It was a difficult question to answer. How many times would be considered many, and how many times would suffice for the answer to be 'few'? After a moment of silence, Yuder gave the best answer he could muster with his clouded mind.

"I don't know."

"I see..."

Kishiar didn't say anything more.

The room once again fell into a heavy quietude. As Yuder took a deep breath and opened his eyes, he felt a gentle touch on his cheek. A familiar scent tickled his nose, and simultaneously, his head felt even hazier. The tension drained from his previously rigid body.

It was a sensation similar to the tipsiness he had been experiencing, yet somehow different.

What was different? His slow-moving thoughts eventually came to a standstill. He didn't feel like pondering over something so taxing while inebriated. Instead, Yuder fixed his gaze on the man's face that had caught his attention, as well as the window beyond him.

Before he knew it, the heat that had risen noticeably in his body yearned for the cool breeze blowing in through the window crack.

Just as he moved to catch a little more of the breeze, Kishiar finally turned his head toward him.

"Is it hot?"

"Yes."

"If you want to catch some air, that direction would be better. There's a door leading to the balcony."

Kishiar pointed in a direction obscured by furniture and pillars. Without a word, Yuder stood and walked in that direction. Though slightly dizzy, walking wasn't an issue. His feet, however, felt as if they were floating above the ground.

"Be careful."

The man who naturally followed beside him gently steered Yuder's shoulder, subtly adjusting his direction a couple of times. Although he wanted to say it wasn't necessary, his lips felt heavy again, and he simply exhaled.

Kishiar was right. Pushing open a door that was so adorned with intricate artwork it was hard to tell if it was a door or a wall, Yuder discovered a hidden balcony.

The balcony, furnished with an exceptionally plush long chair and low table, looked as though it was designed to be a rendezvous point for lovers. However, the view below was too splendid to be wasted on such trysts.

The expansive garden extending from the palace, the numerous grand sculptures forming fountains, and an artificial canal traversing them were softly illuminated by decorative lights. The faint sound of people talking in the distance mixed with music, adding another layer to the picturesque scene.

Yuder leaned against the railing and deeply inhaled the breeze that cooled his heat.

"One reason Cantameria Palace is famous is for this view. From here, you can see all the most beautiful parts of the garden at once. In the summer, you can even watch people sailing little boats on the canal."

Yuder wasn't particularly imaginative, but while listening to Kishiar's melodic voice right next to him, he almost felt like he could see the scene in his mind's eye.

Despite being overly accustomed to palace parties, this was a novel experience for him.

"Rather than counting the passing time, it's more enjoyable to watch scenes like this."

Indeed, that was true. Staring into the darkness or merely gazing at the sky outside the window offered far less to see.

And even more colorful and varied than this beautiful scenery were the countless emotions reflected in the eyes of the man standing beside him.

Suddenly turning his head to meet those eyes, Yuder realized a bit later than usual that he couldn't look away.

And he also realized that the eyes staring back at him looked deeper than usual, tinged with an indescribable pain.

"Why?"

The moment he wanted to know the reason behind that gaze, his heavy lips parted.

"Why do you look at me that way?"

"If you want to find the answer to an unprovable question, you must first begin to trust, even under unbelievable conditions."

The reply did not directly answer Yuder's question.

"For me, it's about trusting all the information given to me without doubt, and finding the point where all of it could become the truth. It's a terribly difficult and challenging task, but perhaps the answer I seek lies there."

The voice continued evenly, revealing no particular emotion.

"I thought I was doing well up to that point... but as I come to know more and more, I realize it's becoming even harder for precisely that reason."

Due to his dulled senses, Yuder couldn't fully comprehend even half of what was said.

"I... I don't quite understand what you're saying."

"..."

Red eyes disappeared between golden eyelashes.

A moment later, he reached out and pulled Yuder into a tight embrace. It was the strongest force he had exerted thus far. Breathing became momentarily difficult, but Yuder didn't push him away. There was no reply, but somehow, it felt alright just like this.

"Shall we dance?"

Kishiar spoke again around the time the distant music ended and the next song began.

"Suddenly, what...?"

"Is there any reason not to dance when there's music and a companion who has stolen my heart? Dancing is the best when one is intoxicated."

Strangely, Kishiar seemed more intoxicated than Yuder, who was likely the one who had been drinking. But then again, Kishiar had always been unpredictable. Before they knew it, their hands were clasped in a familiar manner.

It was not a perfect pose like in the ballroom. The movements were erratic, mostly consisting of slow spins with arms around each other's waists. It was laughable to call it dancing, but, oddly enough, the chaotic dance wasn't so bad.

"You just smiled."

After almost tripping over each other's feet and barely recovering by almost collapsing onto a chair, Kishiar said so.

"I don't know... "

"You smiled, I swear on my name."

The man holding Yuder in his arms replied with assertive certainty. Yuder looked at him blankly, then furrowed his brow.

"Don't swear on your name for something so strange."

"It's not strange. Seeing that you're now capable of smiling, I think it's important enough to swear on."

After saying this, Kishiar gently kissed the top of Yuder's head.

"Do you remember? The day we first went on a vacation together."

The words flowed out casually, but Yuder instinctively felt they carried immense significance.

"I felt overwhelmed by some enormous emotion that I couldn't fully understand. Tears came to my eyes; it was that intense. At the time, I didn't know what it was..."

The man who had momentarily paused looked into Yuder's eyes, which were fixed on his face, and smiled bitterly.

"...After experiencing it once more just now, I think I understand."

That enormous, overwhelming feeling that painfully stabbed at the heart.

That agony.

"It wasn't just mine... Yours was undoubtedly mixed in there too."

It was an assertion that needed no reply.

Yuder felt a faint dizziness surging in his head.

…

A distant knock sounded at the door. Kishiar, holding Yuder in his arms as if he were half-asleep, returned to the inner part of the balcony. After laying him on the sofa and covering him with a red cloth, Kishiar opened the door. Kanna Wand appeared with a tense expression on her face, clutching the gloves she had taken off Yuder.

"Commander."

"Was there a harvest?"

"Yes. But Yuder is..."

Kanna's eyes briefly darted to behind Kishiar's back. Her expression changed to one of sorrow upon confirming Yuder's reclined figure. Kishiar added a word for her sake.

"He seems fine. From what I've seen so far, he's not showing any symptoms more severe than earlier."

Of course, by "not more severe than earlier," Kishiar meant not worse than when he first found him. He didn't bother mentioning that Yuder's condition was somewhat removed from what one would generally consider 'intoxication.'

"Ah… That's a relief. Truly."

Relieved, Kanna immediately resumed her clear-headed and determined expression.

"The information gleaned from the gloves, and what I've heard from Enon the pharmacist, and Priest Lusan, all match. Yuder picked up a knight's emblem dropped by the individual he met here and was injured by a sharp part of it while the individual was trying to retrieve it. Everything else, including the healing process, is exactly as you know."

"What about the part where it was an accident?"

"It's difficult to read the exact circumstances, but it seems that Yuder indeed believed it was accidental. No information suggesting he was exerting force in a fight or argument with the individual was detected."

"I see. Then it is as expected."

"As expected, you say…"

Kanna trailed off, her expression asking for further clarification.

Kishiar opened his mouth slowly, his face devoid of any smile.

"You do know that the individual Yuder met was the Crown Prince's escort knight, don't you?"

"Yes."

"The emblems of the Imperial Guard Knights are usually made in a color that represents their master, and it's customary to pass them on to the successor, unless the knight leaves the post in disgrace. Therefore, they are made from materials that are highly durable and long-lasting."

And the color that represents the Crown Prince is red.

Kanna blinked for a moment, not fully grasping the implication. A beautiful yet icy smile surfaced on Kishiar’s lips.

"Can you guess what might be the most appropriate material for such a token?"

For a moment, Kanna's eyes widened as if she had guessed something.

"You can't mean…"

"Yes. It’s a byproduct from a monster."