STM 49

“He’s putting on a pretentious act.”

Doctor Kim resentfully clenched her fist. Solongo quickly handed her a vial of nutrients from the side.

“You’ll have to start seeing his act in a good way now. He’s our only hope.”

Haa. Doctor Kim sighed and gulped down the nutrients.

“Send back a formal letter saying we received what he returned. And while you’re at it, slip in the news that Lu will attend the Club of the 13th Month tomorrow.”

“But Grand Duke Kun would never come to the Club of the 13th Month. That club started in Borhumi, where a divine beast resides. That’s why Grand Duke Zav of Borhumi serves as its president.”

Besides, Grand Duke Kun isn’t even a member. How could he come without an invitation? Solongo wondered about that.

“Even if non-members are allowed tomorrow, they won’t accept Grand Duke Kun. …Why are you smiling?”

“People know well that Kun held the imperial throne for a long time, but they always forget the other part. Tairok once sat on the throne as Crown Prince when he was a child, even if it was only for a short while.”

Ah. A look of RACA ealization appeared briefly on Solongo’s face.

“And once someone becomes Crown Prince, they automatically gain membership in every social club. Including the Club of the 13th Month.”

“That’s true.” Solongo nodded, but then shook her head again.

“But he’s not Crown Prince anymore.”

“Right. In that case, the clubs usually expel the deposed Crown Prince. It’s very cold of them. But the Club of the 13th Month was different back then. They didn’t revoke his membership.”

Back then, Doctor Kim had been bedridden in young Lantuya’s body, and the only thing she could do was read.

She read everything. Newspapers included. So she remembered that period well.

“The president at the time was the previous Grand Duke of Borhumi, but no one knows why. Maybe she pitied Tairok, or maybe she hated the old emperor.”

Doctor Kim muttered like it wasn’t a big deal, then her eyes lit up as if she’d just remembered something.

“But if even you didn’t know, then no one else does either, right?”

A short laugh escaped Doctor Kim’s lips.

“Ha, maybe I should use this? I can provoke Tairok into going to the Club of the 13th Month.”

Doctor Kim took out paper and began writing a letter to him herself. She wrote quickly, and when she got to Lu’s news, she added a few lines.

‘Brother Lu is going out for the first time in a while and said he’s looking forward to meeting Grand Duke Kun tomorrow. He said he has something he must do with his mouth. “With his mouth,” he said, so maybe it’s something importantt.’

Doctor Kim smiled like a villain and gleefully kept writing.

‘But I told him that since Grand Duke Kun isn’t a member of the Club of the 13th Month and wasn’t invited, there’s no way they’ll meet there.

Brother Lu looked disappointed, which made my heart ache, but I comforted him by saying there would be another chance next time.’

When that letter full of deceitful words was done, Solongo asked,

“Do you think he’ll come?”

“If he has any pride at all, he won’t be able to stay away. Let’s see what kind of show he puts on at the club tomorrow.”

If Tairok reacted to anything Lu-related, there was no better show-off than that.

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The Club of the 13th Month allowed non-members to enter only once a year, and even then, not just anyone could enter. Non-members still needed an invitation.

The guards had the important duty of blocking anyone trying to enter without one, and security was stricter than usual.

So no matter how great the person was, if they didn’t have an invitation, the guards had to stop them.

“G-Grand Duke Kun, d-do you have an invitation?”

The guard froze when he saw Tairok dismount from his horse. He gathered his courage to ask, but Tairok walked past without giving him a single glance.

Another guard quickly blocked his way.

“Your Grace, this place is for members and guests with invitations o-only…”

The guard’s firm tone trailed off as soon as Tairok’s gaze met his.

That famous smile was on Tairok’s lips, but for some reason, it sent chills down the guard’s spine.

He realized too late that it was because of those eyes. The golden eyes held a power that overwhelmed anyone who met them.

“S-sorry, I’m s-so sorry…”

Tairok didn’t even say “move,” yet the guard apologized and stepped back on his own. But then he froze again, suddenly remembering who owned the club.

There wasn’t a single person in the world who didn’t know that the person Grand Duke Borhumi Zav’s hated the most was Kun Tairok.

Gulp. The guard swallowed his saliva and tried again to step forward, but someone else interrupted him this time.

“Tairok!”

A woman ran out from the entrance of the club and looked delighted when she saw Tairok.

“My goodness, who do we have here? Isn’t this Grand Duke Kun?!”

“Altan.”

When Tairok called his friend’s name, the woman laughed heartily and patted his arm.

“It’s really been a long time. People were talking, saying your name, so I looked out the window, and it was actually you. You never came no matter how much I called before, so what’s going on today?”

“Just because.”

“That’s ridiculous. You never come ‘just because.’”

When his friend doubted him, Tairok twisted his lips.

“There are more unreasonable things in this world than that.”

Although the response was cold, his old friend from the academy days wasn’t intimidated at all.

“That’s true, but what’s the real reason?”

When Tairok said nothing and started walking ahead, Altan carefully studied his expression.

“Huh, don’t tell me you didn’t want to come?”

“Altan, stop.”

His lips were smiling, but his voice was cold. Anyone else would have backed off, but Altan’s curiosity didn’t fade.

“There aren’t many people who can make you move… maybe your direct family in the Kun line, or a monster?”

When Altan started counting on her fingers and guessing, Tairok had no choice but to give a reason.

“I came to surprise someone.”

“Who?”

“Someone who thinks, like you, that I’d never come here.”

“Could it be… Zav?”

Altan cautiously said the name and looked around.

“Do you have a problem with Zav?”

“I always have a problem with that guy. But I didn’t come to see him.”

Then who? Altan tilted her head but soon chuckled.

“Whoever you came to see, Zav will be shocked out of his mind anyway. Remember how he used to throw tantrums like a child when he couldn’t control his anger? You might get to see that today.”

Altan’s eyes lit up as she recalled their academy days. Tairok looked at his excited friend in disbelief.

“No matter how pathetic Zav is, he wouldn’t throw a tantrum just because I showed up here.”

“Oh, he’ll throw a fit. Zav thinks everyone in this club should focus only on him. He acts like an emperor here. But if the real emperor shows up, he’ll lose his mind.”

At the word emperor, Tairok’s eyes turned cold, but Altan didn’t notice and kept her bright expression.

“Wow, today’s going to be fun. Come on in. Everyone’s here except Zav.”

Everyone’s here.

Following his friend, Tairok glanced around as he walked. Just like Altan said, he hadn’t wanted to come here.

To be exact, he hated himself for falling for Lantuya’s provocation. But as soon as he thought about the person he might meet, the irritation that had built up on the way vanished completely.

Just like his friend who was looking forward to Zav’s reaction, he couldn’t help but be curious about someone else’s.

What kind of expression would Adeye Lu make when he saw him? And what absurd words would come out of those lips again?

But the thing he anticipated the most was another use of those lips. The desire to make them work properly spread through him like a shiver.

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“Ah, fuck.”

I cursed briefly, looking up at the sky that was starting to grow dark. It had already been a while since I arrived at this Club of the 13th Month. I should’ve gotten out of the carriage, but my legs just wouldn’t move.

How many perverts would be crawling around in there this time?

No, it’s fine, I could ignore the perverts, as long as they didn’t come running up to me with their crotches out. The problem was that I couldn’t punish them.

‘There’s a rumor going around that Lord Lu is obsessed with playing queen. If you don’t want to attract people eager to be whipped, don’t lay a hand on anyone anymore.’

I shuddered just hearing Solongo say that. The situation was so horrifying, I wasn’t able to punish perverts, no wonder I couldn’t bring myself to step down.