Mr. Kadan in the Deep Forest - Chapter 60

At that moment, Luna spotted him from a distance and walked toward him.

“Ruth?”

Luna called to him warmly and ran over, but then slowed down and faltered. The Ruth she saw after so long was dressed in a rather unfamiliar way.

“Ruth, what happened? Your clothes…”

Luna looked him up and down. Ruth, who had gotten used to the outfit after wearing it for a few days, wasn’t particularly embarrassed.

“Not much I can do. The servants only give me these clothes.”

He spoke casually, but his skin was glistening with expensive oils. He had been told it was good for the skin, so he applied it liberally, despite initially feeling uneasy. After using it a few times, he had grown accustomed to it.

“My goodness. Isn’t it cold in those clothes?”

Luna touched Ruth’s fabric and, by accident, brushed against his chest muscles. Even though it was just a brief contact, the smoothness of his skin felt unsettlingly sensual.

Flustered, Luna quickly retracted her hand. The strong rose scent that had been emanating from him had now transferred to her fingertips.

“W-where are you staying now?”

“And you? Are you doing well? You look a bit more gaunt.”

“Well… yeah. I’m doing fine.”

Luna turned her gaze away, her cheeks reddening like a peach. Her white neck, exposed above her conservative neckline, was marked with red kiss marks and bite marks.

“Of course you would have lost weight.”

How much biting and sucking would it take to leave someone looking like that? With Kadan’s stamina, how could little Luna have endured if he’d truly gone after her? Ruth sighed deeply, clicking his tongue in frustration.

“Now tell me Ruth, where are you staying?”

“Over there.”

Ruth pointed to a small building next to the palace. All the hostages captured in the royal palace were locked up there. Some called it a harem, but Ruth referred to it as a prison.

“The ones who survived so far are all pretty friendly with the Inut. I’ve learned that from being around them. It should be okay to release them now.”

“What do you mean by ‘those who survived’?”

Luna widened her eyes, puzzled. Ruth scratched his temple, feeling uncomfortable. If Luna knew that six out of ten had been killed for speaking ill of her, it would trouble her deeply.

“Well… there were a lot of sick ones.”

Ruth awkwardly brushed it off, offering a bitter smile as he looked down at Luna. The fact that he now had to fight with someone who once had a secret crush on him… Before the tragic love triangle could fully form, he needed to settle things.

“Living in the palace isn’t great. I guess I’m just a commoner at heart.”

It wasn’t exactly something someone who pours expensive oil on their skin every day should say, but Ruth shrugged his shoulders and grinned playfully. Luna couldn’t help but smile at Ruth’s familiar smile.

“Just wait a bit, Ruth. I’ll talk to Kadan and try to get you out…”

“What are you asking of me?”

Just then, a low voice came from behind Luna.

Kadan was walking toward them from the end of the hallway. He must have heard Luna’s voice from that far away. Still wearing that outfit? Kadan openly displayed his discomfort.

“Why don’t you ask me directly, Ruth? Stop flirting like that.”

With a wide stride, Kadan quickly closed the distance and stepped between Luna and Ruth. His thick body came dangerously close to brushing against Ruth.

He had always had a presence that could weigh down on people, even when he was just a forest keeper. Now, as a prince, the pressure he exuded was even more formidable.

Luna, overwhelmed by the strange tension, unconsciously avoided Kadan’s gaze. Perhaps it was the nerves, but for some reason, the small undergarment she was wearing felt unusually tight and uncomfortable against her soft skin.

As Ruth fidgeted nervously, he lost his balance. He only moved slightly, but being so close to Kadan, his upper body ended up pressed against him. The oil on Ruth’s skin smeared onto Kadan’s clean, polished clothes.

“Get away.”

Kadan didn’t hesitate and forcefully shoved Ruth away.

Ugh! With Kadan’s powerful push, Ruth flew into the wall with a loud thud. His dramatic pose, looking like the protagonist of a tragic story, matched the outfit he was wearing perfectly.

Kadan, who had a wealth of practical knowledge, briefly considered how to remove oil stains but quickly discarded the thought. He was so distracted by Ruth that he almost forgot the purpose of being here.

“I’ve come to take you, Luna.”

“Where… are we going?”

Luna quickly blinked her eyes, recalling the fountain.

“We’re going to the audience chamber today.”

“Again?”

“Why? Don’t you like it there?”

Kadan narrowed his eyes. He tried to maintain a neutral expression, but the playful glint in his narrowed eyes was unmistakable.

“Maybe we could just go to the bedroom instead…”

Luna briefly glanced at Ruth, who was leaning provocatively against the wall. Knowing Ruth, he probably understood exactly what Luna meant. Luna felt utterly embarrassed.

However, Kadan’s next words surprised her completely.

“Unfortunately, I can’t welcome my family into the bedroom.”

“Huh?”

“My father and brother have arrived.”