager at first,
then gradually became gentle. The prince’s grip relaxed, and he kissed the
priest repeatedly, sometimes deeply, sometimes lightly, as if trying to convey
his emotions in this way.

Besides desire, he harbored deep love for him.

The priest’s arms wrapped around the prince’s shoulders, his face shifting
angles, his eyelashes fluttering to cover his green eyes. The prince noticed
that even his eyelashes were a light shade of gold.

If he were an angel, everyone would have to admit it.

The prince kissed from the priest’s lips to his chin, and the priest tilted
his face up. The prince’s moist kisses landed on his neck, tender and reverent,
one by one, until finally, he kissed the cross hidden in the priest’s neck.
“After dinner, I’ll come to you.”

“No,” the priest said, pushing the prince away. “There are
some financial matters at the church that I need to attend to tonight.”

Today’s donations were too substantial, and the priest needed to make sure
to handle them properly, creating a neat account. This was his specialty, and
he thought it would be amusing to let the prince stew overnight.

“I can help you,” the prince offered.

“No.”

The priest refused again, this time with a colder tone, indicating there was
no room for argument. The prince could only lift the priest’s hand and gently
kiss it. “As you wish.”

The prince’s promise was well made, but he tossed and turned all night.
Despite being just a floor away, he could easily go upstairs and hold the
priest in his arms. But somehow, it didn’t seem appropriate.

Love could torment not just one person but also change them. The same person
who once wanted to devour the priest on the dining table with a kiss was now
secretly thinking of becoming a gentleman.

The prince turned over and smiled.

After all, wasn’t the priest himself not such a good person? Shouldn’t he be
a bit more assertive to match the priest?

If he kept thinking like this, he would have another sleepless night… The
prince forced himself to close his eyes.

In the early morning, as the monastery slowly awakened, the priest sat up.
In that semi-awake state, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. With closed
eyes, he said, “Bunier…”

“Bunier” kissed his cheek.

Opening his eyes, the priest sensed the prince’s scent, breath, and powerful
presence despite the darkness.

“Good morning.”

The prince’s voice was pleasing to hear.

“Good morning,” the priest raised his hand to touch the prince’s
face lightly. “Are you planning to change professions and become a
servant?”

The prince chuckled and kissed the priest’s cheek again. “I have long
been your servant.”

The priest noticed that the prince liked to say cheesy things after
successfully seeking his affection. He raised his eyebrows slightly. “Move
aside.”

“Do you need me to help you get dressed?” the prince joked, but
the priest felt that if he agreed, the prince would be very excited to do it,
just like a child dressing up a doll.

The priest silently declined the prince’s offer, but the prince continued to
linger around him, behaving like a child with a new toy. Every now and then, he
would touch the priest’s cheek or some other part of his body, as if reluctant
to let go of the priest.

The priest accepted the prince’s passionate affection calmly. He was in no
hurry. Soon enough, the prince would be ensnared by him, and he looked forward
to seeing how the prince would perform then. Hopefully, he would be as
excellent as he was in bed.