CHAPTER 417: ’REPLACE THE SENSATION.’

Florian was silent.

Not for seconds—minutes.

Heinz’s arms remained around him, steady and firm, but his heart was beginning to stir with unease.

He had expected the usual—stammering, flustered apologies, the way Florian would fidget or accidentally pull away, too shy to even hold eye contact. But now...

Florian just trembled in his arms.

Still crying. Still shaking. Still trying to breathe through the weight of everything that had returned to him.

’What’s going through your mind right now, Florian...?’

Heinz didn’t speak. He didn’t dare. He had a feeling that pushing even a little might shatter whatever fragile hold Florian had on himself.

So he waited. He gave him time.

Because he understood—Florian was still adjusting. The flood of memories, most of them painful, must have been unbearable.

He hadn’t even asked about Alexandria yet... or the man who kidnapped him.

’He’s not ready. I’ll wait.’

In a way, Heinz was grateful. Grateful that Florian was still letting him hold him.

It gave him time to think. To breathe.

To face the truth.

His feelings—both for the Florian of his past and the Florian now—were too complicated to explain in one breath.

But he understood one thing.

Everything had changed.

He needed answers now—why so many of his memories were missing. What the original Florian meant by "just because Alexandria is gone... doesn’t mean it’s over."

What wasn’t over?

And perhaps most of all—who was this Florian, really?

Because he was not just a victim. He wasn’t just fragile or kind or forgiving.

He was something more.

And now Heinz would no longer deny it.

But then—

"Your Majesty?"

Florian’s voice broke through the fog. Small. Shaky. Still raw from sobbing.

Heinz hummed in response. "Mhm?"

"I have a confession to make."

Heinz froze.

’A confession...?’

What kind of confession?

Was it...?

No.

It couldn’t have been.

It came too suddenly. His thoughts spiraled—but he kept his tone calm, composed. "And what is that?"

Florian was silent for a moment, then he spoke though his words were barely audible, muffled against Heinz’s chest.

"The night you woke up inside my room... actually... something happened between us."

Heinz blinked. Eyes widening.

’So he’s finally bringing it up...? But why now?’

"I also found out that during the time I was under the aphrodisiac... something happened between us too. And you didn’t tell me until you were drunk."

His voice was quiet. Hesitant. Almost ashamed.

Heinz lowered his gaze. He already knew. Of course he did. The memories had come back, slowly, painfully. But Florian didn’t know that.

"I apologize... for not telling you sooner," Florian whispered, his forehead gently pressing against Heinz’s chest.

Heinz was silent for a moment, then exhaled slowly. "I know." he said simply. "I remembered everything from the beginning."

Florian stiffened. "You... do...?"

Heinz nodded. "Yes."

There was a pause. Then—

"You’re not... mad?"

Heinz shook his head. "No. I may have been drunk, but my actions were still mine. That responsibility is mine, not yours."

And if he was honest with himself... he hadn’t regretted it. Not truly.

Florian remained quiet again, but Heinz could tell something was building inside him.

"...Why are you bringing this up now, Florian?" he asked gently, brows furrowed. "You’ve been through so much. Why now?"

Florian hesitated.

Then, voice trembling, he finally answered.

"I—I don’t know how to say this. I feel... stupid. I hate how I’m feeling right now."

Heinz’s heart clenched.

"When I woke up, I couldn’t remember anything. But now... everything is coming back all at once. In full detail. I can feel it, Your Majesty. The sensations—they’re still on me. Like they’re still licking me... biting me... holding me down."

Florian’s voice cracked, and he gripped Heinz’s shirt like a lifeline.

Heinz’s jaw tightened, his chest burning.

’They licked him? Bit him? Those fucking bastards—’

He wanted to get up. Break something. Kill someone. But no. Not now. Florian was in his arms. Fragile. Vulnerable.

He couldn’t explode. He had to stay grounded. For him.

Instead, he just held him tighter.

"I... don’t want Your Majesty to think wrong of me... I-I might regret this, but right now I..."

Florian’s voice wavered as he clenched his fists tightly against Heinz’s chest, like he was trying to hold something in—or maybe hold himself together.

"I... feel like this is the only thing that can help."

Heinz’s breath caught.

’He’s trembling...’

This—this was worse than before.

More heartbreaking than when Florian was catatonic, haunted by nightmares. At least then, he didn’t speak. But now he was speaking through broken sobs, trying to sound strong even while unraveling.

Heinz gently pulled away, just enough to see his face.

Florian didn’t lift his head. His tears kept falling—endlessly, like something inside him had finally cracked wide open.

Heinz hesitated, then slowly reached out, placing his hand under Florian’s chin. He lifted his face, gently coaxing him to meet his gaze.

When their eyes locked, Florian’s expression crumbled even more.

And before Heinz could say a single word—

"Y-You’re being awfully... gentle," Florian whispered, his voice weak but filled with disbelief. "I’m not... used to it. It’s... it’s strange."

"But it makes me...feel like I can ask you for help." His lips trembled. "I... I need your help."

Heinz’s heart squeezed.

"I wouldn’t ask you this unless I was desperate. And I know there’s a chance you’ll reject me, or even punish me for it, but I—"

"Tell me," Heinz interrupted softly, his voice low but steady.

Florian’s breath hitched. His eyes widened. His lips parted like he couldn’t believe what he just heard.

Still, he spoke.

"W-When the men were kissing me... licking me... and biting me..."

Heinz’s entire body went still.

Florian’s voice lowered to a whisper, barely audible.

"I... remembered our night. And because of that... it became bearable."

Shame instantly filled Florian’s expression. He turned his head, unable to keep looking at Heinz.

Heinz’s eyes widened—his throat felt like it was closing.

"I... hate that I can still feel them," Florian whispered. "I hate it. But I can’t make it go away."

He grabbed Heinz’s shirt tighter, almost desperately now.

"Your Majesty... I want to ask..."

Heinz felt like the air had disappeared from the room.

Every part of him screamed to listen. To understand.

"If..." Florian paused, voice trembling violently, "...if you can replace the sensations they left... with you."

Silence.

Complete. Deafening. Silence.

Flatline.

Heinz’s heart stopped.