Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight! novel Chapter 404

Chapter 404: ’Did He Look Like This?’

’His vitals are weak.’

Heinz’s arms trembled slightly as he gathered Florian’s fragile body into his embrace. He held him delicately, like porcelain—like something that might break further if touched too hard.

’I have to bring him to Lysander as soon as possible.’

Florian’s skin was cold. His face, pale. His breathing was shallow and barely there, like a whisper of life clinging to a thread.

Heinz stared at him, eyes narrowed in pain.

’Why does this feel so familiar...?’

Then it hit him.

A memory from his first life.

The last time he ever saw the original Florian—right before the execution. That same face. That same silence. That same look of resignation in Florian’s eyes before the blade fell.

And before that? The countless times Florian had been taken. Hurt. Broken. All the moments the prince had cried out for him—begged for him—while Heinz pushed the responsibility to Lucius and Lancelot.

Because he hadn’t cared.

Or... hadn’t wanted to.

"Did he also look like this?" Heinz whispered bitterly, brushing a strand of hair away from Florian’s face.

The ache in his chest deepened.

It wasn’t just rage anymore.

It was guilt.

He tightened his hold around Florian—gently, carefully—but close enough to feel the frail rise and fall of his chest against Heinz’s own.

"Let’s go home," Heinz murmured, his voice unsteady as he leaned down and softly pressed his nose to Florian’s forehead. A fleeting, desperate gesture—half a promise, half a plea.

Behind him, Azure stood waiting—blood dripping from his jaws, his eyes wild.

For the last few minutes, Heinz had left the dragon to deal with the remaining scum. And Azure had obeyed with brutal precision.

He bit, burned, and tore through them as they screamed for mercy.

But not all were dead.

One was still alive.

The leader. The man who had touched Florian. Hurt him.

He now lay collapsed on the ground, trembling, face twisted in terror. Blood pooled around his broken legs. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Tears streamed down his face.

Pathetic.

’I need to prioritize Florian.’ Heinz told himself, sparing only a glance.

’Then I’ll deal with this bastard. And Alexandria.’

He raised his hand, signaling Azure.

Azure dropped the half-chewed arm he was gnawing on and padded forward, stepping carefully toward Heinz and Florian.

"Grh..." Azure let out a low growl—one not of anger, but of concern. His glowing eyes were fixed on Florian. He whined softly, as if asking permission to get close.

Heinz shook his head.

"He’ll be okay," he said, though he didn’t sound sure—because he wasn’t. "But you can’t touch him right now. You’re covered in blood. We’ll clean you up once we get back."

Azure’s ears drooped, but he understood. Quietly, the dragon lowered his massive body and offered Heinz a place to mount.

Heinz climbed on carefully, holding Florian close against his chest, as if shielding him from the world.

He never looked away.

’I won’t let this happen again.’

Behind them, the leader whimpered. He tried to crawl. To beg.

’I’ll make sure of it.’

Azure turned to him.

And without a word from Heinz, clamped his jaws around the man’s face—muffled screams followed, gurgled and raw.

Heinz didn’t flinch. Didn’t even blink.

Right now, it felt like the entire world was in his arms.

And he refused to look away.

Not even for a second.

✧༺ ⏱︎ ༻✧

"Your Majesty," he greeted, his voice low but clear. "How is he?"

Lucius stepped into the room quietly, the heavy doors closing behind him with a soft click that echoed faintly in the silence.

He received no response.

’He almost looks like he’s already gone.’

Heinz had carried him in his arms all the way from the battlefield, refusing to let anyone else touch him. When they arrived, he barked one command: "Get Lysander. Now."

’To see his majesty acting like this...’ He didn’t need to be able to see Heinz’s emotions to know how the king was feeling.

"...Word’s already out about Princess Alexandria," Lucius added more carefully. "They’re saying you choked her in the corridor. That she’s... been locked in that room. With the ringleader from the incident. People are scared, Your Majesty."

At last, Heinz blinked.

Slowly.

And then he turned his head.

It was the first time in over an hour that he looked away from Florian.

His voice, when it came, was low—deadly cold. "Send an official statement. Kingdom-wide. I want everyone to know the truth. Say this: Florian was kidnapped. The one who orchestrated it... was Princess Alexandria Divinarae. I destroyed those guilds because I was searchinig for the one who aided her."

’Wait... we’re just going to tell the truth?’

Lucius stared at him, stunned. "We’re... not doing damage control?"

Heinz’s jaw flexed, his eyes hardening like crimson steel.

"No," he said. "No more hiding. No more political silence. I want it burned into their minds. I want them to remember it with fear. No one touches Florian. Not ever again."

Lucius froze.

It was ’No one touches Florian’ and not ’No one stands against the king.’

Even Lysander glanced up from the bed, eyebrows furrowed in silent shock.

Heinz shifted his gaze back to Lucius.

"You will stay here," he said. "With Cashew. With Lysander. Make sure he’s warm. Make sure he’s safe. And if he so much as twitches in pain, I want to be informed."

Lucius lowered his head slowly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Finally, Heinz stood.

The weight of grief, guilt, and fury hung off him like a mantle. He turned toward the door, his eyes dim and shadowed.

He said nothing more.

But the air changed.

It was time.

Time to face that room.

Time to deal with the traitor princess and the man who dared lay hands on his Florian. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

And it seems this time... mercy would not be on the table.