* * *

“I feel it every time, but Leader’s speech is amazing.”

On the way back to the inn after the concert, Lumen said, leisurely following Cadel, who was walking ahead of him. Cadel shook his head after giving give Lumen a sidelong scowl.

“The more you proceed, the less attractive you are as a subordinate.”

“Are you talking about me?”

“So who am I talking about? Because you were laughing so openly, Mamil got angry and left. He even used teleportation magic that requires a lot of mana in a place where there are a lot of people.”

“But you still have a place to meet, right? It was a lot funnier than I thought, so I tried hard to hold it in.”

Let’s not talk. Cadel shuddered at the thought of that dizzying moment.

Mamil, who was caught in a trap he had set, and Lumen, who shed tears and laughed at his face, made the situation worse as it hurt Mamil’s pride. Unable to endure the humiliation, Mamil eventually chose to flee. For a moment, Cadel almost grabbed Lumen by the collar, thinking he had lost his prey right in front of his nose.

‘Fortunately, he wrote down the place to meet where he was standing and went away……. Ayo, Lumen you bastard. Just increase your loyalty and I’ll give you a hundred punches on the snout.’

There was no such thing as leaving a handsome face alone. Of course, when he got into battle, he’d be a dealer who was more reliable than anyone else, but that matter and this matter were different.

While thinking about that, the two of them were getting closer and closer to the inn.

As soon as he arrive, he would wash up and dive onto the bed. He felt like his body was already tired at the thought of relieving the old fatigue. Cadel quickened his pace, invigorating his weakened body little by little. Then, suddenly, his tired gaze turned to the entrance of the inn, and he found a familiar doll lying there. Cadel raised his voice involuntarily.

“Van?”

Cadel jumped up and ran to the front of the inn without hesitation. And there, he was able to face Van, who was making a pitiful expression with the tip of his nose stained red.

“Commander…….”

“Why are you doing this outside? I told you to go in and rest!”

As Cadel reached out his hand telling him to get up, Van, who rose slowly, frowned slightly. Looking at his crooked legs, he seemed to have a cramp from sitting for a long time. Although he made an awkward laugh right away, Cadel’s expression as he watched him was only serious.

“How long have you been sitting?”

“I couldn’t see Commander.…… I was wondering if I should go find you, but I thought you would come soon, so I just waited a little bit. I only waited a little bit…… You don’t have to worry, Commander.”

“Is this the face you’ve been waiting for a little bit? It’s all frozen! No, if I’m not there, you can just go to sleep. Wait, what else are you waiting for? Do you have any stamina left?”

His criticizing eyes, looking at Van’s condition, were very worrying. In the chilly night air, he didn’t even wear a coat.

Not only the tip of the nose, but also the cheeks and ears were frozen red, and for how long he had been crouching, the hardened legs did not stretch properly. Maybe he already caught a cold, but his voice was muffled and his eyes were reddish. It was clear that the heat would boil over if he was left like this.

He thought Van wouldn’t know if he sneaked out. Cadel belatedly regretted that if he had known this was going to happen, he would have said something roughly.

‘I never imagined that he would be waiting for me……. How is he going to survive in this harsh world with such a soft personality? What’s wrong with him? Aren’t good-looking guys basically full of themselves?’

No, he couldn’t let it slide. Cadel decided as he helped Van up.

Tonight, he’d definitely watch Van Herdos’ story.

How the hell was this elusive puppy’s loyalty built? It was clear that there would be a repetition of surprise and guilt like today unless he checked it himself.

And Lumen, who was watching the two of them, tilted his head sharply as if he didn’t like what he was seeing so much. He opened the door of the inn on behalf of Cadel and said sarcastically.

“How can you be such a loyal dog? I can’t believe you’re fidgeting because you can’t see your owner. Aren’t you tired of dealing with each other?”

It was the words he spat out expecting that Van would rush at him. What came back was Cadel’s cold reaction.

“Don’t talk nonsense about my subordinate.”

Cadel glared at him darkly for the first time. His dark bronze eyes were full of faint hostility. Lumen’s eyes narrowed.

“……If I don’t want to?”

“Today will be the last time I’m with you.”

He said it because he got rebellious for no reason. Lumen’s mouth twitched slightly at the unexpected and decisive reaction. Cadel went into the inn with Van without giving him a glance, and Lumen stood firm on the spot instead of following the two.

As he loosened his grip, the door to the inn slowly closed. In front of him, a hollow laugh mixed with misty breath flowed from Lumen’s mouth.

“……He’s relentless when it was him who seduced me first.”

* * *

After taking Van to his room to soothe him.

Cadel immediately lay down on the bed and went to sleep. As soon as he lay down, the drowsiness he felt made him want to postpone the story watching a little longer, but whenever he thought about that, the sad face of Van came to mind and took hold of his heart. He was obliged to know more about Van.

「You have entered an unconscious state.」

「There are stories you can watch.」

‣ Van Herdos’ Memory – Starting Member Limited Story

‣ Van Herdos’ Memory – Past story (Favorability over 70)

What he decided to watch was the ‘Starting Member Limited Story’.

‘Why am I so nervous?’

Sitting alone in the black space, Cadel waited for the story of his choice to be played.

Then after a while.

With a blinding light, his vision flickered.