Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 196: ’Abandoned By The King’

Chapter 196: ’Abandoned By The King’

"I have to apologize for having you see us like this. We initially prepared and made our village look more presentable last week..." The village chief walked with his cane, his steps slow and deliberate, as if each one weighed on him more than the last.

Florian frowned slightly as they ventured deeper into the crumbling village. "It’s fine... if anything, we should be the ones apologizing."

"What for? At the end of the day, you only follow the king." The village chief’s voice was steady, but there was something beneath his tone—resignation, perhaps. Florian fell silent at his words, and so did Heinz. The weight of unspoken truths pressed between them. Noticing their silence, the village chief spoke again. "What did you say your names were? I almost forgot we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. I am the chief of this village. You can call me Augustus."

"I’m..." Florian hesitated for a moment, scrambling for a name before settling on the first that came to mind. "Aden. My name is Aden."

Augustus turned his attention to Heinz. "And the silent one behind you?"

Heinz cleared his throat. "Anastasius."

"Lovely names. I am assuming you both are nobles? Since you are working for the king?"

"Ah... yes, I am... his majesty’s, uh..." Florian struggled to define his role in this situation, but Heinz smoothly interjected.

"Aden is his majesty’s advisor, and I’m the Arcanior he sent to assist."

Florian shot Heinz a grateful glance. ’Nice job, Heinz!’ he thought before quickly checking on Azure, who was curled up on his shoulder. The small creature had dozed off, his breathing steady. ’Seems Azure is calm now too.’

Augustus gave a knowing nod. "My, and Sir Aden, you are an advisor to the king? Whoever was kidnapped must be important to his majesty if he’s sending someone as important as you to help Leila."

Florian nearly laughed. ’He wouldn’t have let me come here if it hadn’t been for me getting drugged at the ball.’ Instead, he shook his head and responded carefully, "His majesty also just recently found out about the dire state of the village."

Augustus let out a dry chuckle. "Forgive me for what I am about to say, but I find that highly impossible. We have been sending letters to his majesty—even to Duke Darkthorn—asking for help for the last couple of years."

’Darkthorn? Lucius’ father? Oh... right.’ Florian recalled. ’We’re in the Obsidian Summit... Alaric’s dukedom.’

But Augustus’ words lingered. ’If what he’s saying is true... did Heinz actually know? Should I... ask him later?’ Florian subtly glanced at Heinz, but the king’s expression remained unreadable.

A small movement against his neck distracted him—Azure had stirred, his tiny body shifting with unease. He let out a soft whimper and nuzzled deeper into the crook of Florian’s neck.

"You okay?" Florian whispered, but the dragon-lizard simply made another worried noise. ’He’s unsettled... but then again, who wouldn’t be?’ Florian thought, his gaze sweeping over the village. The further they walked, the stronger the stench became—something rancid and festering, carried by the stale wind.

But Augustus didn’t seem fazed at all.

"Forgive me for asking, Chief Augustus... but since you aren’t able to grow food or keep animals alive, how do you all eat?"

Augustus hesitated.

The silence stretched longer than Florian expected, and that alone made him suspicious.

Finally, Augustus spoke. "We try to get by by any means necessary. Sometimes, one of us goes to nearby villages and asks for scraps. Sometimes, we gather whatever we can find growing outside the village."

’He’s lying.’ Florian realized immediately. It was obvious, and judging by the subtle shift in Heinz’s posture, he had caught it too.

The air between them grew tense, but before either of them could press further, Florian stopped in his tracks.

A house—more intact than the others, standing defiantly amidst the decay. But that wasn’t what made Florian stop.

It was the smell.

Rot. Decay. Death.

It hit him like a blow to the gut, and his stomach twisted violently. He barely suppressed the urge to gag as he clamped a hand over his nose. "Fuck—"

Heinz, beside him, frowned. "What’s wrong?"

’Huh? Does he not smell that?’ Florian’s stomach churned, the scent clinging to his throat, making him feel as if he were suffocating.

Augustus turned toward him, his expression impassive. "Problem, Aden?"

Florian forced himself to straighten, swallowing down his nausea. "Uh... No, I uh... what’s in that building? That house?" He gestured toward it, trying to keep his voice steady.

Augustus smiled, but there was something about it that put Florian further on edge. "Just a storage unit. Why?"

Florian hesitated. Heinz and Augustus were both looking at him, waiting for his response. His instincts screamed at him that something was wrong—terribly, terribly wrong. But he forced a smile.

"It’s... nothing," he lied. "We can go ahead."

Augustus gave a small nod and resumed walking. Heinz, however, shot Florian a sideways glance, his expression unreadable. But Florian just smiled at him and continued forward.

"May I be frank, Sir Aden and Sir Anastasius?" Augustus suddenly asked.

"Yes?" Florian tilted his head slightly. ’So suddenly?’

"I have been debating asking this, but I must know..." Augustus paused, and Florian felt a strange tension settle in the air. "Why have we been abandoned by the king?"

"Huh?"

"I hope this is not too insulting to him. We still respect him as our king, however..." Augustus’ voice was level, but there was something heavy in his words. "His father had always made sure our village was well-provided for. But why did King Heinz abandon us?"

Florian stiffened. His mouth opened, but no words came.

He wanted to say Heinz didn’t abandon them. But... looking around, at the suffering carved into every face, at the skeletal remains of a once-thriving village, at the sheer neglect—

He couldn’t say it. Because it wasn’t true.

And Heinz was standing right beside him.

"As his advisor, you would know, right?" Augustus continued, still not looking at him. "Why he never bothered until now?"

Florian swallowed. "He..."

But before he could attempt an answer, Augustus stopped in front of a small, run-down house.

"Ah. We have arrived," Augustus announced.

Florian stared at it, his heart suddenly pounding.

"This is... Levi and Leila’s house?"

"Yes."

A lump formed in Florian’s throat. The nerves hit him all at once. He wasn’t ready. He wasn’t ready to face her, to shatter her world with the news of her brother’s death.

But he had to.

He had to help.

"S-Should I go in and talk to her?" Florian asked, but Augustus shook his head.

"Let me talk to her first. Leila... she is quite fragile compared to Levi. She has never met outsiders, and you... are about to tell her that her older brother is dead."

’Oh... right.’ Florian stepped back, nodding. "That is fine. We’ll wait here."

Perhaps, for a moment, Florian could speak with Heinz. Because now, Florian didn’t just want to help Leila—

He wanted to help this entire village.

It was the least they could do.