Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 244: ’Dragon Vs. Kid’

’Ah. I thought the check-up was never-ending.’

Florian sighed as he unfastened his cloak, letting it slip from his shoulders and pool onto the floor with a soft thud. His body ached—not from exhaustion, but from something deeper, something that clung to him like an unseen weight.

As soon as he stepped further into his room, a flurry of soft blue wings fluttered toward him. The glowing butterflies circled his face, brushing against his skin as if welcoming him back.

"Hello there," he murmured with a small, tired smile, reaching out to let one land on his fingertips. A light giggle escaped his lips as their delicate wings tickled his cheek. "Did you miss me?"

"I... am sure they did, Your Highness," came a quiet voice from behind him.

Florian glanced over his shoulder to see Cashew standing stiffly by the doorway, hands clasped in front of him, watching with an unreadable expression. Florian didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he made his way to the bed, kicking off his shoes before sinking onto the edge with a sigh.

"Cashew, could you draw me a bath?" He barely lifted his head, running a hand through his hair. "I need to rinse off..."

The words caught in his throat.

He was about to say all the blood on my skin, but he stopped himself.

Not because he feared Cashew’s reaction. No, it was because the moment he let those words form in his mind, he would have to remember.

Remember the stench of iron. The way warm liquid splattered against his skin. The hollow eyes of a girl who had once smiled at him.

’No. Stop. Stop. I don’t want to think about it.’

He swallowed hard, shaking his head. Cashew was watching him—Florian could feel it—but the boy simply gave a small nod and bowed. "Right away, Your Highness."

As Cashew disappeared into the bathroom, silence settled over the room. The only sound was the gentle, rhythmic fluttering of the butterflies’ wings. It was oddly soothing, grounding him in the present as he closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.

But his thoughts refused to stay still.

His mind drifted back to Cashew.

Florian’s eyes opened, shifting toward the bathroom door. ’I didn’t want to think about it, but it’s becoming too obvious to ignore...’

He had dismissed it last night. Cashew’s odd behavior, the strange tension in his voice. But now, he was certain of it—

’He’s acting like he hates Heinz.’

That in itself was strange. Cashew had always been meek, a little anxious, but never outright resentful toward anyone. Yet Florian could feel the boy’s hostility lingering in the air whenever Heinz was present.

And that wasn’t all.

Even now, Cashew seemed like his usual quiet self, but Florian could sense something underneath—an additional worry, a quiet but persistent clinginess... and a deep, burning hatred for Heinz.

’Why?’

Florian knew it had started yesterday, after the poisoning incident. But even then—

’Hate?’

That was too much. Too sudden.

’I should ask Lucius if anything happened while I was gone. Maybe he spoke to Cashew... maybe he noticed something.’

Florian sighed, rubbing his temple. He had ignored so many red flags in the village, letting his emotions cloud his judgment. And now, he was beginning to feel like even the smallest shift in behavior couldn’t be overlooked.

Especially—

A flash of Leila’s mutilated body burned into his mind.

Florian’s breath hitched. He clamped a hand over his mouth, nausea clawing at his throat. His stomach twisted, a cold sweat forming at the back of his neck as bile threatened to rise.

And then—

A small, familiar croak.

Florian froze.

The sound was unmistakable. His eyes widened, his focus snapping away from his thoughts as he turned toward the source.

"Azure?" he whispered, voice hoarse.

A moment later, a tiny, lizard-like blue dragon fluttered into view, its translucent wings catching the soft glow of the room. Its sapphire eyes locked onto him, and it let out another croak before gracefully landing on the floor.

Florian blinked in surprise. "Azure! What are you doing here?" He leaned forward, watching as the dragon ruffled its wings. "Does... does His Majesty know you’re here?"

Azure chirped in response, then hopped across the floor. Something small slipped from its claws—a folded piece of parchment.

Florian’s gaze followed it, his brows knitting together. ’A note?’

Azure gave an impatient huff, nudging the parchment toward him with his snout.

Florian reached down and picked it up, carefully unfolding it.

’Azure does not want to go back into the crystal. He is also agitated. Let him stay with you.’

Florian frowned. "Eh? You don’t want to go back?" He held out his hand, and the small dragon eagerly climbed onto his palm, curling its tail around his fingers.

As soon as Azure settled, the glowing butterflies flocked toward him, surrounding the tiny dragon in a soft, shimmering dance.

Florian watched the interaction with quiet fascination.

’Come to think of it... are animals mostly blue in this world? Blue butterflies, a blue dragon...’

Before he could linger on the thought, the bathroom door creaked open.

"Your Highness, the bath is ready. Are you talking to some—" Cashew’s words died in his throat as he stepped into the room, his gaze landing on Azure.

Florian turned, lifting the small dragon slightly. "Oh, Cashew..." He smiled. "This is Azure, His Majesty’s dragon. You saw him earlier—he was the one we were riding."

He expected Cashew to be excited. After all, Azure was a rare creature, the only dragon known to exist. Even Florian had been amazed when he first saw him.

But instead—

Cashew’s face fell.

The blood drained from his features, and his fingers curled at his sides as he stared at Azure with an expression Florian couldn’t quite place.

"Why is it here, Your Highness?" Cashew asked, voice tight.

’Eh...?’ Florian’s smile faltered for a brief second, concern flickering in his eyes. ’It?’

Florian blinked. ’Eh? Azure?’

Azure’s tail flicked sharply as he let out a low, warning growl.

The tiny dragon’s wings ruffled in agitation, his sapphire eyes locked onto Cashew with an intensity Florian had never seen before. The growl wasn’t loud, but it was persistent—like a quiet, simmering threat.

Cashew, however, didn’t flinch.

His jaw clenched, his expression darkening as he met Azure’s stare head-on. His usually reserved demeanor cracked for just a second, replaced by something uncharacteristically sharp—disdain, irritation, maybe even... hatred?

’What the fuck is happening right now?’

A palpable tension filled the space between them, thick and heavy, like an invisible war waged in complete silence.

Cashew was glaring at a dragon.

And the dragon was glaring back.

Florian’s exhaustion weighed down on him even more. He barely had the energy to stand upright, let alone mediate a goddamn staring contest between a teenager and a tiny, pissed-off lizard.

Azure’s wings twitched, his body tensing as if ready to lunge. His sapphire gaze burned with something more than just instinctual aggression—something dangerously close to recognition.

And Cashew... Cashew didn’t just look angry. For a fleeting second, he looked like he wanted to crush the little dragon under his heel.

Florian’s breath hitched. ’What the hell is this...?’

Cashew was the first to break the silence.

"Your bath is ready, Your Highness," he repeated, voice strained but polite. "I think it is best if you leave the lizard."

’He’s being a bit rude again.’

Florian’s brows twitched at the word lizard.

He opened his mouth, ready to reprimand Cashew for being so disrespectful toward a literal dragon—Heinz’s dragon, no less—but the moment he did, weariness crashed over him like a tidal wave.

’...I don’t have the energy for this.’

With a tired sigh, Florian gently placed Azure onto the bed.

"Stay here, Azure," he murmured, patting the dragon’s tiny head. "And behave, alright?"

Azure let out a disgruntled huff but didn’t protest. The butterflies that had been fluttering around him settled onto the sheets, their glow pulsating softly.

Cashew, on the other hand, looked noticeably... pleased. His shoulders relaxed, and though he tried to keep his face neutral, Florian caught the faintest hint of satisfaction in his expression.

’Okay, now that’s just weird.’

Florian didn’t comment on it. He was too damn tired. Instead, he turned on his heel and trudged toward the bathroom, peeling off his outer layers as he went.

The warmth of the room enveloped him as he shut the door behind him, steam curling softly in the air.

He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face.

’I should really talk to Cashew again...’