30
As soon as Yeon Ji-ho saw Hadad, he tightly embraced Isquis by the nape of his neck. Then, he whispered softly in his ear.
“Isquis, take flight.”
Yeon Ji-ho had no intention of listening to Hadad’s story at all. Although it was interesting to see a protagonist he had only read about in books, he knew it was not the time to leisurely chat given the current situation.
Because Yeon Ji-ho had chosen Set, not Hadad.
“I don’t understand why you’re running away so urgently when there’s been no threat.”
Hadad tilted his head as he watched Isquis’s wings begin to flutter. Each time he did, it seemed as if starlight would fall from his sparkling honey-blonde hair. Perhaps it was because he was the protagonist, but he was extraordinarily beautiful.
“Hold on tight, Ji-ho!”
Isquis began to float up, and Yeon Ji-ho could feel it even while cradled in his arms. Yeon Ji-ho deliberately buried his face into Isquis’s embrace, trying to avoid making eye contact with Hadad as much as possible. If he didn’t, he felt he might be entranced.
“Merdin. Grab him.”
Hadad’s short command was clearly heard by Yeon Ji-ho. At the same time, Isquis’s body, which had been soaring vigorously, was suddenly pulled down.
Vines that had sprung up from the ground were completely entangled around Isquis’s lower body. Seeing the light emanating from the man named Merdin, it seemed he had cast some magic related to the vines. Isquis’s body tumbled to the ground.
Thanks to that, Yeon Ji-ho, who was cradled in his arms, also had to roll on the floor. Fortunately, Isquis instinctively held Yeon Ji-ho tightly to protect him. As soon as the two fell to the ground, the strong vines began to wrap around their bodies.
“Oh dear. Are you two alright? Merdin, you should have held them gently.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
Hadad slowly walked toward Isquis and Yeon Ji-ho, who were bound by the vines. Just as he bent his knees to kindly lower the vines that had climbed up to their faces.
Spit!
Isquis spat at Hadad’s feet.
“Don’t touch my body, you crazy prince.”
“Sorry, but I’m not a prince anymore; I’m an emperor now. Ah, didn’t you see the coronation?”
Hadad merely smiled, even as the spit splattered. Each time he tried to approach, Isquis bared his teeth in defiance, causing Hadad to hesitate. He looked at Merdin as if he had no choice and said,
“Hold the bird’s wings. If he resists, feel free to break them.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Well then.”
With Merdin’s response, the vines that were holding Isquis began to tighten even more. The strange thing was, they did not do the same to Yeon Ji-ho. Just as he was pondering this, Hadad approached and grabbed his waist.
“Ji-ho!”
“Be careful; he’s someone precious to Set.”
“Let go of Ji-ho, you damn prince!”
Yeon Ji-ho was transferred from Isquis’s arms to Hadad’s. By that point, Yeon Ji-ho was also at a loss for words. The people of this world were treating him, a fully grown adult male, as if he were a mere doll.
“Um… um?”
“Lord. Prepare the carriage.”
“Yes.”
Even Hadad, who was holding Yeon Ji-ho so gently, seemed to think he wouldn’t resist at all. He was even more careful than Isquis, who was worried about losing him.
“Ah, that bird should be locked in the cargo carriage. And we will return to the imperial palace now.”
“Your Highness, aren’t you going to pursue Gorgon?”
“It’s fine.”
Hadad glanced down at Yeon Ji-ho, who was wrapped in his arms, and smiled as if he were about to melt. He looked just like a fox who had set out to deceive someone.
“Gorgon will come to me on his own.”
***
Clatter, clatter.
Inside the quiet carriage, only the sounds of the horses and wheels moving filled the air. Yeon Ji-ho couldn’t contain his awkwardness and kept rolling his eyes around.
From the looks of it, he had definitely been captured, but Hadad’s attitude toward him was very strange. He treated him as if he were a precious guest, even asking if there was anything uncomfortable before they set off.
The carriage they were riding in seemed to have been made for the emperor, with high-quality sofas and luxurious decorations inside.
Even so, he didn’t have any thoughts of escaping. It was just that Hadad’s eyes never left Yeon Ji-ho, leaving him with no opportunity.
“Did you say your name was Ji-ho?”
Yeon Ji-ho flinched at the mention of his name. He felt it was awkward to respond to an enemy, so he kept his mouth shut, but Hadad continued to smile brightly and asked questions in a friendly manner.
“How old are you? You look young.”
“…”
“Oh, you don’t have a surname? Commoner? Or noble? Your name is so unique that I can’t quite place it.”
What is this…?
His tone was far too cheerful for an interrogation. It wasn’t like he was asking a friend.
Then suddenly, Yeon Ji-ho recalled ‘Hadad’s Star.’ Come to think of it, the character ‘Hadad’ was originally like that.
Not everyone approached him simply enchanted by his beauty. Hadad had an irresistible kindness that made it hard to refuse. He loved and cherished all things. That was why Gliese couldn’t help but love him.
A kind and intimate personality. Unlike Set, who had been evaluated as quiet and gloomy at the academy, Hadad was a boy who led everyone and was always the center of attention wherever he went.
Even back then, when he was just a commoner, he had the audacity to take the position of student council president at the academy. Hadad was a man who lacked nothing when it came to making friends.
“…”
“Do you not want to answer…?”
As Yeon Ji-ho remained silent, keeping his mouth shut, disappointment clouded Hadad’s expression. It was such a simple face. His frustration and disappointment were so evident that it made others feel guilty.
At that moment, Hadad, who had been sitting across from him, lowered his head and brought his face closer.
“Whoa…!”
“You can talk after all.”
Startled, Yeon Ji-ho let out a small gasp, and Hadad chuckled playfully at him. Shrugging his shoulders, he spoke again.
“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. But just know this: I won’t do anything that would hurt you or put you in danger.”
With that, Hadad closed his mouth and began to gaze out the window. Yeon Ji-ho stared at him for a moment, then thought to himself.
He was indeed very handsome, extraordinarily handsome. In a normal situation, he might have let his guard down a bit in front of that angelic face.
However, aside from that, Yeon Ji-ho had no particular curiosity about him and didn’t want to know more. He might have known more about Hadad from the books than Hadad himself did.
As Hadad didn’t speak to him, Yeon Ji-ho felt more at ease and moved closer to the opposite window. He closed his eyes, feeling the breeze coming in through the half-open window.
“Hmm…”
As he kept his eyes closed, sleep began to creep in. Perhaps it was the rattling carriage that made him feel nauseous, unlike a car. Although he wasn’t entirely at ease, he wasn’t overly worried either.
Surely, if it were Set, he would come to get me.
If it were Set, the one who had looked at him with such affectionate eyes, he would definitely come. Imagining him, Yeon Ji-ho fell into slumber.
“…Ji-ho?”
Hadad, who had been pretending to look out the window with disinterest, turned his head toward Yeon Ji-ho as soon as he fell asleep. Then he tilted his head.
“I didn’t expect you to not say a word.”
Hadad, resting his chin on the window frame, looked at Yeon Ji-ho and pulled one corner of his mouth up. Inside the spacious carriage, Yeon Ji-ho sat diagonally, the farthest distance he could from Hadad.
Seeing him sitting so far away, it strangely made Hadad laugh. After all, it was amusing that he had fallen asleep without saying a single word.
Most people Hadad met couldn’t help but open their mouths out of curiosity about him by this point.
“Ji-ho, are you really asleep?”
Hadad stood up with a gentle smile. Then, he moved to the seat right next to Yeon Ji-ho. Among the two sitting side by side, Hadad gradually inched closer to him.
Unaware of this, Yeon Ji-ho was busy falling deeply asleep, his head bobbing against the window. Hadad, who was watching him with interest, carefully placed his palm against Yeon Ji-ho’s forehead.
Thanks to that, he no longer had to worry about banging his head against the window. Instead, he ended up resting his forehead against Hadad’s palm.
At that moment.
“Ah, damn…”
Yeon Ji-ho, with an annoyed expression, swiftly swatted away the hot palm that was covering his forehead. Hadad’s eyes widened in surprise as his hand was pushed away.
It was the first time he had been so ruthlessly rejected by someone. Even when he first met Gliese, it hadn’t been like this.
“Set, you must be hungry… um.”
Hearing the mumbling from the person sitting next to him, who didn’t even care about him, Hadad felt a strange sensation.
Perhaps it was the first time he had experienced such utter indifference from another person.
Having been the protagonist his whole life, he felt for the first time that he was less significant than a supporting character in front of someone.
“Hahaha… Set really brought an interesting person.”
In that moment, Hadad’s eyes sparkled as if they were embroidered with stars. After all the events had settled down, his heart, which had been dry for a while, began to pound loudly.
Hadad Asterra. He was a man born to be a protagonist.
