If he was saying this out of concern for his condition, Yuder wanted to tell him that he was fine—that he’d only felt a brief wave of fatigue, and there was nothing else wrong.

But the man, who now gently rested his cheek against Yuder’s forehead, continued speaking with a look in his eyes as if he already knew everything Yuder was about to say.

“You’ve been busy all day. On top of that, you were tense the whole time, worried that something might happen to Kanna, while trying not to miss a single important detail. Even if your body’s fine, your mind must be worn out. Same goes for me.”

“......”

“How about we sleep here for the night, and once we wake up, we go over the information I’ve been gathering on my own? It’ll be easier to process when our minds are clearer, and it’ll feel better too.”

His tone was as soft as a lullaby—and yet, for some reason, it felt like a temptation.

Yuder fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

“It’s a bit early to be turning in... but all right.”

“If you think you won’t be able to fall asleep, I could offer you a bit of help. Something with a touch of blessing.”

“...What kind of help?”

“A kiss. Quite effective for easing tension.”

Had it been anyone else saying such a thing, Yuder would’ve met it with a fist. But this was Kishiar. Whether it actually had any effect or not, if Kishiar was offering him a kiss, of course—Yuder wanted it.

“...Please do.”

Kishiar smiled and pressed his lips firmly against Yuder’s temple.

“Set those tangled thoughts aside for now.”

His lips were warm, just as they always were. Drawn in by that warmth, Yuder’s eyes slowly closed.

Through the thin layer of skin where they touched, he could feel Kishiar’s breath. The slow, exhaled air grazed his skin and sent a gentle shiver crawling down his spine. The flush that began at his temple traced a line behind his closed eyelids, brushed across his throat, grazed softly over his chest beneath his clothing, and coiled lower—wrapping around his abdomen.

And then, finally, it reached that deeply hidden, most private place... Lingering there... holding its breath... as if—

Knock.

A light tap came at the door.

“......”

Yuder’s fine hairs stood on end instinctively, and he opened his eyes. At that exact moment, Kishiar’s lips pulled away from his temple with a faint, wet sound. He was still smiling gently.

In reality, it must have been only a short moment—yet it felt strangely as though the kiss had lasted a long, long time.

Hm...

He had only wanted a simple kiss—nothing more. But the effect far exceeded his expectations.

The heat that had transferred from Kishiar’s lips clung to him, burning quietly within, as if it had taken root in his very core. Their gazes, now so close that the rest of the world seemed to fall away, locked onto each other—and Yuder suddenly realized he was thirsty.

“......”

He swallowed dryly, trying to soothe it, but the thirst didn’t go away.

Lowering his gaze to his own hands, Yuder realized: This wasn’t thirst for water. Nor was it fatigue.

What he wanted was not a drink—but breath. Breath tangled with breath, wet and warm, flooding his mouth until it left him breathless—like a sweet, intoxicating nectar.

He didn’t want just a pat on the back or a gentle embrace. He wanted something more—wanted warmth exchanged so fully that they overflowed into each other, wanted the peace and quiet bliss that came only when two bodies lay entwined, not a gap between them.

This was the moment when the longing he had shoved into the deepest corners of his heart—crowded out by everything else—finally opened its eyes.

After a brief silence, Yuder exhaled slowly.

If he said “blessing” just to draw out this reaction... then honestly, I have to admire the craft.

And if not? Then he admired it anyway.

Either way, Kishiar had offered the pretext—and the night was still long.

So what was left... was to act.

“...That wasn’t nearly enough.”

“Oh? Then—once more.”

Kishiar’s lips, curved faintly in amusement, brushed briefly against Yuder’s forehead—then lifted away.

Yuder, expressionless, shook his head.

“Not enough.”

“More, still?”

A kiss landed on his cheek. Yuder shook his head.

“Not enough.”

Again, when it touched the bridge of his nose—and again, when it brushed over his eyelid—he shook his head each time.

By now, the man before him had surely read Yuder’s intent, yet he still whispered with feigned ignorance, voice low and teasing:

“Still not enough? That’s a problem. Where should I bestow my blessing to make you forget everything else and fall asleep at peace? Would you be so kind as to instruct me?”

Only then did Yuder move—like a beast that had finally been granted permission.

He tugged Kishiar’s collar forward, pulling him close, and the kiss that followed was everything Yuder had wanted: raw, deep, and greedy.

Their lips collided, parted, and tangled again. Yuder drank him in—just as he had imagined in that moment of thirst—until finally he pulled back, breathless. Kishiar’s lips were now flushed a deep red. It was a sight that stirred something fiercely carnal, something insatiably human. The heat inside Yuder burned hotter still.

“...Was that enough of an answer? Or should I be even clearer?”

Kishiar’s eyes narrowed into a smile.

“Plenty.”

He traced his fingertip slowly along Yuder’s mouth, outlining the curve of his lips. And then—without the tenderness of before—the second kiss came.

It devoured him whole.

"Uugh, hff."

Kishiar continuously tangled his tongue as he glanced down at the fingers that had slipped between the legs wrapped around his body. The sound of wet flesh colliding rapidly echoed from deep inside, where his body had swallowed two of those fingers.

Yuder’s body resembled its master—so much so that even something like Kishiar, which looked more like a weapon meant to tear flesh than a human organ, could be held without drawing a single drop of blood, as if it belonged there. It looked cold but was hot; looked hard but was, in truth, softer than anything, endlessly embracing, and honest in its affection.

Even so, Kishiar didn’t want to skip the process of loosening the inside more gently. He never wanted to give Yuder even «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» a fragment of unexpected pain. From experience, the best method was always using lips and tongue until Yuder climaxed once purely from internal stimulation, becoming thoroughly drenched. But today, Yuder was greedier than usual. He held Kishiar tightly, refusing to let their locked lips part for even a second, leaving him no choice but to use his hand.

This, of course, was good in its own way. After all, it was rare for Yuder to directly express greed for anything.

Even just before this act began, that had been the case. Every time he sat on Kishiar’s lap, he would rest only the tips of his toes lightly on the ground and sit up straight, as if ready to rise at any moment. So when he suddenly let go of all his strength and relaxed entirely on his own, Kishiar was genuinely shocked. The moment he felt Yuder’s weight sink into his arms, honestly leaning into him and exhaling a weary breath, his heart had pounded so fiercely he lost all sense of the situation—his mind completely blank.

Since they spent that leave together, Yuder had changed noticeably in this regard. More precisely, it would be more accurate to say that he had become able to express his desires far more openly—and to want Kishiar.

When he behaved like this, as though Kishiar’s embrace was the only place where he could truly rest.

When he finally released all tension only within Kishiar’s unremarkable body, and let his scent softly unfold.

Every time he revealed pure, untainted emotion toward Kishiar within that scent, Kishiar was seized again by the same crushing ache and overwhelming tenderness that felt as if his heart would shatter.

When emotion becomes too much, it turns into pain. Even when he thought he couldn’t possibly feel anything deeper, moments like these would come and prove how utterly wrong that belief was. In front of Yuder, all of Kishiar’s convictions meant nothing.

The emotion transferred and read from Yuder’s scent earlier was relief—and a faint greed hidden within it. Kishiar swiftly recognized that this greed stemmed from his body and instincts, which knew how to find a more comfortable way to rest than before.

It would’ve been possible to leave it untouched and let it pass—but how could he simply overlook such a rare and precious display of desire? With just the slightest bit of stimulation, Yuder swiftly broke down every wall and pulled Kishiar into his arms.

Seeking comfort when one is exhausted and worn out is a perfectly natural instinct.

And if Yuder wanted comfort, then Kishiar was ready to do anything until he was fulfilled.

When his hand moved faster, driving forcefully into him, their locked lips parted from the jolt of Yuder’s body. His inner walls clenched as if trying to reject the overwhelming surge of stimulation, but it wasn’t enough to push back the strength of a Swordmaster. Stripped of any ability to resist, his trembling thighs spread wider on their own.

“Haah...!”

As if unable to stop swallowing the sharp waves of pleasure, his hips kept jerking, curling inward then twisting outward in relentless motion.

“Ah—nngh, aah!”

In the past, Kishiar would’ve slowed down by now or adjusted his strength, but he didn’t. He simply watched the sight in silence.

Just as Yuder had changed, so had he. This particular change had come after the heat cycle they endured in Peleta. After that long stretch of time where nothing held them back, Kishiar la Orr discovered something new: that sometimes, Yuder preferred this more than slow, persistent lovemaking.

His brave lover never feared the moment his body was driven to the edge, almost torn apart, by fierce force and pressure. He knew how to accept the weight that crushed him down, the wild, greedy movements of a beast that pinned him and took what it wanted without hesitation.

When there was no room for thought, and when one simply wanted to collapse and rest with every ounce of energy drained—then it was that kind of pleasure that was needed.

And that was reason enough to summon the beast Yuder had once fondly likened to a small, cute flower petal.