A Cunning Smile

Adrian surveyed his surroundings.

His gaze fell upon a trembling figure.

Adrian approached the corner, found Jak still huddled in hiding, and crouched down.

“By the heavens, you’re bleeding profusely,” Adrian said.

His tone was gentle, his eyes filled with pity.

Was it an act?

Or was it genuine?

No one could tell.

“Help me… please, help me…” Jak pleaded, a young man of about Adrian’s age.

He had no knowledge of how to treat a sword wound, so all he could do was clutch desperately at Adrian’s sleeve, his pale face a mask of desperation.

“Here, take this cloth and press it against the wound,” Adrian said, handing Jak a clean rag he’d found in a cabinet. His eyes brimmed with concern. “I know you haven’t done anything wrong. I can help you survive, and I can even speak for you before the Duke.”

“Yes, yes, thank you, thank you…” Jak stammered.

“But,” Adrian’s expression darkened, “I need to ask you a few questions first.”

Adrian gestured toward Kukk’s corpse. “Do you remember the person who did this to him?”

Jak nodded frantically, terrified that any hesitation would mean being left for dead.

“He was a middle-aged man,” Jak said. “I think he was a doctor. Brown hair, a large nose, and a mole near the corner of his mouth.”

“You remember him that clearly?” Adrian asked.

“He was selling… something that looked like a flower. Said eating it would cure illnesses and grant immense strength.” Jak’s voice trembled as he glanced down at his own frail body. “I was tempted… but I couldn’t afford it. It was too expensive.”

“So only this fellow, Kukk, bought one?” Adrian inquired.

Adrian glanced back at Kukk’s shriveled, inhuman corpse before turning to look at Jak intently.

“When he came to peddle his wares, everyone laughed at him,” Jak said, swallowing hard. “They called his product trash.”

Adrian gave a slight nod.

“The truth is, none of us had the money. We all asked him in private, but he refused to lower the price… Ah!” Jak winced as his hand brushed against his wound, his face contorting in pain. “Only Kukk emptied his entire savings for it. But after he ate it, there was no effect at first.”

Jak caught his breath and continued, “The man called us all paupers and said he was heading toward the royal capital. He figured the noble lords there would appreciate his wares.”

“Why didn’t you just kill him and take it?” Adrian asked.

“Do you think we have a death wish?” Jak shuddered and shook his head vehemently. “The man was powerful! He easily beat a proper kingdom swordsman to a pulp… Besides, in our line of work, finding a doctor is hard enough, and finding someone who sells medicine is even harder. We don’t mess with our own kind in the underworld.”

Adrian lowered his head, lost in thought for a few moments.

“That’s a wealth of information. More than I expected.”

With that, Adrian rose and picked up a sword from the floor.

Jak’s eyes widened, and he scrambled backward in terror.

“What are you doing? You said you were going to save me!” Jak cried out in a panic.

“I lied,” Adrian said, a cunning smile spreading across his face.

The tenderness and concern that had been on his face moments ago vanished without a trace.

“This is your family’s tavern, isn’t it? Where are your parents?” Adrian watched Jak with a look of keen interest. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t get money from them, so you conspired with these bandits…”

Jak lowered his head, his mouth agape, rendered speechless.

“You watched them get eaten by that giant, didn’t you?” Adrian sighed.

With a single thrust of his sword, he ended Jak’s life.

Afterward, Adrian spent some time arranging the scene to look like the aftermath of a bloody infighting.

It seemed Adrian was the victor of the chaotic brawl.

Yet his face remained impassive.

Adrian hoisted the still-unconscious Ilisia onto his back, tucked away his blood-splattered, thread-bound book, and kicked open the door before walking out.

****

Night fell in the mountains, and the stars shone brightly.

It was a perfect night for stargazing.

But Adrian simply walked on with his head down, paying no mind to the celestial display.

“Where… are we?”

Ilisia had woken up. At first, she was alarmed by the scent of blood on the person carrying her, but then she realized her hands and feet were free.

Adrian had rescued her.

“On our way down the mountain,” Adrian replied.

“What about those bad men?” Ilisia asked.

“They started fighting amongst themselves,” Adrian said.

“So you took the chance to sneak away, and you carried me out?” she asked.

“I didn’t realize you were so heavy,” Adrian remarked.

The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp pain shot through his neck.

Ilisia had bitten him.

“Ow, that hurts,” Adrian said.

“Serves you right for being a blockhead,” Ilisia muttered.

She released her bite, the image of Adrian standing up for her flashing through her mind.

A ripple of warmth spread through her chest.

But then, another thought made her bite her lip uneasily.

Could Adrian be like the Prince and Cassius—a hypocrite, a violent monster?

Tonight’s ordeal had been one nightmare after another, and she had all but lost her trust in boys her age.

Just then, Ilisia caught sight of the thread-bound book tied to Adrian’s waist.

She paused for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.

‘No… he wouldn’t be.’

‘He’s just a silly boy who likes stars…’

At that thought, Ilisia couldn’t help but lean forward and plant a kiss on Adrian’s cheek.

“What was that for?” Adrian asked.

Ilisia turned her head away, a faint smile playing on her lips, and said with feigned nonchalance,

“Nothing.”

With that, she adjusted her position, wrapped her arms more tightly around him, and gently closed her eyes…

The night was deep, the stars brilliant.

But more dazzling than the starlight was the boy carrying her…

Ilisia had no idea that the ‘silly boy’ in her heart had, just moments before, worn the guise of a calculating mastermind, cutting down three master swordsmen in the blink of an eye…

****

Noon sunlight pierced through the curtains, its glare making it difficult for Ilisia to open her eyes.

She could vaguely make out a man in plain clothes sitting by her bedside.

‘Is that Adrian?’

‘He’s still with me…’

“It’s so nice to see you the moment I wake up…” Ilisia murmured groggily.

“Ilisia, you’re awake?”

Wait, that wasn’t Adrian’s voice.

“Ah!” Ilisia jolted awake in bed. Her eyes flew open, and she finally saw the man beside her clearly.

It was Cassius.

“How did you get in here?” Ilisia asked, displeased.

“The Duke let me in,” Cassius replied. “What’s wrong?”

“Sherry!” Ilisia called for her maid.

A few seconds later, a young woman in a maid’s uniform entered, giving a slight bow before standing by Ilisia’s bed.

“Sherry is still recovering today,” the maid answered.

Ilisia took a quiet breath and pointed a finger toward the door. “Please show this gentleman out.”

“Ilisia…” Cassius was bewildered.

‘This gentleman?’

The maid nodded and made a gesture for him to leave.

“And bring my father and mother here,” Ilisia added.

Cassius didn’t move.

“Ilisia, are you ill? Why are you suddenly so cold to me?” he asked.

“Cassius, please leave,” Ilisia said.

Cassius’s expression darkened. He straightened his clothes, rose from the stool, and walked to the door.

“If you wish to see me, just have someone send word. I’ll be in the main hall,” Cassius said.

“But right now, I don’t. Thank you,” Ilisia replied.