Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

Cold...

After emerging from the seawater, Richard clutched his soaked cloak around himself and trudged through snowdrifts that swallowed his feet with every step.

I’m freezing to death...

His entire body was trembling violently. It was no exaggeration; he truly felt as though he might freeze to death.

Richard pulled his wet cloak even tighter around himself.

In such cold, it might sometimes be better to remove wet clothing. However, a blizzard had begun raging only moments ago.

Wet or not, taking off his clothes now would be even more dangerous.

Damn you, Cailus...

Richard gritted his chattering teeth.

Why did he have to suffer like this again? It was all because of that bastard.

All he had needed to do was retrieve the Basvalrica fruit safely and leave the North, but that son of a bitch had pointlessly abducted him.

I’ll kill you... I’ll kill you...

Imagining how many times he would snap that bastard’s neck, Richard pushed through the gaps between the snow-laden trees. The snow piled upon their branches fell to the ground with a soft thud.

How long had he been walking?

"..."

A spark of hope lit Richard’s lake-blue eyes.

A cave.

Beyond the snow-covered forest, he could see a small cave.

I’m saved!

Richard pushed through the blizzard blowing directly against him and hurried toward the cave.

Although the sun had set, now that he had found shelter, he could endure the night. If he stayed inside the cave until morning, found the Basvalrica fruit again, and left the North, he would be fine.

Richard ducked through the cave entrance.

There wasn’t so much as a single ordinary monster inside the pitch-black cave. Enclosed and sheltered, it was warm—a stark contrast to the biting blizzard raging outside.

"Haaah..."

With a sigh of relief, Richard leaned against the cave wall.

But only for a moment. He soon moved again and went back outside.

I need a fire.

Everything else was fine, but the cave was far too dark.

He needed a fire to illuminate the interior.

He searched the area around the cave and gathered the necessary materials. When he returned, his arms were full of branches, bark, and dry grass.

First...

After setting the materials down on one side of the cave floor, Richard picked up the broadest piece of wood.

Creak, squeak—

He drew the dagger strapped to his thigh and carved a small groove into the center of the wooden plank. Then he quickly used the dagger to scrape out a long channel beside the groove.

Next, he picked up a dry branch.

He placed its tip in the groove and clasped both hands around it.

Richard began rapidly rubbing the branch between his palms.

Wood dust began accumulating in the channel he had carved with the dagger. Rotating under constant speed and pressure, the branch began to grow hot.

And finally—

Fwoosh!

A tiny spark caught.

Got it!

His lake-blue eyes widened. Before the spark could die, he hurriedly transferred it to the pile of dry grass and branches beside him.

Whoosh!

The dry grass and branches caught fire, and the flames grew.

Only then did Richard settle comfortably against the cave wall.

The flames blazing before him were warm. His entire body seemed to melt, making him wonder how he had ever felt so cold.

First, I need to dry my clothes.

Richard gently closed his eyes. He intended to remain there until his clothes had dried.

How much time passed?

Ah.

Every trace of seawater was gone, and his cloak, shirt, and trousers were completely dry, looking as good as new.

Well, then...

Richard groaned as he rose.

I should scout the area.

It would be dangerous if there were ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a monster habitat nearby. It was troublesome, but he needed to check at least once.

Ugh!

The moment he stepped out of the cave, a biting, knife-like wind greeted him.

The blizzard had grown even fiercer, making it difficult to keep his eyes open. However, since he had been warming himself until only moments ago, it was more bearable than he had expected.

I don’t see any monsters, though...

Pushing through the snow-covered trees, Richard surveyed his surroundings.

He had nearly completed a circuit around the cave, with only the western side left to inspect. Yet he had not seen a single monster, nor even so much as a trace of monster fur.

I only need to check the west side now.

Just as Richard turned his head in the other direction...

Huh?

Beyond the trees, he saw a human-shaped figure.

No, it was a person.

Who is it?

Richard narrowed his eyes and cautiously approached.

Rustle—

He tried to conceal his presence, but his clothes brushed against the surrounding leaves, making a sound.

Richard took two steps, then three, moving carefully toward the person.

Ah.

Before long, he recognized him.

The tall man who had abruptly stopped walking. The black cloak draped over his shoulders. The black hair fluttering in the fierce wind. Eyes as red as blood.

Cailus.

Richard ground his molars together.

It was that damned Cailus le Regnantia.

"..."

Perhaps Cailus had also sensed his presence, because he stopped walking and stood motionless.

Richard raised one corner of his mouth and crept toward him.

They said enemies were destined to meet on a narrow bridge. It seemed they were destined to encounter each other even in this blizzard.

Crunch—

He saw Cailus’s back stiffen sharply.

He must have realized that someone was directly behind him.

Before Cailus could turn around, Richard quickly reached out and seized his left shoulder.

Richard smiled brightly, as though delighted to see him.

"Fancy meeting you here, you bastard."

"...!"

Cailus turned to look at him, his face turning pale.

His crimson eyes trembled as though he had seen a ghost.

"You were... alive?"

Richard answered without losing his smile.

"Of course. As you can see."

"..."

"Even though I nearly drowned because of someone."

He made no attempt to hide his sarcasm.

"..."

Cailus’s expression stiffened even further.

Richard chuckled softly at the sight.

"Ah, right. Even after I barely escaped the sea, I nearly died again. Hahaha. I almost froze to death in the blizzard."

"..."

"But as you can see, I’m alive and well."

"..."

"Why that look? Were you hoping I’d died?"

"..."

Cailus said nothing. He stared at Richard for a long time with an unreadable expression.

Only after some time had passed did he finally open his tightly closed mouth.

"I had no intention of killing you."

Richard answered with a beaming smile.

"Hahaha, how amusing. Is that any different from stabbing me without a blade?"

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not.

"..."

As though he had no rebuttal, Cailus closed his mouth again.

A frigid silence settled between them.

But only for a moment.

"Young Master Friedrich. But..."

As though he had finally noticed something strange about their conversation, Cailus raised one eyebrow slightly.

"What is it, bastard?"

"Why have you..."

His voice trembled faintly, as though the absurdity had only just occurred to him.

"Why have you been addressing me so casually this entire time?"

Richard did not answer.

So what?

Instead, he merely gave Cailus a brilliant smile.

Richard could no longer find any reason to curry favor with Cailus. There was no need to speak respectfully to someone he wanted to kill on the spot, much less whisper sweet words to him.

After all, his hatred had already been exposed.

"...?"

Confusion flashed through Cailus’s crimson eyes.

Without ever answering the question, Richard smoothly changed the subject.

"Anyway, if you have no further business here..."

That was when it happened.

Crunch—

The sound of someone stepping on snow rang clearly from somewhere nearby.

"...!"

Cailus urgently surveyed their surroundings. He quickly drew a dagger from beneath his black cloak.

"Is it a monster?"

Richard folded his arms and looked at him.

"Who knows..."

"Young Master Friedrich!"

Cailus’s crimson eyes suddenly shifted past Richard.

"Behind you!"

Richard slowly turned around.

Ah.

A round lump of ice, less than half his height, was staring intently at him.

"Be careful! Even if it looks small, it’s still a monster—"

Just as Cailus hurriedly moved to draw his sword...

"Ah. How cute."

Richard beamed and approached the lump of ice.

He knelt on one knee and met its gaze. Then he reached out and began patting it on the head.

"...?"

Cailus’s expression stiffened sharply.

"What’s your name? Hmm? Do you like me?"

Without a hint of wariness on his face, Richard even picked up the cold lump of ice with both hands before setting it down again.

"Young Master Friedrich."

Cailus’s bewildered voice reached him.

Ignoring him, Richard continued smiling brightly at the lump of ice, which was as large as a wine barrel.

"I like you too."

He extended his other hand toward it.

"Young Master Friedrich!"

Cailus’s voice, coming from several steps behind him, grew more urgent.

"Why do you keep calling me?"

Richard frowned irritably and looked back at Cailus.

"Young Master Friedrich."

"What?"

"It’s eating your hand..."

Cailus spoke without moving, his entire body rigid.

Richard nonchalantly looked down at his hand.

The lump of ice had Richard’s left hand in its mouth and was chewing on it.

Munch, munch.

"Ah, it’s fine."

It’s only draining the cold, he thought as he patted the creature’s head with his free hand.

The monster’s name was Eisen.

However, Richard sometimes called it "Ice Roundy" instead of Eisen.

Because it was round and cute, of course!

This monster was the least dangerous creature in the North.

Unlike other monsters, which attacked humans on sight, Eisen merely clung to people and sucked away their cold energy. It wasn’t even the slightest bit dangerous.

And above all... wasn’t it cute?

Richard stroked Eisen’s cold head and giggled.

"Ah, you really are adorable."

Seeing it again after so long made it seem even cuter.

"...?"

Cailus’s bewildered gaze remained fixed on the back of Richard’s head.

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