The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 75.2
The inside was not very spacious, but it was neatly organized.
Boxes were stacked in order, and every wooden crate containing ingredients had a classification tag attached.
At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong.
However, Leslun immediately moved along the wall toward the back.
Instead of skimming the surface, he let his gaze wander into the hidden corners.
If something were to be concealed, it would be placed in the darkest corner.
He bent his knees and pushed one of the boxes aside, pulling out a smaller box hidden behind it.
The coarse scrape of wood echoed faintly.
The texture under his fingertips felt strangely unfamiliar.
The moment he lifted the lid slightly—
Click.
The sound of a door closing rang softly yet distinctly behind him.
For a brief instant, it felt as though the cold air itself had stopped moving.
Startled, Leslun quickly turned his head.
The door had shut completely, and someone had entered the storage.
It was silent.
A presence with no sound was all the more threatening.
A chill ran down Leslun’s spine.
He held his breath and lowered his stance.
His hand, shoved instinctively into the space between the boxes, clenched around something.
His fingertips brushed against the edge of a thin utility knife.
Narrowing his eyes, Leslun shifted his body quietly.
The room had grown darker with the door closed, but if he focused, it was not impossible to make out the figure before him.
Concealing the knife behind his back, he retreated step by step toward the wall without a sound.
He calmly fixed his position.
His heart pounded as though it would burst.
Still, Leslun forced himself to remain composed.
That was the only weapon he had.
He knew better than anyone that he could not overpower an opponent with sheer strength.
Even if his body was not especially skilled, giving up had never been an option.
One beat, two beats… the sound of the intruder’s breathing grew closer.
Now.
Leslun lunged forward like a released spring, aiming for the opponent’s back.
Without even a moment to take a breath, he raised the blade in his hand.
But before he could strike, his wrist was seized roughly.
His attack, barely extended, was cut short in midair, and as the opponent twisted his arm, Leslun’s balance faltered.
His upper body, thrown off balance, staggered and nearly collapsed.
In an instant, a strong force pressed down on his back.
Leslun thought he would be slammed into the floor.
Yet the impact he braced for never came.
“Leslun.”
A warm breath brushed his ear, followed by a familiar voice.
“…Your Highness.”
The strength restraining him loosened, and only then did Leslun’s sight clear.
Relief mingled with his confusion over what had just happened.
Soon after, a firm grip turned him around with ease.
The face before him belonged to Crown Prince Kailos Delroi.
Under the faint light of the storage room, his distinct blue eyes carried a half-smile.
“Were you trying to attack me?”
Leslun pressed his lips tightly together in disbelief.
Yes, he had tried to attack.
But he had not aimed to take a life.
He had only targeted the arm.
If it had gone wrong, he could have been branded as an assassin who attempted to kill the Crown Prince.
“…How did you come here, Your Highness.”
“I happened to find this place.”
He happened to find himself in the food storage?
Leslun gave him a look filled with suspicion, but Kailos only wore a more shameless expression.
“I came because I wanted to be with you.”
Kailos’s gaze swept around as he spoke in a voice lower than usual, his eyes carrying a layered meaning.
And subtly, he closed the distance between them.
“This is a perfect place we’ve found.”
On Kailos’s face shone a light of genuine delight, even in the dimness.
Even hearing such sweet words, Leslun’s expression did not brighten.
“Your Highness…”
“There is no need to be embarrassed. We have been closer than this before, have we not?”
Kailos had always insisted on how much he liked him.
“I did not come to the Academy for you. I came under the pretense of establishing a foundation, but since I was here, I decided to see you.”
“That is not what I meant…”
“Well, telling you not to be moved would hardly be fitting of someone in my position, so feel free to be moved as much as you like.”
Leslun left his words unfinished and turned his head slowly.
The tightly shut storage door entered his line of sight.
He drew in a deep breath and released it quietly.
Even his sigh spread cold in the chilled air.
“…That door cannot be opened from the inside once it closes.”
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