Chapter 92: Chapter 92

Now, let me translate the text for you with strict adherence to your provided guidelines.

“It’s not like Theo and I are rivals anymore, so this much should be fine,” Luke thought. To him, being the ‘villain’ was nothing more than an obligatory setting he had to maintain, despite not wanting it. Personally, he also thought highly of Theo.

The fact that they had fought so hard as rivals was proof of Theo’s exceptional abilities. As a soldier, Theo’s extraordinary talent, combined with his refusal to rest on his laurels and constant hard work, was something Luke knew better than anyone.

Perhaps being in opposition to the protagonist had allowed him to see Theo clearly. And so, he couldn’t stand seeing that uncharacteristically drained expression on Theo’s face. With their roles finished, wouldn’t a little comfort be acceptable?

“Theo… Theo.”

He hadn’t expected such a reaction.

Theo grabbed Luke’s wrist and pulled him closer, closing the distance between them to less than a hand’s breadth. Luke could feel Theo’s breath on his skin, making the situation unbearably awkward. The grip on his wrist wasn’t painful, but it felt strangely warm.

Theo’s expression was complicated. His brows were furrowed in an unfamiliar way, and there was tension in his eyes. For a moment, Luke thought Theo might be angry, but a closer look showed otherwise.

The proximity made Luke just as uneasy. Theo’s figure, filling his field of vision, felt unfamiliar.

“Luke, don’t touch me like that again.”

“…What?”

Luke’s voice grew sharp instinctively.

“I was comforting you. Did it offend you that much?”

Luke felt frustrated. Whenever he tried to approach Theo, there was always this strange tension, like Theo was hurriedly erecting a wall between them. Yet Theo had no qualms about making lighthearted remarks, calling him “cute” or “pleasant to look at.”

It had been the same when Theo abruptly left Luke’s estate in Calum. Though the misunderstanding had been cleared and Luke had let it go, Theo had never properly explained what had happened that morning to make Luke misunderstand in the first place.

Luke genuinely wanted to get along with Theo. Now that things had reached this point, and they would be forced to cooperate more in the future, he wanted to let go of past grievances and at least maintain a friendly, if not comradely, relationship.

But this? He had offered comfort, only to be met with such a reaction.

“Well, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t realize touching the exalted Commander’s body was such an offense. Or should I say the esteemed young duke’s body?”

Luke didn’t want to be petty, but his mouth had a way of moving on its own in moments like this. Twisting his wrist to free himself, he spoke with biting sarcasm.

“Fine. I won’t touch you again. Disgusting and petty…”

“That’s not it.”

But instead of letting go, Theo tightened his grip. Then, without warning, he pulled Luke into an embrace, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“Hey, what… what are you doing?”

Luke froze at the unfamiliar sensation, but as their eyes met, he involuntarily swallowed hard. Theo’s expression was incredibly emotional. The man who usually handled everything with cold rationality now wore confusion and turmoil on his face, baring his complicated emotions directly to Luke.

“I don’t know what to do.”

“What?”

“When you act like this… I don’t know how I’m supposed to respond.”

Even Theo’s voice trembled slightly, and Luke felt like he was seeing a new side of him.

“What do you mean? Just act the way you always do…”

If someone offered comfort, they could either brush it off with a casual remark like “I didn’t expect that from you” or sincerely say thank you. Either response would have been typical of Theo.

But why was he acting like someone faced with an unsolvable problem, like a child lost and unsure?

“I can’t do that. At some point, I stopped being able to remain calm around you.”

Luke swallowed again. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. Even if the sky split in two and the earth crumbled, something like this shouldn’t happen. Yet Theo’s words carried an unusual weight.

“Even the things you say offhandedly… I can’t just let them slide anymore. I don’t know why I feel this way. So, Luke.”

Theo leaned in closer. As Luke instinctively closed his eyes, their foreheads met with a soft thud.

Luke opened his eyes slowly. Theo’s dark eyes seemed to absorb all the light, leaving Luke breathless.

“Until I figure out why I’m like this, or until this strange feeling goes away, I want you to stop shaking me up. If it keeps happening, I don’t know what I might do to you.”

“What… what do you mean, what you might do…”

Luke’s throat bobbed nervously. Theo’s gaze swept over Luke’s flustered face before finally settling on his lips.

“…I don’t know. Just, please.”

Luke opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. The overwhelming sensations made him uncomfortable: the firm but gentle grip around his waist, the unyielding hold on his wrist, the warmth from their foreheads pressed together, and Theo’s shallow breaths.

Knock, knock.

“Young Duke,” came Gwen’s voice from outside the study.

“Pardon the interruption, but I need to consult you about managing the estate.”

“Yes. Wait outside for a moment,” Theo replied without breaking eye contact with Luke.

Theo lingered for a moment longer, as if trying to etch Luke into his memory, before finally pulling away.

“I’m sorry for touching you like that. It’s late. Get some rest.”

With those words, Theo left the study. The sound of the door closing snapped Luke out of his daze. He exhaled sharply, as if surfacing from deep underwater, and took several deep breaths to steady himself.

“Did he eat something weird?” Luke muttered, staggering to lean against a nearby bookshelf. His legs felt weak, as though they might give out.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Luke’s expression grew serious as the thoughts started to sink in. Replaying Theo’s words in his mind, he couldn’t help but notice how much they resembled a confession to someone they liked…

“What the hell am I thinking?” Luke muttered to himself, laughing nervously as if he’d gone mad.

***

Luke stirred under the blankets, twisting and turning before slowly opening his eyes. His thoughts momentarily froze as he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, and the unaccustomed air made him feel disoriented. Soon, however, he remembered—he had come to the capital yesterday and was staying at the Duke’s estate.

Mornings were, in many ways, Luke's greatest weakness. He didn’t wake up easily, his thoughts moved sluggishly, and he found it hard to recall anything quickly. On top of that, he hadn’t even gotten a proper night’s sleep, thanks to the bomb Theo had dropped on him before leaving.

Knowing he had to report to the Imperial Army Headquarters today, Luke forced his heavy eyelids open and managed to sit up.

The unfamiliar bed had worked in his favor, waking him earlier than planned. On any other day, rising early would have been a monumental challenge for Luke.

“Seriously… I couldn’t even sleep because of that guy, Theo…” he muttered, sighing as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His groggy, half-open eyes didn’t serve him well as he stumbled and stubbed his toe against the bedside table.

“Ah, damn it…”

He barely suppressed a shout, hissing through gritted teeth as he rubbed the throbbing area. The pain reminded him of something Pale had once said to him:

“Captain, if you ever get ambushed in the morning, it’ll be a disaster.”

Luke remembered how Pale, having witnessed him nearly tumbling down the stairs a few times, had eventually burst out laughing after holding it in. At least back in Calum, he’d gotten used to his home enough to avoid bumping into things. Here, though, he had only spent one night, and his spatial awareness was still completely off.

Yawning, Luke opened the door, only to sense someone nearby. Startled, he froze as a figure emerged.

“You’re awake, sir?”

A servant appeared suddenly, bowing politely. For a brief moment, Luke’s heart jumped—had he really been ambushed? He quickly gathered his composure.

“Yes… but is there something going on?”@@novelbin@@

Otherwise, why would someone be lurking here so early in the morning? Luke, unaccustomed to being served or pampered, found the encounter awkward. He couldn’t recall asking for anything or needing help.

“I was waiting to assist you with your morning preparations,” the servant explained, his tone respectful but matter-of-fact.

“What?”

“I was informed that you have difficulty waking up in the mornings. It seems there’s concern you might trip or fall down the stairs and hurt yourself, so I was instructed to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Luke’s sleepiness evaporated in an instant. Wait, what? He was waiting here the whole time? Until I woke up?

“Who… who gave that order?” Luke stammered.

“Pardon? Ah, the young duke personally instructed the head butler to arrange it.”