After asking Kunra, who was now on edge, for his location, Cadel arrived to find Yozen perched on a branch, leisurely biting into an apple.

As soon as he realized that Cadel had spotted him, he landed on the ground without hesitation. Despite the height of his fall, the noise of his landing was barely audible.

He stepped in front of Cadel and spoke quietly.

“I was just trying to figure out the topography of the mountain range.”

Cadel patted Yozen on the shoulder as if to comfort him, who must have been startled by the sudden outburst.

“Of course I know. I know that you didn’t spread dark energy with bad intentions. But the Scarlet Dragon doesn’t know that. It’s a very nerve-wracking time right now.”

While he assured Yozen that Kunra was angry because he misunderstood Yozen’s innocent behavior, Cadel had a different idea.

‘I wonder if it’s a reference to his failure to properly detect the dark energy at Count Keinstein’s house.’

Kunra knew that Yozen was a dark energy user. He knew that Cadel’s subordinate wouldn’t be trespassing in his territory, but for him to specifically point out that Yozen’s dark energy bothered him felt like a show-off, a way of saying, ‘If I’m at full strength, I can sense dark energy like this in my sleep’.

‘I hope not. Because that looks really cheap.’

In any case, over time, Kunra’s sensitivity would wear off.

“I’ll talk to him, but for now, just rest, and if you’re not comfortable moving, I’ll help you.”

“It’s not uncomfortable. It’s just annoying.”

As Cadel leaned against the tree trunk, Yozen settled down next to him. A cool breeze blew in and the sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

A calm silence fell between them. No conversation, but no discomfort. It felt like a long time ago that he had been afraid of Yozen. Maybe it was because the horrible killing intent he’d felt then had vanished without a trace.

Cadel felt comfortable just knowing that Yozen wasn’t going to harm him. Strange as it might seem, there was no greater favor than that for an assassin. For now, it was enough.

After a few moments of reveling in the silence, Cadel cautiously spoke.

“There’s about a year left until we go back to the castle. What are you going to do in the meantime?”

Although he purposely chose an off-limits location, training wouldn’t actually mean much to Yozen. He was already a master in his field. He might get a little lost in the different methods of killing humans and demons, but that could be made up for with a little practice.

Yozen’s head moved, the corners of his mouth tugging up smoothly as if he knew where Cadel was going with the question.

“If there’s no number 1, it’s natural to look for number 2.”

If there were no demons to deal with, he would find his original target and kill it. It was an obvious conclusion, and one that Cadel had somewhat expected.

As Cadel nodded in agreement, Yozen tilted his head. He reached out and casually cupped Cadel’s face. The gentle touch grazed the corners of his eyes, but he only waited patiently.

After another sweep of his hand across Cadel’s face, Yozen chuckled softly.

“Do you want me to stay here for a whole year?”

“……I never said that.”

“You’re easy to read, you. Your heartbeat, your facial expressions, your voice, everything is honest.”

Cadel had remained stubbornly silent, but the truth was, there was no reason to stop Yozen from assassinating or slaughtering in his absence. He would save many from suffering under scum like Count Keinstein.

In the process, however, he worried that he’d become distant from Yozen. Cadel wanted to get to know the man, and while it wouldn’t hurt to maintain a relationship out of mutual need, it wouldn’t serve Cadel’s ultimate purpose.

Cadel wanted to help his subordinates be happy; he wanted them to receive much love from the higher ups; he wanted them to be rewarded for helping him and fighting so hard; and he wanted to make sure they knew what they needed.

Lumen needed companionship, Lydon needed freedom, and Garuel needed pride. Cadel would do anything to give them that. But he didn’t yet know what Yozen truly wanted.

Simple justice? Salvation for the weak?

He had a feeling that if he spent another year fruitlessly with Yozen, he wouldn’t be able to give him what he deserved when the Demon War ended.

“……Want me to come with you?”

“Where?”

“Watching your assassination operation. What do you think?”

He didn’t offer to help, but he wanted to get to know Yozen, even if it meant making a big commitment. After saying what he had to say, he looked at Yozen with some nervousness, and Yozen’s response was more blunt than he expected.

“There’s no need. I don’t need an assassination partner.”

“…….”

“You said you would try to drag me up to the sunny spot where you are. If we go together, you can’t stay where you are. Did you take that into consideration?”

“……No.”

He’d been greedy, and it had cost him his trust. Cadel let out a small sigh, and Yozen, who had returned to his normal tone, spoke up.

“I’ll be away for one week a month.”

“…….”

“Other than that, I’ll be by your side. Okay then?”

There was a gasp of surprise. At the gleeful laughter that followed, Yozen felt a strange sensation. For the first time in his life, he had met someone who wanted to spend time with him. No one had ever bothered to get to know him, let alone like him.

He’d always been shunned. Perhaps Cadel’s constant advances were a burden, but in reality, they weren’t. So what was this feeling?

“Then, don’t just stay there without showing any sign, but if you come, you should tell them clearly that you have come. Understand?”

“……Yes. Okay.”

To get clarity on his feelings, it wouldn’t hurt to spend some time together.

* * *

“If you’re going to leave me like this, why did you call me?”

Inside the cave where Kunra stayed. Cadel glanced at Kunra, who was sitting on the floor in a sitting position, strengthening the barrier or something. Despite his annoyed urging, Kunra did not open his mouth.

“I’ve been walking around for half an hour now with nothing to do. It’s a dark cave, there’s nothing to see. It’s not fun. If you’re going to keep your eyes closed like that, I’m leaving.”

he had got a lot of work to do, and this place made him waste his time. Kunra didn’t answer, so it was clear he’d called Cadel in just to mess with him.

Cadel moved to his side to call Kunra one last time.

“I’m really leaving. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it tomorrow. I know you’re listening, so don’t berate me later for leaving without saying goodbye.”

The moment Cadel finished saying that and was about to turn his back.

“……It’s extremely noisy.”

Kunra’s hand yanked fiercely on Cadel’s arm, and he stumbled backwards, not having the strength to resist the force.

“What the hell! Get off me!”

Kunra put his arms around Cadel’s back and pressed down lightly on Cadel who was now on his lap. Suddenly deprived of his freedom, Cadel scrambled to escape from the man on top of him, but his struggles backfired, as he was unable to make the slightest impact on Kunra.

“I thought I told you it was noisy. Shut up.”

With a low jab, Kunra slapped Cadel in the buttocks. The pain radiating from the blow was accompanied by a crunching sound, and Cadel stopped moving. Kunra’s eyes closed as he straightened his crinkled brow.

He felt no remorse for his actions, but Cadel did not.

“Hah…… Haah…….”

Wide-open eyes were colored with disbelief, and the jerking head was as stiff as a broken robot’s. A disbelieving glare framed Kunra’s otherwise serene face.

“Are, are you crazy? What…… What did you just do?”

“Do you want to get slapped again?”

“You, you slapped someone else’s butt……. You pervert!”

“……What?”

As Cadel shouted in a trembling voice, Kunra’s eyebrows furrowed again. He raised one eye in annoyance and looked at Cadel’s flushed face.

“Pervert? Is that what you’re calling this body?”

“Get off me! I’ve never been spanked, not even as a baby!”

“Then I guess you can get it right from now on.”

Tears formed in the corners of Cadel’s eyes as Kunra snorted and gave him another slap to the buttocks. He turned to Kunra, his eyes a mixture of shame, disbelief, and resentment, and the corners of Kunra’s mouth curved upward in response.

“If you keep quiet, you won’t get slapped.”

“You, you……!”

“For a skinny guy, your butt sure feels good. What are you looking at? You want another slap?”

Cadel, who had been bristling with rage, ready to pummel Kunra to death at a moment’s notice, quickly turned away and dropped his head to the floor. He had recognized that he could not win through strength. Kunra nodded in satisfaction as Cadel finally calmed down.

“Hang in there. Because when I’m done, I have something to say.”

If he had a favorability rating toward Kunra, it would be negative right now. Somehow, some way, Cadel would find the source of his dislike and take bloody revenge. Cadel ground his teeth to himself as he slumped miserably to the ground.