A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

The fire in the abandoned temple burned all night, and the red fire reflected the sky in half of Tozes City, attracting the attention of people in the city.

Fortunately, the abandoned temple was in an extremely remote place in the city, so it did not cause panic in the city that had just calmed down. In addition, Seth decisively took control of the ruling government that night, so the fact that Prince Gallan was kidnapped by the pirate remnants was not leaked, and the city residents only knew that there were a few pirate remnants running around in the city, allowing the soldiers to Just spent a night running around the city.

Early in the morning, they heard the news that the remaining pirates had been killed, so they all relaxed and smiled.

Compared to the relaxed and happy citizens outside, the ruling government was full of wounded people.

When Gallan was taken out of the flames by Heimos, he was still slightly conscious, but soon fell asleep again.

He was already injured and had a fever, but he was forcibly taken away by the pirates while he was ill, dragged and choked by the dust in the fire. This torment made him even more ill.

He never woke up after he was rescued, and his fever persisted for a whole day and night. His red-hot face was so terrifying that it frightened Caijos and others to stay by his side, and they did not dare to close their eyes all day and night. .

Even Heimos, who was also seriously injured, was frightened when he saw Gallan's high fever. He couldn't let go, so he simply stayed in this house together. Fortunately, the bed was big enough for three or four people. meters wide, it is more than enough to sleep two people.

In this way, it is also convenient for the several doctors here to circle around the two of them in this room, without having to rush back and forth.

The doctor said that Heimos's two forearms were fine, just some burns, which would heal quickly, and as long as he was careful not to leave any scars. However, those two palms...the stone pillar was already burning red and hot. Heimos directly held it with his bare hands, which was equivalent to pressing his own hand on a red-hot iron.

The palm of the hand was burnt to the point of being torn and bloody. Fortunately, because Heimos had practiced martial arts since he was a child, the calluses on his palms were quite thick, so the tendons and bones of the hand were not injured. After the burn healed, it would not harm Heimos. It has no impact on the flexibility of the hands, but scars on the palms are inevitable.

Because of the burns, Heimos inevitably developed a low fever.

Fortunately, the temperature was not too high, and his body had always been strong, so even with a low fever, he was still conscious. Just because he was conscious, he, as a wounded man, was like Caihos. Gallan, who had a high fever due to nervousness, could not sleep a wink all day and night.

It wasn't until the next night that the sleeping Garlan's high fever slowly subsided and he regained his composure, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Gallan's slightly red sleeping face, Heimos calmed down and did not hold on any longer. He closed his eyes and relaxed and fell asleep.

…………

It was overwhelming flames.

Red and fiery, it reflected the entire dark sky.

He stood there, but there were flames from all directions, surrounding him.

He has nowhere to run.

Beyond the red flames, there was a pair of vicious eyes staring at him.

Reflecting the flames, even the golden traces under the eyes were dyed red, as if they were a pair of pure red eyes.

The eyes staring at him were full of coldness, and there was a naked and ferocious aura in them.

It seemed like it would turn into a ferocious beast at any time, tearing apart his skin and flesh and devouring him.

He was unable to move under the gaze of those terrifying golden-red eyes.

The flames spread little by little, from far to near.

He watched helplessly as the flame slowly approached him, the red tongue of fire almost licking his eyes.

Just when he was waiting desperately to be swallowed up by the flames, suddenly, a hand suddenly stretched out from the burning flames.

A tall figure suddenly appeared from the fire.

His eyes widened.

The man held out his hand to him.

The flames all over the sky seemed to be blocked by that person.

…

The young man opened his eyes suddenly, his golden pupils dilated slightly and contracted violently several times.

His breathing became much faster at this moment.

After a while, his eyes, which were slightly blurred due to the sudden awakening, slowly woke up. The memories before coma returned to his mind little by little. He let out a long breath and relaxed. .

However, when he turned his head for a moment, he was shocked again.

That face that was so familiar both in dreams and reality was right in front of me.

He was just startled when he discovered that Heimos seemed to be asleep.

Heimos lay on his back on the bed, his face slightly tilted towards Garlan.

The fine strands of hair, as black as the night sky, are scattered on the snow-white pillow, and the contrast is very obvious.

He closed his eyes. His eyelashes were not thick, but they were very dark, very slender, and the roots were clearly defined. From such a close distance, Garlan could almost see the slight movement of the tips of the slender eyelashes.

The corners of Heymos' eyes were slightly raised, and even if they were closed, the lines at the corners of his eyes gave off a sharp feeling.

The sleeping young man has a handsome face that is as eye-catching as the morning glow in the evening.

Broken hair was scattered on the straight bridge of the nose, and the brown skin glowed like honey in the early morning sun.

The thin lip line was like a knife edge, and it was pursed tightly, giving Heimos a somewhat cold and ruthless aura.

The lapis lazuli earrings on the ears reflected a cold luster.

Even in his deep sleep, this person gave people a dangerous feeling like a lurking beast. However, that dangerous aura only added some inexplicable allure to him.

Garlan looked at the sleeping man lying next to him.

His eyes were dazed for a moment.

He remembered the moment when this person suddenly appeared in front of him in the sea of ​​fire.

[Don't be afraid, I'm here. 】

The moment the burned finger brushed the corner of his eye, he heard his heart beating violently.

For the man who came to him through the fire jumped.

…………

Maybe it was because he was in the sea of ​​​​fire and it was too hot, so hot that he couldn't think.

It made him feel weird at that moment.

Looking at the sleeping handsome face beside him, Garlan unconsciously reached out his hand and touched that face.

The skin that the fingertips touched was quite soft, and the heat was transmitted from the fingertips.

Probably feeling something touching him, the corners of Heymos' eyes moved slightly.

Garlan subconsciously retracted his hand and stared nervously at Heimos's moving eyes without daring to take a breath.

Fortunately, Heimos did not wake up.

Garlan breathed a sigh of relief and put his hand on his head.

illusion.

he thinks.

In that situation, his heartbeat at that time was probably just a suspension bridge effect.

After all, when he tried to touch Heimos' face just now, even with that handsome face, he didn't feel anything at all... At most, he just felt grateful and a little incredible.

Yes, incredible.

After all, it was Heimos who set him on fire when he first came to this world.

Although he was already too ill and unconscious at that time, and he fainted quickly due to the thick smoke, he did not feel the pain of being burned by the flames.

But the flames surrounded him, and the fear of approaching him little by little was still deeply imprinted in his memory.

Also, the second before he completely passed out, he looked into each other's eyes with those terrifying, vicious golden-red eyes outside the sea of ​​fire.

But now, just when he had resigned himself to the result of dying in the fire again, it was the man who had burned him to death with his own hands who broke into the sea of ​​​​fire and rescued him.

Even though he knew it was so dangerous, he still wanted to save him.

It seems... is Heimos serious when he says he likes him?

…………

...Why do you feel like your destiny has turned in a strange direction?

"Your Highness, you are finally awake."

A voice interrupted Garlan's random thoughts.

As soon as he turned his head, he saw his guardian knight Kaihos walking over quickly, holding a bowl of dark soup in his hand, which was still steaming. It had obviously been brewed just now.

Seeing Garlan looking towards him, Kehos's face showed a smile.

Although he stayed by Garlan's side for two full days and two nights without sleeping, his face with dark circles under his eyes was still so handsome when he smiled that it made the maids and medical ladies guarding the room blush.

Unfortunately, the handsome blond knight could only focus on the little prince who finally woke up after guarding him for a long time.

Garlan looked at the dark circles under Kehos's eyes and blinked.

"Have I been asleep for a long time?"

Kayhos hummed, stretched out his hand to help Garlan sit up, and then picked up the soup he had just placed on the table. It seemed that he wanted to feed Garlan the medicine with a spoon.

...This is too exaggerated.

Garlan was embarrassed, quickly shook his head, and then stretched out his hands to take the soup bowl from Kehos's hand.

He raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.

It’s so painful!

Garlan drank it in one gulp and was stunned by the bitter taste left in his mouth.

It's like this even if you drink it in one gulp. If someone feeds you spoonful after spoonful, will you die of misery?

So he never understood why even if he was sick, he still had to be given spoonfuls of such bitter medicine? It’s not like I have no hands...

……etc.

hand?

Garlan suddenly remembered.

In the sea of ​​​​fire, the scene where Heimos' hands were submerged in the flames.

Also, the smell of burnt flesh that permeates the tip of the nose...

Huymos's hand!

He turned his head suddenly, Heimos was still sleeping deeply, and he immediately saw the two hands of Heimos on his side.

His heart beat violently.

A snow-white bandage was wrapped around Heymos's hand. From the arm down to the fingertips, it was all white, which was in extreme contrast with the brown skin exposed on the upper arm.

At this moment, Garlan's mind flashed back to Heymos' arm that was always tightly wrapped in a snow-white bandage in previous lives.

That tragic scene seemed to appear before his eyes again.

Everything seems to be back to the past——

He panicked for a moment and reached out to touch the bandaged hand, but he didn't dare to touch it. He was left in mid-air in a dilemma.

Gallan was so flustered that he was at a loss for a moment.

Probably because his expression was so panicked, Caijos, who was beside him, reached out and held the hand that was frozen in mid-air, and held his shoulder with the other hand.

Kayhos whispered to him: "It's okay, Your Highness, Prince Heymos is okay, don't worry."

Garlan looked back at Caihos.

Kaiho was stunned for a moment.

The young man's face was full of panic, and his golden eyes revealed a look of helplessness that he had never seen before.

Just when he was stunned by Garlan's glance, Garlan, who was in panic, reached out and grabbed him, looking up at him helplessly.

"Kayhos, Heymos's hand... is his hand... destroyed? Also, his arm... no, not just the arm, is it other places... is... he Is your body burned in many places? Also, there are...that, there..."

His fingers clasped Caihos's arm tightly, suppressing the panic that surged from the bottom of his heart.

Going round and round, destiny seems to be back to where it started.

Everything he did seemed to be in vain.

Heimos was burned again, again because of him.

So, will things develop like in previous lives in the future?

Huymos hated him again.

Then, he and Heimos once again faced each other with swords.

at last……

…

If all this is destined, then what is the meaning of everything he has done for so many years?

Caijos didn't know if it was his imagination.

He always felt that the current prince seemed to be afraid of something invisible.

Also, why did the prince conclude that Heimos had not only burned his hand after just one look, but also that Heimos was seriously burned?

"No, Prince, don't worry."

Seeing Garlan's panicked look, Kayhos suppressed his confusion for the time being.

He comforted Gallan softly: "Prince Heimos's injury is not as serious as you think. He only burned his hand. The doctor said that it only hurt the skin, not the muscles and bones, so it will not have any impact. "

Garlan seemed to calm down a bit after hearing what Keyhos said. He hesitated for a while and asked in a low voice: "Will... there be scars on the arm? Is it serious?"

He remembered that in previous lives, Heimos always wrapped his scarred hand tightly in a bandage, presumably because he was very concerned about leaving scars on his body.

"The doctor said that if you take good care of your injuries, there will be no scars on your arms, but there will definitely be scars on your palms and fingers."

"It will leave scars..."

As soon as he heard what Keyhos said, Garlan frowned.

"Do you mind?"

Suddenly a voice came from the side.

"Well..." Garlan replied dully, "I have scars. Isn't it ugly?"

Heimos definitely didn't like having scars on his body, otherwise he wouldn't have always covered them with bandages in previous lives.

As soon as he finished answering, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

Kaihos was clearly in front of him, but the voice just now came from behind him.

He subconsciously turned his head to look, but just halfway, a pair of hands suddenly stretched out from behind him and wrapped his entire body in his arms.

Suddenly falling into the arms of another person, Garlan instinctively wanted to struggle, but when he saw the white bandages on the arms surrounding him, his body froze and he did not dare to move.

He turned around to look, and sure enough, he met a pair of golden-red eyes that were slightly narrowed and staring at him.

"Heimos..."

He called Heimos' name weakly and quietly.

Heimos, who woke up at some point, unceremoniously held him in his arms, raised an eyebrow on his handsome face, and looked at him sideways.

"You think my scar is ugly?"

"No, I didn't." Gallan quickly explained, "I'm just worried that you'll be unsightly and feel uncomfortable because of the scars."

Heimos let out a slight sigh.

"I'm not a woman, why would I care about scars?"

"…………"

You obviously cared about it very much in previous lives.

Garlan was holding his breath, but it was difficult to say these words.

However, when Heimos did this, the panic that had been pouring out of him since he saw the bandage on Heimos' hand slowly disappeared.

He turned his head and looked into the eyes of Heimos, who was also looking down at him.

Suddenly he lowered his head and put his forehead against his.

He was startled for a moment, and then he heard Heimos say something.

"It's not burning anymore."

Heimos seemed to be talking to himself, but Heimos's eyes were looking at him from beginning to end.

Those golden-red eyes were slightly curved, reflecting his figure, with a little smile oozing out.

The eyes looking at him were only soft, with a glimmer of light in them, which looked extremely bright. There was no trace of darkness or hostility at this moment.

...It is no longer the same as in previous lives.

Be it him or Heimos, they are no longer the same as in previous lives.

Looking at those soft eyes, Garlan's heart suddenly calmed down.

He looked at Heimos and asked softly: "Does your hand hurt?"

The corners of his pale, thin lips were raised, and Heymos seemed to be about to speak, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by Caijos beside the bed.

"Prince Heimos, since you are also awake, it just so happens that your medicine is ready."

Seeing his prince obediently being held in the arms of Heimos, Kayhos felt a little unhappy for no reason. Just as the doctor woman arrived with the prepared soup, he took the opportunity to interrupt Heimos' words.

Heimos let go of his hand, glanced to the side, and saw that the medical woman was already kneeling beside the bed with the soup in her hands, scooping up a spoonful of the soup and bringing it over.

He turned his head to avoid the silver spoon that was about to reach his mouth.

"No need, take it."

He said.

"Heimos?"

Heimos glanced at Garlan.

"It's too bitter, I don't want to drink it."

He said in a petulant tone.

Garlan: "..."

here we go again.

"H-Prince Heimos... the doctor has ordered that you, you must... drink the medicine on time..."

The medical woman kneeling next to her said tremblingly.

"You poured the medicine and then said later that I had already drank it."

"This, how is this possible..."

The poor doctor girl was about to cry while holding the soup.

Kejos next to him couldn't stand it anymore.

"Prince Heimos, although I know that you are very strong, since you are injured, you'd better drink medicine to get better faster."

Heimos said nothing. His eyes turned and fell on the young man beside him.

Garlan was startled by him.

Heimos still didn't speak, just looked at him.

Although he didn't speak, the meaning was revealed in his eyes.

Kayhos, who was the first to understand the meaning in Heymos's eyes, twitched his lips, walked over, and took the soup from the hand of the medical woman who was about to cry.

"Prince Heymos, since you don't like being fed by women, why not let me do it."

He scooped up a spoonful of soup with a smile and stretched it out.

"Come on, open your mouth, ah~~"

Heimos didn't even bother to look at the one-eyed knight who seemed to be coaxing a child. His golden-red eyes looked at Garlan quietly and faintly.

Gallan held on at first, pretending not to understand.

But Heimos just stared at him stubbornly. Even if he turned his face away, he could still feel the hot gaze.

alright, you win.

The young man sighed in his heart and gave up.

He held out his hand to Kehos.

"Give it to me, Kehos."

"But, Your Highness..."

"Give it to me, the medicine is getting cold."

The blond knight reluctantly handed the medicine bowl to his prince and stood aside.

Gallan stirred the silver spoon in the dark soup a few times. This was the first time he fed someone else at this age - the other person was still Heimos. This made him feel very uncomfortable, but he glanced at it. Those hands wrapped in snow-white bandages made him feel soft.

Those hands were injured because of him.

With a raised hand, he raised the silver spoon and brought it to Heimos' mouth.

Heimos glanced at him, curved his lips, lowered his head and drank up the soup in the silver spoon.

That glance made Garlan's face feel inexplicably hot. He didn't know if it was his misunderstanding, but he always felt that he and Heimos looked a little too intimate.

Huymos is the patient.

He was just taking care of the sick.

To save his injured patient.

He convinced himself so and continued to feed the soup spoonful after spoonful.

After slowly getting used to it, the discomfort in his heart slowly disappeared.

He looked at Heimos taking the medicine quietly and obediently, and suddenly felt a little puzzled.

Heimos obviously hates bitter tastes, and this soup is so bitter that it made him smack his lips when he drank it in one gulp... Wouldn't it be even more bitter if he drank it spoonful by spoonful like now?

Why does Heymos look like he's drinking sugar water?

While Garlan was wondering, the bowl of soup bottomed out unknowingly.

I don't know if it was his imagination, but he seemed to see a look of regret in Heimos' eyes.

Shaking his head to expel this strange illusion from his mind, he turned sideways and handed the empty bowl to Caijos beside the bed.

Caijos walked to the door with two empty soup bowls and handed them to the maid.

Garlan sat on the bed and looked at Kehos.

On the inside of the bed, Heimos was also sitting.

Garlan was turning sideways, with his back to him.

He stared at the young man's back without blinking, and involuntarily licked the corners of his lips with the tip of his tongue.

If Garlan turned around now, he would definitely be startled by the look in his eyes.

It's hot, scorching, as if it wants to swallow everything.

A bitter taste spreads over the taste buds.

It is the bitter taste that Huymos hates the most.

But at this moment, he felt dissatisfied with desire.

not enough.

A voice deep in his body told him so.

Far from enough.

The young man sat sideways on the bed, his long golden hair rolled up and falling down from one side of his shoulders.

The loose top exposed the slender back of the neck.

On the fair skin of the back of the neck, there are pink traces like cherry blossom petals dotted on it.

Those were the burn marks left by Garlan when he was a child a long time ago to protect him.

He still remembered the moment when the charcoal fell from the sky under the dark night sky.

His eyes were attracted by the pink color on the back of Gallan's neck. He couldn't explain why, but Heimos felt an inexplicable desire to touch that mark.

...But the hand was wrapped in a bandage.

He thought, but his eyes were still fixed on that place.

Then, he leaned forward and bowed his head slightly.

The tip of the red tongue gently licked the pink trace.

He clearly felt that the young man's body trembled violently at this moment, as if he had been greatly stimulated.

"Uh...huh!!"

Kejos, who was handing the medicine bowl to the maid, suddenly heard a voice coming from behind.

The voice sounded like it was frightened and screamed out, but it was suppressed halfway and swallowed the whimper forcefully.

That was the voice of Prince Garlan.

He subconsciously turned around and looked at Garlan.

He saw Garlan covering his mouth with his hands, his face flushed.

"prince?"

"No, it's okay. I accidentally pulled the wound. It hurts a little."

"Please be careful, it will be troublesome if the arrow wound opens again."

"Um...Sorry, I'll pay attention."

Just when Garlan tried his best to pretend to be nonchalant and talk to Caihos, the culprit who caused him to make that weird sound hid behind him, licked the slightly curved corners of his lips, and looked satisfied.

It seems that that point is very sensitive.

Someone thought so.