HIFH | Chapter 6

Episode 6

“No, seriously, I’m not in pain.”

As soon as we got into the carriage, I spoke to Lu, who was about to pour a potion over my arm.

“This will heal with just a little spit. I’m really fine.”

“Charles.”

Lu frowned slightly and turned his head away. His face was clearly filled with irritation.

Why is he still annoyed?

Did he get too immersed in the act?

“Your arm is this swollen, and you say you’re fine? If this is fine, then what does it take for you to admit you’re not fine? Do you have to be dying?”

“…Why are you being so sarcastic?”

I pouted and glanced down at my arm.

Lu wasn’t wrong—the area where I was stung was so swollen that I could barely wrap my other hand around it.

Anyone else would be writhing in pain, but honestly?

This wasn’t even worth calling painful.

I’d suffered worse injuries countless times… so what’s the big deal?

“Stop talking and hold still.”

“Alright, alright. Stop getting so annoyed. You only ever get mad at me.”

“That’s because you—”

Lu started to raise his voice but then sighed and shook his head.

“Forget it. Not worth talking about.”

He uncorked the potion and began pouring it over my arm.

“Ugh.”

The moment the liquid touched my skin, it bubbled violently. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was strange enough to make me grimace.

“Charles.”

By the time the potion’s bubbling subsided, Lu called my name again.

I looked up at him. His expression had returned to its usual impassiveness—like he had never been irritated at all.

“You realize we left before I could even have a proper conversation with the Count because of you, right?”

“To be precise, it wasn’t because of me. It was because of the hornet.”

I recounted how the hornet had suddenly appeared and how I had saved Everlyn from getting stung.

Lu’s expression turned thoughtful.

“A giant hornet, suddenly appearing at a mansion in the middle of the capital.”

He murmured as he squinted one eye. I had also found that detail suspicious, so I added,

“Look into it and let me know what you find.”

Lu nodded in agreement. Then, his gaze flickered between my arm and my face.

“…Well, at least you gained Everlyn’s favor. That’s not bad.”

Muttering to himself, he then asked me,

“Did you act to gain Everlyn’s favor on purpose?”

I flexed my now-healed arm, thanks to the potion, and tilted my head.

“You have a tendency to assume everyone is as calculated as you are.”

“What?”

Lu blinked as if he genuinely had no idea what I meant.

My original plan for ruining the party had only involved provoking the young ladies—just enough for them to hate me and stop inviting me to social events.

The hornet attack had not been part of the plan.

And yet, I had jumped in to save them.

Why?

Simply because I was the strongest one there.

I had the highest survival skills.

So I did what needed to be done.

That was all.

Yet Lu made it sound like I had schemed the whole thing. That irritated me.

“Saving people is just the right thing to do. I didn’t do it to earn their goodwill, so don’t twist my actions like that.”

Lu’s expression shifted into something unreadable.

“…The right thing to do, huh.”

His voice was as lazy and smooth as ever, but his smile felt oddly stiff.

“You see the world so simply, Charles. But the truth is, most people can’t do what you call ‘the right thing.’”

Lu let out a small scoff and continued,

“Saying ‘people should help people’ sounds nice, but in reality?”

“Yeah?”

“In the end, people always have a reason for lending a hand.”

I frowned, but he didn’t stop talking.

“Some do it for their own benefit. Others do it to ease their guilt… At least, that’s what I’ve seen.”

He still looked relaxed, but his lips trembled slightly.

Then, he locked eyes with me.

“So tell me, Charles. Did you really have no ulterior motive?”

I let out a dry laugh.

“Of course I had a motive.”

“Knew it—”

“My motive was to save those people.”

“…”

Lu’s face twisted in a strange way again.

“What, are you annoyed because that’s not the answer you wanted?”

“Not annoyed, just… a little let down.”

He exhaled slowly and shook his head.

“Whenever you say things like this, Charles…”

His deep blue eyes darkened.

“I realize just how different you and I really are.”

He murmured the words with a bitter smile.

Then, as if he no longer wanted to continue the conversation, he turned away and started gathering the empty potion bottles scattered on the carriage floor.

I didn’t think I had said anything wrong.

Saying that saving people is the right thing to do isn’t a bad thing.

So why was Lu acting so sensitive?

He had grown up in comfort, unlike me, an orphan.

So why was he like this?

“Anyway, I’ll look into the Count’s side. Since I ended up saving Everlyn, it should be easy to get close to her.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Lu, now back to his usual expression, responded smoothly.

“There’s a party at the Marquess of Bydon’s estate next week. We’ll have to attend…”

He stared at me intently.

Or rather, he was staring at my injured arm.

“Just act the same way you did today in front of people.”

Suddenly, he closed the distance between us and grasped my hand.

He lightly ran his fingers over the back of my hand before intertwining them with mine.

His lips curled into a soft smile.

“The way you played the affectionate fiancée today was perfect.”

Of course, this was all an act.

I nodded and squeezed his hand firmly—while already planning how to sabotage his schemes at the Marquess’s party.

After returning to the mansion, we parted ways in the hall—Lu heading to his office, and I to my room.

Mardi offered to keep me company, but I declined.

I had a feeling Catacle would be contacting me soon.

Once I reached my room, I threw open the window and began organizing my bag.

I removed the poisons, knife, and gun I had packed just in case, and hid them deep inside my wardrobe.

That was when it happened.

I sensed something right behind me.

A chill ran up my spine.

I spun around and instinctively dropped to one knee.

——!

In front of me was a small bird, fluttering in the air.

But it was no ordinary bird.

A round microphone hung from its neck, and a tiny camera was embedded in one eye, monitoring my every move.

I took a deep breath and bowed my head.

“It’s been a while, Captain.”

Then, a soft laugh echoed from the microphone attached to the mechanical bird’s neck.

[It’s been three years since we last spoke verbally. No need to be so formal.]

Forcing a smile, I lowered my head even further.

“I doubt you’re alone, Captain. I have to mind my manners, if only for the sake of those around you.”

[Hmm.]

The captain, Baylor, let out a low hum. As I had expected, there were others present.

‘Most likely the vice-captains.’

People I didn’t get along with.

Or rather, people who didn’t like me.

[We’ll save the small talk for when you report in person.]

“Yes, Captain.”

[Now then,]

Baylor continued,

[What’s the harvest?]

It was the question I had expected, so I responded calmly.

“Fortunately, Lu Vantes is completely in the dark. As you know, he’s been mingling with the Empire’s nobility, building connections to uncover the whereabouts of the relic.”

A faint commotion came from the other side of the transmission. I used the moment to continue speaking.

“As such, I haven’t made any major progress yet, but I’ll have good news soon. Just a little more patien—”

[Patience?]

A voice dripping with mockery cut in.

It wasn’t the captain’s voice.

[Are you truly confident that if we wait as you say, you’ll bring us satisfactory results?]

“…Yes. I am confident.”

[What nonsense.]

I couldn’t see his face, but I could imagine the smirk curling his lips.

And next, without a doubt, he would say—

[Last time, you were reckless like this, and it got an agent killed.]

He was condemning my past mistake. My crime.

[Are you planning to spill blood again?]

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.