Chapter 45
[ Quest! The Distance Between You and Me I ]
Choice 1. Bathe together.
Choice 2. Lie down together.
Choice 3. The three of us lie down together.
Choice 4. Call Joshua.
Choice 1.
“Let’s just bathe together. You, Francis, and me. Like that.”
That was the most reasonable escape route I could think of.
Otherwise, Adrian looked like he’d eat me alive.
“How exactly are we supposed to bathe with someone who has an STD?”
“You and I both know that rumor’s a lie.”
I glanced at Francis.
He looked confused, but for some reason, a faint light returned to his face.
Why did he look relieved? That’s… not good.
“So it really wasn’t His Highness who spread that rumor.”
“Only just figured that out?”
“What do you mean?”
Adrian cut in before I could respond to my own mutter.
He looked utterly displeased with this whole situation—his brows furrowed, his muscles taut under his shirt.
Damn it, even his annoyance looked attractive.
“Enough talking. Let’s go.”
“What? I’m not done talking yet!”
“I told you, I only take one concubine.”
He grumbled and began taking off his clothes.
Please, please don’t have a chest as indecently perfect as Clayton’s.
The last time I caught a glimpse in the dark—holy hell.
No, no, no—get it together!
“Put a robe on!”
“I can’t bathe like that.”
For someone who rarely smiles, it’s infuriating how much he does when I’m flustered.
As if I’m the only pervert here and he’s the gracious, patient one!
“At least wrap a towel around yourself!”
“I’ll do that once you take off what’s underneath.”
I slapped a hand over my eyes—but, unfortunately, the gaps between my fingers saw everything.
I told myself to close them tighter, but instead, they somehow spread wider.
Damn it. Don’t look… maybe just a peek?
A few seconds won’t hurt anyone, right?
“Pffft…”
Oh no—he caught me!
Should’ve just stared shamelessly instead of pretending not to!
“I’d rather you not remember how much you seemed to enjoy looking.”
“W–what are you talking about!”
“It’s always a pleasure to be admired by you.”
I should’ve fired back something, anything—
but then Francis started undressing too!
My ears rang. My face burned.
Even my neck started sweating.
“Your Highness, please look at me too.”
“Y–you’ve lost your mind! Oh my god!”
I’d seen him before, but every time, his body looked sculpted by a damn deity—
a firm, flawless chest, every muscle perfectly cut and defined, veins trailing down his arms.
Oh my lord.
“You look like a muscle pig.”
“And yet, Your Grace looks no different.”
When I turned back to Adrian, the scar across his chest caught my eye again.
Even that looked sexy. God help me.
Still, Clayton’s chest had been more… NO! What the hell am I thinking?!
“Come here.”
“W–what?!”
“You need to undress, don’t you?”
“I’ll help you, Your Highness.”
These two maniacs were definitely out of their minds—
they came up behind me and swiftly untied the ribbon of my robe.
Then, before I could even react, they were already peeling the fabric away.
“Stop! Right now!”
“You’ll have to take it all off if you want to bathe.”
“Right. And once it’s off, you’ll wrap yourself in a towel.”
“Turn around! Both of you!”
The two glared at each other before begrudgingly turning away.
“This only happened because you were so rough, Your Grace.”
“You bastard—you tried to undress my fiancée. Have you lost it?”
When I confirmed they were both facing the wall,
I stripped off the rest of my clothes as fast as I could.
If I’d hesitated one more second… oh, thank God. That was close.
I left the last layer on and slipped into the bathroom.
There was a passage connecting it directly to the bedroom,
and—thank heaven—there were towels stacked everywhere.
I quickly ditched the remaining clothes, grabbed a bath towel, and wrapped myself tightly.
“Why hide it? Well, whatever. This is fine too.
I suppose there’s a certain thrill to a first-time experience.”
“What nonsense are you—”
When had they even come up behind me again?
Both men were standing there, far too close for comfort.
You insatiable bastards.
“Your Highness, was your first with Duke Russell?”
“And yours, bastard? Was it Rubiana Grass?”
Oh, that must’ve been his fiancée—the one he’d mentioned before.
But wait—Francis was a virgin too, wasn’t he?
“Your Highness, I swear on my honor—I’ve never been with anyone but you, and I never will.”
“Wh–what kind of pure—but also wildly inappropriate—thing to say is that?!”
“Right. And what exactly qualifies you to be my concubine, then?”
Adrian’s taunt made Francis’ face flush bright red with anger.
That was one of the reasons I liked teasing him—
he didn’t just cry from sadness, but from the sheer frustration of trying to hold himself back.
“Stop it, Adrian. You’re being rude to my knight.”
“Whatever. Let’s just bathe.”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the bath.
His grip was so tight I thought my blood flow might stop—but strangely, it didn’t hurt.
Wait… I didn’t even feel the weight of 50 kilograms anymore.
Did the quest pause again?
“Unbelievable…”
“What’s wrong?”
“N–nothing. Anyway, I’m calling the maids. I’m not washing you.”
“Then I’ll do it myself. I don’t like being touched either.”
That actually made me laugh.
“Oh? And yet you’ve been touching me?”
“That’s different. You and I aren’t the same.”
I grabbed his hand as I was being dragged forward, not wanting Francis to lag behind.
When he smiled softly and followed us, my chest tingled a little.
Come to think of it, at the orphanage, we used to bathe together as kids.
All the little girls would crowd into one big basin…
“That knot’ll come undone like that.”
Then Adrian bent down and retied my towel properly.
Instead of trying to take it off, he was… being decent?
What was happening?
“Keep yourself covered. I don’t want anyone else seeing.”
“Oh, really now.”
“You, on the other hand, better cover up for my sake. My eyes deserve mercy.”
“Pfft—”
That was actually cute.
I couldn’t stop smiling, and Francis blushed furiously as he stared at me.
“Shouldn’t we wash first before getting in?”
“Well, yeah…”
No sooner had I spoken than he fetched a sponge, poured something on it, and lathered it up.
“Sit down.”
“Why?”
“You said you didn’t want to wash me, so I’ll do it.”
“I’ll help too, Your Highness.”
Francis grabbed his own sponge and started foaming it up.
I’d never been treated this way before—it was embarrassing,
but not… unpleasant.
When else in my life would two gorgeous men be scrubbing me down?
Might as well sit and enjoy the royal treatment.
My legs were already soaking in the bath, while the rest of me sat outside it.
Both of them sat beside me.
“Your Highness, does your arm still hurt?”
“Yeah, I saw you flinch earlier.”
“It’s fine now.”
Francis gently lifted my right arm and stretched it toward him.
Adrian took the left.
The soft, ticklish glide of the sponge across my skin made me shiver.
“Hh—”
Adrian chuckled quietly through his breath.
The bubbles slid down my arms, across my shoulders, tracing over my back.
Then they moved down again—elbow, wrist, fingers—smooth, deliberate, ticklish.
While I was watching that, Adrian leaned in closer—
and before I could react, his lips were on mine.
“Mmph—!”
I tried pushing him away, but my hands slipped against his chest.
It didn’t work—he only held me tighter.
Francis’ gentle freesia scent mixed with Adrian’s heavier cologne, filling my lungs.
He sucked at my lips, deepening the kiss, biting softly until I gasped.
His tongue slid in, wet sounds filling the air, twisting inside me until I couldn’t breathe.
“Mm—s-stop…”
Goddamn it.
He was too good at this.
Even as I told him to stop, my body wouldn’t listen.
When I turned my head to escape, he simply caught my lips again.
He didn’t let go until his irritation seemed satisfied.
“You… you said you wouldn’t do anything!”
“I meant I wouldn’t sleep with you.
This doesn’t count.”
“You shameless—!”
“Your Highness.”
I couldn’t even finish the insult—because this time, Francis kissed me.
He clearly hadn’t known how before,
but after watching Adrian, he’d learned fast.
He nipped at my lips, rough and eager, forcing my mouth open.
My right hand was still trapped in his, our fingers laced together.
Unlike Adrian’s soft, practiced touch, Francis’ kiss was clumsy but bold, almost desperate.
His breath was hot, uneven—
so fierce it felt like he was trying to devour me rather than kiss me.
“Hh…”
He was getting the hang of it—his tongue gentler, movements smoother—
but before I could even process it—
“Enough. Get out, you bastard.”
“Why interrupt, Your Highness? You’re the one who allowed me to enter in the first place.”
