Chapter 60
**Line 1:** `CHAPTER_TITLE: [FEELING THE DESIRE WITHIN]`
Though no one had ever taught him, he could sense the yearning he craved on pure instinct. The moment he wrapped his thick, boulder-like shaft in his palm, ecstasy tore through him like lightning, shaking his very soul.
His sweat-drenched body glistened beneath the faint glow of a single lamp. As his thick arms pistoned faster, the rhythmic slap-slap of flesh against flesh filled the dark room.
“Ah… hah.”
Muscles bulged along his clenched jaw. His vision flickered, dimming and flashing, while sweat soaked his forehead.
He craved a man who could not see tomorrow. Nothing he could achieve, yet every day he sought her out—only Nefetia existed in his hazy, overlapping fantasies. From some point onward he had yearned for her with such desperate intensity.
“Ugh, haa.”
Arkin flipped onto the bed and collapsed flat. Teeth gritted, he braced both arms against the mattress. Pressing his scalding lower body into the sheets, he rubbed and ground with raw force, moaning and sweating profusely. Ah, ah—his eyes rolled back, lips parting of their own accord. The overwhelming ecstasy was so total his mind dissolved into wet, melting bliss.
Lost in lust and panting, a fleeting thought crossed his mind.
You and I… could it really be that you’re not the one I’m meant for… Then, if we lay together… what would happen…?
“Uh… ugh.”
A boiling groan tore from his throat. With hazy, unfocused eyes he slammed his hips into the empty bed again and again. Every muscle in his body surged, trembling. When he slid the hot, rigid column across the crisp sheet, a vein on his forehead throbbed and wrinkled.
You’re destroying me.
That woman had suddenly appeared and upended his heart. Selfish, rude, consumed only by herself—insane, no matter how you looked at it. And yet… sometimes she was innocent, clueless, just unbearably endearing.
The morning after the passionate, drawn-out evening visit, Arkin lay sprawled on the bed. His palm gleamed with sticky essence, carrying an earthy, forbidden scent. He collapsed onto the sheets, face buried in the pillow, unable to move. Eyes closed, he had finally succumbed to sleep.
This had truly been the last time. From tomorrow, no more sleeping pills…
Consciousness splintered like glass. Arkin fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
BAM BANG BANG.
“Nefetia! Are you awake?”
At the knock on the door, Nefetia lifted her heavy eyelids. It was a rare day off, yet here came an uninvited guest at this early hour.
The bedroom was still pitch dark. Who in the world was calling her at this time?
“Nefetia, let’s go for a walk together! The morning air is so nice! Stella’s coming too. Yeah?”
It was Princess Amalfi of Floria. She loved dew on the grass and always rose early to wander alone, but today she wanted to stroll with her friends.
“At this hour? What kind of walk is that…” Nefetia muttered, opening the door. Yet the moment she saw Amalfi’s bright face, refusal proved impossible. Beside her stood Stella, a ghost-like figure who had clearly been caught first. Both wore only light tunics.
“You’ve been feeling down lately, haven’t you? I thought a walk might cheer you up. Besides, I wanted to show you something I discovered.” Amalfi’s eyes sparkled as she spoke. Nefetia, who had been gloomy since her awkward encounter with Arkin, hesitated for a moment. Days had passed since the weaving lesson, yet she still barely spoke to him.
“All right, I’ll go.”
Nefetia slipped on a light outer robe and followed them out. As they entered the forest, where the cold air tickled the skin, the world felt utterly transformed. Dew that had fallen all night had draped every leaf in a transparent veil. Crystal-clear droplets hung like tears from each spiderweb, and the grass blades shone with fresh vitality.
“I always go drink morning dew. But this time I found something truly amazing.” Amalfi walked ahead, glancing back. Her bouncy pink hair swayed in the darkness, acting like a lantern.
Deeper and deeper they ventured into places no human foot had ever touched. Tall pines blocked the sky, so even the first light of dawn barely pierced through. From afar came the rhythmic sound of a stream crashing against rocks—slosh, splash, slosh again. The natural heartbeat of the world.
“Are we really going to get morning dew? This far?” Nefetia asked, suspicious eyes narrowing. Amalfi’s steps quickened, as if heading toward a specific destination.
“Of course! And….” Amalfi suddenly stopped, pressing a finger to her lips.
“Shh. We mustn’t frighten the forest spirits.”
“Spirits? Is this some kind of metaphor?” Nefetia squinted, but said nothing more and simply followed. Wet fern fronds brushed her calves; every time she pushed through bushes, cold droplets rained down, soaking her clothes.
“Should we keep going?” Nefetia whispered.
“Shii!”
At the sudden signal, Nefetia dropped her body low.
She tried to ask what was wrong, but Amalfi covered her mouth with a hand and pointed beyond the tree with a finger.
Nefetia swallowed hard.
A small clearing appeared—the only spot in the forest where the sky was open and bright. Standing on the flat rock that served like a stage, Arkin Prince stood revealed.
Heat rose visibly from his bare upper body. The mist formed where cold dawn air met his scorching body heat, enveloping him like some mythical being, or perhaps a creature that lingered between man and god.
“He’s so beautiful, isn’t he?” Amalfi murmured in awe.
“At first it was pure chance… but the moment I saw him I couldn’t stop coming back.” Nefetia could not answer. Her throat was bone-dry.
Arkin took a deep, full breath. His ribcage expanded, muscles between the bones sharp and clear. With every twist of his torso the abs flexed and relaxed in perfect rhythm.
“Incredible. In Floria they call bodies like that ‘fragments of the gods.’ Perfect harmony of strength and balance….” Amalfi could only sigh in endless admiration.
Stella watched in silence. Her gaze missed nothing—not only his movements, but his expression, breathing, and the tiniest tremor.
Arkin raised the bow. The smooth surface of the bow was filled with an arrow; he drew the string back with all his might. The taut bowstring tightened his muscles until they stood like steel. Then, as if time itself had halted, he released it.
Thwiiing!
The string vibrated as the arrow flew. Zzzip! It buried itself deep into a distant tree trunk.
“Wow…” Amalfi breathed out in awe.
Arkin shot again and again. Because the bow was heavy and large, sweat quickly drenched his body and made it gleam. When he grew thirsty, the prince found a waterskin. He tilted his head back, letting water flow down his throat; the Adam’s apple moved smoothly up and down. The water that spilled from his lips slid along his chin, down his chest, and into the valley between his pecs.
“But something’s off.” Stella suddenly spoke.
“What?” Amalfi asked, eyes still fixed on Arkin.
“Why is he working so hard? This isn’t just training for stamina.” Arkin drew the bow with fierce determination. After one deep breath he shot in rapid succession. Thwack, thwack, thwack. Every arrow that left the string pierced the target dead center. As he aimed the remaining arrows, his messy blond hair clung to his forehead.
“Look there.” Stella pointed. On Arkin’s right hand a red mark stood out clearly—a whip-burn from the bowstring.
“He’s not even treating it.” Nefetia thought it had been nothing earlier, but now it looked truly strange. Why was Arkin pushing himself so mercilessly?
“Let’s go.” Stella said quietly.
“If we stay any longer we’ll be seen.” Amalfi sighed regretfully, but followed Stella’s lead and left the clearing. Nefetia glanced back at Arkin one last time. He still stood alone, fighting his own battle beneath the light of dawn.
The walk back was silent. Amalfi alone chattered excitedly about Arkin’s muscles and all the rest. Nefetia was lost in thought. Something inside her chest kept churning.
“Nefetia?” Stella called her name.
“Huh?”
“How are you getting along with Arkin lately?” The sudden question made Nefetia jolt.
“Just… we never really met anyway.” The careless reply made the tips of her ears redden.
“Really?” Stella tilted her head. Morning sunlight now bathed the entire forest.
“The way you two looked at each other and the atmosphere between you seemed nice. Maybe I was imagining things.” Amalfi giggled.
“Yes! I saw you two sitting side by side at the opening ceremony the very first day! You made such a perfect picture!”
“Hmm. It was like that for a while, but now I can’t even talk to Arkin.” Nefetia shrugged.
“But he seems kind of strange lately, doesn’t he?” Stella asked seriously.
“Just his usual self. Methodical, no mistakes, good at everything.” Nefetia waved a hand.
“No.” Stella’s purple eyes flashed sharply, as if seeing straight into a person’s soul.
“Arkin is breaking right now.” The forest birdsong grew suddenly loud.
“How do you know that?” Stella answered with silence for a long time. Only when they were almost back at the dormitory did she finally speak.
“His eyes are dark below.”
“His eyes are dark below?” Nefetia parroted like a parrot. Just because she couldn’t sleep, right? This was a really weak excuse, and her energy drained away.
Amalfi beside her tilted her head too.
“Are you tired? No matter who Arkin is, he’s working too hard. We’re all struggling with training.”
“No, it’s not that.” Stella stopped abruptly, looking from one to the other with an exasperated expression. Her black eyes gleamed darkly. She whispered secretly.
“It’s the empty eyes of a man who pleasures himself madly every night.”