* * *

“I don’t want to go out…….”

The soak seemed to multiply his fatigue instead of relieve it. Cadel leaned his head against the tub and made a sickening noise. He cringed at the thought of how many years he’d have to do this before he could even function as a human being.

As he closed his eyes, he felt his tense muscles relax, and then he forced himself to lift his eyelids, which were becoming increasingly blurred. He had the feeling that if he closed his eyes now, he would simply fall asleep. Without warning, a face appeared in his wide open field of vision.

“Uargh!”

“……Are you surprised?”

It was Yozen. Cadel flailed his arms and legs at Yozen’s unexpected appearance. Thanks to this, Yozen, who was in front of the bathtub, had to be hit by a sudden thunderbolt of water.

“I, I almost had a heart attack……!”

Cadel pouted, holding his heart that was pounding as if it was about to explode. He didn’t think he would be more surprised if he saw a ghost at night. Yozen spoke calmly, patting his wet pants.

“Sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve knocked on someone’s door. I forgot.”

“Then at least make an audible sound.”

“It’s impossible. ……I’ll call you by your name then.”

“Okay, please do something.”

Once the commotion died down, Cadel realized that he was naked and bathing in front of his subordinate. Of course, Yozen was blind, so it wouldn’t have mattered if Cadel was naked and bathing or grooving, but it was hard not to feel embarrassed in front of him.

Cadel crouched down on his knees, timidly looking up at Yozen.

“I was going to visit you first. We’re going to go eat together in a little while. Let’s go together.”

“Umm…….”

“You have to eat to live, too. We’re the only ones who know you’re the Shadow Envoy, so there’s nothing to be uncomfortable about.”

“I’m comfortable being alone.”

Yozen rejected Cadel’s offer with a straight face. He considered trying to persuade Yozen further, but decided against it. Forcing him to fit in with the group would only make for an uncomfortable time if he wasn’t ready. It was hard to change someone who was used to working alone to his liking.

“……Okay. Then I’ll pick up yours on the way back. Don’t starve, eat that.”

“I can eat it on my own.”

“I know. I just want to take care of you.”

Whether before or after joining the team, Yozen’s walls were considerable. His demeanor was one of resignation, as if he hadn’t opened up yet. It seemed petty to feel sad about something like this, so Cadel tried to act calm, but Yozen struck first.

Kneeling in front of the tub, he reached out and cupped Cadel’s wet face. Callused, firm palms gently stroked his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, his jawline. It wasn’t the same imprinting sensation as when they’d first met. Yozen rubbed the corners of his eyes or the corners of his mouth, as if gauging Cadel’s expression. Then, with an odd smile, he spoke.

“You’re really weird.”

“……Why?”

“We’re just going in similar directions, and if we come to a different crossroads, we can break up at any time. If I break my promise to you, the relationship will end just like that.”

“…….”

“We’re only bound by mutual need, and yet you…… want to be close to me?”

Yozen’s touch moved away, and a cold chill settled on the spot where he had touched. Cadel stared wordlessly into Yozen’s face, then turned his head away with a shallow sigh.

“I told you, no matter what you think of me, you are a valued subordinate and ally to me. Even if you refuse, I will fulfill my responsibility to you, the responsibility that led you to fight a dangerous battle, the responsibility that led you to a different life.”

“…….”

“Yes, I want to get closer to you. Isn’t it obvious? You’re someone I will continue to be with in the future. It’s natural to want to get to know you, to learn from you. I want to get to know you as a person, not as a means to an end.”

Cadel scrubbed his arms under the bathwater, which had grown cold by now. Even though Yozen couldn’t see him, he could feel the unnecessary scrutiny.

“I have no desire to get anything back from you. Just take what I give. If I bring you food, eat it, and if I hold out my hand, grab it. Nothing is difficult.”

It might seem like an annoying gesture, but Cadel wanted to do it anyway. Now that Yozen was his subordinate, Yozen was his man. No matter how volatile Cadel might be on the inside, he was not stupid enough to neglect someone who fought for him.

As he felt the water’s temperature drop, he wondered if he should get up and go get dressed or ask Yozen to leave.

[Knight ‘Yozen Vardikta’ ’s favorability has increased by 4.]

[Current favorability: 43/100]

Yozen’s voice was heard along with the system window that suddenly appeared.

“……Let me think about it.”

“About what?”

“Eating together.”

Cadel’s head snapped up at the unexpected comment. But Yozen, who had been talking to him just moments before, was nowhere to be seen.

Cadel blinked, feeling alone in the empty room.

* * *

“It’s nice to see good-looking youngsters eating well. I’ll give this to you as a free gift, so please enjoy it!”

Even though the table was already full of food, the chef offered a new stir-fried vegetable dish as a service. They even got a drink that they hadn’t ordered thanks to Garuel, who smiled kindly and said that the food prepared by the handsome chef tasted amazing.

And so they began to enjoy a generous meal in a peaceful atmosphere.

“It’s so delicious! Lumen, what kind of food is this?”

“Pork stewed in sugar. It’s very sweet, so you should eat it in moderation…… When did you finish it?”

“Then what’s this?”

“Raspberry pie.”

“This one?”

“Pumpkin gratin.”

“This?”

“……Beef stew.”

Lumen, who happened to be sitting next to Lydon, faced an unexpected test of patience as he was bombarded with endless questions. His habitual manners of not raising his voice at the dinner table prevented him from getting angry. Amused by Lumen’s reaction, which clearly showed him trying to control his boiling anger, Lydon irritated him by asking about food he already knew.

The other seats were equally noisy.

“Knight Commander, let’s have a drink. It’s been a while since we’ve all been together and in good shape, so it’s good to have some fun, right?”

“Put away the alcohol. Drinking alcohol with your meal will only make it worse. Water is enough for Commander, so save the booze for that.”

“Oh my, Sir Van. Aren’t you being too overprotective? If you want to interfere with the relationship between me and Knight Commander that much, Sir Van, you’ll have to do the honors for me, because even if you say no, I’ll keep asking.”

“……Give it to me.”

Van took the drink instead, trying to block Garuel’s attempts to get Cadel to drink. The two men became so competitive with each other that later they kept ordering new drinks as if it were a contest.

In the bustling atmosphere, Cadel could only shovel food into his mouth with fervor. His jaw worked furiously and diligently, but his gaze often wandered to the doorway of the restaurant.

‘Won’t he come?’

Yozen, who said he’d consider eating with them, didn’t show up until after the group had left for the restaurant. The same was true when Cadel went to his room. Even though he had no choice but to leave him, he still couldn’t stop thinking about Yozen.

‘We could at least have a meal together.’

Maybe it was because he was used to being alone, or maybe it was because he saw the Knight Order as complete strangers. Cadel didn’t know the exact reason, but he felt like he could see a clearly drawn line. When someone draws a line, you just have to stand outside of it.

‘……Forget it, that’s enough. Let’s stop worrying.’

He wouldn’t starve if Cadel didn’t take care of him, and he’d be doing just fine on his own. Cadel shook off his worries about his new member and began to eat more enthusiastically. His appetite was full, perhaps because he’d just finished a grueling training session.

Cadel had been concentrating on his food for so long that he suddenly realized the chatter of his subordinates had ceased. Slowly swallowing his food, he looked around the table and realized that all eyes were on him. Behind him, to be exact.

The moment when Cadel was about to look back with a puzzled expression in the incomprehensible silence.

“Hi.”

A hand rested on Cadel’s shoulder, and a familiar voice spoke. Cadel turned his head reflexively, and Yozen’s form stepped into his field of vision.

“Yozen! You’re here!”

Seeing him, Cadel smiled and pulled Yozen’s arm. He sat Yozen down in the empty seat to his right while he asked the waiter for new utensils and then asked Yozen various questions about what he was doing here. The rest of the subordinates watching them had a common thought.

‘Where on earth did he come from?’

When they stopped eating and drinking and fixed their gazes on Yozen, it wasn’t because he was unfamiliar or unwelcome. It was because they were shocked that he had appeared so suddenly, so silently, so unannounced.

If he hadn’t deliberately made himself visible, they wouldn’t have even known he was standing behind Cadel. No matter how relaxed they were, they didn’t even feel him approaching.

“Do you like stew? Or pie?”

“I don’t really have a favorite food.”

“Meat or vegetables?”

“Both are fine.”

“Oh, it’s inconvenient to eat, isn’t it?”

“It’s okay.”

Yozen, receiving everyone’s attention, smiled at Cadel, who was about to spoon-feed him food. As Yozen placed his hands on his fork and knife, the soggy dark energy flowed out and coated them like a thin film.

Cadel watched with amusement as Yozen ate, shoveling bits and pieces onto his plate. After a few moments of deliberate eating, Yozen put down his fork with a faint smile. He turned his head slightly and spoke in a calm voice.

“Even though I can’t see it, I can feel your gaze. I’ve killed everyone who has seen me so far, so it’s hard to bear these looks. If you have something to say, can you say it?”

The words were directed at the rest of the group, not Cadel. The mood quickly settled, and Cadel glanced at his subordinates, realizing that he hadn’t announced Yozen’s arrival.

Up until now, he hadn’t had to worry about his subordinates fitting in with the Knight Order, as each new member had been easy to get along with. Yozen, however, was a man who put up a wall, even against his own commander. Something had to be done, not only for Yozen, but for the rest of the group, to ease their wariness of each other.

Cadel desperately clutched his head in the chilling atmosphere, as if anything could happen at any moment. One by one, his subordinates began to respond to Yozen’s remarks, which were no different from threats. Garuel was the first to speak.

“It’s nice, that kind of honesty. I was also waiting for the right time. There seems to be a lot of things to say and ask, but are you ready to answer them all?”

“I won’t answer all of them.”

“Haha! Then I guess I’ll just have to throw those questions away!”

Even before he met Yozen, Garuel was overflowing with curiosity about the existence of the ‘Shadow Envoy’. Therefore, as soon as they got together, he revealed his one-sided interest. Of course, among the members, Garuel was the only one who showed interest in Yozen, but others were also curious.

“Where did you just come from? Why is your fork black? If you can move secretly, would you like to fight me when Cadel isn’t around?”

“Is that the dark energy you’re using? It doesn’t feel like the dark energy I’ve seen so far.”

“Looks like he’s a proper assassin. Well, if all the anecdotes floating around in the world aren’t all bluff, we should see that kind of movement. Are you trained? Or self-taught?”

The table erupted once more as questions poured in one after another. Cadel narrowed his eyes in bewilderment next to Yozen, who had suddenly become the center of attention.

‘Yozen’s more popular than I expected…….’

He wondered how he could best integrate Yozen into his team, but with all this excitement, he figured he’d just have to keep Yozen from running away.

In the end, Yozen, tired of the endless interviews, disappeared before their very eyes, and there was an incident in which his excited subordinates ran out of the restaurant as a group. Cadel decided to stay positive.