Chapter 39
“Indeed, Felix is very beautiful.”
Abel did not love Felix because he was beautiful, but that did not mean he intended to deny Felix’s merits. If anything, he was willing to use them to provoke his opponent further.
Abel struck precisely where he knew the duke’s son would react most strongly.
“That’s why I intend to share everything I have with Felix.”
The possibility that someone he had always considered beneath him might one day stand above him—
“My honor, my status, and my power.”
In reality, Felix would never want that. Even knowing what Abel could give him, Felix was still rejecting him.
But the duke’s son had no way of knowing that, so Abel’s ploy would work perfectly.
“Now then, between you and Felix, which one of you is truly lowly?”
Abel casually glanced at the young duke, who stood frozen in place, unable to move a muscle, then continued on his way.
The moment he stepped through the doors of the annex, he came face-to-face with Felix, who had been standing inside.
Whether the duke’s son had realized it or not, Abel had known from the beginning that Felix was there. The fact that Felix had not come out to stop him meant that Abel already knew Felix was hiding and had no intention of showing himself.
Just as Felix had done in the banquet hall, Abel could sense from the way Felix’s divine power had shrunk in on itself that he was brooding in silence.
“Felix, come with me.”
But Abel had no intention of simply standing by and watching him like that.
* * *
After following Abel into his room, Felix remained silent, never once meeting his gaze.
Abel gave him some time, but as he felt Felix’s divine power sink lower and lower, he raised an eyebrow.
“Felix, I don’t have any other engagements today.”
When Felix still failed to respond, Abel elaborated.
“That means we can stay like this until tomorrow if necessary.”
Only then did he receive the faintest reaction.
Felix, who had been staring blankly into space, finally turned his blue eyes toward Abel.
“I told you clearly that I have no intention of accepting your feelings, Lord Abel.”
“You did.”
When Abel readily nodded, the muscles in Felix’s jaw tightened.
“Then why do I have to go through all of this because of you?”
Felix had every right to be angry. Abel knew perfectly well that Felix was suffering because of him, and yet he had no intention of giving up his feelings.
Hadn’t he said it before? If it concerned Felix, then he would simply have to keep being angry.
But Felix was not finished.
“And I’m angry that, the moment the duke’s son appeared, I hid away like it was instinct.”
It seemed that the emotions he had been suppressing had finally burst forth.
“I’m also resentful that I was treated like a lowborn bastard again because of you.”
Felix spat out the emotions burning coldly within him.
“I resent the fact that I can only show up the duke’s son with your help.”
Without concealing anything, he laid it all bare.
“I despise myself for being unable to deny your words.”
It had been a very long time since Abel had seen Felix this honest. In fact, since returning to the past, this was the first time.
And so Abel had intended to wait until Felix had said everything he wanted to say.
If not for what came next.
“For a moment, I was tempted to accept your feelings just so I could make him kneel. I’m ashamed that I wavered at all.”
Tempted for a moment?
“Why only for a moment? You could’ve just let yourself be swayed completely.”
The words escaped him reflexively. Abel was that disappointed.
He had always thought Felix would never use his authority, but that had clearly been a hasty conclusion.
Is that really what’s important right now? Felix shot him a look of utter contempt, but Abel was entirely serious.
He immediately began actively advertising his appeal.
“I’ll let you do anything you want, without asking any questions.”
If Felix wanted the power Abel possessed, then Abel was willing to involve himself in political struggles even more actively than he already had.
It would be an incredibly troublesome and arduous struggle, but if it made Felix happy, Abel would be satisfied.
He rarely wielded it directly, but Abel truly could do almost anything.
There were even those within the Order who claimed that, had Abel been just a little more proactive, the Empire would already have been brought to its knees long ago.
Of course, while the Pope made use of Abel’s power, he was also wary of allowing too much authority to concentrate in Abel’s hands. As a result, rather than borrowing more power than necessary, he had been taking his time, slowly and steadily swallowing up the Empire.
Abel declared with absolute certainty:
“I have the power to do that.”
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