Nightfall settled over the Silent Forest, which stretched across the northern and southern borders of the kingdom.
The twins scattered their bedrolls haphazardly around the campfire, where monster meat sizzled over the flames.
One of them tossed in another log, keeping the fire alive.
Sitting atop his own bedroll, Latian cast uneasy glances toward Claude.
His anxiety stemmed from the conversation the twins had casually brought up during dinner.
“You should be careful while you sleep, Advisor.”
“Huh?”
“There’s a monster called a Shadow. It only appears at night and targets the weakest person in a sleeping group. So, you know… you might be in trouble.”
“W-Wait, what?! You guys will protect me, right?”
“We need to sleep, too. Whatever happens while we’re out, well… tough luck.”
The way they shook their heads with exaggerated pity made Latian’s blood run cold.
What made it worse was that Claude made no effort to intervene.
Wasn’t that basically silent approval?
Would they really just let him be dragged off and eaten in the middle of the night?
It was enough to make him wonder if this had been their plan all along.
Maybe they had never intended to keep him alive.
After all, Claude had never actually explained why he had brought him along in the first place.
‘I can’t fall asleep. But I can’t stay awake forever either.’
Latian’s eyes wavered with uncertainty.
He wanted to ask Claude directly for reassurance.
But after what happened earlier, it was too awkward to approach him.
He wasn’t even sure if Claude had actually dismissed his words as nonsense.
But if he hovered around too much, wouldn’t that just make things even weirder?
As he mulled it over, the rustling of the bushes caught his ear.
“Hk…!”
It wasn’t just the wind—something was definitely moving.
Startled, Latian grabbed his bedroll and sprang to his feet.
His embarrassment from earlier was nothing compared to the sheer terror creeping up his spine.
“?”
Claude, who had been leaning against a tree, lazily lifted his gaze as Latian cautiously inched closer to him.
The moment Latian stepped a little too close, Claude kicked him away.
Latian tumbled backward.
The rejection was harsh enough that he should’ve given up on the spot.
But his persistence rivaled that of a stubborn weed.
Sniffing out the least offensive spot, he laid his bedroll down just a little farther from where he’d been kicked.
Claude exhaled sharply, almost like he was spitting out his breath in exasperation.
His gaze, filled with unmistakable annoyance, locked onto Latian.
Feeling sheepish, Latian forced a wobbly grin.
“…I’m scared. Can I sleep near you?”
“……”
“I’ll keep my distance. Just like this.”
“……”
“By the way, are you standing watch? Should I take shifts with you? If you promise to protect me, I’d be happy to help.”
“What exactly do you think you can do?”
“…Wake everyone up if something happens.”
Obviously. What else could an ordinary person do?
That level of confidence made a vein twitch on Claude’s otherwise smooth forehead.
Latian, sensing the impending irritation, quickly changed the subject.
“How much longer until we reach the capital?”
“…At this pace? Over a week.”
The answer was laced with clear derision.
It was no secret that Claude had been constantly slowed down because Latian kept freaking out every time a monster appeared.
Latian noticed the mockery but pretended not to.
“Over a week? That’s still a long way to go. Is there any safe resting area on the way? A village or something?”
“Of course not.”
“Thought so. Okay, one more thing… Are Shadows everywhere, no matter where we go?”
Claude’s eyebrow twitched. The question was absurd.
That’s when it hit him—Latian had actually believed the twins’ ridiculous story.
Claude shot him an incredulous look.
‘This guy… He seems clever at times, but then he turns around and does something this stupid.’
“How much longer do you plan on talking?”
“…I’m scared.”
“……”
“I’ll stop when you promise to protect me. Until then, I won’t sleep.”
Latian stared at him with unrelenting determination.
‘And I won’t let you sleep either. Every. Single. Night.’
But Claude took that fiery gaze differently.
His expression wavered slightly before he furrowed his brows.
“…Fine. Just shut up and sleep.”
“…Really?”
“I said I’ll protect you. Now sleep.”
That was all he needed to hear.
“Swear it. A real man doesn’t go back on his word.”
“…If you don’t shut up, I’ll kill you myself.”
Latian pressed his lips together tightly and closed his eyes without hesitation.
Claude might be the kind of protagonist you’d expect to see in an edgy, no-nonsense fantasy novel, but he wasn’t the type to harbor malice for no reason.
If Claude had brought him along on this trip to the capital just to “get rid of him,” he never would have said he’d protect him.
That meant, at the very least, he wouldn’t let him die here.
Some might argue, “But what if he’s lying?”
But a person’s innate nature doesn’t change so easily.
Claude wasn’t a villain, nor did he have the temperament of one.
That’s why, even though Claude always acted cold, Latian remained unabashed.
He had this much faith in him.
As their conversation ended, silence settled between them.
Crackle, crackle—the only sound that broke the stillness of the night was the occasional pop of embers in the fire.
Claude focused on the steady rhythm of Latian’s breathing, which was growing more even.
He had been making such a fuss just moments ago, and now, after hearing a single promise of protection, he was sleeping soundly.
Claude glanced at the sleeping Latian in disbelief.
Then, his gaze, which had started at Latian’s face, slowly began to roam.
Silky strands of pale silver hair, thin and fine, framed his face, and beneath them, long, thick lashes curled gently over his closed eyes.
His elegant nose, perfectly sculpted, looked like it would be tempting to touch at least once.
His lips, naturally well-shaped and closed just right, had a soft rosy hue.
Latian’s face was about the size of Claude’s fist, with delicate, well-proportioned features.
His cheeks, pale as snow, had a faint peachy flush, making them look almost appetizing.
A rare beauty—especially in the harsh North, where such fair features were practically nonexistent.
Claude hadn’t paid much attention before because of Latian’s behavior, but now that he looked closely, he was undeniably just as refined as any noble youth.
‘…Was he a noble somewhere?’
Now that he thought about it, Claude had asked Hughman to look into Latian’s background.
But with everything that had happened, the matter had been pushed aside.
The only things he knew about him were his name, his age, and the fact that he was from the Empire.
‘What exactly was he before this?’
A faint mix of curiosity and distrust stirred in Claude’s mind.
If it were just his appearance, Claude wouldn’t have given him a second thought.
But that wasn’t the case.
‘How could I not love you, Brother?’
Suddenly, a bold declaration Latian had made earlier cut through Claude’s thoughts, tangling them like a knotted thread.
It was as if a strong current had swept his mind away, forcing him to focus on that one statement.
‘Love? What nonsense. What could he possibly…’
Then, Latian’s voice echoed again in his memory.
‘Honestly, you’re just really handsome!’
Ah. His face.
Claude had nothing to say to that.
When someone openly thirsts after your looks like that, what argument could he possibly make?
He wasn’t particularly interested in appearances, but he wasn’t oblivious.
From a young age, he had seen how people reacted to him and knew, objectively, that his looks were far beyond “decent.”
Now, Claude found himself wondering—was Latian serious?
Was it genuine?
Or was this some kind of ploy to lower his guard?
Unfortunately, since Claude hadn’t heard the full conversation from beginning to end, he had no way of knowing the circumstances or the internal struggle that had led to Latian blurting out those words.
‘How many marriage proposals have I received by now?’
Back when his father was still alive, there had been plenty.
It wasn’t well known, but male Awakened were inherently superior in genetics and could impregnate partners regardless of gender.
Because of that, his potential suitors had inClauded both men and women.
But most of them had been too intimidated by the sheer chill he exuded to even hold a proper conversation with him.
Claude, for his part, had never been interested in marriage, so he had always been indifferent.
As a result, Claude had become something like a rare luxury item—everyone wanted him, but no one could actually claim him.
No one had ever dared to throw themselves at him so boldly, declaring their affection outright.
No one except Latian.
Claude, studying Latian’s sleeping face as if he were something unfamiliar, let out the faintest ghost of a smile.
‘…No, thinking about it logically, it’s unlikely that he’s serious.’
What made this guy any different from the others?
There had to be some hidden agenda.
Which was why Claude decided he’d need to observe Latian’s actions more closely. His trust level was at absolute zero.
Yet, despite himself, his gaze lingered just a moment longer.
Like a brief lull in a snowstorm, there was a fleeting softness in his eyes.
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