Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 123: ’Necessary?’

Chapter 123: ’Necessary?’

Florian’s heart hammered relentlessly against his ribs as he rushed through the dimly lit halls, each step echoing loudly in the oppressive silence. His breaths were sharp and uneven, like the air itself had turned against him.

The sound of his heartbeat filled his ears, a relentless drumbeat drowning out the faint clatter of servants and distant footfalls.

’What was he even thinking?!’ The thought screamed in his mind, now that he was alone. His teeth clenched as anger surged through him, burning alongside his worry. ’Stupid, Heinz. Stupid test. Stupid!’

He pushed himself to move faster, his legs straining as his stride turned into a half-run. The tension in his chest felt unbearable, like an iron fist squeezing the air from his lungs.

’Why would you do this, knowing the risks?!’ Florian’s mind roared again, the question stabbing into his thoughts as he turned a corner sharply. He nearly collided with a servant, who stumbled back with a startled apology before quickly retreating.

Florian barely noticed, his gaze fixed straight ahead as the faint, flickering light of the infirmary’s entrance came into view.

His breath hitched at the sight. It was close, painfully close, yet each step felt like it stretched the distance further. ’Please... please be okay.’ The words repeated in his mind, a desperate mantra as he broke into a full run.

The faint glow spilling from the infirmary’s doors seemed almost mocking, promising answers he wasn’t sure he was ready to face. ’Let me be wrong. Please.’

Reaching the doorway, Florian grabbed the wooden frame, his chest heaving as he struggled to steady his breathing. For a moment, he hesitated, dread curling in his stomach.

’What if...?’

No. He shook the thought away violently, pushing it back into the depths of his mind. There was no time for doubt. Gritting his teeth, he stepped inside.

"Oh? That’s a surprise. You’re here already, Florian."

The voice made him freeze.

’What... the actual fuck?’

It was Heinz. Heinz, sitting casually on one of the infirmary beds, his arms resting lazily on his knees. Standing beside him, with his usual calm indifference, was Lucius.

"You’re... okay?" Florian’s voice came out in disbelief as his eyes darted around the room. There was no sign of the doctor, no sense of urgency. The tension that had coiled in his chest shifted into something hotter, sharper.

"Mhm?" Heinz tilted his head, as if Florian’s question was unnecessary. "Have I not informed you?"

Florian felt his concern twist into irritation, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "What, exactly, did you not inform me of, Your Majesty?" he bit out through gritted teeth.

Heinz crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "First of all, where is Alexandria? Is she outside?"

Florian exhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to keep his tone even. "No. She insisted I come here to check on your condition. She’s still in the room, praying for you, but I told her to return to her quarters and not to inform anyone of the incident."

"Good job," Heinz said simply, his tone almost dismissive.

The praise, if it could even be called that, only made Florian’s irritation flare hotter. Lucius, ever observant, shot him a warning glance, his hand subtly gesturing for him to calm down.

"I wasn’t really poisoned," Heinz said after a moment, his tone so casual it felt like a slap. "It was all an act."

’Eh?!’

Florian’s eyes widened in disbelief. "An act? You... it looked so real."

Heinz shrugged, as though the explanation was hardly worth the effort. "It wasn’t. I don’t care to explain the details, but all you need to know is that I was never in danger."

Florian stared at him, his mind reeling. ’Is he serious?!’

"S-So Princess Alexandria didn’t do anything wrong? You just... pretended?"

Heinz gave another one of his maddening shrugs. "I didn’t bother checking if she prepared the tea correctly. It didn’t matter. Either way, I would’ve pretended to have been poisoned."

’What the actual fuck?’

Florian’s frustration spilled over. "Then what’s the point of the test if you were going to fake it and let her think she poisoned you?"

Heinz’s expression darkened slightly, a glint flashing in his eyes—a familiar, unsettling glint that Florian had come to associate with something far more dangerous than he wanted to admit.

"The point," Heinz said, his voice low and deliberate, "is to see how they react to me being poisoned."

"You’re joking," Florian said, his eyebrows furrowing deeply. "How is that even remotely necessary?!"

Lucius’s subtle gestures became more frantic now, silently warning Florian to hold his tongue. But Florian couldn’t stop. The images of Alexandria—crying, trembling, consumed with guilt—flashed through his mind, stoking the fire in his chest.

"She was terrified! She thought she hurt you! Do you have any idea what that did to her? How cruel can you be, to let her believe she killed you?"

Heinz’s gaze was steady, unflinching. "So, you’re saying it would’ve been better if she had killed me instead of me tricking her?"

Florian’s lip curled in frustration, his fists trembling at his sides. ’This close-minded—ugh!’

"No, I’m saying you should’ve found another way to test them! Something that doesn’t involve this kind of mental torture!" Florian snapped, his voice rising. "She was so happy to spend time with you, so eager to prove herself to you. And you turned it into this sick game! For what?!"

Lucius stepped forward, his face tense with worry. "Your Highness, please stop—"

"Leave us, Lucius."

Lucius froze, his head snapping toward Heinz. "Pardon?"

"I said leave," Heinz repeated, his tone calm but commanding.

Lucius hesitated, his eyes flickering between Florian and Heinz. "Your Majesty—"

"Leave." Heinz’s voice was firmer now, leaving no room for argument.

Lucius hesitated for a moment longer before bowing his head. His eyes lingered on Florian, filled with silent warning and concern, before he turned and left the infirmary.

Now, only Florian and Heinz remained, the tension in the room so thick it felt suffocating.

Florian squared his shoulders, meeting Heinz’s gaze head-on. Whatever came next, he wasn’t backing down.