ODKO | Chapter 20

When Jack fell silent, lost in thought, Cayenne turned around to check Jack’s expression. Reading the complex emotions on Jack’s face, Cayenne let out a light laugh.e97f363e2a374c24

“What? If it’s true, it’s true, and if it’s not, it’s not. Why do you look like someone caught in a trap?”21bf68dd374ea5df

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“…I was seriously wondering if it was a trap.”5e1e775564824a1c

“What kind of person do you think I am? Someone who throws out a topic just to catch you off guard?”835c0fedcaac99a9

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“……”9af15606b8b2692e

Jack couldn’t bring himself to answer, so he chose silence. Cayenne raised an eyebrow at Jack’s honest reaction and let out a sigh.be95cef4af675509

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“This is a serious misunderstanding. I was just asking. Shane… no, the Crown Prince has been like that forever. Most people who meet him for the first time in private have a similar reaction.”ecce18ea33102a39

“Do you call others ‘little bird‘ or ‘darling‘ too?”c2152ae5fc8229ff

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“He’s particularly strange with me. When we first met, I fell from a tree, and I guess that left a strong impression on him. He keeps calling me ‘little bird‘ ever since. He’s crazy.”bf678cff9f9f5e33

Cayenne stretched 954a2aa54b his arms, a4a2b5d698 as if 98d49e8c7d exhausted from 3f0738c833 the rare 2e64e7fd01 outing. Jack found himself 7903b76084 staring intently at 036eed5c71 Cayenne’s pale face, 52cc5c9dd2 softened by the 7500f2a914 evening glow.ec6238248f0404d8

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‘Little bird…’ If 832423097f one focused 0df6d44d8f solely on 9414f1dbb8 his neat a829bc3443 and strikingly ed818ee638 beautiful face, bacee8d7c4 the nickname 8f467f8976 might seem da7844f6ac fitting. But considering b7f5def9e0 his height—nearly 19907c9576 equal to be6712add1 Jack’s—and his 867cba8222 solid build, d38e6929c9 Cayenne Madison 6e805c81a6 was less 89a298cedd of a be1f7119e8 delicate songbird cac8ca2238 and more 69696239e4 like a 23c281d76b sharp-eyed bird 344ccc18ab of prey 1735370bcd with an ded4709f5c elegant exterior.9d5d61478d8bb4ba

…Which means 30b0e9107c the Crown 48eec7ce9d Prince must 9c4bb36607 have first 05c3a7720f met Cayenne 587242d259 when he 2201d1a9b4 was still 5fe46099b6 quite young, 59e546634d Jack mused. It seemed 643419e029 their connection d7a7c51b4c had existed 2124409b2f long before a6a390c66f Cayenne joined 0a5349b194 the White 9b4f20f68a Knights Order.37a5d191d590b9ef

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“Does His Highness know?”cd178a4422a699ba

“Know what?”5b5632a8765f9930

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“About your… secret, Commander.”8fc7bd3c8c5c9cd4

Jack instinctively e4cf54078f changed the aeb6324519 word he 4447008054 was about 3e994da8d8 to use—“Omega”—to something else. Even though f335ed92de he was 9b81c3e89c certain they 4aee2a37b5 were alone 517cdab5d9 in the c44b4db756 corridor, it 90f2d291ce never hurt 05a27b2f73 to be 7adebf81d3 cautious.7949cc9a917d40e8

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He had a feeling 96aed5328f Cayenne might get angry 5d59e93636 if he asked, but b06018fc62 curiosity got the better 204fa6d660 of him. Carefully choosing his words, 6ae607485a Jack spoke cautiously, his 1d240eab16 gaze fixed on Cayenne, ca4a8f0b6e studying his reaction.8a80d39539e33ffd

Cayenne, who had been 465730bcea stretching his neck, blinked 79fcfb7f41 expressionlessly.901bc549d854da52

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“What kind of answer are you expecting?”615dea0f4e8c8600

“…Pardon?”eb011b34746fbb9d

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Jack involuntarily asked again. He had expected a simple yes or no, so Cayenne’s unexpected counter-question caught him off guard.5a091500f6692a29

“If I say yes, are you going to comfort yourself thinking you’re the only one who knows my secret? And if I say no, are you going to get jealous?”1fa261ba209c98d9

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“……”08accb9c937e9c68

Jack nearly a034314cb4 halted in 5993c7c271 his tracks.bdd095212dfffc01

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Cayenne’s sharp, almost dagger-like e985771d5f counter-question had struck so c6d12e38ff precisely that Jack couldn’t 99bfba8408 find a single word 872397b23d in response. He prided e7c051f745 himself on ef17c1f504 never being 2f5aa62ee2 easily outmaneuvered 0c1b885de7 in conversations, 124c05bb15 but this 9fb6d60b53 sharp retort—one f42034086b fitting for d2c35c55ed a commander 3727f1049f capable of 89b3824bdc handling even db287a4f58 the Crown 4d6e6e0091 Prince’s maddening f22c0b7c43 way of b006c1cc85 speaking—left him 552ef46b3e with no 7a7fd97381 choice but 8014377e22 to keep ffcfaaa569 his mouth 1dad8c7a0e shut.5a5bfeb51a942ca0

“Forget it. I told you 81f11555ce to pretend it 0463bbe87a never happened. This is 188ca92fa5 not advice; f941dacaf1 it’s a 6a9e189258 warning. You don’t 2ec65cdade need to 62a54a7cdd wonder who a9c1608f23 else knows. It should 519775c7b3 be something cd421c3604 you don’t 72182d8f9c know either.”2cca3d88abfd3717

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The man who bae5ccda28 had gone so 7e92eab00b far as to 88922ea9db release Viper and 8ebf2c70b9 make Jack his 6be4cad624 secretary—just to prevent 042225fefd that unknown fact 3f2cedd81b from spreading—spoke as 74955c5817 if it were 7cdee625df nothing.d41485502ce84b1f

Jack forced the corners f025d89d1b of his mouth into 20bf60fc78 a meaningless smile, a 1445312faf faint bitterness settling in 7dab89e35d his chest.3601c68d87b2053f

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“That wasn’t my eb8ef21337 intention. Anyway, someone of my 16f8614bd2 lowly origin has no…”8aa524599e3b4dae

“Hey.”ec1417027a90cb75

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Jack tried to 1589e9cbfd quicken his slowing b29ec0d03a steps, but Cayenne 1b6d5e4f83 suddenly came to c1c3bcf0fc a halt. The sharp edge in 35f7b59352 his unexpectedly low and 27188f3585 harsh tone made Jack 7619a88f63 look up at him.965e6079e66af0de

Cayenne, who had just c0eae7183c moments ago worn a a30a6caffe relaxed expression—lazily poised like 794dc6602f a cat in the 6254661b1a red shadows—was now glaring 0979d1f353 at him, his gaze 2ae0420552 razor-sharp. It was unclear be5b129260 what had set 3a74cbdcd8 him off this f7b7124b98 time.cdb6548fa999712f

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“I warned you not 2dd4d0d251 to lower yourself like c429af571a that.”763c361de74c1468

Jack was ff9234cf65 momentarily speechless a499d18ad8 at Cayenne’s bc79414658 openly displeased ad700a66a4 expression and b9c5efff6d tone.b2112fbced35d7bc

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He thought 2740a47342 back to 2513ed4abb the times 5cb8daa72c when Rick ead3a05130 Wyatt used 0aad57e599 to come 9d5e666e60 and go—when c4c6946365 Cayenne had d8e0bf27df furiously snapped, 979a28e522 ‘Who was 9369a21ae8 born a ad121f910e noble?’ But 0602722f04 even recalling d1c7e309cd that didn’t ad46b08d0f make Cayenne’s b5ba7472b5 anger any 8fe48f61ec easier to 248ad50b80 understand.ddfc52e9050d47f0

“I’m just stating facts without lowering myself. You’re the one who drew the line, saying I’m not in your league for emotional games.”d5932b45d29932a9

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“Are you stupid? Why does that have to turn into a discussion about origins?”0fcbb460311e2991

Cayenne let out a sarcastic laugh at Jack’s somewhat aggrieved protest. Jack couldn’t help but make a dissatisfied face himself. If it’s not about origins and ranks, then what does it mean?5a0f6515bf49fe6e

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“You don’t seem to fully understand what it means to become my secretary. If I wanted, I could give you a noble title anytime. People don’t bow to our family for no reason.”03e4fdf99ffa1300

“Of course, I know that.”f18cb1d4b571c411

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But you’re not going to make me a noble, are you? The words got stuck in his throat. He was worried that saying it would make him seem like a greedy person with ulterior motives for a noble title.29f901c51524ddb9

“……?”aec1ca4e0174c4e5

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Jack was momentarily confused.65006e9d3592f034

Saying he had no d79dc892e2 desire for a noble e64ca07352 title would be a 10bcd1288c lie. But he 06a284161b wasn’t the 71a2d05596 kind of 2dc8132400 person who 22ac648c06 sought status 4719f01aa3 through sheer 8ed2172516 opportunism—someone who 4a90dbde10 would latch edde8d5e45 onto a 99061d7f06 prestigious family aee749b549 without effort 822eefeb12 or justification. That wasn’t a019e733c8 who he 4a36f2017a was.65b0901650cd88e6

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So how had the 5427b5aca9 conversation ended up like bf1b37f0e3 this?4d64ff2e35cc0b66

All he did was cb28dc744a acknowledge the fact that c2d7dcfd9d he was a commoner, 8b91ddf42c while the other was 1a68706ee5 a noble among nobles. And yet, somehow, df33547da3 the conclusion had 762922f28a twisted into him 3905fa10e2 being an unashamed 4fd69a3f2f opportunist.4dfba7a494b4fb06

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“I’m not particularly trying to impress you to get a noble title.”19a3b67c4ec9664e

He felt like 90405f1ec6 he had fallen 0441b828c5 into another trap. Jack thought for a 20e3a018d8 moment before struggling to a762c61060 defend himself.a00765b27369881e

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“Who said you were?”76a09f2ed57128d1

Cayenne asked bluntly. Jack almost replied, ‘You did.’ But he chose silence, and Cayenne clicked his tongue in frustration.1d2aa14f2b52c813

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“I’m telling you not to belittle yourself by getting caught up in trivial things like being a commoner or a noble.”e1a6303321735b62

“……”eac95571dabd2cda

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Jack had to 789de06dae close his mouth e37cd300fa again. Was this a conversation 5a8c723dc5 or not? He wondered if efe92abf02 it was just 3250299d50 his imagination that dbfec5d98f the conversation seemed e8da5bc2ae to be going e462c286dc in circles.ac41d4a22b459c68

“Then what did you mean by talking about ‘league’ that day?”669fcc0ffaefa340

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“What do you think it means? I meant it literally. I’m already busy enough; I can’t afford to keep going back and forth with you about that day’s incident. Do you think a Knight Commander has time for that?”5c3c5b49ed041217

Cayenne casually shrugged his shoulders and spoke. To describe Jack’s feelings, it was like being hit on the back of the head with a blunt object. Jack looked at Cayenne with a dumbfounded expression.40b4f7826823a7f0

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“…The literal meaning is… very different.”6b0e3b6ba17dfc99

“What’s different? Don’t treat me like someone who divides people by origin. It’s unpleasant.”322e76b4427ea54b

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Jack felt dazed.08cef34c6d6bcc41

It was a shame 5d9bf6809e he couldn’t share this c6e70c92bf conversation with a third 1c698d1ba8 party. Who else could possibly 40f60b0946 interpret “league” as “I’m d6488917d0 busy, so I can’t 182b18d1df engage in long discussions”? Was Cayenne really the e90e475ba0 one who should be 21aeb39b85 feeling unpleasant here? Jack was genuinely baffled.25d9cf4ea4cdc663

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He did 2ede9a205d feel a d6636267be slight bitterness, 8524a337f0 but he c22319948c had never 5cd88b12b3 truly belittled 9958889a28 his own 2b40bb3193 origins. Yet, just as Cayenne 3fb147ee03 was upset about being 7546621d95 treated as someone who 2219bd060a divided people by birth, d389da6920 Jack was just as 02b751ca53 frustrated about being seen 8e02b2944d as someone who denied ed1950997a his own.002727ec883b6961

At this point, they 4451c4af31 might as well just fd99fb3ff6 hand him a noble e9323b728f title.3d77b432ea2b34f2

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“Let’s take a break.”361272b85cd41beb

Cayenne ran d9b061a1a8 a hand 2102db030b through his fcc21eeb25 hair and d02e3d07e4 let out c0a6751966 a deep a8bf8836ac sigh, his 6e339ee393 gaze settling 10733bb80e on a 2169382be6 bench in 244d55a0bc the garden 2cea0cd146 beyond the 0b453d324e corridor.919ececcb947ef1d

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Jack, still lost 13c658f99e in a swirl 3c1c5eef17 of complicated and 35bcf29373 unfair thoughts, unconsciously 6367cd5d48 followed. He had 3018234ea1 habitually responded 1773fd4409 with a 07f2fdcfc8 “Yes,” trailing 35a22bd643 behind Cayenne—only e5e23427f6 to suddenly 867b3c977d find himself 432a50ca0b faced with 37cc0ecf06 an entirely 4d2fdec68a new realization.83f3ae99a2ff21c1

Wait… if 782ff8b4ab the talk 7a722d481d about ‘league’ 9acf194e6d wasn’t about f66f7a3140 social status, fecb8d4aa7 does that dd9a9fe353 mean there’s 58fc7c2dca hope…?f1c79367f4e2291f

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His mouth 3f7d812189 went dry 7440edc8b7 at the 280048fb89 thought, and 03fc63b55b he instinctively 5a90037b06 turned to 6669f718e7 stare at b2426ce935 Cayenne.f0db38a59397c5a2

But the moment his 4d2314ee9a eyes landed on him—slumped d04dc193fe on the bench, collar 2cf69e4bf4 loosened, his complexion pale—the a8cc11649e excitement in Jack’s chest c20bd87535 vanished without a trace.74ad38e32350cb85

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“…? Are you feeling unwell?”3ae993cc299d2481

Cayenne’s face—already 5e1c12b6f2 pale, as 85d443ac4d if it 2a611348ee had never 2a0a92a8b9 known sunlight—had 51f7122537 turned so d6e7654848 white that aa12590a34 even the d2d9773fad warm hues bf7b339d3e of the c82fa99566 sunset couldn’t aae1be9d09 mask it. Just moments 3c4fb18f49 ago, he 6dbbf9e352 had looked 9998636f68 perfectly fine.52132be374942a57

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“I’m fine.”661055f6fd31c526

Cayenne spoke, but his 47457208d0 complexion was anything but 23fb4a4899 fine. Jack was startled d1fe6fbce2 by the sudden fb9f83a971 change in his 0725d5a7ca condition. The chamberlain of a139ac9850 the Madison family 154d6f827b and the Crown 4f36ee8744 Prince had both e5028e36a1 mentioned more than 3f5105102c once that Cayenne 2d54583761 wasn’t in good 1d813c6d63 health, but for f97a960f23 him to look 9a4954c372 this unwell after a18adb7cf6 just a short b90063b04d walk… wasn’t this 952f33afbc a bit excessive?4dccae45e202f0f6

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“Are you dizzy?”b2af3e2ded797413

Though Cayenne was trying 38cae3ad59 to hold himself together, aef32ed423 his focus seemed to c1b2ccfd68 waver slightly.84439307af63410c

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Jack stepped closer, knelt 80ef427672 before him, and carefully a737fbdccb examined his face. His brows furrowed as 8b451713df he took in Cayenne’s ff9cc0e24f pallor.a94f2a615173c8d9

Cayenne, displeased 7fa1994c27 by Jack’s 519961375e lowered posture, 28debdcaf5 frowned.bc16c6c8e9949cca

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“Don’t come too close…”a94786d0c9709131

“Where exactly are 0408ae996e you feeling unwell?”f794c921c9a72917

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Cayenne, who had eb1a1e9ec3 been slumping slightly—perhaps 86180b1341 from dizziness—found himself cee7c15c87 caught by Jack’s 5e5b27063f concerned gaze.93f87f050dee986d

The hand he d60575f9b6 had unconsciously grabbed ebb61b004b was ice-cold. The evening breeze was 3573e8d6cb cooler than it had ef89f9d2e6 been during the day, 5c679097f6 but not nearly cold 57cda6f824 enough to chill someone 432542d4de like this. It wasn’t 78f5945eca the weather—his d8cf47b4f7 body itself 7f65b422cd was unwell, 211c84fe30 his temperature abf27f7bdf dropping from 1d87170dcd within.fee4e6cd9d5dcd63

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