Chapter 40: Moonlight, Wine & Dangerous Distance

“Insolent brat. If not for Her Majesty the Empress, your entire House of Sulleban would have been destroyed long ago.”

Even at Beryl’s venomous words, Osh’s expression did not change in the slightest. Unlike Beryl, who looked moments away from exploding in rage, Osh merely continued rubbing Kebel’s wrist in calm silence. Then Kebel noticed a head of gray hair approaching, and his eyes widened.

“Enok?”

At Kebel’s voice, both men turned toward the source. As if summoned earlier by Beryl, Enok was walking over alongside a servant. He was merely walking, yet somehow he looked as though light itself surrounded him, perhaps because he was the protagonist of the original story.

Kebel quietly observed the look on Beryl’s face as he stared at Enok. At first his expression had been ambiguous, but as the distance between them closed, interest slowly flickered in his gaze. As expected, Beryl clearly cared about appearances.

“I greet the sun of the Empire, Crown Prince.”

Enok bowed first. His shy, clear voice seemed pleasing even to Beryl’s ears, judging by the way one of his brows lifted slightly.

“So you are Enok Shrimp.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“I see. Raise your head.”

Even after greeting him, Enok hesitated to lift his face. Only after realizing the prince was truly addressing him did he slowly look up. The moment their eyes met, Enok’s gaze dropped to the floor again, his lashes trembling faintly.

Apparently displeased by such timid behavior, Beryl folded his arms and looked him over.

Unlike Beryl’s tight-fitting attire, Enok’s outfit was refined and elegant. The tailcoat prepared for him in advance elevated his beauty even further, giving him an air of noble grace.

It seemed all that preparation had been worthwhile, because Beryl’s eyes slowly swept over him from head to toe.

The corners of Beryl’s lips loosened, as though Enok exceeded whatever image he had imagined beforehand. And naturally, his gaze lingered on Enok with unmistakable interest.

Under such blatant scrutiny, Enok fidgeted with the cloth bundle in his hands. Then, at the Crown Prince’s next words, his shoulders jerked before he lowered his head again.

“I hear your fortune-telling skills are exceptional.”

“…You flatter me.”

“But tell me… have we met somewhere before?”

At the question, Enok hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head. Though such behavior bordered on disrespect, Beryl seemed uninterested in pointing it out. Anyone could tell how unusually lenient he was being with Enok.

“I swear I’ve seen you somewhere…”

But the original story had already changed. So when exactly had the Crown Prince met Enok before?

Before Kebel could dwell on the question, Beryl rubbed his sharp jaw thoughtfully with crossed arms. Then, as if remembering something, his eyes gleamed.

“I think it’s coming back to me.”

“…Pardon?”

“More importantly, I’d like to see your fortune-telling for myself.”

“…Of course. If you command it, I’ll prepare immediately.”

A smile spread across Beryl’s lips at Enok’s response.

Thankfully, Beryl seemed genuinely interested in him. If Enok and Beryl continued meeting like this, things might finally proceed according to Kebel’s plan.

Kebel quietly let out a dry sigh.

Noticing, Osh looked at him as though asking what was wrong. Kebel only shook his head slightly before turning back toward the other two.

“We’ll do it now. Go now, escort Enok to the drawing room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Once the servant led Enok away, Beryl’s attention finally returned to Kebel and Osh. Judging by his face, he didn’t seem intent on continuing their earlier confrontation.

Sure enough, the prince spoke in a calmer tone than before.

“I’ll be gone for a moment. There are things I wish to ask him.”

“Yes. Have a safe trip.”

“And don’t misunderstand. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

What misunderstanding?

Still, Kebel was simply relieved to escape the situation. He nodded quickly.

Beryl’s crimson cape swept dramatically behind him as he approached a knight standing by the entrance.

“You. Stay here and guard this place.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Only after receiving the knight’s response did Beryl finally leave, seemingly satisfied.

Kebel watched his back until he disappeared completely from sight.

At last free from Beryl’s oppressive presence, Kebel let out another dry sigh. Perhaps because he’d been tense for so long, the alcohol he drank earlier suddenly came to mind.

As Kebel turned to head back inside for more wine, Osh caught his arm.

“You’re going inside?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I just… wanted to stay with you a little longer.”

Osh looked at him with lingering reluctance.

Truthfully, Kebel wanted to stay with Osh too. Since both Enok and the Crown Prince were gone now, surely spending a little more time together would be fine.

Smiling softly, Kebel said,

“Then should we do something else?”

“…Like what?”

“Wait here a second.”

But before he could move, the knight blocked his path.

Kebel frowned in annoyance, and the knight answered firmly,

“It is His Highness’s order.”

“So what? He told you to guard this place, not stop me from moving.”

“I apologize, but…”

“I’m not running away. I’ll come right back. So just wait here, okay?”

The knight visibly hesitated under Kebel’s firm response.

Taking advantage of the opening, Kebel hurried inside, grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, then rushed back out. Several guests attempted to greet him along the way, but he brushed them off with vague answers before escaping.

Osh narrowed his eyes as he looked at the wine and glasses in Kebel’s hands.

Grinning mischievously, Kebel shook the bottle.

“How about a drink? It’s your coming-of-age day too, but you didn’t get to drink anything.”

“…Do we really have to drink?”

“Yep. Apparently we do. Come on, let’s go to the terrace. I’ll pour you a glass.”

Without even waiting for Osh’s opinion, Kebel walked ahead toward the terrace.

He thought he heard a faint sigh behind him, but ignored it lightly and kept walking.

Since the party was full of newly turned adults, the terrace was nearly packed. Fortunately, one empty spot remained.

Carrying the wine bottle carefully, Kebel slipped into the curtained terrace with Osh, making sure no one noticed them. He quickly drew the curtains shut behind them.

Only then did Kebel burst into quiet laughter.

Despite the sofa nearby, he climbed onto the railing and sat on its edge instead.

Immediately, Osh sat close behind him and wrapped a hand around his shoulder.

The position looked absurdly unsuitable for drinking, so Kebel turned back and called his name.

“Osh?”

“I’m worried you’ll fall. If you did, my heart would break.”

“Then how are we supposed to drink?”

Instead of answering directly, Osh turned Kebel around to face him.

The distance between them became dangerously narrow, close enough that Kebel’s knees brushed against Osh’s thighs.

Kebel’s eyes widened.

But Osh only smiled casually.

“Like this.”

“…I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Since when were you this kind of person?

As Kebel tried to scoot backward, Osh placed a hand against his waist.

Startled, Kebel stiffened instantly, only for Osh to pull him even closer.

The shortened distance made sweat prickle against Kebel’s skin.

“O-Osh?”

“I’ll pour your drink for you.”

No, that’s not the issue! Your knee is practically between my legs!

Of course, Osh couldn’t hear the scream inside his head and continued acting completely shameless.

Between the heat crawling across his body and the constant awareness of Osh’s knee, Kebel felt dizzy.

‘Think of him as a friend.’

‘If he’s just a friend, this means nothing, right?!’

No matter how much he tried to convince himself, it didn’t help at all. If anything, it only made him more aware.

“Hold it with both hands. Like this.”

Seeing Kebel frozen stiff, Osh placed the glass into his hands.

Why did the phrase hold it with both hands suddenly sound so suggestive?

Kebel’s thoughts kept veering somewhere strange.

Wine the color of crushed grapes filled the glass. Osh tilted the bottle carefully before pouring another for himself.

Then he set the bottle aside and slowly straightened.

“Cheers.”

Smiling lazily, Osh clinked his glass against Kebel’s.

The sharp chime echoed softly.

Maybe it was the halo of moonlight behind him, or maybe it was the sight of his throat moving as he swallowed the wine, but tonight, Osh looked unbearably sexy.

Kebel stared blankly at him drinking.

The moment Osh lowered his glass, Kebel hurriedly gulped down his own wine.

Unlike the drink Beryl had given him earlier, this one tasted more bitter. It truly tasted like alcohol.

“You got some on your lips.”

Osh brushed a finger gently across Kebel’s mouth.

Then their eyes met.

Kebel forgot even to blink as he stared at him.

Behind Osh, bright moonlight spilled through the terrace.

As though determined to embarrass him further, the light illuminated everything too clearly.

Slowly, Kebel closed his eyes.

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