Chapter 56
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.
Why had Felix suddenly decided that kissing was the answer?
Was there some reason Abel didn’t know about?
‘Maybe someone ordered him to use his looks against me.’
Abel had been openly telling everyone that he liked Felix.
And considering Felix’s appearance, it wasn’t an impossible thought.
However, would Felix who had always expressed disgust at the idea of using a beautiful face to gain power really resort to seduction, even if someone had ordered him to?
Besides…
“I already like you without that.”
After all, Abel had confessed so many times that even Felix knew by now. Abel had even told him that the reason he liked Felix was because of his personality. There was no need to go through the trouble of trying to seduce him.
Then what else…
Just as Abel tilted his head in thought, his surroundings gradually came back into focus.
“A secret hideout.”
Its owner had already left, but the place itself wasn’t going anywhere.
There was nothing stopping Abel from taking his time and looking around.
Why did Felix train alone in a place this gloomy and dreary?
Didn’t the holy knights normally train together in the practice grounds?
Abel had visited the training grounds once before to encourage them.
They had been spacious, pleasant, and well equipped.
He had even overheard that holy water was kept on hand in case of injuries, and at the others’ suggestion, Abel himself had contributed several bottles of the holy water he possessed.
For someone like Felix, whose holy power was lacking, holy water was indispensable.
And yet he practiced here alone…
“Maybe it’s cooler because it’s shaded. Or perhaps he likes that there aren’t many people around.”
The words left Abel’s mouth absentmindedly before he shook his head.
Felix and the holy knights.
The answer was obvious.
He had been overthinking it.
The holy knights must have picked on Felix. Bullied him. Looked down on him. Mocked his inferior swordsmanship.
Or perhaps they had ridiculed the fact that, even among the holy knights, Felix’s holy power was considered weak.
“I’ll have to punish them again.”
Though first, he had to make up with Felix.
‘Is that even possible?’
Felix had gone so far as to say he’d rather kiss him than have a conversation with him.
‘Still, I have to try.’
He’d said he didn’t want to talk to him, not that he didn’t want an apology.
And even without talking, there were countless ways to apologize.
Abel carefully reached out and touched the wooden practice sword that had undoubtedly spent the most time in Felix’s hands.
The wooden sword that had been the number one contributor to Felix’s ugly hands.
“It’s old.”
It gleamed from meticulous care, polished smooth with years of maintenance, but old was still old.
The wooden training dummy, the wrist guards, the canteen, the bandages, the small dagger—everything else gave him the same impression.
Things worn with the owner’s dedication and countless hours, yet still old and unremarkable.
“Should I replace them as an apology?”
But Felix hated it whenever Abel touched his belongings. He remembered that well, having been thoroughly cursed out several times in the past over similar incidents.
Some people would probably ask why he was handling Felix’s things anyway when he already knew that. But this, too, was behavior born from experience.
“As long as I don’t get caught, it doesn’t matter.”
Out of every ten times he meddled with them, there were about two occasions when Felix never noticed, and Abel escaped without getting scolded.
So this time as well, all he had to do was not get caught. But if he replaced the items, Felix would immediately realize Abel had been meddling with his belongings.
“Hmm. Then I can’t replace them….”
Maybe he should give him a gift that wasn’t already here?
Absently rubbing his swollen lower lip, still puffed up from colliding with Felix’s front teeth, Abel flicked his hand without hesitation.
* * *
Having thoroughly inspected Felix’s private sanctuary to his satisfaction, Abel healed his lower lip before leaving.
He was curious what kind of expression Felix would make if he saw the injury, but Felix had already been angry enough over feeling forced by him. He couldn’t make things even more difficult for him.
‘I don’t think I can afford to make him hate me any more than he already does.’
Walking aimlessly wherever his feet carried him, Abel stopped a passing Holy Knight and asked him to guide him back to the annex.
There wasn’t a single holy knight who didn’t know where Abel’s residence was, and so he returned safely.
“You’re back. Have you finished gathering your thoughts?”
He had taken a little longer than expected, partly because he’d been exploring the place and partly because he’d gotten lost. But it seemed Felix had come up with an appropriate explanation. The clergy who attended Abel merely looked relieved to see him return and didn’t blame Felix.
‘At least he’s gotten good at looking after his own interests now.’
That, at least, pleased Abel.
Abel gave Felix, who was looking at him serenely, a brief glance before entering his room alone.
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