SAFBIAN Ch 73

Chapter 73

“……”

Dori kept his lips tightly sealed and stubbornly pulled his chin in.

[“How amusing. What is your name?”]

This was the very question Haban had asked after discovering ‘Dori’ in the original story. Dori feared that answering it now, like during their first meeting, might bring about the same outcome as in the original.

“It seems it’s too late to pretend you can’t speak.”

Splash.

Haban wiped his face. His smooth face, damp with water, made a soft, wet sound.

Even that small noise made Dori flinch and glance around warily. The softened atmosphere—and more so, his current state of complete undress—made even the smallest things feel threatening.

…What do I do?

“Your gaze was so freely given, and yet you hesitate to share something as simple as your name.”

…What did he just say?

“Surely it’s not more shameful than sitting naked on my lap just moments ago.”

At those words, Dori finally felt as though he was facing the Haban of the original story.

No wonder ‘Dori’ was hurt and ran away. If he were in his fox form, Haban wouldn’t understand his words, and he could have growled out a barrage of curses.

With no other option, Dori simply glared.

“Now you’re frightened? And yet you so brazenly spoke the Emperor’s name earlier.”

“…That was a mistake.”

His reluctant murmur was quiet but distinct.

Haban frowned slightly at the sight of Dori’s moving lips. He was holding back his desire with difficulty, yet Dori wasn’t even trying to provoke him.

As if reading his thoughts, Dori flinched and blinked his clear golden eyes. Perhaps due to the warm water, his cheeks were flushed. Then, tilting his head absentmindedly like a fox, he looked innocent and naïve.

Clearly, the face he was making showed no recollection of the past.

‘Though I expected this.’

Haban exhaled lightly. Whether it was because of the fox orb or some other reason, it seemed he alone had returned with his memories.

If Dori remembered, he would never have come near the Imperial Hunting Grounds, much less recklessly confront assassins.

‘Perhaps this is for the best.’

It was a little disappointing, yet also a relief. It was probably better for Dori to remember nothing.

To Haban, there hadn’t been a single moment he wished to forget, but to Dori, it had only been a painful past, leaving deep scars.

From now on, Haban would pretend not to remember either, and they could build new memories together.

He had decided that from the beginning. He didn’t care if others called him selfish or cursed him for it.

‘W-What’s he doing now?!’

As Haban, who had been lost in thought for a while, suddenly moved, Dori tried to back away with his toes, but there was nowhere to go—his back was pressed against the wooden wall of the bath.

In the meantime, Haban had closed the distance and was now standing right in front of Dori.

“I shall overlook it only once. I’ll ask again… What is your name?”

Dori cautiously looked up. Even in human form, there was a significant height difference between them—about a full head, perhaps.

Haban was bracing his arms on either side of Dori, staring down at him with a grim expression, as if warning him.

Dori barely parted his lips.

“I-I…”

Haban waited patiently, urging him with his eyes. His gaze never left Dori’s lips, clearly intent on getting an answer.

Should he say it? The question was the same, but the situation was different from the original, so maybe the outcome would differ too. But if things followed the original…

Hesitating on the verge of tears, Dori slowly lowered his eyelashes.

At that moment, with only a thin garment on, the front had slipped open, revealing Haban’s firm chest and defined muscles glistening in the clean water.

Dori instinctively stirred the surface with his arm to obscure the view, and Haban, watching him, let out a low chuckle. The water gently rippled.

“I believe I said I’d let it go only once.”

“W-Well, I mean…”

Dori stalled, dragging out his words while glancing toward the door. Wouldn’t it be better to just bolt?

At that moment, Haban leaned his head toward Dori’s nape.

“Waaaah!”

Before Haban’s breath could even touch him, Dori screamed and clutched his neck. His cry was so loud it echoed throughout the room.

Naturally, Haban was dumbfounded.

“Who said I was going to devour you?”

“I-It’s just, I was so s-surprised…”

“Seems those outside are the ones more surprised by you. Don’t make such a fuss and just answer the question.”

“……”

At the repeated question, Dori clamped his mouth shut again. Haban stared at him with darkened eyes.

If Dori would only tell him his name, he could pretend not to know and call him that.

It struck Haban as odd, how stubbornly Dori refused to share even his name. …And how he looked even more tense now than when he got into trouble in fox form.

Meanwhile, Dori was flustered, unable to move with Haban blocking his path like a wall. Haban’s finely chiseled muscles rippled smoothly with every movement.

Unable to find a place to rest his gaze, Dori slowly sank deeper into the water. Soon only his eyes and nose were above the surface, his chin and lips submerged.

“I knew you liked water, but don’t stay down too long. It might look shallow, but if it presses against your chest, you’ll have trouble breathing.”

It was true. This wasn’t a half-body bath—he was almost completely submerged in the hot water. His chest felt tight, and his breathing grew labored. Even his vision started to swim.

Then Haban grabbed his ankle, and Dori froze.

Gasp!

‘I haven’t even said my name yet… why?!’

The courage he’d had earlier to slap Haban vanished. Dori timidly twitched his ankle, moving so slowly and cautiously for fear Haban might snap it in an instant.

But contrary to his worries, Haban simply rubbed his bare skin with his fingertips. Then, after lightly massaging the ankle, he gently released it.

Like when he used to hide his tail in fox form, Dori quickly pulled his leg back and shrank further into himself.

‘…Haah.’

From that moment on, the tension in his muscles gradually began to loosen. Perhaps because he had tensed and relaxed so many times, he felt even more fatigued.

‘I want to get out now. The water’s getting cold.’

There was still some warmth left, but the surface touching his cheek was noticeably cooler than before.

Just then, Haban suddenly rose from the tub. Splash! The water rushed out and spilled over the sides.

‘I-I didn’t see anything! Nothing at all!’

Dori instinctively shut his eyes and leaned his head against the tub’s edge. Haban had stood up right in front of him—what could he not have seen?

‘Wh-Why is that standing up like that?!’

The image of something rising sharply burned behind his closed eyelids. He was so shocked his heart ached.

After Haban stepped out first, Dori opened his eyes, pretending he’d been asleep, and tried to rise.

Or tried to.

“Stay there.”

From behind the tub, Haban pressed Dori’s head down.

Dori had thought there was only an empty bucket nearby, but there lay a neatly folded robe. Haban picked up the long robe, wrapped it around his waist, then approached with another one.

“It’ll be cold coming out without anything on. And since the water has cooled, you might catch a cold.”

As Haban reached out, signaling him to rise, Dori instinctively recoiled.

“If you refuse, you’ll have to come out naked. Not that I’d mind the view.”

…That seems even more dangerous.

Dori stood up while curling his body as tightly as he could. There was nothing to cover his front, and turning around would expose his rear.

Twisting his body sideways, he reached out, and Haban draped the robe over his shoulders without expression.

While Dori wrung the water from his hair and dried his back and shoulders, Haban fetched another piece to wrap around his waist. It was surprisingly considerate for someone who had earlier stood there aroused like a beast from the original story.

But when Haban’s arm slipped behind his knees, Dori jumped in fright. He almost revealed his ears and tail!

“Put me down. I-I can walk!”

He might’ve tolerated it in fox form, but being carried in human form made him break out in a cold sweat.

“If you keep wriggling like that, the cloth will slip off.”

At Haban’s words, Dori noticed the robe had indeed crept up from his waist to his thighs. Any further, and it would’ve revealed everything.

“If you don’t want to fall into the tub, stay still.”

Just as he was considering transforming into a fox and escaping, Haban’s cold voice rang in his ear.

In the end, Dori was seated on the bed without his feet ever touching the floor. He scooted back on his butt until he was at least one cushion’s width away from Haban, and finally felt relieved.

Gathering his small blanket and cushion, Dori wrapped himself up and unconsciously licked his lips.

“For now, it’s late. Lie down.”

Haban untied the curtain, which had been drawn because of the heat, and concealed Dori from view.

“Are you there?”

Summoned by the Emperor, the court attendants entered carrying new bedding.

It wasn’t fox-sized but large enough for two people. When they left and turned off the lights, darkness fell over the room.

Naturally, Dori thought Haban would leave, but he was shocked when Haban lay down beside him.

“…This is my room.”

“It’s my palace too.”

Well, that was true.

After a brief protest, Dori had no choice but to curl up by the wall, wrapped tightly in his blanket.

‘I mustn’t fall… asleep.’

He fought the oncoming drowsiness several times, but despite his emotional guard, his body sank into the soft bedding and began to relax.

He had been on edge for days, dreaming of escape, cutting his sleep short each night. On top of that, he had soaked in hot water for too long.

In the end, Dori began nodding off—and just then, a firm arm slid around his waist and pulled him in. Already drifting into sleep, Dori collapsed limply into the embrace.

‘I must summon the royal physician at once.’

Just brushing that soft skin made heat rise.

As Haban shifted and shared the blanket, Dori’s head naturally rested against the junction of his chest and arm. It was a habit from when he was a fox.

Gazing at him, Haban finally looked up at the ceiling. It had been a long time since he lay beside Dori, not as a fox.

After a while, Haban quietly asked,

“…What is your name?”

“…Mm?”

Perhaps it was the sleepiness, or the comfort of the bed.

“Your name.”

“…Dori.”

As if all his wariness had meant nothing, Dori mumbled it, barely audible.

“I see. I’m Haban.”

With his precious one in his arms, Haban closed his eyes in silence.