He really wanted to go back. But when the duke suddenly appeared in his sight, he just froze there watching him walk toward him.
Before he could say anything, the duke grabbed his wrist as he went back to the room along with Asher, almost dragging him on the floor.
Asher knew he had put himself in big trouble. Maybe this is also related to last night. There was obviously something wrong with the duke. And...it seemed to happen at night?
"Come here."
The duke's voice was hoarse and he was panting, his eyes seemed like they were going to lose focus. Asher's body moved by itself when he saw the angry face of the duke when he just stayed there staring at him.
He was tightly hugged by the duke. The duke buried his face in Asher's neck, then slowly moved his face around to see where that comforting scent was coming from.
It was coming from all over. Not from clothes, but from his naked skin too.
Finally reaching the comfort in his hands, he smirked, giving Asher chills. He saw the duke silently staring at him, slowly the atmosphere getting awkward when Asher was a bit late to look away from his eyes.
"It's coming from you, isn't it?"
His cold voice sounded in the silence and Asher suddenly flinched when he realised the duke had found it out.
Asher was in confusion as he clearly remembered he didn't have that scent on him when he came to meet the duke this time. But now, he could feel his scent getting stronger, surprising him as he was left with many questions.
'What is going on?'
The scent was always on his body. But sometimes, it could be replaced with a soap smell. Still, it comes back, yet not that strong to the point he could randomly notice the scent.
Like last night, the smell aroused again when he needed it to disappear. Why did the smell come when the duke was so close to him?! What is he going to say now?
"Duke...I d-!"
Asher had to swallow his words back when he saw the duke staring at him still, showing no expression which was even scarier.
He wondered how he failed to notice there was a tiny scar under the eye of the duke. Well, he never dared to look. Even the last time, he stared at that face for a while then quickly distracted his gaze when he felt it was inappropriate.
But now he seemed to suddenly get bewitched. Until the duke showed a questioning expression on his face, Asher's eyes almost gulped down that handsome yet cold face...
"What are you staring at?!"
Asher looked away immediately in embarrassment and shame of having free time to think such things when he was in such a worse situation.
Just like that day, the duke didn't let go of him as he hugged him tightly, inhaling the scent coming from Asher, slowly falling asleep.
This time, the duke wanted him to get on the bed. Because the last time, both of them were on the ground when the super comfy bed was supporting them, letting them lean on it.
Asher felt it was weird to get on the bed with such a nobleman. It was a huge fault. No one with a lower status deserves to even stand next to nobles, right? And nobles can't be trusted. They are full of desires, evil plans and think they can get anything just by forcing commoners using their power.
That's what his mother had taught him so far. Avoiding the nobles was the best. But he ended up even going to bed with a noble. Not in a weird way though. This man seemed to find some comfort through his special scent.
Asher finally knew the reason why his mother and uncle hated nobles. They were the ones that ruined their lives. His father suffered, they ran away, living in fear.
But Asher never thought it was the exact same as her mother thought.
Because, he thought, he was the main cause of everything.
But he didn't have any reasons to think so. But he knew it was his fault.
How was that his fault?
Being born? Not being able to protect his mother and uncle? Or being a coward?
He had no idea about how it was his fault as he lived believing he had to do something with his father's, mother's and uncle's death. They did all those sacrifices for him. So he was the main reason for things to end that way. He thought it was his fault.
"Don't go. Stay with me until the morning. I would like to talk about something with you."
The duke just said coldly but Asher felt he was like being...polite?
'I must be crazy!'
Anyone knows how ruthless he was. Asher was even surprised that he felt so much fear toward him just within this short time after hearing about what he had done in his past.
It said he had killed his own father!
Stabbing him not once but countless times!
And that was when he was a child. How could a child be so ruthless?
That was horrifying for Asher. For a man who could kill his own father, it wouldn't be that hard to kill a stranger for no reason, right?
That's what he thought while staying silent in his embrace, the body heat from the duke making him dizzy. Shockingly, he fell asleep after he noticed the duke had already fallen asleep.
'I am really going crazy.'
.....
"Duke...I think this-"
"I said it's an order. You must come to my room, from the 15th to the 20th of every month at night. I will pay you extra for that."
"Duke, I-"
"Do you understand?"
"...Yes."
"Keep it a secret from Anne. She should never know about it!"
"Yes."
"Or else you will die the next day."
"...Yes."
"You can go back. Come tomorrow night too. I will be waiting."
"..."
"Don't look at me like that. I am not gonna do anything. I just want your scent. Until I find out what's so special about it, you must continue to visit me at night on these days I told you."
"I got it."
"Hmm...You can go back."
That's what happened when he woke up and saw the duel was staring at him with that same poker face.
It's even scarier when he can't figure out what he was feeling or thinking. So that was the thing he hated to see from the duke.
'Okay....Don't blame anyone. It's your own fault dummy! Why didn't you think of a way to protect yourself? Now suffer as you want...Agh! Why am I stuck with him here?!'
He blamed himself and walked to his room, taking a nap, finally breathing freely.