Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are Are So Dangerous! [BL]-Chapter 212: The Mark of Loyalty

Surely even someone as much of a masochist as Ragar wouldn’t actually be eager for this... right?

But in any case, this was what Ragar wanted.

Rocco quickly stood up, gripping the branding iron tightly, and took a deep breath.

Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale... Ugh, this is terrifying.

Ragar must be the most scared, but Rocco was also absolutely terrified.

"W-what do I do? My hands are shaking from fear!" ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"Master, focus! If your hand shakes, the brand will get messed up! If you’re gonna do it, do it cleanly!"

"I know that! But my hands won’t stop shaking!"

Tearing up at Georgio’s words of encouragement, Rocco forced himself to grip the iron more firmly.

Come on, he had to pull himself together. Ragar was the one who would experience the most pain, so Rocco had no right to cry!

"R-Ragar! I-I’m gonna do it! I really am! Are you sure? I’m really gonna do it!"

"Yes. Please, do it."

Unlike Rocco, who was on the verge of tears and trembling, Ragar simply exposed his shoulder, completely composed.

Seeing the faint scar from a previous brand on Ragar’s well-built shoulder made Rocco panic even more.

I have to press it here...

Wait, first, he needed to visualize it.

Press down, then pull away quickly!

Yes, that was the plan.

"Press down, then pull away. Press down, then pull away."

"Master, get a grip! Your hands are still shaking like crazy!"

Muttering the sequence to himself, Rocco took another deep breath before looking up.

Okay.

He was ready.

He could do this.

He had to do this.

Here goes nothing!

"Ragar! If you’re scared, just close your eyes! And you can punch me as much as you want later!"

Tears streaming down his face, Rocco mustered up all his courage and thrust the branding iron forward.

The moment the hot metal made contact with Ragar’s shoulder, a distinct sizzle filled the air.

A sharp jolt ran through Rocco’s body at the sound.

Goosebumps erupted all over him as panic took over.

He instinctively yanked his hand away.

His grip weakened, and the branding iron slipped from his grasp—only for Georgio to swoop in with a perfect catch.

Meanwhile, Rocco who is now completely drained, collapsed onto the floor, his face turned pale.

"A-ah... R-Ragar... Raaagar...!"

His legs had lost all strength, leaving him unable to stand up.

Instead, he crawled on all fours toward Ragar, dragging his legs behind him.

Tears streaming down his cheeks, he reached out a trembling hand, stopping just before touching Ragar’s shoulder—still radiating heat and pain.

He peered at the branded mark, his breath unsteady.

"...! I-it hurts... It definitely hurts...!"

"Master. I am used to the pain of branding, so this is nothing. Ah... so please, don’t cry..."

Rocco’s eyes filled with even more tears as he looked at Ragar’s burned and swollen shoulder, the skin blackened and raw.

Of course, it hurt.

And he was the one who did it.

He was the one who pressed the branding iron against Ragar’s shoulder.

He was the one who left this painful mark.

Yet, despite it all, Ragar wrapped an arm around Rocco, holding him close.

Even moving his arm should have been excruciating, but his face remained completely neutral, as if it were nothing.

He hadn’t even flinched when the iron touched his skin.

Just how much pain could Ragar endure?

Rocco clung to him in return, rubbing his cheek against Ragar’s as if to offer even the slightest comfort.

He patted Ragar’s back gently.

Yeah, yeah, I’m being super cool right now, comforting him like this.

"Uuu... R-Ragar... Ragaaar..."

"Master. You did very well. You were brave. You have taken another step toward adulthood."

"Ragar! I worked so hard! I tried so, so hard!!"

"Yes, you did. Good job."

Ragar’s large hand patted Rocco’s head and back with gentle reassurance.

Then, a familiar, exasperated voice cut through the moment.

"Uh... isn’t this kind of backward? It’s like Master was the one who suffered through the branding..."

Well... to be fair, he had worked hard...

But ignoring Georgio’s comment, Rocco melted into Ragar’s comforting pats, completely indulging in them.

"Ugh... uuu... waaaaah!!"

"...Why is Rocco the one crying?"

Tears poured down his face.

Snot dripped from his nose.

Just as Rocco was wailing his heart out, the door suddenly swung open.

Sylas entered the room, with Philip standing behind him.

Sylas’s eyes landed on Rocco who is curled up in Ragar’s arms, being cradled and patted as if he were the one in distress.

His expression twisted in sheer confusion as he turned to Georgio.

"Hey. Why is Rocco crying? Did something painful happen to him? I heard you were performing a servitude contract."

"Nope! The one in pain is Ragar. Master’s just crying because he feels bad for hurting him. And now Ragar’s desperately trying to comfort him."

"...Shouldn’t that be the other way around?" Philip muttered.

What kind of bizarre conversation were they having so soon after barging into the room?

Rocco wiped his tears and turned around, sniffling.

"Big brother, did you need something? As you can see, I’m very busy right now."

"You’re busy, you say. Have you not finished the contract yet? Perhaps we should return later."

"The contract is done. It’s just my tears that are keeping things busy."

Philip responded immediately with an unimpressed, "So it’s already over, huh?"

Rocco finally pulled himself away from Ragar’s lap and stood up with a small grunt.

Peering at Ragar’s shoulder again, he noted that the grotesqueness had faded slightly.

Good.

At least, until the doctor arrived—whom he had instructed a servant to summon earlier—Ragar needed to stay still and rest.

Just as Ragar tried to move as well, Rocco quickly stopped him.

"You stay put and rest."

After ensuring Georgio would keep an eye on Ragar, Rocco trotted over to Sylas.

"Big brother, I kept you waiting!"

"Ah. It’s done, then. You used the branding iron—what about burns?"

"I’m fine!"

Rocco held up his palms with a cheerful pat!