The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]

Chapter 1015: The Look

They were taking too long.

It was an unfortunate situation, but it was exactly what led a certain adjutant and his boss to start moving on their own.

In the first place, they shouldn’t have allowed those two to go off by themselves.

But because the Imperial Crown Prince’s true identity hadn’t been made public yet, the general consensus remained the same.

Kyle Nox, as the son of the Minister, was the most politically entangled member of DG.

So the moment the guests were given the chance to mingle, everyone with even a bit of sense in them beelined straight for the poor adjutant, all eager to establish connections with DG.

And it was precisely at that moment that the twin tornadoes decided to happily expedite their way into giving someone else a heart attack.

They had said they wouldn’t take long.

But for those who felt more at ease when they could keep their partners within sight, there was no way the Imperial Crown Prince and his adjutant would remain calm with this much silence.

So even before Sid could finish saying, "Master—" in concern, Xavier and Kyle were already walking in the direction they had last seen the two disappear.

Well, sure enough, the trek to the restroom shouldn’t have taken long.

However, for those two, it was not only because they knew the Imperial Palace like the back of their hands, but because they walked faster than normal out of clear urgency.

Only when they got close enough to sense other presences did it become clear that the sworn brothers weren’t alone.

If not for his past experience of being caught in the most awkward situations as the main participant, Xavier might have reacted the same way Kyle did.

Because the adjutant found himself hesitating.

Should they announce their presence?

Or should they just wait it out?

While it would have been proper to make themselves known, it also seemed more polite not to interrupt. One of the noble ladies was clearly in the middle of sharing something deeply personal.

And not just anything, but the story of a romantic relationship that failed to work out.

Interrupting that would be rude.

Worse, it might unsettle her to know someone else had overheard.

Even though they were usually detached from high-society socialization, they had both been raised to understand the importance of giving face, especially in moments like this.

See, it was painfully obvious that whatever was being discussed had everything to do with the very people they had been looking for.

With how they trembled like blades of grass while listening with rapt attention and an odd dosage of anxiety, it was impossible not to link everything together.

Kyle just needed context.

He simply needed to understand why his little star and the newest terror of the Empire looked like that.

So he listened.

And soon enough, he got his answer.

"If before, the problem was restraining yourselves from overindulging in being overly intimate, then when a relationship starts to fizzle out..."

"There would be far less spontaneous affection," the lady continued. "Fewer kisses, and almost no more... nighttime adventures."

"!"

Ah.

That explained it.

Kyle slowly turned his head to glance at his boss.

Because, quite frankly, it would be impossible for Xavier’s affection for Luca to fizzle out.

And while it sounded like he was praising him as the romantic of the century, that wasn’t actually the case. Kyle was simply taking into account his friend’s personality.

The Prince was the most consistent person he knew.

He didn’t just have built-in blinders when it came to Luca. While their guild leader saw his husband as gentle, extremely understanding, and respectful of boundaries, Xavier was actually the type who latched on and never let go.

Once he committed, that was it.

There was no backing out.

No wavering.

It was the very reason why he only ever dedicated himself to a few things at a time.

He certainly multitasked and would don multiple hats at once when needed, but if asked about his level of investment in such matters, the Prince would simply chalk it up to a necessary task.

But not for things he was really neck deep in. For in the case of such things, once he had decided to take it on, quitting just wouldn’t be an option.

So what more, something that had already begun to mean more than his own life?

Honestly, it would be far more believable for someone to claim he had been cursed or possessed than for Xavier to suddenly say he had lost interest in his little wife.

Kyle had all these thoughts.

And for a moment, he believed this situation had nothing to do with him.

Until—

"Excuse me... I have this friend..."

Ollie’s extremely familiar voice cut in.

But unlike his usual jovial tone, he spoke hesitantly with the kind of softness that had his brows furrowing.

And from that alone, Kyle should have known.

He really should have known.

But in his moment of shock, the alarm bells only started ringing after the next words came out.

"Is there a problem when nothing has ever followed kissing...?"

"...!"

Yes.

There it was.

Sure enough, this had Kyle’s soul and dignity smeared all over it.

To think that his mop was only just getting started.

__

The ladies tried their absolute best to control their expressions.

They truly did.

But their hands still flew to their mouths, eyes widening as they struggled to hold back their reactions until they understood the full context.

"...Is there something wrong?" Ollie asked hesitantly, clearly catching on to their response.

"Ah—no!" one of them said quickly, shaking her head. "There’s nothing wrong at all."

"Yes, nothing," another added, nodding as she tried to steady herself. "But... could you tell us a bit more? Just so we can understand what you mean, my lord?"

"There’s definitely no problem with just kissing. In fact, in most relationships, that alone is already a big step."

The others nodded in agreement.

"So it’s not unusual," one reassured him, choosing her words carefully. "Your... friend is perfectly normal."

Ollie blinked.

"...Really?"

"Yes, really," they echoed softly.

They exchanged glances again.

Because now they all felt like they were walking a very delicate line.

A tightrope that just so happened to be a live wire, too.

Still, one of them raised her hand slightly, her face already flushed as she spoke.

"Well, kissing by itself is usually a precursor to the next step."

"...Next step?" Ollie repeated, still trying to follow.

See, it wasn’t like he wasn’t aware of what couples do, but how they get there seemed to be rather problematic for the likes of him, whose steps were all over the place.

How would he explain that they’d gone straight to sleeping in the same bed on a daily basis before kissing even began?

The blonde was conflicted, so he just watched as the young lady nodded, her voice lowering as if conspiratorially.

"Normally, the next stage is influenced by the type of kiss the couple has been initiating."

A faint pause followed before she continued.

"So there’s really no pressure. Whether it takes time or happens earlier in the relationship, what matters is that both people are comfortable with how things develop."

"And that there’s consent," another added quickly. "As long as both parties agree on the pace and level of intimacy, then it’s really just about timing."

One of the ladies nodded thoughtfully.

"After all, when you know, you know, right?"

The others murmured their agreement.

And then, almost without realizing it, they began elaborating.

Softly.

Carefully.

About the kind of kiss that would deepen.

About how certain moments would naturally lead to more.

About that noticeable shift in atmosphere.

"That look," one of them said under her breath.

"When everything feels too heated to ignore," another added.

"When you just know..."

Their voices overlapped quietly, filled with understanding that needed no explanation.

But for Ollie—

It might as well have been another language.

Huh?

The blonde stared at them, completely lost.

Because, as someone who had a boyfriend and someone who had read and watched more than he had read educational materials, shouldn’t he understand what they were talking about?

Then why didn’t he?

Panic crept in, slow but relentless.

Because the truth was, they hadn’t gone past kissing.

Not really.

So while he had read about these things, that was the full extent of his knowledge; the truth was that he had no hands-on experience.

For some reason, it suddenly felt like he was missing something important.

But what startled him even more—

Was when he turned to look at his good brother.

Eyes sparkling, coupled with an overly enthusiastic nod.

Could it be...?

"B-Brother, wait a minute," Ollie said, his voice rising just a little. "You understand what they mean?"

Luca froze.

Then turned red.

Completely.

"Well, brother," he said, fumbling slightly, "a little bit. See, my husband, when he—"

The ladies leaned in.

Subtly.

But noticeably.

At that moment, they wished for ten more ears each.

But before Luca could finish, Ollie quickly covered his mouth.

"No, wait!" he said, face just as red. "You can’t say it here!"

"Mmf—?!"

"But brother," Ollie pressed, clearly starting to panic, "this look they’re talking about. The one they keep mentioning. Do you really get it?"

Luca blinked.

Then, once the blonde let go, he answered honestly.

"Huh? Well...yes."

Ollie stiffened.

"But brother," Luca continued, still flustered, "my husband says it’s because I give him a particular look."

He pointed at himself for emphasis.

"WHAAAAT?!"

The steaming Mylor practically jumped.

Even his hair antenna reacted, bouncing along with the frantic motion of his arms.

Luca nodded.

But before anything else could spiral further, the ladies exchanged another look and stepped in gently.

"Well, my lord," one of them said, choosing her words carefully, "that’s because it goes both ways."

"...?"

"If your—err, your friend’s partner doesn’t see that look," she continued, "or any sign of readiness, then they might decide not to push for more just yet."

"They would likely wait for a better time. When both of yo—them are ready."

"!!!"

The explanation was simple, kind even.

It had clearly been said with the best intentions.

But for some reason—

It struck Ollie like a bolt of lightning.

Invisible, yet devastating.

And just like that, the normally bright lighthouse looked like he might collapse on the spot.