After the surprises regarding the family lineage subsided, the atmosphere in the living room of the Guartav mansion should have returned to a state of calm. However, Hudeon seemed to have other plans.
Without warning, the dark-green-haired boy rose from his seat and landed directly on Kazien's lap. He wrapped his arms around Kazien's neck, hugging him so tightly as if fearing the figure before him might vanish if he let go for even a single second.
Kazien flinched, his hands freezing in mid-air, while Allen and Arken's eyes widened. This sudden intimacy was completely beyond their expectations.
Duke Hubert, who had just been about to take a sip of his tea, placed his cup back onto the tray. He stared at his son with a deep, searching look. "Hudeon... you seem to have become very close to Kazien, haven't you?" the Duke asked in a tone that was difficult to decipher.
Hudeon did not release his embrace. Instead, he leaned his head further onto Kazien's shoulder. "More than just that, Father!" Hudeon replied with a loud voice that echoed through the room. "I like him! And I want to be his fiancé too!"
Silence...
The room instantly felt as if it had been emptied of oxygen. Duke Hubert froze, Allen nearly dropped his teacup, and Arken felt his heart stop for a beat. Amidst this storm of emotions, only Alvin remained calm. He sipped his tea elegantly, as if Hudeon's shocking confession was merely casual talk about the weather.
Kazien, still in a state of shock, slowly turned toward Alvin, who looked entirely relaxed. "A-Alvin... did you already know about this?" he asked with a raspy voice.
Alvin simply nodded in response to his fiancé's question.
Kazien took a long breath. He never imagined that Hudeon's interest in him wasn't as a potential brother-in-law, but as a man he wanted to possess entirely.
"Hudeon, listen to me." Kazien said softly, trying to gently loosen the hug so he could look the boy in the face. "I admit you are very handsome and cute. But... I cannot possibly accept you as my fiancé."
"I already knew that!" Hudeon cut in quickly. He finally let go of the hug but remained sitting on Kazien's lap. His eyes shifted sharply toward Arken. "Brother Alvin told me everything. Especially about Brother Arken. He'd probably rather die than see a fourth person after him, right? Honestly, he's selfish! The way he looks at me is like he's watching an enemy!"
Those words hit Arken right in the pit of his stomach. He fell silent, his face turning crimson from a mix of anger and embarrassment. Arken remembered when he had called Kazien selfish in the past, and now, a young boy nearby was using that same word to describe him.
Hudeon's jab felt incredibly real because that was exactly how Arken felt toward Kazien right now. He was fiercely protective of his own fiancé.
"Even though I really liked Ritalia before..." Hudeon continued, his voice starting to tremble. "But since being with you, Brother Kazien... the feelings of affection and the desire to have you just grew without me realizing it. I feel at peace when I'm near you."
Kazien was left speechless. He remembered the blessing from Goddess Nirfelia. Since I received the blessing from Goddess Nirfelia, my circumstances have changed. Many people like me. And even when I just smile, everyone becomes infatuated with me. Now, this cute Hudeon wants me to be his fiancé.
Suddenly, before Kazien could respond, Hudeon pulled Kazien's collar.
Mwah!
Hudeon landed a kiss squarely on Kazien's lips in front of everyone. Duke Hubert gaped, and Arken nearly lunged from his seat if not for a warning look from Allen.
However, to Kazien, the kiss felt very strange. The kiss Hudeon gave was not the innocent kiss of a child in love. The pressure, the way he controlled the rhythm, and the intensity displayed a sexual passion.
Why is he so skilled at kissing like this? Kazien asked himself, a creeping sense of horror beginning to set in.
Kazien used a bit of his strength to pull away. He held Hudeon's shoulders, looking into those golden eyes sharply yet calmly. "Hudeon... where did you learn to kiss like that?" Kazien asked with a pressurized tone. "Did someone teach you?"
Instantly, the courage in Hudeon's eyes vanished. He slumped dejectedly, his shoulders shaking violently. Kazien gently lifted Hudeon's chin, and his heart sank when he saw the boy's face already flooded with tears. The suppressed sobs finally broke, filling the family room with a heart-wrenching sound.
"Answer me honestly! Did someone teach you to kiss aggressively like that?" Kazien pressed again. "If you don't answer, I won't meet you anymore."
The threat worked. Hudeon shook his head in terror. He couldn't find the words. Instead, he used his trembling index finger. He touched the shaft beneath Kazien's trousers, then pointed to his own lower crotch area.
Kazien's eyes narrowed, rage beginning to boil in his chest as he realized the symbolism. "So... you have already done 'that'?"
Hudeon nodded weakly amidst his sobbing. "I was forced... I was threatened. I had no choice but to do it!" he answered with a broken voice.
Hudeon's crying erupted even louder as he began to share fragments of his dark memories. The family room became a silent witness to the suffering of a child hidden behind the mansion's grandeur. Everyone listened with feelings of nausea and overflowing anger.
Kazien immediately pulled Hudeon into a tight embrace, letting the boy cry against his chest. Duke Hubert clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. The Duke's previously friendly face had now turned into something truly terrifying.
"Tell me, Hudeon..." Kazien whispered with deep pity. "Who had the heart to do something so vile to you?"
Hudeon took a ragged breath. "H... H..." His voice was momentarily choked by overwhelming fear. But with the last of his courage, he cried out, "Brother Haverd!"
The silence that followed that shout was far more chilling than anything before. Duke Hubert froze in place. Haverd, his second son, Hudeon's own biological brother.
You insolent brat! Duke Hubert cursed in his heart, furious with his second son. How dare you defile your own brother! Your depravity has crossed the line, Haverd!
Kazien rubbed Hudeon's back gently, trying to channel some calm even though his own heart was smoldering. "You must have been so pressured all this time, right? Everything will be okay now. You are safe, Hudeon!"
"I'm sorry! I'm scared!" Hudeon cried out repeatedly. The trauma appeared so vivid, stripping the joy from his young face.
"From now on, you are safe. No one will dare touch you again." Kazien said reassuringly.
"B-But..." Hudeon sobbed. "I am no longer worthy of being Ritalia's husband because of this..."
Kazien slowly released the embrace. He held both of Hudeon's cheeks, wiped away the remaining tears, and then smiled, a truly sincere and warm smile, the kind of smile he rarely showed.
However, that smile triggered another chaos.