Lucius shot Florian a look that practically screamed, "Your Highness, what exactly did you say to him?" Florian chose to ignore it, focusing instead on Heinz, who was now speaking again.
"I want to consider your offer," Heinz began, his tone measured, "but I need to know your intentions first."
He ran a hand through his long, silken hair, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dimly lit room. Despite addressing Florian, Heinz seemed determined to look anywhere but directly at him.
'Wow. This is my first time seeing him this close... and wow. He's ridiculously handsome.' Florian thought, trying to mask his awe. 'No wonder the original Florian was so obsessed with him. Even with two other stunning male leads, Heinz is in a league of his own.'
Heinz gestured for Florian to speak, breaking his train of thought.
"Oh, well, Your Majesty…" Florian cleared his throat, searching for the right words. "As I mentioned yesterday, my intention is simple. I wish to return to my home. I've been missing my kingdom for quite some time now."
From the corner of his eye, Florian caught Lucius stiffening, his brows furrowing in what appeared to be disbelief. Florian pressed on, determined to finish his point.
"After my fall, I realized that I've been making a complete fool of myself."
Heinz hummed softly, the sound more skeptical than affirming. "You've been here for a month," he said, his voice even, "and in that month, you have relentlessly followed me. Not once did you mention your home. I am also aware that your so-called 'fall' was caused by your attempt to gain my attention."
'Damn, he's not pulling any punches.' Florian resisted the urge to wince. He cleared his throat again, mentally debating how to proceed. He wanted to keep things neutral, avoid anything that might spiral into unnecessary drama or romantic tension. But in this case…
"I fell for you, Your Majesty," Florian blurted, feeling his soul cringe inwardly at his own words. He could see the reactions in the room immediately. The knights' eyes widened as they awkwardly shifted their gazes elsewhere, clearly uncomfortable. Lucius's expression remained mostly neutral, though his widened eyes betrayed his shock.
Florian forged ahead, forcing himself not to falter. "I'm just like the princesses in that regard. And while it might be unusual in this kingdom, in Floramatria, same-sex relationships are entirely normal."
It was one of the key reasons Kaz had listed as to why Heinz would never fall for Florian. Concordia wasn't particularly accepting of such relationships, even if Lucius and Lancelot were exceptions due to their peculiar circumstances.
For Florian, however, his feelings—real or perceived—had always brought scorn. The discrimination Florian faced was relentless, particularly since everyone assumed he had bewitched the kingdom's two most eligible bachelors into falling for him.
Florian softened his tone, plastering on a fake smile. "I realize now that your dismissal of me wasn't done out of malice. Perhaps my feelings were simply a product of loneliness, driven by being taken from everything I know."
Lucius, however, narrowed his eyes at Florian, his disbelief evident. Florian ignored it, focusing on the king.
"Are you saying you are no longer in love with me?" Heinz asked, his voice still infuriatingly calm but tinged with curiosity.
"I don't think I ever truly was, Your Majesty. It was fleeting—an affection born of circumstance."
If anything, Florian thought, Heinz might even be relieved to hear those words. But despite that, Florian remained cautious. Heinz's unpredictability meant even this could spiral out of control.
For a moment, Heinz was silent, his crimson eyes narrowing in thought. His gaze seemed to bore into Florian, though Florian couldn't tell if it was suspicion or simply contemplation.
'Please don't grab your sword. Please don't grab your sword.' Florian braced himself, half expecting the worst.
Finally, Heinz broke the silence, his tone sharper. "Why assist me in choosing a bride, then? Why ask to go back home?"
'That's the simplest answer in the world, and you should already know it.' Florian kept that thought firmly to himself, opting instead for diplomacy.
"Your Majesty," Florian began, straightening his posture. "May I be frank?"
Heinz hesitated briefly, then gave a curt nod. "Go ahead."
"You demanded a princess from each kingdom," Florian said steadily. "Those who refused your demand were destroyed. Truthfully, I feared for my kingdom's safety."
"Exactly," Heinz said, his voice suddenly darker, a dangerous edge creeping into it. "I may have neglected you, but that does not grant you the right to request to go home. Your presence here is the only reason Floramatria isn't reduced to ashes like the kingdoms who dared to defy me."
Heinz rose from his seat with a deliberate grace, his glowing red eyes fixed on Florian. The air in the room seemed to thicken as he moved closer, his imposing presence towering over the prince.
'Fuck. I should've known he wouldn't be chill about this,' Florian thought, his heart pounding as he watched the king approach. Every step Heinz took felt measured, predatory, until he stopped directly in front of Florian, the gap between them almost nonexistent.
Heinz didn't grab him, but instead leaned down, his crimson gaze boring into Florian's wide eyes. His voice was low and venomous. "Do you want to die?"
Florian gulped, shaking his head quickly. "N-No, sire."
"Then provide me information about the princesses." Heinz's tone remained icy, but now it carried a lethal edge. "In exchange, I won't slice your head off right here, right now, for your insolent request." His voice, though a whisper, carried across the room, leaving no doubt that everyone had heard it. Florian caught a glimpse of the knights exchanging sympathetic glances, though none dared intervene. "What do you say?"
'Do I even have a choice?'
"Y-Yes… of course, sire," Florian stammered, forcing himself to maintain composure even as his hands trembled slightly. "I-I apologize for even thinking of making such a request."
Heinz straightened to his full height, the suffocating tension following him as he turned and walked back to his desk. He sat down with a calm finality, as though the moment of intimidation hadn't just happened.
"Good." Heinz's tone was sharp, dismissive. "To make yourself a useful member of my harem, your new job is to provide me with information about the princesses—details they would never willingly reveal to me, Lucius, or even their maids."
He reached for a stack of papers from his desk and handed them to Lucius, who accepted them without a word.
"Lucius will give you these documents," Heinz continued. "They outline the types of information I require. Every day, you will fill out these forms without fail and hand them to Lucius. If I have further clarifications or questions, I will summon you to explain. Do you understand?"
'All this just to find a wife? Jesus, just spend some actual time with them instead of summoning them once every few weeks,' Florian thought bitterly, though he kept his face neutral.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Florian said aloud, bowing his head.
"Good." Heinz waved a dismissive hand. "That settles it. Now get out of my office—I have more important matters to attend to."
Florian stood, his legs feeling slightly unsteady beneath him. He nodded stiffly, taking a cautious step back toward the door, his heart still thundering against his ribcage. Despite the adrenaline coursing through him, he managed to keep his expression composed, but inside, he was anything but calm.
"Oh, and Florian?"
Florian froze, a chill running down his spine at the sound of Heinz's voice. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
Heinz's gaze was sharp, his voice colder than before. "If you ever dare mention going back to your kingdom, or fail to provide me with the information about the princesses, you and your entire family will face dire consequences."
"Understood, Your Majesty." Florian's voice was steady, though his insides churned with a mix of fear and frustration.
Lucius, ever the picture of composure, followed Florian out of the room. As they walked in silence down the corridor, Florian couldn't help but catch a glimpse of Lucius's sidelong glance. It was hard to read—pity? Disappointment? Both? It made Florian's skin crawl, as if Lucius could see right through him.
The heavy doors to the office shut with a final, echoing thud behind them, and the silence that followed felt deafening. Florian exhaled deeply, pressing his fingertips to his temples to ease the growing headache. He muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of the king's erratic behavior.
'Is he fucking bipolar? Why does he act like this… one moment he's calm, the next he's ready to chop my head off?' Florian clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. 'What the hell did I get myself into?