* * *
The night deepened.
The Viscount was an excellent host.
He introduced various paintings in the hallways and even had his youngest daughter perform a piano piece.
Chester, who had a knack for piano himself, returned the favor with a song.
His fingers moved gracefully under the warm orange light, looking more like a free-spirited, young artist than a dignified duke.
Isaac remained quiet and composed as usual.
But Adam could tell that even he was more relaxed than normal.
The softened look in his eyes and the gentler tone of his voice were proof enough.
“Wow, this room’s huge.”
Chester burst into laughter as he stepped inside.
When he saw the two beds pushed together, his grin grew even wider.
He seemed genuinely pleased with the Viscount’s handling of things.
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
Adam spoke sincerely, recalling the tense exchange between the brothers earlier.
Just remembering the Viscount’s wide-eyed family made his cheeks burn.
But seeing the brothers content, it seemed they wouldn’t fight again—probably.
“It would’ve been even better with just the two of us.”
Adam froze at Chester’s words as he sat at the edge of the bed.
“Don’t you think so, Adam? What’s your take?”
“By ‘the two of us’… you’re referring to… the Dukes, right?”
Chester looked at him incredulously.
“You really think that’s what I meant?”
‘No…’
Adam answered inwardly, sneaking a glance at Isaac.
Dressed in a silk gown, Isaac was drinking water.
Sensing Adam’s stare, he set down the clear glass on the table.
“Childish.”
Isaac finally spoke, his voice calm.
“Chester, I’m talking to you. What was the point of forcing this situation?”
“Haha, forcing? I was being honest. I wanted to sleep with Adam too. Does that mean your intentions are serious while mine are just playful?”
“So you’re saying you were serious?”
“Of course.”
“I didn’t know you cared so much about Adam. Enough to insist on sharing a bed even while traveling.”
“I’m the one who’s surprised. You actually admitted wanting to share a bed with someone—publicly, no less.”
After their exchange, Isaac and Chester locked eyes.
Adam, lost in the confusing situation, watched nervously.
In the quiet, only the faint croaking of frogs outside could be heard.
“Adam.”
“Stop being so cautious.”
‘Stop being cautious?’
Adam, baffled, couldn’t help but retort in a grumbling voice.
“How can I not be? You two suddenly started arguing—”
As soon as he replied, Adam mentally cursed himself.
He’d just talked back.
‘Seriously, Adam Ross, you’ve gotten way too comfortable…’
“We weren’t arguing.”
“Yeah, who’s arguing here?”
The two brothers looked completely unbothered.
Chester even added kindly:
“We were just curious about each other. We’ve never truly fought, not once in our lives. It’s instinctual—we know better than to fight seriously.”
Chester casually ran a hand through his platinum blond hair, making it fall messily in an attractive way.
“If monsters like us fight, it’ll only lead to ruin. The jealous humans would love that.”
Though Chester spoke lightly, Adam’s face darkened.
Noticing the shadow over Adam’s expression, Isaac approached him.
“Why that face?”
“Ah… I just remembered something I heard at the last ball. That there are people who don’t view you both favorably…”
“You heard that?”
“Yes. Lady Gillis mentioned it.”
At those words, Chester snapped his fingers, “Ah, right. Now I remember.”
“He means the Duke of Fetchwig. That old man really doesn’t like us. I guess he thinks if the two of us disappeared, he’d be second-in-command in this country. As His Majesty’s uncle and the head of a prestigious family, I suppose he’s entitled to such ambitions. The problem is… it’s a hopeless dream.”
Chester spoke as if it were nothing, but Adam was stunned.
The Duke of Fetchwig was a name known by everyone—a man of immense power.
Knowing such a person harbored resentment towards them only added to Adam’s worries.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Isaac lifted Adam into his arms.
Startled by the unexpected move, Adam flailed his limbs, but it was brief—he was soon sprawled onto the bed.
Unconsciously, Adam clung to Isaac’s neck.
The faint scent of rosemary oil and alpha pheromones drifted from Isaac.
“Looked like you were overthinking. Just lie down.”
“Ah, was I bothering you?”
Adam asked timidly, to which Isaac slowly blinked his lashes.
Then he brought his lips close to Adam’s ear.
“A little.”
His whisper, mixed with his breath, tickled its way deep into Adam’s ear.
A shiver ran through Adam’s body, and when he shrank away, Isaac’s lips curled into a smirk.
Watching the arms around his neck and Adam’s flushed face, Isaac leaned down.
“Uh…”
Adam let out a faint moan—the soft touch of lips against his forehead caught him off guard, erasing every thought in his mind.
“You shouldn’t make sounds like that.”
Chester chuckled as he lay down beside them, poking Adam’s cheek with slender, pale fingers.
“Makes me wanna have sex with you.”
The hands clinging to Isaac’s neck trembled slightly.
Adam hurriedly let go and shook his head.
“N-No, I didn’t make any sound…”
“Oh? Lying now? Hey, Isaac, did you hear that sound? Or not?”
Isaac furrowed his brow, staring at the arms that had just been around his neck.
He grabbed Adam’s wrist and rested it back over his shoulder.
“D-Don’t…”
Breathless, Adam’s voice trembled with tension.
His lips became the center of everyone’s gaze—as if telling him to continue.
“This is the Viscount’s mansion… We’re guests here… If we do this, uh—!”
“They’ll understand. Pretty sure they’ll overlook whatever happens in here.”
With that, Chester kissed Adam’s cheek.
The smacking sounds, overly sweet and embarrassing, filled his ears.
“S-Seriously, don’t…”
“Was that an order?”
“It’s… a request…”
“Haha, at this rate, you’ll end up crying.”
Chester spoke with a smile, edging his body even closer to Adam.
“Alright, I won’t. I know at least that much courtesy.”
“Ah.”
“Though… I don’t know if the same applies to him.”
Just as Adam was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he quickly glanced at Isaac.
Feeling Adam’s gaze, Isaac looked down at him, expressionless.
His unreadable face made Adam’s lips twitch slightly.
“If he wants to… well. It’s not like I can stop him.”
“Hearing you say that makes me want to.”
Isaac fixed his gaze on Adam’s throat as it bobbed up and down with tension.
The corners of his lips twitched faintly, but Adam, too tense to notice, missed it entirely.
“Kiss me. Then I’ll consider it.”
“Really?”
“I said I’d consider it, just so you know.”
It was impossible to tell if he was joking or serious.
Adam hesitated for a moment before lifting his upper body slightly.
Closing the distance, he brushed his warm breath softly over Isaac’s lips, teasing, as though asking him to open up.
Isaac parted his lips in response.
But Adam didn’t shove his tongue in recklessly.
Instead, he gently pressed and rubbed his lips against Isaac’s slightly parted ones, wetting them carefully.
“Is this okay?”
“You’re asking already? All you’ve done is rub lips a few times.”
Isaac spoke, his words muffled as their lips remained pressed together.
In response, Adam lightly sucked on his now-moist lips, then cupped Isaac’s face with both hands.
His palms smoothed over cheeks as smooth as porcelain while he slipped his tongue inside.
Slosh… Slosh…
A wet sound echoed softly with each entwining of their tongues.
Before long, Isaac had closed his eyes, fully absorbed in the kiss.
Their soft tongues tangled, sometimes rubbing along the sides with sticky friction.
Each time, Adam’s waist quivered slightly.
Moments later, Adam was the first to pull away.
As he slowly distanced himself, Isaac’s closed eyes opened.
His red pupils looked hazy, half-lidded.
Seeing his face, Adam realized there was no need to ask if he was alright.
A slow sense of satisfaction bloomed in his chest.
“Such a show-off…”
“Ow.”
Isaac pinched Adam’s nose lightly.
The sudden action made Adam squeeze his eyes shut.
* * *
