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.40e3e376f95b05ab

“Are you sick or something?”f64050d5928d4751

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“…I don’t know.”7b17e84a29c9e559

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.5332787aa17145e3

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“…You’re used to this. Is it because you have a lot of younger siblings?”cdc3777f9da9fa19

“That’s part of it. The youngest used to get sick often when he was little….”3ee347f472877f52

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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.cccc8325fa4bc4bc

“Did you investigate me too?”d8db492b4036273c

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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.291c9708e0ebe851

“What do you think I am? I don’t need to investigate; I have all the personnel files of the Repelz Knights Order.”7be7d894ea3b0fad

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“…Ah.”dcf890f9a4c1267e

Jack let out a f29fc1313e low exclamation. He realized he had 9f9aa556a7 forgotten. It was only natural d7e9fd0ad5 for the overall commander 86fbc52342 of the knights.cf5120d63184fe46

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“So it was a front investigation, not a background check….”1580550859f113de

“…….”2e4f6befe2b827d7

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The awkward silence that 436194bd32 followed his careless remark a4144d60a7 was chillingly cold. The temperature of the bb59d52e73 stillness was unusually biting.ccab8d2077fb68ff

“I thought this before, but when you have nothing to say, you just blurt out anything like an old man….”ebe24914bf1532fb

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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.6fa70859bc14a222

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.1f695203d864baf7

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I want to kiss 12ceaabadd him….ec088e31c7506a92

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.387476bfcbc03874

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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.71010057f71399cf

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?623fddcaa4f57241

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“Hey, that hurts.”ee9319efa909e1af

Lost in unwanted memories, Jack was brought back to reality by Cayenne’s sharp voice as he absentmindedly massaged his hand.75fd0c3e8f0e5c8f

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“Oh, I’m sorry.”1c2d894e719935bb

Looking down at the f2cb6ed5cf hand he was gripping a759ae3e6f tightly, he saw the 784af5b470 palm was bright red. The once cold 17c61f4662 temperature was now fd5e0802f6 hot. He had 58b4d35dc1 no idea 0bea8f9196 how long 02d029ea38 he had 2bff1f9eac been kneading 57a82ea514 it. Jack swallowed 229f2e05c6 nervously, belatedly eba8ae0fd2 realizing his 8ece7ec89d mistake.fe5f62516ab73459

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“Your grip is refreshing…. Since you’ve started, why not try my shoulder too?”747cf81cdd25a719

Jack felt a 1f64ba1de0 bit deflated, expecting b605996dc8 a sharp reaction. But Cayenne, despite frowning, a3b48b2787 only rubbed his sore f31e655735 hand with a faint 199cbafc73 smile on his lips. Then he casually 98edce9650 pointed to his 4b9d2c5f6a shoulder.7dc0cb340e7f6f6a

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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.f2164aea32787631

“Your shoulders are really stiff.”125b3d60eace7206

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“I haven’t been moving my body much lately.”08ef4a5c50a92c01

“Well, you’ve been buried in paperwork all the time.”df74e756751890e1

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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.b780dde36f60f184

“Ah, that’s good….”a997838559a0034c

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Cayenne, who 00f7761a5f had remarked be765f9b98 that Jack a1cad6dabf seemed like 0c4900b126 an old e9944b4668 man, let bf36ea168c out a 19bc55acec drawn-out groan. It was the d317aca510 very sound of bb70b3d3bd a middle-aged man. Yet, hearing d4813a036d that it 1faccb8ffe felt good, d80f16bd10 Jack got 97822848b0 a bit c74dc7d73f excited and 7106ce3a1a happily massaged ba5b5ae8ab the neck e93f5a5fe6 and shoulder 072cca6ebe line. But then c4c93c2ade he suddenly ab6c6a1f5c realized the 3509e51eae cruel reality.606f90e3676ba4be

…Why am I doing 472df65682 this?965747b2b9654898

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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….6bec9fc2481c0ac7

“Hey, there, a bit lower….”4da2a62f3ca34247

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Despite feeling a dizzying identity crisis, Jack diligently followed Cayenne’s orders, massaging his shoulders, arms, and back thoroughly.517f4d97b03e6164

“Ah, that’s refreshing.”977efaaf216a4082

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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.c15224477fad0980

“By the way, don’t you think you’re being a bit much?”fc88b02be38fffba

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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.0432731de1d50dd6

“What now?”f2d0969aa5e56e82

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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?”25d452cabe89319c

Thinking it 155d762d77 might be b4ae80f289 okay to 37325fd710 voice such d7547cdc62 a complaint 2df87346d3 by now, 6a20adf5a2 Jack mustered c021bd9445 the courage af8ed61629 to express 158c653bdf the dissatisfaction dd58da7f4d he had d037965e0a been holding a0f9d8e910 back. Cayenne turned his 6d3c949ec4 head to look 751ef1c650 at Jack standing 0560162f51 behind him.e12f38bed552659b

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“Is that something you’re unhappy about?”9933d152065c859b

“It’s not really a complaint….”edf76fdb37ea75d9

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“You’re young, yet you worry about everything.”b8e00a593d49790a

Cayenne said bluntly. Jack frowned 7e3aecaf85 slightly at fd6f2a8cbf the dismissive 5aea5220cd tone, feeling d8ce14ac92 a subtle b3204997f7 discomfort, then 9a89c3846f became curious.38c7403bba7537dc

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“…Am I young? Me?”9d135d2c350f43c8

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.d1d3735b16c56e2b

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“Do I seem like the kind of person who would disrespect an elder, even if they’re my secretary?”9efcdfc980979516

What kind of c4843083a7 image do I e6f0c7d6b9 have, Cayenne grumbled edf07dde29 as he massaged 37806c41b7 his languid arm. Jack was quite ecb181c2b2 taken aback. It was 1d15739707 somehow more e7b4ac7fb0 shocking than a59174d784 the confusion e802f119a1 over his fc717635d6 identity as 2dff934cc4 a knight f66f8047e1 or the 183f59f797 wall he 20bc984d71 faced when 3db71fce88 ranked by 942b7041c3 class. To think that face b6fe839bab was older than him.79942a267c6a4e4a

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“May I ask how old you are…?”541b68a673e41ba6

“I’m not telling you, man.”c1a540e3fadedd74

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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.dd71f673b8008ab7

“I should join the training tomorrow. My body is in bad shape from just looking at all the paperwork.”b39d7230c08bb43f

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With a 5480cf48d8 grunt, Cayenne 2d63d05b72 got up 84977eb373 from his 87a5798072 seat. Jack was dazed from ac44169efe the shock about the d3fd6fccc6 age.45362dcdbbe87ac9

“…Hey, Sir Jack Carlson.”054311cf92b7981e

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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.9f46b586cb54589d

“Are you listening? I asked you to schedule training for tomorrow.”113e0f2c537044fa

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“Oh, yes. I got it.”15debb983e4dab47

Jack hurriedly replied. However, the bewildered expression 9dcb7293c8 still lingered on his 87d716b9ca face. Cayenne let out a 76672ebf04 hollow laugh as if a8497135b5 he found it ridiculous.d715a874a1e9374b

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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?”82f4221988f6dca2

“…Well, it’s just that your appearance… I naturally thought you’d be younger than me.”ec0c5d4f40239296

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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.26c424df094700ad

“Is that your type?”a3a1ab4f93fdaf90

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“Sorry?”eb80704a7e853ab1

Jack absentmindedly repeated Cayenne’s question, thinking his voice sounded quite dumb.fac77e35ccb4985a

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“My face.”bad017766d86f70c

Cayenne was smiling. The corners b5ec2a3ba4 of his 586dc9d342 mouth were a20619253a drawn up d67ddd1f14 mischievously.4515f58619ac41d7

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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.1c451f8074fd97f7

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.4a07236ae6c56ad8

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