TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 106

Once they had firmly settled on their course of action, the argument from earlier seemed to vanish into thin air.

A bright smile spread across Albin’s face as he returned to the original topic.

“Do you have any other injuries? Let me take a look.”

“No.”

“But isn’t Little Black still wrapped in bandages?”

Albin was referring to the black bandages wound around Blake’s wrists. They disappeared beneath his fingerless gloves, making them look rather cool.

Blake explained, “Those aren’t because I’m injured. They’re for better support when fighting.”

Hearing that reassured Albin.

Looking at their interlocked fingers, he smiled and asked, “Are you planning to hold onto me forever, Little Black?”

“That’s right,” Blake replied in a low voice. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You don’t have to hold onto me all the time. I don’t want to lose you either.” Albin pinched his cheek. “It took me so long to find you again. Let’s sleep together tonight—I have so many things I want to talk about.”

Blake agreed without hesitation.

“If you’re staying here tonight, don’t you need to tell your companions?”

“It’s fine. I’ll send them a message with an eagle later.”

Albin nodded before adding, “If we keep holding hands like this, bathing and changing clothes might be a little inconvenient.”

Blake froze, visibly deflating. Reluctantly, he loosened his grip, though his gaze became even more fixed on Albin.

Albin understood. Compared to his own amnesia, Blake had suffered more. Blake had even believed he was dead.

“Want to bathe together? It’ll be faster that way.”

Blake hesitated. He almost nodded, then seemed to think of something and shook his head.

“I’ll wait outside.”

Yet after only taking two steps, he suddenly turned back. As if afraid Albin would disappear, he embraced the white-haired boy again.

Lowering his head, as though replenishing himself with something essential, he took a deep breath.

After he left, Albin chuckled.

So cute.

Sitting in the water, he looked at the hand that had been intertwined with Blake’s moments ago.

Now that they had separated, it felt strangely empty.

Little Black…

Unable to resist, he secretly used wind magic to listen to the breathing outside the door.

Little Black was still there.

Albin immediately felt at ease.

He finished bathing quickly, opened the door, and rushed toward Blake trailing steam.

“Your turn to wash!”

That night, just like in the past, they slept together in a simple room.

Lying on their sides facing each other, foreheads touching, fingers interlocked.

Excitedly, Albin asked, “How did we first meet?”

Bit by bit, Blake recounted what had happened all those years ago.

As he spoke, Albin found old emotions stirring within him.

When he heard that Blake had once watched him through a peephole—and that he himself had secretly eavesdropped on Blake in return—Albin covered his face.

Was I really that much of a little creep when I was young?

At the same time, it somehow felt perfectly in character.

No wonder he had felt compelled to eavesdrop on the unconscious Blake before.

Blake, however, misunderstood his reaction and thought Albin was disturbed by his childhood behavior.

His face paled.

“If you don’t like it, I won’t ever do that again.”

“No, I like it!” Albin replied in a small, guilty voice. “Actually, I listen to your breathing too. I even did it while I was bathing just now.”

“I…” Blake looked equally guilty. “I smelled your glove earlier. Sorry.”

After Albin left his sight, anxiety had begun to consume him. He was terrified of losing him again. He desperately needed proof that this wasn’t all a dream.

Albin blinked.

Afraid he had frightened him, Blake quickly added, “It was the glove you left behind before.”

Albin burst out laughing.

“You don’t hate it?”

“It is a little strange,” Albin admitted, “but I feel the same way you do, so I understand.”

After all, he had done something very similar.

And besides…

This side of Little Black is so cute.

Like a black puppy enthusiastically sniffing around.

Albin struggled to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

Such an adorable little weirdo. I wish I could’ve seen it in person.

As the Holy Son, he had long grown accustomed to ordinary friendships—the polite distance between friends, the respect others showed him, the indirect way nobles spoke.

The only truly close friend he had was Jade, but Jade felt more like family, like a brother.

Little Black felt different.

Even through their letters, Albin had sensed it.

He could talk to Little Black about anything. They were inseparable, able to share everything without reservation. They trusted each other, supported each other, cared for each other, and leaned on each other.

Not every topic interested both of them, but because they were interested in one another, even mundane subjects became fascinating.

Most importantly, they could share their hidden quirks and strange habits, accepting each other completely. They could reveal sides of themselves no one else ever saw.

It felt as though the secret gardens inside their hearts were connected.

Albin liked how much Blake cared about him.

“I’m right here. Everything I own is open to you. If you ever want to feel my presence, you can do it whenever you like.”

Though he was curious about how Blake had sniffed the glove, if he was present in person, Blake could simply smell him directly.

Hearing this, Blake wasted no time lowering his head.

He rubbed against Albin’s neck, his nose wandering as warm breath brushed against his skin, sending waves of ticklish sensation through him.

Like a wild wolf sniffing a lamb.

A strange feeling stirred within Albin.

“There’s nothing weird about my scent, right?”

“No. It smells like Albin.”

“What kind of description is that?” Albin complained before leaning closer himself. “Then I want to smell Little Black too!”

Blake instantly stiffened, as if awaiting judgment.

His vulnerable throat was completely exposed.

Albin sniffed here and there. His hair was longer than Blake’s, and his fluffy head roamed freely around Blake’s neck while Blake remained frozen.

“So this is what Little Black smells like…”

Cool and fresh, with a faint scent of vegetation touched by fire. Deep as a forest, carrying a subtle sense of danger.

Maybe he got singed during training?

Albin ran his fingers through Blake’s hair but found no signs of burns.

Only after hearing no disgust in Albin’s voice did Blake finally relax.

They continued exchanging stories about the years they had spent apart.

Blake was shocked to learn that Albin had become the Holy Son of the Sun.

Holy Son…

Even hearing the title made it seem impossibly distant.

A status far beyond his reach.

Ever since childhood, he had known that with Albin’s incredible magical talent, he was destined to become an extraordinary priest. Their father, Jacques, had once said that every major temple would compete to claim someone with Albin’s gifts.

Blake couldn’t quite identify what he was feeling.

Instinctively, he tightened his grip on Albin’s hand, as though driven by some deep fear.

“Tell me more about yourself, Little Black!”

Blake paused before returning to his story.

He wasn’t particularly eloquent, and his narration was somewhat dry, yet Albin listened with complete fascination, frequently interrupting to ask questions.

It felt exactly like the old days.

No amnesia. No separation. No distant Holy Son status.

As though they were still living together with Jacques in Thorn City, growing up side by side and sharing every little detail of their daily lives.

The dreamlike quality of it all felt unreal to Blake.

Watching sleepiness gradually appear on Albin’s face and hearing his voice grow softer, a nameless fear suddenly crept into his heart.

He unconsciously tightened his grip.

Afraid that Albin would disappear from sight.

Afraid that Albin would stop breathing.

Afraid this beautiful dream would end abruptly.

Half-asleep, Albin sensed his unease.

“Little Black…” His voice was blurred by drowsiness. “I’m not going anywhere. You can hold me if you want.”

Given permission, Blake immediately wrapped his arms around him.

Their breaths mingled together.

It became impossible to tell whose heartbeat echoed in their ears.

Slowly, Blake closed his eyes.

It was the most peaceful, most wonderful sleep he had experienced in eight years.

---

The next morning, Blake woke groggily.

The moment he opened his eyes, he met a pair of brilliant crimson eyes sparkling like a galaxy.

Held securely in his arms, Albin smiled brightly.

“Good morning, Little Black.”

He looked completely awake, clearly having been up for some time—and who knew how long he had been watching Blake.

Seeing Albin again after such a wonderful dream made Blake truly realize something:

The dream had become reality.

A sense of fulfillment and joy unlike anything he had ever known filled him. Even his eyes seemed clearer and brighter, like the sky after rain.

“Good morning, Little White.”

After fooling around for a while, they finally got out of bed.

Blake noticed he had slept unusually late, yet all his exhaustion had vanished. His entire body felt light.

Albin had switched back to his familiar long red hair and put on his mask, once more becoming the mysterious Ross.

“Like I said yesterday, I want to join your group under this identity. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Blake would never refuse him.

He helped Albin straighten his hair and adjust the gold ornaments on his clothes.

Red-haired Albin is cute too…

Albin poked his cheek.

“I meant whether your companions will agree. Anyway, I’ll convince them myself. You don’t need to say much.”

Blake nodded.

Hidden beneath Albin’s cloak, their fingers intertwined as they walked back to their companions’ base.

Albin glanced down at their clasped hands beneath the cloak.

Little Black still seems a bit uneasy…

But clingy Little Black is adorable too!

After finding Arthur and Lina, Albin expressed his wish to join their team.

The group had originally been assembled by Lina. She gladly welcomed a new companion, but she had one strict requirement.

Lina sized Albin up and reminded him, “We’re not travelers. Along the way we’ll face plenty of dangerous enemies—both humans and monsters. Anyone joining us needs to have enough strength to survive.”

The comic had previously revealed that Lina also held a grudge against the Apostles of White. The exact nature of it had never been explained, but she was clearly someone of unusual status. She carried herself with an air of nobility, funded the group, and was constantly being hunted by mysterious forces.

Beyond that, Lina herself was quite capable. She served as the team’s ranged attacker, able to manifest bows and arrows from magical power, and her attacks packed considerable force.

As for strength, however, Albin wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

As an all-element mage, the real question was which abilities he should reveal.

Blake was a warrior. Lina was an archer. Arthur, a beast tamer, was essentially a summoner. Samoyed was a pure healer.

Hmm…

I guess I’d make a good support.

Sometimes strange terms completely out of place in this era would pop into Albin’s mind.

“You can test my abilities,” Albin said, glancing between Lina and Arthur. “Come at me together.”

Seeing his confidence, Lina became interested.

“Then we won’t hold back.”

With a wave of her hand, purple lightning flashed. A bow materialized instantly, and a powerful arrow formed from crackling electricity at her fingertips before settling against the drawn bowstring.

Beside her, Arthur blew a whistle, summoning a giant eagle whose wings could stir up hurricanes.

Their attacks shot toward Albin with lightning speed.

Albin didn’t move from where he stood.

His black-and-gold cloak billowed without wind.

Several crimson chains suddenly shot out from beneath the cloak. So fast they were nearly impossible to track, they wrapped around the giant eagle’s sharp talons, coiling like agile serpents and binding it completely.

Other chains formed a shield, intercepting Lina’s arrows and erupting with dazzling bursts of electricity.

Then Albin counterattacked.

Chains tore through the air and wrapped around Lina and Arthur. The same chains that had once troubled even the Sea God instantly sealed their spellcasting, leaving them unable to move or resist.

The test was over.

In an instant, he had immobilized everyone.

Albin recalled the chains, gently lowering the eagle to the ground before returning Lina’s arrows using the chains.

“Sorry. That was a little rough.”

Staring at the purple arrows quietly presented before her, Lina was stunned.

He’s incredible.

And as she looked at the mysterious Ross, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Though he appeared cold and aloof, he was actually very gentle.

Smiling brightly, she accepted her arrows and said,

“Welcome to the team!”

She had noticed Albin and Blake’s clasped hands when the cloak lifted. After a brief moment of surprise, her smile widened even further.

“No wonder you’re someone Blake knows.”

Albin successfully joined the protagonist’s party, and Samoyed happily ran circles around him.

The group headed toward the Coral Kingdom.

Albin wanted to bring Blake to the Rose Kingdom to see Jacques. Traveling there by ship from the Coral Kingdom would be much faster.

Along the way, he gradually became familiar with Lina and Arthur.

Arthur also had a grudge against the Apostles of White.

The comic had revealed that he had been abandoned in the forest as a child. Fortunately, his extraordinary affinity with animals had allowed him to survive. Later, he had been found and adopted by a kind foster father.

But that foster father had died mysteriously.

Before his death, he had been clutching a cufflink engraved with the emblem of the Apostles of White.

Arthur still carefully kept the amethyst cufflink and was searching for its owner.

After earning Arthur’s trust, Albin was allowed to examine it.

The moment he saw it, his heart skipped a beat.

He immediately recognized it.

It was his brother’s cufflink.

How did my brother get involved in this?

Albin tried contacting Moon, but Moon had absolutely no memory of ever losing a cufflink.

Had he been framed as well?

Unable to make sense of it, Albin decided to continue with his original plan of catching the culprit in the act.

Only his family knew Ross’s true identity, so it shouldn’t raise anyone’s suspicions.

Meanwhile, the comic continued updating.

In the latest chapters, Zeman fought Blake.

Blake was completely outmatched and was beaten relentlessly.

Only when one of Zeman’s injuries flared up did Blake manage to use his broken sword to leave a tiny cut on his face.

Albin: ???

Wait, what?

If his father were really injured that badly, how could he possibly have failed to notice?

And there was no way his brother would injure their father like that.

In the comic, the enraged Zeman gradually revealed his ambitions.

Though never stated outright, it sounded as if he intended to kill a god and ascend to divinity himself.

Albin: HUH???

Leaving aside how absurdly villainous that sounded, since when did his father have a habit of delivering long speeches in battle?

His father wasn’t even that talkative!

Completely bewildered, Albin finished reading the encounter and became even more convinced that someone was impersonating him.

The battle ended with Zeman departing and Blake collapsing from severe injuries.

Then a mysterious cloaked figure appeared beside him.

Albin immediately recognized the person.

It was himself.

Whoa. I’m going to appear in the comic!

But at the time he hadn’t sensed anyone watching him.

Who exactly was drawing this comic?

How did they know all these things?

He had originally assumed it was the work of some obsessive hater.

Now it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

Albin continued observing.

Some time later, they arrived in the Coral Kingdom.

Fortunately, they encountered no Apostles of White along the way.

The person Lina was searching for was in Pearl City, still two or three days away. For now, they settled in a nearby city.

Compared to the wilderness they’d been traveling through, conditions here were much better, allowing them a chance to relax.

Coincidentally, it was the Coral Kingdom’s Sea God Festival.

The city was overflowing with celebration. Decorations covered every street, and performances and competitions took place one after another.

Disguised, they blended into the lively crowds.

People sang and danced around the saltwater spring in front of the temple while merchants enthusiastically advertised their goods from roadside stalls.

The crowds were enormous.

When Albin finally came back to his senses, Lina and Arthur had disappeared.

Only Blake was still gripping his hand tightly.

“Looks like we got separated from them,” Albin said, looking around. He squeezed Blake’s hand. “There are too many people here. Let’s move somewhere quieter.”

They tried taking a less crowded route and looping back to the main road.

Instead, they accidentally wandered into a narrow alley where couples met in secret.

Several embracing and kissing couples appeared one after another.

Albin hurriedly pulled Blake past them.

Such scenes no longer surprised him.

Because of his social obligations, he often attended noble balls. Hidden in corners, on balconies, and among flower gardens, there were always pairs of lovers stealing intimate moments.

Thinking of that, Albin curiously turned to Blake.

“Little Black, are you interested in kissing?”

Blake had completely failed to anticipate the question.

For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

“What?”

His gaze swept over the couples around them, openly kissing without concern for anyone else.

“I’m actually pretty interested in it…” Albin admitted, explaining his curiosity.

Whether it was lovers kissing at balls or kiss scenes in operas, kissing always seemed to carry some special meaning that brought people happiness.

That fascinated Albin.

Wasn’t kissing just lips touching?

That should feel about the same as his upper lip touching his lower lip.

He personally felt nothing.

So what exactly made people so obsessed with it?

If it was simply physical intimacy, how was kissing different from holding hands, hugging, kissing cheeks, or kissing foreheads?

Wasn’t it all just kissing?

In his letters, Albin had once recorded asking adults these questions.

Their answer had simply been:

“You’ll understand when you’re older.”

That response had greatly dissatisfied him.

Even after losing his memories, he found himself wondering the exact same thing.

He wanted to investigate what kissing actually felt like.

This wasn’t something he could ask family members.

As for friends, he didn’t feel close enough to anyone.

Besides, some of those precocious noble friends might secretly laugh at him.

But Little Black was different.

The two of them could even share their weird little habits.

Surely they could discuss kissing too.

“So, what do you think?” Albin looked at him expectantly. “Want to try it with me?”

Kiss Little White…?

Blake’s brain completely shut down.

Thinking he wasn’t interested, Albin continued,

“It’s okay if you’re not. But if you get experience kissing before I do, make sure to tell me how it feels. I’ll do the same.”

Blake suddenly tightened his grip on Albin’s hand.

If he refused…

Would Little White go explore kissing with someone else?

He imagined Albin kissing another person like the couples they’d just passed.

A wave of displeasure immediately surged through him.

For an instant, even violent thoughts surfaced.

He wanted to tear such a scene apart.

“I can,” Blake blurted out.

“I am interested.”

“That’s great!”

Albin cheered as though Blake had just agreed to play a game with him.

By then they had already returned to the brightly lit central avenue.

Arthur and Lina had found them and were waving from a distance.

The group reunited and continued enjoying the festival together.

Soon the beach bonfire party began.

Yet Blake remained distracted.

His gaze repeatedly drifted toward Albin.

His thoughts churned endlessly.

Wasn’t he supposed to be researching kissing with me?

Then why hasn’t he kissed me yet?

Did Little White change his mind?

Did he lose interest?

Or did I misunderstand?

When he said “try it,” did he not mean trying kissing with me?

Countless questions filled his heart, yet he didn’t know how to voice them.

His intense gaze followed Albin’s cheerful figure.

The noise of the festival faded completely.

Only one question remained in Blake’s mind.

Why hasn’t he kissed me yet?

Why hasn’t he kissed me yet?

Why hasn’t he kissed me yet?

As though sensing something, Albin turned around.

“What’s wrong, Little Black?”

Blake silently shook his head.

If Albin didn’t intend to kiss him, perhaps he should simply forget about it.

“Have you never attended a festival before?” Albin asked with a smile. “I’ll teach you how to dance!”

Thinking about Blake’s limited worldly experience, he pulled him to his feet and began teaching him the steps.

Blake followed every movement faithfully.

Yet despite being incredibly agile and skilled in combat, he now moved like a wooden puppet, completely distracted.

After the festivities ended and they returned to the inn, Albin finally asked,

“You seemed absent-minded all day. Are you feeling unwell?”

He reached out to check Blake’s forehead.

“No…” Blake denied it.

His eyes drifted toward Albin’s lips, now only inches away.

A terrifying possibility suddenly entered his mind.

If he’s not planning to kiss me…

Does that mean he’s planning to kiss someone else?

His heart tightened.

No.

Absolutely not.

“About the kissing…” Blake’s throat felt dry. His eyes darted away, and his voice was barely above a whisper. Heat rose visibly to his face.

“Do you want to try it?”

Albin froze for a moment before laughing softly.

“So that’s what you’ve been thinking about all day.”

His amused voice carried through the room.

“Silly Little Black.”

“Lower your head.”

The moment Blake lowered his head, a soft and unfamiliar sensation touched his lips.

Those bright crimson eyes were closer than they had ever been before.

Feel free to buy me a coffee/show your support on ko-fi! Thank you ❤