The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 914: Tightropes and Trenches

As always, it was like playing with fire.

Ever so prickly, intense, yet coy. Such was Eden. Soft lips, inviting tongue, and compelling moans. Kissing this woman was always like walking on a tightrope—a desperate attempt at staying in line, only to crash and burn after the inevitable fall.

She had to be a witch.

Had to be.

At the same time, Curtis had to be the certified idiot who would allow himself to be bewitched. Again. And again.

Obviously, he was that stupid.

They separated.

Mouths parting as if hesitantly.

But before their heads could turn toward the intruding footsteps, Eden’s thumb brushed up to Curtis’s lips, wiping away the lingering traces of her mouth with a slow, deliberate motion.

His eyes widened.

And he was certain the corner of her mouth shifted upward ever so slightly.

Clearly, being next to this woman was really not good for his health.

But at this point, being surrounded by new eyesores was not good for his life, either.

Between a rock and a hard place, there really weren’t a lot of choices. And yet, in his case, he couldn’t even take a pick.

What followed felt like the start of a crisis.

"Curtis?"

The voice grated in his ears.

It was a voice that had once been too familiar. A voice that should have reminded him of good things and youthful memories. But right now, it reminded him of all those files Eden had thrown at his face when he cornered her about using and seducing him to gain access to her brother’s case.

Ah, yes.

There had been that moment a few years ago when Eden first returned after disappearing like the wind.

It had been a pivotal turning point in their relationship. And it had largely been thanks to the unspeakable entity that was now calling his name.

"Curtis? You’re definitely Curtis, right?" Tavian asked again, this time sounding excited, like this was some reunion he had been looking forward to.

Before the Deputy Officer could turn around to return the greeting, a trembling finger hooked into the waistband of his pants.

Curtis closed his eyes.

He counted three to one.

Fine.

This better be the last time.

He turned with an expression of practiced professionalism, but made sure to make a show of tightening his hold on Eden’s waist.

"...Yes?"

"Curtis! It’s me. Tavian!"

You don’t say.

At this point, it would have been better to keep a tally of just how many times he would feel the need to say such a thing.

The Deputy, currently exercising the patience of a saint, wanted to voice his thoughts but instead let his gaze travel over the face before him, as if searching his memory.

"Tavian?" he said at last. "It’s been a long time."

Talk about awkward.

Curtis’s gaze slid to the side, just in time for Tavian to blurt out, "Oh. My bad. I was so excited and forgot. I came here with Celine today."

As expected of Tavian’s shamelessness and survival instincts, he smiled through something that would have made many people uncomfortable before hurriedly diverting the topic to save his own life.

"I see you came here with someone, too? Who’s the lucky lady?"

"It’s been so long, we really need—"

He didn’t get to finish.

"Tavian. Long time no see."

There was a momentary pause.

Celine, who had largely been ignored at Tavian’s side, let out a small, strangled sound.

And then Curtis witnessed it.

Tavian’s pupils dilated the instant he recognized the source of the familiar voice.

"E-Eden?"

He blinked. Twice even.

With a hastily recovered facade, he smiled and said in a tone that definitely didn’t sit right with Curtis, "Wow. We really have a lot to catch up on."

Curtis already hated it.

To think they were just starting.

__

But he wasn’t alone.

If Deputy Officer Curtis was starting to hate what was to come, Celine Ardrath started to hate everything the very moment she caught sight of a familiar silhouette.

Well, the first instance, her heart actually raced.

The familiar back.

Broad shoulders outlined cleanly beneath the cut of his top. The way the fabric stretched faintly across his upper back when he shifted. Even without seeing it from where she stood, she could definitely remember the long lines of his arms. He was the kind of wall anyone would like to lean against.

It was impossible to forget how she longed to be wrapped in his embrace. How she had imagined the warmth of him, the way his presence alone would ignite everything in her.

Even the memory of his scent lingered in her mind. Clean. Sharp. Undeniably male. Undeniably Curtis.

A scent that was very much unlike Tavian’s.

Tavian had been good enough. There was definitely a moment he might have been a catch.

But standing there now, watching the back of a high-ranking officer she had not seen in so very long, Tavian suddenly felt like a clown by comparison.

Ugh.

Celine couldn’t help but think. It would definitely be very difficult considering the past.

But as a beautiful woman still in her prime, and with Curtis being the sought-after bachelor that he was, it certainly wouldn’t be impossible.

Celine’s green eyes actually shone as she began to approach.

She didn’t even bother matching Tavian’s steps.

Her pace slowed just enough to seem deliberate. Her posture straightened. Her hair swayed as she put a little more effort into each step.

That was when she faltered.

"!!!"

Because she finally saw what Curtis had been busy with.

Still, that alone was nothing compared to what followed.

Celine failed to control herself the moment she realized who he was with.

Of all people, did it really have to be Eden?

More importantly, how could it be her?

Celine had made sure to dig a trench so deep between the two of them that they shouldn’t have been able to look at each other the same way they used to.

And yet here they were.

What was this?

She swallowed the scoff that threatened to rise to her lips as she took in the way Eden’s hand rested so familiarly at Curtis’s waist.

But she nearly lost her composure altogether when the towering figure of Curtis lowered himself to the floor, kneeling in front of Eden to tie the laces of her boots.

Celine felt her blood boil.

Her teeth ground together as she watched Eden’s fingers trail through Curtis’s hair while he knelt before her.

This couldn’t possibly be real!