Jeha felt his face flush as they were left alone in the cozy room. A flicker of worry crossed his mind, wondering if Hereis might suddenly lunge at him.
Fortunately, Hereis, ever the gentleman, guided Jeha to the couch. Instead of sitting beside him, he settled into a seat opposite. Jeha found this immensely relieving, yet, paradoxically, a touch disappointing. His heart wavering so capriciously, he mused on the fickle nature of human desire.
“Are you feeling well?” Hereis inquired.
A trace of concern softened Hereis’s features as he spoke.
Jeha, who had completely forgotten about the poisoning attempt, only then recalled the events of a few days prior.
“I told you I’m perfectly fine. Why worry when you already know?”
Jeha chuckled, patting his chest confidently. Yet, inwardly, he was tearing his hair out. He felt he had tried to act unnecessarily masculine. ‘Thumping my chest to appear strong—what an idiotic thing to do,’ he thought.
“I never expected you to come here. You should have written in your letter that you were coming.”
Jeha spoke, feigning nonchalance. Hereis, seeing Jeha’s normal complexion, offered a faint smile.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Hereis replied. “Sudden encounters are often the most welcome.”
“That’s true, I suppose. Still, it would have been better if you’d told me. Then I wouldn’t have been fretting alone, wondering when I’d see you again.”
“Were you fretting because you missed me?”
Hereis’s deep blue eyes, as he asked in a calm voice, seemed to grow profound. Jeha, feeling a blush creep up, nevertheless nodded honestly.
“It’s a bit awkward to visit the Grand Temple, and it’s equally awkward to ask the Archpriest to come over to my mansion, isn’t it?”
“Had you called, I would have gladly rushed to your side at any moment,” Hereis said.
He smiled brightly. Jeha thought Hereis’s smile shone even more brilliantly than Miss Fanucci’s tiara he had seen earlier. ‘This is how wonderful it is to see the person you love smile,’ he realized.
“Don’t smile like that in front of other people,” Jeha blurted out, a sulky expression on his face.
He then added, a hint of possessiveness in his tone.
“And don’t go spreading it around.”
“Spreading it around?” Hereis asked, his eyes betraying his confusion.
It seemed the expression hadn’t translated well, or perhaps Hereis simply wasn’t familiar with slang.
“It means you should only smile so beautifully for me,” Jeha clarified. “You’re already so stunning that countless people would be captivated, but if you even smile like that for them, there will be innumerable people falling ill with lovesickness.”
At Jeha’s utterly frank words, Hereis gently touched his own face. Then, he smiled brightly once more.
“So, I appear that beautiful in your eyes, Lord Jeha? I am delighted.”
Beaming brightly, his joyful eyes sparkling, Hereis was utterly dazzling. He was so breathtakingly lovely that Jeha’s heart began to throb.
Suddenly, Hereis rose from his seat and moved to sit right beside Jeha.
With the man he adored now settled right next to him, Jeha’s heart naturally began to pound fiercely. Hereis’s unique scent tickled his nostrils. Jeha was a man too; having the person he liked so close, he yearned to embrace and kiss him. Yet, he still hesitated.
“Lord Jeha…” Hereis murmured.
Hereis gently brushed a strand of hair from Jeha’s forehead with his fingertips. His deep blue eyes held an intense gaze. This was the perfect moment for a kiss, and once ignited, it felt unlikely to end with just a kiss.
“Hereis…” Jeha breathed.
Jeha placed a hand on Hereis’s chest, gently pushing him back as he leaned closer. A shadow fell across Hereis’s eyes. Jeha realized he should tell the truth rather than simply continuing to push him away. After all, if Hereis were to push him away without reason, Jeha knew he would feel deeply hurt and disappointed.
“Hereis, the truth is…”
Jeha was about to explain the grand mating festival that erupted in the Demon Realm every time he engaged in anything lewd.
‘Master.’
Paimon’s voice resonated in his mind.
‘[There is a surveillance agent in the room. They are observing from a small space within the wall, meticulously recording your actions and conversations with your contractor. It would be wise to mind your words and deeds.]’
Jeha frowned slightly. The fact that he hadn’t noticed the surveillance struck him as more serious than the mere presence of an observer.
Sharpening his senses, he distinctly perceived a heavily muffled breath and the swift scratching of a pen on paper coming from beyond one of the room’s walls. The observer was likely peeking and listening through a hidden hole, perhaps behind a painting.
‘It’s the Pope’s residence, filled with a million sly old foxes, so what else could I expect?’ Jeha grumbled inwardly, chiding himself.
He had been so entirely focused on Hereis that he hadn’t even noticed he was being watched. If Paimon hadn’t warned him, the surveillance agent would have heard every word about the Demon Realm and the mating festival.
“Lord Jeha?” Hereis asked, his face etched with confusion.
Jeha finally snapped back to attention and looked at Hereis. Beneath Hereis’s perplexed expression, the familiar anxiety he’d seen before was deeply etched.
‘What should I do…?’ Jeha pondered for a moment.
He considered his options.
No one would dare hide in a secret compartment within the Pope’s residence unless it was sanctioned. This could only be the suspicion of the Pope and the Fanucci family. Jeha wondered what information they sought. Were they merely trying to confirm the nature of Hereis and Jeha’s relationship, or did they desire something else entirely?
Regardless, he needed to confirm that they were indeed deeply involved as lovers.
With the situation unfolding this way, Jeha felt the passion he had barely suppressed suddenly flare up.
‘To hell with the festival and everything else!’
Jeha wrapped both arms around Hereis’s neck, pulling him close and kissing him without hesitation. Hereis, initially surprised, quickly responded to the kiss with fervor, wrapping his own hands around Jeha’s back.
In the quiet room, the sounds of their breathing and the wet exchange of saliva echoed continuously.
Hereis’s lips, tasted after so long, were incredibly sweet. It was so sweet that Jeha almost wondered if human saliva was naturally this delicious.
“Haah… Lord Jeha, you don’t know how anxious I’ve been these past few days…” Hereis whispered passionately mid-kiss.
His deep blue eyes were filled with fervent heat. Jeha saw his own reflection in Hereis’s gaze: his cheeks flushed crimson, his eyes equally alight with excitement.
Before they knew it, they were tangled together on the couch, Jeha straddling Hereis. Feeling the firm, masculine strength of Hereis’s body beneath him, Jeha’s face flushed anew. Even though it was so clearly a man’s body, he found it irresistibly alluring.
All his previous reservations seemed to vanish in an instant as he made up his mind.
Jeha braced his hands on Hereis’s chest and pushed himself up. He then gently stopped Hereis, who was attempting to rise with him.
“Lord Jeha?” Hereis called out, his voice thick with arousal.
His eyes were red-rimmed, his usually composed demeanor disheveled, making him look incredibly sensual. The contrast with his usual ascetic and pristine appearance was striking.
Jeha reached into his pocket, then pulled out his hand. He took one of Hereis’s hands, lifting it, and slipped a sapphire ring from his pocket onto Hereis’s ring finger. Whether by divine intervention or a playful trick of fate, the ring fit Hereis’s finger perfectly, as if custom-made.
“This is…” Hereis began, his expression one of astonishment as he stared at the ring on his finger.
Jeha took Hereis’s hand and lightly kissed the ring on his ring finger.
“It was originally a set with the pendant, but I wanted to give you the ring myself, so I kept it with me.”
“Lord Jeha…” Hereis breathed.
“I don’t know about here, but in the Eastern Continent, there’s a tradition of giving a ring to the person you wish to marry.”
Hereis’s eyes widened slightly at Jeha’s words.
Hereis was an astute man. The moment Jeha deliberately mentioned the “Eastern Continent,” he would have realized there was an observer in the room. However, Jeha refused to let this crucial moment be spoiled by a mere spy.
“Marriage might not be possible for us, but… this ring represents my true feelings.”
At Jeha’s words, Hereis’s deep blue eyes trembled faintly. Seeing his fervent reaction, Jeha felt a profound sense of pride and satisfaction. He finally understood the feelings of men who showered their lovers with expensive gifts, even extravagant rings beyond their means. To feel this way, he thought, he would gladly part with his entire fortune.
“No treasure in this world could ever be more precious than this ring,” Hereis murmured, caressing the ring on his finger.
“You don’t need to doubt my sincerity. This is my true heart. Under any circumstances.” Jeha spoke with genuine conviction, gently touching Hereis’s disheveled hair.
After a brief pause, he continued.
“I will make you the future Pope. Even emperors and kings will bow before you and kiss your hand.”
Jeha spoke in a clear, distinct tone, ensuring the observer would hear him. The slight dip in Hereis’s gaze, as their eyes met, confirmed that he understood the reason for Jeha’s sudden declaration.
“I will always trust and follow only you.” Hereis said briefly, pulling Jeha by the neck and kissing him again.
The kiss quickly intensified, becoming passionate once more.