The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] Chapter 851: Maximizing the Experience

Earlier that evening, everything had been great.

Amazing, even. Actually, scratch that. Amazing wouldn’t be enough to describe their experience. In fact, they couldn’t even respond to the ssages they had gotten throughout the day because they were trying to co to terms with how to describe their surreal day.

But then their life ca to a head during and definitely after the dinner service.

Dinner had been incredible. It had been everything they could have possibly imagined and more.

The two of them actually went for the picnic option as they wanted to be able to see the lay of the land, well, more like the lay of the food.

As soldiers who had experienced eating in Zone Four with the mbers of DG and the people of House Kyros, they actually had the advantage of understanding a bit of how that worked.

And sure enough, when they opened that large basket as they followed Lady Ada’s explanations, they were greeted with exceptional dishes.

They kept on pulling out things and sohow each one was better than the last.

Just perfect, really. And they couldn’t be more thankful for having such an experience.

Sam and Marco had eaten like champions, joking, elbowing each other, arguing about which dish was superior while stealing bites from each other’s plates.

They were best buddies. Bros. Just brothers being brothers.

Marco, as usual, had been relaxed, composed, and annoyingly confident. Sam had been louder, dramatic, and in hindsight maybe very much in denial about... everything.

But hey, it was all good. This was way better than their initial plan of just surviving and retiring young.

But maybe that should have been the warning sign.

Sam thought that up until that mont, everything had been good. Great, even. But maybe he should bla himself for watching the people around him and joking about "maximizing the experience."

Maximizing the experience his ass!

They ended up maximizing it so much that they practically signed up for their present dilemma!

They poked their heads into scenic nooks and cozy corners, only to retreat hastily every ti they stumbled into yet another couple doing very couple-like things.

Hand holding. Whispering. Laughing softly. Leaning too close.

It happened so often that Sam finally snapped.

Okay, wait.

To be fair, it wasn’t really that often, but even if it had only happened thrice, to a single dog, that was already more than enough of a reminder! He might as well have toothpicks to hold his eyelids open!

Ahem.

"I get it," he hissed as they ducked away behind yet another tree. "I get why everyone’s busy. And what I would give to experience that stuff. But look at us. This sounded smart when we decided it, but now look at this!"

They had barely settled when footsteps approached again.

Another couple.

Sam froze.

They were already there. Too close to the deep edge to leave without being seen. And judging by the hushed voices drifting toward them, this was not a casual conversation.

It was a confession.

"Oh lord," Sam mouthed silently.

Without thinking, he grabbed Marco and pulled him fully behind the tree.

They ended up face to face.

Way too close.

Sam, ever the unfortunate romantic and eternal gossip magnet, forgot the danger imdiately. Of course he didn’t want to hear this, but at the sa ti, how could he not hear it?! So his eyes widened as he leaned just a little, trying to hear better.

His face burned.

The confession he was hearing felt heartfelt. It was a little awkward, but nonetheless it sounded sincere.

Sam was invested.

So invested that he nearly tipped over trying to angle himself for better hearing without using spiritual energy. After all, he didn’t want to get kicked out over possibly questionable acts. But he didn’t want to miss this.

Only, when he tried to lean in ever so discreetly, Marco tried to tug him back.

Sam ignored him.

So Marco adjusted instead.

Suddenly, Sam’s ears were covered.

He jolted. Then furrowed his brows at the killjoy who had to stop him from hearing what he thought were clearly important things.

He was offering moral support for that couple, okay?! Sam believed it was an important ordeal. Moreover, they were even there first.

But what was with this guy?

All of a sudden, that giant ass Marco leaned in close, lips moving in a whisper so quiet Sam couldn’t hear a thing.

Huh? What?

Then again, it was better that way. Because how could the already confused soldier react if he had understood what his best bud was mouthing.

"You should really focus on your own story instead."

But Sam never heard it.

Instead, Marco leaned in closer.

Sam panicked.

Then embarrassingly, he froze. Staring too much at soone’s lips, under the guise of trying to decode what the guy had just said.

His vision went slightly cross-eyed. His brain short-circuited and he was just waiting.

Fine. That was a lie. He did angle his own face a bit. Just a bit.

But then Marco, that doofus, kissed the tip of his nose.

Sam froze.

"...???"

He had choice words, right at that mont. But his mouth didn’t get to open because the couple they were hiding from suddenly laughed softly, joy evident in their voices as they moved further away.

Maybe they were going to celebrate even more, who knows?

But what was certain was how reality crashed back in.

Sam’s heart was pounding violently. His face felt like it was on fire as he denied anticipating sothing.

Marco, on the other hand, just started to pull back, looking rather amused.

And of course, Sam couldn’t possibly let him remain with his face intact.

So he grabbed Marco by the front of his clothes and yanked him back down.

Their lips t. More like crashing instead of a eting, really.

Both of them froze.

Marco, especially.

They separated just as quickly, breath uneven as they both tried to process what just happened.

In truth, that question refused to leave Sam’s mind. What had Marco been thinking back there?

Well, maybe if he asked, he would’ve known that Marco, who was similarly shell-shocked at that mont, suddenly saw his best friend’s expression.

Sam stared up at him, aggrieved, surprised, and yet deeply flustered, pressing his thumb to his own lip as if confirming it had happened.

But really, if the wondering soldier wanted to know just what pushed them off that cliff, it would have been words that ca out of his own lips in his frustration.

He mouthed, very clearly to the attentive Marco, "You ass. If you’re going to do it, at least do it right!"

The taller soldier blinked.

Then he smiled.

"Ah, I see."

And then he leaned in again to do it right.

Deeper.

Harder.

Longer.

And by the ti Sam started panicking about what was happening, it was already too late.

He’d already kissed back.