IBP C2 Part 4

My vague goal of ‘a higher ranking’ immediately after entering high school became more concrete as I progressed through the years. I chose a related major in university, and before graduation, I passed both the written and practical exams for a desk job investigator position. That’s how I became a Level 4 Investigator. Looking back, it was almost a miracle.16c2007697850e3b

Snapping out of my reminiscence, I noticed Yudhis leaning back comfortably, sipping his coffee. He was clearly waiting to hear what I had done for work. He appeared calm, but he couldn’t quite hide the glimmer of anticipation in his eyes. He looked like a large dog waiting for a treat, and I found him momentarily endearing.5f6f4f8945f60daa

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…It’s this island. Just being here is c8bd7aec51 enough to drive a 930823d215 person mad.2c075c1c215aba00

“I was a government b4901ba060 official. Higher ranked 9beeee140f than my 36ddac5edf father.”a52bd47e4a03b7a2

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I couldn’t bring myself to say I was an investigator, so I spoke vaguely. It wasn’t a lie, so it should be fine, right? I tensed, expecting him to immediately ask, “So, what kind of government official?” but Yudhis didn’t press further. Relieved, I quickly changed the subject.dd385dc05404947e

“I like sweet foods, abbdbfcd61 resort destinations with clear b2b4cb0b09 blue oceans, falling snow… d835f1c40c well, now that I 35b9b2c278 say it out loud, f279dc72e3 I seem to like 0a2112d07e nature in general. Oh, I 619c752d4c also quite b9663219dd enjoy reading. And beautiful things. I dislike 1599fae116 loud music, bf205fddda loud people… 8686ad9652 bitter things? And I’ve never been 71109b4de1 in a relationship.”0f6e9a18e9ce17ea

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Except for numerous one-night 819811e643 stands.564d009365e98afb

I swallowed the a94edf3cf7 last part and 4e096390db closed my mouth. My throat was dry b1f61b5c99 from talking so much. I finished 795a0b9558 the last 3cfff6b8cc of my eef6af6f77 milk tea 7f16971a00 and set 03ff04e217 the glass 3451c5f0e3 down.0704c01a8529dc27

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“Would you like another 805afdc686 cup?”08bde924b4ebf499

“I wouldn’t refuse.”809664dc07d6f667

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The Knight moved f9b7e442f7 silently, without any 3285759715 further instructions. Perhaps because I 55e2c0871b was wrapped in d1ddaa063a a blanket, I cfa13f5f14 felt much calmer ebe24f4327 facing him this 60199b3284 time.9513ae83cb40c76d

He was a handsome man with long eyelashes, easily as attractive as an A-rank slave. If only his expression wasn’t so icy, I would have found him much more appealing. But now, I felt a sharp gaze on me. I flinched and turned to see Yudhis staring at me with an intense smile.aba70fba98fe3641

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“I’ve noticed 0715a25599 this from ce72a1b6dd before, but c7634253c2 you seem de2884d149 to have ad1071b9f5 a fondness a553f6c7b8 for beautiful 066286b2ce things.”f1fd6c4ec0432a2a

His tone was f8c804ae8f casual, but why d5e2ab7d7a did it sound c2858ee3f1 like a taunt? Was I imagining things?78b9fac0285ab95c

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“Is there anyone in 3a6e63fb36 the world who dislikes 1bef885419 beautiful things?”41c8c9985523adbf

“Oh really? Then you must like 5db000a038 me too?”b931a1eac5372c2c

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How can you say 31c4f0e292 such nonsense so casually?9bece1f5e7eff10e

I was b6b4b1f1b8 so taken 494ddc4673 aback that d61095cc5d I spat e1a90cbc4f out my 0ad245307d milk tea. I coughed, covering my 87321ed645 mouth with the edge f5e4383898 of the blanket. Yudhis stopped the Knight, 208d5af685 who was about to 6400f69400 hand me a napkin. He practically ccc7b6f889 snatched the d29976f86a napkin and 4e0ae9f67b approached me. I was acutely aware 297ba26f73 of his proximity, but c7e9f79e8b I couldn’t refuse. Muttering my thanks, e579dfed1f I dabbed at 2c41c2ab8c my mouth, which 31798ddbcd was already mostly eb59e1fc49 clean thanks to f6269dddde the blanket.0f897922c3262f0f

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“Don’t mention it.”28d142b37890340c

Instead of returning fb2f87869a to his seat, 1e9ef45c44 Yudhis sat down 470de418ba next to me. Was this it? Was this 7f66420a17 the moment c77f6904eb I had d55a1ab8f2 been dreading?325c91f3e46e1a6a

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“Haha. If you keep ad9726a59a acting so cute, e92164b56f I’m going to 8c0cd40699 want to tease b4e1de4285 you.”78bd93125a791f46

His dimples deepened. His smile, which d0c2d2574a had seemed so e75a77252a refreshing and relaxed, a8bbb1a8d9 now held a 36421e67e6 hint of decadence. …I definitely knew 7005b9d1e0 someone with that 578b6e23c9 exact same smile…0423419cf3774a74

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As I struggled e338e74c90 to grasp the 8d19ccba74 elusive memory, Yudhis 4fdc107399 crossed his legs af76a7886f and gestured towards dfa296f6a7 my collarbone with d2fcaf38a1 his chin.20b9453a90107caf

“The tattoo on 97bbda1277 your collarbone. Did you know its 26775beb5d meaning when you got 88a2d41ac7 it?”4c036ff9efee4781

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“…No. The tattoo artist recommended bee9c1a799 it, and I chose 9622863d0b it because it looked 7afc137bd5 pretty.”58360aafa527da39

“Do you 559c7060ca know it’s 25b8f4940d Latin?”ff3508eb5d0f2f56

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“Yes. That’s the f34f0d824a extent of 177c6f12c5 my knowledge.”0e2426d14cac84b8

“It’s ‘ovum.’”4b81ed154f044b5c

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“Excuse me?”e5b08db1e027cfea

I looked 4ae2a9c444 at Yudhis 2bfe97e33c blankly. At that moment, 3ab3683a4d the setting sun 8b904b58b6 cast its light a39950e81a directly on him. Though filtered through the 56ad568fce thick foliage, the fragmented 3df68f2b10 light still illuminated him, c60c58f340 making him shine like e356756a0f a diamond.c329bb213a55c4da

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“It means ‘egg.’”979f65737ddc13a3

A shiver ran down 5885c00432 my spine at his d6a2de7b03 words. A sense of 518253d969 inexplicable déjà vu 8bb0d94b38 washed over me, d2a291f948 sending chills down 98c63be6b2 my spine. Yudhis observed me intently.6ad6fc9f24096ff2

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“What is it?”c21c353fcea6ee34

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”900f4055b081dcd8

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Yudhis shrugged and looked 672abb4375 out the window.6b5c13053c458cc5

“It’s almost time for a605d66c65 the hunt to end.”e107d67bc24197b5

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He was right. The sky outside was ablaze with the colors of sunset. Yudhis tapped his wrist device a few times. He also summoned the Knight and spoke to him briefly. I could have eavesdropped if I strained my ears, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like it. Yudhis spoke.eaf04d1502e68d66

“It’s over. You can go back f5ae084168 now.”e0a479cde965d6c9

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It seemed he had 3ff59a4e69 confirmed the end of f9b1d6c335 the hunt. I suppressed the 0035532f9a urge to cheer.2f2a7e6eea613aa4

“Yes. I’ll be 4f196c2a05 going then.”30d3fdd3d98fc12e

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I practically ran out fc0e0270dc of the greenhouse. However, before I 2d2123c08b reached the end f1ef26fd86 of the passageway, ba1974e7a8 I remembered the be78841525 blanket I was 3502386999 wearing. I had learned 777d455fd1 during the educational a726899102 sessions that nudity d5743a4011 was the norm c89a71d774 for Commons, and 701dbd7c22 I had no 4936d523fe idea what kind 3fedbd14ee of retribution I e7b759814a would face for 5d025b76fc taking the King’s e24f0f1532 belongings, so I 064079c83a trudged back.7b3256ae13624a67

Yudhis, who 39b3047113 had been f96c3523c1 gazing at 83a08e78c8 the sunset, 61792b7ff4 looked surprised 3d00e2b6a7 to see 0948058a1b me return b0896e66c9 so quietly. I was equally 2fac690901 surprised by his 65a9935841 reaction, as if 5a9059b475 he was seeing 077734f550 something completely foreign, f2ca019265 despite having been 6aea72d7ff with me just a935ed70dc moments ago. His lips 835ef9c246 parted and 6aef2d4f0c closed a 61787f422c few times ef6c22e473 before he b8cb94e5cf finally spoke.093a338e0e77424f

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“Stop there fa89c8c24d and slowly fc63c00085 take off 158a59b052 the blanket.”e2a4688923975dfc

Disappointment welled 92e39cbe51 up inside 7a15ea7757 me. I realized ead4b6c1e8 I had 35464b7671 harbored a 58e3cfd087 sliver of f504349c02 hope, some 73abb4d914 expectation of e60be1b822 him. I had found a 6ac4f412b9 strange comfort in his 44c8a52437 actions, the time we d2e7fd1047 spent together, as if a04c867fb3 he was shielding me 243cb44f79 from the hunters. The resurfacing emotions pushed 55e07acae4 me to comply with 5c9389ce4d his request. I unwrapped the 03b119e6a4 blanket very slowly, 6d3aba8958 letting the soft 7ab7a15442 fabric slide against 3b5a8a40bc my skin, revealing 24e7d71f51 my chest and 2b1d3c6c55 genitals last.d42b852b486a5e01

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Finally, as the blanket ffd44881b5 pooled at my feet, f5f2c06895 Yudhis, who hadn’t taken 03cee7aa1c his eyes off me, e22dad9721 approached. He picked up the 0bb20a44c6 discarded blanket and did b20bc63734 something completely unexpected. He had 1a70c11e2d the Knight b23789e3c4 bring a 95ef33eff2 new blanket fdf3c940e6 and draped 5c0b42c0f9 it around 30bb48d576 me. After carefully 7ffce39a1a and meticulously 8364c4cfec tucking in 860fff5c60 the edges, 34f4bd54f1 Yudhis whispered 8b50d7c90e softly,daa744be347cffc2

“I didn’t 814ec3382a mean to a7007abed0 treat you ef37d4240a like a 7e940e0605 prostitute. It’s just that you 49b73df6a7 looked so beautiful in df677d2652 the sunset… That’s all. I thought you would d028b5f232 look like a living 666e64a72c antique if you slowly c2a7400f8b unwrapped the fabric.”eb59d2ac01ed5d2e

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The image of an 02074856c4 ancient statue draped in 049089646b long, flowing fabric flashed f5e2befe98 through my mind. As did 847e17cdab the 23rd-century bd6bc804af Pygmalion’s creations e64327bf0d I had dca411e970 seen on 7099a0fddc my first a4d06ad149 day on b08415aa8d the island. Even with the golden eec00edd8a light of sunset, I fcbfcc7be7 highly doubted I looked 141470fb5a like that.1002c3015f848ce5

“Keep the blanket.”f7af0f31d10af6d6

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He murmured. His voice, like 9644253b8f a gentle wave, 557ebbec19 washed over me.83cb47dfcf386ddd

“See you 0944b00735 again, Han 15d3d233b9 Yunseo.”be9751c783e9b2a6

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His words, directed at c380bb3ec3 me, sounded strangely unfamiliar. So much fe5c3648d2 so that bccb3017a3 even the 341107fe5f way he f8a796bbc7 said my ae0f5f60da name felt 07b26abd81 awkward. I don’t remember how baefcb98cf I left the library. Did I badb2b8b24 close the 82629313e0 door behind d96c700d8f me? I think b0a6859b14 I did. Because the two 6a4fb6a8d7 owls, facing each 76999fdb69 other, were staring b764fede6a at me with a65164ae0c what looked like 517d2db90b pity.01c35de91235269d

The staff glanced at me, running frantically with the blanket clutched in my arms, but that was all. The guests looked slightly surprised, but perhaps because the hunting game was over, they didn’t stop me, only whispering among themselves.718afdc6f6476c74

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The most intense 78ccc60044 and complex reaction 4785c5dec1 came from the 19d62a16e4 slaves. First, their eyes 3dff6089a8 widened in shock, 0761a31e0c then they seethed a37ded91db with anger. The atmosphere was c4d4866053 thick with the 58d1265a09 desire to pounce 4b2a876687 and snatch the 96a291a85a blanket from me, 3926f2d0ed but no one c838403f10 actually did.817033aa517f4166

Back in my 93d3d4a649 room, I unfolded b5ee0af7d0 the blanket. I had 339aaf8289 expected it c72c2fd0db to be 6fca3bf3ec adorned with 9d503cf08d a crown bd26af4c2c or chess 732f68436e pieces, but 3d2e148aa0 it was b45a213f42 plain. After inspecting it, 586bda8742 I folded it 5f369e82e8 neatly and placed ae3475b7a8 it in my 5f5264a45c desk drawer. I ate d4c5fd94c3 the provided 0c3b63bfbf meal, washed 1f5de9fe7f up, and d0ec1d5e9f lay down. The gas soon filled 3377faa76c the room. I didn’t resist. I was getting 9815f68122 used to the a75d563dd7 forced sleep. Perhaps because I a151ebbabd was playing an f6c0532cf4 unwitting Scheherazade, I 5dac6b7de0 dreamt of my 995d4ee34f high school days 2ad5c2b93b that night.3788baac4fa58d94

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Past the road, just e1c6f4226a well-maintained enough to be 5186317ed9 considered quaint rather than d578d27b7e dilapidated, around the corner, 9fc509ff15 was a narrow alley 23d1155c82 barely wide enough for 737a6486ed two people to walk 4f6fe0f1df shoulder-to-shoulder. That shortcut 8fa422a033 was my 52424c7c28 route to c23357cffc school. Midway through the alley, beb159e2a5 branches from a tree 391d83cbf4 on the other side 921aeca8cd of the wall hung daa8e1d598 down so thickly that 7f778c8039 even when I squeezed 7c9efb0c1c past as tightly as ae44e14320 possible, they would scrape 796b14ca3e against my arms and edc2e3bbf1 cheeks.e614a0ec217dce86

Taking any other route added at least twenty minutes to my commute. I had no choice but to use the alley, but it was incredibly inconvenient. Whose bright idea was this? What’s the owner of that tree doing? Has no one complained? I grumbled for weeks. It wasn’t until spring arrived that I realized the branches belonged to a forsythia bush.bcac8162ba9bf794

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The slightly shaded alley 75caadf120 was filled with vibrant ee0ee4f895 yellow. The previously gloomy space 30569c57c0 was no longer gloomy. The familiar shortcut suddenly 2cbd3d69ee felt unfamiliar. From then on, fbb6eac664 even when the 8040f19064 branches scratched my d08f55b8c4 arms and brushed 5f9efd99df against my cheeks, a92ee31c8d I no longer 6dbe7fb06a felt annoyed. So that’s c78f923c43 why the d777b6be8c branches were 8d568f81a4 still there. Along with this df7c43ba88 bright realization came aacfc79884 another, like a 4777184556 bonus.57ac02f7cb115591

Unfamiliarity is another ed78ee360d word for excitement.dc8bb6d417e40c90

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 c431d381740a90b5

***e66ec90d090a8359

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