The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away

“There was a day when we understood each other, wasn’t there?”

At that moment, Kailos had grabbed hold of the fleeing Leslun and taken him away. To Count Robert Camilo, he offered only a smile instead of a proper explanation.

“I came because it weighed on me that I never thanked you after making him mine.”

“I–I see.”

“He’s not without his uses. Even when he’s hurt, he doesn’t show it—it’s not a bad quality.”

At the indifferent remark laced with emotion from the Crown Prince, Robert smirked.

“That’s true. Leslun does have that tendency.”

That was why Robert sometimes laid hands on him. Not too harshly, of course. There weren’t many aides who worked as well as Leslun did, and if his frail body collapsed, it would only be Robert’s loss.

“One of these days, I’ll give you a reward fitting for that.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Naturally, Robert wasn’t displeased at the thought of receiving something from the Crown Prince. He would take whatever he could, and then report every one of the Crown Prince’s weaknesses to the Empress.

While Robert was quietly savoring his greed, the Crown Prince rose from his seat. Only then did Robert realize he was still kneeling.

For him to have remained in such an excessive gesture of respect this long was strange. Even if it was due to drink, the Crown Prince hadn’t so much as offered him the courtesy of telling him to rise.

Robert was just about to stand up of his own accord when he noticed that the Crown Prince was very close, and that his hand was reaching toward him. On instinct, he pulled back. After all, he himself had once seized Leslun by the hair, and he knew well how powerless that left a person.

Breathless and scrambling out of reach, Robert stared at the hand that hung awkwardly in the air.

“I only meant to help you up.”

The Crown Prince muttered in a tone that sounded almost wronged.

“You act as though I were about to grab your hair.”

The loaded words that followed made Robert squirm with embarrassment. Just as he belatedly moved to take the Crown Prince’s hand, it vanished before he could grasp it.

While Robert faltered in confusion, a chill swept across Kailos’s face.

So it was him. The one who grabbed Leslun by the hair.

As suspicion hardened into certainty, Kailos’s voice sank into something all the more secretive.

“My gift will arrive shortly. Wait here.”

He filled Robert’s heart with eager expectation. All that remained was to hand him something—anything at all.

Even after the Crown Prince left, Robert stayed rooted to the spot, waiting without moving a step.

***

On the morning of the third day since Count Robert Camilo had threatened him, Leslun froze when he received his assignment.

He had hoped for a task that would keep him from having to meet anyone sent by the Count. But never—not once—had he imagined he would be given something like this.

“How could I possibly attend to a prince from the Kingdom of Vancor…?”

The order had been delivered by Robin in place of Crown Prince Kailos, who was absent. Leslun wore an expression of deep unease.

“Just think of it as serving the son of a noble from the neighboring town come for a visit. Nothing more.”

It was far from the level of a neighboring noble’s child. This was not nobility, but royalty.

Serve too casually, and it could spark discord between nations. The order was little different from being told to cradle a live bomb that could go off at any moment.

Leslun ran the tip of his tongue gently over the still-unhealed inside of his mouth as he glanced at Robin, searching for the right response.

“I am just an ordinary young man from the countryside.”

Robin raised his eyebrows. Then he crossed his arms as though urging Leslun to go on.

Just like the Crown Prince.

No, perhaps even more infuriating than the Crown Prince—because at least Kailos always held himself with proper form, while Robin didn’t.

“I could never possibly represent the Empire… as an attendant.”

If he was to serve, then he was being sent as an attendant. That much was obvious, and so Leslun bowed his head as he spoke.

When he flicked his eyes upward, he saw Robin’s lips twitch. The aide clearly didn’t like what he heard, but seemed at a loss as to where to start.

Leslun had only wanted to convey that while he obeyed every order, this was far too great a responsibility for him to bear—even if it was “just” attendant’s work. But the senior aide’s expression said he wasn’t listening at all.

Why was he like this?

“Attendant, you say…?”

The breath brushing against his ear made Leslun nearly faint with shock.

When had he arrived? The Crown Prince was standing right behind him.