The guide trained Radan over a long period of time. He had him learn things such as how to walk silently like a cat, how to hide quickly, how to erase his presence, as well as the sounds made by boots, but also how to look like a prostitute. Some things he learned quickly, others he couldn’t learn no matter how hard he tried.
One of them was the way he spoke. Radan’s limp tongue didn’t always move as he intended. What was more difficult than that, was how to play sly. Radan couldn’t fake a laugh, maybe it was because he couldn’t understand laughter.
That was the same as that day….
The man said he didn’t like Radan’s wooden expression. The man who was a guest and assassination target tied Radan’s hands and feet and tore his clothes. The whipping began. He was used to being hit, but the real fear came after the customer turned his blood-stained body over. It wasn’t until a little later that Radan realized what the wretchedly spread-legs meant.
“Ha, don’t… … !”
Radan cried out in fright, he was only thirteen at the time. Radan waved his tied hands violently. He had to untie this string and take off the blindfold. The customer had to be killed before a greater fear came.
“Don’t do it!”
The more the string was pulled, the tighter the string became, and the more the knot digs into the skin, but it couldn’t be broken.
“Shut up! Stay calm!”
The customer slapped Radan in the face and his face snapped to the side. In an instant, his mind went blank. Feelings like boiling fire swelled from the bottom of his chest.
“… … !”
Radan opened his eyes.
“… … Well? Uh, what… .. Aww!”
A blue flame flashed in the customer’s eyes. The flame devoured the customer’s eyes like a tongue licking it away. It was only then that Radan realized that he had hit his face and the blindfold had come off.
Radan stood still, watching the guest die. Unlike with the other targets, this man struggled in pain for quite a long time.
Even after returning safely from the assassination, Radan was still unable to escape from the horror of that day. He suffered from nightmares and high fever for several days.
Radan then understood the reason why the customer did not die instantly. It was because he didn’t kill himself. The longer he’s in pain, the more painful it is, or the more anxious he is, the more the basilisks’ eyes themselves will control the poison and cause an excruciating death.
Radan didn’t understand the eyes before that time. What was really scary, was that he didn’t know the cause of it. Was it because of the guest had tried to assault him, or was it because he wanted to deliberately torture and kill him slowly. Radan didn’t know for sure.
However, today he supposed to do that ‘thing’. That thing which was so scary that it terrified him into slowly burning and kill the customer who was trying to force him to spread his legs apart.
“… … .”
Radan’s throat had gone dry as he swallowed a hard lump, it felt like a small shattered blade.
At the tingling in his throat, Radan knelt down on the floor. Even if he couldn’t see, he could still tell that Leshak was in front of him. He made a sound like a whimper, and turned his head. He knew that Leshak’s eyes were on him.
Radan felt conflicting emotions. He knew he was supposed to take the blindfold off. At the same time, he wanted to wear an iron mask so that Leshak would never see his eyes. Leshak looked at the procrastinating fingers on his lap.
“Wake up. Come with me.”
“……Yes.”
Radan cautiously got up. His body which was only wearing a thin robe was not much different from his naked body. Every time he moved his legs, his thin body line was revealed. Radan moved slowly, fumbling through the air. Then something caught his foot.
“Oh!”
His body trembled as a large, warm hand quickly grabbed him before he fell to the floor. Radan smelled a very warm and refreshing scent that was now instantly recognizable.
“Yes, thank you…… My Lord.”
“…… “
Leshak’s hand did not leave even after lifting Radan. The hand that firmly supported his back continued to transfer his body temperature. Both of Radan’s cheeks turned red. He was not immune to the body temperature of others. He had never experienced such intimate contact, a kind touch that is not violence, intended for pleasure. Leshak was the first.
Radan bit his lip. His heart kept breaking apart. He would never take this blindfold off!
Radan searched through his head, trying to forcefully bring out Laud’s desperate request. No, his heart was weak. No matter how kind he is, this person is Prince Leshak. He’s the enemy who cut off his eldest brother’s leg. One day he’ll kill Laud too. He has to kill him before that.
“No, let me go… … It will be…….”
Leshak’s voice landed in his ear.
“You want me to stop now? Why?”
“You’re, be… too…… kind…… This, this is not, …”
“Am I kind to you?”
Discomfort was mixed in with Leshak’s voice, which Radan thought was rich and soft, like the fur of an unknown animal.
“You know that?”
Leshak thought even he didn’t understand why he was being this way. When he saw that prostitute, he couldn’t figure out why he got mad and reacted as he did. There was no reason to be kind. There was no need for any of this gentleness. Still, he was kind. A sharp edge appeared like a slash in Leshak’s sneer.
“Then don’t don’t treat me unkindly.”
Radan’s gown was torn off by Leshak. Radan was now completely naked except for a blindfold. Leshak added more force to the mouth that was probing his lips. A feeling of sadness overtook Radan. He still didn’t have the courage to take off his blindfold, he just hated standing naked in front of Leshak.
“Show your talent. If you had sold your body from a young age you should have picked up tricks that aren’t easily known.”
Leshak turned his back and walked to the bed. He sat on the bed and snapped his fingers to make a sound.
“Over here.”
Radan turned his head toward the snapping sound, Leshak was so far away that he couldn’t feel his body temperature.
“You’ll have to be smart. Keep in mind that every word you say and every move you make could mean your life.”
“… …”
He is either an assassin, or a prostitute. It was a night where he had to choose between the two. Radan bowed down and touched the floor with his hands. He moved his limbs as he tried to recall fragmentary memories of times when he disguised himself as a prostitute. Slowly crawling on the floor on all fours, he followed the sounds to find Leshak’s feet. He was barefoot.
Radan bowed his head and pressed his lips to the top of his foot. Tears welled up even though he tried to hold them back. Radan took Leshak’s toe in his mouth as the blindfold became soaking wet. Still, his mind continued to be crushed.
Next is….. ? What should he do next? He thought that there were probably people outside the tent so when shouldn’t he take the blindfold off? If he cant take off the blindfold right now, what more should he do?
“Stop.”
Suddenly, Leshak moved his feet away. Radan, who had almost bit his toe, raised his chin in surprise. Maybe he noticed how clumsy his performance was. Did he decide that Radan was not a prostitute?
“Come on, do it right…..do more……do it better……”
Radan opened his mouth in bewilderment.
“Oh, ok….. maybe a whip………because my skin is soft… … so it’s good to hit… … I don’t say a lot…..”
“Stop!”
Leshak groaned and Radan bowed his head.
“Sorry, I’m sorry……Majesty.”
There was a loud bang, and the sound of something breaking followed. Radan’s shoulders were hunched forward.
“Damn it!”
Leshak jumped up to his feet, this too was a failure. He could never had any doubts about this poor prostitute. He was pitiful. He was so pitiful that Leshak felt like he was going crazy.
All he could think of was that he wanted to mutilate the father who made him into a prostitute to make money. He couldn’t even remember the corpses that had been killed by the unknown assassin up until now.
But even now, looking at that skinny body, he felt lust. Watching his tiny lips pucker up and move and the tooth marks left behind, he felt like he was becoming a beast. Leshak ripped his gaze away from Radan. He closed his eyes and walked through the barracks.
“After.”
As time passed by he forced the ferocious desires that boiled up on its own to subsided.
“Radan.”
”…….”
Radan followed his voice without a word. Leshak saw the cloth covering his eyes was damp. Tears that couldn’t be absorbed by the cloth were running down his cheeks. Leshak impulsively stretched out his arms. Radan’s tiny head was held to his chest. Perhaps because of his surprise, he felt Radan shrug his shoulders. That small movement became an emotion, and penetrated Leshak’s heart. What are you?
Leshak swallowed the roaring sound. The seeds of doubt that he was trying to sow in Radan, seemed to have sprouted in his stomach instead. He was suspicious of himself. Is it normal to feel this way? What is he, what is it about him that makes Leshak like this?
Leshak’s fingers dug into Radan’s hair. Radan held his breath and held himself back while his hair was messed around with quite wildly.
“I can’t trust you.”
”… ….”
Instead of answering, he nodded. Leshak remembered that move too.
“So you make me believe.”
“… …?”
Radhan didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Prove to me that you are not an unknown assassin, just a poor prostitute.”
“Uh, how…… how……?”
Perhaps even Leshak doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
“I will keep you by my side.”
“……?”
Behind the blindfold, Radan’s eyes fluttered open. He must have misunderstood what he was saying. Leshak let out a low sigh as he followed the movement of his eyes.
“First, cover that naked body.”
“Did you call me, My Lord?”
Sidris headed to the prince’s barracks at his command.
“Yes…… Come in now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Sidris entered the barracks.
”… ….”
He unconsciously furrowed his brow. At first glance, he saw a very strange sight that he couldn’t comprehend. The prostitute, who might have been an assassin, occupied the prince’s bed. Either way, they were both wrapped up in a blanket. Looking at the robe that was thrown on the floor, he could guess that the guest was naked inside.
Sidris thought that Leshak must have had hidden intentions when he ordered the prostitute to attend him that night. He was a bit embarrassing by it at first, but he believed the Crown Prince thought it was a situation that he had no choice but to deal with himself. The identity of the unknown assassin wasn’t a situation the Crown Prince could entrust to someone else. However, now…
“Excuse me, my lord…… ?”
Leshak seemed to be more focused on other things.! He was asking the prostitute something as the prostitute was carefully hidding his body from the chin down, under the blanket.
“Wait a minute. So, what would you like to eat?”
”……..”
Sidris paused. Leshak’s words were directed at the prostitute, not him.
“Oh, no…… ok, it’s ok…….”
“Radan.”
Leshak grabbed the prostitute’s chin and lifted it up. The blindfolded eyes would never have to face the Prince’s, but Sidris was very uncomfortable with the sight.
“Don’t lie to me. Everything you say must be true, I must trust you! You have no reason to lie to me unless you are ‘the unknown assassin’. Do you understand?”
Radan mouth was dry, he swallowed hard down his dry throat.
“I, I…….”
“You are hungry, and I have no intention of starving you, so answer me.”
Leshak tenaciously examined the prostitute’s expression. The prostitute’s stuttering lips were slow, and Sidris, who was uncomfortable looking at the two of them, opened his mouth first.
“Majesty. I will instruct them to prepare his meal.”
“Wait.” Leshak said without turning his head.
“…..Yes, my lord?”
“I asked Radan what he wants to eat. What would you like?”
“…….”
There was definitely something off between these two.
What Sidris couldn’t understand was Prince Leshak, who was paying attention to each and every detail of Radan, every sound. And Radan couldn’t understand Leshak either. Talking about keeping him by his side, and telling him not to lie.
What Prince Leshak ought to do, was to get him to reveal his true identity, but all the little prostitute had to do, was lie desperately to hide his identity.
“Radan.”
As Radan paused and licked his lips, strength entered the hand holding his chin. It was as though it were telling him he must answer. Radan opened his mouth, resisting the slight pressure on his chin.
“th….. en, mm……ilk.”
“Man cannot live without milk.”
“Everything else….. No”
“Radan.”
His jaw hurt, but Radan let go of his tense breath, as if he was resigned.
“Shep…….Snake meat only.”
“What!?”
Radan was afraid that Prince Leshak would find out why he could only eat snake meat. He realized later that he should have lied, but it was already too late. Besides, it would have been impossible if he had tried to mention other foods, there was no other food that Radan’s knew the names of.
“Everything else… ….Mmm, was said…….don’t eat it”
“Why?”
Leshak’s subsequent question was so sharp it was as if it stabbed him, and in fact it hurt as if something had been stabbed in his heart. Why you should he eat only snake meat. Because he had to grow poison. A poison that could kill Prince Leshak.
”……..”
Radan gave up on answering. It was impossible for him to come up with a lie himself. Leshak clicked his tongue when he saw Radan’s lips closed again stubbornly.
“Sidris.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Go and get the snake.”
“…….Is that necessary?”
“Radan can’t starve.”
“That…… Your Majesty, the order is to find out the identity of the assassin, show compassion later.”
“Sidris.”
Leshak’s voice became cold. It was enough to freeze Sidris’ reaction. Sidris bowed his head.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Radan will be here, and dont talk about this with others.”
His downward facing head stood still.
“Why….. do you say not to….?”
“I told you not to talk to others.”
“…….”
Sidris realized why it was uncomfortable to see Prince Leshak and the prostitute together. It didn’t fit at all! Leshak wants to keep the prostitute by his side? A person who who may or may not be unknown assassin. Even if he weren’t a potentially dangerous prostitute, there were plenty of other people who could be around him.
“Majesty, there are no cases of prostitutes staying in the military camp except when they are used as lovers. He is a person with an uncertain identity, and a prostitute.”
“Then make an exception.”
“Your Majesty,”
“Or…a lover then. It doesn’t matter, if it makes more sense, do it.”
Sidris’ complexion changed.
“Majesty! With someone like that……. !”
“Sidris.”
Leshak cut off Sidris’ words. Anyone looking at his expression could tell he was offended. Leshak felt strength in his hand holding Radan. The situation was unpleasant, he was already suspicious too but, Leshak didn’t like that Radan was being questioned and evaluated by anyone other than him.
“Should I ask for your permission to invite others here?”
“No…….no, my lord.”
“Then go and get some snake meat.”
“…… lf it is your command.”
“Concider it an order.”
“Yes, my lord.”
A questionable answer came back and he didn’t like it. Leshak impulsively pulled Radan tighter and held him in his arms. As expected, Sidris’ face contorted in despair. Leshak put his lips to Radan’s temple and whispered.
“Tell the chef to use all his talentts, no matter how tasteless the snake is, make it delicious. Do you understand?”
“… … Yes.”
Sidris, who barely managed to keep his mind from crumbling, gave an answer and went out of the barracks.
While he went out, Radan was breathing heavily in Leshak’s arms.
‘What to do?’
A handful of words seeped into his noisy mind. He was unable to comprehend the words that he said, ‘I wanted to keep you by my side’.
Leshak was the first person to have been so close by his side, for so long. It was the first time he’d tasted the breath of another person so clearly.
‘What to do?’
Radan couldn’t figure out what to do with Leshaks’ breaths that had flowed into him. To kill him, he would have to erase the feeling of this breath first.
The guide trained Radan over a long period of time. He had him learn things such as how to walk silently like a cat, how to hide quickly, how to erase his presence, as well as the sounds made by boots, but also how to look like a prostitute. Some things he learned quickly, others he couldn’t learn no matter how hard he tried.
One of them was the way he spoke. Radan’s limp tongue didn’t always move as he intended. What was more difficult than that, was how to play sly. Radan couldn’t fake a laugh, maybe it was because he couldn’t understand laughter.
That was the same as that day….
The man said he didn’t like Radan’s wooden expression. The man who was a guest and assassination target tied Radan’s hands and feet and tore his clothes. The whipping began. He was used to being hit, but the real fear came after the customer turned his blood-stained body over. It wasn’t until a little later that Radan realized what the wretchedly spread-legs meant.
“Ha, don’t… … !”
Radan cried out in fright, he was only thirteen at the time. Radan waved his tied hands violently. He had to untie this string and take off the blindfold. The customer had to be killed before a greater fear came.
“Don’t do it!”
The more the string was pulled, the tighter the string became, and the more the knot digs into the skin, but it couldn’t be broken.
“Shut up! Stay calm!”
The customer slapped Radan in the face and his face snapped to the side. In an instant, his mind went blank. Feelings like boiling fire swelled from the bottom of his chest.
“… … !”
Radan opened his eyes.
“… … Well? Uh, what… .. Aww!”
A blue flame flashed in the customer’s eyes. The flame devoured the customer’s eyes like a tongue licking it away. It was only then that Radan realized that he had hit his face and the blindfold had come off.
Radan stood still, watching the guest die. Unlike with the other targets, this man struggled in pain for quite a long time.
Even after returning safely from the assassination, Radan was still unable to escape from the horror of that day. He suffered from nightmares and high fever for several days.
Radan then understood the reason why the customer did not die instantly. It was because he didn’t kill himself. The longer he’s in pain, the more painful it is, or the more anxious he is, the more the basilisks’ eyes themselves will control the poison and cause an excruciating death.
Radan didn’t understand the eyes before that time. What was really scary, was that he didn’t know the cause of it. Was it because of the guest had tried to assault him, or was it because he wanted to deliberately torture and kill him slowly. Radan didn’t know for sure.
However, today he supposed to do that ‘thing’. That thing which was so scary that it terrified him into slowly burning and kill the customer who was trying to force him to spread his legs apart.
“… … .”
Radan’s throat had gone dry as he swallowed a hard lump, it felt like a small shattered blade.
At the tingling in his throat, Radan knelt down on the floor. Even if he couldn’t see, he could still tell that Leshak was in front of him. He made a sound like a whimper, and turned his head. He knew that Leshak’s eyes were on him.
Radan felt conflicting emotions. He knew he was supposed to take the blindfold off. At the same time, he wanted to wear an iron mask so that Leshak would never see his eyes. Leshak looked at the procrastinating fingers on his lap.
“Wake up. Come with me.”
“……Yes.”
Radan cautiously got up. His body which was only wearing a thin robe was not much different from his naked body. Every time he moved his legs, his thin body line was revealed. Radan moved slowly, fumbling through the air. Then something caught his foot.
“Oh!”
His body trembled as a large, warm hand quickly grabbed him before he fell to the floor. Radan smelled a very warm and refreshing scent that was now instantly recognizable.
“Yes, thank you…… My Lord.”
“…… “
Leshak’s hand did not leave even after lifting Radan. The hand that firmly supported his back continued to transfer his body temperature. Both of Radan’s cheeks turned red. He was not immune to the body temperature of others. He had never experienced such intimate contact, a kind touch that is not violence, intended for pleasure. Leshak was the first.
Radan bit his lip. His heart kept breaking apart. He would never take this blindfold off!
Radan searched through his head, trying to forcefully bring out Laud’s desperate request. No, his heart was weak. No matter how kind he is, this person is Prince Leshak. He’s the enemy who cut off his eldest brother’s leg. One day he’ll kill Laud too. He has to kill him before that.
“No, let me go… … It will be…….”
Leshak’s voice landed in his ear.
“You want me to stop now? Why?”
“You’re, be… too…… kind…… This, this is not, …”
“Am I kind to you?”
Discomfort was mixed in with Leshak’s voice, which Radan thought was rich and soft, like the fur of an unknown animal.
“You know that?”
Leshak thought even he didn’t understand why he was being this way. When he saw that prostitute, he couldn’t figure out why he got mad and reacted as he did. There was no reason to be kind. There was no need for any of this gentleness. Still, he was kind. A sharp edge appeared like a slash in Leshak’s sneer.
“Then don’t don’t treat me unkindly.”
Radan’s gown was torn off by Leshak. Radan was now completely naked except for a blindfold. Leshak added more force to the mouth that was probing his lips. A feeling of sadness overtook Radan. He still didn’t have the courage to take off his blindfold, he just hated standing naked in front of Leshak.
“Show your talent. If you had sold your body from a young age you should have picked up tricks that aren’t easily known.”
Leshak turned his back and walked to the bed. He sat on the bed and snapped his fingers to make a sound.
“Over here.”
Radan turned his head toward the snapping sound, Leshak was so far away that he couldn’t feel his body temperature.
“You’ll have to be smart. Keep in mind that every word you say and every move you make could mean your life.”
“… …”
He is either an assassin, or a prostitute. It was a night where he had to choose between the two. Radan bowed down and touched the floor with his hands. He moved his limbs as he tried to recall fragmentary memories of times when he disguised himself as a prostitute. Slowly crawling on the floor on all fours, he followed the sounds to find Leshak’s feet. He was barefoot.
Radan bowed his head and pressed his lips to the top of his foot. Tears welled up even though he tried to hold them back. Radan took Leshak’s toe in his mouth as the blindfold became soaking wet. Still, his mind continued to be crushed.
Next is….. ? What should he do next? He thought that there were probably people outside the tent so when shouldn’t he take the blindfold off? If he cant take off the blindfold right now, what more should he do?
“Stop.”
Suddenly, Leshak moved his feet away. Radan, who had almost bit his toe, raised his chin in surprise. Maybe he noticed how clumsy his performance was. Did he decide that Radan was not a prostitute?
“Come on, do it right…..do more……do it better……”
Radan opened his mouth in bewilderment.
“Oh, ok….. maybe a whip………because my skin is soft… … so it’s good to hit… … I don’t say a lot…..”
“Stop!”
Leshak groaned and Radan bowed his head.
“Sorry, I’m sorry……Majesty.”
There was a loud bang, and the sound of something breaking followed. Radan’s shoulders were hunched forward.
“Damn it!”
Leshak jumped up to his feet, this too was a failure. He could never had any doubts about this poor prostitute. He was pitiful. He was so pitiful that Leshak felt like he was going crazy.
All he could think of was that he wanted to mutilate the father who made him into a prostitute to make money. He couldn’t even remember the corpses that had been killed by the unknown assassin up until now.
But even now, looking at that skinny body, he felt lust. Watching his tiny lips pucker up and move and the tooth marks left behind, he felt like he was becoming a beast. Leshak ripped his gaze away from Radan. He closed his eyes and walked through the barracks.
“After.”
As time passed by he forced the ferocious desires that boiled up on its own to subsided.
“Radan.”
”…….”
Radan followed his voice without a word. Leshak saw the cloth covering his eyes was damp. Tears that couldn’t be absorbed by the cloth were running down his cheeks. Leshak impulsively stretched out his arms. Radan’s tiny head was held to his chest. Perhaps because of his surprise, he felt Radan shrug his shoulders. That small movement became an emotion, and penetrated Leshak’s heart. What are you?
Leshak swallowed the roaring sound. The seeds of doubt that he was trying to sow in Radan, seemed to have sprouted in his stomach instead. He was suspicious of himself. Is it normal to feel this way? What is he, what is it about him that makes Leshak like this?
Leshak’s fingers dug into Radan’s hair. Radan held his breath and held himself back while his hair was messed around with quite wildly.
“I can’t trust you.”
”… ….”
Instead of answering, he nodded. Leshak remembered that move too.
“So you make me believe.”
“… …?”
Radhan didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Prove to me that you are not an unknown assassin, just a poor prostitute.”
“Uh, how…… how……?”
Perhaps even Leshak doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
“I will keep you by my side.”
“……?”
Behind the blindfold, Radan’s eyes fluttered open. He must have misunderstood what he was saying. Leshak let out a low sigh as he followed the movement of his eyes.
“First, cover that naked body.”
“Did you call me, My Lord?”
Sidris headed to the prince’s barracks at his command.
“Yes…… Come in now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Sidris entered the barracks.
”… ….”
He unconsciously furrowed his brow. At first glance, he saw a very strange sight that he couldn’t comprehend. The prostitute, who might have been an assassin, occupied the prince’s bed. Either way, they were both wrapped up in a blanket. Looking at the robe that was thrown on the floor, he could guess that the guest was naked inside.
Sidris thought that Leshak must have had hidden intentions when he ordered the prostitute to attend him that night. He was a bit embarrassing by it at first, but he believed the Crown Prince thought it was a situation that he had no choice but to deal with himself. The identity of the unknown assassin wasn’t a situation the Crown Prince could entrust to someone else. However, now…
“Excuse me, my lord…… ?”
Leshak seemed to be more focused on other things.! He was asking the prostitute something as the prostitute was carefully hidding his body from the chin down, under the blanket.
“Wait a minute. So, what would you like to eat?”
”……..”
Sidris paused. Leshak’s words were directed at the prostitute, not him.
“Oh, no…… ok, it’s ok…….”
“Radan.”
Leshak grabbed the prostitute’s chin and lifted it up. The blindfolded eyes would never have to face the Prince’s, but Sidris was very uncomfortable with the sight.
“Don’t lie to me. Everything you say must be true, I must trust you! You have no reason to lie to me unless you are ‘the unknown assassin’. Do you understand?”
Radan mouth was dry, he swallowed hard down his dry throat.
“I, I…….”
“You are hungry, and I have no intention of starving you, so answer me.”
Leshak tenaciously examined the prostitute’s expression. The prostitute’s stuttering lips were slow, and Sidris, who was uncomfortable looking at the two of them, opened his mouth first.
“Majesty. I will instruct them to prepare his meal.”
“Wait.” Leshak said without turning his head.
“…..Yes, my lord?”
“I asked Radan what he wants to eat. What would you like?”
“…….”
There was definitely something off between these two.
What Sidris couldn’t understand was Prince Leshak, who was paying attention to each and every detail of Radan, every sound. And Radan couldn’t understand Leshak either. Talking about keeping him by his side, and telling him not to lie.
What Prince Leshak ought to do, was to get him to reveal his true identity, but all the little prostitute had to do, was lie desperately to hide his identity.
“Radan.”
As Radan paused and licked his lips, strength entered the hand holding his chin. It was as though it were telling him he must answer. Radan opened his mouth, resisting the slight pressure on his chin.
“th….. en, mm……ilk.”
“Man cannot live without milk.”
“Everything else….. No”
“Radan.”
His jaw hurt, but Radan let go of his tense breath, as if he was resigned.
“Shep…….Snake meat only.”
“What!?”
Radan was afraid that Prince Leshak would find out why he could only eat snake meat. He realized later that he should have lied, but it was already too late. Besides, it would have been impossible if he had tried to mention other foods, there was no other food that Radan’s knew the names of.
“Everything else… ….Mmm, was said…….don’t eat it”
“Why?”
Leshak’s subsequent question was so sharp it was as if it stabbed him, and in fact it hurt as if something had been stabbed in his heart. Why you should he eat only snake meat. Because he had to grow poison. A poison that could kill Prince Leshak.
”……..”
Radan gave up on answering. It was impossible for him to come up with a lie himself. Leshak clicked his tongue when he saw Radan’s lips closed again stubbornly.
“Sidris.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Go and get the snake.”
“…….Is that necessary?”
“Radan can’t starve.”
“That…… Your Majesty, the order is to find out the identity of the assassin, show compassion later.”
“Sidris.”
Leshak’s voice became cold. It was enough to freeze Sidris’ reaction. Sidris bowed his head.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Radan will be here, and dont talk about this with others.”
His downward facing head stood still.
“Why….. do you say not to….?”
“I told you not to talk to others.”
“…….”
Sidris realized why it was uncomfortable to see Prince Leshak and the prostitute together. It didn’t fit at all! Leshak wants to keep the prostitute by his side? A person who who may or may not be unknown assassin. Even if he weren’t a potentially dangerous prostitute, there were plenty of other people who could be around him.
“Majesty, there are no cases of prostitutes staying in the military camp except when they are used as lovers. He is a person with an uncertain identity, and a prostitute.”
“Then make an exception.”
“Your Majesty,”
“Or…a lover then. It doesn’t matter, if it makes more sense, do it.”
Sidris’ complexion changed.
“Majesty! With someone like that……. !”
“Sidris.”
Leshak cut off Sidris’ words. Anyone looking at his expression could tell he was offended. Leshak felt strength in his hand holding Radan. The situation was unpleasant, he was already suspicious too but, Leshak didn’t like that Radan was being questioned and evaluated by anyone other than him.
“Should I ask for your permission to invite others here?”
“No…….no, my lord.”
“Then go and get some snake meat.”
“…… lf it is your command.”
“Concider it an order.”
“Yes, my lord.”
A questionable answer came back and he didn’t like it. Leshak impulsively pulled Radan tighter and held him in his arms. As expected, Sidris’ face contorted in despair. Leshak put his lips to Radan’s temple and whispered.
“Tell the chef to use all his talentts, no matter how tasteless the snake is, make it delicious. Do you understand?”
“… … Yes.”
Sidris, who barely managed to keep his mind from crumbling, gave an answer and went out of the barracks.
While he went out, Radan was breathing heavily in Leshak’s arms.
‘What to do?’
A handful of words seeped into his noisy mind. He was unable to comprehend the words that he said, ‘I wanted to keep you by my side’.
Leshak was the first person to have been so close by his side, for so long. It was the first time he’d tasted the breath of another person so clearly.
‘What to do?’
Radan couldn’t figure out what to do with Leshaks’ breaths that had flowed into him. To kill him, he would have to erase the feeling of this breath first.
