OPDPS 127

The voice was unmistakable.

“You’re the one who’s late!”

Aeryl snapped, pounding his fists on Derbas’s chest. He never raised a hand to anyone, but Derbas was the exception. With so much pent-up frustration, he could hit him without a shred of guilt.

Kidnapper! Would-be murderer! Blackmailer!

Of course, having never actually punched anyone before, his flailing amounted to less than a kitten’s paw swats.

“Hey now, don’t move. I might drop you.”

“So weak.”

Aeryl clicked his tongue and let his body go limp. Derbas, wearing yet another new face, gently set him down.

“It’s because I lost one arm, you know.”

“Oh, right.”

Cutting off the lizard’s tail, wasn’t that what they said? He’d left a hand behind when he escaped last time, and sure enough, one of his arms was now a wooden prosthetic.

“Let’s go.”

“What about the one behind us?”

“He turned back.”

It seemed he hadn’t chased them because he was sure—it was more like he was double-checking. Aeryl, now reassured, moved away with Derbas.

***

The place Derbas brought him to was surprisingly ordinary—a quaint tearoom, decorated beautifully and filled with couples on dates.

‘I’ve never even been somewhere like this with the Grand Duke…’

To think he’d end up here while meeting with a pirate in secret. What a waste.

“How was he? Did you see him? He looked okay, right? Not seriously hurt? Are they feeding him well? It’s getting cold—what about heating? He can handle heat but not cold…”

“Calm down. I can’t even get a word in.”

Aeryl clamped a hand over Derbas’s mouth, who had unleashed a flurry of questions. It was clear he’d been obsessing over Valbean the whole time. Left unchecked, he probably wouldn’t stop talking.

“I saw him. He looked really healthy. He’s cooperating with the Grand Duke now and being treated well.”

Aeryl explained in unnecessary detail everything he’d seen. He figured Derbas would only be satisfied with specifics—and sure enough, the man listened intently, not missing a single word. Only once Aeryl had finished did he finally speak.

“That’s a relief…”

Seeing his genuine relief left a bitter taste in Aeryl’s mouth.

“I asked if he had anything to say to you.”

“And?”

“He said… to live well. On your own.”

Derbas looked stunned for a moment, then suddenly leapt up and shouted—completely horrified.

“No way! He said he doesn’t need me? That’s a lie. That man—he literally can’t come without my dick!”

“…What?”

Did he just—what did he just say?

Aeryl blinked in disbelief. He couldn’t even process the words. He’d never heard anything so filthy in his life.

There must be some other meaning. Maybe it’s pirate slang?

Desperately clinging to denial, Aeryl asked, his tone automatically formal now that he felt completely alienated.

“Pardon… But should I understand that to mean you’re in a sexual relationship with your father?”

“That’s right. He’s my adoptive father, my boss, and my lover.”

“I… see. Father… and lover… I’m… ugh…”

Aeryl gagged.

How could something like this exist in the world? Was it because they were pirates? Or had the Empire truly sunk into this level of depravity?

The shock left him dizzy. He barely managed to calm his stomach and sip some tea—only for Derbas to open his mouth again.

“Are you pregnant?”

“Urgh—cough! W-what?!”

Aeryl’s face turned bright red.

“I’m not in that kind of relationship with His Grace, thank you very much!”

“Says who? Look at you—you instantly thought of the Grand Duke.”

Aeryl groaned in defeat. That had struck a nerve.

“So you haven’t done it yet? You should. Just get it over with.”

“I told you it’s not like that. Besides, I’m hiding things from him…”

“Oh, your identity? That’s nothing. Once the body falls, the rest follows.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Getting someone physically hooked? Oldest trick in the book. That’s how I got Valbean.”

“With… Valbean?”

“Yep. He saved me from being sacrificed to the sea and took me in as his foster son. Falling for him was only natural!”

“I… don’t really know what to say to that.”

“Lucky for me, he’s easy down there. Made becoming lovers a breeze.”

“…I really didn’t need to know that.”

Aeryl quietly began sliding his chair backward, inching away from Derbas.

“Why are you backing away? And what’s with the formal speech all of a sudden? I’m feeling hurt here. I gave you good advice, didn’t I?”

“Uh… sure.”

A sudden wave of emptiness washed over him. How did I end up talking about love with someone who tried to kill me? He felt like he’d learned only things he never wanted to know.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. This man didn’t even deserve politeness.

“Anyway, I delivered Valbean’s message. That’s all you wanted, right?”

“No. I don’t believe it. He couldn’t have meant it.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“It has to happen. I have to meet him myself. Either take me there, or bring him here.”

“I can’t do that.”

He had only just barely managed to slip away today—how was he supposed to get someone else out as well? More than that, he didn’t want to push his luck with the Grand Duke.

“You will make it happen. Do you know what I might say if I get caught?”

Aeryl frowned. That cowardly pirate bastard. Was he actually trying to blackmail him?

“I kept my promise. It’s not my fault you’re not satisfied. You think you can push me around just because you’re throwing threats? Did you forget who I am?”

Aeryl lowered his voice and lifted his chin slightly. Sunlight glinted off his golden-brown eyes, making them shine all the more brightly.

Crap. Derbas clicked his tongue inwardly. Cute as he was, this wasn’t just any kid with golden eyes—he was royalty. Derbas threw himself into an exaggerated grovel.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to be like this. I’m just desperate right now.”

“Even that has its limits.”

“Right. I’ll be careful. Okay, how about this? Let me meet him. Once I do, I’ll settle everything properly. In return, I’ll help you.”

“You’ll help me?”

Lady Merel’s proposal suddenly came to mind. If Aeryl wanted to leave, she had said she’d help.

And Derbas was practically a professional at running away.

‘With their help, I could truly disappear—even from the Emperor.’

Aeryl had already considered that it might be best to leave as soon as possible. It was Derbas who’d been the reason he entered the Grand Duke’s residence in the first place, but that man was no longer a threat.

“If I wanted to leave… to go far away, to a place where no one knows who I am…”

“Escape is my specialty. And if worst comes to worst, we’ll just head out to sea for a few years. The Emperor couldn’t find us there.”

“…Alright.”

“You’ll let me meet him?”

“I’ll think about it. Depends on the situation, and I’ll need to hear his side too.”

Aeryl answered vaguely on purpose. He had a decent read on Derbas now, but Valbean remained an enigma. Even if he was keeping quiet for the moment, they were both pirates. There was no telling when or how they might change.

‘Last time, I had no choice—my identity was exposed and I had to survive. But this time is different.’

Even the desire to flee wasn’t fully settled in him yet, so there was no need to rush. For now, Derbas was the one who was more desperate.

“By the way, that oath from before. Is it still valid?”

“Yes. I mean—yes, it is.”

When Aeryl frowned, Derbas quickly corrected his tone to formal speech.

“That means you can’t pretend not to know me or the boss either. It’s not a threat, it was part of the oath.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

Protect my Valbean.

Aeryl had wondered why Derbas had phrased it with “my,” but knowing their relationship now, it made sense. His stomach churned again.

The idea of ‘protecting’ is vague, but as long as he stays safe, it should be fine.

With Valbean being cooperative with the Grand Duke, it didn’t seem difficult for Aeryl to keep his end of the promise.

With the conversation finished, Aeryl stood up, and Derbas didn’t try to stop him.

Thanks to Derbas, he quickly returned to the place where they had left the pony, retraced his path, and returned it where it belonged. Then he passed through several doors and entered the forest connected to the inner quarters.

As he walked swiftly, his mind kept spinning.

Valbean and Derbas… What a shock.

He’d always thought Derbas was eccentric, maybe even mad, but never imagined that kind of relationship. But if they were lovers, Valbean had been awfully indifferent.

Could it be Derbas was clinging on all by himself?

‘…They’re foster father and son, too…’

The world really was absurd. He found himself suddenly missing his teacher.

“…Phew.”

Aeryl let out a long sigh. Setting aside the Derbas-induced trauma, his heart felt heavy.

‘I can’t just ignore Derbas either—it’s unsettling.’

Who knew what that man might do if he decided to meet Valbean on his own? He was the same lunatic who had tried to sabotage the Great Purge to die with his lover. If his patience wore thin, he might do anything.

He wasn’t very smart, which made him easy to manipulate for now, but he was the kind who would use Aeryl’s status as prince if it suited him. Even if the promise was backed by magic, Derbas was a mad mage—an unpredictable element.

‘At least with Derbas, I know what he wants. But me…’

His biggest problem was his own heart.

‘Should I stay in the Grand Duke’s castle—or leave?’

Aeryl knew he was avoiding the issue.

From a practical standpoint, the best thing to do was leave. Evading imperial capture was crucial, but that wasn’t the only problem.

If the Emperor’s knights uncovered his identity, it would create a scandal. It was vital to avoid any misunderstanding that the Grand Duke or his people had knowingly hidden a prince.

But still, he didn’t want to leave. Just earlier, when he saw the Central Wing from afar upon arriving at the estate, he’d felt so relieved.

He thought, “I’m glad I made it back safely.”

Somehow, the Grand Duke’s castle had already become the place he returned to.