The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 33.1
Kailos pressed his lips together. A mix of bafflement and irritation welled up at once, furrowing his brow.
“Leslun has a harmless face. He’s a full-grown adult, but doesn’t he stir up a strange instinct to protect him? Who was it again that said he was as cute as Blue?”
“Are you joking with me right now?”
Kailos trailed off, shaking his head as if regretting even humoring the remark. But Robin, with a firm expression, shook his head just as hard.
“So you’re saying someone thought Leslun was easy prey and abducted him?”
Even as a hypothesis, it left a bitter taste. Robin started to answer yes, then his eyes widened as if he had just spotted something.
Catching his reaction, Kailos turned to look back—and his own reaction was much the same.
Leslun was approaching with weak steps, his expression no different than usual. Calm, quiet, composed—at least, on the surface. But there was one glaring difference.
His attire was neat, his hair in order, nothing seemingly out of place—but the red, swollen cheek was impossible to hide.
“Why are you so late?”
Kailos fixed his gaze on Leslun’s face as he asked. Perhaps Robin had been right.
Leslun looked composed, but the faint tremor of his eyes and the quiver in his throat betrayed emotions he couldn’t fully conceal.
“I lost my way… it took me some time to return.”
“You look like a mess.”
Kailos’s eyes dropped as he spoke again.
“I fell down the stairs.”
It came out smoothly, as though he’d prepared the lie in advance. But if he really wanted to hide it, what about those trembling eyes?
Either way, Kailos knew he wasn’t going to answer honestly, so he kept his mouth shut. Who could have done this to Leslun?
The more he thought about it, the lower his mood sank. Strangely, instead of wanting to press Leslun for answers, the urge to protect him came first.
And that angered him all the more.
Sensing the Crown Prince’s mood grow steadily colder, Robin quickly stepped toward Leslun.
“Let us return to the palace.”
He judged that leaving the scene before things grew worse was the priority. Lightly pulling at Leslun’s wrist, Robin drew him behind himself.
Head lowered, Leslun allowed himself to be quietly led away. Left alone, Kailos swallowed down the stifling emotions in his chest.
As though his insides had been plunged into muddy water, the discomfort refused to settle.
His first outing with Leslun ended only in unexpected bitterness.
***
Leslun considered himself fortunate.
Because he had managed to tidy his disheveled clothes and hair before returning, they had only asked about his whereabouts and nothing more. There had been no further interrogation.
And yet, though nothing had been exposed, his heart felt as if a stone had been placed upon it.
Robert seemed intent on extracting every detail of the Crown Prince’s actions from him. And he certainly would not use that information in a way favorable to the Crown Prince.
Hadn’t Robert himself said he had aligned with the Empress? As a noble, Robert always dreamed of higher, overreaching positions.
And I, an extra who was never even properly mentioned in the original story, had become entangled in it all.
For Count Robert Camilo, it was a stroke of luck. One of his subordinates happened to serve the Crown Prince. Naturally, he would think to use me as a spy.
Because of that, the Crown Prince might be plunged into even greater hardship. Perhaps, because of me, he might even be driven away from the throne.
Not because I am important—but because the original story has already been derailed.
Still, to sit back and do nothing…
‘Remember, your family and all your colleagues are in my hands.’
The people most precious to me weighed heavily on my heart. How could I possibly resolve this crisis? Leslun’s thoughts grew darker.
Should I ask the Crown Prince?
If I were to ask about my family’s safety, maybe, given our current relationship, he might answer honestly. Perhaps he could even help.
But I lacked the courage to ask.
During the time I spent with him, I had been intoxicated by the thrill that maybe, just maybe, I could change something. That was why I had allowed myself to look away from reality for a moment.
That didn’t mean there weren’t other methods I could try. Only, I doubted whether those methods would work.
“In three days, someone will come to fetch you.”
If I could avoid that man, it would be best. But even if I tried to flee… would I truly be able to escape?
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