A towering wall of shelves. A hand shielding his head. The shadow of the one standing behind him.

For some reason, it all reminded Yuder of that day long ago—the first time their lips had touched.

“Yuder?”

When he didn’t respond, Kishiar tilted his head slightly lower and asked again.

“...I’m fine.”

Only then did Yuder speak, turning to face him. Between the small, red fireflies fluttering around, Kishiar’s face came into view.

“I hadn’t called you yet... but you arrived very quickly.”

“I heard the sound of multiple books being pulled out.”

“Thanks to that, I avoided getting smacked on the crown.”

He meant it sincerely, but it must’ve come off like a complaint—as if asking, Why bother stopping it if it wasn’t necessary? Kishiar gave a faint smile and relaxed ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) his brow.

“I know it probably wasn’t necessary... but when it comes to you, my body tends to move on its own.”

“I wasn’t complaining.”

“I know. I was just thinking again... what a hopeless man I am.”

The word hopeless from Kishiar’s mouth didn’t quite seem to match the meaning Yuder was familiar with. Instead of addressing that, he simply blurted the thought that had just crossed his mind.

“It just reminded me of that time.”

“That time?”

Rather than answer, Yuder’s gaze drifted upward. His pitch-black eyes traced the hand above his head resting on the shelf, then slowly traveled down the face that had leaned close and the back bent protectively in front of him. A faint smile curved his lips. At that same moment, Kishiar’s eyes changed.

He immediately knew which time Yuder meant.

“...Ah.”

“Of course, the situation is different... but I don’t find myself in this position with anyone else. So it must’ve reminded me.”

Who else could reach over Yuder Aile’s shoulder to block his path? Anyone else who tried would’ve lost their limbs on the spot—unless it was Kishiar la Orr.

Yuder looked up at Kishiar’s face and, on impulse, reached out. His gloved fingers brushed across Kishiar’s cheek, and Kishiar closed his eyes with a soft smile. It was an act Yuder hadn’t dared to do in the past. There had been a time when he didn’t even realize he wanted to, when every time he saw Kishiar, he felt a thirst rising and simply feared it—pushing it down.

Because he’d believed it was something he shouldn’t do.

To be captivated by the man he had once killed with his own hands—that was unnatural. Madness.

He had told himself: I shouldn’t do this.

But not anymore. Now, when he wanted to touch, he touched. When he wanted to reach, he reached. That shift made him realize just how much had changed since that first kiss.

“Back then... you said that each person needs a different amount of time to reach certainty. Do you remember?”

“I remember.”

Kishiar whispered with his eyes still closed.

“At the time, I didn’t want to admit the feelings I had. But you... you were already certain.”

“Looking back now, it was a bit of an embarrassing thing to say.”

The man let out a low laugh.

“I didn’t really understand why you were holding back so much. I didn’t know the real answer to your fear. I was just... desperate, like a moth drawn to its first glimpse of light. Like a boy who wanted his answer fast and tried to stop you from running.”

“Are you saying... you wouldn’t have said those words if you’d known my secret back then?”

Kishiar paused, then leaned deeper into Yuder’s hand and shook his head.

“...No. I would’ve said them anyway.”

Because the pull had been too strong to resist.

That quiet confession, those eyes still watching him just the same as they had back then—Yuder found them deeply satisfying. In the red light surrounding them, Kishiar’s eyes looked darker than usual—nearly as black as Yuder’s own.

Seeing his own reflection in those eyes, Yuder felt a hidden sense of fulfillment.

That they were, in the end, the same.

Even now, just like back then, it felt as if the two of them were the only ones of their kind in the world—he could feel that truth in the pounding of his heart and the shiver beneath his skin.

“I feel the same.”

Even if he had known everything he knows now, back then—he still would’ve turned around before walking through that door.

As Yuder said it, the corner of Kishiar’s lips curved beneath his hand.

“...Right. And unlike before, now we’re standing face-to-face without needing an invitation.”

Which meant there was no need to wait for permission to kiss.

The silence between their locked gazes flared with heat.

Then—without knowing who moved first—their lips met.

“......”

Like that time, no—more than that—the sensation shivered through his body in ever-widening ripples. Yuder’s back pressed against the shelf, bearing both their weight. The books behind him shifted under uneven pressure. Even the book they had just pulled from the shelf was caught between their chests, but it didn’t feel hard or uncomfortable in the slightest.

Yuder’s eyes stayed open. He read the heat and yearning radiating from the man in front of him—deeper than during their first kiss.

The look in Kishiar’s eyes, filled with so much hunger and desire for Yuder, left no room for doubt. Even after seeing it many times, it was still hard to believe—so satisfying that it felt surreal...

The kiss finally ended only after a few more books tumbled from the shelves behind them. Yuder bent down with Kishiar to pick them up, trying to guess how much time had passed.

No clock, no light. Hard to tell how long we’ve been here. Is this another security measure to deter intruders?

“We’ve probably been in here for about an hour. This place is filled with subtle enchantments that mess with your sense of time. Even people familiar with it have trouble telling how much has passed.”

As they replaced the books side by side, Yuder suddenly spoke.

“...How did you know I was trying to measure the time?”

“Your expression gave it away.”

Was there such a thing as a time-checking expression? Yuder didn’t know—but if Kishiar said so, he wouldn’t argue. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“...In any case, take a look at the books I found. I searched for ones containing the word ‘Word,’ but I’m not sure if I was right.”

“You were. You found them perfectly.”

Kishiar grinned.

“Three of these are editions of the Sun God’s scriptures. And the last one you pulled—it looks like a scripture of the Black Moon. But more than that...”

His hand moved to the book that had been stuck together with the Black Moon scripture. The covers were still faintly adhered.

“This one caught my attention.”

The book stuck to the scripture was bound in plain black leather. The spine was blank, with no title.

“I can’t tell what book it is. We’ll need to separate them to see the title...”

“If we force it, it might tear. Let me.”

Kishiar took them and exerted a bit of energy. Instantly, the two books separated with a clean pop. It was convenient having someone with the right powers at just the right time.

Looking down at the front cover, Kishiar’s lips curled with interest.

“‘The Messenger Speaks, Third Staff Declares.’ That’s what it says.”

“You mentioned earlier that ‘Word’ is always written in scriptures. Then this phrase—‘Messenger’—does that mean a priest?”

“Most likely.”

Kishiar nodded.

“I think so too, but we’ll have to read it to be sure. Given how long it’s been stuck to the Black Moon scripture, there’s bound to be a connection. We’ll take this one as well.”

With practiced ease, Kishiar tucked both books under his arm. Yuder could almost hear Librarian Oesten screaming in the distance.

“Alright, that’s the most difficult item we came for. Now let’s find the easier things and head back.”