* * *
Seo Woohyun slowly lifted the teacup to his lips.
The warmth of the tea soothed him, making him feel alive again.
“A good nap really does wonders.”
He’d only just woken up after sleeping late in Erdian’s arms.
Glancing sideways, Seo Woohyun noticed that Erdian, who had been stuck to him like glue since he woke up, was still at his side.
His gaze wasn’t exactly warm, though.
It was hard to be, considering Erdian was casually fondling his thigh with a shameless expression, even as Seo Woohyun sat on the sofa sipping tea.
At first, Seo Woohyun thought Erdian would stop on his own after getting his fill.
But as the hand ventured dangerously close to places it shouldn’t, he decided to speak up.
“How far are you planning to go?”
“As far as you’ll let me.”
Seo Woohyun’s intent had been to signal Erdian to stop, but his nonchalant reply made it sound oddly suggestive.
Annoyed, Seo Woohyun recalled the early morning events and firmly pushed Erdian’s hand away.
If he kept indulging Erdian’s charms, it wouldn’t be long before he’d end up unable to walk again.
“Stop it. If we go any further today, I might actually die.”
Erdian’s eyes narrowed sharply at Seo Woohyun’s dramatic remark.
“How can you say such a terrible thing so casually? You were groaning in pain while you slept, so I treated you entirely.”
Now it made sense why his body had felt so refreshed.
Seo Woohyun’s gaze narrowed suspiciously.
He hadn’t thought too deeply about why his body, which had been aching so badly, suddenly felt better after a short nap.
But it seemed Erdian had secretly healed him.
It was a gesture that was both endearing and exasperating—after all, Erdian had caused the problem in the first place.
“I’m just mentally tired, that’s all. By the way, you’re not planning to act like this in front of others, are you?”
“So, you’re saying it’s fine when we’re alone?”
Wait—how did the conversation turn into that?
Seo Woohyun hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Denying it outright felt dishonest, but agreeing might lead to more trouble.
Sensing his hesitation, Erdian took Seo Woohyun’s hand and whispered softly.
“If I misunderstood, just tell me. If you don’t want me to touch you even when we’re alone, I’ll respect your wishes.”
Erdian’s golden eyes shimmered as he gazed at Seo Woohyun, his long lashes casting delicate shadows that emphasized his sorrowful expression.
His stunning beauty was enough to make Seo Woohyun’s resolve waver.
‘Why is he like this…?’
From the very beginning, Seo Woohyun had been drawn to Erdian’s looks and charm.
Even now, as his partner, he wasn’t immune to his allure.
“No, it’s not that I don’t want you to touch me… It’s just embarrassing in front of others, that’s all.”
“Of course, I’ll be discreet. But then, can you tell me how far I’m allowed to go when we’re alone? Like… this much?”
Erdian’s hand gently caressed Seo Woohyun’s knee.
The touch was so careful and tender that it carried no hint of impropriety—only a quiet yearning.
“This much is fine.”
“And… this?”
Erdian’s face inched closer, his gaze fixed on Seo Woohyun’s lips.
Based on past experiences, Seo Woohyun knew Erdian wasn’t the type to stop at a kiss.
More likely, he’d wrap an arm around his waist or pull his pants off entirely.
“Not today.”
Seo Woohyun raised a hand to block the distance between their faces.
After a brief pause, Erdian pressed a kiss to Seo Woohyun’s palm and murmured,
“Then I’ll wait for your permission tomorrow.”
“……”
“Woohyun, isn’t that right?”
Under the desperate gaze, Seo Woohyun’s resolve wavered in an instant.
He could only resent the way he always seemed to soften when faced with Erdian’s face.
‘This seductive charm… Ugh, forget it.’
Seo Woohyun, swept up in the moment, wrapped his hands around Erdian’s neck and pulled him close.
‘We’re dating, so it’s fine to kiss, touch, and be affectionate when we’re alone. A kiss won’t wear out my lips.’
Screwing his eyes shut, he kissed Erdian first.
Erdian, who had hesitated briefly, responded immediately, wrapping his arms around Woohyun’s waist.
He began to plant light kisses on Woohyun’s lips, feeling satisfied that his charm had worked.
“Woohyun, is there something you want? Jewels, gold, honor, status… Name it. Whatever you desire, I’ll give it to you.”
Erdian’s sweet whisper wasn’t just empty words—no one knew that better than Seo Woohyun.
If he voiced a wish now, Erdian would gladly fulfill it.
But Woohyun didn’t have anything else he wanted.
Returning a few kisses to Erdian’s cheek, he shook his head.
“Nothing?”
“…Yeah.”
“How could you want nothing…”
At a loss, Erdian pulled Woohyun into his arms, basking in the happiness of holding him close.
He could feel Woohyun’s heart beating—a small but distinct rhythm that spread, overflowing with divine joy.
That joy took on a tangible form, manifesting across the continent.
Bright yellow petals of the sacred flame began to flutter down from the blue sky.
Like a sudden sunshower, the petals caught everyone’s attention.
Someone murmured in awe.
“…It’s Erdian’s blessing.”
The murmurs quickly spread like wildfire.
“A miracle!”
“Erdian has granted us a miracle!”
“Erdian, oh divine one!”
As the cheers of the faithful echoed across the continent, deep within a mountain ravaged by explosions, a petal of Erdian’s sacred flame landed on the snout of a hatchling engrossed in its hunt.
Its round head tilted up toward the sky.
“…El?”
The hatchling wrinkled its nose, recognizing the familiar aura.
It was undoubtedly the energy of that whimsical, fearsome, yet kind god it knew.
What could make him so happy that he was scattering his energy like this?
After much thought, the hatchling could only come up with one reason: the god was sharing in a joyous moment with his saint, who couldn’t hide his affectionate gaze.
“I miss him.”
The child murmured to itself, briefly longing for the warmth of Seo Woohyun’s embrace.
But it wasn’t ready to return yet.
It wanted to become a prouder, more impressive hatchling and come back with a successful hunt.
Pawing at the ground with determination, the hatchling dashed off, its tiny horns now slightly bigger than a fingernail.
The news of Erdian’s blessings spreading across the continent didn’t take long to reach the ears of his saint.
Even amidst the overwhelming busyness caused by Erdian’s outpouring of blessings, High Priest Sihero never neglected tea time with the saint, ensuring Seo Woohyun was kept informed of recent happenings within the church.
After Sihero excused himself to prepare for a prayer meeting for the influx of worshippers, Woohyun, now accustomed to Erdian sticking to his side, looked at him intently.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Why did you suddenly shower so many blessings?”
Sihero had dressed it up as a touching demonstration of Erdian’s boundless grace, but even someone like Woohyun, who wasn’t well-versed in church matters, could tell this wasn’t normal.
“I was so happy I couldn’t help myself.”
“Happy?”
“Didn’t we come to understand each other and become one?”
Erdian gently caressed Woohyun’s cheek, his eyes tender.
“It made me so happy, I couldn’t contain it.”
“…So you ended up granting hundreds of miracles?”
“That’s just how it happened.”
Woohyun’s jaw dropped slightly.
They had agreed to tone down their overt displays of affection when around others, but he hadn’t expected it to manifest in this way.
‘What if we fight? Will there be lightning and floods? I’ve never dated a god before, how would I know?’
He felt a bit unsettled.
“All the other gods work so hard, trying to gain even a few more followers by wringing out miracles. But for me, miracles just burst out like sneezes when I’m emotional. It’s because my powers are so strong. I’ll try to hold back from now on. I know you hate drawing this much attention.”
The “other gods” Erdian mentioned were undoubtedly other deities like him.
But Woohyun only knew that there were many gods besides Erdian; he didn’t know much else. Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind.
Before the ship was captured, he vaguely remembered the sailors mentioning a priest of the Maha Church.
Judging by the context, it seemed like someone who had left Erdian’s church to serve another god.
The image of the red fabric embroidered with white that the threatening man had worn was still vivid in his mind.
“Speaking of other gods, do you know a god called Maha?”
“That lazy God? Why?”
Erdian’s voice, which had been as soft as a spring breeze, turned icy in an instant.
* * *
