RHFTY chapter 53

* * *

As Chaeyi’s internal turmoil deepened, Leonard, who had been quietly observing him, finally spoke.

“You don’t have to give me an answer right away. Just stay by my side like you always have. That’s enough for me.”

It sounded like he was being considerate, but in truth, Leonard had retreated a step, assuming that Chaeyi was hesitating because he wanted to refuse.

He was afraid that he might leave him.

“…….”

Unaware of his true feelings, Chaeyi nodded without much difficulty.

He couldn’t give him a definitive answer at the moment, so being given more time to think wasn’t a bad thing for his either.

Their conversation ended there.

The air inside the carriage remained awkward until they reached the Lancaster mansion.

Both of them stared out the window in silence, making the journey feel even longer than it was.

By the time Chaeyi snapped back to reality, they were already pulling up to the gate of the Lancaster estate.

As they stepped out of the carriage, Ferdinand was already waiting for them.

Whether someone had told him in advance or he had simply guessed, he was there to greet them.

It was odd, considering he wasn’t even part of the Lancaster household.

Normally, Chaeyi would have made a playful remark, but he wasn’t in the mood, so he let it slide.

“You’re back. Sooner than I expected.”

“Yeah.”

“How’s the sickly one doing?”

“Luckily, he seems to be okay.”

As Chaeyi paused to chat with Ferdinand, Leonard left with only a brief comment about going ahead. Chaeyi didn’t stop him.

Ferdinand, glancing between the two of them, raised an eyebrow and made a curious expression.

He had immediately noticed that something was off between them.

“What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“You and that guy. What’s up with you two?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Avoiding his gaze, Chaeyi vaguely dodged the question.

Ferdinand, watching his closely, let out a small sound of disapproval and narrowed his eyes.

From the way they were acting, it was obvious they had fought.

‘This is strange. What could’ve happened?’

But Ferdinand didn’t press any further.

He was curious, but that was all. He didn’t think it was something he needed to concern himself with.

Even if things between Leonard and Chaeyi deteriorated later, it wouldn’t matter much to him.

Though, he did feel a bit uneasy seeing Chaeyi looking so down.

“Anyway… I was about to leave, so I’m glad I got the chance to say goodbye.”

“Oh, you’re leaving? Today?”

“Yeah.”

It was a little disappointing but not surprising.

Chaeyi had already expected it.

Ferdinand had stayed longer than he thought he would.

“Well, I’m off then.”

As they walked together toward the Onyx mansion, Ferdinand suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chaeyi.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he gently patted his head—a surprisingly tender gesture coming from him.

“If you need anything, just call me. Though, I’ll probably be back soon anyway. Take care until then.”

His awkward attempt at comforting his made Chaeyi smile, easing the heaviness she’d been feeling a little.

But the relief was short-lived.

As soon as he reached the Onyx mansion and stood in front of his room, his emotions returned to square one. He even sent Enoch, who had come to attend to him, away.

She just wanted to be alone.

“Haah.”

Lying back on his bed, Chaeyi let out a deep sigh. He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened yesterday and the things Leonard had said.

Wanting his to love him as a romantic partner…

Every time he thought about it, his face grew hot and his heart fluttered, leaving his unsure if it was from excitement or shock. It was hard to tell.

‘…It’s not like I hate the idea or find it gross.’

But did he feel the same way about Leonard?

Could he? he still didn’t know.

For now, he saw Leonard as family and might be unconsciously avoiding making a decision.

‘Then let’s imagine it.’

What if he accepted Leonard’s feelings?

But there was a fundamental problem with this scenario.

To imagine it, he needed to picture “that kind of situation,” and yet… he couldn’t.

Having never dated anyone, he had no personal experiences to draw on, and even his recent interest in romantic novels wasn’t enough to fuel his imagination.

‘Then what if I don’t accept his feelings?’

Chaeyi’s expression darkened as he allowed himself a brief moment of imagination.

The situation seemed likely to worsen.

“Can I still remain as family with Leo, even after rejecting his feelings? Just like before?”

He couldn’t be sure, but at the very least, things wouldn’t be the same.

He would always be cautious, constantly reminded of the things he had said.

In the worst-case scenario, their relationship would fall apart, leaving nothing but awkwardness.

But simply accepting his feelings without reciprocating? That would be unfair—to himself and to Leo.

‘So, in the end, there’s only one way this can have a happy ending.’

For his to develop the same feelings for Leo.

‘But… is that even possible? Can I truly come to like him in the same way he likes me?’

It felt like an endless loop, and even if he did develop those feelings, there were still obstacles in their future.

‘Neither of us is an omega, and I’m not a beta woman who can bear children. We’d eventually run into problems with heirs.’

Even if they ended up together, their relationship seemed doomed to end in separation at some point. Either way, a pit of despair awaited them.

Since Chaeyi wasn’t aware of any way to become an omega later in life, he could only feel more pessimistic.

“Ugh.”

Chaeyi furrowed his brow and abruptly stood up.

He wasn’t used to agonizing over things like this, and his head hurt from overthinking.

‘Stressing out about it right now isn’t going to change anything.’

Not knowing where his heart truly lay, he decided to wait until he had more clarity.

‘Yeah.’

Leo had said he didn’t need to answer right away, so there was no need to rush.

‘Alright.’

Having reached that conclusion, Chaeyi felt a bit more at ease.

---

Five days later.

Chaeyi and Leonard were maintaining a delicate balance in their relationship, neither worsening nor improving.

While they were eating and chatting as usual, Enoch, who had been excitedly talking about a newly famous tourist spot, suddenly made a suggestion to Chaeyi.

“Why don’t we go on a trip together?”

“…What?”

“The place I just mentioned!”

“Oh… where was that again?”

Chaeyi, who had been lost in thought, raised his head in confusion.

Enoch, realizing that he hadn’t been paying attention, pouted.

Feeling guilty, Chaeyi awkwardly smiled, which prompted a sigh from Enoch before he began explaining again.

“The Graveyard of the Eleverium. Eleveriums are magical creatures, and when they die, they release the last of their life force, creating a stunningly beautiful display if enough of them gather.”

Enoch’s eyes sparkled as he explained, his earlier sulkiness forgotten.

“Apparently, last year saw an unprecedented number of Eleverium deaths, so the display is expected to be the most spectacular ever! Doesn’t that sound exciting?”

Eleveriums, huh?

They were level 6 creatures, the safest kind, and when they matured, they each took on one of seven colors.

But Chaeyi had never seen one himself, so he couldn’t quite imagine what it would be like.

“Yeah, I’m curious to see it.”

“Exactly! Lately, you’ve seemed distracted and down, so I thought a trip might help cheer you up.”

It made sense that Enoch would be a bit downcast, seeing as Chaeyi had been too caught up in his own thoughts to pay attention to him.

Touched by his concern, Chaeyi gently patted the back of his hand.

“Alright, let’s go together.”

Enoch looked up at his with a bright, beaming smile.

The only hitch was that the trip would require leaving the estate, so they needed Leonard’s permission.

Fortunately, Leonard granted it, as long as Chaeyi traveled with Enoch and was accompanied by knights and a coachman for safety.

Sitting comfortably in the carriage while others handled everything was something Chaeyi had no objections to.

After two days of preparation, the day of their departure to the Monark estate, where the Graveyard of the Eleverium was located, finally arrived.

“Chaeyi. Be careful.”

“Don’t worry.”

Though he was busy, Leonard had come to see his off, and Chaeyi smiled warmly at him in return.

It seemed like their usual friendly interaction.

But as they exchanged farewells, Leonard suddenly reached out.

* * *