"Aurora, thanks for taking care of him as usual." Charles turned to Aurora, who was now tidying her clothes. Or whatever was left of it.
"No, it's alright!" Aurora gave a bright smile. She was already in her previous self. As expected, she was a bright and cheerful girl. Even if she was scared, she didn't show it on her face.
"Sit down, Charles." Val offered, gesturing at the chair.
"I'd much appreciate it if you called me Ches like before," Charles chuckled while sitting down. When the first time both of them met each other, Val couldn't pronounce Charles, so he called him Ches. The nickname stuck for years.
For Charles, Val was irreplaceable. Which was why he was supporting him as much as he could even now.
Maybe if Val was still a duke, then the king would have helped him.
But he wasn't, and the kingdom didn't have any leeway to support a physically disabled boy.
Currently, Val's medical and other expenses were being supported by Charles's own pockets, where his diet was handled by Aurora.
"Wanna eat?" Aurora offered a fried chicken wing.
"Sure." Charles just popped it inside his mouth without any shred of doubt. Charles was different from other Royals, who thought of commoners as dirty. He was in a fairly good relationship with Aurora too, despite her being a commoner.
After eating, they said their prayers to their gods.
"In the name of the Light God," Charles muttered.
"In the name of the Dark God," Val muttered.
"In the name of both Gods." Aurora, as always, chose the middle point.
While the name of the gods seemed contradictory, and the name 'Dark God' didn't exactly inspire awe and devotion, both gods were legitimate deities in this world of Drahl. Though in recent years, the Dark God's blessings were lessening due to the influence of the demons.
"By the way..." Charles looked at Val, who was lying down again.
"Hm?"
"Ah... Can you come with me..."
"No."
"..."
"You mean to go and beg to that woman? Never."
"Come on, Val. I'm sure my aunt will listen to you..."
"Charles. Just... Stop."
"But..."
"Listen. That woman hated me even when dad was alive. And now that I am a burden, there's no way she'll accept me. I know it hurts cause she is your aunt, but I hate her."
The woman in concern was Charles's aunt, and Val's stepmom Princess Margaret.
Val's father had two wives. One was Val's mother, Zenoria, and the other was the Zuan Kingdom's first princess, Margaret V Zuan.
The Zuan Kingdom had three princesses. The first was Princess Margaret, Val's stepmom. The second one was Princess Ruby, Charles's mother. And the final was Princess Theresia, who was the mother of the current princess, and Val's as well as Charles's cousin, Princess Euphie.
In that relationship, Val was also Charles's cousin, as his father was Charles's uncle, but they were more like best friends rather than brothers.
Incidentally, the current king was the hero's, or Val's father's close friend, but he hated beastmen. Which was why he was reluctant to offer support to Val.
"And besides... I'll be dead soon anyway." Val laughed in self-mockery.
Suddenly, Charles stood up so fast that the chair fell down.
He got on the bed, and pulled the lying Val's collars. He brought his face so close that Val could feel his breath.
"W-what..."
(Wait. He is going to kiss me, isn't he?!!) Val thought, his eyes desperately searching for a way to get out this mess.
"L-listen Charles, I didn't know you swung that way..."
"Never. Ever. Say. That. You'll. Die."
But Charles didn't say what Val was thinking he would say. Realizing that, Val sighed in relief. It'd be quite bad if his friend turned out gay, well, it wouldn't be bad if he just simply turned out gay. But if he proposed to Val...
Just thinking that made him shiver.
"Well, I'll be off now. I need to get ready to receive the hero, Shadow Breaker.."
"O-oh?"
(Why is he talking about Shadow Breaker now? Is he suspecting anything?) Val thought, sweating a bit. A frown appeared on his face.
"Yes, tonight's banquet is in his honour. I have been selected to serve as his guide."
"A-ah..." Val couldn't do anything but nod warily.
"Val... Are you perhaps hiding something? From me?" Charles asked through narrow eyes.
(Crap! He found me out! Shit! Shit! Shit!) Val thought while sweating profusely. His friend was sharper than he gave him credit for.
"N-no..."
"Hmmmmm?" Charles again brought his face closer to Val's.
"A-alright. I'll tell you soon... Okay?"
If he had already found out, then he had no choice but to tell him. But he needed to prepare mentally first.
After all, Val was the Shadow Breaker.
"Alright then. I'll be waiting." Charles smiled and left the hut. Val sighed. He then looked at Aurora, who was watching their conversation with curious eyes.
"I'll tell you too, don't worry."
"Thanks!" Auria smiled, and that smiled healed Val's worried heart to some extent.
At the same time... Outside the hut...
Charles stepped out of the hut. He sighed and shook his head, but a tiny smile was on his face.
His friend was as shy as always.
"Oh... You silly boy..." he chuckled as he remembered their exchange.
As he thought, his friend had the same feelings as him. Just remembering his flustered face when Charles asked him if he was hiding something was enough to make his heart beat faster.
Yes.
Charles actually swung 'that' way.
In other words, he was attracted to the members of the same gender.
"Finally... I and Val can be together..." he whispered happily as he made his way through the hidden passage near Val's house. He had created it to 'look over' Val.
That was how much he loved him.
Yes, indeed. He was a stalker.
At the same time...
Val shivered inside his house. It was as if something dreadful was coming.
"Surely I am mistaken..." he muttered with a wry smile. Aurora, who was now packing up to go back to her house, just cocked her head in confusion.