Even with just Yuder alone, the bathtub was a tight fit—so squeezing in two men was naturally a struggle. Kishiar couldn't fully submerge his body, and every time someone moved, the water would spill over repeatedly. Because of that, Yuder had to refill it multiple times. As expected, Kishiar had been right when he said, "I think we’ll run out of water."

Still, the whole process didn’t feel unnecessary at all—because he liked the time spent leaning close together, talking about nothing important. Watching Kishiar, who had his long legs dangling over the tub’s edge and was laughing like a child while holding him, Yuder smiled quietly along with him. Just listening to Kishiar talk passionately about the things he’d seen and heard today made Yuder feel it had truly been worth coming here. When Kishiar spoke, even things Yuder had known his whole life appeared in a new light, and this old, quiet village transformed into a place full of wonder and adventure.

What would I have done if I hadn’t come?

He silently gave sincere thanks to the Emperor who had granted him this extended leave under the guise of a disciplinary break.

After the bath, it was time to rearrange the bed.

“This bed seems only big enough for one person. I don’t really need to sleep, so I’ll rest on the chair.”

“There’s no need for that. There’s a way.”

What kind of quality could a commoner’s bed have anyway? At best, it was usually just a few storage boxes stacked together, topped with a board and something to soften the surface. With a flick of his hand, Yuder dismantled the panel covering the top and added more spare boxes from the storage room to expand the base. Then, covering it again with panels also stored there and laying the blanket over it, he made a bed incomparably bigger than before.

Still... maybe a little too small for both of us to lie down together.

Kishiar, who had helped bring the boxes, clapped his hands as he looked at the finished bed.

“Goodness. To rebuild a bed this fast—you're so capable it’s a shame I’m the only one seeing this.”

“It won’t be soft, but it should be good enough to sleep on.”

“Hm? Have you forgotten? I can sleep perfectly well even on the floor.” 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

That was true. From what he’d seen during their travels, Kishiar could sleep soundly anywhere. For someone who had grown up more pampered than anyone, his ability to eat and sleep without fuss was so surprising that it often shocked the Cavalry members who accompanied him for the first time.

Right. I remember being surprised the first time I saw him change his own clothes.

And it’s not like every Swordmaster was like that—able to eat and sleep without complaint. Among the Swordmasters Yuder had met in his past life, many were actually more sensitive than most people, likely due to heightened senses. So it wasn’t just that Kishiar didn’t need sleep and therefore could sleep anywhere.

He was pretending not to care and joking, only to put Yuder at ease.

Toward that person, Yuder reached out.

“You’re not seriously suggesting I let a guest sleep on a chair. We can sleep on the floor some other time—as for now, let’s sleep here.”

It didn’t feel like he’d said anything unusual, yet Kishiar suddenly went quiet after hearing it. After a long pause, he nodded with a strangely flushed expression.

“...Yeah. Let’s do that.”

They lay down together and closed their eyes. In the stillness, Yuder heard the sound of someone else’s breathing resonate faintly in the small house—something unfamiliar.

“...Earlier, the lady at the grocery store said something,” Kishiar whispered softly, just as Yuder thought he’d fallen asleep from how quiet it was.

“She said the boy from the Shelter Tree House had always been quiet and curt, but never once ignored someone when asked for help. After her grandfather died and the roof of the store collapsed, he was the first one to come fix it.”

Did she say that?

It must’ve been while Yuder was distracted picking out food. He vaguely recalled it. Since he’d seen how his grandfather had fixed things, he’d probably patched it up without much thought. He never imagined she’d still remember.

“She also said he was brave, always capable, and so dependable that if she had a granddaughter, she would’ve wanted to marry her to him.”

“She was probably just in a good mood and overpraising.”

“The butcher said something similar. Said you’d been polite since you were a child. When your grandfather was sick, you quietly took care of everything on your own. He said you were so capable that it was a shame for you to stay in this village forever, and that His Majesty must have a good eye for people. Even asked me to put in a good word on his behalf.”

That was truly shocking. That gruff butcher had said such things?

“When did you even talk to him?”

“Was it after we shared that cute story about how you used to love climbing trees and would spend the whole day perched on the highest one? Right when you said you were going to pick out some meat.”

“...So while I was momentarily distracted, you were hearing all this.”

Yuder sighed quietly. Kishiar chuckled low.

“It really made me happy. Just the things I heard today would be enough to keep me full for a month.”

He reached under the blanket and held Yuder’s bare hand, fingers brushing gently before entwining. When Yuder turned his head, their eyes met in the dark.

“The fact that they still remember those little things must mean that you were someone who left that much warmth and kindness behind. And the Yuder I know is no different.”

“...”

He felt a need to deny it—but at that moment, Kishiar’s hand tightened around his, and the words died unspoken. His callused fingers stroked Yuder’s hand softly, and his low voice resonated through the dark.

“Whenever you talk about your past self, you always sound like you’re referring to someone who shouldn’t be remembered, someone to reject. But I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“...Still.”

How could he possibly put Yuder Aile, who had lived quietly in this mountain village, on the same level as Yudrain Aile, who left his hometown and spent more than ten years drenched in blood and political strife?

But that thought, too, melted like a mirage in Kishiar’s embrace.

“That lady earlier also said it. That up close, you were the same person.”

“...”

Maybe the old woman, who had lived so long, had seen Yudrain—the thirty-one-year-old—inside Yuder’s eyes. Even if his body was younger now, the years engraved in his soul couldn’t have been erased.

Even Yuder himself could no longer remember exactly what he was like as a child—but those who ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) had known him back then said he hadn’t changed all that much. It was a strange feeling.

But Kishiar said it wasn’t strange at all.

That the things Yuder carried within him hadn’t disappeared.

That it was okay.

Maybe that was why he’d spent the entire day trying to gather pieces of Yuder’s childhood—just so he could say this now.

I thought he was just curious...

Why did those words make it feel like something frozen deep inside him—something he hadn’t even known was there—was starting to melt?

It was like finding a dusty, forgotten item in an old storeroom and carefully pulling it back into the light.

Yuder stayed silent, then wrapped his arms around the man holding him. The sound of two hearts beat rapidly in similar rhythm.

Yuder committed that sound to memory as he closed his eyes. Letting himself relax into the warmth holding him, he spoke.

“...Tomorrow, I’ll go visit my grandfather. Please come with me.”

“Mm. Of course.”

A pair of smiling lips descended through the darkness and brushed Yuder’s in a secret kiss. The reason such a kiss, hidden from all eyes, made his heart tremble—was because Yuder wanted this man again.

...I love you.

That was the only thought he kept writing over and over in his head as he pulled him close.

I love you.