WYPSO 16

Chapter 16

Picking Up a Suspicious Mark

 “A Little Later”

Jaden

 didn’t check his pockets; he just gripped them again. He didn’t want to confirm what Ellaina had given him in a place full of onlookers.

“You haven’t learned manners, have you?”

His father’s voice rang out again. If it hadn’t been for the sudden memory of Ellaina’s voice, he might have ignored it.

— Jaden, greetings are basic courtesy between people.

Even though she wasn’t here, he couldn’t ignore her.

“Long time no see.”

He watched for a moment, then said, “You’ve grown.”

He said it briefly.

The growth he meant probably wasn’t physical. Compared to before he’d only put on a little weight; his height hadn’t changed.

“So, what do you want?”

Having met his father, he’d kept his promise with Ellaina. He could leave now, but his father had called him and hadn’t given a reason.

‘I want to leave right away.’

But if he just left, this man would probably send someone after him. He didn’t look the type to act without reason.

‘Then Ellaina would tell me to leave again.’

He didn’t want to make the same situation where they couldn’t be together happen a second time.

He had to settle things clearly so his father wouldn’t come looking again.

“State your business.”

His father sent an obviously inspecting gaze.

“Let’s eat first.”

“I don’t have time.”

“If we keep arguing, we’ll waste more time.”

From the way he looked down at him, it was clear he could do as he wished.

His headache worsened. His emotions rocked at something he couldn’t control. He wanted to turn everything upside down and leave.

‘Fine. Let’s do it.’

There was no reason to be cautious here. He made the decision and was about to act.

— If possible, don’t get angry either.

Ellaina’s voice popped into his head and made him pause.

Jaden looked around. Those who met his eyes flinched.

The largest manor he had ever seen. So many people beneath it and wealth piled up within.

A man of power.

Those people summoned others by words. Even on brutal battlefields they did.

— Kill that bastard.

When a powerful person said that, soldiers would know they were going to die yet still charge again and again.

This man could make things troublesome with a single word like those power-brokers. If everyone rushed in, he could handle it like before… but Ellaina’s voice blocked him again.

— Jaden, remember the promise.

— What promise?

— Not to attack people recklessly.

Apparently Paul had heard about the fight he’d gotten into with other hunters while on a hunt. He’d told them to keep it secret.

— There were circumstances.

Ellaina put her hand on her waist and looked sharply at him as if she wouldn’t listen to excuses.

At times like this he had to be quiet. When he closed his mouth, the sharp edge of her eyes softened.

— Jaden, do you know you’re strong?

— Yes. I know.

He knew very well. Even surviving battlefields, he’d never felt his life in danger.

There were exactly two people he felt he couldn’t beat: his father and Ellaina.

The feelings he got from the two were different, but both felt like opponents he couldn’t easily defeat.

— Jaden.

Noticing his wandering thoughts, Ellaina grabbed his cheeks and pulled him forward. It was a signal to pay more attention.

— No. I don’t know. You’re stronger than I thought—no, you’re incredibly strong.

He knew his own level well.

— What if you hit someone and accidentally kill them?

Jaden had spent more than half his life in war. There were far more days he hit people than days he didn’t.

‘I’m careful now, hitting so they don’t die…’

He kept his mouth shut because he thought he’d be scolded if he spoke. Jaden had learned to read the room.

— I don’t want anyone to get hurt or die.

‘As long as I don’t get hurt—or better yet, as long as Ellaina and I don’t get hurt.’

Again, he kept quiet.

— So don’t bully weak people.

— …I didn’t bully anyone.

— Hitting someone so much weaker than you is bullying.

Ellaina’s gaze hardened.

— Promise me. Think three times before you attack someone from now on.

— Three times?

— Yes. If you think that much, you’ll hesitate three times.

To be honest, Jaden didn’t like promises. He’d long learned that they become shackles. But Ellaina often asked for promises.

Living with her, Jaden realized the world wasn’t always a battlefield. He didn’t have to be on guard all the time, waiting for enemies.

If he stayed by her side, there would be no problem.

— Fine.

When Jaden answered, the surrounding atmosphere shifted again. The grasping pressure on his chest loosened. That was like Ellaina.

He’d learned something from the many “promises” they’d made. The flow of energy carried compulsion according to the will of the person emitting it.

For example, his mother desperately wanted him to obey his master. Because of that, she couldn’t do anything against the master.

Ellaina’s will, however, left room. If he made the situation favorable, her compulsion wouldn’t activate.

‘Then I’ll make the other person strike first.’

— Also, don’t kill if you can help it.

It was something he’d learned from books. He’d learned that most people dislike harming life. Especially Ellaina.

— I’ll be careful about that too.

Oddly, the words “I’ll be careful” didn’t change the energy. Maybe because it was ambiguous and hard to judge whether the promise had been kept.

Ellaina smiled brightly. He didn’t know why she was so pleased, but she looked happy.

— As expected, Jaden, you’re kind.

When Ellaina praised his good deeds she always did so gently.

Jaden liked the praising Ellaina. Her voice got softer and her smile sparkled more than usual.

— Yes, I’m good.

When he admitted it, she widened her eyes and then laughed even more. Seeing that made the corners of Jaden’s mouth lift.

Since that promise, Jaden had been careful about clashing with people.

Even if a fight broke out among those his father ordered, breaking the promise in the process didn’t count, so it was okay.

— Remember, rough men aren’t attractive.

— Rough men?

— Yes. Men who keep getting into fights.

He couldn’t let her know there had been a fight.

He calmed his emotions. To be a real couple, even if no one was watching, they had to avoid doing bad things.

Then he could proudly say he’d behaved kindly.

“Let’s eat.”

Sighs of relief spread around. His father looked at him for a moment, then turned away.

“I will show you to the dining room.”

An old man standing nearby stepped forward as if waiting to be asked, and spoke.

At the dining room they arrived at, he ate more luxurious food than the meals he’d had with Ellaina.

But nothing tasted as good as the food Ellaina made. And his father said nothing during the meal—only observing him.

He couldn’t understand why he had to go through such an occasion.

After finishing the meal, he had time to himself.

Jaden opened his pocket.

As expected, there was a note.

[ Jaden, take care there. I can’t accept you as my lover. ]

But the content was unbelievable.

It couldn’t have come from Ellaina. He had to meet and talk to her.

Jaden stood up at once.

“Where are you going?”

Someone called as he left the room.

“Home.”

“Huh?”

He didn’t care the other’s confusion. He had to go quickly.

“Where do you expect to go at this hour?”

But his father appeared and stopped him.

“I’m going.”

Again, he thought his father might block him. Whatever it took he would go.

“Leave tomorrow.”

“I’m leaving now.”

If his father tried to stop him he’d break him. He displayed his resolve.

“I’ll assign a guide tomorrow. Going alone will take five times as long as when you came.”

Faced with that practical statement, he couldn’t help but stop. Fortunately he still had enough reason to think.

“Please send me tomorrow.”

“I promise.”

He spent the night anxious. It was a feeling he had never experienced before.

Even the night before a battle didn’t feel so ominous and nerve-eating. His head felt like it would split.

With the guide his father had assigned, he traveled a long way again and arrived at the village where he had lived with Ellaina.

“Ellaina, I’m back!”

He shouted as he entered the general store, but only an empty echo returned.

Ellaina had never been diligent about running the shop. She’d be at home. Probably idling out of laziness.

Suppressing a bad feeling, he ran to the house.

“Ellaina! I’m back!”

When he saw the empty house, Jaden realized.

Ellaina had left.

[ Jaden, take care there. I can’t accept you as my lover. ]

The letter he hadn’t wanted to believe had become reality.

Realizing she had abandoned him, his heart thumped. His whole body froze cold.

Jaden hastily wrapped the blanket on the sofa around his shoulders.

It was the blanket Ellaina used to put on him when he felt cold, but it wasn’t warm like then.

Only the chill intensified.

A world without Ellaina was so cold.

‘Why would she leave me?’

No—he didn’t need to think about that.

No matter where she was, for whatever reason—

He could not be parted from her.

If she abandoned him, he’d chase after and hold on to her.