Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 201: ’Stay Away?’

Chapter 201: ’Stay Away?’

’Stay... away?’

Heinz’s brows furrowed as he processed Florian’s words. His first instinct was irritation—how dare Florian, a mere prince, command him, a king, to stay away? After everything Heinz had done, after everything he had endured, Florian had the audacity to treat him like he was some sort of threat?

’But why does it sting?’

Heinz had felt uneasy since their last argument. A part of him had expected Florian to act cold toward him, but this... this was different. This wasn’t the usual stubborn defiance Florian displayed. This was fear—real, tangible fear laced with something else Heinz couldn’t yet name.

Heinz knew he should have been angry, should have demanded respect, should have put Florian in his place. A king did not tolerate disrespect. That was one of the few lessons his father had drilled into him.

’Power and respect—those are the only things that matter. A king does as he pleases, and no one can question him.’

And yet, his father had been a contradiction. Yes, he had helped the poor, maintained strong alliances, and ensured Concordia’s people thrived. But he had also dishonored Heinz’s mother, humiliated her with his blatant affairs, and fathered a bastard son as if it were his right.

His father had done whatever he wanted, and no one had stopped him. No one had questioned him. Because he was king.

So why was it that when Heinz took what he wanted, when he expanded Concordia’s power, secured its future through sheer dominance, no one appreciated it? Why was it that his father, a man who had prioritized everything but his own family, was still seen as the better king?

He exhaled sharply. ’I’m getting sidetracked.’

His gaze flickered back to Florian. The prince was still tense, his body rigid, his chest rising and falling too fast, too unevenly. The sight made something uncomfortable coil inside Heinz.

He hadn’t realized how unusual it was to see Florian truly angry at him. This version of Florian—the one who glared at him, who challenged him—was bold, defiant, frustrating. But never... fearful. Never this shaken.

’Why does it bother me?’

Pride warred with something else inside Heinz. He should have ignored Florian’s outburst, should have put him in his place. Yet instead, he had spoken softly, trying to coax words out of him. He had tried to make conversation, as if it were his duty to bridge this gap between them.

And Florian had ignored him. Had let Heinz, a king, rest in a filthy house without so much as a glance.

’Yet here I am, still caring enough to ask what’s wrong.’

Heinz had eventually managed to drift into a light sleep, only to be pulled out of it by something... strange.

Florian was restless beside him, shifting, his breath uneven, his fingers twitching against the sheets. Heinz had initially thought he was having a regular dream. But then—

A choked sound. A shuddering breath. The faintest of murmurs.

Florian was not in pain.

Before Heinz could even register the realization, Florian bolted upright as if struck by lightning, his sudden movement so violent that Azure was flung from the bed with a startled chirp.

"NO!"

The scream shattered the fragile silence, reverberating in the small space like a desperate plea. Heinz’s body tensed instinctively, eyes narrowing as he observed the prince. Florian was panting, sweat clinging to his brow despite the cold air, his entire body trembling as if caught between panic and something far more mortifying.

Heinz sat up. "Florian—"

"Stay away!" Florian snapped, voice raw and alarmed, like a cornered animal facing its predator.

Heinz stilled.

’What the fuck?’

It wasn’t the words themselves that confused him—it was how Florian said them. There was something in his tone, in his frantic movements, in the way his arms clenched around himself as if trying to hide.

Heinz ran a hand through his long black hair, his sharp golden eyes watching Florian’s every move. The prince’s green eyes were blown wide, glowing even in the dim light, his breath still erratic. He looked completely, utterly lost.

"Why are you acting like this?" Heinz asked, his voice quieter than usual but laced with controlled authority. "Did something happen?"

Florian flinched.

The sight sent a ripple of irritation through Heinz. Not at Florian—but at whatever had reduced him to this state.

Azure, now recovered, chirped in confusion and flapped over to Florian’s lap, clearly concerned.

But instead of comforting the prince, the small dragon’s presence seemed to make things worse. Florian jerked away as if burned, his hands immediately flying to cover his lap. His face was turning a deeper shade of red.

Heinz’s gaze sharpened. ’That’s... strange.’

"Florian, you cannot keep telling me to stay away and then act like this," Heinz stated, his voice low and deliberate. "If you do not tell me what’s going on, I will come to you, and you will explain it to me."

It was an empty threat—mostly. Heinz wasn’t in the mood to push Florian too far, but he needed to know what the hell was happening. If scaring him a little would get him to talk, then so be it.

And it worked.

Florian shook his head rapidly. "P-Please don’t come near me. I... It’s silly, but I... I had a nightmare. And—uh—please, please don’t ask what it was about. I can’t—I just—I need time. I need to clear my mind."

A nightmare.

Heinz didn’t believe him. At least, not completely.

The panic in Florian’s voice was genuine, but it wasn’t just fear. It was something else.

Florian curled in on himself, pulling his knees to his chest, his hands clenched tightly around his legs. His face was still flushed, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.

’He’s embarrassed.’

Heinz’s eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on him. ’Could it be...?’

A memory surfaced—something Lysander, the palace healer, had once told him in passing.

Heinz barely had time to process Florian’s departure before the sound of footsteps filled the silence he left behind. Lysander entered his office without hesitation, his face calm but his eyes betraying a hint of unease.

"Your Majesty, may I speak to you?" Lysander’s voice was steady, but there was an underlying tension to it.

Heinz, still seated behind his desk, didn’t look up immediately. He traced a finger along the rim of his goblet before finally lifting his gaze.

"I assume this is about Florian?"

Lysander gave a small nod.

"Speak, then."

The physician cleared his throat, stepping closer until he stood directly in front of Heinz’s desk. "I know His Highness doesn’t remember anything that happened... and that must be a relief to you. However—"

"However?" Heinz arched a brow, already disliking where this conversation was going.

Lysander shifted his weight slightly before continuing. "There’s no certainty that he won’t remember at all. Think of it as being drunk—his highness, when he was under the aphrodisiac, was simply in an altered state of mind. He may not remember now, but... there’s no assurance that those memories won’t resurface later."

Heinz hummed, his fingers now lightly tapping against the polished wood of his desk. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this revelation.

’Should I be relieved? Or disappointed?’

He didn’t know. It was inconvenient if Florian were to remember, yet somewhere deep inside him, there was a strange sense of loss. A feeling he refused to name.

He thought back to that night—the way Florian looked at him, the expressions he made, the way he reacted.

It was... intriguing.

No.

That wasn’t the right word. It was nothing more than curiosity. That was all.

’I am not attracted to Florian. This is just my natural curiosity.’

Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him. A part of him wanted to know what would happen if Florian did remember. Would he react with horror? Would he avoid Heinz? Would he—

He cut the thought off before it could continue.

"So there is a chance he will regain his memories of that night?" Heinz asked, keeping his tone impassive.

"Yes, sire."

Heinz leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. "Mhm. Alright. When that happens, I will handle it."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Do not concern yourself with it."

Lysander hesitated, as if debating whether or not to say something more. But in the end, he simply bowed. "Then, I shall take my leave."

Heinz watched as Lysander turned and exited the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Thoughts he quickly pushed away as he picked up his goblet, downing the rest of his drink in one swift motion.

’It doesn’t matter. When the time comes, I will deal with it.’

Heinz wondered if Florian was beginning to remember that night. Or perhaps he was just jumping to conclusions.

Still, the thought lingered, impossible to ignore.

Truthfully, he was curious—deeply curious—to see how this Florian would react if he learned the truth. The original Florian might have been delighted.

But this one?

If he was remembering, he looked horrified.

There was only one way to find out.

’I should probe a bit.’