Chapter 108: You cant go anywhere – 2

As I entered the hall to have breakfast, I was left speechless the moment I saw Vivian.

It was as if yesterday’s events had never occurred.

She greeted me with a bright smile.

“Why?”

I couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but Vivian looked even more stunning today.

It wasn’t that she had gone out of her way to doll up.

She looked simple and natural, yet there were subtle differences.

Her hair gleamed with a new shine, and her face bore a light, tasteful touch of makeup.

Her waist seemed narrower, perhaps cinched by her outfit, and her neckline was clearly revealed.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

I took a deep breath to calm myself and sat down at my seat.

What the hell.

Damn it.

After breakfast with Vivian, a good training session to sweat out some tension would clear my head.

But then Vivian suddenly sat on my lap.

“What… are you doing?”

Caught off guard by her blatant seduction, I was baffled, but Vivian only flashed a playful smile.

“Shall we have breakfast like this today?”

When I didn’t respond, Vivian awkwardly wet her lips and said,

“…Just kidding. Don’t take it so seriously.”

She got off my lap but let her hand graze my inner thigh as she moved.

Her hand brushed against me, and I instinctively flinched.

Looking up at Vivian, I saw her neck and ears turn red, betraying her attempt to appear nonchalant.

“…Do you really have to go this far?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She stretched her neck and signaled to the maids.

They brought out food that looked even more appetizing than usual.

“I prepared plenty of bread. You like bread, don’t you?”

Her effort only made me more defensive.

I let slip a secret I had kept hidden for a long time.

“…I don’t really like bread.”

“…What? But you always went for it first—”

“You liked bread. I only took it first so you would eat it, too.”

Vivian’s mask slipped slightly at that.

“…Oh.”

Lowering her gaze as if retracing the past, she blinked a few times and said,

“…I see.”

After that, we naturally continued eating.

Vivian didn’t take her eyes off me the entire time.

The faint seduction in her actions didn’t stop, either.

Whenever our eyes met, she would flash a coy smile, and she kept subtly accentuating her neckline.

If it weren’t for my resolve, I might have been entranced as well.

I hastily stuffed myself with meat to fill my stomach and stood up.

I couldn’t bear to keep looking at her.

“Thanks for the meal.”

“Already? You’re leaving so soon?”

Vivian, flustered by my early departure, hurriedly wiped her lips and stood up.

But I left her behind and exited the hall.

Even as I walked away, her gaze never left me.

Vivian said we’d talk about my return to my hometown another time.

How long should I wait for her?

I didn’t think my feelings would change anytime soon.

I had already conveyed the painful goodbye.

We’d argued and snapped at each other.

If I weren’t truly planning to leave, I wouldn’t have brought it up at all.

“What are you thinking about?”

While lying in my room, lost in thought, Valon approached me and asked.

Things had become slightly awkward with the trio ever since Robert’s matter had come to light.

Looking at my long-time comrades, I spoke candidly.

“Valon.”

“Yeah?”

Behind him stood Martin and Wallace.

“…If I said I was planning to leave this place, would you help me?”

Valon chuckled lightly.

“I don’t want to get kicked out of the territory. I quite like this life.”

As I fell silent, their expressions grew more serious.

Wallace perched on the edge of my bed and spoke.

“…Are you serious about this?”

“I already told Vivian to send me back to my hometown.”

Knowing Robert’s situation, they couldn’t respond properly and only clicked their tongues.

Martin, who had been looking regretful for a while with a sour expression, cautiously tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

“…Well, it’s not just because of Robert that you’re here, is it? You were dragged here after losing the war anyway. Even if we set aside Lady Vivian’s torment, even without the late duke’s death or the young master’s death, you’d still have ended up here.”

“I know. It’s just… I want to go back now, that’s all.”

I couldn’t mention the curse.

Once again, I made an excuse.

“…Vivian, she is safe now, isn’t she?”

“There’s no need to protect her anymore. You all can handle it just fine.”

“Kailo.”

As Wallace tried to console me, placing his hand on my shin, I pushed him away with my foot and said,

“Hey, I have a hometown too. This isn’t my home. How many times do I have to say it? I’m not a commoner like you guys; I’m a noble. Why should I share this stinking lodging with you when I could be living in luxury?”

“What? You used to sprawl out and sleep just fine in places even filthier than this…”

“Enough. So, are you going to help me or not?”

Valon asked seriously,

“What did Lady Vivian say?”

“…If she’d cheerfully agreed to send me off, would I be asking you this?”

“So, you’re saying you’re planning to run away?”

I answered with a long sigh.

“…Maybe.”

Martin, who had been watching, asked,

“Honestly, if you’re planning to escape, can’t you do it without our help? Who could possibly stop you? No matter the orders, what crazy person would stand in the way of someone who killed the Eight Knights and even Baelor?”

“Are you going to help or not? Just answer.”

Valon replied irritably,

“Ah, damn it, no, we can’t help you, you bastard.”

“What? Valon—”

“Hey! Like you said, you’re a noble, and we’re commoners. Do you have any idea how hard it is just to put food on the table?”

“…”

“I’m 22 now, same as Martin and Wallace. We need to build our own families too. What are we supposed to do if we get banished from the territory for helping you? How would we survive? We’re just like you, stuck living here. We don’t know how to do anything else besides swing a sword.”

As I listened, I realized there wasn’t a single wrong word in what he said.

I clicked my tongue.

“…Fine, I get it.”

“Don’t take it personally. Could you sacrifice your entire life for me?”

“No.”

I admitted.

Honestly, I preferred this kind of straightforward answer.

Once again, I started thinking about how I could resolve this with Vivian.

“…Just wait it out, Kailo.”

“If the royal family of Delrum hears about Robert’s actions, they’ll eventually let you go. Right?”

“…Yeah, maybe.”

But the truth was, Vivian had already consolidated her power over the surrounding lands, becoming the de facto ruler of the region.

From the Corrode family’s estate to Robert’s Nerumport…

If she added Lcotana to her domain, the number of people under her control would be countless.

Even the King of Delrum would have to observe proper protocol and etiquette when dealing with her.

Could the king really subdue Vivian?

As far as he was concerned, my captivity here could be dismissed as a mere spoil of war.

Knowing that, I might have been asking the trio these questions out of desperation.

“…Hah.”

I stopped overthinking and stood up.

Perhaps swinging a sword would help me clear my head.

—Swoosh!

I splashed water on my head, washing away the sweat.

Recently, the weather had turned cold, and every time I poured water on myself, steam would rise from my body like a stoked fire.

The others avoided washing in this cold, choosing to live dirty, but I found this chilly weather oddly refreshing.

“Not cold?”

As I was washing, someone called out to me.

I turned my head slightly to see Vivian standing there.

“…I’m bathing here.”

“I see.”

Vivian’s red eyes scanned my bare body.

Her gaze, which blinked weakly from time to time, lingered on me with an unsettling intensity.

At her stare, I said,

“I’ll get dressed and come out. Wait somewhere else.”

“…Why?”

She slowly walked toward me.

I froze, unable to respond.

“…You’re amazing, Kailo.”

Vivian whispered.

Even now, she was lightly adorned.

Her lips were as red as her eyes, and a sheer piece of fabric hung over her shoulders.

“Besides… we’re going to see each other soon anyway, aren’t we?”

“What?”

“…Geez. You said to have one.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

“…Didn’t I say it’s not like that anymore? Did you ignore me when I said I wanted to go back home?”

“I told you to think it over again.”

Vivian, who had been steadily approaching, hugged me from behind.

“What are you doing?”

Her heated hands roamed over my bare upper body.

“…Touching what’s mine.”

Her complete disregard for the fact that I was drenched.

“…I told you, I’m not yours anymore.”

“Are you sure?”

Her hand, which had been cautiously tracing my abs, began to move lower.

-Thud.

I grabbed her wrist before her hand went any further.

“…Stop it.”

“…I heard guys like this kind of thing.”

She leaned her head slightly forward from behind me.

Startled by the size, she drew in a sharp breath before whispering, as though trying to feign composure,

“…You… you seem to like it too.”

At the same time, a devilish smile began to spread across her face.

How could I hate her?

I was merely holding myself back.

I had told Vivian the same thing countless times.

“…You look like you’re struggling. Should I help you? B-but it’s bigger than I thought.”

“No, thanks.”

-Thud.

This time, I pushed her away with a bit more force.

“Ah!”

Vivian staggered and fell, seemingly shocked that I had pushed her so firmly.

Frozen by my own body’s reaction, I couldn’t even help her up.

Instead, I just began gathering my clothes and putting them on.

Vivian, denied of the intimate contact, started to flush with shame.

Her face turned a vivid red, a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

However, she quickly swallowed her frustration with sheer willpower.

Vivian once again flashed her radiant smile.

Knowing her candid nature, it was painfully clear how much effort she was putting in.

That sight was even harder for me to endure.

More than when she said she wanted to touch me, ignoring her struggle to suppress her pain was unbearable.

Did she notice the expression on my face?

She spoke.

“…I’m fine.”

“…Just seeing your body is enough for me. After all, in this world, I’m the only one who’s seen you bare, right?”

She stood up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, as if hiding her tears.

Having composed her expression, she turned around and walked away in quick steps.

Her clumsy retreat, her awkward attempts to approach me—watching her made me sigh once more.

The more precarious things felt, the more I could sense it.

Something was about to break.

Something was approaching.

We would probably fight, and… it would end messily.