Chapter 74
When Felix still gave no answer, Abel spoke in a firm voice.
“Whether you like it or not, this is as much as I’m willing to compromise.”
He could not simply accept an outright refusal.
Abel understood why Felix had fallen silent. He understood the situation. He understood that Felix had no other choice.
Even so, he had every right to feel wronged.
“You’re wondering why you have to go through all of this because of me, aren’t you?”
I know how you feel. He was about to say he was sorry when Felix released his grip on Abel’s shoulders and replied:
“…I’m not so sure. If the Commander is right, then it seems this was decided long before I was even born.”
“That’s taking it a bit too far.”
He was giving himself far too much credit. To Gregory, Felix had never been worth that much.
“If I hadn’t kept pestering you, your life probably wouldn’t have been in danger.”
If Abel had never undergone the Father’s trial, Felix would never have left the Temple with him.
And if that had never happened, Felix would not have died. At least not within the next five years.
After that, Gregory might have found some other way to make use of him.
‘He probably would have dealt with him one way or another, right?’
Even so, it likely would not have gone as far as threatening Felix’s life. Unless, of course, it was done so discreetly that no one ever noticed.
“At worst, you probably would’ve been hated and driven out of the Temple.”
But in response to the consolation Abel had offered with complete sincerity, Felix shot him a resentful look before muttering in resignation:
“Just do one or the other. Why do you always have to say one more thing….”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
Abel had no idea what Felix was getting worked up over this time. He was so fragile and sensitive.
‘Even so, he’s cute.’
After taking his time admiring Felix’s sulky expression, Abel spoke again before the conversation could fizzle out.
“Felix, you agree too, don’t you? If you’re ever truly in danger—if you think you won’t be able to handle it—then you’ll move into my room.”
At the persistent proposal, Felix looked at Abel with exhausted eyes.
“…Am I imagining it, or does it seem like you’re actually hoping for that?”
“I do have a feeling you’ll be moving into my room before long.”
He didn’t like the thought of Felix being in danger.
But he found himself looking forward to sharing a room with him.
Felix had said it looked like Abel was mocking people when he smiled.
Even so, the smile came to him of its own accord.
There was something unreadable in the way Felix was looking at him, but Abel made no attempt to suppress the smile that had escaped him.
* * *
Early in the predawn hours, Abel’s eyes opened without warning.
He sat up in bed.
The sun had yet to rise completely, leaving the room dim. Like every other part of the Temple, it was filled with pristine white furnishings, and not a single one showed any sign of fading or a speck of dust.
Even so, the moment his gaze fell upon the edge of the wallpaper swallowed by darkness and the corner of the table, a single thought surfaced naturally.
That looks dirty. And Abel did not let that thought pass.
His bare white feet slipped out of bed and landed on the plush rug.
Crossing the soft carpet, he stepped onto the marble floor. A chill crept up through the soles of his feet, but Abel continued forward as though he felt nothing.
Tap. Tap.
The closer he drew to the shadowed corner farthest from the window, the colder the floor became, and with it came an ever-growing sense of mustiness and stale air.
“…”
Stopping before the table, Abel lowered his hand toward its corner.
Swoosh.
Early in the predawn hours, Abel’s eyes opened without warning.
His long hair reached the corner of the table before his hand did.
At that very instant, a brilliant power erupted from Abel’s body with such intensity that it was almost blinding.
“Lord Abel!”
The reaction from the guards stationed outside the bedchamber was immediate.
Sensing the divine power surging out from the room, the holy knights hurried inside. Cloaked in holy light themselves, they found Abel standing motionless, his gaze fixed on one corner of the room.
“…Lord Abel?”
They turned to look where Abel was staring.
There was nothing there.
Taking several more steps into the room to inspect the area more closely, they were finally reached by the aftereffects of the divine power Abel had unleashed.
A warm yet invigorating force enveloped them, as though they had stepped into a sacred sanctuary.
The holy knights’ expressions softened with drowsy contentment.
But only for a moment.
“Bring it here.”
Abel’s command snapped them back to their senses.
“…Pardon?”
Whenever Abel released his divine power like this, it could only mean an emergency.
Reproaching themselves for relaxing before even determining what was wrong, the holy knights hurried to Abel’s side.
Abel raised a hand, stopping them.
“Do not come any closer. Bring me a pair of scissors.”
“Y-Yes? Whatever do you—”
The holy knights, who had begun to question him, froze in shock the moment Abel turned to look at them.
Several, realizing at once that the situation was far from ordinary, immediately scattered in search of a pair of scissors.
One shouted through the open door for someone to fetch them at once.
Another, unable to approach Abel because of his command, remained on guard, scanning the surroundings.
Others searched the room for anything that might serve as a substitute.
Amid the bedchamber, now thrown into complete commotion, Abel alone remained perfectly composed.
Carefully, he accepted the small dagger that was passed to him.
His eyes fell to his hair.
Starting from the tips, it was slowly crumbling away, as though it were being burned to ash.
I thought he’d go after Felix first.
Grasping a handful of his hair without ceremony, Abel swung the blade without the slightest hesitation.
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