ODKO | Chapter 18

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

“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?”

Crown Prince Shane clicked his tongue, though he didn’t seem displeased. If anything, he appeared to enjoy the reaction. His casual, etiquette-free, and entirely unfiltered manner of speaking made Jack instinctively take a step back.

It was hard to believe that this was a conversation between the future ruler of the Empire and a renowned knight meant to support him.

“At least serve some tea, secretary.”

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.

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

“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?”

“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.”

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.

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

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

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

“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?”

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

“You’re really too much!”

The Crown Prince finally erupted in anger at Cayenne’s consistently cold demeanor. The one who flinched, however, was Jack Carlson, standing awkwardly at a distance.

Why does the Crown Prince talk like that?

Calling someone “my love,” “little bird,” and the like… Jack was momentarily dazed by the fact that such words were coming from the Crown Prince’s mouth. If the Crown Prince were an Omega, he might have at least attempted to rationalize it, but considering the strong Alpha scent radiating from him, that explanation was far from plausible.

The Crown Prince—who seemed to have a build similar to Jack’s—pouted like a child and crossed his arms in clear displeasure.

“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.”

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

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

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

Cayenne twisted his lips in a sneer. The blatant disdain and contempt on his otherwise neat face were enough to wound Jack, a third party standing behind them.

…Relentless, truly. Jack clicked his tongue.

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

“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.”

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.

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

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

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

“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.”

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

Jack, who had been slowly retreating, now found himself awkwardly standing by the door. He wasn’t in a position to join the conversation, but at the same time, he feared that the Crown Prince—with his peculiar vocabulary—might suddenly address him.

He thought Cayenne was being almost too informal with the Crown Prince, but judging by their conversation, they seemed to have known each other since childhood. As he listened to their exchange, Jack absentmindedly rubbed his cheek—unknowingly brushing over a forming bruise.

“You talk well. Not that you plan to do anything else anyway.”

Jack froze. The very words he had just been thinking had slipped effortlessly from the Crown Prince’s mouth—word for word.

His gaze shifted to Cayenne. With a frown, Cayenne leaned his chin against the table, his sharp eyes fixed on the Crown Prince.

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

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

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

Cayenne confidently and proudly rejected the Crown Prince’s offer—a statement only possible for someone from a family whose wealth and influence rivaled that of the royal family.

Ah… Jack, who had only ever suffered and expected to continue suffering, admired Cayenne’s boldness and gave him a silent thumbs-up. That’s the charm of someone who has it all.

But unlike Jack’s reaction, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue loudly, making no effort to hide his displeasure.

“There you go again, talking well. I know you suffered a lot in the Defense Corps. I heard you came back because of health issues.”

At those words, Cayenne’s expression stiffened. It wasn’t just a look of irritation—it was the expression of someone whose weak spot had been exposed.

Jack blinked at the unexpected revelation and turned his gaze to Cayenne, staring intently. Whether he sensed the stare or was simply annoyed by his personal matters being dragged into the conversation, Cayenne shot Jack a brief glance.

What is this? Jack tilted his head in confusion. So his brief disappearance after the inauguration… wasn’t entirely because of me?

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

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

Cayenne clasped his hands together and smiled. Even Jack, who hadn’t known him for long, could tell that smile was not a good sign. In fact, it was a far worse expression than when he was merely frowning. Naturally, the Crown Prince—who had known Cayenne for much longer—stiffened his shoulders at the sight.

“Well, you don’t have to put it that way… hahaha.”

“If I ever become too weak to lift a sword, I’ll gladly come to you with a tambourine. Thanks to Your Highness, I won’t have to worry about my old age.”

“You’re really cold-hearted.”

Flustered, the Crown Prince hurriedly attempted to act cute again in response to Cayenne’s sharp words. Unfortunately for him, that only made things worse. Sparks practically flew from Cayenne’s eyes at the nasal tone of a fully grown man.

Sensing the hostility, the Crown Prince visibly shrank back, clamping his mouth shut as he quickly looked around for another target.

“The secretary must have a hard time too.”

“…Yes?”

Though Jack had been desperately avoiding eye contact from his corner, escaping the Crown Prince’s grasp was impossible when he needed a change of subject. Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Jack awkwardly smiled, his expression blank with disbelief.

“He’s the pickiest person in the Empire. He used to have a cute side, but now he’s completely cold-hearted. It must be tough taking care of our little bird, right? Doesn’t he make things hard for you?”

“Stop with the nonsense.”

“No, not at all.”

Cayenne’s voice, dripping with irritation, and Jack’s hollow response overlapped perfectly.

In moments like this, playing dumb was the best survival tactic. Responding vaguely, making the other party lose interest, and wrapping up the conversation as quickly as possible—that was the smartest move. With that in mind, Jack smiled brightly and scratched the back of his head, feigning nonchalance.

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

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

“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.”

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