The blond boy sat quietly at the side of the room, his hands and legs cuffed.
"Can't we just report this guy to the knights' station or something? Like… for following us!"
"That's not the worst offense. At most he'll get fined," Serena replied, leaning against the wall beside Saoirse. "He still has the wound Saoirse inflicted earlier, so we might get charged for assault instead."
Kevin glared at the blond boy, who continued staring at Elijah without blinking.
It seemed like he was paying attention to all of them now, silently absorbing every bit of information.
"Don't forget the authorities here are suspicious," Azreal added calmly as he drank from a water bottle. "The fact that the initial report took so long says a lot about the knights' trustworthiness. After the mission, I expect most of them to be replaced."
"Ah!he's online now!"
Elijah gasped excitedly as he walked into the room, phone in hand.
"Mr. Farrell? Elijah here."
"Put him on speaker," Kevin nagged, pushing him toward the table.
The five gathered around as Elijah placed the phone down and turned on the camera.
Even the blond boy silently moved a little closer.
"Did something happen on the mission? It's only been a day," a deep, masculine voice asked.
On the screen was a muscular man with striking red hair combed neatly back.
The blond boy's eyes widened ever so slightly at the sound of his voice.
"I… guess you could say an issue came up. Someone followed us."
"Someone followed you? Who?"
Mr. Farrell sounded like a worried father.
"Ah, he's-"
"Right here."
Azreal cut Elijah off, grabbed the phone, and pointed the camera directly at the blond boy.
The room fell silent for a long moment.
"…Zaire?"
The blond boy's expression shifted into a smirk.
"Mr. Farrell, you know him?" Saoirse asked, glancing at Zaire.
"…I suppose you could say I do." Mr. Farrell sighed. "Azreal, can you do me a favor?"
"Yes?"
"Cut his hand open. Just… slash a bit of skin. I need to see his blood."
Azreal's eyes widened slightly before he returned to normal.
"We managed to stab his hand earlier. It was red. But I'll do it again to make sure."
He handed the phone to Serena, drew his falx, and sliced a shallow cut into Zaire's right hand.
Zaire didn't flinch, silently enduring the pain.
As the blood trickled down, Azreal wiped his blade with a tissue and Saoirse stuck a handiplast over the wound.
Mr. Farrell stayed silent for a moment… then finally spoke.
"For now, leave him there until I arrive. Focus on investigating the forest. I'll be there tomorrow."
"What if he gets out?" Serena asked.
"He won't," Mr. Farrell replied. "Right, Zaire?"
Zaire simply smirked.
Mr. Farrell sighed. "Even if he did, there's nothing you can do. As long as he doesn't harm you five, it's fine. Just don't get too close to him."
Elijah looked quietly at the blond boy,no, Zaire is his name.
He looked their age… so how did he know Mr. Farrell, who was clearly in his forties?
Was he Mr. Farrell's secret disciple or something?
"Anyway, you five should rest. I'll arrive tomorrow afternoon."
Mr. Farrell's voice echoed through the phone before he hung up.
"Welp, you heard the man. What do you guys want to eat? Takeout?" Elijah asked as he put his phone away.
"It'd be better to cook. I brought porridge and meat,I'll heat it up," Azreal said.
"I'll help. I have some eggs," Saoirse added as they headed to the kitchen.
Serena went to shower and Kevin disappeared to take a short nap.
As the group dispersed, Elijah looked back at Zaire, still sitting silently in the corner… still observing him.
"So," Elijah began, walking closer, "why'd you come looking for me?"
Zaire tilted his head slightly, almost surprised Elijah was talking to him.
Elijah sat down beside him. "Does it not hurt?"
Zaire looked at his arm, where the cut had been. "It's just a cut."
"Even so, Azreal didn't hold back. The wound was deeper than necessary."
"It doesn't matter. Your name is… Elijah, right?"
Elijah blinked.
Instead of complaining about his injury, he's asking my name?
"…Yes."
"Curious," Zaire murmured. "Mr. Farrell clearly said not to talk to me, yet here you are."
"Ah, well… I didn't think you were dangerous."
Zaire's eyes widened a fraction.
"Why not? I'm a stranger who came looking for you. Bounty hunters are usually weak, but that doesn't mean all of them are. Or was it because I got subdued so easily that you let your guard down?"
Bounty hunters are usually weak?
Elijah wanted to ask, but held back.
"It's just… when I met you earlier with Kevin, you could've easily killed us both. Even if Kevin was ready to fight. But you didn't."
Elijah watched Zaire closely for any change in expression.
"You don't have any bad intentions toward us, right?"
"You're right. I don't."
Hearing that without hesitation, Elijah let himself exhale.
He would've relaxed fully if Zaire didnt continue speaking
"I came here to be your underling."
"??"
Elijah stared at him.
"I pledged my allegiance to you earlier," Zaire added matter-of-factly.
"Right… about that. Why are you-"
"Do you accept my pledge?"
Zaire leaned in, their noses almost touching.
"…No!" Elijah yelped, pushing him back. "Why should you pledge allegiance to me? You're not even my friend yet! You don't even know me!"
"So I need to be your friend first?"
"Why is that the thing you understood from what I said?!"
Elijah was about to lie down in frustration when Zaire suddenly looked like a kicked puppy in the rain.
"Then… will you let me be your friend? Even an acquaintance is fine."
"!"
Zaire's expression carried a level of sorrow Elijah had never seen before,like he'd just recalled the worst experience imaginable, the deepest sorrow known to man kind.
"I've… never had a fr-"
"...Yes."
Elijah cut him off quickly before he continued.
Zaire's eyes brightened instantly.
"Great. We're friends, then."