Little Pink Starfish

Somehow, there was a clear hint of amusement in Veloan’s voice. If Ishar had turned his upper body to look at Veloan’s face, he would have seen that his expression was no different.

“That’s why I meant—don’t be so definite with your statements.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ishar realized that his words could be interpreted by Veloan as “don’t get cocky.” A flicker of dismay passed over Ishar’s face.

Was that too cold?

Though Ishar usually spoke coldly to nobles as if ice flowed through his veins, he found himself unusually sensitive to every word when it came to Veloan.

Just as he was blaming himself, wondering if he had hurt Veloan unintentionally—

“Yes… understood.”

Why? His head turned of its own accord. The expression he caught on Veloan’s face was strange.

His lips were tightly pressed together. Just like his voice, his face was clearly fighting off a smile, and Ishar was left speechless.

What could be so funny that this boy was trying this hard to suppress his laughter?

As Ishar frowned, unable to make sense of the reaction, Veloan released his hand.

With a soft plop, his gaze shifted to the hand now submerged in water.

“So then, would you like to ask honestly?”

“I was asking honestly. Haah… fine. What question would qualify as a sincere one to you?”

“Hmm…”

Murmuring as if thinking aloud, Veloan suddenly exclaimed, “Ah,” and continued.

“For example—whether I saw anything while visiting Duke Superzen’s estate, or if I found anything suspicious. Or whether this ‘smart, handsome, and charming student’ was secretly pulling Glen’s strings from behind. Now those would be considered sincere questions.”

Ishar was almost suspicious Veloan could read his mind—his questions were exactly what Ishar had been wondering about.

“Did you just call yourself a ‘smart, handsome, and charming student’?”

Veloan often tried to seduce Ishar with his good looks, so Ishar knew he was aware of his own charm.

But hearing him say it so proudly himself felt… odd. Not because it was arrogant. It was all true—so it wasn’t annoying.

It was just that this boy, who didn’t normally talk like this, was now boldly stating his strengths—and that felt significant.

“Didn’t you? I saw it written exactly like that in a letter you sent to Jin.”

“…That was a phrase I used in a letter to Jin four years ago. Did he show you?”

“I didn’t read the letter directly, but the phrase was shared with me. He said, ‘I’m lucky to receive love from our teacher.’”

The idea that Veloan might have read his letters to Jin made Ishar’s face flush. Overcome by the sudden heat, he rose from the bath.

“Let’s get out for now. We’ve been in here too long.”

“The conversation’s not over.”

“I’m hot. We’ll talk after.”

“Before we continue—just so you know, Ishar…”

Quickly stepping out, Ishar used magic to dry himself and hastily threw on a bathrobe.

“If you’re thinking of dodging the topic now, give up. I intend to answer all your questions.”

“…You caught me.”

The embarrassment of being seen through only lasted a moment. Ishar felt a quiet pride at his pupil’s sharp insight.

Yes, he had been trying to change the subject on purpose. He was shaken by how accurately Veloan had pinpointed his suspicions, and afraid of hearing the answers.

“You’re doing this out of concern for me. I know that’s why you’re playing these cute little games.”

Seeing Veloan use a word that didn’t suit him in the slightest—“cute”—Ishar cast him a glance and stood.

Then, when his eyes accidentally landed on Veloan’s groin, he silently dried the boy with magic and tossed him a bathrobe.

“To clarify—I wasn’t suspicious you were behind Glen. I was worried about you, so I acted that way.”

On the day Jin was attacked, Ishar had, by luck, discovered that Duke Superzen was collaborating with Karsha.

From then, while preparing to move against the Duke, Ishar began to wonder—

“Wasn’t Duke Superzen the first person you formed a personal connection with? You visited often and seemed close to Glen. It looked like you trusted that household quite a bit—so I worried.”

As Veloan silently put on his robe, Ishar stepped up and, purposefully avoiding looking lower, fixed his red gaze on Veloan’s eyes as he helped secure the robe tightly.

“You were worried I’d get hurt?”

“Of course. So… if it seemed you were unaware, I planned to handle everything without you knowing. But judging by your words… you knew. All of it.”

Every living being with a heart has intuition by nature. Ishar was no different.

His gut told him—his student standing before him knew full well that Duke Superzen was collaborating with Karsha.

“When did you realize?”

Though Aled’s verbal abuse triggered it, Veloan had continued visiting the Duke’s estate.

Ishar wondered if he’d known from the beginning—but Veloan shook his head, as if reading Ishar’s thoughts.

“Not long ago.”

“Then why keep visiting the Duke’s house?”

“I needed access to his secret archives. I had no choice.”

“No. You’re not the type to maintain ties with Duke Superzen just for that.”

“You sound confident.”

“I am. You hated him.”

Though the Duke never noticed, Veloan always returned from those visits on edge.

That’s why Ishar, seeing his student looking like a deflated chick every time, had people investigate several times—though without success.

“As expected, my Ishar.”

As Veloan leaned in for a kiss, Ishar gently pushed his face away with a hand and walked into the room.

Seeing the remnants of their earlier affair still on the bed, he sat on the sofa. Veloan joined him, sitting close.

As he wrapped an arm naturally around Ishar’s waist, Ishar thought about brushing it off—but let it be.

Leaning into the warmth beyond the robe, Veloan whispered,

“Just as you said—I’ve hated Duke Superzen since the first time we met. But I kept going there… because of Glen.”

“…For my sake?”

“Yes. Glen is the heir to the Superzen household. If he had a close relationship with the future empress—that would make things easier for you in the future.”

“But you didn’t avoid all interaction with the Duke, did you?”

“There wasn’t anything worth calling ‘interaction.’ Like you said—I hated that man. Not only because you once described him as ‘a slippery old snake, an oily-tongued viper, a man marinated in grease, a walking scale that only weighs profit.’”

Ishar flinched. He felt like he’d been slapped mid-serious conversation.

Every nickname Veloan had rattled off—he had said those things about Duke Superzen.

Realizing he’d said all that in front of his student made Ishar flush with shame. A teacher, who should’ve been a role model, badmouthing someone like that…

Regardless of Ishar’s embarrassment, Veloan continued, combing Ishar’s messy hair with his fingers.

“The way he looked at me—it was the same as my father and mother. So I never trusted him from the beginning.”

“Then why did you keep…”

“I chose to. It wasn’t because of you, Ishar.”

As Ishar sank into guilt, Veloan quickly pulled him up from it—pressing a kiss to his pale cheek before continuing.

“Anyway, I had no proof back then. Even when he gave me that suspicious look, he didn’t lay traps or say anything, so I brushed it off as just my imagination. The reason I found out he was my father’s collaborator was because of the second dragon I hunted. The information came from that.”

Ishar was curious about that information—but knew asking wouldn’t yield an answer. A frown crept onto his face at a sudden thought.

In the end, Veloan endured the same predatory gaze from Duke Superzen that Karsha and Zischka did… because of me.

His chest tightened.

Naturally, his thoughts drifted to when Veloan had first come to the palace.

The small, fragile student who had been so terrified Ishar might devour him—who had forced himself to act normal, to perform everyday life through sheer willpower.

His heart ached.

He knew rehashing past regrets was foolish. He had already regretted that time many times over.

But now that he understood Veloan’s heart, now that he was loved by him—his remorse only grew heavier, stacking up and suffocating him.

“Veloan.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I’m truly sorry.”

“Ha…”

With a sharp sigh, Veloan suddenly tackled him.

As Ishar tried to breathe through his guilt, his body was pinned without resistance. Reclining on the sofa with only his upper body supported, he stared up at his student—now looming above him.

“Every time you do this—I find you unbearably lovable… but I also hate you just as much.”

Veloan’s voice was low and cracked—harsh enough to feel threatening.