Raphael at 19, Lucian at 24
THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH! I won’t ever want to sneak out of the estate again. Dad, how could you do this to me?
While stretching myself out in the carriage, I murmured inwardly.
After arriving at the southern villa, I waited constantly for the Duke’s call.
I expected the words, “Now that we’ve caught the kidnapper, come back,” and “I missed you”, but the Duke didn’t say those two phrases.
Do you like that place?
There must be something you wanted for your birthday that I could bring back for you.
You didn’t have anything you wanted?
It was a letter full of concern and affection for me but the response I wanted never came. As I huffed all by myself, I was with Doggy who sat across from me and just chatted about whatever came to his mind.
“Master! It’s been a long time since we were in the capital. But the south is fine, too!”
Yeah, it’s good, the south.
The villa was quite spectacular, with white walls matching the beach and emerald roofs combined with other sea colors.
The sea was near the estate, so I could eat delicious and fresh seafood to my heart’s content.
At first, I was blinded by mysterious buildings, emerald seas, and new customs, but it has been a week already.
I assumed I’d be back in a few months, I could deal with it if it was only that long.
I thought I’d be able to see my bias soon.
So how could you leave me here for seven years?!
You still haven’t caught the kidnapper? That booger king! He’s going to bother me till the end.
“Master, are you feeling uncomfortable?”
Damian, who was next to Doggy, asked me. I shook my head roughly.
“What the—did something happen that made you feel bad? You really wanted to go back to the capital, though. Shouldn’t that make you feel better?”
I just stared at Doggy as he babbled on, my mind scattered. Doggy is a complete adult now.
His boyish facial features used to be so strong, but now they have disappeared without a trace. Even his neck thickened and his adult aura has become much stronger.
His luscious voice went through a period of metamorphosis and became a soft baritone voice that made the hairs at the back of my neck rise.
“Master! Look over there, over there! Do humans like that kind of thing?”
Still, his cheery tone has remained the same.
That’s why he’s still Doggy!
“There are people who like it.”
“So is it something you like, too, Master?”
What Doggy is pointing at is cotton candy. The fluffy shape was just like Doggy.
Even if I pick any aspect of it, it’s just like him even down to its color.
Then Amber spoke.
“Young master, you know you’re going to debut this year, right?”
“Yeah.”
I’m quite aware of that fact.
That’s right.
I was only able to come back from the villa because of my upcoming debutante.
Aristocrats had a custom of making young nobles debut at the age of 19. On top of that, debuting at a banquet hosted by the Imperial Family would be even better if it was possible.
If you’re so poor to the point you couldn’t afford to go to the Imperial Palace, you should cut the festivities short so as to save on expenses.
But nobles found that disgraceful.
On my way to the Ducal estate which was at the heart of the capital city, I tried to calm my pounding heart.
I’ll be able to see my bias again in a little while now.
This hyung had been writing letters to him consistently since I left, but how could he not reply to a single one?
How did I raise you?!
But he’s also so cool that I have nothing to say.
As expected, a male lead was a male lead. He’s chic, so it was still rather loveable. I had no choice but to love him, even if my bias didn’t reply to me.
After seven years of not seeing each other, he was still the apple of my eye.
How could this be? I was a little shocked at myself for thinking that way about myself.
Then the sound of a tongue clicking rang out in my head.
—Goodness, what a perv!
—Don’t look into other people’s minds.
—I just happened to come here. Do you think I want to be here? I didn’t want you to hear you either!
I guess it’s been two years already
At that time, I started hearing a voice in my head. I thought I had gone crazy because I hadn’t seen my bias for too long.
But it wasn’t that.
—In fact, you are not even my descendant.
—Ah, how many times have I told you to just leave?
—I can’t do that when I think of Liam.
—…Because I can’t argue with you when you mention my father’s name, that’s why you keep mentioning his name?
—If you have a conscience, you have to listen carefully. How can you enter my descendant’s body?!
—I told you I don’t know! How many times do I have to say this for you to believe and understand me!
—Ah, Raphael. You’ve been possessed by a strange ghost.
—Uuugh, I’m not a ghost! Who here between us is the ghost?!
This ghost, my body’s ancestor, suddenly popped into my head one fine day.
Cassander de Elrand.
He’s someone who died hundreds of years ago, and doesn’t have any ill will towards me from what I can tell.
He’s still in my head without telling me where he has come from.
No, did the original story have this kind of setting though?
While my racing thoughts were searching for a variety of reasons why it was left out, the carriage passed through the first gate of the Duke’s estate.
Also, the sound of horseshoes hitting the floor sounded rather cheerful.
I looked out of the window as I got closer to the mansion. I thought that was a more honest action, rather than burying myself deeply in the chair and acting indifferently.
Did my bias come to pick me up? Seven years is a long time, he must have forgotten about me.
My hands sweated in tension. Aside from everything else, I hope my bias hasn’t really forgotten me.
I mean, we got along pretty well.
Please come and meet me.
Please…
“Young master, we’ve arrived.”
Amber said that and went down first, followed by Doggy and Damien. Blinding sunlight filled the carriage. I hesitated at first, but I finally pulled my butt out of my seat.
Then a hand suddenly came into the carriage. The big pale hand seemed to shine brilliantly in the sun.
I realized who it was just by looking at his porcelain skin and big hands.
I reached out at his hand that stuck out proudly. Almost out of sight, he waited for me outside the carriage.
Just as I felt when I first came to the Duchy, his pale face, which seemed to be absorbing the sunlight, looked down at me.
Even if he didn’t tilt his head back completely like before I left, his eyes are now visible and could be seen properly even when he lifted his chin slightly. He seemed a little taller as I am a little taller, but I could easily make eye contact with him, more so than seven years ago.
Lucian smiled brightly at me while I couldn’t take my eyes off of his face encompassed by shining sunlight.
He was much more mature than seven years ago, he opened his lips slowly.
“Raphael.”
His low tone made me shiver all throughout my whole body starting from my toes as his voice reached my ears. The wind made my hair flutter once again.
At that moment, it was like I saw an illusion as if I was back in that cold cave when he rescued me.
Looking at him as if possessed, Lucian looked at me, and raised my hand up towards his face.
His golden irises looked as if they were liquid drops of light from the sun, shining brightly.
His lips touched the back of my hand. His warm and soft lips pressed down on my skin.
While he did it he didn’t even take his eyes off me. He looked at me persistently with a slightly raised gaze.
I barely gulped and uttered.
“Brother Lucian.”
“I’ve been waiting, Raphael.”
My fingertips flinched as he uttered those words. Because his lips still remained at the back of my hand. I felt my head start to get a little hazy.
But I could see one thing for sure.
My bias has become a kind male lead! Hallelujah!
“It really has been a long time.”
I was busy simping over my bias that I haven’t seen in a long time.
Fortunately, his face wasn’t gaunt.
Do you know how worried this hyung was about you not being able to eat while I was away?
But how could you not send me a single reply?
Leaving out my greetings, I had a pout on my lips.
To be honest, I was upset. I didn’t know he wouldn’t contact me for seven years. That’s too much! I stuck out my pouting lips and turned my head away. I wanted to show that I was being sulky.
But why am I not seeing the Duke? And… huh?
Blinking repeatedly, I doubted my eyes.
I belatedly looked at the figures around me as I appreciated my bias, and there I saw the Duchess standing in front of all of them.
The Duchess went out of her room now?
Seven years wasn’t a short amount of time after all.
It was such a long time that my height, which had been around Lucian’s waist, grew to be around the height of his chest.
So I promised myself I wouldn’t be surprised if something had changed in the Ducal family…
But with the Duchess coming outside now, wasn’t this the definition of cheating itself?
Oh, what a pleasant surprise!
The Duchess, whose eyes met mine, smiled generously. Her grim look disappeared and she gave me a gentle smile.
Oh, I knew the Duchess was beautiful, but now that I see her again…
She’s so beautiful!
At that time, the Duchess, who was just looking at us, spoke up.
“Lucian, it’s hot out. It’s better to let Raphael inside first, then you can talk more.”
Oh, my! She said ‘Lucian’!
You called my bias’ name, right, Duchess?
I was so surprised that my mouth went agape.
Normally Amber would have pointed that out, but she was also surprised and looked no different from me.
It seemed like only me and Amber were surprised.
The butler’s expression that was standing with her remained unchanged. Not only that, but also the looks of other employees didn’t shift at the interaction.
“…I didn’t think about that.”
Lucian answered back. His voice felt much lower than when we last saw each other. Just as my love hasn’t changed in seven years, so has my reaction to him.
“Brother! It’s okay. People should take in some sunlight, too.”
“Then, would you like to take a walk in the garden with me?”
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