redw18

LThis chapter is mesmerising. So much more was revealed, and yet it was accompanied by more questions. The way this chapter mirrored events that happened in the current timeline with Luka and Devin is terrifyingly reflective (I'm sorry, I don't know a better way to describe it 😅). For example, the way Kyrios seduced the poet is just exactly like when Mezenga did to Devin at the dinner. Or Theron's life in Athens was a prototype of Luka's (and Devin's) life. So Luka also could see the light in Devin, which means he was also gifted the same ability as Theron. So, I'm a bit more certain now that he is chosen to be Mezenga's next skin. It is still not clear in this chapter whether all vessels shared this ability or if it is quite unique to Theron and Luka. I guess it is the latter. Whatever the case, I think both Mezenga and Mister D realised about this ability of Luka. I'm so excited for new revelations in the next chapters. Speaking of Mister D., what a twist! I always felt like there was something about him, especially after reading about the staff in the mansion. They were terrifyingly soulless, like puppets. But Mister D. was a stark contrast. So I knew he was special, but I didn't expect this! Amazing! Kudos to you, Casual! The chapter seems to imply that Mister D is a manager or a caretaker of the entity. But in any case, he seemed to be its companion. And if Mezenga is the harvester/collector, he is the manager/caretaker. They all have unique roles in all of this. So the next question is whether Mister D has the ability to change faces himself or also wears skins like Mezenga, or if he is even human. I'm not sure yet, but he is also an immortal (there is no doubt about it) This story truly made me feel like a perverted version of "Men of Honour" (MOH) (I vaguely felt that way since the last two chapters, but this chapter just sealed it for me), I'll dub it "anti-MOH" 😝. Instead of carrying the light that would be shared with others to make them immortal, the host carries darkness that consumes the light from others or keeps it hostage. And the host also has an expiration date before transferring the source to others. In this case, skin changing is probably the process that also accumulates the memories of previous skins? So many questions, and I can't wait to read the next chapters. And yes, I'm aware that the concept or lore for the "Light" in MOH is quite different. It's not about the light/life force that is the essence of each human, like in this story. But the parallel is just so fascinating. Last but not least, about the poem. That was either a prophecy about what would happen to Theron or something like this had happened before in history before Theron’s time. It’s interesting that Phaon made that poem. What did inspire him? Again, so many questions 😄. I can’t wait for the next chapter 😊 Great work, Casual!

If you are talking about which entity I was talking about, then this one 😄 “ Something that had no age and no origin and no name. It looked out at him through Giancarlo Mezenga’s face the way a hand looks out through a glove, present but contained, patient but vast, wearing the man the way the man wore his linen shirts: comfortably, temporarily, with the understanding that it could be removed and replaced at will. It smiled. The smile used Mezenga’s mouth and Mezenga’s teeth and Mezenga’s lips but it did not belong to Mezenga.” Sorry, I just didn’t have a name for it, but whatever it was, I felt like it wasn’t totally human, so I called it ‘the entity’ 😅. And this is also another detail that made me think “Mezenga” needs to change his body suit once in a while 😊. If you were asking whether he is a seducer or a strategist. He is both, and he was very good. He could make a smart guy like Devin (Mezenga said that himself in the previous chapter - and I think it wasn’t just a flattering talk), lower all his guard and act like a love-sick puppy around him in this and the previous chapter😅

This chapter gave me a bit more clarity on what Mezenga wanted from Luka and Devin. He never gave them the same treatment since their arrival. So I always thought he desired different things from them; I just didn't know what. Then, in chapter 4, it was a bit clearer that he wanted the lifeforce or some energy from Devin, and he considered it as food, but he left Luka untouched. And in this chapter, it is quite clear that Devin's life force was what he wanted. Similar to a vampire sucked out the blood (life force) of a person to regain or maintain their youthfulness. I wasn't sure what he wanted from Luka until I read this: "as if the face had been rebuilt from the same blueprint with minor adjustments", "Not inherited. Not ancestral. The face wasn’t being passed down.", and "It was being worn.". These parts, combined with Luka's physical traits, gave me the theory that Mezenga or whatever this entity is, probably needs a new body after a period of time, and he then potentially morphs them into his "same" face or body shape as time goes by. And Luka is probably its candidate. So yes, I think Mezenga wanted Devin's lifeforce, vitality, light, or a type of energy that is very crucial to Devin's health/well-being, and Mezenga saw it as food. But for Luka, Mezenga probably wanted Luka's body, and not the same thing he wanted from Devin. That was my flow of thought after reading this chapter 😊

Oh my, I love this chapter! It's so exciting to see more revelations about Mezenga. At first, I thought he was walking the Earth in his original body for centuries. However, at the end of this chapter, it seems like the entity moved bodies to bodies with similar features, and then potentially morphed them into his "same" face or body shape as time goes by. Giancarlo Mezenga is just one of many faces or identities it wore. And my guess is he is choosing Luka as his next host (just a theory!)? It's not a coincidence that Luka and Devin mirrored Mister D, Mezenga, and Enzo. And Devin, poor guy, walked straight into the mouth of a "light devourer" and thought he was being loved (well, his vitality was loved as food), and his life is changing for the better. His clothes even match the ones that usually belong to human sacrifices that I saw on TV shows, manga and anime 😅. The entity is truly a seducer and a strategist. Anyway, Great work, Casual! 😊

What an intense chapter! Mezenga made me think of Dracula from Bram Stoker, or the tree gave him something back as a result of the sacrificial ritual. In any case, I'll wait patiently for more revelations. This story is getting so good. Love it. I have decided that Luka is my favourite character in this story. I don't know, but I just love his caution, stubbornness, and his love for Devin. When I read this "As if Luka were a problem from another room, something he’d deal with eventually, when this was over, when the light stopped feeling so good on his skin.", I was like "Oh no! Something is going to happen to Devin, isn't it? I know this pattern. He won't have a chance to 'deal with eventually', will he?. Poor Devin! 🥺 I hope he'll make it out eventually, and regain his lifeforce back somehow. Btw, you're very creative. In that situation, you still could find a way to inject a cuckory scene into a scary situation like that. Never get old! But I have to give you that compliment even though it came with the cost of my bleeding heart 😆. It was erotic for sure, but given that it was a feast or harvest for Mezenga (so obviously it was no love in there - Well, there is if you consider the way people love their own food before they devour it), it was sinister, dark, and scary just as how that ritual went Again, love this chapter! Dark arts and horror have always had a soft spot in me.

I really like this chapter. It proved that Liam and Hudson have so much in common, even though they came from totally different backgrounds. They are both abused and hurt, and caged by the adults who are supposed to protect, care, and help them grow. I felt for Hudson deeply. To be rejected, hurt, and thrown away by his own father, horrid! No one should have experienced the kind of pain Hudson had to endure Liam is so gentle, patient, and loving to Hudson in this chapter. He is truly the right element that could help Hudson to gradually heal. And he could sing, too 😄. That was a very lovely and heart-warming moment! My favourite quote from the chapter is "I've been murdered by emotional intimacy." - Me too, Liam! Me too! 😆 Marina made her move! A truly wise person would build bridges and make good friends, not destroy those bridges and make more enemies (especially so unnecessarily in this case). At the end of the day, I believe she just gradually stepped closer to the cliff (to the demise of her own wealth, career, and reputation) by antagonising Liam. Great work as usual, Nuno! 😊

This is such a sweet chapter! Hudson was so adorable, especially when he tried his best to speak Italian. I loved that this chapter focuses entirely on the peaceful but meaningful time Liam and Hudson had while staying in Italy. However, I also feel like this chapter acted as a "Calm before the storm" moment for them. I guess the drama will resume soon in the next chapter. Great work as always, Nuno!

That's truly a sweet escape. Mateo is proving to be a really smart and quick-thinking person. He's truly resourceful. I think if he is given enough tools and resources, he will be very good at crisis management and problem-solving in the future. He's natural! This is a fun and thrilling (from the Cat and Mouse game) chapter.

The lovemaking session of Liam and Hudson is really hot and tender. What a joy to read! The meeting between Liam and Mateo is really funny and entertaining. However, what surprised me the most was Mateo's dynamic with Liam. It was really natural. I think Liam will have a true and lifelong friendship with Mateo, just as Hudson has with Teo. That's a great gain since Mateo is a very good person and friend. It's really nice to see him have Hudson's back by making sure Liam is good and a right fit for Hudson. The story is just getting better and better!

I have so many emotions throughout this chapter. Angry at Marina -> So proud of Hudson for standing for himself and didn't let her bully him -> impatient during the long, slow burn scene at the bar -> Emotionally destroyed, touched, and sad when Liam confessed his feelings to Hudson while being drunk, and Hudson cried his eyes out behind the door -> Almost scream at the screen and Hudson with "C'mon dude! Open the door! Open to your happiness!" -> Excited when he finally opened the door -> so happy and satisfied at the end of the chapter where they made up and decided to move forward together with "It's you and me now, Arizona." Fantastic chapter, Nuno! P/S: My favourite quote of the chapter has to be "Hi! Love your vibe. Very funeral chic". I burst out laughing unexpectedly. Luckily, I wasn't drinking anything while reading it. Oh Mateo! I love that dude. Very funny!

Another great chapter! This chapter left me with a sense of sadness, particularly the details of Liam's childhood. For a child to be exploited at such a young age is truly horrible. Marina and the people who were involved in her machinery did all those things to Liam while pretending to be his salvation. The worst part is that they manipulated a 12-year-old boy into agreeing to be their slave and money-making machine while his mother or legal guardians are not around. That's predatory! Liam's mother's parenting skills are abysmal, yes, but that kind of conversation Marina had with Liam by no means should ever happen without the boy's family. Furthermore, Marina also added some oil to the flame and, in a way, made the relationship between Liam and his mother worse. And she did this on purpose to try to separate him from his family. A divide and conquer tactic, I think. I'm going to patiently see more details unfold in the next chapters, but whatever karma or consequences you had in mind for Marina and her crew in the end, I think I'm going to enjoy those! Great work, Nuno! Have a lovely weekend! 😊

The true drama begins in this chapter. It seems the story's first antagonist/villain has made her first appearance. Selfish, manipulative, and controlling! The right combination for a villain that nobody roots for, except for their downfall. "Staying power is rare"...It seems like Marina is taking her own advice and trying to make herself powerful by controlling Liam while pretending to guide him (it might be true in the past, but from the look of that, the guiding was dead long ago, and now only greedy control remains). I can't wait to read the next chapter! This chapter also proved that Hudson brought warmth to not just Liam, but his house, too. The entire place was full of life and warm before Marina walked in. She made the place cold immediately. Great work, Nuno! I'll see you in the next chapter 😊.

What a sexy and heartwarming chapter! The sex is hot, passionate, erotic, and full of love. However, the highlight of this chapter, for me, is when more about Liam was revealed through Hudson's lens, especially in the trophy room and the "movie theatre". What was revealed was beautiful. Liam was a lonely but kind and beautiful person beneath the movie-star image. And it's also no wonder that Hudson fell for him. Beautiful chapter! Great work as always, Nuno! 😊

And to me, this is one of the best and most joyful things about reading. Every good story I read, there is always something new I learned along the way, be it from the story itself, the author's messages, or fellow readers' analysis and perspectives 😉. And they help me to understand more about life and the people around me

Well said! Love it! 😊 Well, Daniel is not a conventional person/character. I always thought his version of happiness would be very different from what others would think about happiness. Because of his hunger and who he is, he will walk that path alone. However, being alone doesn't mean being lonely. Daniel, fortunately, is surrounded by people who accept his true self and love him deeply and genuinely. And he also loves them all passionately in return. Because he chose to live truthfully with them, he strengthened their bonds and love. And because of that, I think (and this is also my hope) he will have a very fulfilled life full of love and laughs, even if his hunger is bottomless and will never be satisfied. After all, Daniel Beaumont does not lead a conventional life and love, and with the amazing people he has, I think his life could potentially be an extraordinary one in the future

I couldn't agree more with you about Daniel. Your analysis and your view on him are simply brilliant. It's a joy to read. Thank you! 😊

After reading the first three sentences, I smiled already. This is a great and hot chapter. I like Mateo already. What a fun, smart, and chaotic (in a very good way) character, especially with his over-the-top screams and hypersexual! He made me laugh more than once. Such a screen (or paper) stealer! The chemistry between Hudson and Liam got even better in this chapter. Their text exchanges and wits are also the highlight of this chapter. Not to mention their nicknames for each other. Chef's kiss! Great work, Nuno! 😄

This is another amazing story from the author, Casual Wanderer! This is one of the stories about unconventional love (through today's society's lenses), patience, compassion, acceptance, and most importantly, living truthfully with yourself and your family. It also raised the issues and consequences of people having to live with masks or personas (if we prefer a fancier word) every day in every aspect of their lives, whether they chose to or were forced to do so. Daniel is the centre of the story, of the malady that was mentioned in the title. However, his hunger is not the only hunger that was analysed or focused on. Other characters also have their own hunger. However, the different hungers didn't dilute the story's focus, and instead, they tied the events and characters together nicely. Nora is my favourite character. In my humble opinion, she is the strongest. What happened to her, especially at the start of the novel, could easily destroy anyone in real life. And yet, she not only lived through it but also strengthened herself with love, compassion, and kindness. These are the qualities that made me fall in love with the character. Alec is my second favourite because he made me smile all the time, and he's kind. I think everyone should have an Alec in their lives. Alec also reminded me to Cash from "Down In the Holler", another novel from Casual Wanderer. I think these types of characters enrich every story they are in, and I hope to see more of them in future stories/novels While Daniel is not in my top 2, he is one of the most interesting characters (if not the most). His imperfection and his journey to eventually recognise and accept it are one of the best highlights of the story. And even better, that he didn't achieve this on his own, but with the help of the people who loved him dearly and patiently. And this is the element that made me love this story. If this is your first time reading a novel by the author, I would like to share that the first two chapters can be very intense and emotionally challenging. That is one of the charms of his work that never gets old, even among his veteran readers. However, things will be entangled, and questions will be answered throughout the novel. Another point is that since this is also about unconventional love, it won't be about monogamy, especially for the main characters. Nevertheless, I think if you approach the story with an open mind, you'll have a good time with this one. Finally, another improvement in Casual's writing that I found through this story is that there is an English translation next to each non-English dialogue most of the time. This kept the story engaging and my reading (and focus) unbroken since I no longer have to use a translation tool, like Google Translate. I hope this flow will continue with new stories or new chapters of current incomplete stories

This is a love story, but it's not a conventional love story. It also went beyond the focus of the main characters and told love stories of a lovely fictional community. The story raised a lot of issues regarding guilt, anger, homophobia, domestic violence, and violence against the LGBTQ+ community. However, it also offered warmth, love, justice, and forgiveness. The characters are quite relatable. The community of the main protagonists protects each other fiercely with compassion and love. Daisy and Cash are my favourite characters. Daisy's motherly, unconditional love for Jackson and other characters is the story's biggest highlight. Cash always made me smile. He's a funny (not comical, but realistic) and well-developed character. This is one of the best stories I have read in 2025 and early 2026, and it has a happy ending. The characters in the story are from the Southern US, so a lot of the dialogue has local dialect. Obviously, it helped to make the story more realistic. Still, it can be a bit challenging to understand/follow for non-native English speakers or someone who is not really familiar with the native US English dialect. It's ultimately not a disadvantage for me, but I thought I should mention it for other readers, just in case.

Sorry, I want to add another point 😅. This chapter has so many interesting points 😄. I love how stark a contrast Malik and Cameron were portrayed. Malik is a good cook, but Cameron can't cook. This just proved how deep the lies that Malik/Cameron lives with are. It's quite scary!

@Cane23's talent is insane. I think he secretly walks in Casual's mind 😆. Those analyses and predictions are just... chef's kiss. So good!

Oh, and one final thing. This story also encouraged me to always remember to live truthfully. So thank you for that, kind storyteller, Casual Wanderer!

Of course, I had to miss a point. I think it is very lovely that Nora, Alec, and Max all know that Daniel's path in his love life won't have a place for monogamy, but they still accepted that and patiently waited for him to realise that himself (with "I know" from Max and with implications from both Nora and Alec's perspectives in previous chapters). Again, this just intensifies the fact of how lucky Daniel is. I'm really envy him (but very happy for him 😊)!

This chapter is speechless (although I'm going to pour my feelings out while writing this 😆) and simply beautiful. The ending is absolutely fitting and comes in a full circle. Now it all makes sense how "Malik" could recognise the Daniel beneath the surface during chapters 1 and 2 (like when he said "I see"). It's because he had worn similar masks, and he was even at a higher level compared to Daniel. I felt like Malik was Margot and Daniel combined into 1 person I also like the fact that this chapter mirrors the sex acts between Daniel and Malik in chapters 1 and 2. However, this time the roles were reversed. Malik was the shaking one, and Daniel was the one in control and was the dominant one. He, in turn, unmasked Malik in this chapter. This part of the chapter was beautifully done. Their sex acts before the last one were not just mindless sex, but fights in control, and Daniel easily won. I'm so happy that Daniel is now living with the truth and accepting (and loving) his true self. I don't think he could do it by himself without all the people who love him dearly, patiently, and truly. Starting with Nora, the one I respected the most in this story. She was the one who absorbed the first and the most painful impact from Daniel's transformation that could easily destroy anyone in real life. Yet, she encouraged him and freed him (in turn, freed herself, too) with a genuine, patient, and sometimes quiet love. That's why I always felt she was the most patient one among Daniel's lovers. Then comes Alec and Max, two men who loved Daniel and showed him different angles of love that are passionate and again with patience. And finally comes his side of the family (at this point, Nora - even though they divorced, Alec, and Max are also part of his family), a mom who was flawed but loved, accepted, and proud of him. A father, also flawed, but carried with an encouraging and gentle love for Daniel. And a brother who didn't have to but accepted to fill his role in the firm (the one he abandoned and passed to his brother without asking if his brother is ok with it) because he also loves Daniel wholeheartedly. Daniel is truly a lucky one because Cameron, who is in the same situation, probably would be able to achieve what Daniel did. Maybe he could in a distant future, but I truly cannot see a clear possibility at this point in Cameron's life. I used to say that I ship for the unhealthy malady to end for the sake of everyone involved. And I'm happy that it truly happened in this chapter. The malady made Daniel unhealthy initially, and now, it is Daniel, with his full self, who has turned his malady healthy. Because of this, I feel this is a fitting beginning for Daniel (and I'm talking as a person who prefers a monogamous relationship). Different folks, different strokes, and I'm in no position to dictate others' life choices, including fictional characters 😊. And I have always said, to me, Daniel seems like a person who loves every different taste or dish, but won't ever settle for just one. So this decision from Daniel is really in character from my perspective. And as long as he stays true to himself and to all the people who love him, I can see a very clear future where he lives happily with all of them with fulfilment, no matter where they are. for example, I can see that after the Italy trip, he will be back to Alec's apartment, and along with Nora, helps Alec solve his "unresolved erection" 😆. Yes, Nora will be there, and the throuple will be temporarily formed again, because let's face it, this is too hot for Queen Nora not to participate. I have a feeling she will be the one who spearheads the project, "Save Alec's Erection", this time. Yes, I used the word "Save" because, from the look of it, with Nora and Daniel in the room, Alec's erection may keep coming back again and again (so technically, in Alec's voice, it may never be resolved 😆). Sorry if it is a bad joke, I just couldn't resist 😅. All in all, great work, Casual! I really love this story, 5/5 from me 😊. Have a lovely weekend!

This is truly a slow burn story, but in a very good way. It made me want to read and read, and I reached the end of the chapter without knowing. Also, I love that in this chapter, the guys moved on from movies to discuss music (and in turn, I learned a bit more about songs, too). It kept the long encounter between Liam and Hudson interesting. I really like Hudson! Great work! Have a lovely day, Nuno! 😊