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Chapter 35
The movement of the knife cutting through the steak suddenly stopped.
The clattering of dishes died down at once.
“Where is it?”
“It’s been narrowed down to two possible locations.”
“You don’t know the exact spot yet?”
“No, sir. We haven’t pinpointed it yet, but we found a group of thugs on Callevan Street. Wiped out completely.”
“……”
“And those guys turned out to be leftovers from the organization we’ve been cracking down on.”
Felix frowned.
“Seriously, that’s annoying.”
“Do you have any idea what might be going on, sir?”
Gilbert asked carefully.
Felix tilted up one corner of his mouth into a crooked smirk.
“I might.”
“……”
“There’s something that comes to mind.”
I unconsciously perked up my ears, but Felix simply put a piece of diced shrimp into his mouth and said nothing more.
Gilbert nodded naturally and went back to his meal.
Stuck between the two of them, I quietly put my fork to my lips.
Was he holding back because I was here? The two of them continued eating in silence after that.
Two hours later, after finishing our meal, we left the restaurant.
‘Ah, I’m stuffed!’
I rubbed my full belly lightly. When I looked up at the sky, it had already gone dark.
‘I should get going.’
Gilbert had told me to stay for dessert, but the sun had already set. If I stayed out any longer, Grandpa would probably start worrying.
‘That’s why I packed everything to go!’
I had made sure to neatly collect cakes and bread to share with Grandpa later.
“Should I take you home?”
“It’s okay. If I turn the corner here, I can catch a carriage right away.”
We’d all come here in the Kazliden family carriage, but there were only two.
‘And they both look busy anyway.’
Since the carriage stop wasn’t far, I had no reason to keep them any longer.
“Hey.”
Just then, Felix came up beside me. I flinched in surprise and looked up to see him jerking his chin toward something ahead.
It was the Kazliden carriage we’d ridden here in earlier.
“Get in.”
“…Excuse me?”
That one? Me?
I stared at the carriage like an idiot, and Felix’s brow furrowed.
“Don’t go riding in some shady carriage.”
“I—I wouldn’t! It’s just the public carriage to go home…”
“Did you forget where we are right now?”
“Proud District.”
At my confident answer, his face darkened even further.
‘What’s his problem?’
As I tilted my head in confusion, I heard a barely suppressed snort from somewhere nearby.
“Pfft… no, I mean, just say it honestly, haha—”
Gilbert clamped a hand over his mouth, muttering between stifled laughs. Felix glared at him.
“Can you shut up?”
“Yes, yes. Understood. Pfft! I’ll step aside then. Take your time, sir.”
He bowed politely to both of us, still shaking with laughter, before retreating.
“That idiot…”
Felix muttered irritably, glaring at Gilbert’s retreating, trembling shoulders.
Taking the opportunity, I tried to slip away to the side—but the sharp-eyed man caught me at once.
“Where are you going?”
“H-home. I’m going home.”
I still felt uncomfortable around him. After all, this guy was the villain I was tangled up with…
‘And technically my employer!’
Sure, I was hired by the Reynard Guild, but the guild itself belonged to the Kazliden family.
So if Gilbert was the “CEO,” then this young master in front of me was basically the future chairman.
‘And I’m the newly hired, slightly capable employee trying to get recognized.’
Naturally, the whole relationship was awkward.
‘Wait, what’s he going to ride then?’
I thought he’d leave with Gilbert after this.
“How are you two getting back?”
“We’ll manage.”
Ah. Got it…
I decided not to push it and just nodded. Felix cleared his throat.
“I’ll be fine, really. It’s a bit far, but I know the way well.”
“Where do you live?”
“Uh, um…”
Should I tell him?
But the hesitation didn’t last long.
‘He could just ask Gilbert and find out anyway.’
No point lying if it’d be found out in seconds. I gave an honest answer.
“In Angelo.”
“…Angelo?”
Felix’s tone carried a trace of surprise.
‘Why does he sound like that?’
Just as I was wondering, Gilbert—who had been waiting a bit away—waved at us.
“Well then, I’ll go on ahead—”
“You.”
Felix cut me off and called for one of the attendants by the carriage.
Before the man could approach, Felix himself stepped forward and said something quietly to him. Then he turned back toward me.
“Get in.”
“I really don’t mind walking…”
“Then go back inside and pay for your share of the restaurant bill—”
“You’re right, refusing a favor would be rude. Thank you. I’ll ride quietly.”
At that, Felix let out a small, incredulous laugh. I pretended not to notice and turned my head.
‘Seriously, how am I supposed to refuse after he says that!’
Using the meal as leverage—how petty could he get? I didn’t know why he was so insistent on taking me home, but his stubbornness was honestly impressive.
‘Still, I’m not exactly rich enough to say no to that.’
It was a little humiliating to bend to the power of money, but sometimes you had to let go of your pride to live in this world.
Once I quietly accepted reality, Felix looked satisfied and turned away.
“I’ll see to it she gets home safely, my lady.”
The attendant bowed his head respectfully to me. When I returned the bow and looked up again—
Felix was already gone.
Having served the young lord for over a dozen years now, Gilbert felt more professionally fulfilled than ever these days.
“Heh, heheheh.”
“Can you not?”
“What, am I not allowed to laugh to myself now?”
In a dim alleyway, Gilbert shrugged his shoulders, trying to hold back his chuckles.
Sure, the back of his neck felt prickly and his spine was cold, but hey—life was short, and he’d decided to just live for today.
“Are you sure you don’t have any feelings for the lady?”
“……”
“I’ve dedicated my whole life to the Kazliden family, but I’ve never seen you show this much consideration for anyone before, my lord.”
Felix was, to put it kindly, not a pleasant person.
His tone was rough, his first instinct was to use force rather than persuasion, and even his speech carried the arrogance of a born predator.
He wasn’t exactly a social butterfly, either. Like any true Kazliden, he was sensitive—and proud.
In other words—
‘His personality’s just… trash.’
Of course, Gilbert had no intention of saying that aloud.
He might live for today, but that didn’t mean he wanted to die today.
‘Still, it’s strange, isn’t it?’
Felix had almost never shown concern or interest in anyone before in his life.
