Despite his worries, the teeth marks were healing just fine. The seer woman's words did haunt him for a while, but all that talk about a permanent stamp might've just been all gibberish she had spoken to reel him in. The day after tomorrow, he needed to return to the capital for the weekly church visit under the high priest's training, or whatever he wanted to check first before Ellis was officially a certified saint. He'll have to visit the public library and find out everything about this webnovel world himself. For now, he didn't trust anyone in this world to give him the correct information.
Barmily brooding over his situation was certainly not doing him any good. If he was going to live as Ellis Montfort now, he might as well do it right. It wasn't like he had ever failed to get something done; if he put his mind to it, he could do anything.
For starters, his new life wasn't too bad; he only had to deal with his claim of being a saint, hiding from Duke Alastair's eyes to not let him catch him ever again, and find a partner willing to marry him who was also willing to be the bottom (if he could only men to marry him). His father might have decided to let the matter of his marriage be forgotten for now, but it was sure to come back soon, and he would be stuck in the same dilemma all over again; it was best to prepare early for everything, like exams.
And… his visions? In his mind, he could only think of it as a vision of the future, thanks to the seer woman; guess he had something to thank her for. He would've swept it under the rug if only the locations hadn't matched.
Why did it have to be the garden?
Maybe it was really just a coincidence; there was no solid proof to confirm Ellis suddenly had visions of the future. The garden could've been a different one and not the one he had seen.
I mean, how ridiculous could you get… it's all Alastair's fault, I'm sure of it.
From now on, everything is that devil's fault. Who knows, if he hadn't trapped him in the restroom, he might have met Lorenz, and the collar that he had broken would have…
"Young master, why did you lock this jewelry box? I don't know what's in it, so where should I put it?"
"Just leave it on the dresser, I'll take care of it."
Ellis replied while sitting on the bed casually, his posture unbothered, as if free from all worldly concerns. The safest place to hide that box in this entire room was under the bed. He didn't want to bury it somewhere and risk forgetting the spot later—only to end up unable to find it himself. It wasn't as if Duke Alastair would suddenly arrive with a search party to hunt for evidence, anyway.
Let's just stop thinking about that devil.
Blankly coming to a decision, Ellis headed out of his room to explore his new home.
†††
"Mhmm…!!"
The flickering candles cast a warm, golden glow, their flames cutting through the mist rising from the steaming bath water, where two naked, glistening bodies intertwined at the edge of the expansive, room-sized bath. The man on top, skin flushed with heat, cradled the dark-haired man's head with an unyielding hand, anchoring him as he savored his lips with self-losing, determined passion. It was as if the entire world had dissolved, leaving only the two of them revolving only for these two humans, consumed by the intoxicatingly sweet flavor of a soul-sucking kiss, their breaths mingling in a haze of unbridled desire.
"Mmn… ha… Alas…"
The blond man pressed heavily atop the one beneath him, oblivious to the dark-haired man's struggle to breathe under his crushing weight as his lips sealed in an unshakable lock at the same time. In the fleeting split second their lips parted, only pained-alike, ragged groans escaped the dark-haired individual, each sound laced with desperate need to call the man's name, and he failed every single time. The blond man's hand crept stealthily beneath the other's waist, fingers teasing the bare skin, prompting the dark-haired man to snap open his striking blue eyes, flinching at the electrifying touch that sent a shiver across his flushed body; his back arching to avoid those fingers wanting to discover the path of his lower back leading to other parts of his body.
The birds chirped melodiously, singing their early morning songs, weaving through the crisp morning air as they fluttered in from the open window, perching lightly on the carved bed frame. Their high-pitched trills struck Ellis's ears like thunder, pulling him from slumber. With a quiet groan, he smiled, stretching his arms above his head, and sat up, the soft blanket slipping from his shoulders. Barefoot, he crossed the cool floor to the balcony doors. A gentle push sent them open, and a flood of golden sunlight spilled over him—warm, dazzling, and mercilessly bright against his disheveled state.
The sun peeked playfully from behind drifting clouds as Ellis stepped up to the balcony railing, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. The morning breeze teased his fried hair, carrying with it the scent of blooming gardens below. A small sparrow fluttered down, landing delicately on his shoulder. It tilted its tiny head and began to peck at his tousled hair, chirping away cheerfully as though greeting him into the new day.
"Indeed… what a great day it is today."
Inhaling deeply, Ellis let the crisp morning air fill his lungs, the faint scent of jasmine hiding within it like a gentle splash of vanilla in those cheap sponge cake pieces he frequently bought from sketchy streets (he could only taste the eggs). Exhaling slowly, he lifted his face toward the light blue sky, allowing his eyes to fall shut as sunlight washed over his skin.
What in the actual fuck was that.