I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 44

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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44. Moon, Wine, and Pebbles (5)

 

“Yes.”

 

Ryuie answered quickly.

 

She had rushed her answer so much that she was slow to ponder Glem’s question. Slow enough for her cheeks to rise leisurely.

 

Ryuie moved both hands that had been wickedly propping up her chin to cover her lips.

 

Because the intent behind the question was quite impure.

 

“Oh my. You still like me?”

 

“It hasn’t even been a week since I confessed.”

 

Glem answered curtly while moving his remaining chips to the center of the table.

 

He had accepted the all-in.

 

‘Good. Having a new member really does make things more fun.’

 

Ryuie hummed quietly.

 

“Here I thought. You had casual feelings or something. What should I give to whoever wins this round? Is there something you want? Another question would be too boring this time.”

 

“Let the winner decide.”

 

“How bold of you.”

 

Ryuie showed her teeth, looking satisfied.

 

The maid who had been looking back and forth between the two flipped the final card.

 

Impatient Ryuie immediately threw down and spread her two cards.

 

“Flush.”

 

“Four of a kind.”

 

Glem spread his cards in response.

 

Ryuie, who held Ace and King of diamonds, and Glem, who held 2 of spades and 2 of clubs, had their winning odds reversed by an exquisite margin.

 

“…You followed the betting with those cards?”

 

Catsy, who saw Glem’s hand, shouted in disbelief.

 

“That’s impossible. You either planned to lose or got incredibly lucky!”

 

“I won.”

 

Glem stood up without regret.

 

Card games weren’t solely determined by odds, but still. Ryuie’s eyes narrowed.

 

His leaving bothered her more than Glem winning this round.

 

“It’s not proper etiquette for the winner to break up the game.”

 

“Then I’ll use that as the price for my victory.”

 

After winning the game well, Glem left his seat in a hurry for some reason.

 

Ryuie’s eyebrows formed a sharp V-shape like a hawk’s as she stared at Glem’s retreating back.

 

“About Glem. For a mercenary, isn’t his behavior strangely refined?”

 

“What are you talking about, Miss! What’s so special about a mercenary like that knowing how to play cards!”

 

Catsy snorted.

 

“Swordsmen are usually more skilled at gambling and drinking anyway.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ryuie recalled Glem throwing white stones into her wine glass.

 

Even now, since he had won, he could have taken anything he wanted.

 

‘His words are direct, but his actions aren’t.’

 

A somewhat polite feeling. There was a calm atmosphere that occasionally surrounded him.

 

Rather, when he shouted loudly telling her to value her life because he liked her, that was more vivid and mercenary-like.

 

“Strange.”

 

“He is suspicious though.”

 

Bendam shrugged and gathered the cards back to shuffle them.

 

“There’s no mercenary without a story, after all.”

 

* * *

 

Glem had left his seat quickly because both servants under Ryuie’s command were right. He had a story like a mercenary should. And also, as Catsy said.

 

He had wanted to lose.

 

‘I asked a completely pointless question.’

 

Only after distancing himself from Ryuie did Glem’s earlobes and nape gradually heat up.

 

To suddenly ask if she had ever loved her fiancé. It would be better to reveal his desires more openly.

 

He had nothing to say even if Ryuie teased him about it.

 

Glem kneaded the back of his neck firmly to cool his body temperature.

 

‘I got swept up too.’

 

From Ryuie’s reaction upon discovering the Crown Prince’s ring to how she had cornered Ohen.

 

It was so different from the emotions Ryuie had shown until now that he ended up worrying.

 

‘Meanwhile, she’s playing cards with her servants as if nothing happened.’

 

Thinking about it made him a bit angry.

 

If she hadn’t shown that side of herself today, Glem wouldn’t have joined the card game.

 

And he wouldn’t have even thought about talking about his own problems, even a little.

 

‘I can’t tell her. You know that.’

 

It was a secret he had to take to his grave, but seeing Ryuie suffer so much had unknowingly created cracks in the resolve he had maintained until now.

 

Of course, he wasn’t the type to openly break his own determination, so Glem needed conditions too.

 

For example, deliberately losing at cards.

 

‘Ryuie would boldly claim the price of victory from me.’

 

Until the 2 of diamonds was laid on the table, he had thought Ryuie would easily get at least three of a kind.

 

Glem had bet based on Ryuie’s habit that Bendam mentioned and Ryuie’s all-in behavior.

 

Anyway, the cards he held had the lowest winning odds among pairs of the same rank.

 

If she knew how to play, Ryuie should have at least a flush. And with fairly high diamond cards too.

 

Naturally, Ryuie wasn’t a fool. It was proper for Ryuie to win.

 

But after both of them went all-in, the card the maid laid down happened to be the 2 of hearts.

 

Who would have thought two hearts would make him the victor.

 

‘I didn’t expect to win.’

 

Glem had already been preparing to lose.

 

So much so that only after winning did he become newly shocked by the fact that he had tried to lose, causing him to hastily leave his seat.

 

There was also some bewildering self-awareness mixed in.

 

The oath he held wasn’t a vow light enough to be revealed so casually.

 

Whenever he saw Ryuie, his mental guard kept loosening.

 

Glem stepped outside and met the night air.

 

Seeing the sticky swamp humidity clinging to his face, summer was approaching.

 

It was already the third year of staying here and searching through the swamp.

 

Before it got any later, he had to steal the Crown Prince’s ring and leave.

 

‘…Without fail.’

 

When the wind blew, Glem’s hair briefly lifted before settling back down due to the humidity. Glem brushed away the hair that wrapped around his body as if trying to restrain him and moved his feet toward the Knights.

 

* * *

 

Mos had only missed hearing about one night’s worth of events.

 

The maids, who pitied him for originally being unable to go outside, would tell him what was happening at the temple.

 

They found the country youth who openly wondered about Ryuie’s news quite purely endearing.

 

Not knowing that he was actually popular with the maids in his own way, Mos was in a greatly shocked state.

 

“The Duke’s Yeongae danced?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The maids watched Mos’s reaction with amusement.

 

More than the news that the Crown Prince’s ring had been discovered in the swamp yesterday, Mos was taking the fact that Ryuie had danced more seriously.

 

Since Ryuie had come to find the Crown Prince, naturally the Crown Prince’s belongings would be discovered.

 

Mos, who only thought that much of it, didn’t consider it particularly significant.

 

The problem was Ryuie!

 

“The Duke’s Yeongae can’t touch other people, right?”

 

“Not necessarily. Among us, there are maids who attend to the Miss, you know?”

 

“You just need to not break the conditions of the oath.”

 

“Ah. Hmm.”

 

Mos tried hard to imagine it.

 

Someone Ryuie wouldn’t be interested in?

 

Wouldn’t that only be someone very old or too young? Plus, the other person would have to have no interest either.

 

Mos groaned and recalled all the unlikeable people he knew, then shook his head.

 

“But it doesn’t seem like she would have danced with someone she didn’t even like.”

 

“Hehe.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“You guessed right.”

 

The maids giggled.

 

“That’s why Miss dances alone.”

 

“It requires a lot of space, but it’s very beautiful.”

 

“Everyone who’s experienced it could never forget.”

 

“Wow…”

 

Mos imagined the scene with an entranced expression.

 

The maids fully understood Mos’s feelings.

 

Even among the maids, there were times when the oath would activate while attending to Ryuie.

 

Whenever that happened, the maids would quickly pull away and exchange awkward, secretive looks of understanding among themselves.

 

Mixing playful teasing about having such momentary feelings with understanding.

 

Ryuie was so enchanting that sometimes it was hard to believe she fairly desired everyone she met.

 

It was only natural to feel happy whenever she showed interest.

 

Mos, who had been admiring Ryuie, suddenly sighed.

 

“I can’t dance.”

 

When the maids’ gazes turned toward his tail, Mos quickly added.

 

“Even when my legs were fine, I couldn’t dance. I never learned such things.”

 

Mos spoke honestly.

 

“But I’d like to see Yeongae’s dance even just once.”

 

“You’ll definitely be able to see it at the next banquet.”

 

“If you tell Miss, she’ll make the necessary preparations.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

When Mos smiled shyly, all the maids made swooning sounds.

 

Day by day, Mos was becoming an increasingly beautiful young man.

 

It was thanks to the maids who found joy in grooming him and took care of him devotedly.

 

‘Miss should come and see him soon.’

 

Ryuie had never maintained long relationships with young men she had once set her eyes on.

 

It was difficult to keep building affection for someone you couldn’t even touch.

 

But even after becoming like this, Mos purely admired Ryuie, which won the maids’ hearts.

 

As Mos swished his tail in the water as if with lingering attachment, a maid suggested.

 

“How about trying something else?”

 

“Something else?”

 

“Something to catch Miss’s attention. It doesn’t have to be dancing.”

 

“Right. How about trying to sing?”

 

“Singing?”

 

Mos blushed slightly.

 

“…When I got bored while shepherding, I sometimes hummed songs. But I’m not particularly good at it.”

 

“That’s it!”

 

“Your skills will definitely improve with practice, right?”

 

“Can you sing for us once?”

 

Mos hesitated for a moment, then began singing in a small voice. The maids showed enthusiastic support and began appreciating Mos’s song.

 

‘I want to see Miss.’

 

His heart mixed into the tone of Mos’s singing voice.

 

‘I want to see her.’

 

If he made a good impression on the maids, would she show interest in him?

 

If he built up goodwill with Ryuie’s people, it would surely work in his favor.

 

The tone of his hesitant song gradually began to change.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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