ODKO | Chapter 14

It was no longer mere suspicion—it was certainty.

The promotion, the position as personal secretary, the recognition for defeating monsters—none of it had been coincidence.

It was all a deception.

Everything had been orchestrated by Cayenne. The sudden surge in monsters within his assigned area, the rare appearance of the Viper, and the way Cayenne had arrived at the perfect moment to push him into facing it—it was too deliberate to ignore.

But why?

Jack couldn’t bring himself to frown. Instead, he set his jaw, forcing his expression into something more composed.

Was having good intuition a blessing or a curse?

If only he were as oblivious as Rick Wyatt, maybe he wouldn’t be so restless.

Across the table, Rick suddenly scratched his ear, as if it had started itching.

“That’s all for the announcements. Anything else to say?”

Cayenne finished speaking and looked around the round table. No one spoke up.

“Then let’s conclude today’s meeting here. Dismissed.”

“…Commander!”

Jack hurried after Cayenne as he exited the meeting room.

Cayenne, walking down the hallway with the other members, turned at the sound of his name and came to a stop.

“Do you have a moment?”

“I have time.”

Though Jack had only called for Cayenne, the nearby members instinctively turned their attention to the exchange.

Noticing Cayenne’s subtle glance around, Jack hesitated for a moment. Had he made a mistake? But there was no time to dwell on it—he was in a hurry.

“Does it have to be now?”

Was he being cautious? Or was that a hint?

With Cayenne stepping back, Jack barely resisted the urge to frown.

He couldn’t figure him out.

Cayenne approached easily, then disappeared just as quickly, leaving Jack chasing after shadows. And the thought that this entire thing—the promotion, the maneuvering—had been a trap just to make him a secretary made him furious.

If Cayenne was going to be so wary, so quick to step away, then why promote him at all when he never even wanted it?

“I have something to ask. About this operation.”

Jack confronted him head-on.

Cayenne’s expression turned slightly troubled, but Jack didn’t back down. As if sensing where this was going, Cayenne’s brow furrowed.

Their gazes locked.

Cayenne glanced around once more—it was obvious. He wanted the others to leave.

“Then we’ll take our leave first.”

Miles, the quickest to pick up on social cues, led the other knights away, their lingering curiosity evident.

As their footsteps faded down the hall, Cayenne waited, watching until the last of them disappeared.

The moment silence settled over the corridor, he turned back to Jack, his brow furrowing openly.

“What are you doing? Being reckless. You’re just drawing attention.”

“I, too, am really curious about what you’re doing, Commander. Did you set up this operation on purpose because of me?”

Cayenne’s already furrowed brow deepened. He clicked his tongue, lightly checking the surroundings for any eavesdroppers.

“…Follow me.”

He retraced his steps back to the meeting room. Since Jack had followed closely behind Cayenne, it didn’t take long to return to the meeting room. Cayenne opened the door to the empty room and practically pushed Jack inside, closing the door before glaring sharply.

“You’re unnecessarily perceptive. Do you have to ask so openly with such quick intuition?”

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t answer, would you? Am I wrong?”

Cayenne closed his mouth with a troubled expression at Jack’s probing. He looked like he’d been hit right on the mark.

“The Deputy Commander’s words aren’t wrong. Even though this incident brought me some merit, there will surely be those who are envious. I have nothing to lose, so it’s fine, but not for you, Commander. Isn’t it too much?”

Once he started talking, his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own, pouring out words without stopping. Cayenne let out a hollow laugh at the blatant resentment and reproach for the exhausting ordeal that made Jack consider quitting the knights.

“Even when I promote you, you complain.”

“It’s because the process was too harsh.”

“I let it slide once, and now you’re speaking so freely? Harsh? Did you just call me harsh?”

“Yes, I called it harsh. You deliberately released monsters in our area, didn’t you? And you brought the Viper on purpose, too.”

“Hah, that’s ridiculous. Am I some kind of monster overlord? How could I release monsters on perfectly fine land?”

This time, Jack had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

If someone asked how Cayenne could have done it, Jack—who had spent most of his knightly career pushing papers—wouldn’t be able to explain the specifics.

But he had a hunch.

Cayenne was lying. And he didn’t even bother to wet his lips before doing it.

Jack stared at him, eyes filled with distrust.

Cayenne, letting out a series of incredulous laughs, narrowed his eyes at Jack.

“And even if I somehow did that, are you in a position to question me about it? Why would I…”

Cayenne, who seemed to have something to say, bit his lip, unable to finish his sentence. He looked like he realized he’d made a mistake. Jack furrowed his brows and tilted his head.

“Why, what is it?”

“…It’s not something you need to know.”

What’s this? Jack mumbled to himself. Cayenne, looking troubled as if he’d revealed something he shouldn’t have, changed the subject.

“Anyway, it doesn’t seem like rumors have spread. Did you tell anyone, or not?”

Jack’s expression grew more puzzled. Tell what? As Jack pondered, Cayenne, reading the question on Jack’s face, bared his teeth like a growl.

“I’m talking about what happened that day.”

“…You said you’d kill me if I told anyone, so why would I?”

“Then that’s fine. Keep your mouth shut from now on. Pretend I was never an Omega, and that nothing happened that day. If any word leaks out, I’ll skin you from head to toe and turn you into jerky.”

Got it? Cayenne lightly tapped Jack’s shoulder with his fist.

Jack had called him out to question him, but in the end, he was the one being threatened.

Jack pursed his lips in dissatisfaction. The fist on his shoulder felt like nothing compared to his disappointment.

“I refuse.”

Cayenne’s eyes sharpened at Jack’s rebellious, sulky expression.

“I’ll keep the secret, but I can’t pretend it never happened. If you wanted to pretend it never happened, why bother going through the trouble to make me a secretary?”

“Hey, Jack Carlson. Do you think I want to keep you around because I like you?”

Cayenne raised his voice with a sharp reaction.

Cold. It was ice cold. Jack felt his words catch in his throat, and he clammed up again.

“I let it slide because I found your clueless advances cute, but now you seem to see nothing. Back then, you didn’t know who I was, so I let it go, but now get a grip. Do I look like someone who’d play personal games with you?”

The voice, colder than ice, pierced Jack’s heart.

Rank.

Of course. Under normal circumstances, Jack wouldn’t even have the right to speak to Cayenne. But hearing it so bluntly—so dismissively—made it sting even more.

His shoulders slumped. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, heavier than before.

Come to think of it… even being alone with Cayenne like this was already more than generous.

As a noble among nobles, a member of the Madison family was like a flower on a cliff—distant, untouchable. A commoner like Jack Carlson could never hope to reach him.

If it weren’t for that night in the warehouse…

If it weren’t for that single, reckless moment that had intertwined their fates…

Jack, whose only goal had been a long and steady knightly career, wouldn’t have dared to stand this close.

Wouldn’t have dared to want.

But why did it feel like he was being rejected—when he hadn’t even confessed anything?

The realization settled heavily in his chest.

The incident in the warehouse had been a coincidence, but it had been intense. And Cayenne’s presence—his steady, unwavering support during the battle with the Viper—had lingered in Jack’s mind far longer than it should have.

Somewhere along the way, he had started to believe he might be special to him.

But he wasn’t.

He had never been.

Cayenne clicked his tongue, his brow furrowing as he took in Jack’s sudden gloom.

“I made you a secretary, went through all this trouble, purely for surveillance.

His tone was sharp, merciless.

“To keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t blabber nonsense anywhere.”

Jack stood frozen, the words slicing through him.

“So don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not because I have any personal feelings for you.”

He said. Jack couldn’t help but grimace.

“You went through all this trouble just to keep an eye on me?”

“What other reason did you think there could be?”

Cayenne crossed his arms and raised his chin. Already disappointed, Jack was utterly speechless at Cayenne’s icy words.

“You didn’t have to go this far. I had no intention of talking about you, Commander, anywhere. I have no reason to.”

“How can I trust that?”

Jack’s disappointment hardened into outright displeasure, and he furrowed his brow.

On reflection, it was understandable.

From Cayenne’s perspective, it was only natural not to trust him. Their backgrounds were worlds apart, and they had only met at the inauguration. There had been little time—little opportunity—to truly understand each other.

Conversely, Jack knew just as little about Cayenne.

He hadn’t realized just how harsh and cold he could be.

Even though he understood this logically, Cayenne’s words about trust felt like a stab to Jack’s heart.

Cayenne, who had been observing Jack in silence, spoke.

“Keep your mouth shut and start reporting to my office from tomorrow.”