There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 688: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 23

Ramsay smiled deeply, didn’t even bother to hide his inner feelings anymore.

From the very start, this was his goal. Whether Radia Mallarc would come to him privately or in public, he wanted to see this arrogant man who never bothered looking his way to be humbled.

You won’t do it, won’t you? Someone so prideful.

Radia had been in a powerful position since his birth, an only child of the next heir. He must have never been kneeling in front of someone else. If anything, he probably had a lot of people kneeling in front of him, begging for a favor or forgiveness.

After all, Ramsay himself did that to other people. All people who wield power did, and some of the people gathered in the Plaza probably had done so in the past; kneeling in front of someone powerful. Wasn’t that why no one looked like they thought it was an outrageous proposal? He even spotted some smirks and sneers from the crowd.

Seeing someone powerful getting humbled, after all, was something everyone enjoyed seeing.

How was it? Ramsay curled his eyes. Isn’t it humiliating? Of course, you won’t ever do it. You have a reputation to uphold, after all.

What would people think if they saw Radia Mallarc kneeling pathetically? What would the shareholders and employees feel once they see their oh-so-great Chairman on his knees, with snow falling on top of him? Western Republic media had been covering this event, and there were even onlink streamers broadcasting the event in real-time.

Surely, someone as high-profile as Radia Mallarc wouldn’t tarnish his image with a pathetic sight, would he?

Then, whatever he offered afterward would be seen as lighter. Surely, Radia wouldn’t refuse anything as long as he wouldn’t have to kneel. It wasn’t like Ramsay would ask for anything bad; just a few dates and--

"Very well."

A voice, spoke with a slightly shaky breath but hardened, fiery eyes resounded. It wasn’t loud, but it put the whole Plaza in silence. Not even murmurs could be heard, as everyone was holding their breath in confusion.

Including Ramsay himself.

What? Did he hear it right?

While they were pausing in stun, Radia walked closer to the stage, through the crowd that voluntarily parted for him. Perhaps it was curiosity, but no one even let out a mocking sound. It was such an unexpected situation that they could only wordlessly watch in breathless anticipation.

Would he really? One of the richest men in the continent?

Their curiosity was answered when the man, without hesitation, lowered himself to the snow-covered ground. He did not bring an umbrella or use a hood to cover his head, just black clothes as if he were in mourning. The dark red hair was slowly decorated in cold, white powder.

"Master!"

"Sir!"

The only ones who made a move were the man’s subordinates, shattering the tense silence. But even then, no one really made any noise. The spotlight was not on the stage--it was below, at the striking red swaying in the cold, white wind, and a delicate voice that did not bother to hide its desperation anymore.

"Please...please let me have the artifact."

"W-what--"

Ramsey was too stunned to react properly, blinking in shock even though he was the one who asked the man to kneel. Without any answer, a pair of trembling hands touched the cold, white ground. The red hair spread on the snow, like a seeping pool of blood.

"Please..."

Perhaps it was, because the man sounded like he was dying.

At that moment, Radia did feel like he was dying. He wouldn’t be able to live if he failed to save Joon’s life because he was too prideful to beg. Kneel? Prostrating? Radia could lick the ground if it meant he would get the artifact that could save Joon’s life.

The cold seeping into his skin and numbing his fingers was nothing compared to what Han Joon had been experiencing for decades. There was no way Radia would complain about mere kneeling and cold when he remembered how gaunt his man was the last he saw him.

"I need it to cure my husband, please!"

"...what?!"

Radia lifted his head; the white of his eyes had turned red, and the dark circle of distress was apparent now that Ramsay could see the man closer.

"Please, he’s dying," the weak voice was trembling as tears flowing the already wet face. "I beg of you. I can kneel as long as you want me to, but please...please let me have it."

Whether it was people who had never seen Radia before, or people who knew Radia all his life, no one had ever seen him looking that desperate, that vulnerable. The man who had been maintaining his emotion, his persona, his inner feelings, hiding it so skilfully from the world...

And the one time he let it all go, it was in front of the whole world. In front of the citizens of a foreign country; in front of many cameras broadcasting to many platforms in the entire continent.

"Oh, my Gods..."

"Is...is this real?"

"Uhh...how can I take an artifact from a dying man..."

The crowd whispered quietly as if they felt guilty about tainting the sincerity of the man who looked like he was bleeding on the snow.

"Don’t you think it’s a ruse?"

"It’s a ruse if you’re poor. Why would he lie about that and kneel like that, throwing his dignity for a lie?"

"Well...you’re right."

"Ugh..."

As long as they had eyes, they could see the trembling figure, the pale skin turning blue from the cold, and the choked breath accompanying the tears. Even if they had no empathy, they wouldn’t be so reckless as to fight a morally losing battle.

So what if the guy had a lot of money? So what if he had an authority? Everyone had the right to be desperate for their loved one.

The crowds gradually shifted their gaze from the pitiful display on the ground to the key player on the stage. But the man was still staring with wide eyes at the kneeling red-haired man, unblinking. His mind was in turmoil.

Fuck! What the fuck?! Husband...he wants this for his husband?!

It was like his mind got fried, but on the outside, he just looked like he didn’t want to do anything, standing without moving but staring wordlessly. Someone from the crowd, a Western Republic’s five-star esper who was there to spectate while guarding the site, broke the stifling silence.

"Just stop this, Hammer," the esper sighed; her mana-laden voice could be heard clearly in the entire Plaza. "I don’t think someone here is cruel enough to take the artifact away from him right now."

The crowd murmured in agreement, averting their gaze from the man kneeling on the ground. Knowing Radia did it for his dying husband...it was hard to look at the man begging while discarding his pride. It made them feel guilty about making it into a spectacle.

"Yeah, I don’t think I can..."

"That’s true,"

"I won’t be able to live with it..."

The five-star esper spoke again, the exasperation apparent in her voice. "Haven’t you humiliated him enough? You successfully made the Radia Mallarc kneel in public."

Ramsay blinked slowly, stuttering in a daze. "Huh? Uh..."

The assistant lady, who was part bodyguard, part babysitter--and had the authority to decide things from Ramsey’s father--jabbed the other assistant with her elbow, signaling with her chin. Whatever. They had to save the company’s reputation first.

The male assistant swiftly took the microphone from Ramsay and replied instead while the lady assistant practically dragged the manchild to the back of the stage. "Of--of course!"

After handing the mic to the host, the male assistant grabbed the artifact and half-running to where Radia was still kneeling. The reddened eyes and shaking crimson eyes were even more guilt-inducing from up close.

"You can stop kneeling now, Sir," the man placed the artifact, which was a white lantern with energetically moving flame inside. "Here, this is yours."

Like someone suffering from famine for a long time, Radia grabbed the lantern and hugged it tightly, covering it with his arms against his chest as if it were his lifeline. "Thank you," his shaky whisper sounded loud in people’s ears. "Thank you..."

"...Hey, I don’t think he’s lying."

"Yeah..."

The black-suited Nyx held Radia’s shoulder and pulled him up. "Master, please get up."

"Here, please take this as compensation," Secretary Min handed the suitcase he brought as well as the Mallarc House’s heirloom. He turned toward the crowd and put mana in his voice so everyone could hear him. "We have been an inconvenience, so we’ll reimburse everyone who comes here with transportation and accommodation funds."

"What--really?"

Secretary Min pointed toward the park. "Please go to the van bearing a Mortix logo for more inquiry."

As people turned around and careened their necks, they could see several black vans with at least two staff each beside them.

"Oh! How generous!"

"Thank you very much, for saving my Master’s loved one," Secretary Min said solemnly, with a sincerity that no one could deny. "Thank you."

The man bowed to the crowd before following Radia and Nyx while holding up an umbrella to finally cover his Master from the cold snow. People gave way easily, for the man who, despite trembling all over from the cold, was holding the artifact tightly with steady arms. His face was pale and his lips were blue, but the crimson eyes shone brightly with a new hope.

After watching Radia enter an inconspicuous black car, the Plaza fell silent once again. The male assistant returned to the stage bearing the suitcase full of artifacts, unsure of what to do as he looked at Ramsay.

"Umm...Sir? How do we proceed with the auction? We have the nine artifacts they gave as payment."

Unfortunately, his employer was still in a daze, muttering lowly like he wasn’t all there. "Husband...husband..."

"Ugh..." the male assistant turned toward the babysitter. "Should we postpone this or what?"

The lady assistant rolled her eyes and let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Haa...this is why adults shouldn’t harbor a crush."