The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 136.2
“That’s fine too. Let’s do both.”
It seemed Cassian no longer wanted to keep walking either. Leslun looked around, lost in thought.
The Imperial Palace was surrounded by several structures encircling the main castle. He had no idea which of those Blue might frequent, but at least he could consider what would attract a cat.
First, a sunny window. A perfect place for a nap.
Next, near the kitchen. The smell of fish would be irresistible.
The storeroom and supply rooms. The spaces between crates made good hiding spots.
The stables. Cats loved the warmth of straw piles.
The gardens. Low walls and flower beds would surely spark their curiosity.
The library. It might be like squeezing between stacks of books.
And of course, cats enjoyed gazing down at the world from high places, under the open sky.
As Leslun went through the list, it felt endless. So he narrowed it down to three locations first.
“Shall we start with the garden?”
A place filled with fluttering butterflies.
Cassian eagerly followed Leslun. They entered the garden that Kailos had once said seemed as though time itself had stopped. It was still beautifully kept.
If he found Blue napping somewhere, he would gently poke its belly awake. That was what Leslun was thinking when his expression suddenly hardened.
In a shadowed corner, a cat lay collapsed.
It was a cat he had never seen before. It had one eye barely open, and its fur was matted with blood.
“Why is Father’s spirit beast here…” Cassian said, his voice trembling with shock.
Leslun had heard about the Emperor’s spirit beast before, but he could not understand why it was lying there in such a state.
[So you are the boy who spends time with the Crown Prince.]
A voice echoed inside his mind—one he had never heard before.
Leslun’s heart sank. The bond between him and the spirit beast had formed instantly.
“What happened to you?”
[A strange being attacked me.]
If even a spirit beast could not define what had attacked it, then it must have been something unknown—something neither human nor beast.
The thought of the Shadow Corps immediately crossed his mind, but even that was uncertain.
Their leader was currently imprisoned. And as for the remaining members, Kailos had ordered every last one of them to be hunted down.
“Do you know where Blue is? The spirit beast of the next generation, I mean.”
[It went after the one who wounded me.]
Leslun’s face hardened. The situation was far more dangerous than he had imagined.
“Do not think this is the end.”
He remembered the Shadow Corps’s leader shouting those words. He had thought it was nothing more than a desperate bluff.
Leslun carefully reached toward the spirit beast. The wound was deep, and the smell of blood was strong.
He gently brushed away dirt, grass, and leaves from around the wound with his fingertips to examine it closely.
Cassian ran off at once.
“I’ll bring help!”
Just when the Imperial Palace had begun to find its calm again, turmoil was returning once more.
***
Kailos watched the spirit beast as it received treatment. Then he turned his gaze toward Cassian and Leslun, who stood nearby, his expression unreadable.
“I heard the two of you once treated a bird together as well, didn’t you?”
When Leslun nodded, Kailos gave a dry laugh, as if amused.
“Seems whenever you two are together, injured animals come looking for you. Either that, or you’re just particularly good at finding them.”
Leslun had no words. He had never expected something like this to happen, but he knew the situation was serious.
“We must find Blue,” he said.
“Yes, we must.”
Kailos groaned quietly. Blue was one he had assumed was always safe even if unseen, but now it was clear that might not be true.
“I thought things were finally settling down…”
He had been planning to take the next step in his relationship with Leslun. Why did incidents like this keep happening?
The regret lasted only a moment before he swiftly called for Robin.
“We need to find Blue.”
After giving orders to Robin and Leslun, Kailos turned toward the castle where the prison was located, his eyes cold.
“Leslun and I will head to the prison. In the meantime, Robin, search every place Blue might go. And if he’s nowhere to be found, check even the most deserted areas.”
“Understood.”
Both men answered in unison. There was nothing left but to act.
At that moment, Cassian rose from his seat.
“Brother, I want to help too.”
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