The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 100.1
Kailos appeared and placed his hand on Leslun’s shoulder.
“I’ll handle the introductions, so don’t worry.”
At the familiar presence, Leslun instinctively raised his head to look at him. Relief flickered across his face, soon followed by confusion. He quickly glanced around, but Miroi, who should have been with him, was nowhere to be seen.
“Why are you here?”
“That’s what I should be asking. I told you to look for it quickly, yet here you are, wasting time.”
Kailos’s low voice carried a subtle weight.
Leslun swallowed the excuse rising in his throat. He had his reasons, of course, and Kailos likely knew them already. But it wasn’t the right time to start arguing about it, not when they weren’t alone.
“I was just looking around here too,” Leslun said.
“Is that so?”
Kailos’s gaze swept slowly around them. His blue eyes deepened as if they were tracing through moonlight and shadows, searching for something hidden.
“This place looks better suited for a stroll than for hiding anything.”
He had hit the mark.
Kailos gave a faint, knowing smile and began to walk without letting go of Leslun’s shoulder. Drawn by his steady pressure, Leslun followed a step forward.
“The guards will start their patrol soon.”
Then Kailos suddenly changed direction. His stride was brisk, leaving no room for hesitation.
Leslun hurried to match his pace and whispered, glancing at Prince Tarensiu, “Shouldn’t we look for it another time?”
“I thought so too,” Kailos began, sounding no different from before. “But I’ve changed my mind. Since we’re already here, it’s better to focus on our task.”
“Why, though…?”
When Leslun looked up at him with a puzzled expression, Kailos’s lips curved faintly.
“Because I can’t give you room to be distracted.”
Leslun almost understood, yet not completely.
So he simply walked beside Kailos in silence.
Prince Tarensiu followed them quietly from a short distance away. He let out a small sigh that neither of the two noticed, then continued walking.
***
Finding a place to hide something within the academy turned out to be much harder than expected.
He had mapped out several possible spots based on the blueprints in his mind, but none of them gave him full confidence.
This is tougher than I thought.
Discovering the box in the food storage had been pure luck.
If they failed to move on to the next clue, it would obviously take much longer. And who knew how the trading company would react by then.
They restocked the missing ingredients in no time. I can’t be sure they’ll just sit still this time either.
The thought of needing to hurry grew stronger. His heart pounded faster than when they were just strolling earlier.
“Shh.”
Kailos pressed a finger to his lips and leaned against the wall.
Thinking someone might be nearby, Leslun and Prince Tarensiu mirrored his movements and pressed themselves against the wall too.
Leslun glanced toward Kailos’s back, staying alert to their surroundings. That was when he noticed—Kailos had been holding his hand since earlier and hadn’t let go once.
Why was he only realizing it now?
In the cool darkness, the warmth from their joined hands stood out vividly. Because of it, he couldn’t feel the chill that filled the empty hallway.
When Kailos gave the signal, the three of them began moving again.
They quickly searched through many places, even slipping into restricted rooms beyond the classrooms.
But no matter where they looked, nothing came out of it.
They had to be careful not to make noise or attract attention—after all, it wouldn’t do for the Crown Prince to be caught sneaking around like this.
“That’s enough.”
Kailos spoke first when they exited the third location.
“If we’re not planning to stay here all night, we should stop here.”
He looked at Leslun with a faint smile.
“We still have tomorrow.”
His tone carried another meaning too—that next time, it would be just the two of them.
Leslun quickly nodded. He had done all he could for now.
When he turned back, he noticed the storage room beneath the stairs. It was a place he’d passed countless times while walking the halls, but never actually visited.
Suddenly, the library came to mind.
Following the librarian back then had felt the same way—familiar yet strangely foreign.
Leslun lit the lantern and shone it inside.
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