CHAPTER 373: AFTERMATH OF DREAM

The bathwater lapped softly against Xion’s skin as he let his head fall back.

His vacant gaze stayed on the ceiling. The patterns that had once awed him with how artistically they were carved over the edges were now a blurry mess.

He couldn’t find where they began and where they ended. Everything looked like a loop, something that seemed to engulf him, leaving no way out.

He had fallen headfirst for the Archduke. However, having a kind of salacious dream at his age was absurd. Not to mention how mortifyingly embarrassed he felt.

Even in his younger, more vigorous years, he didn’t recall having such... wet dreams.

Combining his two lifetimes, it actually never happened. Not even once.

Was this... the delayed reaction?

Prior to falling for the Archduke, he had never thought of sex. Well, he had, but in the way one would think of breathing.

To him, it was just an automated, biological aspect of life. All of his thoughts regarding sex came from simple curiosity.

Naive, yes. Xion had once been so innocent he could watch a couple making out and feel nothing but childish curiosity.

None of it had ever stemmed from his own desires.

He stared at his body hidden under the white foam with near resentment.

[So... finally done drowning in self-pity? Or should I come back after your next melodramatic sigh?] the system quipped.

Instead of dismissing it as Xion had earlier, he gave a soft snort.

Any distraction was better than dwelling on the phantom touches that still lingered on his skin, making his spine shudder.

Stop, brain... please, just stop...

Sensing his turmoil, the system hesitated before blurting out, [If you’re horny, why not wake your husband up? At least make him do his duty properly.]

Xion, "..."

Heat crept up his neck and down to his curled toes.

The system, oblivious to its host’s internal turmoil, kept rambling, clearly parroting knowledge from trashy romance novels it had been reading.

[Wow, who knew the mighty Archduke was such a flop in bed? If he can’t even satisfy you, what’s the point of having him?]

Physical happiness was just as important as mental well-being. The higher-ups wanted it to take care of Xion. The system was more than willing to contribute to such a greater cause.

After all, no other system had upgraded to mid-stage in just four years, a process that actually took a few decades.

[Let’s go find someone else with more vigor—]

’Shut up.’ The words came out hoarse and scratchy, uttered through gritted teeth.

With his eyes closed, Xion asked another thing that had led to this whole dream situation.

’That priest...’

If he wasn’t so agitated by that priest, he wouldn’t have wanted to be close to Darius. He wouldn’t have these lewd thoughts either.

Although he was only dreaming of his own husband, the shame still clung to him like stubborn chewing gum.

’Father Michael... Do you know anything about him?’

The system buzzed, clearly excited. [Yes, host! That’s what I wanted to tell you last night. Strangely, I lost the connection with you when you were in the same vicinity as him.]

’Ah, so that’s why I couldn’t find you.’

[Yes, host. I recommend staying away from him as his aura is not normal.]

"Huh?" Xion voiced aloud. "What is this ’Aura’?"

To him, ’aura’ simply meant the impression someone left through their gaze or presence.

However, the system obviously didn’t mean it in that fashion.

[The people have their own mark. It is manifested in how they live their lives and what kind of thoughts they are prone to. The Archduke, for example, intimidates others, but they can’t resist approaching him either.]

Xion recalled the parade when the civilians were singing praises for Darius.

"Yeah," he drawled, melting further into the water. "He has that kind of face. Intimidating but also very charming."

[But Michael is different. His aura, while similar to the Archduke’s, actually interferes with the connection between you and me. That is not a good sign.]

"I see..."

There was something oddly familiar about Michael, and that intimacy was wrapped in something disturbingly scary.

The way his instincts were making him aware of Michael, he couldn’t just gloss over it.

Then there was also Zen, the stone he hadn’t managed to find anything about.

[Anyway — back to your little crisis. Why exactly didn’t you wake the Archduke up and let him take care of your situation? Too shy?]

There was not a hint of teasing in the system’s voice. Clearly, it was genuinely curious about Xion’s reaction.

It actually reminded Xion of his naive self.

Despite the pink coating his cheeks, a soft chuckle bubbled in his throat.

"Humans are strange creatures. They are most ashamed of facing their own hearts."

[Why?]

"Who knows. Maybe because they don’t want to see their own self in its true essence?"

The system fell silent, and so did Xion.

Closing his eyes, he pondered over it. Because it was indeed true. These feelings that seemed to envelop him from head to toe also made him realize just how love-starved he actually was.

Darius’ one call could make him smile, and one frown could also make him panic.

Many times, he had worried if he would make Darius suffer by staying with him.

Yet, never had he managed to envision his future where he was all alone.

The thought of not having Darius by his side was not something he even wanted to imagine. No, he simply couldn’t imagine it.

Xion blatantly realized that he had become a prisoner of the Archduke. A kind of prisoner who would remind his captor to lock the door if ever it was left open.

He stared at the corner of the neon blue screen. It was four in the morning.

Darius would wake in a couple of hours.

Pushing himself out of the now lukewarm water, he got dressed in light clothes, perfect to stay curled under the heavy duvets.

When he sneakily got into bed, he kept his back to Darius.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as Darius hugged him in his arms. Even in his sleep, the Archduke was keenly aware of holding him.

A smile on Xion’s lips widened before he closed his eyes.