The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 67.2
“That’s a nice, simple answer.”
Cal smiled faintly and turned to the next person.
“Miroi, what about you?”
His head tilted slightly as he asked, and on his face was an expression that clearly said, ‘You’re not going to do it either, right?’
She was always the type to step back. He believed this time would be no different.
If that happened, the role of group leader would naturally fall to him…
“Yes.”
“All right, then the group leader will be—huh?”
It was an unexpected answer.
“I want to do it.”
Miroi spoke again, short and firm. Her expression was calm as always, but her eyes were clear and unwavering.
Cal’s lips twitched awkwardly.
“R-Really? I want to do it too.”
His forced smile was so taut it seemed ready to shatter at any moment. He felt his position slip backward ever so slightly, and that was something he could never allow.
Seeing Prince Tarensiu, Lady Miroi, and Leslun standing together, Cal jumped in without a second thought.
To others, it might make him look pathetic, no better than Leslun in their eyes. To avoid such a misunderstanding, he had to take the position of group leader.
But Miroi did not back down either.
“I want to do it too.”
Her voice carried the sound of someone unwilling to yield even an inch. Even within that single short sentence, there was an air of authority, and a faint tension spread throughout the group.
Because of that, both Prince Tarensiu and Leslun stepped back slightly and silently watched the two speak.
Prince Tarensiu, completely uninterested, began flipping through his book.
Leslun quietly glanced between the two of them, then lowered his eyes.
This isn’t just about picking a group leader.
As the stalemate between them stretched on, Lady Miroi finally opened her mouth.
“Then let’s do this.”
Her voice was soft, but everyone turned to look at her.
“How about we each point to the person we think would make the best group leader?”
She turned her head naturally, glancing between Prince Tarensiu and Leslun.
“The person who gets the most votes becomes the leader, right? Good! I like it.”
Even as Cal hurriedly agreed, complicated calculations were running through his mind.
Prince Tarensiu looked uninterested, and Leslun was not on his side.
This would put him at a disadvantage, but at least it would delay the decision of who would be group leader a little longer.
Miroi turned her head.
“Whom will you choose, Your Highness?”
The room, quiet until now, became even more still.
Everyone’s gaze fell on Prince Tarensiu.
He slowly closed his book and raised his head.
He looked between Cal, who was forcing a smile, and Miroi, whose expression was so calm it betrayed nothing — and pointed at one person.
“Leslun.”
The short, firm name rang out clearly.
“…Huh?”
For a moment, Leslun’s voice sounded dazed. His face showed plain surprise.
He had never even considered himself a candidate, so he was completely unprepared for this.
“Then I’ll choose Leslun too.”
As soon as Miroi spoke, Leslun was instantly elevated to the position of group leader candidate.
***
“Back already?”
At Kailos’s welcoming voice, Leslun quietly stepped inside.
Caution showed in his every movement, even down to his toes, and with a practiced motion he bowed his head.
“I’m back.”
“Good. Nothing unusual happened, right?”
What exactly counted as “nothing unusual” was unclear.
Just today, Leslun had attended class with Prince Tarensiu and Lady Miroi and been grouped with them.
On top of that, Cal, who was practically on the Crown Prince’s opposing side, had joined the group.
And that wasn’t all. On the way to the academy, he had run into Prince Cassian.
It was a small thing, but sharing a secret with him made Leslun feel the faintest twinge of guilt toward the Crown Prince.
As Leslun hesitated over what to say, Kailos seemed to take his silence as a sign that nothing significant had happened, and nodded.
“All right, come sit and have some tea.”
The familiar, clear, deep scent filling the office told Leslun that tea had already been poured.
Kailos personally set a teacup down for him.
Leslun stole a glance at Robin, the aide, silently asking if something had happened.
Robin shook his head slightly and motioned for him to sit.
There was nothing else for Leslun to do but sit.
“There’s cake too.”
Leslun’s gaze cautiously drifted toward the table, where a delicately decorated slice of cake was waiting.
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