Chapter 80: Take Us To The Lake Where We First Walked Together...

"It means that after their stomachs are filled, they spend the night on the bed in sweet heated lovemaking."

Whoosh!

Moulin heard the sound of the wind. It was sharp. Drowning the lord's words. However, Moulin heard it clearly and he wasn't happy. He raised an eyebrow, a scoff almost escaping from his mouth.

"My Lord, It Is Just Dinner." Moulin hissed but a smile adorned his face, enlightened by moonlight. A chilly air began to surround the both of them. Hadrian smiled as he felt the rising abnormality around them.

Moulin continued, "Don't make me regret coming here. Your skills are quite awful..."

"Is it?" Hadrian laughed, "You might be the only person who thinks me like that."

"Are we going to eat?" Moulin snapped. He was slightly flushed with contained anger. He had no knowledge about the dining nonsense of nobles. Was it fabricated? Certainly, the lord has some skills about what to do to court a person. He was too straightforward.

The youth's expression was stern and serious while thinking. Every shift in Moulin's face was carefully noticed by Hadrian. The lowering of his slender eyebrows, the twitch of his eyelids, the press of his lips. The lord's eyes were observant. Particularly only at Moulin.

"Shall we go?..." Hadrian opened his palm at Moulin. Movements were sophisticated and careful. Ever since they hand separated, hands untwined. It felt strangely unsettling. The Lord could not deny that he had longed for it as absurd as it sounds.

Moulin accepted the hand. Inclined to the thought that he was finally able to fill his stomach. Although he wondered where the lord might take him, he didn't give too much thought to it. If there was a table filled with delicious food inside a rundown shack, he was fine with it. It was better than when he was flat broke in an apartment starving for a couple of days.

Hadrian carefully pulled the wary young man towards him and looked into Moulin's eyes. It was glistening almost glowing under the light of the moon.

In the next second, their figures disappeared.

...................

Moulin felt the hardness of the floor underneath his feet as they were transported to another place. The very first thing that welcomed his eyes was the warm light bathing them from above.

Astonishingly, the place was made entirely of thick glass. The floor, the walls, even the doors. Moulin could feel the mana infused in the glass. It was breathtaking... and luxurious. A small but bright chandelier hanging above them. Its light was purely golden and brilliant. And before the opened doors of the terrace was a long dining table filled with exotically luscious food. Moulin could still see the warm steam hovering above food and it was mouthwatering.

Yes, this is just right.

"You look like a beast starved for months," Hadrian said as he escorted Moulin to his seat.

"Years would've been appropriate... " Moulin joked. His expression turned delightful as he stared at the food before him while sternly declining Hadrian's action of pulling the chair for him.

Hadrian wondered if he would truly be discarded once Moulin had finished his meal. Perhaps proposing a dinner wasn't the best idea of getting the young master's attention.

"Looks wonderful..." Moulin marveled at the sight. He was itching to dig in already. As Hadrian sat on his seat at the other long end of the table, Moulin grabbed his utensil and began to hoard food.

Hadrian only shook his head with a smile. Although there was a slight bitterness in his heart about how Moulin immediately forgets him, focusing full attention on his food. Perhaps he was truly hungry.

"How come you didn't bring the little critter with you?" Hadrian was talking about a particular little brat who was left to sulk in Moulin's room

Moulin paused, "You know why..." He threw a lazy glance at Hadrian.

"I don't waste my time hating a little beast."

Moulin let out a snort. Slicing a bit of meat on his plate, "You do know he isn't a 'little' beast."

Hadrian chuckled. "He is only a mere Mystic beast."

"You speak as if you have known everything about Mystic beasts," Moulin said with a fork in his mouth.

"I do... Would you like me to enlighten you?" The lord slightly swirled the wine glass with slow loose movements with his hands. He leaned back with a corner of his lips lifted. "I believe you do not know me enough yet...".

His lax appearance looked strangely sovereign in Moulin's eyes. Like Moulin, the Lord didn't bother to dress extravagantly for the night. People might mistake him for a royal. A person who lives by sucking everything out from his people. Someone dangerous and evil. His looks were daring and handsome. He had a dark charm, particularly in his eyes. Able to drag a person down on their knees, able to enchant and manipulate, able to bring ruin and hide emotions.

However, when Moulin remembered the gentle acts of the man. How Hadrian washed his feet with the gentle touch of his hands, How his words and actions completely tore down Moulin's walls, How the man gently held Moulin's hand tightly... It had completely shifted Moulin's whole understanding of the lord.

Moulin smiled faintly as he ate. The atmosphere wasn't tense. Instead, it was calm and comfortable.

The food was great, the place was astonishing, and the night was long. As they conversed, Moulin learned that they were currently dining inside Lord Hadrian's tranquillity room within the Leonile headquarters in Azuran. The Tower of glass is beautifully spectacular. It was like living within a crystal. Moulin could not imagine how much money was spent on its making. Perhaps the Lord's money bags were bottomless. The Hercullian Archfamily is indeed wealthy.

"Do you drink?" Hadrian asked, lifting his wine glass. His expression was faultless and kind. However, Moulin knew of his intentions.

"I do, but not tonight. I'm afraid of being intoxicated, dragged into a lion's den, and shackled for life." Moulin smiled briefly at the man before stuffing his mouth. He chewed a big bite of meat merrily.

Hadrian only smirked at Moulin's reply. "Do you not realized that you have already walked into the lion's den?"

Moulin stopped. He lifted his head silently as he narrowed his silver eyes at Lord Hadrian. "You... are really good at annoying me."

"Consider it one of my skills..." A deep chuckle followed.

"How admirable then, Lord of Annoyance. I'm sure the world would praise you for it." Moulin amusingly grinned at him. "Come to think of it, ever since I first met your arrogant self, you never failed to throw fire at my way. I must praise you for that. No one has ever irritated me the way you do."

"Reminiscing now, are we?" Hadrian shook his head pretending to be helpless against Moulin's sharp tongue. "You also acted to drown me, didn't you? I have to say it was quite surprising. For an aphrodite Maeruthan... You are mercilessly fierce to have the courage to confront me"

"It did work out well in the end. I didn't have to leave a corpse in the lake..." Moulin raised his brows. "...And I also chased you away."

Hadrian ceased his teasing and only nodded in agreement, "Yes, you did..."

It didn't take long until both of them had finished their meal. Moulin felt so satisfied he forced himself to stand from his seat. Hadrian walked towards Moulin and spoke, "Would you like to walk with me?"

"Tempting but..." Moulin looked around. "I don't see where we could walk freely here..."

"Then would you like to name a place where we could?" Hadrian asked. His tone was indulging. "...Of course if you want to."

Moulin paused. He looked deeply into the Lord's eyes. "I was dreadfully expecting that you would suddenly propose to lead me to bed. Fortunately, you proved me wrong..."

The words almost sent the Lord laughing out loud. If it wasn't for his terrible willpower he would've made Moulin mad. He grinned as he leads Moulin to the terrace, "It seems that I have quite the position in your mind. If you insist we might as well do as you have expected-"

"Not a chance!c Moulin glared at him. He faced the view of the terrace and he froze. It was the full moon and the sky was beautifully breathtaking. Moulin could see the stretch of the land of Azuran and the majestic wall-like mountains. Mountain tops surrounded with clouds. The light of the buildings was like stars in the night.

Under the full moon, Moulin remembered a place that would be more extraordinary looking. He turned to Hadrian, "I've decided a place..."

The Lord smiled at him and he obediently lowered his head when Moulin curled a finger in a gesture. Once the man's head was closer, Moulin neared his lips to Hadrian's ear. His warm breath stimulating the indulging Lord.

Moulin whispered a few words to Hadrian. Looking so secretive and childish. Once he finished he pulled away in anticipation.

Hadrian unblinkingly stared at Moulin. Surprise adorning his face. He wasn't expecting the place whispered to him.

The silver-eyed youth pressed his lips together as Hadrian grew silent. He felt a bit embarrassed. "If it's too much you don't have to force yourself-"

A hand swift held Moulin's slender hand. Tightly holding. Gentle and carefully. Filled with warmth.

"You surprised me..." The Hercullian Lord spoke. A whisper only Moulin could hear. "Are you sure about this?"

Moulin nodded with excitement.

He leaned forward. Resting his forehead on the youth's forehead. His nose touching Moulin's nose. His eyes meeting Moulin's widened one's. His lips inches away from Moulin's lips.

"I will do as you wish..."

Moulin only let himself be lost into Hadrian's golden ones. Strangely, the pools of gold weren't devoid of emotions like how it always was. Instead, a deep feeling. A warm emotion. Eyes similar to that of a hungry beast and that of a longing lover were currently keeping Moulin imprisoned. However, Moulin didn't resist.

Their figures disappeared with a flash of gold light.

The next second, Moulin felt the familiar cold breeze brushing his face and the sight let out a burst of enthusiasm. He felt the soft ankle-deep snow beneath his feet and the view that he missed so much. The towering tall trees of the forest, branches covered in snow. The chilly wind dancing around them.

The stars in the night sky looked like heavenly pathways. It was breathtaking. The beautiful vast frozen lake reflected the starry night sky like a mirror. A scene Moulin was very familiar with.

It wasn't snowing in the wintery woods of the northern mountains. The dark skies were cloudless. A sea of stars embedded like diamonds. It wasn't dark on the lake.

"How... I missed this place..." Moulin muttered.

Suddenly, he felt something thick covering his shoulders. Moulin slowly looked at the man beside him. Lord Hadrian had a black cloak around him, shielding him from the cold. The Lord carefully clasped the white-furred cloaked around Moulin to keep the youth warm. Hadrian then held Moulin's hand. His softened eyes staring at Moulin.

"Walk with me?" Moulin said with a smile. "The night of the full moon on the lake is the best. Good for a night stroll..."

Moulin tried much to explain. He wanted Hadrian to enjoy the walk as Moulin would.

Hadrian only smiled as he tightened his hold on Moulin's hand. "Your choice of place is beautiful. I understand why you would miss this place..."

Moulin flushed. He only nodded as he looked away. He felt Hadrian tug at his hand as the Lord both led him to step on the lake. They stepped on the thick surface of the frozen lake with ease.

"I was more comfortable walking on the ice with bare feet before..." Moulin said as he looked down at the lake beneath him. It was beautiful. Mirroring the starry heavens above their heads.

"I'm sure you were." Hadrian chuckled as he remembered the first time he walked here with Moulin.

Moulin laughed softly. Feeling warm inside as he felt the rough hand of the man.

Together, their figures slowly walked on the vast frozen lake. Perfectly linked hands. The rhythm of their beating hearts. They looked inseparable.

Unknown to them, the glacial cave behind them, where Moulin once dwelled, was glowing a faint light inside.