* * *
Upon seeing that expression, Hesia’s mood dampened a little.
His sharp eyes, which had been raised in defiance, slowly drooped downward.
“But it’s true. I like you.”
“It’s not that I think you’re lying, Young Master. It’s just… too sudden. I don’t even know your name. All I’ve heard is that you just came of age.”
Realizing for the first time that he hadn’t shared any personal information, Hesia fell silent for a moment.
But he quickly found something to say and spoke with newfound confidence.
“If it’s you, Ian, I bet you already know more than that!”
“Well, of course. Just from your hair color and accent, I could make a guess. And if you just came of age this year, it’s likely that you’re the heir to the Merien Principality….”
…He knew too much.
Being a mercenary meant traveling all over, and it wasn’t strange for him to have visited the duchy before.
But the way he pinpointed it so precisely was almost eerie.
Hesia instinctively narrowed his eyes and lowered his stance.
Seeing this, Vivisian chuckled.
“But that’s what I know about you. That doesn’t mean you know anything about me.”
It was a firm statement, but not an incorrect one.
“Sia—No, call me Hesia. And, and… That’s not a reason why I can’t like you.”
Hesia knew this was pure stubbornness.
That’s why, instead of using “Sia,” a name that carried painful memories, he chose to introduce himself properly.
It was stubbornness, but he wasn’t wrong.
Seeing Vivisian hesitate, Hesia took the opportunity to speak honestly.
“I know! I know that someone like me might make you hesitate. But I like you, Ian. I want to be with you. You said you were planning to leave anyway, right? Let’s go together. I’m not going straight to the duchy—I want to travel around for a bit.”
“Someone like you?”
“Young, whiny, selfish, disobedient, stubborn, foul-mouthed, and completely unremarkable.”
It was a brutally honest self-assessment, yet there was no sign that he intended to change.
The sheer audacity of it left Vivisian speechless for a long moment.
And then, as if to gently embrace him, he murmured:
“…But you are kind.”
“Then that’s enough. Come with me. Of course, I have to return to the duchy eventually… but even there, I’ll let you do whatever you want. I’ll make sure you have everything you desire. Clothes, food, anything you need—I’ll only give you the best. Every tribute sent to me, I’ll send to you instead.”
The place where all the wealth of the Merien Principality would be directed.
It was an absurd thing for the heir to a great house to say.
If the person he was speaking to had been someone obsessed with money, they would have pledged eternal loyalty on the spot.
But unfortunately, Vivisian had no interest in riches.
He found no appeal in fleeting luxuries that would crumble with time.
He preferred a wish bracelet that naturally broke when a wish came true over one made of gold or silver.
He liked wildflowers that would cover the fields when the season came, more than gemstones.
He would rather look down from a mountain at a village below than from a palace filled with indulgence.
As Hesia fidgeted, realizing that nothing he listed interested Vivisian, the man—who had been lost in thought—finally whispered:
“Young Master, in times like this, just say you’re offering me your heart. Money, luxury, and pleasure will all grow tiresome eventually. But another person’s love… that’s something you can never become indifferent to.”
“My heart…?”
“Say you’re giving me your love, Hesia.”
“Then will you come with me?”
“Well… for a while, maybe. But I’m going to stay in places without people. No one can discover my identity. Not even the Grand Duke himself.”
It was clear that he considered Hesia’s love to be fleeting, something temporary.
Yet at the same time, he regarded it as something more precious than anything else.
Hesia simply blinked at him.
“Just to be clear, I don’t like you that way. But I can’t be cruel to someone who likes me.”
“I know.”
“I’ll promise you this—I won’t hate you. I’ll stay by your side, be kind to you… and even if you one day tell me to leave, I won’t ask for anything in return.”
“…That’s in the future. We don’t know what’ll happen.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We don’t know.”
Vivisian, who had surprisingly agreed without resistance, wiped away the cold sweat forming on Hesia’s chin with the back of his hand.
“Consider it an extended contract, then. I’ll be in your care, Hesia.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Early in the morning, two people entered the temple—one wearing a mask beneath his robe, the other with his hood pulled low over his face.
The temple, decorated in pure white, bustled with priests dressed in matching robes.
The two figures stood out starkly among them.
Some priests and early worshippers threw curious glances at them, but the pair paid them no mind.
Instead, they continued their conversation, which was now loud enough for everyone to hear.
“You won’t die just because you caught a cold! Stop nagging me.”
“But you’re so weak, Hesia. You were unconscious with a fever just a few days ago, and now you’re jumping straight into the ocean?”
Some people, thinking a fight was about to break out in the temple, watched with great interest—only to lose interest when they realized it was just a lovers’ quarrel.
A priest approached them, cutting through the crowd.
“May the gods watch over you. What brings you to the temple?”
At the sudden appearance of a stranger, Hesia clammed up and hid behind Vivisian.
Since he was actually taller than Vivisian, part of him still stuck out awkwardly.
Used to this behavior by now, Vivisian sighed and answered calmly:
“He had a manifestation fever. I suspect he’s either an Apostle or a Guide. He hasn’t received a name yet, so we came to confirm.”
“Wait, that was a manifestation fever?”
“I told you it was.”
“I was too busy confessing to actually hear anything.”
“…Then what did you think we were coming here for?”
“Well, because you’re…”
An Apostle.
Vivisian smirked at the words that Hesia left unspoken.
This sneaky little cat… I can never keep up with what’s going on in his head.
With that thought, he reached out and tugged playfully at Hesia’s cheek.
“Instead of just thinking about that, try thinking about something else for once.”
“‘That’ makes it sound weird!”
“What, like something dirty?”
“Oh my god, you’re such a kid.”
As Hesia’s face flushed red while calling it something indecent, Vivisian couldn’t hold back and murmured. He could easily predict that Hesia would react like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Before that could happen, Vivisian decided to divert attention and urged the priest, who was standing between them, chuckling, to hurry along.
The priest obediently moved toward the altar where names were bestowed.
The altar was located deep inside the temple, where there were even fewer people than before.
It was, quite literally, a quiet space.
There were no windows, yet the area was astonishingly bright, making Hesia glance around in wonder.
Behind the altar they arrived at after a short walk, a massive statue of a deity towered over them.
It was several times the size of an adult man and exuded an overwhelming presence, yet its face was left uncarved.
This was because humans were deemed unworthy of sculpting the face of a god.
If one looked closely, they could vaguely make out facial features, but ultimately, it remained a single, indistinct mass.
As Vivisian gazed at the statue, his eyes filled with mixed emotions, as if seeing it for the first time in decades.
Meanwhile, following the priest’s guidance, Hesia removed his shoes and sat atop the altar.
He recited the priest’s prayer word for word.
When the prayer ended, a beam of light descended onto Hesia’s forehead, engraving letters upon his pale skin before quickly dissipating.
Vivisian, lost in memories triggered by the sight of the statue, failed to hear the exchange between Hesia and the priest.
By the time he came to his senses, everything was already over, and Hesia was leaning his head against his shoulder.
“Oh, I was lost in thought and missed it. Sorry.”
“It’s fine…”
Hesia, who should have been chattering away in excitement, seemed strangely downcast, making Vivisian suspicious. He told the priest they would stay a little longer and asked him to leave first.
Then, he took Hesia aside to a shadowed corner of the altar, ensuring they wouldn’t be easily seen even if someone else entered.
Only after confirming this did Vivisian gently pull back Hesia’s robe.
As expected.
His expression wasn’t just bad—it was completely ruined.
As if he had received a name with an ill omen.
Stroking the soft, downy skin of Hesia’s cheek in a soothing manner, Vivisian asked gently,
“What name did you receive?”
“…Angelus.”
“Angelus? That means ‘angel.’ That’s a good name. Your face does look a bit like an angel’s.”
Hesia’s expression soured even more at the uncertain mix of teasing and consolation.
Seeing that, Vivisian chuckled and rubbed the deep furrow between his brows.
“You don’t like it because it means ‘angel’?”
“No, it’s just… I didn’t think much about what name I’d get. But the priest said that names meaning ‘angel,’ or names once held by angels, always belonged to those who met tragic fates. Or people who sacrificed themselves for others.”
Lowering his gaze, Hesia muttered that he really didn’t like the sound of that.
* * *
