Milo shuddered, his thoughts freezing instantly. Before he could even react, his body had already made a counterattack, lifting his other leg to kick the man, but losing his balance, he flipped backward chair and all, rolling onto the carpet.

Amidst the spinning world and the dizziness of alcohol, Milo managed to crawl up and was about to get to his feet when he suddenly felt his ankle grabbed by a powerful force, dragging his entire body downward abruptly. Rolling over, the world instantly felt like dark clouds pressing down, an oppressive shadow enveloping his entire body.

Milo widened his eyes, his face full of terror. In the dimness, he couldn’t make out the man’s face against the light, save for that pair of deep eyes flashing with a captivating glow, like a distorted dark shadow suddenly descending.

His hands reacted reflexively to block, but they were instantly caught and pinned to either side. His shoulders slammed into the floor, and a scorching breath rushed up through the darkness, colliding with his teeth and invading his mouth.

Kyle pressed down on Milo, biting fiercely as his tongue aggressively invaded and swept through, licking every piece of wet softness, biting his lips, devouring his breath, and greedily drawing in his sweetness.

“Mmph…” Milo tilted his head back, a refreshing numbness traveling from the tip of his tongue throughout his entire body, causing even his neck to shrink back. The scorching breath filled the tip of his nose, almost burning him or as if reducing him to ashes.

Alcohol surged and anger flared. In the chaos, a flash of sparks tore through his mind, and Milo opened his mouth to bite back, his tongue counterattacking with a horizontal clash, like an angry beast roaring, colliding, and entangling amidst the raging flames.

Sparks burst between their lips and teeth, saliva and alcohol blending into complete chaos. The two engaged in a fierce kiss that felt both like a venting of emotion and a standoff, their breaths blowing against each other’s faces, burning away their sanity as if they both wished to tear the other apart and swallow them whole.

The candlelight flickered unsteadily. When the two finally separated, both were breathing heavily with numb lips and tongues.

Milo shivered in the afterglow, licking his swollen lips which still retained a burning sting mixed with the alcohol, causing his blood to churn endlessly. An inexplicable sense of release and exhilaration welled up from the bottom of his heart, as if falling into an endless void while being reborn from the flames, vividly feeling the scalding heat of every inch of skin.

“You have quite the nerve…” Milo laughed, his laughter low and hoarse, carrying a drunk defiance. He yanked Kyle’s hair, pulling the man down abruptly, and bit into him all over again.

It felt like a punishment, yet also like an eager demand. He indulged himself to the point of losing control, his tongue carrying a retaliatory meaning as it thrashed about wildly and rushed in all directions, yet trembled amidst their intertwining, sinking completely into pleasure.

Kyle let out a muffled growl, his backhand gripping the youth’s nape tightly as their lips and teeth collided violently once more. Firelight danced in the shadows, their sanity long since burned to ashes, leaving only the sounds of tearing breath and mutual devouring echoing amidst the flickering candle shadows.

Fastening the final cuff, Kyle was fully dressed.

Unable to find Milo’s shoes amid the pile of debris on the floor, Kyle picked him up, supporting his hips with one hand and his waist with the other, carrying him to the living room like a child.

Milo slumped lazily against the man’s shoulder with hazy, drunken eyes, still tightly clutching the candlestick. The swaying candlelight cast a faint glow in the darkness, creating mottled, flickering shadows.

The living room was in utter disarray with nowhere to sit. Glancing around, Kyle kicked up an overturned chair and settled Milo onto it.

Milo raised the candlestick to illuminate the wall, where a white cloth-wrapped picture frame still hung. A pang clutched his heart; he averted his gaze and let his eyes fall coldly onto Kyle.

Kyle fell silent for a moment, walking over slowly. The moment his fingers touched the outer frame, his fingertips twitched imperceptibly. At that instant, the dust deep within his memories seemed stirred up: overgrown weeds, an unclaimed solitary grave, and years of forbearance and yearning all transformed into a ball of black flames, churning and burning in his chest.

He was the last person who should do this, and he knew it well. If he were the one to take down the mistress’s portrait, it would inevitably invite gossip and endless trouble, purely because of his unspeakable identity and unbearable destiny.

Yet he still compromised.

Perhaps it was due to the young master’s willful caprice, or perhaps deep down, that deeply buried, long-suppressed shadow wriggled like venom and burned like fierce fire.

The portrait in this spot represented more than just status and power; to Kyle, it was like a symbol and a sharp thorn piercing the darkest abyss of his heart. Through countless sleepless nights, it was a lingering ghost and a pair of gazing eyes.

Lifting his arms slightly, he gently removed the picture frame. When he set it down on the floor, both breathed silent sighs of relief.

From this day onward, there would no longer be any trace of the mistress left in this mansion.

Yet the netherfire within that pitch-black abyss quietly rose, stirring and growing without limit.

The next morning, sunlight slanted through the gaps in the curtains to spill into the room. Golden eyes twitched and slowly opened, followed by a frown of lingering drunkenness. His limbs felt weak and heavy, as if surfacing from the deep sea, exhausted and lethargic.

Milo wrinkled his small face and stretched, a faint sting coming from his lips. As he brushed his lips, a rush of chaotic memories flooded his mind, causing Milo to widen his eyes in disbelief.

He had kissed the male protagonist?

Milo sat up abruptly as the absurd scenes of the previous night resurfaced: he had grabbed the man’s hair and bitten him crazily, even biting his nose and chin, and finally ended up crying and making a fuss like a child while holding the man and wailing, “I told you to take it down! Take it down! Why wouldn’t you listen to me!”

As memory returned, black lines crossed Milo’s face. Hearing the sound of fine porcelain shattering in his mind, he felt his lifelong dignity collapse entirely, leaving him to bury his face in the bed and wail.

Hearing the commotion inside, a knock sounded at the door. Kyle pushed it open and bowed respectfully as usual, “Good morning, young master. Are you feeling better?”

The young master was curled up inside the quilt like a shriveled chrysalis, burying his head deep beneath the pillow and muttering muffledly, “Not good…”

Kyle smiled faintly, walking over to the window to pull back the curtains and let in a flood of brightness. Returning to the bedside with a respectful posture yet a tone hinting at amusement, he asked, “Young master, does something feel uncomfortable?”

“Everything feels uncomfortable…” Milo muttered, looking entirely listless and unwilling to move. More than the kiss itself, he was mortified by his own image.

Besides, since two single straight men had already done far worse things, kissing haphazardly while drunk wasn’t worth agonizing over. But that crying and fussing had completely ruined his dignity as the master.

Suppressing his smile, Kyle gently comforted him, “It is normal to feel fatigued since the young master has been drinking for consecutive days. Rest at ease for a few days with moderation and restraint, and you will recover completely.”

“This is all your fault!” Milo poked his head out in anger, shouting, “You ran around everywhere, neglecting me, and you dare tell me to practice restraint?”

“This humble servant was on official business,” Kyle lowered his gaze, stealing a glance at that blushing little mouth and recalling the wonderful sensation, his thin lips twitching into a smile, “If the young master insists on having me attend to you constantly, I can make proper arrangements to stay by your side every single step of the way.”

“Go wherever you want, I couldn’t care less.” Hearing mention of official business made Milo grind his teeth in frustration, so he simply pulled the quilt up over his face to shut everything out. Then, second-guessing himself, he worried that if the male protagonist didn’t deal with the marriage rumors soon, he wouldn’t know how long he’d remain grounded, so he mumbled from beneath the covers, “How are things going?”

“Rest assured, young master, everything is proceeding smoothly.” Kyle raised his eyes, letting his gaze boldly outline the youth’s curves outside of Milo’s line of sight. Rubbing his fingertips against his watchcase, he replied in a steady tone, “We still need to wait patiently. Once the time is ripe, we can reel it all in.”

“You better hurry up!” Milo threatened viciously, “If this isn’t settled, just watch how I punish you.”

Kyle’s fingertips paused, a smiling curve touching his lips: “Yes, young master, I will certainly not fail my mission.”

Whether it was because the vicious young master had been too fierce the day before, the villa’s servants and the damaged furniture had all been entirely replaced. Even the old steward had taken leave.

Milo didn’t feel much about it; servants came and went, ultimately looking either unfamiliar, familiar, or half-familiar.

He sat leisurely in the greenhouse, enjoying the warm breeze and bright spring scenery. The caged birds had also been replaced with species whose chirping wasn’t so piercingly sharp, and occasionally trilling a few notes, it made for a pleasant atmosphere of birdsong and blooming flowers.

Perhaps fearing a repeat of yesterday’s storm, Kyle had arranged a familiar servant to attend to him closely before heading out. Milo usually didn’t bother much with NPCs, but someone specially designated by Kyle was different and deserved a bit of testing.

“What is your name? What are your duties, and how long have you been at the Duke’s estate?” Seeing the servant respectfully place a cup of tea before him, Milo leaned lazily against the back of his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest with a scrutinizing and teasing look.

“Young master, my name is Alan. I usually assist Steward Kyle in managing your meals and daily life, and I have been serving by your side for seven years.” Alan spoke with clean clarity, though his gaze carried a hint of grievance; he frequented the young master’s presence, yet the young master didn’t even know his name.

“Seven years? Has it been that long?” Milo turned his head to study Alan’s face closely: chestnut hair with slight curls, clear eyes, round cheeks, and two dimples when he smiled. All in all, he didn’t look particularly bright.

Picking up the teacup, Milo sniffed the aroma and sneered contemptuously, “Do you have the ability to take care of me properly?”

“Just give your orders, young master, and this humble servant will surely give it my all.” Alan bowed in salute with a sincere attitude. Although he lacked Kyle’s poised elegance, his conduct was flawless.

The young master took a sip along the rim of the cup; the concentration was moderate, the temperature was just right, and it would do. “This tea is brewed quite well. Did Kyle teach you specially?”

Alan’s earlobes turned slightly red as he rubbed the back of his head with some embarrassment, “Young master, I’ve served you for many years, often preparing tea and meals for you, so I’m familiar with your tastes, hence…”

“Are you saying it’s my fault for not getting to know you all properly on ordinary days?” Milo raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes narrowing into a slender curve.

Alan’s eyelids twitched as he briskly bent down to bow, “This humble servant wouldn’t dare. That’s not what I meant.”

“Very well, I suppose I should fulfill my duty as the master.” Raising his wrist slightly to swirl the teacup, the tea liquid rippling gently, Milo broke into a brilliant smile, “Gather everyone. I’m going to get to know each and every one of you properly.”