Once Shen Yuan regained his composure, he finally asked, "Is this the retraining Your Highness mentioned?"
"I don't need to keep him if I get a new pet. Isn't that what you said? Above all, I'm not one to wrong my pet." Vesper gestured at the ball like a store clerk presenting his newest merchandise. "Consider this a welcoming gift."
"What a caring master~" Shen Yuan let out a pleased purr. "Then, it's only right for me to learn your favorite tricks, isn't it? What should I learn first, Your Highness?"
Vesper narrowed his eyes under the temptation. He tapped on the table in a thoughtful rhythm, lamenting whether to eat or nibble.
Coming to a decision, he plunged the distraction back into the depths of the pond before pushing his chair back and patting his lap. "How about 'sit'?"
Without any word of complaint, Shen Yuan stepped towards Vesper's seat and planted himself on his exclusive chair, not an ounce of fear or shame in his movement. He clung his arms around Vesper's neck and plastered his pliant body on him.
"Is it the royal blood?" he whispered to Vesper's ears in teasing. "Your brother demanded the exact same thing."
Vesper's eyebrow twitched. He knew it was a deliberate provocation, but Shen Yuan indeed struck the correct nerve. The correspondence made his vessels crawl that he wished to drain his blood and exchange it with a new one.
He locked Shen Yuan's waist in a crushing grip until the other winced. He didn't let himself be soft-hearted and pinched his chin to make him face the displeasure he caused. "Then, isn't it your job to make mine more personalized?"
The threatening darkness that would haunt others with nightmares only tickled Shen Yuan with delight. He shifted in his position and swiveled to sit facing Vesper. He clasped his arms around Vesper's neck, leaving only 2 inches of gap between the tip of their nose.
"Is this personalized enough, Your Highness?"
Vesper could feel Shen Yuan's warm breath caressing his skin with each word he uttered. The sinful little lips were within reach, but he decided to savor the man like wine. After all, he was as intoxicating as one.
His patience would certainly pay well.
"Much better."
"Am I not heavy?"
"No." Vesper kept his hold on Shen Yuan's waist to avoid any unwanted fall. "Just enough to be my exclusive paperweight."
Shen Yuan couldn't help but reddened a little for that one. He turned his face away in an attempt to hide it and cleared his throat. "Your documents will get dirty."
Unfortunately, the afternoon sun exposed him without mercy. Vesper took in every shade of his blush with an ardent gaze. "If there's no part of you I'm unwilling to touch, then is there a part of you that is allowed to be considered dirty?"
"Your Highness is indeed powerful…"
"I make sure that I am." Vesper rubbed idle circles on the band of Shen Yuan's waist with his thumb. "So, tell me. What is it that you wanted to achieve? Depending on your answer, I might lock you up in my room until the trial is over."
"It's not to make him win. I can promise Your Highness that." Shen Yuan returned his focus to Vesper. "First, I needed him to trust me. If not, me coming to Your Highness will only be seen as a betrayal. Second, I only want him to have the desire to win this trial, not actually win it. For that, gaining the lead is an important factor."
"And why is that?"
"So that when Your Highness beats him on the next trial, the impact will be significant. Thanks to Your Highness, it yielded a better result than I planned." Shen Yuan couldn't be more satisfied.
Initially, he wanted Zhou Yi to win so he would fall harder and feel more pain when he lost the second trial. He could then lead him to kill Vesper before the third trial.
But now, he was already deeply offended by his victory that he was more determined to win the second trial and prove his worth and capability.
Then, maybe he could also move his plan forward…
"He couldn't have been that prepared if he was by himself. How did you know about the trial's specifics?"
"Mercenaries. They have many skillful spies down the street there. I have them search for intel in the chief secretary's mansion."
Vesper hummed and nodded in approval. "And what is the purpose of all of this?"
This time, Shen Yuan didn't immediately answer. He raised a finger between their lips with an enigmatic smile. "I only explain, not tell. Let's make this fun for the both of us."
"You think you can fool me with such words?" Vesper raised an eyebrow.
"Does Your Highness not trust me?"
Like a spell, the words shoved Vesper's remaining doubt into a box, locked it, and sent it back down his throat. A memory flickered in his head but was too faint and brief to shape a form.
Before his mind could construct a complete response, his mouth answered by itself as if he was possessed, "I do."
Shen Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
Though he did say it to see whether the core of the body remembered its promise to him, he didn't expect to receive such a vivid reaction. For a second, he thought Mu Chen answered him.
If Vesper had not reacted in particular, he had planned to nullify his promise since it would only be counted as his promise to Mu Chen. But this…
It made the promise to him.
Seeing Vesper's perplexion, he appeased him with a hug, merging their heat to each other. "And I will not lie to Your Highness in return."
"…"
Vesper returned the embrace and studied Shen Yuan's profile with unknown eyes. Not once in his life had he ever put complete trust in someone, let alone a baseless one. But even though his head rejected such a notion, it was as if the belief was rooted in the depth of his heart since the time before his birth.
It was the same belief that gravitated his being towards this person's existence.
Tranquil silence blanketed the pond.
Vesper decided to drop his thoughts and surrender to the moment. Mulling over it was useless. There was a higher chance of learning more by experiencing and indulging this incomprehensible side of him more.
Although that could as well be an excuse.
He nuzzled his nose to the silky white neck and breathed in the sweet scent of Shen Yuan's skin, concentrated around his veins. His pupils gleamed and he took a tasting lick of his artery.
"Hnn–!?"
Shen Yuan jolted in surprise, unprepared for the slippery sensation. He wanted to cover his neck and back away only for the arms securing him to tighten further. Vesper pressed firmer into his neck, leaving no room for his hand to shield himself from his attack.
Shit. His neck shouldn't be this sensitive. What the hell was this?
He could only grab Vesper's neck and clawed into his collar, enduring the sparks striking his nerves. His short breaths glazed his voice in a seductive coat. "Your Highness…you haven't…finished your meal."
"And whose fault is that?" Vesper sucked on the rapidly reddening skin, marking his favorite spot with a deep red love bite.
"I didn't do…anything."
"You say that while sitting coquettishly on my lap."
"But that was Your Highne—Hic!?"
Vesper bit into the mark he just left, sinking his teeth into the tender, vulnerable flesh. He reveled the way Shen Yuan trembled and coiled further into his arms, curling his legs off the ground. The frantic heartbeat echoing into his chest brought a newfound joy and satisfaction.
Only he could make this person crumble like this.
He let go and loosened his hold to back away and admire his work. Shen Yuan took the chance to finally straighten his back and glared down at Vesper in protest, unaware how the heat on his face and the vapor glistening his eyes only added more spice to his ripe allure.
"You can't just do that without warning." His fluster threw all sense of formality out of the window.
"I can give you a warning, but it doesn't mean I will stop on demand." Vesper chuckled, not minding the lack of courtesy.
Shen Yuan touched the place Vesper bit, still tingling deep into his nerves. He threw his face away with a hint of rare shame in his eyes. "Did I tell you to stop?"
Vesper raised his eyebrows and couldn't help but laugh in adoration. He took Shen Yuan's hand and pressed a kiss to his fingers in contrast gentleness. "I'll make sure to give a warning next time, my little Canis."
The fact Shen Yuan couldn't stay mad miffed himself even more. He took off Vesper's laurel clip and returned it to its owner's head before standing up and turning to leave. He pointed at Vesper in one last warning. "If you don't, I'll really get mad."
Vesper reclined on his seat and watched Shen Yuan stomp away in amusement. The lasting sweetness in the air put him in a good mood, and he finished his meal with a persisting smile on his face.
He should start making preparations for the country to welcome its first male queen.