Kibun even stopped breathing, remaining motionless as he looked down at me.
I blew out my breath and said with a frightening expression:
“Where will he run away to, leaving cunning employees like foxes and innocent citizens like rabbits?
Where exactly?”
I've done my best to keep him alive so far, so if he ran away because he was stressed or something... just thinking about it would make me fall into extreme fantasies.
“His Highness the Crown Prince, as he has been until now, must stay in the palace with me from now on.
We will live together for a very long time until the end of our lives.”
At that moment, Kibun hummed in astonishment:
“Wait, not until the end of life, but until the end of suffering...”
“If His Highness escapes...”
I raised my head towards Kibun, blinking hard, and whispered:
“I will personally chase him to the ends of the continent.
I will grab him by the neck and drag him back by any means, and sit him in the Crown Prince’s office.
I will watch him with burning eyes so that he can never escape again.”
Kibun's face, which had always been expressionless, turned pale white.
“Anyway, don't say such nonsense again because it bothers me.”
At that moment, a bird in the tree chirped “Cher-Cher.”
Only then did I suddenly regain my composure.
'What is this, oh my god.'
Without realizing it, Kibun was firmly attached to the tree, and I was in a position to surround him with my outstretched arms, and we were very close to each other.
In contrast to his pale face, his ears were flushed bright red.
* * *
“Oh, what a matter.”
The focus returned to Namiya's shifting eyes.
Kiaros watched her, seeing the confusion gradually seep into her eyes.
“What should I do...sorry.”
Namiya flinched and quickly brought her arm, which had been extended towards his shoulder, back to her side.
“I was pretty scary, wasn't I?”
At that moment, Chiaros couldn't hold back the laugh that exploded inside him in astonishment.
It was a woman a full head shorter than him.
Very skinny and without any muscle.
However “scary”?
There was no word less appropriate than that.
She was stuttering and moving her eyes in embarrassment.
“I'm the one who's wrong.
Even if a subordinate says something unpleasant, as a boss, I'm not supposed to lose my temper and act rashly like that.
God, look at how your body froze...
Sorry.”
However, although it was not scary at all, his body was actually frozen.
He felt as if his heart had stopped because of her suddenly approaching scent and her close breathing.
‘Was it because she said she would find me to the end of hell if I escaped… that terrifying determination?’
He felt sincerity in her shifting eyes.
For the first time he felt terrified, and his heart was still beating so hard that his vision became blurry.
Namiya quickly backed away after regaining her composure.
“If you feel insulted, report me.
Between two people in a boss-subordinate relationship, this is definitely my fault.”
He hadn't even touched her with the tip of a finger, but the absence of her warmth seemed strange and unfortunate.
Suddenly, Chiaros felt like grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him again.
"No, maybe I should report myself?
It would be good to be more alert.
It seems like I'm being a bit too relaxed with you…"
She hummed in panic.
Kiaros murmured without realizing it:
“It's okay.
Really… it's okay.”
He was afraid that she would really reveal herself, so he began to stutter, his heart beating strongly:
“Um, because of, um, your feelings towards His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Ah... yes, that's right.”
Namiya nodded her head with a finally reassuring face.
“My feelings towards His Highness the Crown Prince are sincere.”
She seemed to have calmed down a little, but Kiaros's heart had not calmed down at all.
Those dark looks as she asked, “Where are you going to run to?”, and her intermittent breaths that touched his neck...
Was he the only one suffering from that lingering image?
Namiya continued quietly:
“I always hope that he is as healthy physically and mentally as he is now.
Even if I am not by his side, I always think about his safety.
That’s probably why the word ‘escape’ moved me so much.”
“…”
"Why?
Is there something strange?"
Kiaros looked at her and answered with difficulty:
“...No, nothing.”
He thinks about her even if she's not there, and is always curious about her.
He felt that way about Namiya too.
He was always really curious.
Even though they spent the day together at work, he wondered what time they weren't together.
She didn't trust Kibune.
She didn't tell him all the details of Jayden's case, and that's proof enough.
He was incredibly loyal to the Imperial Family, but it made him feel jealous in a strange way, and he surprised himself at this feeling.
What is this little head thinking?
Even when she was by his side, he couldn't understand that gap, and curiosity was driving him crazy.
‘If Nmiya suddenly disappeared and ran away one day… I would be more determined than her, not any less.’
So, were they feeling the same?
Kiaros looked at her calmly and said:
“I think I understand this feeling...”
Namiya nodded her head and said firmly:
“Yes.
The name of this feeling is loyalty. 100% pure loyalty to the empire and the imperial family.”
...Maybe it doesn't feel the same.
He was not paying allegiance to Namibia.
So, what is the name of this feeling?
Without realizing it, his previous feeling of “If I hadn’t existed…” had completely disappeared.
Instead, in his mind…
[If His Highness escapes, I will personally chase him to the ends of the continent.]
That clear, terrifying sound stuck.
Those volatile looks were so vivid, and his heart continued to beat strongly.
* * *
'Ah, I should really pay attention.'
This was the first time I lost my temper to this extent.
'I seem to be the type of person who acts recklessly with subordinates.
I didn't know because I never had subordinates before.'
Or maybe... because Kippon was too comfortable for me?
Because Kibun in the office was obeying me almost without thinking.
Even a little while ago, when I acted rudely, he just turned pale and didn't object even once.
As these things happened over and over again, I felt like, “It's okay for me to behave with Kibun in any way.” That was dangerous thinking.
'The more comfortable a person is for me, the more uncomfortable I am for him.
'I have to be careful.'
I sighed and scolded myself.
‘But up close, his body was really good… Ah, wait.
Calm down, Namiya.
Don't do this.
'Imagine if Osun did this to me, it would be disgusting.'
Anyway, we entered the manuscripts section when lunch was almost over.
It wasn't quite over lunch time, so Anastasia was the only one in the office.
She was seriously engrossed in reading a book.
This was probably the last break before the afternoon work started.
“Oh, you two came?”
Anastasia quickly got up and said hello.
The title of the book I immediately closed was “I Love You as Much as Our Pay Difference.” I decided to simply ignore him.
“H, H, would you like some coffee?”
“No, thanks.
We just ate.”
I smiled kindly and replied:
“From now on, there's really no need to ask us about these things.”
“For, for, but...
I, I'm not good at work...
So at least this.”
Yesterday, she asked me about Victor and when he would be back, and she seemed well aware that she was not quick to get the job done.
Anastasia fiddled with her hands sadly, then asked Kibun:
“But Kibun, weren’t you going to start work at two?”
“Ah... that's right.”
Since he came with me towards the end of lunch time, Kibun arrived at the office an hour early.
Kibun replied with his usual blank expression:
“I just wanted to come early.”
Then, Anastasia sat in astonishment, almost falling out of her seat.
She screamed, panting:
“You, you, you, are you normal?”
"What?"
“To the office, T, T, you just want to come early?
E, are you sick?”
I thought about it, and she had a point!
That someone would just want to come to the office early was unbelievable.
'If it's a contagious disease, that's a big problem.'
I quietly walked away from Kibune.
Kibon tilted his head expressionlessly like a foreigner who did not understand well and said:
“What do you mean...
I'm healthy.”
“No way!
But why do you come to work so early?”
Anastasia fell back in her chair and shouted:
"No, there's no one you like here!
Unless you like someone, it doesn't make sense!"