Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight! novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46: ’The Prince’s Nuisances’

’He’s still following me.’

Florian thought as he quickened his pace, trying—and failing—to ignore the heavy footfalls of the knight trailing behind him. His patience was already wearing thin. ’Did Heinz put him up to this? No, he’s already got Lucius shadowing me everywhere. So why...’

He exhaled sharply through his nose, stopping abruptly in the empty corridor and spinning on his heel to address his unwanted companion.

"I’m going to group with Lucius and Cashew in my bedroom now," Florian announced, his voice deliberately raised, ensuring there were no misunderstandings. "So you can stop following me."

Lancelot, unfazed, met his gaze with the air of someone entirely too accustomed to getting his way. "Alright, Your Highness. But as the head of security for the Diamond Palace and commander of His Majesty’s knights, I have the authority to go wherever I please. You may be a prince, but let’s not forget—you’re merely a guest in this kingdom."

Florian’s eye twitched. ’This guy...’

It wasn’t that Florian had an issue with people following him; he could endure it when it was just Lucius. But having another male lead lurking around was not part of the plan. Especially not this close to the upcoming village visit. That was when Lancelot was supposed to fall for him—not now.

And after the near-disastrous incident with Lucius, Florian was determined to avoid being trapped in the same predicaments that the original Florian from the novel had faced. His narrow escape from that scenario still made him shudder.

’I need to put as much distance between him and me as possible,’ Florian thought grimly, his mind racing for a solution to shake off the knight.

"You’re being absolutely impossible right now," he said, his frustration bubbling to the surface.

"If you have nothing to hide, you wouldn’t be so keen on getting rid of me," Lancelot countered smoothly, his tone almost smug.

Florian raised an eyebrow. "If I had something to hide, do you think I’d make it this obvious? That would completely defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?"

For a moment, there was silence. A small victory, but Florian took it, squaring his shoulders as his lips twitched into a self-satisfied smirk. After Scarlett outsmarted him earlier, he needed to reclaim some of his pride. He was not about to let himself be outmaneuvered by every character in this book.

"If you keep following me," he threatened, his tone firm, "I’ll inform His Majesty that you’re deliberately hindering my task."

Lancelot’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression remained unreadable. "You wouldn’t dare."

’Gotcha.’ Florian’s smirk widened.

"Oh, I would. His Majesty made it abundantly clear that he expects a daily report from me. If I fail to deliver, I get punished—or worse. And if that happens, I’ll make sure you go down with me."

Another pause. Florian could practically see the wheels turning in Lancelot’s mind as the knight considered his options. ’He’s trying to decide if I’m bluffing,’ Florian thought, fighting the urge to glance over his shoulder.

But when he finally risked a quick look, he froze. The corridor behind him was empty.

Lancelot was gone.

’That was... quick,’ Florian thought, blinking in surprise. A satisfied grin spread across his face. ’I didn’t expect that to work so well. Better than I could’ve hoped, actually.’

He straightened his posture and continued down the hall, this time enjoying the silence and the absence of the knight’s persistent presence. For now, at least, he was free.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Or not...

"Where’s Cashew?" Florian asked the moment he stepped into his room, his voice sharp with urgency. His gaze swept the space and landed on Lucius, the only occupant. A wave of dread washed over him, heavy and immediate.

Lucius, lounging with his usual nonchalance, placed a hand theatrically over his chest, feigning injury. "Your Highness, if you didn’t look absolutely stunning in that maid outfit, I might be mildly offended at how upset you seem to find only me here."

Florian’s lips pressed into a thin line, his mood darkening further. "Do I need to remind you why I’m in this ridiculous outfit in the first place?" he snapped, his irritation spilling over. His earlier encounter with Lancelot had already soured his day, and this wasn’t helping.

Florian blinked, momentarily taken aback. He locked eyes with Lucius and saw no trace of mischief, only sincerity. It was disarming, and for once, Florian didn’t feel like he was walking into another one of the novel’s contrived romantic tropes. _{freёweɓnovel.com}

’Why did I agree to this?’ Florian’s thoughts spiraled, his breathing growing shallow as the tension coiled tighter. He caught the faint, crisp scent of Lucius’ cologne, a mix of something fresh and subtly spiced, and the steady rhythm of Lucius’ breathing filled the space. Each second felt heavier than the last, his heartbeat drumming in his ears.