The Golden-Eyed Predator

“How is Berinon?”

“I actually came here in shock because I heard he was in the cafeteria. Just how on earth did you….”

He trailed off, but the rest was obvious. He wanted to know how I had made the guy behave so tamely. Looking at Blodgett’s uncomfortably furrowed brow, I nudged the leg of the opposite chair with the tip of my foot. Blodgett sat down without a word of complaint.

Since I had decided to see this through, I needed to draw a clear line with him as well. I wasn’t going to be in Robenus forever, and ultimately, these were the people he’d keep running into. There was no point in getting Berinon to snap out of it if this side kept picking fights with him.

“Is the reason you and Berinon get along so poorly because of his birth?”

Blodgett clearly hadn’t expected me to ask so bluntly; he looked startled for a moment before answering with a scowl.

“It’s not only because of that.”

Which meant it was partially because of that. I contemplated his response, spotting the shame hidden beneath his offense. This prideful boy seemed deeply bothered by the implication that he judged people solely based on their lineage.

“The fact that his personality is shit is the bigger problem.”

Elliott, who had just walked in, chimed in with a smirk.

It was the first time I’d seen his face in a day and a half. Elliott had been busy all day preparing to leave Robenus and head back to the capital. He claimed there was a lot he wanted to get done before leaving—the guy was surprisingly ambitious when it came to work.

I had thought Elliott might be angry about the fact that Berinon was illegitimate—or more accurately, not even a half-blood but entirely commoner by blood. Instead, he argued that the boy’s character was the issue. This was quite unexpected. Did he value utility over status?

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t talk about that anywhere.”

“Most people already know.”

“They don’t know for sure. They’re just parrots repeating what others say without knowing the details.”

Blodgett spoke with a lingering frown.

“That thing the other day was a mistake.”

“Then you should have apologized.”

Of course, expecting that from a boy raised like a prince at home was a tall order. To him, apologizing for a mistake and seeking forgiveness was something one did for someone of the same social standing.

“I can manage not doing it in the future. But why? I heard you got hurt because of him.”

“That’s why I’m making him work in the cafeteria. That’s enough. Using someone’s birth to threaten them is just too tawdry.”

He looked like he couldn’t fully wrap his head around it, but he seemed to take the point. The boy with the vivid red hair soon nodded.

“Fine. Then today’s sparring session is—”

“Ah, not today. Sorry.”

I felt bad for Blodgett, who had come all the way to the hotel. Instead, I appeased him by promising to have Leo observe next time.

Elliott, who had been standing behind me with his arms crossed, asked, “You’re not going to see Berinon, are you?” His voice was oddly sharp. Even though he had laughed for ages watching Berinon peel potatoes, he hadn’t fully let go of his grudge. It was proof of how great the shock had been at the time, so I had nothing to say. Just because I decided to forgive Berinon and give him a chance didn’t mean Elliott had to do the same.

In truth, even I couldn’t keep a constant eye on Berinon. But there was no need to worry. Leo and Candilhas would look after him well enough. Berinon’s watchdog was Sir James Seltz. He was the type who would brilliantly get under someone’s skin without ever crossing the line.

“Definitely not.”

Despite my firm denial, Elliott didn’t lower his suspicious gaze.

“It’s really not. I just have other business.”

“Business?”

“I’m going to meet a… friend.”

The word I used as an excuse made my cheeks itch with embarrassment. Elliott and Blodgett exchanged a look. Both of their expressions were quite peculiar. Elliott raised an eyebrow and spoke.

“You don’t have any friends.”

I do. Well, a “friend” is an embarrassing way to put it, and he’s someone I don’t actually want to be associated with, but he’s a figure that must be defined as a friend.

Elliott was curious about who this “friend” was, but I brushed him off with vague words. I couldn’t help it, even as his disapproving gaze stuck to me.

If I had said, ‘There’s a guy I met in Nox—oh, Nox is the dangerous neighborhood at the very back of the Robenus alleys. It’s fine. He’s going to be the king of Nox soon. Anyway, since we’ve met, I’m going to try and get close to him,’ Elliott would have smiled brightly while pouring out a stream of curses. Then he would have contacted Leo immediately.

If Leo knew, he might have locked me in my room under the pretext of my safety.

It would have been one thing in the old days when he acted clumsily around me and I secretly thought of the Second Son as a pushover. But not enough time had passed for me to forget the days I couldn’t leave the castle and ate nothing but watery soup. I wondered if he’d go that far since I wasn’t seriously injured this time, but even upon second thought, the conclusion didn’t change. He definitely would. Once a defensive mechanism has been triggered, it’s easier to flip the switch a second time.

Perhaps he had already attached a tail to me. I focused my senses as much as possible, but I felt nothing. Then again, if someone’s skills were poor enough to be caught by a child, they wouldn’t be able to protect me properly anyway.

Wary of a tail that might or might not exist, I turned off the main street. Contrary to my tension—expecting someone to appear and stop me at any moment—no one showed up. I couldn’t be sure if there really was no one, or if this was simply within the “allowed range.”

Ideally, it was the former. A scene where I get caught might be a bit humiliating.

Having arrived cautiously at the alley where Luke had dropped me off, I lingered nearby. This time, based on “expert advice,” I had even prepared bread in advance for an exchange.

The street kids nodded unconditionally at the sight of the warm, fragrant bread, and I took their clothes, blending into the alley scenery without much trouble.

Still, exchanging clothes I’d been wearing was a bit much. I buried my nose in my sleeve and sniffed. I felt like I could detect a scent I hadn’t noticed last time.

The frayed cuffs were a given, but the closer I looked, the worse the condition seemed. Maybe I should have bought clothes along with the ring. I toyed with my dyed hair, colored by the ring I’d repurchased at the same shop. The dark tips felt unfamiliar no matter how many times I saw them.

It was a bit embarrassing to change my hair color again after my blonde hair had already been exposed. Still, it was better than becoming a target in the alleys. Llewellyn’s hair color is quite eye-catching. If I walked around showing it off, it would be dangerous even outside of Nox.

But as time passed, the person I was waiting for didn’t appear, and the number of gazes fixed on me only grew. I pulled the brim of my hat down as far as possible and squared my shoulders. Acting timid would only invite suspicion. In a street like this, acting like you have something to hide might get you mistaken for a pickpocket.

I killed time by moving from spot to spot, letting out a sigh as I saw the sun beginning to dip. Truly, as Erkel had said, this wasn’t a game. There was no way he’d be at a specific location at a specific time. Today didn’t seem to be the day. I figured I should give up and head back.

“I told you to be careful.”

At the voice heard from nearby, my body turned reflexively. Luke gave the brim of my hat a light, playful flick.

“Did you lose your friend again today?”

His eyes, laced with a hint of laughter, crinkled slightly. Looking into those eyes that were impossible to read, I grabbed his hand to stop him from touching my hat. I couldn’t let myself be swayed today. As I looked him straight in the eye, Luke also fixed his gaze firmly on my face, observing me thoroughly.

“No.”

“Then?”

“I came to see you.”

Most of Luke’s body was cast in shadow, and the parts that were exposed glowed red from the setting sun. In the sunset where everything in the alley had lost its original color, only his yellow irises sparkled with their true hue. They stared at me intently. Interest flickered in the corners of his eyes.

“Me?”

“I wanted to say thank you.”

Luke tilted his head as if telling me to go on. His eyes, which looked like those of a feline, narrowed as if discerning the truth of my words.

“I found my friend. And thanks to you, I made it back safely from Nox. Thank you. If you hadn’t helped me, it would have been hard to return unharmed.”

This much was sincere. If Luke hadn’t taken an interest in me and helped, my head might have rolled before I even set foot in Nox. In fact, I still had questions about that.

Why would a guy who claims not to trust people approach me first and show such favor? Was it simply because he was one of the “love interests” in the original work?

A faint expectation sprouted, carrying the weight of possibility.

Encountering him in person, Luke was kind. Even though he wasn’t the type one would describe as “sweet” or “gentle” even as a joke, he was being exactly that. Since I hadn’t met the keywords yet, it couldn’t be a sudden “love at first sight” like the Crown Prince. It was certain that his kindness was mostly hanging within the realm of curiosity. Like a cat that had found a toy in its territory and was batting at it with its paw.

The analogy was cute, but I knew that in reality, he was a dangerous human being. Luke didn’t even bother to hide that fact. But perhaps because he wasn’t a direct threat to me, that danger didn’t feel concrete or real. Maybe, based on that interest and favor, I could get what I wanted.

If the hypothesis about the keywords was true, it was something I’d have to verify eventually.