Chapter 9

Story 6. The male owner of the harem (1)

Chapter 9

I thought Eriez did suspect something, but it seemed he would not make a big deal out of it. Was it because he understood my confusion? Was it because he just didn’t want to think badly of one of his brothers? It could also be that he thought he was mistaken.

Eriez pointed at himself with a small frown and said asked me in a joking voice, “I mean, think about it. Look at me. I am a man too, and I am strong enough that it would be hard for anyone to beat me. Do you feel that way when you look at me? How about our other brothers If what I suspect here is true… This is a big deal. You know it, right? So… is this true?”

“… no.”

“And wasn’t it you who said that a man desiring another man is against the moral codes?”

“I’m telling you, I’m not like that. It’s not true.”

I knew I had to give him the right answer. The answer that was expected. I had no other choice.

In the end, Eriez left with typical advice, “Just take care of yourself and your body. I am only a dumb fighter who follows orders from the Goddess’ warrior, so I don’t know much about the ethics and morals of it all, but you? You are the teacher to the prince. You have much higher standards to follow, my brother.”

He waved at me before leaving the room. As he left the room, I couldn’t help but compare his body to that of the prince. No matter how much training the prince goes through, he would never be as muscular as Eriez.

Prince Camille had slim arms, a narrow waist, and a small hip. He may have gained some muscles recently, but he was born a delicate man. Definitely nothing like Eriez, who was big-boned and sturdy.

Even if he thrust as hard as he could in ecstasy… No, no. I needed to stop thinking about him this way. Just imagining the prince made my body burn again. It wasn’t true that I saw him as a woman. I also wasn’t pining after him because he was a manly man.

I… I just wanted to see this young man’s body. Not to ogle him, but to admire his beautiful body like in my dream. I regretted doing what I did to him in my dream. I should have treated him with more respect, even in a dream. I just felt like… My desire and need for him were justified because I was his teacher.

I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to be with him.

… but not the way I did with my brothers. It wasn’t a brotherly affection I felt for the prince. If it was, it should have felt the same way as I felt towards Eriez. When I hug or kiss Eriez sometimes… I felt connected to him, but I didn’t burn for him like I did for Prince Camille.

Oh, Eriez… I mean, Camille…

I wanted to sleep a little more, so I sat up to turn the lantern off.

“Argh! It’s hot!”

I wasn’t careful, and I burnt my finger, but the darkness finally fell in my room.

***

I slept on and off for a long time because I was suffering from an unexplainable fever. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed. I learned that Eriez and some of my other brothers visited me while I was sleeping. Except for Eriez, I was told that the rest of them didn’t stay for long. It made sense because I wasn’t close to anyone except for Eri.

During my fever-induced sleep, I thought I might have felt another earthquake and a loud thud. Maybe I was hallucinating. By the time I regained my consciousness again, I was honored with special medications from the prince himself. There was also an incense for me, which smelled very similar to what I breathed earlier in his quarters.

“Oh…”

No matter how much I thought about it, his gesture could only mean that he cared for me. He must have loved me.

Was I being delusional?

Was I mistaking his kindness and respect for his teacher as love? Did my current state, ill and unkempt, disappoint him? Did he hate me now?

The scent of the familiar incense filled my head, making me feel relaxed and dreamy. Many thoughts and images crossed my head, but none of them clarified and stayed long. They were all pointless, and I decided not to worry about them.

Camille… Arim Sevan Camille… The cursed boy who supposedly killed his own mother during birth. The boy who was as beautiful as the goddess herself.

The prince who trusted me. The man who perhaps I could get closer to…

Stop! I needed to stop this line of thought. This was my prince, the definition of good. A man with a clean, innocent soul. The person who believed in going to war to save the sex slaves living far away.

“Ahhh…. Huh?”

My own body shocked me into consciousness because I found myself naked and writhing on the bed. My body had a mind of its own, and it kept rubbing itself against the blanket. I saw that my pants were thrown on the floor.

I felt a little guilty, but I didn’t feel the need to stop. It felt too good, too erotic that I couldn’t help it. An image of Prince Camille’s naked body popped in my head, and I moaned loudly.

His perfect beautiful body…

I didn’t even know what I was doing. I had my eyes closed, and I propped myself up with my hands as I thrust against the bed. I orgasmed with a groan and rolled around the bed in pleasure. Hugging my pillow tightly, I wondered if I finally lost my mind.

Have I become an animal? Would everyone think so if they saw me like this? Would they call me a monster?

However, I couldn’t care at this point because my body wouldn’t let me rest. It wasn’t done; in fact, I was burning up even hotter with lust. I knew I should go and wash, but all I could do was just moan.

“Camille… Ahhh… Ahhhh… Camille… Please…”

My bedsheet was covered in evidence of my pleasure. I was completely naked, but I didn’t even think of the possibility that someone might walk in and see me in this state. I just fell asleep.

At some point, I vaguely felt someone cleaning me up. I also heard a voice muttering, “Gosh… This is disgusting. He didn’t even change like I told him to… And on top of that… Oh, man…”

Even though I was not fully awake, I still could recognize that it was Eriez. Dreamily, I wondered if he would get angry at seeing me like this. He was my friend, so would he become disappointed?

But… should I still ask him? Ask him to help me? Because if I continued like this, I felt like I was going to go mad.

However, if I did ask him… Was I using my friend? Was it wrong? Would I end up in hell if I did?

I wasn’t sure if it would go against the ethical codes, but still…

“Eri…”

I was finally able to open my eyes. I found my friend looking down at me in annoyance. Eriez must have cleaned the room because it looked neat. I also no longer smelled the sweet scent of the incense. My body was dry and clean. I was still naked, but a large towel was placed across my lower half for decency.

What kind of excuse should I give him? When I sat up, I blurted out to him, “Eri… if it’s okay with you, please ask Prince Camille to come to my room.”

“Why? I hoped you regained your senses, but it sounds like you have finally lost your mind. Why do you want him here? Are you planning something immoral?”

“No, it’s not like that… Stop teasing me.”

He was smirking, so I tried to put on my serious face as I continued, “… Before I fell ill, his highness wanted to ask me for a favor. I want to know what he wanted. I also want to ask him about this incense he sent me.”

Eriez seemed convinced. He stood up with a shrug, and before he left, he said to me, “Well, I trust you. After all, of all the brothers, you are the most responsible and stoic… So whatever you are going through right now, I assumed you had no control over it… I just hope you will do the right thing from now on?”

I felt weak, but I still gave him a cheeky grin.

“Of course.”

To be honest… I wasn’t confident if I could.