The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away

Kailos’ expression as he waited for Leslun in the Imperial Palace was far from pleasant.

Even as he sat in front of his desk, his eyes kept darting toward the door. The pen in his hand had long since stopped moving, and the documents awaiting his signature lay spread out, untouched.

“This feels strange.”

He muttered under his breath.

Robin, who was standing off to the side organizing the signed papers, lifted his head and met Kailos’ eyes. His expression, too, was heavier than usual.

“I feel the same way.”

Kailos narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Robin straight on.

The aide, who should be attentive to his mood, was sighing just as heavily. That in itself was strange.

“You know my situation right now, don’t you?”

The weight in Kailos’ voice made Robin close his mouth. Kailos pressed his fingers to his forehead and muttered softly.

“I said I would show him properly, but what if he does not want to see me?”

He rubbed his forehead as he spoke. They had parted ways with a smile that morning, but he had no way of knowing whether that smile had been genuine.

No matter how much Leslun said he was fine, how could he truly hide what was inside?

“If I were him and realized I had been deceived…”

“He would overturn everything.”

Robin’s reply made Kailos narrow his eyes.

“And what did I deceive him about?”

Robin, who had been lost in thought a moment ago, finally focused but was already too late to dodge the question.

“This is no time to be standing around with you. I should go and bring Leslun back.”

He rolled up his sleeves as if ready to storm out.

“He is not alone right now. And wouldn’t he know well enough to come back on his own?”

Robin’s tone was unusually weak. On any other day, he would already have been preparing to personally fetch Leslun, but today he seemed oddly off.

Kailos stepped out from behind his desk and stood in front of Robin.

“What are you hiding?”

“Me?”

“Yes. You look different from usual.”

Robin tried to brush it off vaguely, but Kailos showed no sign of backing down. With no other choice, Robin spoke honestly.

“You know he went together with Lady Miroi.”

“And what of it?”

“They are rather close.”

When Kailos realized Robin had been dazed because of Miroi, he clicked his tongue.

“If you are that concerned, you could just come with me.”

“No, I am not concerned… I will come along.”

Robin, who had been about to deny it, gave up halfway and followed Kailos.

“This does not feel right.”

Kailos murmured in a low voice.

***

On the day Count Camilo ordered for Lady Miroi to be brought in, Leslun had hidden himself in the forest, waiting for her to come out.

When the carriage carrying Lady Miroi finally emerged, he felled a tree in advance to block the road.

The carriage had no choice but to stop. Leslun politely explained to Lady Miroi why he had felled the tree and asked her to come with him.

He did not want to drag her by force, nor did he want to threaten her with violence.

Naturally, it was against Lady Miroi’s will. Even if he asked politely, there was no way what Leslun was doing could be justified. But that was the best he could do.

Lady Miroi hesitated, then chose to follow him. Not a drop of blood had been spilled.

Now, something similar was happening again. The only difference was that when Leslun looked at the man’s sword hilt at his hip, he could not be sure there would be no blood this time.

“His Lordship has waited far too long.”

The man’s eyes glimmered with mockery, as if he were enjoying the situation.

Even though he was wearing a mask, Leslun thought he knew who it was just by the voice. It was the steward who worked under Count Camilo, the one who always disapproved of him.

Leslun now had only two choices. Go along quietly, or resist and be dragged away.

Either way, there was no returning to the Crown Prince right away.

Leslun’s heart sank. If he had known this would happen, he should have rushed straight to the palace as soon as the meeting ended.

He should not have hesitated, saying it was burdensome to face Kailos or that he still was not sure about his feelings.

“Now that is the face of someone who has resigned himself.”

The steward’s words were short. He moved with an air of leisure, as if reading Leslun’s thoughts, yet his eyes never stopped scanning the surroundings.