Calliphe and Lynen pretended to argue, making sure to stay away from the others’ attention.
They wanted Nicker, who was locked in the room, to notice their division.
Though they hadn’t specifically planned the content of their argument, it wasn’t difficult to improvise.
“I can’t take this anymore! Why should I get involved in Black Hand affairs? And why did the boss only tell you about it?”
“Know your place. This was the boss’s decision. You have no right to question it.”
“Know my place? Are you done talking?”
All they needed to do was raise their voices, making it seem like her frustration had exploded to the point of desertion.
Finding herself in familiar territory, Calliphe delivered a masterful performance.
“Enough! I can’t communicate with you. We were never compatible to begin with!”
“…Do you truly mean that?”
“Of course I do! Did you actually think our relationship improved just because we spent a little time together?”
As she shot back with a scornful retort, Lynen’s expression gradually hardened.
‘He’s not actually getting angry, is he?’
They had agreed this was all an act, so that couldn’t be the case. Lynen Ortega was known for keeping personal feelings separate from duty.
But there was something Calliphe didn’t know.
“…”
Lynen was unconsciously overlapping this conversation with another scene in his mind.
The troubling relationship between Yulid and Calliphe that he had witnessed in the Mirror of Truth.
‘Calliphe said she would follow that man.’
He knew rationally that this current conversation had nothing to do with the scene in the mirror. Rationally, that is.
Regardless of logic, his heart was being violently stirred.
Because he knew the mirror showed the future. The anxiety he had been suppressing was now surging uncontrollably.
Unaware of this, Calliphe continued her taunting with confidence.
“This is actually for the best. I was getting tired of moving around with you anyway. Switching sides doesn’t sound so bad right now.”
“…Take that back.”
Thud. Lynen grabbed Calliphe’s wrist and stepped closer. Her back hit the wall when she tried to retreat.
Calliphe was impressed internally.
‘Lynen’s acting is so convincing!’
He used to be terrible at it. Was he only bad at pretending to be in pain?
‘I was worried he might be unconvincing and give us away to that informant, but my concerns were unnecessary.’
The detention room nearby had gone suspiciously quiet. The prisoner was definitely listening to their argument.
‘Good. Time to wrap this up.’
Calliphe glared defiantly at Lynen, who was looking down at her intimidatingly from close range.
“Don’t act like I betrayed you. We were never close enough for that in the first place.”
“…”
Squeeze.
‘Is he gripping my wrist tighter?’
“…You’re abandoning the boss?”
“That’s right.”
Calliphe said while trying to pull away from Lynen.
“I’m backing out now. I’m leaving both you and the boss behind.”
That’s when it happened.
Just when Calliphe was about to finish her act and leave, Lynen roughly spun her around.
“Ugh?!”
CRASH!
A drawer in the hallway toppled over with a loud noise when Calliphe bumped into it. But she had no time to worry about that.
“Wait, what are you suddenly—mmph!?”
Lynen pushed Calliphe against the stair railing and roughly claimed her lips.
“Mmph, mmph!”
As her waist dangerously tilted over the railing, Calliphe flailed her arms.
Without breaking the kiss, Lynen grabbed her waist, turned her body, and pushed her against the wall.
Thud.
The moment her back hit the wall again, he deepened the invasion. Calliphe was completely disoriented.
‘What is he doing all of a sudden!?’
Furious, Calliphe pushed and hit Lynen’s shoulders. She even kicked, causing nearby objects to collide and fall over.
But Lynen didn’t budge at all. He even changed the angle provocatively, mocking her resistance.
‘Lynen Ortega, you!’
Calliphe couldn’t take it anymore either.
She fiercely grabbed his hair with one hand and held his cheek and jaw with the other.
“…Ugh.”
Then she bit his lip painfully and launched her counterattack. Her breath, which had been passive until now, actively invaded his.
Lost in the moment, they tightly gripped each other’s hair. Hands that had been pressing on necks now roamed over backs and waists in a heated struggle.
Each movement caused the rickety old wooden floor and furniture to create a noisy commotion.
Still, no one else appeared. They had asked for cooperation to ignore any disturbances.
After a long while, their lips finally parted as they gasped for breath.
Both of their faces were flushed, looking ready to start a second round at any moment.
‘Oh no, he might be listening!’
Calliphe, finally coming to her senses, hastily slapped Lynen’s cheek.
SLAP!
“Y-you brute who only knows physical solutions. Get lost!”
“…”
Calliphe stormed off with angry footsteps.
Lynen, who had been standing dazed, soon turned to leave as well. His bitten and glistening lips bore a strangely satisfied smile.
The corridor fell silent.
Nicker, who had his ear pressed against the door, smiled triumphantly.
‘Those two really had a proper fight, didn’t they?’
Nicker’s assumption was further confirmed moments later.
The female organization member entered to bring him water.
Since she was carrying a lamp, Nicker could quickly assess her condition.
‘There’s a bruise on her neck inside her collar. And there’s a scab on her lip too.’
The conflict over leaving the organization must have been quite intense.
‘This is my chance.’
Nicker cautiously proposed to the sullen-looking woman.
“Hey. Interested in playing in deeper waters?”
“Shut up and drink your water.”
“My black magic is exceptional, as you’ve seen. Once I’m free, I’ll be well-rewarded. If you come with me, Leader Yulid will ensure you’re generously compensated.”
To Nicker, this woman was both his key to escape and his merit for survival with Yulid.
If he returned empty-handed, he would be punished for failing his mission, but this woman possessed special abilities. If he brought her along, the leader would surely reconsider his position.
“Do you take me for a fool? What guarantee do I have that your boss will share your thoughts?”
The woman snorted and kicked over the water cup.
As she turned to leave, Nicker grew desperate. With no certainty his life would last another day and the possibility that a different guard might come next time, he needed to conclude this conversation now.
So he revealed information he had been keeping secret.
“Then I’ll get you a promise from the boss! We can do it through our spy who’s mixed in here!”
“…What?”
The woman turned back.
“You’re saying there’s a traitor hiding here?”
“Yes. He’s the one who sent my comrades to me. He’s secretly hiding among the resistance, preventing them from uniting by spreading false information.”
“If what you’re saying is true, why hasn’t he come to rescue you?”
Nicker laughed at her, looking at her like she was a naive child.
“The battles will continue, so should he rescue every prisoner who gets captured? Abandoning a mission that’s progressing smoothly?”
“…”
“In our world, you have to look after your own life. But if I share some credit with you, that’s different. The leader will definitely be interested in you, so that spy will relay the information.”
“…Are you certain? Mediocre rewards won’t do. I want at least a rank high enough to command underlings.”
“Of course. I’ll put in a good word for you.”
The woman seemed conflicted. She was on the verge of being convinced.
“But how will we reach your camp with you in your weakened state?”
D*mn, she’s annoyingly cautious. Growing impatient, Nicker answered somewhat irritably.
“Just set me free. Then I can use magic to transport us from a suitable location.”
That finally seemed to reassure the woman. She had made her decision.
“Tell me what I need to do.”
‘I’ve done it…! ‘
Nicker grinned.
Translator
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
midori
thanks! looool FELLOWS, y’all were supposed to argue, not kiss! lynen is WILDING! aaahhh we are getting closer to calliphe meeting yulid! i hope he recognises her immediately!