* * *
Chaeyi eagerly explained to Enoch that what he had said earlier was not meant in that way.
Finally realizing his misunderstanding, Enoch turned crimson with embarrassment.
As the awkwardness between them began to dissipate, the carriage they were traveling in slowed to a stop near a dense forest.
This forest marked the western edge of Combest territory, beyond which lay the domain’s border.
It seemed they planned to rest briefly before continuing their journey.
“We’ll pause here for a quick break!”
The voice of Lawrence, the knight commander, rang out, and Chaeyi disembarked with Enoch.
At the same time, Leonard stepped down from the carriage ahead and approached them with a slight scowl.
Understandably so—Leonard had initially planned to enjoy a quiet ride with Chaeyi, but Enoch had insisted on having a private conversation with Chaeyi, forcing Leonard to take another carriage.
“Ah, Leo.”
Chaeyi greeted Leonard with an awkward smile.
Seeing Leonard approach, Enoch immediately averted his flushed face and, before Leonard could even ask what had been discussed, fled the scene, leaving only a hurried comment behind.
“From the next leg onward, you two should share a carriage!”
Leonard watched Enoch’s retreating figure with a perplexed expression, then turned back to Chaeyi, clearly expecting some kind of explanation.
Chaeyi, however, could only chuckle awkwardly.
Sighing lightly, Leonard seemed to decide to set the matter aside for now and suggested:
“They’re still preparing lunch. Want to take a walk in the meantime?”
“Sure, let’s do that.”
Chaeyi readily agreed, and the two headed into the forest.
They didn’t plan to wander far, as lunch would be ready soon, but a stroll near the forest’s edge seemed appealing.
The soft rustle of leaves accompanied a gentle breeze as Chaeyi took a deep breath, savoring the cool, fresh air.
The secluded path, surrounded by verdant trees, made for a serene retreat.
“Chaeyi, can I hold your hand?”
Leonard asked playfully, extending his hand.
Chaeyi chuckled softly and took it without hesitation.
“Of course.”
Chaeyi found it endearing that, even after dating for quite some time, Leonard still sought permission for such simple gestures.
It was his way of showing respect, paired with a touch of charm.
“You smell nice, Chaeyi…”
Leonard murmured as he intertwined their fingers and brought Chaeyi’s hand to his lips.
The truth was, if anyone smelled good, it was Leonard, whose pheromones carried a rich, intoxicating chocolate scent.
When the fragrance softened into something akin to milk chocolate, Chaeyi often found himself unexpectedly aroused.
But voicing such thoughts aloud was far too embarrassing, so he kept them to himself.
As they strolled, chatting quietly, a sudden rustling sound caught their attention.
Startled, both Chaeyi and Leonard froze and turned toward the noise.
A tense moment passed before the source revealed itself—a small, bipedal creature that looked somewhat like a rabbit.
Its body was pitch-black, its eyes glowed red, and its claws were sharp.
It was no ordinary animal but a “Jackie,” a highly docile sixth-tier magical beast.
“Oh, it’s a Jackie.”
Recognizing the creature, Chaeyi relaxed and crouched down.
The Jackie paused mid-step, glancing up at the giant beings before it with mild curiosity.
Despite its sharp claws, it seemed to sense no danger from Chaeyi.
“Does this forest have a lot of magical beasts?”
“Not many, but sixth-tier beasts like this show up from time to time.”
“I see.”
Chaeyi cautiously extended his hand, and the curious Jackie sniffed it instead of running away.
The creature, resembling a plush doll with its soft, furry body, was highly coveted among certain eccentric nobles.
“How adorable.”
“Watch out for its claws—they’re sharp.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
As Chaeyi wiggled his fingers playfully, the Jackie showed interest but eventually scampered off at a distant noise.
Standing up, Chaeyi dusted himself off, and Leonard, who had been watching him fondly, spoke up.
“Chaeyi, shall we head back? It feels like it’s been a while.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
With lunch likely ready, they turned back toward the carriages.
Before they could start walking, Leonard pressed a gentle kiss to Chaeyi’s cheek and offered his hand.
Smiling, Chaeyi took it, and the two strolled back together.
After enjoying a hearty meal and freshening up by a nearby spring, the group resumed their journey.
By nightfall, they had crossed the estate’s borders into the forest of a small barony.
They still had a few more domains to traverse before reaching the Ludvis estate, managed by the Ludvis family.
For the night, they rented rooms at a local inn.
As the others busied themselves inside, Chaeyi stepped out for some fresh air.
“Chaeyi, here.”
Enoch approached and handed him a blanket.
The night air had grown noticeably cooler, and Enoch had brought a spare blanket to ensure Chaeyi didn’t catch a chill.
“Thanks, Enoch.”
Wrapping himself in the blanket, Chaeyi couldn’t help but think how mild the southern region’s winters were compared to the harsh, snowy seasons of Rubena Village, where he had once lived.
‘Winters in Rubena were so bitterly cold,’ he thought, smiling as memories of Leonard came to mind.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Leonard appeared, wrapped in his own blanket.
He sat beside Chaeyi, his warmth dispelling the night’s chill.
“What were you thinking about?”
“Nothing much, just enjoying the breeze.”
Leaning back against the wall, Chaeyi smiled, and Leonard, catching his warmth, responded with a soft, knowing grin.
The flickering light from the inn’s window cast a mesmerizing glow on Leonard’s features.
Unable to resist, Chaeyi reached out to gently touch Leonard’s pale cheek.
Moments like this, when Chaeyi initiated affection, were rare and always deeply cherished by Leonard.
Closing his eyes, Leonard tilted his head, accepting the silent invitation.
When Chaeyi closed his own eyes, Leonard closed the distance, capturing Chaeyi’s lips in a tender kiss.
As their lips parted and their breaths mingled, Leonard pressed another kiss to Chaeyi’s cheek, his hand slipping from the blanket to rest on Chaeyi’s thigh.
The intoxicating pull of Leonard’s pheromones began to cloud Chaeyi’s thoughts.
Flustered, his face turned red as he gently tried to stop Leonard, regaining his composure.
“Leo. Out here… what if someone sees us?”
“I won’t let anyone touch you even if there’s no one around.”
“Uh… did I say that?”
Leonard’s narrowed gaze fixed firmly on Chaeyi, who awkwardly turned his eyes away.
Even Chaeyi thought so himself… now that they were lovers, maybe he had been avoiding things too much.
But still, even though they had kissed, going further than that still seemed like a scary step for him.
Just then, Leonard, who had been looking at Chaeyi with a sulky face, suddenly broke into a mischievous smile.
“Then, Chaeyi, should we go into the inn room? A place where no one can see us?”
Chaeyi felt Leonard’s hand, resting on his thigh, slowly creeping up.
He quickly grabbed the hand to stop it, his face flushed with heat as he looked down.
It felt like Leonard’s breath, mixed with laughter, was landing right by his ear.
“Ahem.”
At that moment, someone cleared their throat in a low voice.
Startled, Chaeyi looked up.
It was Delion.
Realizing that his father was the one who had broken the mood, Leonard shot him a displeased look.
Delion, seemingly a little embarrassed for interrupting their private time, turned his gaze away and spoke.
“This area’s forest is known to have monsters of grade 5 or higher, and they sometimes make their way down to the village. I just came to warn you to be careful. Ahem. That’s all, so I’ll take my leave now.”
With that, Delion quickly walked away, as if trying to give them space.
But the damage was already done.
Leonard let out a heavy sigh and stepped back, his face showing how disappointed he was.
Chaeyi felt a little guilty, thinking about how much Leonard must have been aching for more intimate contact, which now couldn’t happen.
So, gathering his courage, Chaeyi gently covered the back of Leonard’s hand with his own and said,
“Next time… when we return to the mansion… I’ll seriously think about it.”
Although he didn’t explicitly say what he meant, Leonard understood instantly.
“Really? You’re making a promise. Because you said you like it.”
Chaeyi nodded again to confirm, and Leonard’s eyes, which had seemed downcast, now sparkled with joy.
Just those few words seemed to give him a lot of patience, and from that point on, Leonard refrained from pushing further for physical intimacy.
The next day, after the sun rose, the group packed up and began their journey again.
The road ahead turned out to be much more exhausting than expected.
The distance to the Ludvis territory was so far that even though they stayed in an inn, the fatigue was piling up.
It made Chaeyi realize why Ferdinand always seemed to drag his feet and stay longer when visiting the mansion.
A few more days passed, and finally, Chaeyi and the group arrived in the capital of Lyos, where the Ludvis family’s mansion was located.
* * *
