Chapter 22
Abel calmly turned to Felix and smiled.
“It was quite a powerful confession of love, wasn’t it?”
“Could you please stop saying that?”
If he meant those words—
“Love?”
Abel stared curiously at the sharp line of Felix’s jaw as it visibly tensed, then readily nodded. Felix disliked hearing it that much, so Abel had no intention of forcing the subject.
Looking at Abel with suspicious eyes, Felix asked with a weary expression:
“…Why did you speak to His Eminence like that?”
“Because he made the first move against me.”
Biting his lip, Felix asked:
“Do you realize that all of this is entirely my fault?”
‘So he still has that habit of biting his lip.’
“Felix, what kind of relationship do you have with Gregory?”
Faced with the unexpected question, Felix fell silent for a moment before answering.
“We have no relationship whatsoever.”
“Have you ever met Gregory alone since coming to the temple?”
“…No.”
In a gentle voice, Abel informed Felix of what he considered an objective fact.
“Look. You’re nothing to Gregory.”
He truly did not understand why Felix was blaming himself here.
“Gregory targeted me entirely because of me.”
Now that he had told him the truth, Abel wished Felix would stop tormenting his lips.
“You aren’t a threat to him in the slightest.”
“…Haah.”
With a long sigh, Felix lowered his head. Was that a sigh of relief? It hardly seemed like it, considering how tightly his fists were clenched.
Still, at least he had released his lip.
Staring intently at the full lower lip marked with teeth impressions, Abel continued in a patient tone, as though instructing a child.
“It isn’t that Gregory has absolutely no interest in you.”
Perhaps because he had never had a chance to speak with Gregory, Felix seemed not to understand what kind of person he was.
“When the need arises, he’ll use you without hesitation.”
Abel would usually protect Felix, but when he was not by his side, Felix needed to be able to protect himself as well.
“Just like how he used the duke’s son this time.”
Back when Abel did not know about the blood relationship between Felix and Gregory, he had assumed that Felix had become his guard simply because of his face.
But now that he knew the truth about their familial connection, things were different. Felix had not become Abel’s guard on looks alone.
‘He had been placed there to be used at the proper time.’
A piece positioned in advance, just in case.
If Gregory could make use of him, all the better. If not, that was fine too.
After being expelled from the temple, Abel had often wondered why Felix had chosen to follow him.
‘Gregory had been involved.’
A man like Gregory would never have considered everything settled simply because Abel had been cast out of the temple.
‘He would have prepared for every possible eventuality.’
Whether Abel failed to overcome the Father’s trial or succeeded in the end, Gregory would have had countless ways to make use of him.
Felix had been a watcher and a protector, as well as an assassin capable of killing Abel at any moment.
And did knowing that not bother him?
‘Not at all.’
Gregory was someone thoroughly accustomed to manipulating others according to his own wishes without them ever realizing it. There was a good chance that Felix had been acting in accordance with Gregory’s intentions without even being aware of it himself.
Of course, even if Felix had been following Gregory of his own free will, that would have been fine as well.
‘It would actually be better that way.’
If Felix truly belonged to Gregory, then Abel would not need to be wary of Gregory at all.
That would eliminate the most troublesome problem of all.
But after seeing the duke’s son this time, Abel finally understood.
Even if Felix truly belonged to Gregory, Gregory would cast him aside once he was no longer useful.
Just as the Felix of the past had met his death that way.
Staring intently at the smooth, unblemished face before him, so different from the scarred one he remembered, Abel abruptly said:
“So if Gregory ever reaches out his hand to you, just take it.”
Felix frowned. He didn’t understand.
“Isn’t that contradictory?”
It was a fair reaction. After spending all this time warning him about Gregory’s danger, telling him to take Gregory’s hand naturally sounded strange.
But this was the correct answer.
“Even if Gregory abandons you, I won’t, so it doesn’t matter.”
If Gregory were to discard Felix once he no longer had any use for him?
“I’ll pick you up, patch you up properly, and keep you by my side.”
Abel had thought it was rather romantic, but a bitter smile spread across Felix’s lips.
Why?
“You’re saying that even if I take His Eminence’s side, you still won’t abandon me.”
Ah, so that was what Felix was worried about.
“Felix, more than half of those by my side are Gregory’s people or the archbishops’ people.”
Abel ignored even those people, who meant absolutely nothing to him. There was no way he would abandon Felix, whom he loved.
“Because of that, information about me doesn’t have much value.”
The corners of Felix’s eyes softened ever so slightly as he looked at Abel with a hint of sarcasm.
“…Why do you simply leave them be?”
“Because it doesn’t matter that much. Besides, I don’t really have anything worth hiding.”
It wasn’t simply because dealing with them was troublesome. He paid them no mind because they were worthless things that posed no threat to him.
“Even if they watch me and remain wary of me, I won’t be put in danger.”
As long as Abel remained firmly established as the Herald of God, they could never lay a hand on him. But Felix was different.
Felix was the first person Abel had ever claimed as his own. Those who were wary of Abel would now set their sights on Felix.
Felix had become Abel’s weakness. And Abel had no intention of getting rid of that weakness.
“So if Gregory or anyone else approaches you, don’t stubbornly resist. Just go along with them.”
With an unpleasant expression, Felix asked in return:
“Why do you assume that I would resist in the first place?”
“If you don’t, then all the better.”
It was fortunate that Felix disliked him.
“Prioritize your own safety. Don’t rebel for no reason and put yourself in real danger.”
One thing that worried Abel was Felix’s tendency to be contrary at times. Felix was like a little puppy that would bristle and snap whenever someone tried to force him to do something.
Abel found that rather cute, but he wasn’t sure other people would see it the same way.
“If your head gets cut off, not even I can bring you back.”
It would be nice if Felix could protect himself, but…
“Felix, you’re not particularly exceptional.”
Abel looked at Felix’s sword. Objectively speaking, it was difficult to call Felix an outstanding swordsman.
The blue eyes that had been wavering in confusion turned cold.
“Are you saying that on purpose?”
‘He’s angry.’
“Or is your personality just rotten?”
Very much so.
Abel stole a glance at Felix. Thinking that Felix might get even angrier if he didn’t answer, he replied cautiously.
“It’s not intentional, so probably the latter?”
And after hearing that answer, Felix—
Bang!
—left the room without even properly taking his leave.
Even so, Abel was still the person he served. To slam the door that hard on his way out…
‘Has he given up on pretending now?’
Perhaps Felix was simply growing accustomed to getting angry at Abel and snapping at him.
“That’s nice.”
Because Abel wanted Felix to express his emotions freely and vent his anger as much as he liked.
If he needled him a few more times, Felix would eventually stop trying to hide his feelings in front of Abel altogether.
A Felix who flared up and angrily snapped back whenever provoked. It sounded wonderful.
“Ah, I forgot to tell him not to come tomorrow.”
Though even if he called him back now, Felix probably wouldn’t come.
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