The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 909: Radioactive Proximity

Something shifted in Luca’s chest as he listened. Maybe it was the words. Maybe it was the way Xavier looked at him when he spoke. But for a moment, the little chipmunk, who had read a few more things here and there recently, thought he finally understood what people meant when they said that particular love language was how one naturally showed love, and how one wished to be loved in return. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Like a reflection, people often tried to love others in the first way they themselves understood love.

Luca had always felt secure after marrying his husband.

Because Xavier loved him this way.

Actually, he loved him in all ways possible. If there were bases to cover, his husband had likely touched on all of them. But now that Luca thought about it more carefully, they all somehow pointed to the same thing in the end. More accurately, it translated into something that felt extremely constant.

An overwhelming sense of security.

An unshakable reassurance.

Before Xavier ever said the words, he showed him through action. And now, every time he said he loved him, it felt less like something new and more like a confirmation of what Luca already felt every single day.

And what a wonderful feeling that was.

So perhaps, this was also the way Xavier wanted to be loved.

How lovely could his husband be?

A person this lovely ought to receive everything in the world.

So, as one could imagine, Luca didn’t hesitate.

He nodded firmly, golden eyes bright with resolve. Of course, he would agree. Of course, he would do his best to reassure Xavier, just as his husband so rarely ever made him worry.

But before anything else, he needed to apologize.

"I’m sorry," Luca said earnestly, hands tightening slightly where they rested. "I didn’t mean to worry you. Or anyone."

His voice was soft but sincere. "I didn’t really think about how strange it must have looked. Or how sudden it felt from the perspective of someone else."

Placing himself in his husband’s shoes, Luca realized it probably felt unnerving. While it had been his reality for who knows how long, he couldn’t possibly expect everyone else to understand right away.

It was a disconnect he needed to work with and a gap he needed to bridge.

For someone who had spent most of his life alone, relying only on himself, factoring in the reactions of loved ones in particular didn’t come naturally. That had never been his reality before coming here. Most of it entailed figuring out who would swing and when they would swing at him. He wouldn’t have thought about them worrying about whether he lived or died, so such a thing hadn’t really been natural. At least until recently, when he developed an instinct to keep everyone safe.

So how could he forget that others may want to do the same for him, especially now that there were people who deeply cared about him?

Clearly, this was his reality now.

"I’ll tell you next time," Luca promised quietly. "When I go somewhere unfamiliar. Or when I do something sudden. I’ll keep you posted when I can."

When possible, he would do it. He couldn’t particularly promise to get it right all the time because, like earlier, who would have known his consciousness would once again detach after a good while?

Even he didn’t expect such a thing to happen. But when possible, he’d try to find a way.

He lifted his head, determination clear in his golden eyes. "I want to do better."

Xavier exhaled slowly, tension finally easing from his shoulders. He leaned down slightly and murmured, "Thank you."

Then, even more quietly, he added, "And this way, you’ll most definitely get what you want to get."

Luca blinked. "Huh?"

"That’s the benefit of telling me," Xavier said, his voice low and fond. "Wouldn’t we be able to think of more ways to do things together? Faster, more efficiently, and maybe even with discounts?"

The words rang like a jackpot.

Luca gasped, utterly delighted and completely undone by the implication.

That was it.

That was the perfect sequence.

How could there possibly be a person more perfect than his husband?

The absolutely delighted little fox leaned in without thinking, hands sliding up as he moved to give his husband a well-earned prize.

Only—

"AHEM!"

The cough cut through the moment like someone’s life depended on it.

And as a matter of fact, it really did.

Because if this continued any longer, a certain Deputy Officer was about ninety-nine percent sure he would not survive it.

__

Curtis stood right in front of what had once been an entirely harmless booth, one that now felt more like a carefully disguised death trap.

Behind him was his sense of duty, firm and unyielding. Beside him was a ticking bomb who had come without glasses, and before him, to his poor and defenseless eyes, were beings that were most definitely radioactive.

Yes. Two of them.

In fact, they were on the verge of connecting in ways that no loyal vassal, under any circumstances, should ever have to witness.

This couldn’t possibly fall under any existing pay grade.

In such a case, perhaps only death and going under would be his true reprieve.

This moment marked today’s twentieth internal plea.

Twenty.

And once again, Deputy Officer Curtis found himself wondering what, exactly, he had done in his past life to deserve this?

__

It started this morning.

Who was he kidding? If he were being honest, it probably started around the time he was born. But going back through all such years would be impossible and maybe a bit traumatic, so it would be better to just recount today’s crisis.

So imagine how he had already twisted and turned with the thought that today was their first shot at visiting DG’s booth.

Of course, he would be going with a certain someone, and he hoped things wouldn’t go nuclear, and no one would be forced to go to jail or be sent to the mines.

But what do you know? Before the gamble could even proceed, he received messages that started with subtle inquiries about the whereabouts of certain people.

High-profile nobles.

The Chief of Staff.

The Minister.

And then, for the love of all that was holy, the Imperial Monarchs.

Now see, Curtis was definitely worried. But those were officials who had their own staff who should have known the answers to such questions.

How could he know where all those people were?

But then the Deputy, who was supposed to be on leave, encountered a momentous problem.

Just where was the Marshal?