The Pope, after receiving another kiss on the hand from Gavin, left with a final greeting.

“May fortune be with you on your journey.”

Egru bowed awkwardly. How long had it been since the elegant footsteps faded away? Only when he hesitantly straightened up did he realize.

‘I-I should have asked where the back gate was!’

Egru despaired. Faced with a much more terrible problem, interpreting the Pope’s intentions was pushed aside. Would Earl Randall have gone home by now? What if he hadn’t? What if they ran into each other at the main gate?

“Excuse me, but I fell in love at first sight. May I be so bold as to ask your name?”

The face of Earl Randall, who had approached politely in the past, flashed through his mind. His heart, the size of an underdeveloped potato, began to pound as if it might burst.

“M-me? N-no, I’m just…”

“Yes, you’re Lady Mayfield’s personal servant, aren’t you? I’ve been watching you since you came in.”

“Y-you can speak comfortably to me.”

“Really? Then I’ll do as you say. By the way, where is your mistress?”

“Ah, she went to pick some flowers…”

“Just say she went to the powder room. No need for unnecessary formalities in front of me. I hate these showy banquets too, you know.”

“……”

“Don’t be so scared just because I tried to talk to you. I’ll be honest with you. I was curious about you. How can you stay by that tomboy lady’s side for months?”

“Pardon?”

“She’s famous for chasing away even servants from prominent families. I heard her nasty temper has been getting worse lately. We even made bets on how long you’d last.”

“D-don’t speak ill of her carelessly! My lady is kinder and more wonderful than anyone!”

“You might be the only one who thinks so? She’s just stuck-up because of her royal connections. There’s nothing special about her.”

Randall shrugged as he spoke.

“Just look at how she’s tucked you away in this corner. Not letting you mingle with other servants or attendants. She could have snuck you a few plates of banquet food, but she’s just starving you. You know this is the second day of the palace banquet, right? You’re alone with no substitute and no break time.”

“N-no, that’s not it. My lady has her reasons.”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t have been ashamed. To have a demon-human hybrid as my servant.”

“If you continue with such nonsense, I’ll have to leave!”

“Well, if that’s the case, I have no choice. I’ll have to go gossip with the other noble children.”

“W-what?”

“Well, if you won’t talk to me, I have no other option. Lady Mayfield’s reputation will take another hit today.”

As Egru turned pale, Randall smiled slyly.

“You don’t like that? If you do me one favor, I won’t do it.”

“Wh-what…”

“Just talk to me when we meet at future banquets. I know where you are. By the terrace curtain at the very end.”

“……”

“Oh, by the way, it’s better not to tell Lady Mayfield about our conversation. How should I put it… We have an awkward relationship. Just hearing my name might give her a fit.”

Randall stretched and laughed.

“Anyway, let’s get along, Egru. Actually, I already knew your name. The part about falling in love at first sight was true.”

“Ahem!”

At the sound of a deep fake cough, the chain of memories that had been playing like an old film was cut off. Egru slowly looked up at the source of the sound.

“Let me apologize once again. My behavior was somewhat rough due to the alcohol in D’Élysée’s office. Please pretend you didn’t see it.”

“Ah…”

Before Egru could answer, Gavin looked around quickly.

“Since it’s come to this, I’ll take responsibility and escort you. Our meeting again must be the Lord’s will, mustn’t it?”

“N-no, it’s alright…”

“Please don’t refuse. I need to save face in front of D’Élysée too, don’t I? Despite how he acts, he seems to care deeply for you.”

Gavin looked somewhat displeased.

“Actually, if I were to meet you, I had something I wanted to ask personally. Come this way. Since it’s late, let’s talk as we walk.”

“Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

“W-well…!”

Egru shifted his feet nervously in place.

“Isn’t there a back gate? The main gate is a bit…”

“Ah.”

Gavin withdrew his gaze indifferently.

“I heard you had some minor friction with our soldiers.”

His attitude was blatantly perfunctory. He even seemed displeased himself. It was a completely different atmosphere from the vigor he had shown in D’Élysée’s office.

“It’ll be fine since I’m here. Unless they’re exceptionally bold, they won’t inspect you.”

Gavin seemed to have interpreted Egru’s words in his own way.

“It was just a necessary procedure to filter out potential threats. You seem more sensitive than you look.”

“Y-you don’t need to escort me! J-just any exit that’s not the main gate…”

“Sigh.”

At the sound of an obvious sigh, Egru felt intimidated. Cold sweat trickled down his nape.

“Fine. I understand. We’ll have to go around the building needlessly, but if you’re that uncomfortable. Follow me.”

“N-no. If you could just tell me where it is, I can go alone…”

“Follow me.”

His tone was considerably irritated. Each word he spat out was filled with force.

Egru couldn’t make a peep anymore. As Gavin started walking carelessly, Egru could only follow behind the clanking armor.

***

Gavin didn’t like Egru. He could list various reasons, but chief among them was the disgusting attempt to evoke sympathy.

‘Trembling pitifully in front,’

While sneering and living in luxury behind. With wealth accumulated by deceiving others.

‘I know this better than anyone.’

Gavin had been sent to an orphanage early due to his parents’ gambling debts. It was an undoubtedly harsh thing. Especially for a child who had been living a fairly comfortable life as a noble from the frontier.

He had watched the process of his family’s bankruptcy and suffered from debt collectors in place of his irresponsible parents.

Life inevitably became impoverished. Even the employees fled, leaving the mansion unmanaged and exuding an eerie atmosphere.

“Someone must remain at the mansion.”

The couple finally chose to flee to another country.

“We must preserve the family’s foundation. Do you understand, Gavin?”

Leaving behind their only child.

‘Did they say they wouldn’t harm a child at least?’

No. They said they would go to raise funds for the family’s revival.

“We’ll be back soon.”

Gavin nodded vigorously at his parents’ words.

The first trust he received from his heartless parents was sweet. Looking forward to the day they would be together again, he bought time alone for the couple to escape.

Gavin did his best to make it look like people were still living in the mansion. He opened the curtains during the day and lit the lights at night. But it was only a matter of time before a young child’s meticulousness was discovered.

“Damn, I didn’t think they’d run off leaving the kid alone.”

“I told you we should have put more people on it earlier. How could a gambling addict be in their right mind?”

“What should we do, dismantle the remaining child, Boss?”

At the organization member’s question, the Guildmaster silently flicked his cigarette ash. Like a small fireworks display of only red color, the hot ash scattered on the floor.

“You bastard. Do you see anything to squeeze out of a brat who’s only pissing himself?”

“Come on, I was just saying. Boss, how should we patch up this loss? If we repair and auction off this rundown mansion…”

“No, no. Not our mansion.”

It was then that Gavin stood up, swallowing his tears.

“Th-they said they’d come back. Mom and Dad said they’d come back soon after making money…”

“They won’t.”

The vain hope was cut off in an instant. The Guildmaster spoke indifferently without even looking down at the child.

“You know why? Because they have something more precious than you.”

“No! That’s not true!”

“In your parents’ case, it’s gambling abroad.”

“Shut up! You don’t know anything!”

“Just wait and see. I’ll be right.”

The Guildmaster smiled as he took a long drag on his cigarette.

“Hey, kid. Be grateful to the Boss. If we hadn’t found you, you would have starved to death alone.”

“That’s right. How lucky that you weren’t sold into slavery? It wouldn’t have happened with other guilds. Since our Milfia Guild has such a high reputation, we treat young children like you humanely…”

The chatter of the subordinates wasn’t even audible. He just hoped the Guildmaster’s conjecture was wrong.

However, when sixteen seasons had passed outside the orphanage window.

Gavin had no choice but to admit it. How could he not? The Guildmaster’s words were right. Painfully so.

But he was no longer lonely. Although not blood brothers, he had met a friend who was as good as a new family.

‘D’Élysée.’

My friend who came in the seventeenth season.

Gavin smiled faintly. The eccentric nature hidden behind the model student facade. Only he, who had been with D’Élysée since childhood, knew this.

‘Seeming cold, yet soft-hearted…’

Unable to cast away a mixed-breed not even related by blood, calling him brother.

‘So…’

Gavin looked down at Egru walking beside him.

He had to help D’Élysée.