The Epic of The Tyrant King's Chosen One-Chapter 125: The love expert II

Hael made his way to the drawing room, where he was presented with four large shelves filled to the brim with books.

His eyes widened slightly as he took in the sheer number of books before him. He hadn't expected such a vast collection, and he suddenly felt uncertain. Where was he even supposed to begin?

Determined, Hael approached the nearest shelf and began scanning the spines. Many of the books seemed to be historical records, philosophical discussions, or poetry collections. He tilted his head. Surely, these texts must mention love and intimacy somewhere?

After a few moments, his gaze landed on a title that caught his attention: The Kamasutra: A guide to love and relationships. 

His fingers brushed over the cover before carefully pulling it from the shelf. He found a seat near the window, where warm light streamed in, and flipped the book open.

The first few pages spoke of emotions—love as a connection that transcended time, built on trust and understanding. Hael nodded along. This he could grasp. It spoke of devotion, how to find a partner, managing relationships, and the importance of mutual respect.

Hael filled his mind with information as he diligently read the texts in front of him—committing them to memory.

His brows then furrowed as he turned to the next page. Suddenly, the texts became different. Words he had never seen before, phrases that made little to no sense to him, filled his field of vision.

The descriptions were strangely poetic, speaking of bodies intertwining, hearts beating in rhythm, the melding of souls—yet nothing was explicitly explained. Everything was theoretical, leaving him feeling more confused than before.

He turned another page, hoping to find some clarification, when a gasp escaped his lips.

Hael's eyes widened. His face slowly turned red. He flipped another page, only to go even redder.

He shut the book with a loud thud, his heart racing. His mind reeled as he tried to process what he had just read. But more importantly, what he had just seen. Such graphic images that made his heart beat violently in his chest.

Were these the things he was supposed to do with Ceremus? Was this what Anemone meant by learning through reading?

The guard shook his head as another image reserved in his mind. He sat there completely still before glancing back at the shelf. Perhaps he had selected the wrong book?

At that same moment, Meliše was making her way towards Anemone's office to inform him of her leave.

After her conversation with Anthanasia, she became more and more convinced to stay for a little while and join the huntress before heading back to the celestial realm. She figured she might as well enjoy the last moments of peace she had left before entering the belly of the beast.

Just as she was about to enter the hall that led to the advisor's office, she stumbled across a scene that made her stop in her tracks. Hael, with his nose buried in a book, looked as if he was having a hard time dealing with its contents.

Curiosity got the best of her, and she decided to take a brief detour along the way. She entered the room quietly, glancing around as it was her first time here. Once again, she couldn't help marveling at the architecture of the room. It was just as grand and as beautiful as the rest of the palace.

Her gaze finally landed on the young man before her, eyes gleaming with mischief until she saw the book he was reading.

Her smirk wavered slightly once she took a peek at its contents. "What are you reading there?" She suddenly asked.

Hael, who had been immersed in his book, was taken aback by her sudden appearance, but quickly steeled his expression once he realized it was her. He shut the book with a loud thud, suddenly feeling ashamed.

Meliše arched her brows, noting the way Hael clutched the book in his arms, as if she hadn't already seen its rather intimate contents. A slow smirk curled on her lips.

"Well, well... I never expected to see you reading that kind of book, dear guard," she teased, crossing her arms. "And here I thought you were an herbivore."

Hael looked away, jaw tightening. "It's not what you think," he muttered.

Meliše tilted her head, amused. "Oh? What could I possibly be thinking?"

Hael hesitated. He had no reason to hide it—he did come here to learn, after all. "I... I need guidance," he finally admitted. "I wish to understand how humans express love physically. But the books... they are confusing."

Meliše blinked before chuckling. "I see, so things are finally progressing between you and the king."

She couldn't help the burst of schadenfreude for the king's unfortunate predicament. She believed this was retribution for rejecting her advances back on the boat. Now he faced a man who wouldn't be able to bring him any sort of satisfaction, as he was completely ignorant to the pleasures of the flesh.

An evil glint appeared in her eyes and just as she was about to taunt the innocent man, she suddenly remembered how he was the reason she would no longer be tormented by Dicaeus. If it weren't for him, she would have to live in constant fear of the god seeking vengeance against her.

The least she could do was express some gratitude. She sighed internally. This is why I don't enjoy owing people. What a drag. 

She tapped a finger against her chin, considering her words. "So you want practical knowledge. Well, there is a simple solution for that."

Hael straightened, hopeful. "There is?"

Meliše leaned in slightly, voice dropping conspiratorially. "Why not visit the night district? The brothels there are filled with people who make a living teaching inexperienced men like yourself. You'll get to have fun and learn something at the same time." She smiled.

Hael's reaction was immediate as his face suddenly turned cold, his eyes darkening with disgust. "Absolutely not." The thought alone made his stomach churn. "Why would I ever do such a thing?"

Meliše rolled her eyes. "Relax, I'm just offering a practical approach. Hands-on experience is the best teacher, you know."

Hael shuddered. "I do not want to touch anyone else." His voice was firm. The thought of touching anyone other than Ceremus made him sick.

Meliše studied him for a long moment before sighing. "Alright, alright. No brothels." She raised her hands in surrender. "Then you need to work things out with your beloved. If you don't want outside help, you'll have to communicate and figure things out together."

Hael frowned. "But I lack knowledge. How can I teach myself something I do not understand?"

"You start small," Meliše said, flicking his forehead lightly. "Don't think about everything at once. Get comfortable with simple things—touching, kissing, holding each other. Let your instincts guide you. You're overcomplicating things."

Hael rubbed his forehead, contemplating her words. "And when will I know we are ready to take the next step?"

Meliše shrugged. "When it no longer feels foreign. When you both want to, without hesitation or fear. Trust me, you'll know."

"What's important is that you feel comfortable and at ease," she added, but her face immediately scrunched up in displeasure once she uttered those words.

They felt strange and foreign. Too sweet for her liking.

Hael exhaled slowly as he digested her words.

"... I'm surprised with how much care the both of you treat each other, especially Ceremus. He is unlike the rumours I've heard of him. I didn't think men were capable of being gentle." She murmured.

Hael furrowed his brows, not quite understanding what she meant. He thought it was only natural to treat the person you liked with care.

"Anyway," she continued, clearing her throat, "who is the sword and who is the sheath in your relationship?"

Hael blinked. "Huh?"

Seeing the dumbfounded look on his face left Melise momentarily stunned until a light snort followed by a full-blown laugh escaped her lips as she keeled over.

"Oh my gods, you two haven't even established your roles? Just what have you been doing all this time?" She said as she laughed even further. "Oh, how I pity you guys."

Later that day...

"Ceremus?" Hael called while they were enjoying their afternoon tea.

"Hm?" the king replied as he brought the cup to his lips, savoring its delicate taste.

"What does it mean to be a sword and a sheath in a relationship?" He innocently asked, causing Ceremus to spit out the tea in his mouth.