World's Best Protagonist [BL]

A commanding presence that made the entire dungeon seem smaller arrived. A man with black hair, just long enough to brush over his hidden eyebrows, framed a face both striking and cold.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, with fair but healthy skin, and he had a body built for battle and a gaze sharp enough to freeze anyone in place. His violet eyes, intense and unblinking, radiated an untouchable air of authority, making it clear he did not need words to dominate a room.

He was handsome in a way that felt distant and dangerous.

That is how the book would probably describe the appearance of this person. I knew he had an important role in this world, not just an extra.

It’s like when you read a comic and a handsome or pretty and remarkable character appears, you should expect that they are part of an arc or something significant, and how ordinary and forgettable the faces of the two guards who followed the man from behind were, means they’re extras.

"Sickly wife?" A baritone voice echoed. Even his voice was attractive.

But please, whoever you are, don’t ask where that ’sickly wife’ is. I don’t want to raise my hand.

"I see no one, let alone a woman, other than the man behind you."

Claude, who didn’t seem anxious or nervous at the presence of the man, bluntly replied, "He is indeed my poor, sickly wife."

The man raised his eyebrow. His gaze flicked on me, and honestly, I don’t know what face I should make. Admit it? Hell, nah. What if they condemn same sex marriage in this world? The captain and I might be executed.

The nobleman didn’t wrinkle his nose or draw his sword at Claude’s words. Instead, a spark of something — was that amusement? — lit up his sharp violet eyes, mixed with a strange relief. What for?

Before I could figure out if I should be relieved or even more terrified, his gaze locked onto me like a hawk eyeing prey.

"Is what he said true?" he asked, his baritone voice dropping just enough to send a shiver down my spine.

Claude stayed silent, like he already knew the outcome. Wait, would he spare us if I lie instead of telling the truth? Of course, no man likes to be lied to. So, I have to swallow my dignity and go with the flow...

I felt the weight of everyone’s stares, the guards behind him, Claude beside me, and the cold iron bars between us.

I cleared my throat, wiped whatever expression was threatening to betray me, and said as seriously as I could, "...Yes. I am his poor, sickly wife."

The faces of the guards behind the nobleman distorted with disbelief, disgust, and contempt. Meanwhile, their master himself remained expressionless.

Then he, thankfully not bursting into judgmental flames, smoothly asked, "Who are you, and why have you come to my duchy?"

So, it was confirmed. This nobleman is the duke himself. And he’s not prejudiced, at least.

Claude stepped forward, confident as always, like the two guards with their swords hanging at their waists, and their contemptuous glares on us were nothing.

I feared that once the duke left, they might torture us for being...well, different. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"We’re searching for our kidnapped friends. Slave traders took them. We traced a lead back to the Red House. That led us here."

The duke’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I could almost hear him calculating whether he should just throw us back into the pit and forget this conversation happened. Panic itched under my skin.

Think, Jade, think!

Before he could dismiss us, I blurted out, "We only want to check if Noir and Etienne are safe. That’s it. No trouble."

The moment the name Noir left my mouth, it was like someone had yanked the air out of the room.

The duke froze. His cold aura twitched. He eyed me like I had blurted out a blasphemy.

What the hell? Did I step on a landmine?

His mouth tightened a little, and he turned to the guards. "Release them."

Just like that. Claude and I exchanged a glance. Are we being released so they can deliver us to the gallows now? Or is he going to interrogate us about the things gay couples do? What should I say?

As the guards unlocked the cell, I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath, "Aw, our jail date ended too soon."

Claude didn’t dignify me with a response; his face remained impassive, but the tips of his ears burned a furious red.

A playful smirk appeared on my lips, taunting the guards who glared at me like I was some contagious disease. Their stares tell me that I should get burned to the stake for being a sodomic son of a bitch.

Another thing that pushes me to leave this goddamn world already, is the notion that if these prejudiced, close-minded people are to report us, we might really get burned.

But observing the duke, he doesn’t seem bothered by two men dating?

We were led out of the cold, damp dungeon, climbing stone steps into a bright, grand hall that screamed money and old power. The guards were ordered to go back, while an old man escorted us instead.

They led us to a spacious, luxurious receiving room. I was amazed by everything. Meanwhile, Claude was just nonchalant about everything.

"Jade!"

Waiting there were Etienne and Noir. The moment we stepped inside, they jumped to their feet like spring-loaded cats.

Noir caught sight of me, grinned widely, and without even glancing at the intimidating figure who entered before us, loudly quipped, "Jade! Wow, you certainly look like a peasant!"

My hand balled into a fist, ready to fly to his inviting face. But then, I glimpsed the duke reaching the hilt of his sword, and my fist opened and lowered instantly.

I forgot this guy is a prince. Punching him in the presence of the duke will sentence me to death.

"You’ve changed," I murmured after noticing how the color of his hair lightened. I also no longer sense that familiar aura of a Seeker.

"You’ve returned to normal..."

Claude beat me to it. Noir stiffened. His eyes flicked to the duke for a moment, then returned to the captain. Slowly, he nodded his head.

"I...might need your help more than I expected," Noir mumbled.

"We can’t stay any longer. Four days had passed since we left the camp. Jade is with me, while the three of them are doing everything to subdue it. Imagine the state they might be in right now, Noir."

The duke moved and stood next to Noir. He glowered at the captain and warned, "Speak politely to him."

The air in the room went cold and tense. Two towering figures were staring at each other like they were about to battle.

Etienne slowly moved to my side. I don’t know what he was thinking, but after hearing what the captain said, his face was filled with worry and fear for our team members. Choosing my side right now might not be good.

And I was right.

The duke unsheathed his sword in a blink, pointed it at Claude, and ordered, "Come back here."

Noir was stunned for a moment. But he eventually tapped the duke’s arm and commanded, "Drop it. They mean no harm!"

"It seems the duke already knows what Etienne can do."

I turned to Claude. His tone wasn’t friendly, so I waited with bated breath, wondering whether this encounter would end in a fight and broken friendship, or a mutual agreement.

"I told him the plan," Noir explained quickly.

Claude and I gave him an interrogating look. Noir continued, "I trust him. He already helped me with the plan to enter the palace again. So, please, Etienne, don’t abandon us."

Etienne sighed. "I’m just concerned about the others. What if they were injured and... You know, without Jade, and four days of fighting, will surely send them to their limits. Noir, if you could only... perhaps, help us return to them and provide healing and counseling, all of us will be at ease."

"Fighting? What are you all talking about?"

Noir pinched the bridge of his nose. He turned to the butler and told him to leave, then he asked Claude for permission to brief the duke of their situation. Claude hesitated for a bit, but after thinking that the duke might be able to help them, he finally gave his permit.

While Noir tried to explain some things to the duke, Claude pulled me to sit on the grand sofa and shamelessly pulled the three-tiered cake stand filled with tartlets, sandwiches, scones, and cake slices.

He took one of the scones and shoved it in my mouth. My eye twitched, and I was ready to slap him away when I caught the duke staring. I had to take a large bite and force a grateful smile to Claude for being the best, loving husband that he is.

But wait, why does it seem like the duke is trying to learn from us?