Chapter 167

He expected Nathan to tell him to stop talking nonsense. Maybe he’d even smack his forehead like before, and then he could pretend it hurt. Then Nathan would laugh and go along with it, seemingly unable to help himself. Azar didn’t want to darken the mood. His own feelings didn’t matter – he didn’t want to worry Nathan about something like this when they were meeting after so long.

This isn’t right.

So Azar showed his dismay while being held by Nathan. His arms, which he had playfully spread earlier, floundered helplessly in the air.

But eventually, Azar swallowed a sigh and buried his face in Nathan’s shoulder before pulling at his waist. He decided to enjoy this moment while holding the thin body that filled his arms as if it might break. Yes, when else would Nathan hold him like this again? He should take full advantage of this coddling while Nathan was feeling sorry for him.

“Were you worried?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? If I wasn’t, I’d be sprawled on the sofa right now.”

“Ah, so you really did come looking for me.”

For some reason, that made him want to laugh. Azar couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.

“Haha, I like that.”

Azar deliberately nuzzled between Nathan’s shoulder and neck like a spoiled child, ignoring Nathan’s murmurs about being ticklish.

“I’m so happy that you worry about me.”

The laughter tickling his ear made Nathan feel ticklish himself, and he asked with a small smile:

“Are you feeling better now?”

“No.”

Azar immediately denied it. Though his gloomy mood from earlier had completely lifted by now, he worried Nathan would immediately let go if he said he was fine. But Nathan was unusually perceptive at times like these.

“Seeing how you say that, you must be fine.”

“I said I’m not.”

Feeling the arms starting to loosen, Azar tightly gripped Nathan’s waist.

And only then could they see each other’s faces. Finding themselves suddenly at such close range, both of them instinctively held their breath.

“…”

“…”

As their eyes met, they both intuitively knew what would happen next. Well, they had done this once before, hadn’t they? The first time is always the hardest; it gets easier after that.

If I lean down just a little more here, I could reach…

Watching Nathan roll his eyes in confusion, Azar lowered his eyelids. Seeing him so vulnerable made Azar increasingly greedy. After holding him fully in his arms like this, nuzzling his neck, and catching his faint scent, now he wanted to kiss those lips.

“Hey, Nathan.”

So Azar whispered softly, as if asking permission.

“Can I?”

There was no need to ask what kind of permission he was seeking.

“Hmm? Nathan… I’ll just touch briefly and pull away.”

Even he must know how ridiculous that statement was. And what about Nathan listening to this? Even in this situation, he nearly burst out laughing at how absurd it sounded. As Nathan pressed his lips together and scrunched his expression trying to hold back his laughter, Azar laughed.

But unfortunately, Azar didn’t get to kiss him.

***

Click.

“Where have you been until now?”

“…!”

Nathan carefully opened the door and entered, only to swallow a silent scream at the sudden voice. Freezing in place and stiffly turning his head, he saw the door connecting to the adjacent room wide open.

“Haha… Professor, when did you return…?”

He awkwardly laughed while straightening his posture.

“A while ago.”

Leonard, who was attending to Melchiel in the next room, smiled uncomfortably while secretly folding his fingers.

Ah, 30 minutes…

Seeing him make a three with his fingers before spreading all ten, it seemed Melchiel had returned about 30 minutes ago. Nathan secretly sighed. This was all because of Azar.

“Going out is fine. It’s natural to be curious about a place you’re visiting for the first time. But didn’t I specifically tell you to wear your robe when going out?”

“…I’m sorry.”

He had no excuse for that. In fact, the robe Nathan had been wearing wasn’t an ordinary academy uniform robe. It was one of the formal robes newly tailored for the banquet, and the robe itself proved his status. Not just his status as a baron, but the fact that he was a mage from Aurora and Melchiel’s disciple. Moreover, it had all sorts of protective spells cast on it, which was why Melchiel had stressed its importance. Yet he had left it here and gone out completely unprotected…

Thinking of Azar again, Nathan felt embarrassed at how recklessly he had acted. If someone had stopped him and questioned his identity, it could have become quite troublesome. Well, he did have the Nover family ring, so he could have worked something out in a roundabout way.

“Anyway, be more careful next time. You need to be especially careful while in the capital.”

“Yes…”

Nathan replied listlessly as he walked to the sofa and slumped down.

Glancing into the adjacent room, he saw Melchiel was already preparing for the banquet. Leonard was busy attending to him, and soon it would be Nathan’s turn. He had vaguely heard that the royal family had offered to provide servants, but Melchiel had declined once, and since Nathan was also uncomfortable receiving such help, Leonard ended up being the only one so busy.

I feel bad that he keeps working so hard.

He should treat him better from now on. Since they were practically traveling together now, Leonard didn’t feel like a stranger anymore. Nathan closed his eyes, thinking he should definitely help find him a proper job after graduating from the academy. As he drifted into a light sleep from exhaustion, his consciousness lingered on what had happened earlier, somewhere between dream and reality.

It was when Azar had smiled and tried to kiss him.

“Your Highness!”

The voice calling from nearby made them both start and separate. Or rather, Nathan pulled back. The unfamiliar voice had snapped him to his senses. What was he doing? He had almost carelessly kissed him again. Realizing this, his face felt like it was burning.

“Prince Azar! Where are you!”

“Why now of all times…”

Azar grumbled dissatisfied, recognizing who the intruder was. If he had known this would happen, he should have shaken them off completely from the start.

“Your Highness─! It’s time for you to go!”

As the voice drew closer, Azar finally sighed and released Nathan.

“Sorry, I have to go now.”

He stood up from the bench, drooping his eyes as if he really didn’t want to leave. Nathan unconsciously looked up at Azar, unable to hide his flushed face.

“Right. Nathan, you’re attending the banquet today?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah.”

“Then this continuation…”

Azar trailed off thoughtfully before suddenly breaking into a smile.

“See you later.”

Having thoroughly scrambled Nathan’s thoughts, Azar waved his hand and disappeared. Left alone on the bench, Nathan stared at where Azar had gone for a long while before finally burying his face in his palms and hunching over.

What continuation? What? What was he going to continue? That from earlier…? Did he mean to do it again?

“Later…”

“Pardon?”

Nathan came to his senses from his drowsy mumbling. Leonard, who had been preparing Nathan’s change of clothes, tilted his head questioningly.

“Ah, did you want to change later? We still have some time, so that’s fine.”

“N-no, no. I wasn’t talking to you, Leonard. Just sleep talking! I’ll change now…!”

He stood up, loosening the buttons that felt suffocatingly tight around his neck. Though he thought he had just dozed off briefly, looking out the window now, the sun was already setting.

While Leonard asked him to wait a moment saying he had forgotten something, Nathan fanned his face, trying to cool down. Earlier he had sat blankly on the bench trying to cool the heat in his face and ended up returning late, but now that effort seemed wasted. Pressing the back of his hand against his cheek, it was burning hot. His expression naturally turned sulky, but when Leonard reappeared through the door, Nathan quickly composed himself.

“Then let’s start with this shirt…”

Nathan removed the shirt he was wearing and slipped his arms into the one Leonard handed him. Standing beside him, Leonard laid out one by one the items he would need to wear and put on while speaking:

“Master Nathan, don’t worry! I learned everything properly from Lady Pelian! The order of dressing, placement of accessories, and even hair styling! I learned exactly as instructed, so just trust me!”

Seeing Leonard clench his fists with sparkling eyes as if steeling himself, it seemed he had picked up some strange passion from the tailor shop as well. Nathan took a small step back from him.