#49
“Ugh!”
Jeha’s back slammed hard against the seatback. Despite its softness, the impact was strong enough to elicit a small groan. Hereis, having pushed Jeha into the opposite seat, began to rub his lower body forcefully against him.
“Ahhh…!”
“Ugh…”
Groans escaped both their lips almost simultaneously.
Crumped against the seat, Jeha arched his hips, chasing the sensation and pleasure of their grinding bodies. Hereis kissed him with an unprecedented ferocity, his hips thrusting wildly. Their rhythm shifted between perfect synchronicity and a frantic disarray, yet both found it intensely pleasurable. The pace quickened, and their breaths grew increasingly heated.
“Hereis…!”
As the urgent sensation of climax surged through him, Jeha gripped Hereis’s back tightly. It was his first time experiencing an actual climax, aside from self-gratification. Hereis’s ragged breaths continuously echoed in his ears. The knowledge that Hereis, too, was wildly aroused by their passion felt strangely endearing.
“Jeha…!”
Hereis called Jeha’s name, his body tensing rigidly. The moment Jeha realized Hereis was about to climax, a colossal wave of pleasure crashed over him.
“Hngh!”
Jeha embraced Hereis’s back with all his might, his own body stiffening. Almost simultaneously, both of them gasped, holding their breath.
“Hngh, hngh, hngh.”
Hot semen erupted from the tip of his shaft. Hereis clenched his jaw, stifling a groan, and convulsed briefly. Slowly, the tension drained from their bodies, which had been locked together, clinging to each other as if for dear life. Jeha, caught in the lingering afterglow of such intense release and pleasure—a sensation entirely new to him—struggled to catch his breath.
“……”
“……”
Their ragged, hot breaths filled the carriage. Inside the creaking vehicle, they lay entwined, submerged in the lingering vestiges of pleasure. A profound sense of satisfaction, coupled with utter exhaustion, enveloped their bodies. The feeling of their intertwined forms, their gasping breaths, struck Jeha as strangely, wonderfully endearing.
How long did they remain like that?
They savored the afterglow, embracing each other for what felt like an immeasurable span of time—perhaps long, perhaps only a moment. Then, Hereis suddenly bent his head, burying his nose in Jeha’s neck and inhaling deeply. Soon, he began to gently nip at the skin with his teeth.
“…That tickles.”
Jeha mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. As if apologizing, Hereis licked the spot he had nipped with a long, slow sweep of his tongue. The thought that the once-pristine priest could now engage in such risqué acts filled Jeha with an odd sense of pride.
“How does it feel to be corrupted, Your Eminence?”
Jeha asked playfully. Hereis released his embrace, then faced Jeha, took his hand, and kissed the back of it before replying.
“I feel utterly redeemed.”
Hereis’s sapphire eyes, as he spoke, shone with such dazzling brilliance that Jeha was momentarily speechless.
****
The several-day journey to Enkarosha felt remarkably short.
Whenever they traveled by carriage, it was always just the two of them. During those hours, they would exchange various bits of trivial chatter or quietly gaze at the passing scenery outside the window. Then, almost imperceptibly, they would find themselves clinging to each other, sharing kisses. Naturally, the atmosphere between them grew increasingly intimate.
Whenever they disembarked from the carriage for meals or lodging, they were met with stinging glares. Yet, even those gazes gradually shifted. What began as looks filled with contempt and resentment softened with each passing day into expressions of resigned acceptance, as if everyone, with crestfallen faces, was reluctantly acknowledging their relationship.
As they drew closer to Enkarosha, the cities where they lodged became progressively more bustling. The main thoroughfares teemed with merchants, nobles, priests, and pilgrims all traveling to and from Enkarosha. Naturally, inns, shops, and taverns catering to them lined the streets, forming a vibrant and dazzling commercial district.
“We should arrive in Enkarosha tomorrow.”
On the first floor of the crowded inn.
Hereis, seated opposite Jeha at the table, spoke. Jeha nodded, then subtly scanned the people who couldn’t tear their eyes away from them.
Whispers of “Marquis Belgarga” and “Archbishop Hereis” could be heard from various corners. The merchants who glanced at Jeha had eyes tinged with avarice, while the pilgrims fixated on Hereis gazed with a mixture of envy and reverence.
Of course, that wasn’t all.
Thanks to their diligent ‘acting’ over the past few days, rumors about them had evidently spread even to this city. There was no shortage of significant glances darting between Jeha and Hereis, seated opposite each other. Some even seemed eager to approach and speak with them, but the table they occupied was surrounded by their escorting priests, knights, and Marquis Belgarga’s entourage, effectively deterring any bothersome encounters.
Jeha cut a piece of meat and offered it to Kkamangi, who was curled up on his lap. When the meat was brought close to their nose, Kkamangi’s closed eyes flickered open slightly, but then they abruptly turned their head away.
Indeed. Kkamangi had been on a hunger strike for several days now. This was the aftermath of Jeha and Hereis indulging in their intimate activities, having left Kkamangi neglected in a corner of the carriage.
It was impossible to know how Kkamangi, still a young dragon hatchling, had perceived the couple’s actions. What was certain, however, was that Kkamangi had not approved. Since then, Kkamangi had not left Jeha’s side, but would neither purr when touched nor touch any food offered. They even feigned deafness when spoken to. Clearly, Kkamangi was deeply sulking.
“Hmm…”
Jeha looked down at Kkamangi, who occupied his lap, with a troubled gaze. Despite surely sensing his stare, Kkamangi remained tightly curled up, eyes squeezed shut, feigning pitifulness.
“Just one bite, Kkamangi, just one. Please?”
Jeha tried his best to coax them, but Kkamangi continued to ignore him, feigning indifference.
Finally, Jeha placed the fork with the meat back on his plate. After a moment of thought, he gently tapped Kkamangi’s small head with his fingertip and said,
“Kkamangi, how about we have something delicious for dinner tonight? Something really tasty?”
As Jeha enticed them in a subtle voice, Kkamangi’s adorable little ears twitched.
“Kkamangi, something tasty?”
When he repeated the words, Kkamangi’s eyes snapped open wide. They seemed to understand what “something tasty” meant.
“Nyaak!”
Kkamangi let out a loud cry, as if in response, their eyes wide and round. Their tail quivered, indicating extreme excitement. This fervent reaction made Jeha chuckle. As he softly laughed, Kkamangi stood on his chest with both front paws, as if demanding their treat. They then began rubbing their head against Jeha’s chin. The small body, being petted, vibrated with a purring sound.
“Alright, alright. Not now, but later, when we go up to bed, we’ll have something delicious. Okay? Good Kkamangi, you’re such a good Kkamangi.”
Kkamangi, who clearly understood his words, was too excited to contain themselves, their tail held high and continuously quivering.
“You are quite fond of that one.”
Hereis remarked, watching the scene unfold.
“Oh? Are you perhaps jealous, Your Eminence?”
Jeha asked playfully.
“I should say no, but truthfully, I do feel a touch of jealousy.”
Hereis’s unexpected honesty caught Jeha off guard. These occasional glimpses of his surprising side, his unexpected words, always managed to flutter Jeha’s heart. ‘Is this what people refer to as ‘the initial spark’ of romance?’ he often found himself thinking. ‘So this is how exhilarating love can be.’
“Don’t worry. Later, when we go upstairs, I’ll give something delicious to you too, Archbishop Hereis. Something very delicious.”
Conscious of the people whose ears were perked in their direction, Jeha spoke deliberately loud enough for them to hear. Then, as if to cement their suspicions, he placed a hand on the table and gently clasped Hereis’s hand over his own.
“I shall look forward to it, Your Excellency the Marquis—to your ‘delicious something’.”
As Hereis smiled, his eyes crinkling slightly with his words, people around them let out gasps and whistles. Everyone’s faces showed a clear conviction that the rumors were far from mere gossip.
Jeha couldn’t help but chuckle, imagining the lewd fantasies swirling in people’s minds. The combination of truth and performance was remarkably effective. By tomorrow, when they entered Enkarosha, rumors about Archbishop Hereis and Marquis Belgarga’s scandalous and passionate relationship would surely have spread far and wide.
Having finished their meal, Jeha and Hereis now ascended together, quite naturally, to their assigned room. The inn was fully booked, and the best room was already occupied. However, upon hearing that Marquis Belgarga and Archbishop Hereis had arrived, the merchant occupying the room voluntarily ceded it. Thanks to this, the two were able to stay in the inn’s finest room.
Upon entering the room, the two split off, one heading to the bedroom and the other to the small parlor. Jeha had discussions to conduct with Paimon and Zephyr, while Hereis had matters to discuss with his own retinue. As their entry into Enkarosha was scheduled for the very next day, each had preparations to make.