Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 36

Outside, it was spring. Sprouts emerged in the garden, which had been frozen all winter, and colorful petals began to show off their beauty.
This time, Hugo, who had been given prior notice about the guest, asked, “How about the garden today?” After a moment’s thought, Aeroc decided the garden was not suitable. He declined to have a war of nerves with that man in a public place.
“The second-floor terrace would be good. It’s a place that directly overlooks the garden.”
Hugo, the most elegant and capable butler in the capital or even the empire, created a perfect setting.
“Terrace?”
Bendyke, who had only met him in the study or the Violet Room, tried to ascertain if there was a hidden motive in Aeroc’s intention to go to the terrace. His attitude of demanding explanations for his master’s hospitality was insolent in itself, but given who the other party was, Aeroc wasn’t particularly angry. To start emotional exhaustion already at this point, his expectations for the other’s character were too low.
“If you don’t like it, we can move indoors.”
“No. There’s no need for that.”
The man standing opposite the table showed no particular resistance. He cast his gaze down towards the garden. It wasn’t yet the full season for roses, but buds were peeking out, beginning to embroider the carpet of green leaves. Aeroc reiterated how wonderful the terrace was.
“From here, you can see the rose garden directly. It gets good sunlight, and a gentle breeze often blows to cool the summer, making it the optimal place to enjoy the scent of roses. My mother especially loved it.”
“I know.”
“What, and how do you know?”
To the question, Bendyke replied, “Dreams.” Aeroc snorted.
“My financial manager is going mad.”
At those words, Bendyke curved the corners of his lips.
“Stop treating me like a fool. I’m the employer. You won’t listen anyway, but how do you spy to that extent… Are you acquainted with the employees in the mansion?”
“If I were truly spying, I wouldn’t use the employees, but other connections.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Aeroc recall that he was deeply acquainted with Derbyshire, Westport, and even Wolflake. Others might not know, but Viscount Derbyshire and Viscountess Westport knew well the history of the Teiwind family and Aeroc himself. Although they were a bit talkative, they weren’t the type to casually spread rumors about others without reason. This fellow must have cleverly extracted various stories with his glib tongue. It was not easy to silence the mouths of those who had volunteered to be Aeroc’s godparents in place of his parents, who had passed away early.
“Sit down.”
Bendyke had approached him without him noticing. He even pulled out a chair for him.
“I’m not an Omega, so there’s no need for that. Besides, no matter how generous an Omega is, they wouldn’t want such superficial courtesy from a strange pervert who digs into their past.”
“I see.”
But Bendyke stubbornly continued to pull out Aeroc’s chair with a smile, unwilling to give up his gesture of goodwill. Yet, Aeroc couldn’t abandon the seat of honor meant for the master and sit elsewhere. That would be an even greater blow to his pride. Damn demon. He was clearly enjoying this.
This was already their third meeting. The tension grew daily, but conversely, his guard was lowered. It was an emotional contradiction. As his fear of the act grew, a familiarity with the perpetrator of the act accumulated. Bendyke himself was familiar. He was just worried about what he would do.
Today was no different from the previous two meetings. A little light conversation followed by a long silence.
Flutter, flutter.
The pages turned. Aeroc had chosen the easiest book to read. It was a popular novel with brilliant insights. Such a book, once started, he wouldn’t budge until he finished it. Yet, today, he glanced up at the other person about once every ten pages.
Bendyke wasn’t looking at him. His eyes, which seemed ready to cast sharp accusations at anyone, were fixed on the rose garden. Aeroc’s gaze naturally followed his. He discovered an old log cabin. This house was built by his mother, who yearned for a rural life, and was surrounded by tall boxwood, making it difficult to access from within the garden. Because of this, many people didn’t even know that old log cabin was there. However, it was clearly visible from this terrace, which his mother loved. Since his mother’s death, the neglected house exuded a desolate atmosphere that didn’t suit the splendid garden. Was that what he found strange?
“I’m thinking of fixing it up soon.”
When he spoke, Bendyke slowly turned to him.
“Or tear it down. I left it because my mother cherished it, but it’s so old now it only spoils the garden view.”
In truth, he had no intention of tearing it down. Aeroc loved his mother too much to carelessly erase one of the few memories of her. It was just that he loved her so much that it pained him to even set foot there. The reason he said that was because Bendyke was looking at it with strange eyes. He didn’t want to leave anything for that fellow to criticize. He shouldn’t use this terrace anymore.
“If I asked you not to get rid of it, what would you do?”
He showed another unexpected reaction. What kind of research had he done on Aeroc to always catch him off guard? Aeroc couldn’t fathom his intentions. He narrowed his eyes and faced the other man.
“Because pain lurks within the rose vines. It’s more perfect to leave it as it is.”
“It’s not pain, it’s sorrow. It’s surprising that Mr. Bendyke, who has money flowing in his veins instead of blood, is quoting lyrical poetry.”
He was genuinely impressed. The slight sarcasm wasn’t Aeroc’s fault. It would be stranger if there was only pure goodwill in their conversation.
“Even a heart where money flows sometimes knows how to beat for someone. Just as the heart of a beautiful angel can hold a cold piece of ice.”
The other person’s tone of retort was cold, as if denouncing someone. It felt as though Aeroc was the target. But he was neither an angel nor did he hold a cold piece of ice. Instead, the anger towards the vile man who was making incomprehensible accusations became a spark, emitting a subtle warmth.
“It’s true, seeing a piece of a man like a steel vault become soft as a rotten pumpkin.”
“So, are you displeased?”
“I don’t particularly want to answer a trivial matter that doesn’t require emotional expenditure.”
With that, Aeroc looked back at his book. It was a sign that he was tired of the conversation. After forcing himself to read one page, he picked up his teacup. He naturally looked at the other man, and Bendyke was glaring at Aeroc with blazing eyes. Even while unable to hide his anger, the cruel corners of his mouth were turned up as if amused. He seemed like someone who enjoyed anger.
“It must be regrettable that such a trivial man occupies you.”
“You know that better than anyone, so there’s no need to emphasize it.”
He snapped back and lowered his gaze to the book again. However, the other’s piercing gaze bothered him, and his concentration dwindled further. He was utterly bizarre.
The great light source illuminating the world had finished its powerful solo and was singing a sweet refrain. The moon, which had eagerly awaited the brilliant sun’s departure, brought forth the secret-filled night. Hugo quietly appeared and lit candles and lanterns on the terrace. After preparing fresh hot tea, he quietly disappeared again.
Reading became difficult as it was practically outdoors. No, from the beginning, it wasn’t a situation conducive to emotional cultivation due to his companion. Finally grateful that the torture of silence was over, Aeroc closed the book he was reading.
Bendyke, who had kept his gaze fixed on the rose garden all afternoon, still showed no intention of getting up. With his arms naturally draped over the armrests and his legs crossed, he seemed destined to remain there forever, like a statue. Despite the red sunset, he looked as pale as marble. Perhaps he had truly turned into a statue.
Tea had been brewed fresh three times already. He grew anxious because the other person didn’t move an inch, even as the sunset painted the horizon a complete red. It was truly strange. Was he going to stay even later today? If so, then perhaps?
“It’s very late.”
“The time for a mature gentleman has only just begun.”
At the words “mature gentleman,” Aeroc snorted, laughing nervously.
“I never knew you’d claim to be a gentleman.”
The moment he tilted his head and gave the other a faint sneer, the man’s hand approached. His large hand easily enveloped Aeroc’s chin.
“That gaze, that tone, that haughty laugh.”
The tip of his long index finger lightly tapping the part from his ear to his jaw made the fine hairs on his back stand on end. He tried to shake it off, but Bendyke cleverly moved to hinder him.
“You haven’t changed at all.”
His tone implied he had known him from before. Aeroc had given up on understanding Bendyke, but his tone always bothered him. He wanted to retort that he didn’t want to be judged by someone like him. But he missed the timing.
Bendyke stood up and approached. He gripped the armrests of Aeroc’s chair with both hands. The shadow cast by his large frame, silhouetted against the sunset, obscured Aeroc’s vision. The touch of the red sun brushed his excessively Alpha-like appearance. Then, his sharply defined nose bridge emitted an ominous light, like a sword blade cutting through the soul.
“You’re the one who always made me this way.”
A thick voice, as if it would disperse into smoke at any moment, echoed. Forgetting to breathe naturally, Aeroc inhaled air out of sync. His half-obscured vision turned black as if he had inhaled poisonous mist. He felt dizzy.
As the hand gripping his chin tightened, his other arm was also seized. Escape was difficult. The pride he had naturally learned since he first became self-aware prevented him from bowing his head. Rather than cowering before a coward who threatened him with unfair means, Aeroc chose to keep his head held high.
The breath of the other person, close at hand, brushed his lips. His breathing naturally slowed. Shallow breaths continued. Firm flesh touched his lips. A shockwave, like a buried bomb exploding, shook his entire mind. His tightly clenched molars slowly parted.
A tongue entered through the opening. The raw contact with another person’s warm body created a wave of sensations he had never experienced. The smooth flesh carefully explored his teeth, gently tapping sensitive sensory organs that had only been used for speaking and tasting. He had never realized human body temperature could be so hot. The intimate wave of sensation brought by contact reaching an unfamiliar domain disintegrated Aeroc’s tension. His waist loosened, and his legs became limp. His half-closed eyelids trembled, and the large male figure seen through them blurred like ripples.
“Mmm.”
His lips, briefly separated, soon changed angle and continued the contact. As Bendyke advanced into his naturally parted mouth like an occupying force, the inner defensive wall, made of a firm core, slowly crumbled from below.
As the tongue entered deeper, his head naturally tilted back. His spine also gently curved along his bent neck. The other’s grip had already moved down to his waist. Strong arm muscles pressed against Aeroc’s concave waist.
Bendyke entangled Aeroc’s tongue, gently stroked it, then sucked it strongly again. It was a messy and lewd technique. Only when his tongue felt numb did the other allow a slight breath.
“Haa.”
Even as Aeroc exhaled short breaths, Bendyke gnawed at his lower lip and ran his tongue over the corners of his mouth. Not content with that, he even teased his chin with the tip of his tongue. Without realizing it, Aeroc’s hands, which had been gripping his shoulders, tightened.
He was surprised that a kiss could be so humiliating. The sex education guides he had avidly read in preparation for this moment made no mention of such an astonishing whirlwind of sensations. Even explicit books with embarrassing illustrations were not as lewd as this.
Thanks to the arm supporting his waist, Aeroc was half-embraced by Bendyke. In his eyes, which usually simmered with rage like a black swamp, a new desire, lust, appeared. The moment he met that gaze, Aeroc felt as if he was being stripped naked on the spot. If a kiss was this vulgar… how base and lewd would sex be? A faint fear made his body tremble. Aeroc let out a trembling sigh.
“When you look at me with such expectant eyes, I can’t bear it anymore.”
Bendyke whispered in a voice hoarse with lust.
“Is there any reason to bear it?”
“Don’t provoke me. I’m saying this because I don’t want to hurt you.”
His taut nerves could no longer hold out. He was sick of their calculated back-and-forth conversation. He no longer wanted to endure the strange tension. It was time to speak openly.
“Think about the wound to my pride from being rejected every time.”
As if surprised by those words, Bendyke couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
“It’s not a rejection. I’m just waiting for a better time.”
“Waiting itself is a rejection.”
“You’re not ready yet.”
“I’ll take care of my own readiness. How much more do I have to grovel? Stop scratching my pride. I genuinely feel like crying now.”
Bendyke looked at Aeroc with truly surprised eyes.
“You want to cry?”
“Why? Do I really need to shed tears?”
As he sneered nervously, Bendyke shook his head vigorously.
“No. Don’t do that. If you cry, I… I’ll probably die right there.”
He spouted nonsense like a fool deeply in love, then branded Aeroc’s forehead. His tender demeanor was rather comical.
“I’ll go back today. Next time, a private room would be better.”
Immediately after he left, the fourth pot of tea, untouched, grew cold.