A man cloaked like Yuder, his hood drawn to cover his face, quietly opened his mouth.

“I stepped outside right around the time you decided to fire another arrow.”

“You stepped outside... meaning,”

“I regained consciousness sometime before that.”

“......”

Yuder lowered his head and let out a deep sigh.

‘Damn it.’

He had chosen wind and arrows because they were the best tactical option under the circumstances—but also, because they were quiet. Others might not have known, but Yuder had carefully directed the force of his powers, subtly erecting a veil of wind to minimize the noise and vibrations reaching the inner citadel behind him while using his abilities.

But in the end, even that wasn’t enough to avoid waking the ever-sensitive Swordmaster.

‘The rut hasn’t completely passed yet. I’d hoped he could sleep more deeply...’

Yuder, filled with deep regret, apologized.

“I’m sorry. It’s over now, so please go back and rest.”

“You want me to go back to sleep... after witnessing that?”

Kishiar asked softly. Yuder, silent for a moment, looked up. Beneath the hood that obscured his face, the faint curve of his lips hinted at a teasing smile.

“That’s a request I don’t think anyone, not just me, could reasonably fulfill.”

With those words, Kishiar pushed back his hood and removed it.

‘Ah.’

For a moment, it felt as though the world had grown brighter. The face revealed beneath the hood looked almost on the verge of tears—his brows softened, his smile the picture of pure happiness.

Reaching out toward Yuder, who stood frozen in thought, Kishiar brushed aside the strands of hair sticking out. With that motion, Yuder’s hood also slid back, and Kishiar’s warm hand cradled his cheek, gently warming it.

Only then did Yuder realize just how cold his skin had grown from prolonged use of his wind ability. The sudden sensation of warmth on his chilled cheeks and ears made him press his lips together. Kishiar, in a soft voice, suggested,

“Let’s go inside. It’s too cold out here.”

The Duke’s bedroom looked exactly as it had when Yuder had left. Kishiar tossed a handful of magic stones into the fireplace, then pulled Yuder to sit in front of it with him.

Yuder hadn’t been prompted, but he naturally began explaining what had transpired.

“While you were asleep, I went down to meet with Sir Zuckerman. Then... we received word that a monster had suddenly appeared in Zilbang, injuring several knights.”

“That’s earlier than usual.”

“Yes. Sir Zuckerman said the same.”

Yuder confessed that although Nathan Zuckerman had intended to deal with the monster alone, he had stopped him.

“Sir Zuckerman is an outstanding knight, and so are the others in Peleta, but I judged that coordinating together would be faster and more effective in neutralizing the /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ threat without casualties. Based on past experiences, I had a general idea of what type of monster might appear in Zilbang, and I also thought it would be a good opportunity to let the Northern members gain firsthand experience. So...”

“I see. That makes sense. Is that why you chose the bow as well?”

“Yes.”

As expected, with just the briefest account, Kishiar had already surmised most of the reasons behind Yuder’s choice of tactics.

“I initially just predicted it would be a flying monster, but upon closer inspection, I recognized it as one I’d faced in a past game. Its weakness lay in the parts not covered by feathers, so I knew I could handle it alone. If things went as I expected, Sir Zuckerman and the others should’ve dealt with the remaining monsters without injury. They’ve probably returned by now.”

“Understood.”

Kishiar nodded.

“You made a sound judgment and achieved a brilliant outcome. And yet the hero of this victory seems rather glum.”

Yuder was silent for a beat, then answered honestly.

“I... didn’t want to wake you. I hoped to return before you got up, but I completely failed in that. So I don’t think I deserve praise for good judgment—”

Before he could finish, the response came from an entirely unexpected direction. Kishiar leaned in and kissed him—deeply enough to steal his breath. Before Yuder could blink, the lips that had captured every ounce of his air finally pulled away with a soft, wet sound. As Kishiar opened his eyes, the gorgeous red gaze that met Yuder’s was enough to leave him spellbound.

Breathing heavily, Kishiar murmured,

“Sorry. Looks like... my rut isn’t entirely over yet.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I feel so happy that all the pain and sadness from before seems utterly stupid... I can’t hold back. If you’re willing to show mercy to a wretch who’s lost all patience, may I steal another kiss?”

He didn’t wait for permission—his lips returned instantly. Even as Yuder was pushed down beneath him, the kisses came relentlessly, leaving no room for breath. That beast-like man who had attacked Yuder with blind desperation until just yesterday—he was still there. Yuder could feel him clearly in those kisses.

A bit dazed, Yuder wrapped his arms around Kishiar’s neck and decided to focus on the kiss. Whatever the circumstances, Kishiar’s kisses always made him forget everything and fall, completely.

It might sound strange to say he found comfort in those desperate, almost childlike kisses—but strangely, he did.

When they finally parted, Yuder realized that the lingering gloom from his failure to meet his original goal had entirely vanished without a trace.

“...Haa.”

Kishiar kissed his cheek and hugged him close. A soft fragrance unfurled, tickling Yuder’s skin.

“When I woke up... I was honestly a little startled not to see you there.”

Kishiar whispered gently.

“But as I took in the strange sounds and vibrations around me, I could piece together the situation. Just realizing where you were and what you were doing... somehow, that made everything feel okay again.”

Strangely enough—

Through that whisper, Yuder could feel the peace, the relief, and the hope Kishiar had experienced in that moment.

“When I finally couldn’t stand just hearing anymore, I decided I had to see it with my own eyes. I knew you might be disappointed if I slipped out... but I also knew I’d regret it forever if I didn’t go and watch you.”

“...You mean the fight?”

“Yes. You fighting.”

Kishiar clarified and confirmed at once.

“It was the right decision. Had I not gone... I really would have regretted it.”

“......”

“To see the one who holds all of me... To witness just how brave, how beautiful, how utterly captivating he is. And to remember why I’m here... It was more than enough.”

As he spoke, Kishiar let out a low laugh. He pulled off the glove on Yuder’s hand and pressed a kiss to the bare skin beneath.

From the back of the hand to the fingertips—it was a kiss of reverence.

“So... thanks to you, I managed to find my way back when I was just starting to lose it.”

Yuder’s fingers twitched slightly, but he didn’t pull away. Kishiar rested his cheek against the back of Yuder’s hand and closed his eyes. A faint murmur escaped his lips.

“No matter how many times I see it... I don’t think I could ever stop being drawn to that sight.”

The words sounded more like something Kishiar was telling himself, not Yuder. He kissed Yuder’s fingertips one last time and then raised his head. His face no longer looked pained or lost, like before he’d fallen asleep. Instead, he smiled with the expression Yuder knew best.

A smile forged through countless failures and pain.

A smile like the most brilliant light.

A gaze as meticulous as any of his strategies.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt. When you fired that last arrow... I told myself it would be fine, but I was still a little anxious, wondering if you might have gotten nicked somewhere.”

Only then did Yuder snap out of the trance he’d been under while watching Kishiar.

“...If you saw it from behind, I suppose that’s understandable. But rest assured—not a single hair was touched.”

Kishiar smiled. And though his words expressed relief, Yuder could tell from that smile: even if he had been hurt, Kishiar wouldn’t have stepped in.

Did he realize that was what Yuder found most satisfying?

Without a word, Yuder leaned his head against him.