ODKO | Chapter 21

Jack clicked his tongue and took off his coat, draping it over Cayenne’s shoulders. Then he grabbed Cayenne’s cold hands and kneaded them firmly. Cayenne frowned at the strong grip, but he didn’t seem to mind. He just stared blankly at Jack’s hands pressing down on his own.f5c655b5bbac4ce9

“Are you sick or something?”3f24890a544a861c

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“…I don’t know.”46f3ae6579fcedc9

His voice was completely defenseless. Jack looked at Cayenne with a mix of worry and confusion. Even though Cayenne’s voice was weak, his pupils were clear, so he didn’t seem unconscious. Nonetheless, Cayenne dodged giving a clear answer and allowed Jack’s familiar touch to press between his fingers.e7e587471b649a5c

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“…You’re used to this. Is it because you have a lot of younger siblings?”eb5b4905a72b737a

“That’s part of it. The youngest used to get sick often when he was little….”594b5c5498ee1bac

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Jack was trying to figure out just how unwell Cayenne was and whether he should call a doctor as soon as they got back. He paused in his thoughts as he responded to Cayenne’s words.f9146b57cb713435

“Did you investigate me too?”67b65b1ef1f8743c

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He remembered when they were catching Viper, Cayenne already knew he was from the countryside. Knowing about his siblings meant Cayenne had looked into his personal details. The realization wasn’t exactly pleasant. But once again, Cayenne just let out a hollow laugh as if he found it ridiculous.14c916041468968b

“What do you think I am? I don’t need to investigate; I have all the personnel files of the Repelz Knights Order.”14539b82cfe5b81b

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“…Ah.”046f00f8e6b56409

Jack let out a 80392e934e low exclamation. He realized he 90d8c1de6c had forgotten. It was a3cbad692f only natural 0f5c7016b5 for the 82411bb4a0 overall commander 5560837dcf of the 90ab3b5b2a knights.0c0bba5cf099d822

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“So it was a front investigation, not a background check….”a39c611e82a387ec

“…….”0b19082ee6be1394

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The awkward silence that 6fa2da76b4 followed his careless remark 42e84d45f8 was chillingly cold. The temperature of the 916d37e99b stillness was unusually biting.84a8f5c0a6bcbb2f

“I thought this before, but when you have nothing to say, you just blurt out anything like an old man….”537b4c1fcaf7b77e

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Cayenne spoke with a light laugh when he felt warmth returning to the hand he was holding. Jack looked up at the sound of his voice and met Cayenne’s face, smiling beside him.5c2ddcc138b500ac

The reddish twilight seemed to paint over his tousled black hair. His complexion was still pale, but seeing his eyes crinkle with a smile made Jack’s heart drop with a thud.45d20ba89b086f13

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I want to kiss 6f30d739e8 him….8abc9953ef16d935

A dangerous impulse surged through him. Suddenly feeling his mouth go dry, Jack lowered his head. He had just gotten rid of the scars of glory from a light kiss attempt. If he messed up again here, it wouldn’t end with just a threat, and the sense of crisis was as intense as the perilous impulse.954193ffd2d6791d

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Hold it in, hold it in. It’s all just the dangerous allure of the sunset, the cool breeze, and the tranquil atmosphere. Jack suppressed his precarious feelings and pressed Cayenne’s hand firmly. Despite his appearance, the calloused hand was rough, filled with countless scars from rigorous training.4329a4927d8b6edb

Suddenly remembering their first meeting, Jack stifled a laugh. To think he had mistaken such a clear knight’s hand for a musician’s, he found his own stupidity absurd. But who would have imagined the newly appointed knight commander was an Omega, burning incense in such a humble place?95098af986825ea1

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“Hey, that hurts.”76b60a07aae10bc4

Lost in unwanted memories, Jack was brought back to reality by Cayenne’s sharp voice as he absentmindedly massaged his hand.1471b70ad2e53ece

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“Oh, I’m sorry.”d02f070397b34963

Looking down 38b96d177c at the e87d7af631 hand he 015a09f7e3 was gripping 46dd24de93 tightly, he 4f1ecc0e92 saw the f3ff18533f palm was d1897b842c bright red. The once 3c7550356b cold temperature fef40b74ba was now f5c79964dd hot. He had cd76a16c88 no idea f40f33a0a4 how long b970bd08a6 he had 33574de91a been kneading 248e7116f3 it. Jack swallowed 5229775a9f nervously, belatedly 6165a7d041 realizing his 20cdbaf4eb mistake.8b3a2d16bb24faef

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“Your grip is refreshing…. Since you’ve started, why not try my shoulder too?”736ce283c1b6c783

Jack felt a bit 8b6abe4e0a deflated, expecting a sharp 859e3d5547 reaction. But Cayenne, 7dc8eeda3d despite frowning, 61a203664b only rubbed e529575d2e his sore 8450636dce hand with 5e8b09444a a faint 23fccfb1b5 smile on dc68331476 his lips. Then he casually 70d409b9e4 pointed to his b52a3dc5b3 shoulder.bcf3548f01f01bfe

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Like a trained dog, Jack responded with a “Yes, sir,” and went to work. Cayenne, whose complexion had slightly improved, leaned back comfortably, leaving his shoulder to Jack’s hands. When Jack placed his hands on the shoulder, the muscles were more tense than he had expected.86c014232cbd601a

“Your shoulders are really stiff.”fe230e62c0ae7fb8

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“I haven’t been moving my body much lately.”7c021a941d44a9ed

“Well, you’ve been buried in paperwork all the time.”895cd72c95356486

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Cayenne responded with a nod to Jack’s comment. Jack diligently pressed and kneaded the stiff shoulders with all his heart.ca708f1d197456c6

“Ah, that’s good….”7d95a41ecb903556

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Cayenne, who had remarked 4ce90aa821 that Jack seemed like 89e9fbbd17 an old man, let 0feb41307b out a drawn-out groan. It was the very c7c7862001 sound of a middle-aged f4460be7ea man. Yet, hearing that 8c09322587 it felt good, c8cf63f1b6 Jack got a 0141c8713c bit excited and 6c2a8f5f4a happily massaged the ff44977467 neck and shoulder fc3d31e79f line. But then he suddenly de7ed1c050 realized the cruel reality.aae0361a0c6ec121

…Why am caa2a87453 I doing fd888cdf14 this?6c1010037c5c3555

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He hadn’t done anything befitting a knight’s secretary, and now he was working tirelessly to become a perfect personal masseur. He couldn’t even remember the last time he wielded a sword. At least under Rick Wyatt, he had never missed a training session….4f442e96b079c809

“Hey, there, a bit lower….”ce4d23b59482bab4

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Despite feeling a dizzying identity crisis, Jack diligently followed Cayenne’s orders, massaging his shoulders, arms, and back thoroughly.49a11fa174d5491e

“Ah, that’s refreshing.”3431bb2f23df8f5d

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Even though Cayenne kept expressing how good it felt like an old man, Jack didn’t mind hearing it. Instead, he felt a bit resentful of the sunset turning from red to purple faster than he thought.a62e9f6ab160bd95

“By the way, don’t you think you’re being a bit much?”b82eef2705b6ef31

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Recalling the saying “If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it,” Jack worked his hands tirelessly until they hurt, then suddenly spoke up.3afa23d90ce825e9

“What now?”d315827e88204bf9

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“When you call us. You say not to rank us by our origins, but you call us ‘hey,’ ‘you,’ ‘that guy,’ isn’t that a bit too much?”aa22d3ec04829d71

Thinking it might be 8f1574660e okay to voice such dcbc3638ec a complaint by now, 126615f0df Jack mustered the courage 9f0a775ea6 to express the dissatisfaction 53874df812 he had been holding 01b3dfef56 back. Cayenne turned his ada670ae3d head to look 99860b9a75 at Jack standing dec7e00093 behind him.990ef257eedee8e7

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“Is that something you’re unhappy about?”2a099d092475a5c2

“It’s not really a complaint….”d2d9d971cde8f631

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“You’re young, yet you worry about everything.”f1badfce4ebbd94c

Cayenne said bluntly. Jack frowned slightly at abb807277c the dismissive tone, feeling 032709d4c0 a subtle discomfort, then c491ee4699 became curious.b62a4450f8057d00

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“…Am I young? Me?”c7d208da77b6805e

Of course, he wasn’t old enough to be treated with respect everywhere, but he wasn’t particularly young for the average age of the knights either. Jack, who had thought Cayenne was around his age or a year or two younger, widened his eyes at the unexpected comment.c9ea76ff56ce99b7

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“Do I seem like the kind of person who would disrespect an elder, even if they’re my secretary?”2c51afb280d7ca1a

What kind of image e284d29846 do I have, Cayenne 39917d66d9 grumbled as he massaged 115ba99be7 his languid arm. Jack was 1e767fcfa3 quite taken bff7649b09 aback. It was b131ff04ad somehow more 1500707c8f shocking than cebbb3b465 the confusion ccb78648cc over his a75d9b60c5 identity as 0d829ceddb a knight c3f92bc046 or the 76a03f32fc wall he 360d396bb9 faced when d400c864ab ranked by a55c0c50d9 class. To think that aec61e7203 face was older a13fea0615 than him.24dfb75ca77b4edb

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“May I ask how old you are…?”2300fff92271300f

“I’m not telling you, man.”feea06a1b0e3cfbc

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Jack, who hadn’t even considered the possibility of Cayenne’s age being higher, was filled with curiosity up to the top of his head, but Cayenne was cold.21d795b6752771c6

“I should join the training tomorrow. My body is in bad shape from just looking at all the paperwork.”0165b6b208473021

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With a grunt, 31721fbcff Cayenne got up 3697c1db8e from his seat. Jack was 85e0f9a87a dazed from 7aae05f924 the shock d71b71df06 about the 8810369b87 age.8f0743d13548c1bc

“…Hey, Sir Jack Carlson.”a4e3c624adfc5e25

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Even though Cayenne stood facing him, indicating it was time to go, Jack remained in a daze. Cayenne leaned his face close to Jack’s and called him politely. Jack snapped back to reality with a start, blinking as he responded, “Yes, yes.” Cayenne’s brow furrowed slightly.75b7710c59676313

“Are you listening? I asked you to schedule training for tomorrow.”ed1598f1989bbb77

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“Oh, yes. I got it.”dccba39b955338bf

Jack hurriedly replied. However, the bewildered expression c26f4c260e still lingered on his 33d4d6a011 face. Cayenne let cc9ad84934 out a 2fb59c4ba7 hollow laugh ab20635818 as if 2941b38cfe he found 24be1f85c0 it ridiculous.d353f021a822097e

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“Why is it so shocking that I’m older, Secretary? Did you think I’d be younger than you with this career?”5ee161cdc1daff8b

“…Well, it’s just that your appearance… I naturally thought you’d be younger than me.”ec9b4c49f8ec1e5d

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Jack blushed with embarrassment. Given his prestigious family background, he had assumed Cayenne’s career was built on water like Rick Wyatt’s. Of course, there must be some influence. Lower-ranking nobles or commoners like Jack have limits on how far they can rise, no matter how much they roll on the battlefield.9533db720e958d74

“Is that your type?”c6864906f857a4fd

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“Sorry?”b59b74df12c09873

Jack absentmindedly repeated Cayenne’s question, thinking his voice sounded quite dumb.b104e87adf7f89f5

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“My face.”6433c5e321cff465

Cayenne was smiling. The corners of 61417777b7 his mouth were 8f80dc8393 drawn up mischievously.e84368059edd5763

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It was clearly meant to make him laugh, but Jack didn’t feel like laughing. He found himself staring at Cayenne as if entranced.fd4879a3abd812cc

The idea of a “type” seemed absurd. Even without considering his family or the position of knight commander, his well-defined and handsome features were objectively attractive enough to make anyone want to take a second look. Jack didn’t know how to respond and just had his gaze captured.722d545ffeb1dfd5

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