The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 100.2
The academy hadn’t been built long ago, so even the storage room was clean. The floor and walls were polished, and everything was neatly arranged without a single flaw.
Within that neatness, Leslun’s eyes caught on a row of cabinets covering one wall. They were used to store documents and various items, and at first glance, nothing seemed unusual about them.
Kailos, who had been looking around elsewhere, approached.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
Leslun didn’t know how to explain it, so he simply pointed his finger. Perhaps finding that odd, Prince Tarensiu also walked over.
“This one.”
Leslun pointed toward a cabinet in the corner. The metal on its handle was faintly worn down, unlike the others.
“Does frequent use make it a problem? No, that’s not it. The rest look almost new, yet only this handle is worn this much in such a short time. That is suspicious.”
At Kailos’s words, Leslun shook his head.
Then, without hesitation, he turned toward Kailos.
He rose slightly on his toes, his height increasing just enough for their faces to be only a breath apart. Kailos didn’t step back. Instead, he steadied Leslun by placing a firm hand around his waist, preventing him from losing balance.
For a brief moment, the air grew subtly warmer. Leslun’s gaze traced from Kailos’s eyes to his jawline and then to his shoulder before returning to meet his eyes again. Flustered, he quickly stepped back and exhaled softly.
“Your Highness, you’re taller than I am.”
“I’m aware.”
Kailos’s quiet reply held a faint hint of amusement.
“Yes, I mean, I’m not short myself, but… Your Highness isn’t short either.”
“It’s interesting, though. What brought up the topic of height all of a sudden?”
“And…”
Leslun turned his head before finishing his sentence. In the darkness, Prince Tarensiu’s refined eyes glimmered faintly.
“Prince Tarensiu is the tallest among us.”
“I know that as well.”
Kailos responded calmly, his tone implying he already knew there were three of them present.
“But that cabinet is about as high as His Highness Tarensiu’s height.”
At Leslun’s words, both men turned their gaze to the cabinet.
It was positioned high enough that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to reach it, even on tiptoe. The other cabinets were untouched, yet only that one bore subtle marks of frequent contact.
Understanding Leslun’s intention, Prince Tarensiu moved first. He easily extended his long arm and grasped the handle. The metal scraped stiffly as the door opened.
Inside looked as clean as the other compartments, but at the very back corner, there was a faint scratch mark.
Leslun leaned forward to take a closer look.
“There are traces of something being placed and removed recently.”
Kailos reached his hand inside and felt around, then pulled out a long, slender key.
The key’s shaft bore the emblem of the academy, finely engraved, while the handle was etched with small grooves and symbols resembling numbers—clearly not an ordinary key.
Leslun couldn’t take his eyes off it. A strong certainty struck him that this small key was the clue leading to where the weapon was hidden.
Kailos rolled the key between his fingers, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“Now we just need to find the lock.”
It was at that moment, just as a glimmer of hope returned, that the sound of steady footsteps echoed from the hallway, drawing nearer.
Leslun’s breath caught in his throat.
Kailos met his gaze and gave a quick nod.
“This way.”
With the key in hand, Kailos grabbed Leslun’s wrist and pulled him along. Prince Tarensiu followed without delay.
The three of them squeezed into the narrow gap behind the cabinets inside the storage room.
Once the door closed halfway, the darkness around them deepened until it was almost suffocating.
Instinctively, Leslun pressed himself between the two men.
On his left, he could feel the firm chest of Kailos, and behind him, the steady heartbeat of Prince Tarensiu.
The three held their breath together in the tight space, the only sound being the faint intertwining of their breathing.
Footsteps stopped right outside the door.
There was a metallic clatter. Someone had tried to turn the handle, but the door remained locked.
Afraid the pounding of his heart would give them away, Leslun kept his breathing shallow.
But the two men were far too close.
Kailos had placed his hand subtly at Leslun’s waist to steady him, and the warmth of his touch seeped through completely.
Behind him, Prince Tarensiu’s hand brushed against Leslun’s elbow, then quietly withdrew.
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