Yunho could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was still the same Grand Duke as always, yet tonight felt different.
The Grand Duke raised an eyebrow.
"Are you okay? Your face looks flushed."
"Ah, I was just at that game night event. Staying outside for so long probably reddened my face," Yunho said.
He really had become better at lying.
The Grand Duke stared at him for a second.
"The game night the knights-in-training planned? I didn't know you were acquainted with any of them."
"Oh, I do know one: Drelle. I worked at the canteen for a while when you were gone, and he also volunteers there. So, I've become acquainted with him," Yunho responded.
The Grand Duke paused for a moment. It was hardly noticeable, but his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"I see..."
That was the extent of Dorian's response before he took Yunho by the arm and said,
"Well, we have something else to attend to, so let's go."
Yunho nodded, and the two of them went into Building 4 and then into Yunho's room.
After they were both inside and the door was shut, Dorian reached inside his pocket and brought out a familiar pair of stone-like items.
Communication devices.
Yunho took one from out of his hand and grasped it tightly in his palm.
"Is it working?" Yunho asked, channeling through the device.
"Yes... It seems to be a little muffled, though. Try channeling your voice more," Dorian replied.
Yunho nodded and focused more on the communication device.
"Ah, it's a little hard to do this time around," Yunho said.
Suddenly, Dorian reached out and grabbed Yunho's chin like he was analyzing his face.
"You do look tired. Using objects like this requires energy, so they're weaker if the user is weaker," Dorian said.
Yunho froze. Their faces were so close that he could see every contour of the Duke's face. Dorian was wearing his usual gloves, so Yunho could feel the accessory's material rubbing against his chin.
There was a pause of silence between them before the Duke withdrew his hand.
"Well, it should be fine. Communication devices are very difficult to tap into; only high mages or the Saintess would have that ability."
Yunho nodded. He felt embarrassed at how fast his heart was beating. He knew the device only transmitted sounds you channeled into it, but Yunho still felt a little scared that his heartbeat could be heard.
But there were more important matters to attend to. Yunho couldn't forget what they were here to do.
"So, are there any new details?"
Dorian's face became more serious.
"As I said last time, the scout spotted the group of Bahitan forces we faced off with last time moving towards another direction; they're heading slightly southeast. I believed that they may be grouping up with a larger group, so I decided to send another scout to see if there was any sign of more forces," Dorian said.
"It seems like they did join with some more forces, but the group is still quite small. And it looks like they're going to move back west towards our base," Dorian continued.
Yunho nodded and hummed in thought.
It wouldn't make sense for the Bahitan army to send another small force when the last time didn't amount to anything.
That kind of strategy would only be effective to tire out Lucivia until its army ran out of resources. But Lucivia had more of those than Bahitan, so that couldn't be it.
So there would be no reason for the Bahitan army to attack with a small group again....
Unless it was a trap.
Yunho's heart beat faster again, but it was out of anxiety this time.
Was this the fake-out strategy that Yunho had been waiting for?
Yunho tried to calm his heart, but the thumps almost shook his ribcage.
"Could it be that their forces are split? If they anticipated you putting out a scout, the Bahitan forces could've split their forces in two different directions. So they could draw you out in one direction and surprise attack in the other," Yunho said.
He knew how much could be on the line with this battle, so he tried his best to not speak definitively.
After all, even though he may have been a reader of the novel, the Duke still had more strategizing experience. So, Yunho thought it would be best to phrase it like a suggestion.
Dorian raised his eyebrows.
"You mean, like a trap?"
The Duke paused, in thought.
"I do think something may be afoot, so that may be true. So, do you believe the best course of action would be splitting my forces to the two sides of the base?" Dorian asked, lowering his head to make eye contact with Yunho.
Yunho felt like time stopped. He could feel the weight of the decision on his shoulders.
He gathered confidence to push the words out of his throat.
"I believe it'd be the safest option," Yunho said.
Dorian nodded.
"Well, I should better inform my commanders and mobilize the soldiers as soon as possible." Dorian said, heading for the door.
"Wait, you didn't take the communication device back." Yunho called out.
Dorian shook his head. "I want you to keep it with you. While I'm gone, you can communicate with me through that when you need to."
Yunho smiled.
"Alright, I'll use it whenever I need you."
For a reason Yunho couldn't decipher, this made Dorian pause and turn back around.
Suddenly, the man wrapped Yunho into his arms. Yunho was surprised, but he quickly melted into the feeling.
"You really do make a good pillow. Soft and cool to the touch," Dorian remarked.
The comment stomped out the sentiment of the scene, and Yunho immediately pulled away.
Dorian chuckled at Yunho's reaction and headed to leave again.
Filled with a sudden courage, Yunho called out to the man.
"No matter what, stay safe."
Dorian stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Yunho.
There was a complicated look in his eyes and a rare look of hesitation on his face.
After a moment, the Duke smiled.
"I will."
After the statement, the man left the room with a soft thud as the door shut.
Yunho gazed at the door and sighed.
"I guess I should head to sleep now."
Yunho could still feel the reminiscent warmth on his skin, no matter how much the night wind tried to extinguish it.
---
The next day seemed to pass twice as slowly, and anxiety tore into Yunho.
The troops would likely be setting out very late in the night, so the entire day was preparation. More people would be leaving this time around, so there was a noticeable shift of energy on the base.
Everyone was busy, so Yunho was left to wander around the base and help out where he could.
Left mostly to idle and think, a certain fear settled into Yunho.
What if he had gotten it wrong?
"I have more information than any other person in this world, yet I still feel like I know nothing." The thought plagued Yunho.
But at this point, he had to have trust in himself.
And if not in himself, then in the Grand Duke.
And if not even in the Grand Duke, then in the hopes that the plot of the original novel can't be changed that much.
"I never thought I'd one day be hoping that the pre-written fates in this universe wouldn't change," Yunho thought.
Finally, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the sky faded into the dark hue of twilight.
It was time for the troops to set out. Despite the scout only seeing a small group, about half of the base was still setting out.
There were two groups, each assigned to a side of the base. The group heading toward the east, where the Bahitan forces should be coming from according to the scout's information, was led by the Grand Duke and one of his commanders. While the unit covering the other side of the base was under the charge of the other military leaders and the Crown Prince.
Both groups were each accompanied by five temple workers for healing. Irene was in the Grand Duke's group, and the second-highest-ranked temple worker was in the group with the Crown Prince.
The groups were balanced in a way where the eastbound group was slightly better equipped for battle than the other group, but not to the point that the other group was unprepared and couldn't respond to a surprise attack.
Some knights and high-ranking soldiers were left on the base and given communication devices to receive and give updates.
It was truly great organization.
Seeing the strategy behind the division of forces, Yunho felt like he could finally quell some of his worries.
It was already late at night, and just traveling would probably take the groups until morning.
So, after the units set out, the only thing the people left on the base would have left to do today was sleep.
Yunho watched as all the troops left through the gate of the base.
There was a kind of finality in the shutting of the gate.
Yunho took a deep breath.
He walked back to his room and sat down on his bed.
Yunho took out the communication device the Grand Duke had given him the day before and turned it over in his hands.
He knew it wasn't important, but without the stress of standing face-to-face, Yunho had an increased willingness to take risks.
He channeled a message into the object, despite its difficulty.
"I believe in you."
He knew it didn't matter, but Yunho wanted to say it anyway.
Even though he had defined his feelings for the Grand Duke as attraction, he wasn't completely sure what he'd do with them.
Let them fade? Pursue him? Harbor them forever?
Yunho shrugged it off for now. He could always think about it later.
"Does this count as my first love?" Yunho thought, and the prospect made him chuckle.
The Grand Duke was definitely not the typical "first love" archetype.
The soft light of night lulled Yunho to sleep, but before he could lose consciousness, he sat up in his bed and stared at his room's door.
"Ah, I almost forgot to lock it."
Yunho got up and locked it before he finally went to bed.
"Let tomorrow be a peaceful day."
----
End of Chapter 43