Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

"I greet the Small Sun of the Empire."

"We greet the Small Sun of the Empire!"

The nobles hurriedly bowed.

But even as they did, they could not tear their eyes away from Cailus—or rather, from the enormous monster behind him.

A Dragon.

Wow. It's a Dragon.

Even its scales were snow-white.

It was undoubtedly an Ice Dragon, said to inhabit only the north.

Did he catch a Dragon as a birthday gift?

As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince...

The nobles began whispering among themselves.

"..."

Ignoring them, Cailus stepped forward, his face expressionless.

Red bloodstains dotted the carpet beneath his feet.

"I greet Your Majesty the Emperor."

Cailus stopped at the foot of the stairs and bowed to the Emperor.

"Cailus."

The Emperor's face hardened.

"What is the meaning of this insolence?"

"My apologies, Your Majesty."

Cailus glanced at his blood-soaked attire and bowed his head once more.

"I thought I would be late if I did not come directly..."

"Where have you been to return in such a state?"

"..."

Cailus fell silent for a moment.

Was it an illusion, or had his gaze briefly turned toward Richard?

"I was in the north," Cailus said through gritted teeth.

"The north?"

"I had business there. I apologize once again for my discourtesy. And..."

The two knights who had followed him pulled on the iron chains with all their might. The Dragon's massive corpse was dragged to the foot of the stairs.

"It is a gift to commemorate your birthday. It is nothing much, but I would be pleased if you accepted it."

In the middle of the Banquet Hall, the Dragon's gleaming scales asserted their presence.

Nothing much?

A Dragon?

The nobles' jaws dropped.

The Dragon's eyes alone would be worth millions of Gold Coins for the pair, while a single scale would fetch a thousand gold. Its value was truly astronomical.

Unlike the astonished nobles, Raios did not even bat an eye.

"Very well. I shall accept the gift."

His voice was cold and low.

"Take it away."

With that command, the Emperor did not spare the Dragon another glance.

"..."

Cailus likewise showed no particular reaction.

"..."

"..."

For a moment, a frigid silence engulfed the Banquet Hall.

But only for a moment. Soon, people began speaking one after another, trying to lighten the atmosphere again.

"What a magnificent Dragon."

"Indeed."

Talinus was no exception.

"So, Young Lord Friedrich. Will you become my friend—"

Just as he brought up the matter of friendship again—

"..."

Cailus began approaching from across the hall.

"..."

His crimson eyes were fixed directly on Richard.

As though he might kill him at any moment.

"..."

Richard recalled what had happened in the north.

See you in the capital, dear.

Right. That.

"Young Lord Friedrich."

Now standing before Richard, Cailus spoke in a chilling voice.

"Let's have a little talk."

"..."

His crimson eyes burned colder than ever.

"Your Highness, I..."

Just as Richard was considering how to slip away—

"Brother, Young Lord Friedrich was speaking with me first."

Talinus stepped between Richard and Cailus with a pleasant smile.

"...?"

Richard blinked.

Talinus winked at him.

"..."

Cailus's eyebrow twitched.

"It's an important matter."

"I also have an important matter to discuss with Young Lord Friedrich."

Talinus retorted with equal brazenness.

"..."

Caught between them, Richard smiled awkwardly.

Goddammit.

One of them recently stabbed me in the back, and the other is suddenly insisting that we become friends.

Either choice is the worst.

"I-I..."

After a fierce internal struggle, Richard looked at Daphne.

"...was going to speak with Lady Daphne..."

Just as he stealthily tried to slip over to Daphne's side—

"You have something to say to me."

His face icy, Cailus stepped closer to Richard.

Richard smiled and took a step back.

"No, I have nothing to—"

"That's unfortunate."

Yank!

Cailus seized his wrist.

"What are you doing?!"

"I have quite a lot to say."

He roughly pulled Richard by the wrist and strode across the Banquet Hall.

"Wait, let go!"

"..."

Cailus ignored him.

Instead, he dragged him along even more roughly.

Swing!

With his free hand, Cailus flung open the terrace door.

And just like that, the two of them disappeared onto the terrace.

"Goodness..."

"As expected of those two..."

Back in the Banquet Hall, the nobles covered their mouths and began to whisper.

"What kind of conversation could they be having?"

"Could it be... a proposal?"

A young lady clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

"Oh, come now. Surely not a proposal?"

"But if it isn't a proposal, why would they need to speak alone?"

"It's only natural to want to be alone together when you're in love!"

The nobles began voicing all manner of speculation about Cailus and Richard.

"Honestly, I'm rooting for them."

The young lady who had first mentioned a proposal lowered her voice.

"They're both handsome, aren't they? Since neither of them could ever be mine anyway, wouldn't it be better if they got along?"

"W-Well, perhaps..."

Some of the young ladies hesitated, then nodded.

"Come to think of it, Lady Beatus has connections with both of them, doesn't she?"

One young lady sidled up to Daphne and asked,

"Do you perhaps know something, My Lady?"

Another young lady furtively joined in, unable to contain her curiosity.

"That's right. Do you know how they ended up in such a relationship?"

"..."

Daphne stroked her cheek as she gazed toward the terrace door through which the two had disappeared.

"Hmm. Well..."

Her serene jade-green eyes sank as though dissolving into a deep abyss, deathly still.

"I don't really know."

A cool breeze seeped through the crack beneath the terrace door.

Bang!

As soon as they stepped onto the terrace, Cailus grabbed Richard by both wrists and shoved him against the wall.

"You've been up to some interesting antics."

"..."

He glared at Richard coldly.

"You even stole the fruit and ran away."

"..."

Pinned against the cold wall with both arms raised, Richard trembled slightly as the corner of his mouth curled upward.

"Stole it... you say."

"..."

"No matter how crooked your mouth is, you should speak straight."

A twisted light gleamed in his watery blue eyes.

"You're the one who stole it. It was mine in the first place."

"Hah."

Cailus laughed coldly.

"So you've decided to stop hiding it?"

His grip on Richard's wrists tightened.

"..."

Richard's wrists trembled violently.

"The fact that you hate me."

"Well... perhaps."

Richard shrugged with a sneer.

"At the very least... when it's just the two of us, there's no reason to hide it, is there?"

"Hah. Right. So that's how it is."

Cailus's expression twisted.

"Do you have any idea what I could do to you right now? Yet you still dare run your mouth so carelessly."

"What are you going to do?"

Richard looked up at Cailus and smirked provocatively.

"Are you going to violate me?"

He closed his eyes leisurely, as though daring Cailus to try.

"Do it."

"Hah."

Go ahead and try, Richard thought, deliberately provoking him.

After all, Cailus le Regnantia cannot do it.

Unless he's lost his mind, what could he possibly do?

He doesn't like men any more than I do—

That was when it happened.

"Well, if you want it that badly."

Grind—

The sound of teeth grinding echoed beside his ear.

And then—

"...!"

Both of Richard's wrists were seized and yanked forward with startling speed.

His balance gave way in an instant.

He hurriedly tried to step back, but before he could, Cailus threw him against the railing with tremendous force.

As his chest struck the rough marble, a chilling sensation ran down his spine.

His breath caught in his throat, and a startled cry escaped him.

"W-Wait!"

Then Cailus's low, mocking voice scraped across his skin from directly behind him.

"Why are you so flustered?"

A shadow loomed over Richard's head as Cailus pressed close behind him.

"You're the one who told me to do it."

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