I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 48
Adelio, looking a bit surprised, asked.
“You’re not going to ask more? Usually, people would be more curious after hearing that.”
“Well, between friends, some things are better left unsaid. If you called it a curse, it must be something you’d rather not talk about, right?”
Yeshion casually replied, giving a smooth answer.
Adelio chuckled softly and then raised his hand to ruffle Yeshion’s hair roughly. Squinting from the sudden mess it created, Yeshion shot him a glance as Adelio promptly asked a question.
“Is this okay?”
“Excuse me?”
“I was just wondering if this crosses a line too.”
Yeshion blinked in surprise before shaking his head. If he made a big deal over something as simple as ruffling his hair, they wouldn’t really be friends.
“Between friends, this much is fine.”
“Not bad. Being friends.”
Adelio muttered to himself, letting out a breath as if something heavy had been lifted.
But Yeshion still had a lingering question.
“Earlier, what did you mean when you said I was in Archpriest Eldis’s arms?”
“You don’t remember? When you were poisoned by the deadly toxin and on the verge of death, it was the Archpriest who saved you.”
“I vaguely remember hearing about that. But being in his arms? That’s news to me.”
“Eldis was holding onto you the whole time. Said it was the most efficient way to purge the poison.”
Adelio crossed his arms as he spoke, his face twisting in obvious displeasure at being reminded of the incident.
But Yeshion couldn’t recall any of it.
“Odd, really. Unlike me, the Archpriest despises physical contact.”
“…So it seems.”
Yeshion thought it was ironic—Adelio, who should have been the most distant, was somehow the easiest to read. Eldis, who was physically close, remained a mystery.
“It’s not just physical contact I dislike.”
A voice came from behind them.
Startled, Yeshion flinched, only to have Adelio gently rub his back to reassure him.
Eldis’s eyes narrowed as he noticed this gesture, but when Yeshion didn’t pull away, he exhaled in frustration before continuing.
“I also dislike vermin in the temple. But I didn’t know there was not just a rat, but a dog too.”
“That’s rude.”
“Oh, spare me. Now, Priest Yeshion, you should go inside and rest. Curfew is near. And as for you, Your Highness, we need to have a little chat.”
Eldis’s golden eyes gleamed sharply, but Adelio merely shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets.
Eldis scowled.
“Take your hands out of your pockets. Or better yet, cut off that monstrosity.”
“It wasn’t made for you to look at.”
Eldis ground his teeth.
‘If I stay here any longer, I’ll just get caught in the crossfire.’
Yeshion hurriedly gathered the books and writing tools he had dropped and made his escape. Sometimes, fleeing was the wisest choice.
* * *
“… So, when you say you wanted to see Priest Yeshion, you ended up here?”
Adelio, leaning against a bookshelf, nodded. Eldis, giving him a sharp look, frowned deeply.
Thanks to the divine power bestowed upon him, he knew Adelio wasn’t lying.
“But didn’t you initially say the curse was directed toward the Saintess?”
“At first, yes. But now… I’m not so sure. I just want to see him. Be near him. Talk, touch. And of course, I want to hold him. Lay him beneath me… No, damn it. Forget I said that last part. Yeshion would freak out if he heard.”
Adelio babbled on, sounding like a man hopelessly smitten, talking about how he wanted to be around Yeshion.
“Do you love Yeshion?”
“What?”
Adelio’s face twisted in disgust, as if Eldis had just asked him something completely absurd.
“Love? I’m going through all this crap because of that curse, and you’re asking if it’s love?”
As his voice rose in anger, Eldis remained calm, speaking calmly.
“I understand, Your Highness, but please lower your voice. The other priests are trying to sleep.”
Glaring at Eldis, Adelio eventually crossed his arms again.
After a brief silence, Eldis spoke after much consideration.
“Moving forward, the Saintess will continue your treatment.”
“Why? From what I’ve seen, Yeshion seems better suited to handle my symptoms.”
“I can’t allow that because I don’t know what you’ll do.”
“And you don’t think I’d do anything to the Saintess?”
It was the same question he had asked just a month prior. Back then, Eldis hadn’t answered, but this time he was firm.
“Yes.”
Talita
Adelio is my fav
Samara
I prefer Eldis. Adelio just wants to be free from his curse. Eldis seems to be genuinely falling in love with ML.