HPL 10

chapter 10

When the boy with white hair smiled, the men we had captured scowled.

“Ugh, that bastard’s smiling like that again. Makes me want to puke.”

“Why do you all call him angelic? He looks like a demon to me.”

“We risked our lives to protect you, and this is how you repay us?”

The boy lowered his eyes and spoke sadly. The men reacted with expressions of disbelief and shouted:

“Wayne! You forced us to watch over that girl, that’s why we got caught!”

“Yeah! You said it was ‘amazing’ or something like that!”

As the two men protested strongly, the boy named Wayne put on an innocent expression.

“Forced? I politely asked as a childhood friend.”

“You said if we didn’t help, you’d tell everyone about me wetting the bed as a kid. How is that a request?”

“And you threatened to spread rumors about me crying over a mouse doll!”

As the two shouted in unison, Wayne smiled sweetly. But a sharp glint flickered deep within his bright blue eyes.

“Hahaha, you guys… You think I’m really going to expose your embarrassing past to the world? Just kidding.”

He was the kind of person who could expose a person’s most embarrassing history and still remain calm.

While I analyzed Wayne’s nature, the men ground their teeth. But Wayne, seeing his friends’ reactions, didn’t flinch; he provoked them instead.

“But here’s another dark moment: how could people from the underworld get caught so easily by ordinary people?”

“Even if you ignore her, this guy’s movements aren’t ordinary.”

“This girl isn’t ordinary either. Where else do you see someone using such strange powers?”

The men protested vehemently.

From the conversation so far, it was clear Wayne was the one directing these men.

Earlier, the brown-haired man had been spying on the girl, so the target must be me.

“Why did you have me followed?”

I narrowed my eyes as I asked, and Wayne smiled brightly.

When he smiled, it was as if flowers bloomed.

When he smiled, the surroundings brightened.

Clichés became reality in front of Wayne. In terms of looks, he was a perfect bishōnen.

“I’m interested in you, sister.”

Wayne’s voice was soft and sweet. His enchanting aura made me gaze at him quietly.

“Why am I your sister? Get a grip.”

I responded indifferently, and the brown-haired men burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! Serves you right. You thought everyone would fall for your smile, huh? I like you, sister.”

“Seeing that you’re not falling for his smile, I see you can judge people, sister!”

For some reason, the men had started calling me “sister.”

As the brown-haired men continued giggling, Wayne raised an eyebrow. Then, he suddenly started humming a song.

“Once upon a time, there were two little kids, Jack and Tom. Jack was so nervous when confessing his love that he vomited on the girl he liked. Tom tried to act like a bad guy and said, ‘Your face isn’t great, but I’ll meet you,’ and got hit with a pile of firewood.”

Wayne’s smooth voice and cheerful rhythm made the song stick in the ears effortlessly.

Even with a harsh voice, lyrics like this would still be memorable.

Roy and I stared at the brown-haired men. Their reddened faces showed that Jack and Tom were themselves in the song.

Even underworld people—or ordinary people—wouldn’t want their pasts revealed. Now I understood why they couldn’t resist Wayne.

“I didn’t vomit on the face, but between the face and neck!”

“And it wasn’t firewood, it was a laundry basket!”

Now I knew who was Tom and who was Jack.

As Tom and Jack panicked, Wayne smiled faintly and spoke gently.

“Aren’t your voices too loud? If you don’t quiet down, I might have to sing even louder.”

He was telling them to shut up.

It was fascinating how he could threaten in such a calm, gentle way. I’ll have to try that on a demon later.

As Tom and Jack fell silent, Wayne looked at me again.

“I really am interested in you.”

“The meaning of your interest matters.”

I remained unmoved, and Wayne’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

“It’s amazing to see someone who survived and is walking around.”

At Wayne’s words, my expression hardened.

He meant Dyna. But I was also curious—how had he recognized me despite my disguise?

I crossed my arms and probed him.

“What do you mean?”

“Most people die when they learn a secret.”

Wayne said it lightly, as if talking about the weather.

I remembered Dyna’s final diary. My gaze sharpened, and a fierce aura radiated around Roy.

Seeing our vigilance, Wayne held out both hands.

“Scary when you glare like that. I don’t mean any harm.”

“No harmless person would assign underworld people to someone.”

Roy hit the mark, and Wayne smiled, pointing at Tom and Jack.

“They have to make a living too. I asked them as a favor, out of childhood friendship.”

Tom and Jack pressed their lips together as if they had a lot to say, but were too afraid Wayne might sing again to open their mouths.

Wayne placed a hand over his chest and introduced himself.

“Formally, I’m Wayne Bell McCallin. Does that make you trust me?”

Roy and I exchanged a look that said, “So what?” Tom and Jack snickered, but as Wayne started his song again with “Once upon a time…,” they quickly stopped laughing.

When they went silent, Wayne tilted his head.

“Haven’t you heard rumors about me? A young master who grew up well and properly in tough circumstances. Gentle and kind young master. I hear that a lot.”

“Now that you mention it, maybe I did hear that, but I didn’t care.”

“You speak well of yourself, don’t you?”

I replied indifferently, and Roy snorted lightly.

Wayne tilted his head even more.

“That man aside, Dyna feels different from the last time I saw her. Maybe people really do change after facing death.”

Roy glanced at me sharply at the mention of dying.

I sent him a look that said, “A lot happened in a few days.” Then I pressed Wayne.

“How did you recognize me despite the disguise?”

“I recognize people not by face or voice, but by neck.”

Wayne spoke casually, but I didn’t understand. Roy seemed puzzled as well.

Seeing our confusion, Wayne explained further.

“Everyone has a weak spot—where a strike can kill fast or make them faint. I observe necks every day to find those points, so now I can identify people by their neck shape.”

“Ah, a lunatic.”

“A maniac.”

Roy and I spoke in unison, and Tom and Jack blinked in agreement, unable to openly join the conversation.

“That hurts my feelings.”

Wayne lowered his head slightly, speaking gloomily. He looked like a melancholy bishōnen, but there was no sincerity beneath the surface.

“You said most die when they learn a secret. Were you going to kill someone who knew?”

I narrowed my eyes, scrutinizing him. Wayne stopped pretending to be pitiful and raised his head.

“Believe it or not, not me. But I know who intended to kill.”

Roy’s brow furrowed further. Mentions of death and resurrection made him uneasy.

Hmm, I don’t fully trust Wayne, but I need to hear him out.

“Then who tried to kill me?”

I asked seriously. Wayne smiled faintly.

“I can’t tell you yet.”

Should I hang him upside down? Or bury him?

While I pondered seriously, Roy wrinkled his nose.

“Don’t even think about joking.”

Roy glared coldly, and Wayne smiled softly. Their expressions were opposite, yet both radiated the aura of someone ready to strike.

“Considering you escaped as a slave, your limbs are intact.”

Wayne’s cryptic words made me pause. How did he know Roy was a slave?

Roy’s aura turned icy, even desolate.

“How do you know me?”

“I have sharp eyes. Even with a disguise, the aura the girl likes remains. If she’s still at Jeil, I’ll remove the slave restraints. I also know the info you’re looking for.”

He had both pieces of information we wanted? Suspicious.

When we stared skeptically, Wayne gestured to the tied-up Tom.

“Not the place to talk. Want to move? If you don’t trust me, tie me up like Tom there. Jack too.”

Jack pouted, annoyed we might involve him, but didn’t protest openly.

“You mean we can tie you up?”

I asked for confirmation, and Wayne nodded.

Even if Wayne set a trap, restraining him worked in our favor. He was suspicious, but might really know the information.

“What should we do?”

I asked. Roy glanced at Wayne and replied.

“If we immobilize him, he shouldn’t be too dangerous.”

Then the decision was clear.

I waved my hand, and two slender lights appeared, wrapping Wayne and Jack like living snakes.

“Why are Tom and Jack only bound at the waist, but I’m wrapped from neck to waist? Is this your way of showing interest? Not my style, but if sister wants, I’ll endure it.”

Wayne shrugged, looking at the ropes coiling around him.

“You look the most dangerous. Why endure?”

“No need to be shy. I respect personal preferences.”

Wayne winked, and I waved my hands again. Thick ropes appeared to gag Wayne, making Tom and Jack beam with satisfaction.

Even though they were tied too, they were delighted. I’d captured strange people indeed.

Wayne and his group took us to a house on the outskirts of the city. Surprisingly, it was small, ordinary, and clean.

“This is a house I often use.”

As the gag disappeared, Wayne explained the location.

Tommy, like me, looked around with a surprised expression.

{They brought us to a surprisingly normal place.}

Indeed. I expected an alley in the underworld or a hidden underground space.

I tilted my head, and Wayne, still tied, gave a mischievous look.

“Oh, disappointed? Want an alley in the underworld or an underground secret room? We can go there instead.”

“No, it’s fine.”

I replied, while Roy finished checking the house.

“No traps, it seems.”

Roy looked surprised, and Wayne replied nonchalantly.

“If you can’t trust people, what can you do? Try trusting humans a bit more.”

Wayne’s aura changed slightly. The lighthearted atmosphere gave way to a cold, barren aura.

“I haven’t lived a life to trust humans.”

Roy replied coldly as well.

While they stared each other down, Tom and Jack spoke to me.

“May we sit, sister?”

“We’ll sit quietly over there.”

“Sit. But underworld people sure are confident.”

The two quickly sat as I spoke.

“I can be confident a hundred times with the person who gags that guy.”

“Not all underworld people are big shots. We’re rising talents.”

As the two sat, Wayne stopped staring and sat in an empty chair.

Wayne, you’d find water even if stranded in a desert. First, I need to understand what kind of person you are.

I dug into Wayne’s identity first.

“How did the son of a count become childhood friends with underworld people? Are you really Wayne Bell McCallin?”