“You seem to prefer this look.”
“It seems you do as well, Master.”
Well, I did like Redian in light-colored shirts and with clear eyes, but… I definitely prefer this look. I liked Redian’s current vibe much more. It was subtly languid yet stimulating.
“Yes.” I reached out to tidy Redian’s hair. “This look definitely suits my taste more…” But my hand stopped near his ear and neck instead of his silver hair. “It could be a bit more glamorous.” Though he was already perfect to the point of excess.
“What do you mean…?”
“Like Halphas earlier.”
Besides, Redian had a naturally striking presence. If he adorned himself with jewels like Halphas, he would stand out too much.
I said this, knowing full well the reason… This is all groundwork. So, this was also for the upcoming event. But then,
“You prefer that style?”
“Huh? That style?”
“I mean Halphas. You seemed quite close.”
“Ah.”
Judging by his eyes, it seemed I had stepped on a landmine. The focus should have been on ‘glamorous,’ but all he heard was ‘Halphas.’
“It’s a unique style, isn’t it? I thought it was pretty every time I saw it.”
“Ah… Pretty, you say.”
Ah, that chilly vibe.
Redian and I had been intimately involved for several years now.
“I thought you only said such things to me…”
I could easily read the expression he tried to hide behind his smile. Maybe I overdid it.
Redian seemed to be particularly attached to my calling things’ pretty.’
“Do you know how pretty you looked when I first saw you?”
“Of all the people I’ve seen in hundreds of years, you’re the prettiest, Rere.”
It was a term of endearment I consistently used only for him.
I should hurry things along. Saying such things to someone else could lead to who knows what.
“Let’s finish the rest of the schedule quickly and go to the restaurant, Rere.”
“And we never had any private meetings.” But Redian muttered as he rested his chin on my shoulder. “Starting tomorrow, I should collect those jewels from him one by one.” His arm wrapped around my waist so tightly that I couldn’t move.
“What? Those jewels are all soul fragments that makeup Halphas, aren’t they?” Taking them would be like cutting off pieces of flesh from a human.
“What does it matter, Master?”
“…”
Normally, I wouldn’t be able to see Redian’s face while he was holding me.
“If you wish Master…”
But now, with the mirror, I could see.
“You know that I can do everything for you, right?”
What kind of expression was Redian making outside my line of sight?
Scary guy.
His neatly brushed-back hair made his expression even clearer.
“Surely, he won’t die.”
Unlike his eyes, which had settled into an unfamiliar chill…
“Even if he dies, it can’t be helped.”
Just hearing his whispering voice made me think he was smiling softly.
“No, Rere. Why would you need to take your subordinate’s things?” I smiled as I gently pushed Redian away. “I can buy you all the rare jewels spread across this continent if you just ask.”
Of course, I had no intention of doing that. Though I was wealthy, he was even richer than me. So, this was just groundwork to protect my agents (?).
“No, that’s alright.” Redian, hands clasped behind his back, smiled slightly. “What I want is not something like that.” He tilted his head towards my ear. “Just give me… yourself, Master.”
I might have to take back my previous statement. As expected, my Rere wasn’t a scary guy. He was downright cunning.
* * *
With the schedule completed, the only thing left was dinner on the ship’s deck.
“How did it go?”
“I received it before we came to the island.”
I made an excuse to spend some time alone and called Halphas over.
“I kept it hidden as one of the jewel boxes I brought.”
“Well done.”
“That wasn’t difficult, but…”
Meeting in the dark cabin made it hard to tell the time. What time was it now? If Redian arrived at the restaurant before me, it would have been a disaster.
“I don’t know why he called for me separately.”
“What?”
“I heard from Ipos that he was looking for me.”
Wait, even though I tried to divert his attention, Redian still searched for Halphas?
“I came here to follow your orders, but if it’s because I greeted you earlier…” Normally confident and relaxed, Halphas was now pale. “You must succeed in today’s event. My lord would indeed throw me into the hellfire without anyone knowing.”
“No, the reason I called you…”
But that wasn’t the issue. First, Redian looked for Halphas. Second, Halphas came to me instead of him. So, the third point was.
“Redian is still looking for you, isn’t he?”
At that moment.
“Halphas, are you here?”
“…!”
Someone’s voice came through the slightly open door. The ship’s horn blew as it moved across the water. At the same time, soft music and laughter from people at the party on the deck began. But,
“…”
In the darkness of the basement only heavy silence flowed.
“Halphas.”
The voice through the thin door seemed to come from another world.
“Why aren’t you answering? I know you’re there.”
“…”
It was because Redian was speaking with no tone at all.
The door is open.
I glanced around to assess the situation. The lock was undone, so turning the knob would open the door. The windows are locked. But all the windows were securely locked. So, even if something happened, we wouldn’t be thrown into the sea beyond those windows.
“I hate asking twice.”
It was then.
“You know that.”
Bang! The door burst open. It happened in an instant.
“…”
At the same time, I made eye contact with Redian.
“Master.”
The only light in the room came from a dim wall lamp, but I could see it.
“Why are you here?”
His eyes still faintly glimmered with a dark hue.
“Mi-Milord.”
Just like now.
This is really something.
I hid my expression and admired the situation.
In this narrow, dark corridor, a man and a woman were secretly meeting. The situation was, quite literally, a complete mess.
“T-That’s not it.”
Moreover, Halphas stuttering made the situation worse. It was as if we were in a dramatic affair.
“Milord?” Redian laughed as if amused by that word. “Well, that’s not entirely wrong. It’s something only a real b*stard would do…” His low mutter was aimed at Halphas.
“Master, you said you were just going to your quarters for a moment.”
“…”
“I don’t think I misheard.”
Redian’s gaze slowly shifted to me. His gentle tone, as always, felt even more out of place.
“…”
But I chose to remain silent. I had no choice. There was nothing I could say here.
“You don’t want to answer?” Redian nodded briefly as if he understood and smiled. “Fine, you don’t have to say anything.” His smile was chilling, with only one side of his mouth turned up. “I’ll hear it directly from Halphas.”
At that moment, I felt the depth of Redian’s trust in me. No matter what he saw, he trusted me—or tried to. It was a near-fanatical faith.
“Milord, but I…” Halphas quickly turned to me.
“How dare you look elsewhere.”
However, my eyes and Halphas’s eyes couldn’t meet each other.
“Ugh!”
“You better answer.”
It was because before our eyes could even meet, Halphas’s shoulder was slammed to the floor.
Sigh. Being caught in this absurd love triangle was getting tiresome.
“Enough, Redian.”
It was time to end this.
“Get up, Halphas.”
“…”
I looked at Halphas and gestured with my chin towards the door, indicating for him to leave. Halphas hesitated, glancing at Redian, but it was no use.
“Master…”
Redian’s dark blue eyes were already fixed solely on me.
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