Only thing that keeps my attention are two buns

After Eric took a shower and both he and Fil changed, Eric briefed Fil about today's mission, "You haven't forgotten, right? After breakfast, we'll check out the palace to familiarise ourselves with the layout."

"I know," Fil was back to being quiet and weird.

Eric was still drying his hair with a towel. This damned long hair! It reached to his ass! How did cultivators even endure this? How did girls? Too unscientific!

Look at Fil! How was it fair that Fil could keep his short hair? So, why was Eric, although he looked like Eric, turned out to be Eric with long hair? Just go and make him the Rapunzel already!

"What is it?" Eric noticed Fil's stare that was fixated on him and felt uncomfortable.

"Teach, you're too slow. Lemme help you," Fil sat Eric on the bed with the back faced to Fil while he stood at the edge of the bed.

Fil actually had the audacity to comment on Eric's speed! You go and dry hair that's as long as you are! You short hair punk can just shake a bit like a dog and voila! Dry! Magical! Go and star in a shampoo commercial instead of me!

Yet Eric just let Fil use the towel to gently rub his hair dry. None of the comments that threatened to drown Eric made it past his lips. Oh, the damn reputation he had to uphold! At this point, Eric wondered if he should just shed his fake act already or not!

Meanwhile, Fil stared at Eric's long black hair with guilt but also a hint of desire that made it through his self-restraint. This hair Fil used his fingers to comb through, was the very same one he held onto to jerk off and satisfy his erected member. This very hair was the one-

"Fil?" Eric cautiously asked feeling Fil's presence for some reason getting hotter.

"Was just wondering if we could get a comb. Teach's hair's too long," but Fil actually liked it long because he could grab it without Eric's knowledge.

"Maybe I should cut it."

Hearing this Fil panicked and magnetic said, "No, you're currently a character. You can't do that."

For once Fil said words Eric approved of.

"You're right, I shouldn't do something as reckless as this."

Eric was impressed that Fil didn't forget they were in a novel and Eric was currently a damn cannon fodder. It seemed like Fil's brain wasn't just full of cotton catching fire.

However, Fil breathed a sigh of relief. A long as Eric didn't cut his hair, Fil could still be physically close to Eric without Eric noticing.

"Are you finished?" Eric didn't want to waste too much time on his hair. They should enter the palace now and find out where the Demon King lived.

"Almost," after Fil dried Eric's hair, he got the urge to braid them.

Noticing some dark intentions, Eric pulled away saying, "Don't think of doing something embarrassing. Let's go. The faster we're done with this, the more my heart can be at ease."

"That worried?"

"Of course, I'm a powerless human, even in this story I don't get to have power," Eric really wished he could experience how it felt like to be powerful or shoot lasers out of his eyes, summon fire or ice or... or... or any other dreams that were mercilessly crushed.

"Teach's fine the way he is."

Eric was surprised by Fil's words and gave him a kind smile yet Fil reacted differently, he walked into the bathroom and with a straight face said, "Teach go first to eat breakfast. I'll join soon."

Perplexed Eric agreed, "Ok," before leaving. Two hours later, Fil and Eric finally entered the palace. The inside of the palace looked different from the outside.

Marble with yellow lines covered the whole interior. A few pot plants graced every corner. Golden carpets covered the ground. Apart from that, the palace was quite bare. There were a few knights patrolling but Eric and Fil evaded them with ease.

This was different from what Eric assumed. He has thought the palace would be dark because demons were associated with everything dark but since entering wastelands, Eric's expectations were reversed again and again.

The palace was large but the layout was surprisingly simple. All hallways led to the middle where the throne room was.

"Well, we get the gist of it. Let's leave," more than that, they needed to prepare. Eric already had a plan formed in his head.

The whole time, they weren't discovered either but Eric had the feeling that the security was too lax. Apart from the knights, they haven't seen anyone else. No servants or attendants or anyone. Could it be that the Demon King lived alone? More than that, why was it so easy for them to get in and out?

Eric just couldn't shake off the bad premonition he got. It almost felt like this was deliberate. Eric had no time to worry about it as the knight from yesterday caught them standing in front of the knights' quarter.

"You two! Just because you're new doesn't mean you can slack off. Hurry to your training!"

"Yes, sir!" Eric shouted while Fil just wordlessly followed.

"What do you think?" Eric asked Fil while they had to do the overly exhausting training.

"About what?"

"Don't you think it was too easy?"

"Is that so?" Fil's answer made Eric secretly scowl.

Of course, this peanut brain wouldn't notice. Just look at this vacant face. It was obvious he couldn't care less! Oh no, was Fil getting bored? Did Fil rather roll around in worship and luxury back on his mountain?

Worry overtook Eric. He needed to keep Fil interested! Eric should've known from the way how unusual Fil acted. Eric's skill was still on indefinite cooldown, so Eric couldn't rely on that.

The only thing useful was flattery!

"Don't worry, soon you will have your grand entry as the hero," Eric whispered, not wanting others to overhear them.

"Grand entry?" Fil's expression told he was intrigued.

"Yes, after the demons start to attack, you as the hero will stop them and unify the world!" it was very simple words and some things were omitted but it should be good enough for Fil.

"Don't you think it'll be great? You'll shine brighter than ever."

"Haha, it is!" seeing Fil roaring with laughter, Eric breathed a sigh of relief. This hurdle was overcome but little did Eric knew, he was only piling more dirt on the overflowing mountain threatening to bury Eric.

The truth was during their little palace exploration, Fil's eyes were glued to the two buns. Yes, Eric's two buns. In other words, his ass. So, with Eric stroking Fil's ego, he only fanned the fire, digging himself in deeper pity and whatever other idiom was used here.

Basically, in the evening after Eric told Fil of their plan, "Tomorrow we'll set our plan in motion! You distract the knights while I sneak into the palace, talk to the Demon King to rile him up, so he'll attack the superheroes and cultivator's side, ok? In simple words, you act as a distraction. Don't worry about me."

Fil answered, "Ok," and when Eric fell asleep, the same torture overcame Fil and he didn't sleep at all. Instead, he was intertwined in lust, pleasure, Eric's hair and Eric's scent.

It was never-ending cycle, but damn did it feel good for Fil.