Dry Drowning

Chapter 29

“Sir.”

Logan, who briefly called Ian, slowly rose from his seat, perhaps noticing that he was lost in some other thought.

It had been a long time since Logan heard the sound of grass being stepped on because even Edward was not allowed to enter. He had been listening since the moment Ian entered the greenhouse, staring at the man a few steps away and guessed.

Is it Kyle?

The suspect was quickly put aside as he didn’t seem to have the personality to go around freely. There have also been reports that he is more attached to that prince than necessary. Logan was the one who ordered him to do so, but Ed assessed that it was a bit excessive.

[T/N: OwO… Someone is jelu jelu ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

It had been a month before the face he saw up close was stained with fatigue. He said he was going to learn Shetier. He thought he heard the sound of riding on a horse. Contrary to the usual not paying attention to others, Logan was being reported on Ian’s every move.

“I heard from Schwartz that you will join us in this expedition.”

He did not miss the expression of the Knights Commander, which was stained with a slight discomfort. Schwartz, who immediately nodded without hesitation and muttered that he had become rather ashamed, seemed to truly repent. Is that like an innate nature? Although they had been together for more than a decade, Logan was eventually unable to empathize with those feelings. Sacrifices for others, beliefs, justice, or even shame.

[T/N: I think the above paragraph is probably some past situation where Schwartz might have made some mistake.]

It’s just that the world is so noisy,

There were days Logan struggled with things he can’t get his hands on.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there for you.”

Logan murmured softly, feeling calm. Ian’s fingertips twitched weakly as Logan whispered to get him relieved from a face reminiscent of other things.

Even if he wanted to ask something, that kind of response is all he had.

It was the part that he was most satisfied with, so Logan moved his fingertips a little.

“……”

His lips, which had been slightly opened, closed tightly realising that he was imitating him. Ian couldn’t speak, so he couldn’t make a noise, and Logan liked his little gestures as if he was used to it.

It was the same a little while ago. There was so little noise that it was hard to feel any presence of ordinary humans. It’s like a beast creeping in tiptoed.

“Well, do you have anything else to do?”

Contrary to his keenly wrapped gaze, Logan’s next words were a euphemistic banishment order. Ian blinked at the words completely different from the previous atmosphere, and took a step back with a small sound. He didn’t seem to know where he was.

In fact, if others knew, they would have been terrified.

This was the garden where Logan, who hardly sleeps, stayed the longest.

It was explained by the fact that not only the servants, knights, but also Ed did not enter. Whatever the purpose is, if you step into this place, you have to pay for it. It was like a mirage to see a green sprouted plant in the north covered with snow all seasons, but no one in the mansion considered it sacred.

It was because they saw in front of their eyes that there was no head that crawled out alive, and that even the bodies were disappearing.

If it was the same, he would have cut his head off.

However, Logan tilted his head in wonder at the unimaginable appearance.

It was certain that he had no ability to regenerate his body.

[T/N: Logan is just saying that Ian was an ordinary human being with no supernatural powers like being able to regenerate his body but he still entered that place.]

He was an ordinary human being who would die if his throat was strangled, die if his organs ruptured, die if he didn’t drink water, hungry, or even if ruined himself one day.

That’s strange.

Why can’t I imagine him dying?

[T/N: Guys, these thoughts are Logan’s thoughts.]

If he had not gasped for breath and poured holy water, or if he had left him in the snow, he would have died.

So he couldn’t understand it. He narrowed his eyes in doubt, but it wasn’t really a bad feeling. Maybe it’s because of that face that won’t even struggle with his arms even if he strangles his white, thin neck. He may accept death as silently as he did when he was hit by a flying stone and did not even scream. As if someone had ever been dead.

He thought that was not bad, so he took a step forward.

[T/N: Logan is probably saying that saving Ian wasn’t a bad thing to do.]

“……”

Ian, who was about to leave at once, picked up a brush that had fallen nearby. The wooden body was smashed by hand and was a mess, but he carefully looked around and immediately picked up something again.

It was a piece of glass from the broken pallet.

Logan, who had no idea what he wanted to do, stood tall, and Ian, who roughly held the shortened brush, smeared the remaining paint on the pallet. Then he spread out his palms and began to write something slowly.

Sssg, the sound of skin rubbing against it.

He recalled again what he had learned to write from Kyle. Ian strode up in front of Logan, who was standing there. He glanced at what was written on his palm.

“…Name?”

That was the only word that was written in black paint. He’s probably not asking for his name, but when he raised his head to figure out what it meant, he encountered the gaze that was staring at him.

Do you want to call my name correctly?

To treat him with the name of honor enough to insult him. Logan had never called Ian by his first name. Even if he was raised in cages like livestock, the royal family may want to express their rotten pride.

However, the face was not too tense.

After a moment of silence Logan slowly opened his mouth.

“My name?”

He looked as if he was curious about it. It may not be possible, but he spat it out just in case. He thought he would shake his head, but Ian, who closed his palm, nodded quickly. It was the eyes that said the answer to the question that he thought was wrong, was the answer.

Logan’s lips closed again at the incomprehensible request.

Be that as it may, Logan, who had been tainted with blessings since birth, has hardly ever introduced himself with his own mouth. Because whoever encountered the black hair and long golden pupils that do not exist in the Empire, remembered his name.

Besides, isn’t he the prince who was sold from the Rox?

You can not have heard where you are going.

Curious about the intention of asking something that he knew clearly, Logan opened his mouth, with his eyes narrowed with curiosity. He looked at him thinking how far he had to go.

“Logan.”

“……..”

“Logan Hyer.”

And just like Ian did, he walked one step at a time and moved closer. It wasn’t a noticeable muscular or threatening impression like Schwartz, but it was a gesture of a person who knew how to feel the pressure of the opponent.

Ian, who thought he was going to leave at once, stood at a distance less than one hand away.

Logan, who didn’t miss the slight touch of his lips, realized that it was his name.

Logan Hyer.

Ian mimicked the pronunciation by slightly closing his lips. Just like someone who had remembered something that he had forgotten for a long time, even a glimpse of joy crossed his mind. It was a short moment, but Logan, who read the emotions on his expressionless face, looked at Ian, who stretched his wrist at him the next moment.

What kind of trick is this again?

As he thought so, Logan paused stiffly at Ian’s action of handing over the brush that he was holding.

“…….”

Logan stared at Ian, who was looking at him, the brush held out in front of him, and his thick sleeve rolled up wrist, slowly extending his hand. The texture of the brush smeared with paint brushed gently over the white skin enough to show the blood vessels.

Logan Hyer.

Unlike Ian, the name, written in elegant handwriting, embroidered on his wrist like a tattoo.

“Ian.”

Ian, who was checking his wrist as if he had got what he wanted, raised his head to the voice calling him. With the tip of Logan’s chin in front of his nose, he realised that the distance was very close, and tried to push his body back.

It would have been possible if it hadn’t been for his tight arms that were held together.

[T/N: Ian tried but couldn’t move back… probably Logan held Ian.]

Logan’s expression as he lowered his head and looked at him was the same as usual. Without knowing that the corners of the mouth are moderately raised, the sharp gazes, and the artificially overlaid skins with various emotions are familiar to only one person.

“I am thankful to you for your name.”

It was a grip that seemed to penetrate his skin even though he didn’t give it much strength. Logan, who lowered his head close enough to touch his forehead, whispered as if telling a very important secret. He hasn’t needed to refine his nature he had since birth. No, he couldn’t trim it.

“Because you’ve saved the lord several times.”

[T/N: Here I think Logan is calling himself, Lord. Logan is glad that his name is “Ian” and why is he glad?…. Go check the spoiler that I gave in NovelUpdates Forum cause it will be too big if I explain it here.(≧▽≦)]

……It’s been almost two weeks since he didn’t sleep to the things that he could hear more clearly when he closed his eyes. A calm frenzy flashed through his bright yellow eyes. Logan pulled the corner of his mouth toward Ian, who looked at him as he led.

Conceived kindness, unreasonable generosity, and even this moment.

I knew it didn’t really mean anything, but…

“See you tomorrow.”

Logan greeted him warmly, muttering something to himself that no one could understand. Ian looked over at his forehead, which was gently bumped into his forehead. Maybe he himself doesn’t know that he has the same face as his predecessors.

The face that I had longed for the rest of my life.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

[T/N: AHHH… WHAT IS THIS SWEET THINGS ALL OF A SUDDEN? BUMPING EACH OTHER’S FOREHEADS WITH EACH OTHER… JSKSK🙈 btw all the thoughts in this chapter are from Logan’s perspective and not Ian’s.]