Auren woke up with a backache as he shifted to the right to see Yusei lying beside him. He looked at his back and saw Sylas on the other side. All three are covered in the soft blanket, and Auren noticed they had cleaned him after what they did last night.
Auren looked at them for a while, then chose to kiss their cheeks. Yusei smiled while Sylas pulled him for a hug.
"How do you feel?" Sylas asked Auren. His deep voice feels like cool morning air.
"Something more than a back pain," Auren answered. Yusei sits down to use his magic powers to ease Auren's pain. "But I still enjoyed it. And I'm not that perverted." Auren defended. He didn't want to appear like a pervert in front of people. He did like having intercourse with them, but not as much as to be called a pervert, so he greatly denies everything.
Thankfully, Yusei and Sylas acknowledged his feelings and gave Auren what he wanted.
"Yes, we know. As you said, darling. We won't judge. Right, Sylas?" Yusei was still smiling when he said that. He now knew that he could tease Auren like this.
They had an intimate night, making them closer than ever. And even though he was just Auren's relief buddy, he still liked having Auren in his embrace. This time, Yusei is more relaxed around Auren. And as a person in love, he wanted more of him. He wanted Auren to be exclusively for him. But he already knew that the king had significantly embedded with Auren's presence and guidance. That is why they cannot have Auren just for themselves.
"Auren? Are you there? We have a problem." It was Eivan's voice.
The three got up when they heard it. Sylas immediately ran to the door just to block Eivan's entry. He didn't want the knight to see what they've done to Auren. At least not for now.
"Hi there, Commander. What happened? I didn't feel a gate or something more threatening so, what's up?" Sylas asked, making the knight step back. Sylas closed the door and smiled at the knight.
"What did you do to Auren?" Eivan asked, stepping forward, but stopped when the door opened.
Yusei helped Auren get dressed, and when they did, they went to where Eivan and Sylas were.
"I just got fatigued and passed out for the night. The place didn't have a heater, so they slept with me. Nothing else."
For some reason, Auren didn't look at Eivan. Is he embarrassed about what the three of them did? Or he felt like he was cheating on Eivan by having sex with someone else.
But isn't his embarrassment and cheating guilt supposed to be for Lyore? Lyore is the one he loved for the first time in this world so why would he be guilty in Eivan's presence?
Unless he figured out that Lyore can't give him anything. But these guys gave him all that he needed in exchange for his guiding sessions.
"You don't have to lie to me, Auren. I know what you did, and I won't reprimand you. You're not even exclusively for me or us, so what's the use of lying?"
Eivan seems to be angry about it and Auren knows it. But saying those like that made Auren upset and feel betrayed.
"Is that how you see me?" He looked at the three of them. "A tool that could be anyone's? And it's coming from your mouth Eivan? I didn't know that I could hear those words from that mouth! How dare you!"
"Auren I didn't think of you that way," Sylas pleadingly answered.
"Ha! What ever. How about you Yusei? From the start, I knew you saw me as someone useful, right? Even now, I'm just a relief giver. A guide you could use, right?"
"Darling, it's not like that." Yusei tried to persuade Auren to believe him by holding Auden's arms, but Auren pulled away.
"You think I did all of that because I liked it. Maybe yes, but the three of you should know that, as for this moment, on how you treated me, I will never give my heart to any of you. You'll just be a plaything to me."
"That's not true." Sylas pleaded, but Auren walked away.
"Shouldn't you have announced what you're here for, Mr. Knight?" Auren asked angrily. The three of them couldn't say anything against it. They all want to woo Auren. To have his heart and love them, but because of what Eivan said, the chance of having Auren had been slimmed.
Even though Eivan want to get the argument straight he chose to end it by silence. "Our king is missing after defending the southern part of the capital from the monsters of the small gate. Four humanoid monsters attacked, and only Miraenor went after, commanding me to get you to a safe place."
"Idiot. Can't you even have someone to help him? Am I that important to you than your king?" Auren once again scolded them. But this time, he knew he needed to find that Miraenor because he if Auren's hunch was right, Miraenor needs his Guding.
The knight didn't answer, making Auren more pissed than he already was.
"You're really an idiot. Let's go find him. Do everything within your powers to find him. I will guide you after. Sylas, you must not use yours. Your power poses a great threat to everyone, so don't use it. If you need to, you must limit it to five to ten seconds so I can guide all of you without passing out. Do you understand?" The last question is for the three who just nodded from that command.
It was so natural that they felt they didn't have the guts to go against Auren. They do like Auren to the point of not choosing to look for their king just to be with him, but they can't defy how guilty they are and don't want to disappoint Auren any further.
The journey going down the mountain is easier than going up. And with the moment's rush to find the king, Auren found himself walking like a madman. He ran long until not even Yusei, who used his powers to follow him, was left behind.
When Auren realised he was alone, he let himself rest momentarily. He sat down at the wooden bench and closed his eyes. He thinks about the way things were. Why is he in that dammed palace and let them use him? Why did he like the guys who treated him as such, and why is he helping them look for the missing idiotic king? He doesn't want to accept the answer, so he just pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back.
He was resting for a few minutes when he heard a big thud and someone called his name, "Auren?"
Auren opened his eyes and looked at the guy.
It was Lyore.
"I... I've been looking for you. Are you alright? They didn't let me into the palace. You didn't return that day, so I thought they'd harmed you. Do you have any injuries? Are you alright?" Lyore asked many times and didn't let Auren answer.
He looked like he was really worried. He was hesitating to hug Auren or even touch him. He looks as if he touched Auren; he would break like a fragile ceramic, and be left all alone.
Right, all alone.
That's also the reason why Auren liked Lyore. He didn't want him to be alone now that Aleng Elena is dead, and he is the only one Lyore can turn to. But they run away from that responsibility. Auren forgot about what he promised Lyore to run away from the truth and how Lyore would react to his confession. He didn't want to get rejected. Not by this person, at least.
"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you that night. I looked for you." Lyore's face is begging him to understand what he's been with. He was pleading with Auren to get back to him. Or just be with him for a moment if it was what Auren wanted.
"Lyore... I'm alright. They didn't hurt me. The palace was attacked, but it didn't hurt me. I got a job. But I think I can't go back to where we were before. They want me to be exclusively for them." Auren's face turned sad. He didn't know how to explain it to Lyore. He liked Lyore, but he was needed as a guide. And he cannot disregard that anymore. "I'm a guide. I could heal the king and his subordinates. Don't you like it? This time, this king won't die by the curse because I could heal him."
"But won't it hurt you?"
Auren bitterly smiled. "I'm more hurt by how I could not be with the person I trust."
A pang of pain can be seen in Lyore's face based on what Auren said. He realised that he didn't get to answer Auren's confession that night.
"Auren, you see, that night..."
"It's alright, Lyore. I moved on. I'm looking for the king as of the moment. If you'll excuse me."
Auren stood up and walked away, but Lyore followed him. "Auren, please wait. Let's talk."
"There's nothing to talk about. Please let me go."
That's the only time Lyore found himself gripping Auren's wrist tightly.
"I'm sorry. It's just that-"
"Enough. Just let me go."
Lyore saw how Auren held his tears back, so he let go.
Auren ran away from Lyore and prayed he wouldn't encounter him anymore. As he left Lyore, tears started to flow.
How could he be so strong when facing Eivan and the others, but automatically get soft in front of Lyore? If Lyore held him for more than a few seconds, he would probably hug him and tell him to run away with him. To be with Lyore is the greatest love and regret he has felt in the years he's been alive.
How could he love Lyore like this?
What's with him to be this persistent in his vulnerable heart?
How could he push aside those four men to be with Lyore?
The answer will always be with Auren.
While crying, Auren found himself in front of the clock tower. He felt like he wouldn't be found in there, not by the knights, the espers, or Lyore. So he opened the wooden door and started climbing the wooden stairs.
It was a long way going up, but with every step he made, Auren told himself to forget about Lyore.
"Stop thinking about him."
"How he smiles. How he teased. How he helped me from getting killed. Forget it all."
"You can't have him."
"For his sake. It wouldn't be worth it."
"You're a guide. He's a civilian. He can't protect himself. You're just gonna hurt him."
"The king's gonna hurt him."
He mumbled those words until he reached the top. Auren was supposed to curse the king when he reached the top because of how he hated being tied up to them, but he stopped himself when he saw someone covered in blood and looked at him intensely.
"Miraenor," Auren muttered. "You're hurt."
Auren runs to where Mireanor is and starts guiding him by holding his hands. But it's not enough.
"You're hurt," Miraenor mumbled.
"I'm not the one who's bleeding to death, aren't I?" He scolded him. "Why didn't you even get back to the palace? The Physicians could heal you just fine, so why do you choose to be here rather than there?"
Miraenor hissed, "You're not there."
Auren didn't expect what Miraenor said. It is true that he was not at the palace. He was having an eventful night with other men and he let himself feel good with the attention. Not even thinking about that someone is waiting for him to return. Auren was supposed to scold him again, but didn't get a chance to because Miraenor started coughing up blood.
"I'm sorry." He wiped up his bloody lips. "You're hurting, and I couldn't do anything. I was supposed to protect you, but I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry, Auren. He hurt you again."
Miraenor placed his palm on Auren's cheeks as Auren cried again at what he said. Miraenor brushed Auren's tears off, making Auren cry out more. He felt the heaviness of what his actions took. He didn't just hurt himself by loving Lyore, but he also hurt this guy in front of him, who wants to hold him, who must have loved him like how he loved Lyore?
"Why? Why are you saying this?" Auren asked while crying. Auren lay his head onto Miraenor's wounded shoulder. "Are you interested in me? Am I now more than just a guide for you? Why? Tell me why? I need to know why?" Auren shouted, almost like a whisper, because of how hurt he was, and tears kept flowing out.
"Auren." Miraenor hugged him tight. "I'm sorry."
Auren felt like all the burden he felt when he set foot on this world disappeared as he closed his crying eyes and accepted Miraenor's heartfelt kiss.
And by doing so, Auren instinctively guided the guy who knew what his heart felt and was now in front of him.