The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 63.1
Leslun instinctively looked at the document before his own hand. He hurried to cover the place where the ink had spread, but the irregular stain had already seeped along the edge of the paper.
“Haa…”
He wondered if he would have to rewrite it and began looking for a fresh sheet of paper, then finally noticed his left hand. If another stain appeared, rewriting would be meaningless.
Only then did he look down at his left hand and let out a small sigh.
The cut, glistening with a mix of ink and blood, looked rather deep.
Leslun was about to try to stop the blood with his right hand when someone stopped him
.
“—!”
Leslun startled and squeezed his eyes shut. But the touch he felt was not rough. The grip that seized his left hand was firm, yet oddly polite and careful.
For a moment, Leslun had thought this was an assassin sent by Count Camilo and was terrified, but strength slowly drained from his body. He cautiously opened one eye and looked at the other’s face.
A smooth, refined face revealed under the moonlight.
“I told you not to get hurt… tch.”
It was Crown Prince Kailos.
Kailos pressed a handkerchief from his breast pocket against Leslun’s cut hand to staunch the bleeding. Then, with his other hand, he rubbed away the blood smeared on Leslun’s right hand. Of course, that did not make the blood vanish like water.
A reddish trace of blood remained on both of their hands.
“When did you arrive, Your Highness?”
Leslun forced down his surprise and asked.
“Shouldn’t you apologize first?”
Kailos asked back, then spoke firmly.
“I seem to recall you promised you wouldn’t get hurt.”
His quiet rebuke carried a clear, unmistakable emotion.
Leslun could not say anything. He had never wanted to show Kailos himself getting hurt ever again.
And yet, somewhere deep down, an unbidden sense of frustration welled up.
“It was a mistake.”
“A mistake, was it?”
“Besides, it was Your Highness who came in here unannounced.”
That poor excuse Kailos dismissed with a short, amused snort.
“You shouldn’t be getting hurt even when I’m not around. I don’t recall ever taking on a secretary who needs me to spell out something that obvious.”
It was a gentle yet pointed reproach. Leslun kept his lips tightly shut.
Warmth spread through the handkerchief. Kailos quietly gazed at Leslun’s face.
Leslun could not raise his head. He did not have the courage to meet Kailos’s eyes from so close.
“Why didn’t you come?”
Kailos’s low voice was calm as ever, but there was a trace of hidden hurt within it.
Leslun hesitated, then looked at him.
Today had been the first day of classes at the academy. The person who had given Leslun the chance to attend the academy was none other than the Crown Prince. Before or after class, Leslun ought to have gone to thank him.
Even knowing that was proper, Leslun still felt disconcerted.
“I did not realize so much time had passed.”
Kailos narrowed his eyes and looked around. The lights were not even on.
Only moonlight was shining into the room. Leslun had been so absorbed in his work by that faint light that he had lost track of time.
“It wasn’t that I meant to avoid Your Highness. I was preparing these documents so that I could present them properly before telling you what I discovered today.”
Leslun explained cautiously. Kailos casually picked up one of the papers on the desk.
Neatly arranged documents—an analysis of the merchant companies supplying the academy.
He had already received a report of the same content from Ian earlier that day. Leslun’s prepared documents contained almost exactly the same findings. Kailos clicked his tongue.
“You really…”
Kailos let out a soft, faint laugh.
Leslun was the kind of person who would prepare a full written report for something that Ian would have simply come and said out loud.
“My apologies.”
When Leslun still could not raise his head, Kailos showed his displeasure.
“You make me feel like I’m some superior officer barging in before dawn to berate you for not filing a report yet.”
“That is not the case. This is simply my mistake. I should have prepared it and reported to you right away.”
“That’s not what I mean…”
Kailos trailed off, unable to finish.
He could not bring himself to say that he had been waiting for Leslun.
“Next time, report verbally first. Preparing the documents afterward will still be soon enough.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Leslun quickly turned to offer the documents he had prepared. But Kailos did not release his wrist.
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