Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 368: ’Held Him Close.’

Heinz didn’t know what came over him.

Perhaps due to the frustration, he found himself dragging Florian to his room, take out his own anger in his room, and then now he pulled Florian into an embrace.

Heinz could feel Florian hesitation, and him tensing because of the suddenness and unexpectedness.

’After everything we did last night, this still makes him tense.’ Heinz thought, but it was expected considering Florian was most likely just compelled to follow either because of the original Florian or because Heinz was the king, he couldn’t say no.

Heinz somehow hoped that wasn’t the case, but that’s not his problem right now. His problem was the betrayal of Delilah.

But not what everyone probably expected.

To everyone, Delilah had tried to sabotage Florian in hopes to ’reveal’ his true nature, but if that was the case, why sabotage Florian and not find a way to expose him?

Heinz was sure Florian thought of that, and was wondering that at that very moment.

Heinz was also certain to everyone, his reaction was excessive. As well as the punishment he gave Delilah, but Heinz was no fool.

Delilah was the fool because she hadn’t thought this little sacrifice through, and based on her reaction, she hadn’t expected this.

’If she had been the one responsible for the aphrodisiac incident and kidnapping, I would’ve believed her.’ Heinz thought, but Heinz knew for a fact as well that Delilah wasn’t also the one who tried sabotaging Florian because she was too smart for that.

Delilah was taking the fall.

But why was Heinz angry?

Why did Heinz feel betrayed if he knew it wasn’t Delilah and Delilah wasn’t the one who killed him in his first life, nor even the one trying to ruin his and Florian’s plans.

Because Delilah was covering for someone.

The guilt Lucius saw wasn’t guilt because she was guilty for the crimes, she was guilty for knowing who it is and covering it up.

That is why Heinz felt betrayed.

Delilah was openly and actively choosing to protect someone who was targeting Heinz and Florian, risking everything. Risking Heinz no longer trusting her, even risking her own son, Drizelous.

Just for one person.

To Heinz’s eyes, that itself was a crime worth the punishment he gave.

"Your Majesty...?" Florian whispers, placing a gentle hand on Heinz’s bicep, an awkward attempt to comfort him. "Are you okay?"

Heinz was okay.

He was angry but he wasn’t devastated.

Heinz just needed to release some anger and then calm down, and this was the only thing he could think of doing. Heinz buries his nose on Florian’s light-purple hair, taking a deep breath.

"I feel much better now." Heinz whispers, not to Florian but to himself. This was something he had never imagined doing, but it did feel right in this situation.

"That’s...good?" Florian sounded unsure, and it almost made Heinz want to laugh, which was strange. He had just been furious moments ago, now he wants to tease Florian to make him annoyed.

Heinz loved seeing his annoyed face. It was one of the few genuine reactions he sees from him, and Florian was always more honest when he’s annoyed, but even Heinz knew it wasn’t time for that.

It was amusing though.

Heinz had been mad at Florian, because Heinz was confident that it would be Florian going through a betrayal yet Florian still thought of Lancelot and Lucius’ welfare, both of which failed to protect him, and Heinz knew he’d be crushed

After all, Heinz was almost confident the one who killed him was one of the people Florian trusted.

But thanks to this incident, it made Heinz narrow down his suspects. All he had to do now was draw them out, force them to show who they are.

And when that happens, Heinz wondered if Florian would embrace him due to his sadness and devastation.

It hadn’t bothered him before.

Heinz had once viewed this Florian as nothing more than a tool—an innocent, unsuspecting pawn whose greatest weakness was also his most dangerous trait: trust.

The boy trusted too easily, forgave too readily, and believed too much in the goodness of others. And ironically, that was exactly what Heinz needed.

Originally, he had planned to use Florian’s warmth and openness like bait. To let the one who had killed him in his first life see Florian as easy prey. To lure them in with Florian’s light, with that naive smile and those vulnerable eyes.

All Heinz needed was for the killer to get close enough—close enough for Heinz to see them clearly, close enough to strike before they could do real damage.

That had been the plan.

But now... now he couldn’t deny it any longer.

He had developed a soft spot for the prince.

Somewhere between cold manipulation and shared nights, somewhere between whispered lies and honest touches, Heinz had started to care. Genuinely.

He didn’t want to use Florian so recklessly anymore. Didn’t want to dangle him in front of monsters like fresh meat.

Didn’t want to gamble with his safety just to settle his own past.

But it was too late for second thoughts. Too late to rewrite the strategy.

’Florian trusts all the friends and aquaintances he has now. Even Cashew... even that child, who clearly has something to hide.’

The thought settled like a weight in his chest.

Florian had already wrapped himself around too many people—Lucius, Lancelot, the girls, even the servants. He had already let them in, already handed them pieces of himself. Heinz couldn’t tear him away from that without shattering him entirely.

Still, the recent incident had helped.

At the very least, it narrowed down the suspects. Not enough to act yet, not enough to confront, but enough to start drawing the noose tighter.

Now, all that was left was time.

To wait.

To watch.

To keep pulling on invisible threads and forcing the hidden ones to reveal themselves.

The pieces were already falling into place—slowly, inevitably. It was only a matter of time before the truth unraveled in front of them all.

And when it did... Heinz didn’t know what he’d do.

When Florian’s world came crumbling down, when the people he trusted were exposed for the traitors they were—would he turn to Heinz?

Would he reach out to him, broken and devastated? Would he cling to Heinz the same way Heinz was clinging to him now?

The thought was almost shameful in its tenderness. Heinz hated that it even crossed his mind. Hated that a part of him wanted it to be true.

’Why am I even thinking this?’ he asked himself bitterly.

He didn’t have an answer.

All he knew was that for now, in this fragile moment between fury and calm, between betrayal and clarity—he just wanted to hold him. To keep Florian in his arms just a little longer. To forget the world outside the chamber doors.

Because once they stepped out, reality would return. Masks would be worn again. The danger would creep in from the edges.

But for now... for just a fleeting moment longer... Heinz allowed himself the softness he pretended he didn’t need.

He held him close.

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