Chapter 34

Story 20. The Line between the Light and the Shadow (3)

Chapter 34

If what Manar told me was true… That everyone suspected Eriez of killing the messengers… Then what could I do for him?

Firstly, I decided to stop visiting him at night. It didn’t matter to me; I was only going because I was worried Eriez might be lonely, but… It couldn’t be helped. My involvement with him seemed to be worsening the suspicion against him. Besides, if the real murderer continued to kill… Then I was sure he would be captured eventually.

Finally, Virtuous Priestess’s monthly bleeding began. Because of it, Prince Camille and I were kicked out of the Sacred Room. We were forced to spend our time in the library or in the inner garden, and at least this way, there were plenty of people who witnessed us studying. This was a good thing.

However, I couldn’t help but wonder if those odalisques were trustworthy women. What if they were planning, or even doing something while they were safely hidden from us? Curious about their history, I closed my book and asked his highness, “Is there somewhere I can learn Hwenian in Minurd?”

“W-why do you ask, Juya?”

They were in the library, and the boy prince looked up from his own book in surprise. He hesitated a little, but there was no point in lying about it.

“… Well… if you try, I am sure you can learn it, but… I don’t see the need for you to learn the language, Juya.”

The prince loved to chat. Whenever I asked a question, his eyes would sparkle and answer excitedly, but it seemed that my question about the Hwenian language was not something he felt comfortable with. He obviously didn’t want to teach me.

Pretending indifference, I shrugged my shoulders and answered, “I was just curious, Your Highness. If the odalisques can learn it to serve the Virtuous Priestess, why couldn’t I?”

The truth was, I wanted to understand what those women were talking about. A while back, Eriez told me he would talk and try to convince the priestess, but if they spoke different languages, what would be the point of talking?

If he couldn’t get his thoughts across… I feared he meant it when he claimed he would threaten her with his sword… Or worse…

Prince Camille stood up reluctantly and walked into the inner part of the library. I followed him quietly.

“Well…. Umm…. I think it was here somewhere…”

He looked through the books. His fingers followed the row of books, and when he reached a small empty spot, he flinched, “Oh, Acamille…!”

He said a word that sounded very similar to his name and began to pant nervously. He was clearly distressed, and I had no idea why.

“Acamille? What do you mean, your highness?”

“It’s nothing… Nothing at all…”

Prince Camille looked around anxiously before grabbing my hand. He looked guilty like he had done something terrible as he whispered to me, “Promise me you won’t tell anyone. You can’t, Juya. I will tell you everything you want to know, so please…”

“Pardon? What are you saying, your highness? What shouldn’t I tell…?”

Without answering, the boy walked away. Not understanding what was happening, I quickly followed him, but before I reached the first corner, I heard and felt a brief and minor vibration.

When I finally turned around the corner, he was nowhere to be found, and only a deadly silence greeted me.

“… your highness? Prince Camille?!”

***

There was something extraordinary about Sevan Camille’s quarter. I enjoyed spending time with the prince, but this didn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings. After all, I was ultimately here because of an order from Hakim Karid. I would never forget my duties.

Prince Camille’s building took up a large portion of this castle. The building included the prince’s servants’ quarters, a good-sized library, and the prince’s living areas, but even counting all of these, they didn’t account for the giant size of the building. The size and shape of the building seen from the outside did not match what I saw inside.

Once, I asked about this to the prince, but he never explained it to me.

Suddenly, Prince Camille reappeared in front of me and handed me a book.

“If you are curious about Hwenian, why don’t you have a look at this?”

The book he offered me was the size of my hand. It had a hardcover, and on it, there were letters embedded in it. I didn’t recognize them at all. When I opened it, the pages were filled with small letters.

“What is this, your highness?”

“It’s a dictionary. There once was a high-ranking nobleman from Hwen who exiled to Minurd. He made this. This book explains how to read the Hwenian letters, and it also includes simple words necessary to communicate in Hwenian, so…”

It must have taken a long time to create this book. It was awe-inspiring, and I obviously couldn’t refuse such a gift from his highness. When I took it and looked at it closer, I could smell the sweet scent. It was the exact same scent I smelt on His Highness.

“Alright, so… Ae, be, ce, de…”

***

I studied the Hwenian letters for the rest of the day. When I returned to my room late at night, my good friend was waiting for me at the door with a sad face. I had no idea I upset him this much.

“I heard that you have been getting along well with Prince Camille, and now I can see that it’s true.”

“Eri… You can’t be here… I will explain later, so for now…”

“What is there to explain?”

He acted like he was here to take away something from me. I didn’t go to his room last night or the night before, and now, here he was. He seemed ready to collect three days worth of my body.

“Mmm…? Kk… hhh…”

When I resisted him, he pushed me into the room and kissed me as he slammed me against the wall. It was clear he wanted to get me hard as fast as he could. I felt his tongue invading my mouth and roaming around wildly. My teeth, my tongue, the roof of my mouth, and deep into my throat… This man filled me completely.

“Ahh…”

I had to make him leave. If someone saw us together again, I was afraid the suspicion on Eriez, as well as myself, would worsen. However, no matter how hard I pushed him away, he refused to leave.

“Let’s go inside and talk, Juya. You need to tell me why you are doing this to me…”

“It’s not like that, Eri. It’s not what you think…”

“Get inside right now, Juya, or would you like to do it right here at the doorway for everyone to see? Is it that you like being watched? I’m okay with it if you are.”

I realized that no matter what I said, it wouldn’t work. Eriez was starving for my body, and because of it, he has lost his mind. I didn’t know what to do. I obviously couldn’t stay out here, but I also couldn’t obey him and go into my room with him. If I continued to let him have me like this… I knew it would be a mistake.

I decided I would let him decide. When I refused to move, no matter how hard he pushed, he finally put his hand inside my pants. It seemed he was seducing me.

He whispered to me as he groped me, “Do you not need me anymore, Juya? I… I can smell that scent on you… The sweet scent his highness uses… Did you pleasure yourself while smelling his scent all day? How nice. Does he now let you have him? Does His Highness put his member inside of you now? Are you still loosened up from being with him tonight?”