The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 89.1
Kailos was the first to step out of the carriage. Leslun was about to follow when he stopped at the sight of a hand extended toward him.
“You’ll twist your ankle if you come down carelessly.”
Leslun looked down. There was no step, but it did not seem that high. The Crown Prince had stepped down lightly, so there was no reason he couldn’t do the same.
He glanced around for a moment. For some reason, everyone seemed to be deliberately avoiding looking in their direction.
“Go on.”
“…Thank you.”
He couldn’t just ignore the hand being offered to him.
Leslun took Kailos’s hand and stepped down. He was no lady, and being escorted like this wasn’t something he was used to.
He thought a small jump would be enough, but his balance wavered. Kailos caught him by the waist as if he had expected it, preventing him from falling.
“Well, looks like I saved you again.”
Leslun stared at him, unable to hide his embarrassment. His face felt hot.
He tried to say something, but Kailos spoke first.
“No need to thank me again.”
“Yes…”
With so many people watching, it seemed best to just let it go.
Still holding Leslun’s arm, Kailos looked around and apologized to Miroi.
“I may have damaged the carriage a little.”
She slowly turned her head toward it.
It was far more than “a little.” The door alone was barely hanging in place. It wasn’t cut with a blade but rather looked as if it had been ripped off by hand.
As she silently observed the damage, Leslun carefully spoke up.
“I’m sorry. I’m partly responsible too.”
He pointed inside the carriage.
“I carved a name into the wall.”
Robin went in to check for himself.
Kailos stood there, his expression calm, then whispered to Leslun,
“Was it a message for me?”
Leslun turned his head to answer, but Kailos’s face was so close that he instinctively leaned back. Kailos sighed.
“If I’d known this, I might have rescued you later. No, I shouldn’t joke about that. Take your time. I’ll listen.”
He clearly meant for Leslun to speak.
Leslun looked away slightly, unsure how to respond. Just then, Robin stepped out of the carriage and interrupted their conversation.
“You wrote down the culprit’s name.”
One of Kailos’s eyebrows lifted. Leslun could tell what he was thinking.
“Scholarship.”
For a brief moment, Leslun recalled their earlier conversation about scholarships.
When discussing ways to attract students to the academy, Kailos had mentioned the opportunity to dine with the Crown Prince, while Leslun had brought up scholarships instead.
Kailos’s expression now looked almost the same as it did back then. Leslun had been unsure how to respond at the time, but now he knew.
“It is indeed a message for Your Highness.”
Kailos’s gaze shifted to him, his eyes faintly wavering. Leslun didn’t look away.
“I thought… you would come find me.”
Since this was already the second time something like this had happened, he felt a little more composed.
Though he said nothing, Kailos’s expression softened noticeably. His eyes lowered slightly, then slowly rose again, a faint, almost invisible smile forming at his lips.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter whose name you wrote. I would’ve seen it anyway. Still, thinking that far ahead—very like my aide. Clever as ever.”
With praise flowing endlessly, Leslun’s cheeks began to itch with heat. He could maintain a neutral expression, but he couldn’t stop the color rising to his face.
“It was just a matter of judging the situation properly…” he muttered as an excuse.
Kailos gave a small laugh.
“No, you did well.”
He lightly patted Leslun’s head. The touch was as soft as a passing breeze.
Leslun instinctively closed his eyes, then opened them again, resisting the urge to reach for his crown.
It was nothing much, and yet it felt strangely pleasant.
He almost wished the touch had lasted a little longer, but realizing what he was thinking made him even more confused.
Kailos tilted his head slightly.
“Shall I praise you more?”
“…No, Your Highness.”
When Leslun flinched and tried to step back, Kailos quietly took a step closer.
“Your face is quite red.”
“It’s not.”
“You must have a mirror hidden somewhere if you can see your own face that clearly. Come here. I’ll take a closer look.”
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