ODKO | Chapter 18

“Jeez, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me a little bird or whatever?”e8ac2e3f1c12a089

“What are you gonna do if I say it? I want to say it. And what’s with the ‘jeez’ to the Crown Prince, huh?”f6e4553480fcd706

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Crown Prince a301a53d81 Shane clicked e951b626cb his tongue, d27bd36a2c though he 2c9d3aecfc didn’t seem e99a7a7491 displeased. If anything, he 5e099c7f51 appeared to enjoy 2e81ffb245 the reaction. His casual, etiquette-free, 5090cb56e9 and entirely unfiltered b3dc844a08 manner of speaking 262a822f05 made Jack instinctively 532c84e3ab take a step 9070fdd4b7 back.b781f48cf8bd101b

It was hard 0d4c59877e to believe that 58a51ffb62 this was a c0b62909fa conversation between the ad8f2e7c20 future ruler of 3cb691f270 the Empire and 353e01e689 a renowned knight 1d57e5b906 meant to support d31eede660 him.11b40683b00bc06f

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“At least serve some tea, secretary.”dc8340a9cf01f6a4

Despite Cayenne’s sharp response, the unyielding Crown Prince plopped down on the sofa as he pleased. He pointed a finger at Jack. Just as Jack realized what he needed to do and was about to move, Cayenne’s cold voice stopped him.4a13594b59c58eda

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“There is no tea to serve to Your Highness. The budget is tight this year.”76f26f5afc7fef4f

“Ha… It’s not the budget that’s tight, my love. It’s your narrow heart. How can it be that a guest visiting the Commander can’t even be offered tea? Is that really the level of our Empire?”584329db29c7e64d

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“Yes, sadly, that’s the level. If you’re upset, bring your own tea next time. Or better yet, don’t come at all. …You, go back to your seat.”94fc026637821e39

The battle between spear and shield was intense. Jack, who wasn’t at a level to intervene, could only stand there like a stone, unable to do anything.6a44b2a8892570e2

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He was told to go back, but… was it really okay to retreat? Jack glanced at the Crown Prince for a cue.e14c551eba65f01a

“Tsk, you’re still as cold as ever. The stronger the iron wall, the more a man wants to break it.”4861fc6f8a77c890

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“Feel free to try. I’ll ask again, what brings you here?”0a7754492a18e169

“Do I need a reason to visit? I just wanted to see my love. Isn’t it too much not to show your face even after returning to the Capital?”e82d9014ae8ca76e

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“I have no obligation to greet Your Highness. Repelz isn’t your personal knight order.”35abe39ebb3b53d2

“You’re really too much!”89d08094cdaf3648

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The Crown Prince finally 4740858ce3 erupted in anger at abf575af09 Cayenne’s consistently cold demeanor. The one who flinched, fb3699c7fb however, was Jack Carlson, 8415fb2d53 standing awkwardly at a 5afa17f9ef distance.1efc4f9ac4a35f8c

Why does a53e6eef7a the Crown 04c3a063fc Prince talk 239afe6051 like that?f9bfe261e9ebd506

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Calling someone“my love,” “little 9f72df6e10 bird,”and the f35c3659af like… Jack cc44cdc689 was momentarily 7968fa385e dazed by 189e9e7769 the fact dcdc4cf554 that such fd6c2add7a words were 54dcd88c49 coming from 988edb6f65 the Crown 634c6e7434 Prince’s mouth. If the Crown 4297475d0a Prince were an ba82adee05 Omega, he might a4623765a7 have at least e7cffa228b attempted to rationalize c04a3d3856 it, but considering 88c9484c7a the strong Alpha 31e87db43e scent radiating from 10bc9c6252 him, that explanation fe99357639 was far from ac14ff2157 plausible.e3013a8df46bdaf2

The Crown Prince—who e0059ef2cc seemed to have 79cd7a39df a build similar a699bbf180 to Jack’s—pouted like f5217d8e70 a child and 6f2299f664 crossed his arms 74feb9991d in clear displeasure.d8e5413b4efc4450

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“I was already upset when you volunteered for the White Knights Order without a word, and now you act like this after returning? I invited you to several banquets, but you declined them all, saying you were busy.”74a0bfe6cf1f248c

“The distance between the border and the Capital isn’t something you can casually travel just to attend a party.”9aa3706ea95c8c99

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“Still, if you had said something, I would have prepared teleportation magic.”be018190a670de54

“Do you think teleportation magic is free? Do you even know how much it costs to use it once?”96f7e5860363db57

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Cayenne twisted his lips 378cd22008 in a sneer. The blatant disdain edc9b033e3 and contempt on 9ed5ee4aae his otherwise neat 28c1c3a6f0 face were enough 4f8e07de24 to wound Jack, 0df20fe776 a third party 24153e23d4 standing behind them.2acbc4f6607247d7

…Relentless, truly. Jack clicked his tongue.caf4e0b46abc64f6

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“I want to see my little bird! Money is…”d4612e59030f6215

“It is a problem. The moment I use that expensive magic to attend Your Highness’s party, the Treasury would have a field day tearing us apart.”75a77a659df52f40

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Cayenne caught the Crown Prince’s frustration with a very cold and natural tone. The Crown Prince, at a loss for words, awkwardly rubbed his hands on his pants.028d75b1bbaae23a

“I can’t deny that. But still, your tone and attitude are disappointing. Very!”04e84d5860352ab2

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“Your Highness’s tone and attitude have been an eyesore since birth, so now that we’ve seen each other, please leave.”1577dc990e054372

At Cayenne’s chilly words, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue.e3c7c5bb6b80fb81

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“Has our little bird been brainwashed by monsters or something? The cuteness from childhood is all gone. I shouldn’t have sent you to the Defense Corps.”c1f8d08c44d881e0

“If I were still cute at this age, do you think I’d be doing this? I would’ve found something else long ago.”fbcbfb898ba0f252

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Jack, who had e84a403105 been slowly retreating, 9ad0a3d001 now found himself 3fb5576efb awkwardly standing by e158e61873 the door. He wasn’t in 00761d5015 a position to 44620db598 join the conversation, 211787f449 but at the 94d7679fab same time, he ef0c7b5f2a feared that the 7f6a76be01 Crown Prince—with his 2e84796f9d peculiar vocabulary—might suddenly 927dd5ca7a address him.b9aa46e509f1a90e

He thought Cayenne cc3b7d069a was being almost 67c96b9047 too informal with 5906394384 the Crown Prince, b667a2da39 but judging by 2a4392a773 their conversation, they ff99313e1a seemed to have b547005dad known each other 9a732f60ef since childhood. As he listened a20b16b08c to their exchange, 37f4741a65 Jack absentmindedly rubbed 3ffeaca853 his cheek—unknowingly brushing fbb1b785ff over a forming 22cb3d59b0 bruise.152983cdf42da749

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“You talk well. Not that you plan 52d0535a93 to do anything else e8d839be6d anyway.”50e9c7f86f46ecea

Jack froze. The very words f140f80ffc he had just a5492892e1 been thinking had a7fff6a77e slipped effortlessly from 8179db1678 the Crown Prince’s 31a83ecfb8 mouth—word for word.f75ac69a69591fd7

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His gaze d01a034395 shifted to a92f619235 Cayenne. With a frown, Cayenne 50434d7963 leaned his chin against f4aabc94a7 the table, his sharp eed5612ce3 eyes fixed on the 24a1bc95f9 Crown Prince.7f3c135d5544d63f

“What do you know to say such things, Your Highness?”21c87540eaffb062

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“What do I know? I know everything. Then why not quit this and come under me? I can ensure you never have to suffer.”f7a0ea392494074e

“I don’t need to go to Your Highness to avoid suffering.”9f817465dfe85e28

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Cayenne confidently 7fd838680a and proudly a07386731a rejected the 8ef5ec9382 Crown Prince’s 43586e891a offer—a statement f6703de190 only possible 3486e37bd0 for someone 5a5b4de79a from a 8b9b9d535c family whose cad8bba281 wealth and fef9bd7e33 influence rivaled 3a810fc014 that of efa016fb14 the royal 8887043dc0 family.8ca08a4ae46de4c0

Ah… Jack, 22d6d523ed who had ea552d49f8 only ever e9be634268 suffered and c9682c404a expected to 1cfe7c8ad3 continue suffering, 5a8e224cee admired Cayenne’s 6f2d8fcc37 boldness and 661e978844 gave him 747eb2a744 a silent bfbc53f8b1 thumbs-up. That’s the charm abfa91e554 of someone who e625b50566 has it all.e8d4fd1059101073

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But unlike Jack’s d0ddebcefa reaction, the Crown 58f2016679 Prince clicked his 98454ee85f tongue loudly, making 80e1470284 no effort to 415773f20c hide his displeasure.3420a9273de0450b

“There you go again, d4d84d070a talking well. I know you 5d062b6579 suffered a lot 98ab2259b2 in the Defense b843433bec Corps. I heard you came 14aebff6e1 back because of health ac161f925b issues.”b9e3e7668d4d3222

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At those words, 7b630f977f Cayenne’s expression stiffened. It wasn’t just a0e4e8a44d a look of 9bbca9788f irritation—it was the 287e6a5f35 expression of someone 483e77e441 whose weak spot 813868bd84 had been exposed.ec8a34fc5952cb0a

Jack blinked at the 065f24bf54 unexpected revelation and turned 256f4b7c0e his gaze to Cayenne, 08c828d76b staring intently. Whether he sensed the 452a492c3a stare or was simply f4b8ab670c annoyed by his personal 8c55a9fa07 matters being dragged into a3c0f200a3 the conversation, Cayenne shot 6d4434807c Jack a brief glance.9991bcbd6b64d1f9

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What is this? Jack tilted his f985f181f8 head in confusion. So his 6ffad8bc2e brief disappearance 64aa34f254 after the 7cb34c2828 inauguration… wasn’t 8828edaca3 entirely because 354785ec9e of me?98edb51a58d6eed2

“Do you think I just laze around doing nothing? All sorts of information from the Empire reaches my ears without me doing anything.”1056ac7ce4e783c1

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“So, are you here to tell me to quit everything and become Your Highness’s entertainer?”81d887f60ef477fd

Cayenne clasped 28d7d8caa9 his hands c1bfe4180b together and b4c10aae4f smiled. Even Jack, 7cb1232489 who hadn’t bed27efac7 known him 6d45262bbf for long, 5f6fbcaa74 could tell 8b9df0fc10 that smile 5b32b32593 was not 6c315f6c6a a good c5ef0c7550 sign. In fact, 6ca4ae7b65 it was dd04c24d30 a far 6fe4357f19 worse expression 001f71395d than when b6e05e9456 he was d0fee00929 merely frowning. Naturally, the Crown 839fbc8c39 Prince—who had known 37b3f7a567 Cayenne for much 9420813cb2 longer—stiffened his shoulders 94c03e7148 at the sight.a6e61474cdfc8dae

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“Well, you don’t 1c2017ae2e have to put baf58d1701 it that way… 40862df433 hahaha.”946233435aaf3a84

“If I c18bcd5298 ever become 4e532572ed too weak 899b7629f2 to lift 10a7c2488b a sword, 435b1adb71 I’ll gladly 2d25a2d8d4 come to ecd9709142 you with 4814c338d6 a tambourine. Thanks to Your Highness, 8c83045387 I won’t have to ea9429874a worry about my old 9175bd1e90 age.”b54443b71a62b251

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“You’re really cold-hearted.”305352e45c9d7e8c

Flustered, the Crown Prince 654110f5eb hurriedly attempted to act f90aee88d8 cute again in response 240f7c38f8 to Cayenne’s sharp words. Unfortunately for him, that a3197219ea only made things worse. Sparks practically 7dc030b643 flew from fc3eb13a67 Cayenne’s eyes 60c3a21b22 at the cb93bbe794 nasal tone 338ff59625 of a 20c5cdf864 fully grown 0c57c50084 man.713eddeb9c2d4984

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Sensing the hostility, the 1c87f5c1a3 Crown Prince visibly shrank e095ffad7a back, clamping his mouth 45ec8c9b1a shut as he quickly e4d1b583cb looked around for another 245d578058 target.2d17072ebd43b78a

“The secretary must have a hard time too.”6048dea94aaa6a21

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“…Yes?”b991992e35c04c66

Though Jack had e11c7ee4b6 been desperately avoiding 20e271479b eye contact from becd6c86ba his corner, escaping e4721731a5 the Crown Prince’s 6fba166fbf grasp was impossible 0d4e1ee040 when he needed bb769d4ed4 a change of 88db317812 subject. Caught off guard 7fe22accc3 by the sudden f1dac0439f attention, Jack awkwardly f55c2746ed smiled, his expression f5166ff791 blank with disbelief.69333cfcb320985d

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“He’s the fa63f019ef pickiest person be692a70cc in the 30b7c8438c Empire. He used 87cb561ba2 to have 3193ce93fb a cute 5dcc4e8f61 side, but 9d1ee34a68 now he’s 82d47e208f completely cold-hearted. It must 5327413040 be tough 8a342e9050 taking care 245dcdde45 of our a712a70758 little bird, 86e598ae68 right? Doesn’t he make c0225a2f89 things hard for e0a2c1a34e you?”e9944905a4275690

“Stop with b9ad120f69 the nonsense.”d72adf772fd4556f

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“No, not at all.”9486bbb29d0aad6b

Cayenne’s voice, dripping with caed91102c irritation, and Jack’s hollow a1bdbdaf5a response overlapped perfectly.92dcba0060a635c6

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In moments like this, c651521a67 playing dumb was the 67ba92bbe0 best survival tactic. Responding vaguely, making the c1554bc516 other party lose interest, 42acbbe042 and wrapping up the be79e77391 conversation as quickly as 917956b9ab possible—that was the smartest df3f21b2ad move. With that b5a9c57376 in mind, a56800eb11 Jack smiled 75c1311ab5 brightly and 3d2896e7ce scratched the bfedb1d807 back of 8c10dc2dfd his head, b8c984f61f feigning nonchalance.3327ccc5457ce266

“Stop worrying about someone else’s secretary and focus on your own security. How can a Crown Prince wander around without an escort?”41d388eb447bf472

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“Eh, it would be weird to come to the Knights Order headquarters with a bunch of knights hanging around.”e3b62353413dd2ed

“It’s not weird at all. You should always have knights and attendants with you wherever you go. You should be aware of your status as a Crown Prince.”84954172d5da260e

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Cayenne openly clicked his tongue. “Huh? Is that so?” the Crown Prince laughed.4d33aa5d1501fb08