Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 103: ’The Plan’

Chapter 103: ’The Plan’

"Then... I shall go now and think of a plan for the test. I’ll let you know once it’s ready," Florian said, bowing his head deeply before turning on his heel to leave.

Heinz remained seated on his throne, his piercing crimson eyes following Florian’s every step. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, merely observed in silence, his expression unreadable.

But just as Florian reached the grand doors, he stopped. The sudden pause was subtle but deliberate, and Heinz’s gaze sharpened, his interest piqued.

Florian turned his head slightly, just enough for Heinz to catch the glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Your Majesty," he began carefully, his tone measured, "I’m just wondering... why not tell Lucius or Lancelot about the threat inside the palace as well? I’m sure they would be of help."

Heinz’s brows arched slightly, his arms unfolding as he leaned forward just a fraction.

’Oh? He’s actually asking about them?’ The thought flickered in his mind, laced with intrigue.

"It’s best to keep it between us," Heinz replied evenly, his voice calm but firm. "We do not know who the traitor might be. It could be anyone."

The explanation was reasonable, and Florian seemed to accept it with a slight nod. Still, Heinz knew it wasn’t the full truth. Not even close.

Florian bowed his head again and quietly exited the throne room, the doors closing behind him with a soft but resolute thud.

Once alone, Heinz let out a low sigh, his posture relaxing as he leaned back against the high, ornate backrest of his throne.

’Truthfully, I don’t believe it’s Lucius or Lancelot. The traitor’s plans were already in motion long before those two entangled themselves with Florian. Their loyalty to me remains intact, even if they’d gladly see me dead for what I did to him in our first life...’

His jaw tightened at the memory.

However.

Heinz couldn’t ignore the discomfort he felt in their presence.

’In their first life, I had granted them the freedom to do as they pleased with Florian, turning a blind eye to their obsessive affections. I hadn’t cared back then—not about Florian, nor about what Lucius and Lancelot did with him.’

But that freedom had consequences.

When Heinz ordered Florian’s execution, he would never forget the hatred in their eyes. Lancelot had thrown down his sword, resigning as the royal knight without a word. Lucius had stepped down from his role as the Diamond Palace’s head butler with the same cold finality. Both men had abandoned their posts, retreating to their noble titles with barely disguised contempt.

And now, in this second life, those memories lingered like shadows in Heinz’s mind.

I thought I was ready to face them again, but even now... He exhaled sharply, irritation creeping into his chest. ’They make me uncomfortable. Their devotion to Florian in that first life was... suffocating. Inexplicable. And I let it happen.’

The irony of it all made his head ache. Of everyone he could have turned to in this regression, the one person he had come to rely on was the very person he had despised the most.

Florian.

It grated on his nerves endlessly, yet he couldn’t deny it.

But as much as it annoyed him, Heinz had started to notice things—small things. This Florian wasn’t the same as before.

’The Florian of this life moved differently, carried himself differently. He didn’t cling, didn’t cry, didn’t demand Heinz’s attention like some desperate, pitiful child. In fact, he avoided Lucius and Lancelot entirely, a stark contrast to the Florian from before.’

At first, Heinz thought it might mean Florian had retained memories of their first lives, that he feared Heinz for what had happened. But no. This fear was different. And his behavior—it didn’t match the Florian Heinz had executed.

It was as though someone else was wearing his face.

Heinz’s lips thinned at the thought. Then he realized, this isn’t Florian. Someone else is inhabiting his body.

The question was... why?

And how?

Heinz didn’t have an answer. But the memory of the nameless god’s voice still echoed in his mind, the cryptic warning delivered before he awoke in the past.

"This time... be careful who you trust. Be careful who you hurt."

The words unsettled him, and not just because of their vagueness. Heinz was certain the god had orchestrated this second chance—but Florian, or whoever was inside his body, had to be part of the plan.

"I’m sure his purpose is to help me," Heinz muttered under his breath as he stood, his long coat flowing behind him as he strode toward the exit. His boots clicked against the marble floor, the sound steady and measured. "But I can’t help but wonder... who are you really?"

He paused for a moment, the moonlight filtering through the tall windows casting his sharp features into stark relief.

’He’s bolder. He doesn’t cling to me or cry. He’s no longer... pitiful. And strangely, I find myself... more at ease with this version of him.’

The thought unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Heinz’s mind wandered to the Florian of the past, and his expression darkened.

’The Florian from my first life...’ He frowned, his hands curling into fists. ’I couldn’t stand him. It wasn’t hatred. It was... discomfort. The way he looked at me, the way he followed me, desperate for even a shred of acknowledgment—it was... unnatural.’

His lips curled in faint disgust at the memory. ’And then, he went as far as to turn to him of all people. The audacity...’ Heinz shook his head sharply, dispelling the thought. ’No. That Florian is gone now. I don’t have to deal with him anymore. I only have to focus on the plan.’

Yet, a wry smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Fortunately, there’s one similarity between this version of Florian and the last one: they’re both utterly, undeniably dense.

Heinz’s expression darkened as he walked toward his office. "He seems more perceptive, but it’s clear he’s still clueless. This will work in my favor. After all..."

He paused, glancing out at the moonlit corridor one last time.

"This is something I must handle on my own."

With that, he strode into the darkness, his resolve solidifying with each step.