Not a Confession, but a Declaration - Chapter 73

Felix’s plea was so earnest that Abel could only stare at him in confusion.

What does he mean? I’ve been thinking this through the whole time.

It was rare for Abel to put this much thought into anything.

In fact, it would not have been an exaggeration to say this was the first time he had ever planned this far ahead instead of simply dealing with whatever was right in front of him.

Patiently, Abel explained how he had arrived at his conclusion.

“If the Commander is right, Gregory will try to get rid of what’s become a thorn in his side. But he can’t kill me.”

Pointing at the letter opener resting on the desk, Abel looked at Felix.

“So he’ll most likely go after you instead. Won’t he?”

Gregory was an extraordinarily patient man, but that did not mean he was merciful.

He was someone capable of making cold, decisive judgments without hesitation.

But Felix, seemingly understanding exactly what Abel meant, simply shook his head.

“Even so, the bedroom is out of the question. You can’t expect me to spend the rest of my life living in your bedroom, can you?”

Abel understood Felix’s point. But he had a plan of his own.

“Simply hiding won’t solve anything.”

Avoiding Gregory forever would not make them safe. As long as Abel remained the Herald of God, Gregory would continue to regard him with suspicion and keep him under constant watch.

“So, even if it’s a nuisance, we’ll have no choice but to get rid of Gregory—”

Thump.

Abel lowered his eyes to the hand that had suddenly covered his mouth.

‘Why is he covering my mouth?’

They were in the middle of a serious and important discussion.

Abel welcomed physical contact from Felix at any time, but perhaps because Felix’s hand was so large, it covered his nose as well, making it rather uncomfortable.

‘Is he trying to make me feel suffocated again?’

Out of nowhere? Judging by the way Felix’s face was practically boiling over, it was entirely possible.

Obediently keeping his mouth shut, Abel simply stared blankly at Felix, whose face flushed red and blue in rapid succession, yet somehow still looked beautiful.

Before long, the hand moved away.

“Why did you do that?”

Felix opened and closed his mouth several times before finally striking his own chest with a clenched fist. Then he answered.

“Do you really not understand why?”

“I don’t.”

All Abel had been trying to do was explain just how much thought he had put into this.

“Do you have another idea? If it were just me, that’d be one thing. But you’re involved too. So first, Gregory—”

“Lord Abel.”

Abel fell silent as Felix gripped his shoulders firmly.

Felix’s lips parted and closed several times, as though carefully choosing his words, before he finally spoke.

“For now… let’s agree not to say that part again.”

“But I think we’ll need to eventually.”

Whether or not the Commander’s conspiracy theory was true, this was something that would inevitably come to pass.

The moment Abel publicly confessed his feelings for Felix, and the moment he began dreaming of a future with him, the fragile peace that had existed between Gregory and Abel had already been shattered.

With a voice drained of all strength, Felix replied:

“…Let’s worry about that when the time comes.”

Seeing how utterly exhausted Felix looked, Abel decided to take a step back. There would be other opportunities.

“Then what about moving into my room?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Felix answered.

“Let’s think about that later, too.”

“Felix. Aren’t you being a little too complacent?”

“…”

If he kept putting everything off until later, what was he going to do when something actually happened?

Ordinarily, Abel would have preferred to let Felix have his way.

But the situation was too serious to simply assume everything would work out.

In a gentle voice, as though coaxing a child, Abel made another suggestion.

“Then let’s do this. If your life is ever truly in danger, you’ll move into my room.”

He pointed toward his spacious bedchamber.

“My room is bigger, after all.”

The room Felix was using might have been larger than expected. After all, he was still a member of the Spencer Ducal House.

Even so, there was no way it could be larger than the quarters of the Herald of God. Besides, there were far more things here that could be put to use in an emergency.

“Well?”