Chapter 38: The Lingering Touch

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Emil woke up later than usual the next day. The sun was already high in the sky when his eyes fluttered open.

From beyond the door, he could hear Yanis attending to patients. By rough estimate, it must have been close to noon. He couldn’t believe he had slept for so long.

The moment he swung his legs off the bed, Emil slumped to the floor.

“You’re awake.”

Yanis entered the room the instant he heard the thud. He looked as impeccably neat as ever. Emil offered an awkward smile and tried to stand, but his legs simply wouldn’t cooperate.

“Ah, suddenly…!”

Just as Emil tried to stammer out an excuse, Yanis effortlessly lifted his own body onto the bed. Compared to his own struggles, Yanis’s graceful movement made Emil suddenly feel a wave of embarrassment.

“Thank you. …I didn’t expect to wake up so late.”

“Rest is necessary after your first guiding session. You actually woke up sooner than expected.”

“……”

For a moment, Yanis stepped into the consultation room, returning with a steaming cup. An familiar aroma wafted towards Emil.

“This is a tea to relax your body and aid in restful sleep.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Emil nodded his thanks and accepted the cup. Indeed, merely inhaling the scent seemed to melt away his tension.

Yanis settled beside Emil, observing him as he drank the tea. As Emil slowly sipped, he kept feeling the man’s gaze from his side. Suddenly, it became almost unbearably embarrassing.

‘The previous night flooded his memory. He had undergone “treatment” with the man, losing all sense of time. Was it truly debauchery?’

‘Thanks to it, Emil had managed to eliminate the ice pillars that had erupted from the floor. It was merely a method for Espers and Guides, one Emil didn’t fully comprehend.’

‘Moreover, it wasn’t just anyone; it was Yanis. Yanis’s body, his warmth, his voice, his expressions, even his excitement and fervor—all vividly resurfaced.’

“……”

‘His face flushed crimson at the memory of being held in Yanis’s embrace, their tongues entwined countless times, their bodies pressed close, his own moans reaching a crescendo.’

‘Was such arousal truly permissible? He was undergoing treatment, and the man was his mother’s fiancé, wasn’t he? Their wedding was barely a week away.’

‘Aside from his mother’s infidelity, his mind was constantly in turmoil. It was obvious he would be severely condemned if anyone discovered his actions.’

“Emil.”

“…Yes.”

“The ice pillars in the consultation room are still there.”

“…Still there?”

“Yes. They haven’t melted at all.”

Emil’s eyes widened in astonishment at Yanis’s words.

“Can you make them disappear?”

At Yanis’s question, Emil slowly rose from his seat. Though he still felt no sensation below his waist, he did not wish to accept any more trivial help from Yanis.

He forced himself to walk nonchalantly into the consultation room. With each step, a dull ache radiated from his lower back.

Opening the door, Emil stepped inside, and there they were: the ice pillars from the previous day. Just as Yanis had said, their size hadn’t diminished in the slightest since then.

Emil paused before the row of consecutive ice pillars. He knew he had eliminated the ice he’d created last night, yet he couldn’t help but feel a surge of tension.

“Emil.”

Yanis placed a hand on Emil’s shoulder from behind him.

“You are more than capable.”

To Emil’s surprise, Yanis’s words instilled a profound sense of confidence within him. Like magic, the anxiety coiled deep inside Emil dissipated, replaced by a growing self-assurance.

As the apprehension vanished, Emil finally realized he was different from the night before.

‘Confusion, uncertainty, and ambiguity regarding the objects he had created were now supplanted by confidence. He also felt a certainty that an intangible power rested within his hands.’

He focused his gaze on the leftmost of the ten ice pillars before him. The pillar melted and vanished the moment Emil’s eyes met it. The second disappeared without a trace, and so did the third and fourth.

The fifth pillar left a slight watery residue. The sixth thoroughly soaked the floor, and… The seventh pillar required a little more time to dissipate, and the eighth—

CRASH!

“Ah!”

“Oh dear.”

Suddenly, the ice pillar before them shattered into countless fragments. As if exploding, ice shards flew in every direction, prompting Yanis to turn his back, shielding Emil in his embrace.

He held Emil close, turning his head to survey the scene. The scattered ice gleamed sharply, like broken glass. ‘Could he not only create and destroy ice, but also make it explode if necessary? This was more than just a mere ability.’

While Yanis scanned their surroundings, Emil fidgeted nervously.

“Um, Yanis.”

“…Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine. What about you, Yanis…?”

“I’m fine as well. Ah, this is not good.”

Yanis’s hand cupped Emil’s cheek.

“Your complexion isn’t good.”

“Ah…”

Emil’s face was pale, beads of cold sweat clinging to his forehead. His eyes were unfocused and hazy, unable to properly fix on anything.

Yanis tightened the arm around Emil’s waist and led him back to the bedroom. Emil stumbled, collapsing onto the bed against his will. His weakened arms moved limply, devoid of strength.

“I haven’t destroyed them all yet…”

“It’s alright.”

Yanis smiled gently, tidying Emil’s hair.

“You are perfectly in control of your power now. There’s no need to eliminate them all at this very moment. More importantly… your body comes first.”

“Ah…”

At Yanis’s words, Emil slowly nodded. ‘Perhaps due to his exhaustion, his eyes kept drifting shut. His body had only just acclimated to the power, and using so much at once had overwhelmed it. Now that he had complete control over his ability, he needed rest.’

As Yanis naturally leaned in, preparing for the next step, Emil called out to him.

“Yanis?”

“…Yes.”

Emil parted his lips, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Yanis straightened up again, gently stroking Emil’s hair. Though the world seemed to spin around him, Yanis’s touch felt wonderfully comforting.

“When can I get rid of this power?”

For a moment, he felt Yanis’s hand pause. However, Yanis soon cupped his cheek once more.

“Anytime after your stamina has fully recovered.”

“……”

“You’ve only just settled into this power; if you overexert yourself now, you’ll collapse for the entire ordination day.”

“Hahahaha.”

Emil let out a weak chuckle at Yanis’s words. ‘He vaguely understood that it wasn’t a joke. Even now, he felt no strength in his limbs. It wasn’t simply because he had overdone it yesterday.’

“Emil.”

“Yes…?”

“I’m going to kiss you. It’s all I can do for an Esper who has just used their power.”

“Ah…”

With a soft sigh, Emil’s lips parted. Yanis’s lips carefully met his—the same lips that had drawn his tongue and various parts of his body into their depths countless times last night.

Yanis clasped Emil’s hand, lacing his fingers through Emil’s. The sensation of his fingers being completely filled by the man’s hand was pleasant. Very slowly, the dizziness began to recede.

Emil felt the headache that had plagued him vanish, and he slowly opened his eyes. Yanis’s face filled his entire vision.

He leaned in very close, assessing Emil’s condition.

“……”

Slowly, Emil’s eyes met Yanis’s. His own reflection was captured within those melancholic eyes. Yanis offered a gentle smile.

Ah…

‘His heart began to pound once more. Even amidst his disorientation, his heart beat wildly on its own accord.’

“How does your body feel?”

“My mind feels clear now. Thank you.”

Yanis’s gaze drifted to Emil’s hand. Despite the fading dizziness, his fingertips still trembled subtly. Yanis lifted Emil’s hand and pressed a kiss to its back.

Emil’s cheeks flushed at the man’s unexpected gesture. ‘He ought to accept such actions naturally. The man was simply… helping him, who was unaccustomed to such things.’

‘Who would feel affection and a pounding heart while receiving treatment? Anyone observing them would surely find Emil suspicious.’

Yanis closed his eyes, pressing his lips deeply against the back of Emil’s hand. ‘The shape, the texture, the warmth of his lips seemed to imprint directly onto Emil.’

When Yanis squeezed Emil’s hand tightly, Emil flinched and pulled his hand away.

“Ugh…! Ah, I’m sorry.”

‘It felt as though his palm had been tickled.’ He quickly apologized after seeing Yanis’s serene expression, but the sensation lingered.

Yanis merely blinked several times, then let out a low chuckle. Emil, too, offered a small laugh, mirroring Yanis. His fingertips still trembled. ‘The thrumming sensation remained in Emil’s hand, as if his heart were beating at his fingertips.’

An awkward silence settled over the room. Emil couldn’t conjure a suitable excuse for his recent action, and Yanis said nothing.

Emil tightly clenched the hand Yanis had just held, blinking rapidly. Yanis gazed steadily into Emil’s eyes before finally speaking.

“Emil. It seems that now—”

“Doctor. Are you home right now?”

The moment Yanis uttered Emil’s name, the door burst open with a loud bang, and a booming voice echoed through the room. Yanis turned his head towards the sound, rising from his seat.

The instant Emil heard the voice, he gasped, quickly pulling the blanket up to his chin. ‘His heart pounded wildly, as if he had been caught doing something illicit.’

“Yes, I am here.”

“What’s this? Looks like you’re not working anymore today, huh?”

“Not at all, I was just resting for a moment. Is something bothering you?”

“Yeah, I was just fixing some farm tools earlier and…”

The voice of the man seeking treatment gradually faded, followed by the sound of the door closing. The two men’s conversation was nothing more than an indistinct murmur.

Emil clutched his chest, the blanket pulled over his head.

“Now that I think about it, have you heard the rumors circulating in the village?”

“What rumors are those, sir?”

“Recently, up in the mountains—”

‘What was Yanis about to say? What would have happened if that man hadn’t walked in?’

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