It had been too big for Shiao Yi, so he had tied it up with a cord to make it fit. Dominic held the jacket tightly in his hands.
Shiao Yi had left wearing nothing on his upper body.
So he would come back. He had to. To get this jacket.
There was no real reason to believe it, but Dominic truly believed it.
He never imagined he would be so shaken, so caught up in someone else like this. It was something he had never felt before.
Dominic's family held the rank of viscount. Among the nobles, that was not considered very high.
His father had been a general and had shown great success in the last war. Because of his continued achievements, he was now a grand general. As a reward for his service, the king two generations ago had given his father the 7th Princess as a wife.
Princess Ashe was a stunning beauty. But she was not happy about marrying a viscount. After giving birth to their first son—Dominic—she felt she had done her duty. She abandoned even her newborn child and moved into another residence. She never returned to the main house again. There, she kept her favorite men and women around her, opened a salon, and continued to live a life of luxury.
His father also preferred the battlefield and rarely came home. He kept mistresses in different places on a whim, and Dominic ended up with many half-siblings from different mothers.
Dominic was raised in the mansion, he was taught by private tutors and sword instructors. After being recognized for his strong magical power, te mages came to train him as well. His father wanted Dominic to take over the family, but Dominic himself had no interest in it. He didn't want to get involved with a house full of jealousy and obsession.
Dominic had left home early and joined the knight order. He had no desire to return to the royal capital. Facing magical beasts in this fortress was much better for him.
People called him Dominic the Iron Knight. They said he pushed everyone away and cut them off without hesitation. But he wasn't trying to reject anyone. He simply had no interest in people. His heart didn't move for anyone.
And yet now—
He worried about Shiao Yi. He thought about Shiao Yi. Even now, anxiety was making his chest ache.
He couldn't hide how confused he felt by this racing heart.
Was this what it meant to feel something because he had found someone truly irreplaceable?
Time passed slowly.
Outside the fortress, the sky had started to turn pale.
And then—it happened suddenly. Without any warning.
Shiao Yi appeared in Dominic's room.
And he had brought an unfamiliar man with him.
...
"He's hurt. I need your help to treat him."
Shiao Yi said this quickly after he saw Dominic's surprised expression.
The man was unconscious and bleeding from the head. His leg also bent at an odd angle.
"You can treat him, right? Like you treated me when I was hurt?"
"How did this man get injured? Judging from his clothes, he looks like someone from Dalmasca Kingdom."
Dalmasca Kingdom was the neighboring country beyond the forest of magical beasts. It was a dangerous nation that always looked for chances to attack.
"Something strange is happening beyond the forest. We need to hear what he knows."
"You crossed the border and came back?"
Dominic raised his voice in surprise. Did Shiao Yi really cross that forest all by himself?
"I'm a teleporter. Traveling that kind of distance using teleportation isn't a big deal for me. Anyway, something bad is happening. Please, heal him quickly. We need to talk to him."
"I can't heal him."
This time, it was Shiao Yi who looked surprised. He narrowed his eyes in doubt.
"But you healed me, didn't you? I was dying, and you brought me back in an instant."
Dominic looked at Shiao Yi's left shoulder. The wound was already closing up, but it hadn't been there before he disappeared.
"I can't heal just anyone. My magic isn't good for healing others. You're the only one I can heal, Shiao. They say it's because our magic is compatible."
Then Dominic placed his hand on Shiao Yi's left shoulder. The heat immediately gathered in his palm.
"Shiao… You are my one and only."
When he pulled his hand away, Shiao Yi's shoulder was completely healed. Not even a scar remained.
Dominic stepped out of the room and called for a healing mage. Sayu and one of the subordinate mages arrived quickly and took the man away. They would question him as soon as he was well enough to speak.
When Dominic returned to the room, Shiao Yi was already putting his coat back on, the one he had tossed aside earlier. Now that his bare chest was covered again, Dominic felt a small, strange sense of disappointment.
"Dominic, haven't you gone to sleep yet?"
Shiao Yi turned around and asked.
"I was waiting for you. Now that I know you came back safely, I'll get some sleep. You should rest too."
"Where should I sleep?"
Shiao Yi looked around the room, clearly confused.
"There's only one bed in my rooom. So, we can sleep together. Anyway, It's big enough for both of us."
Shiao Yi looked at the bed like he didn't like the idea.
But when Dominic took off his armor and shirt and laid down, Shiao Yi climbed into bed too, as if he had given up on arguing.
"Dominic, I have a lot to report. After a little sleep, I'll tell you everything."
He must have been really tired. As soon as he lay down, Shiao Yi fell asleep right away.
...
I need to come back!
Shiao Yi moved to dodge without thinking.
It happened the exact moment he jumped.
Before his mind even understood the danger, his body had already escaped.
He returned to the original location.
"Ughhh—ahhhh!"
He screamed as pain exploded through him. He rolled on the ground, overwhelmed. Every cell in his body felt like it was being electrocuted from the inside. It felt like he was about to fall apart, completely come undone.