CHAPTER 39: [DON’T BE WARY]

"You managed to avoid it just in time. Interesting."

Caelen’s voice was light—bored, almost—as if he hadn’t just hurled a dagger at Eli’s face like it was part of a morning routine.

Eli couldn’t speak. His chest rose and fell in panicked rhythm, heart hammering so hard it echoed in his ears.

From the corner of his vision, he spotted Arman, Punzo, and Jabby.

None of them looked shocked.

No gasps. No outbursts. No attempts to stop Caelen.

They expected it.

This wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment test.

’Is he... Is he...’ The thought wouldn’t finish itself. It couldn’t. Because the implications were too terrifying.

The fact that his danger detection activated at all—meant Caelen meant to hurt him.

Maybe even kill him.

Eli hadn’t felt a flicker of warning when he was being kidnapped. Not a tremor when they grabbed him.

But now?

Now the air around Caelen was charged like a live wire. Every instinct in Eli’s body screamed run.

And the man who caused it—this so-called "Nation’s Prince"—was still smiling at him.

’This... is the nation’s prince?’

Eli stared, wide-eyed, unmoving.

As a fan, he’d seen Caelen’s face everywhere—billboards, broadcasts, magazine spreads.

Always praised for his charisma, adored for his kindness.

His fanbase dwarfed even Kairo’s.

But this?

This wasn’t kindness.

This wasn’t charm.

This was calculated violence wrapped in silk and sugar.

And worse?

Eli was still feeling danger just from Caelen looking at him.

That alone told him everything he needed to know.

Caelen wasn’t just bad news.

He was a walking red flag.

And then—

Ding.

The most cursed sound in existence.

Eli’s gaze jerked toward the glowing screen beside him, dread crawling up his spine.

[SYSTEM MISSION – ACTIVE]

Task Name: Don’t Be Wary!

Objective: Make target [CAELEN] stop being wary of you.

⚠︎ Failure to complete will result in punishment.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Eli blurted out, voice pitched with disbelief.

Instantly, the room went still.

Three sets of eyes widened—Arman, Punzo, Jabby.

But Caelen?

Caelen simply tilted his head.

Amused.

"Yes?" he asked, voice calm and polite. "Is there a problem, Mr. Elione Noa Ahn?"

Eli’s heart skipped.

His mouth snapped shut.

His eyes locked with Caelen’s, horror blooming in his chest as that danger

flared again.

He risked a glance back at the system screen.

’He’s wary of ME? He’s the one who threw a dagger at me! I don’t even have any offensive abilities!’

His pulse spiked, but he forced himself to breathe.

Calm.

He had to stay calm.

Caelen was dangerous.

The system was dangerous.

He had to thread this carefully.

"I... am in shock," Eli said at last, voice measured, knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the too-stiff bed beneath him.

"I can tell," Caelen replied, one hand resting lazily on his hip. "I was expecting you to cry or scream by now. But you’re much calmer than your file suggests."

Eli’s throat tightened.

’Seriously, how much did he dig up on Elione?’

He pushed that question aside.

Now wasn’t the time to panic.

He needed answers.

"Why am I here...?" Eli asked, each word deliberate. "You said you watched the video. That you were impressed. But then you threw a dagger at me. I don’t understand."

He glanced at the others—Arman, Punzo, Jabby.

Still quiet.

Still watching.

None of them stepped in.

Not one.

"Perhaps it’s time to give you some real answers then," Caelen said smoothly, his voice calm—too calm. "That seems fair, right?"

Eli wasn’t sure if that was rhetorical or if he was supposed to respond.

So he didn’t.

Luckily, Caelen didn’t seem to expect one.

The man took a step forward—and then another.

And Eli’s entire body tensed.

Not in awe. Not in anticipation.

In fear.

Caelen drew closer, his steps deliberate. Eli’s fingers curled tighter around the bedsheets, and his back stiffened as he resisted the urge to retreat.

But the pressure in his skull was building again—pulsing, warning, screaming.

’Please don’t throw anything at me again.’ Eli’s heart pounded. ’Just tell me what you want so I can go.’

Caelen came to a stop just in front of him, peering down with a tilted head and a look far too amused for Eli’s comfort.

"I..." he began, pausing for a moment as if choosing his words with care. "...am curious about two things. First, I want to know—who are you to Kairo?"

Eli blinked.

What?

His brows pulled together. Had he misheard?

"Excuse... me?" Eli asked cautiously.

"You heard me." Caelen’s gaze didn’t waver. "I asked what you were to Kairo."

’Why... is he asking me this?’

There was no malice in his tone. But the tension in the room was suffocating. It wrapped around Eli like smoke, thick and charged.

He searched Caelen’s face for some kind of clue—some reason—and suddenly...

It clicked.

Eli’s eyes widened.

’Is that why they had tension? Why he had me kidnapped?’

Did Caelen...

"Oh—I-I didn’t—I’m nothing to Kairo! Really, please don’t misunderstand," Eli blurted, hands raised slightly in a defensive panic.

He hadn’t thought about it until now, but...

Did Caelen think the two of them were...?

He gulped. "Nothing?" Caelen echoed.

And was Caelen...

"Yes, yes! Nothing at all! And if there were, I would tell you—but even then I would never... would never want to come between you two." Eli’s tone was dead serious, desperation leaking through every word.

He hoped—prayed—that Caelen would believe him and just let him go.

And also, if the system was listening—he hoped it would rethink everything.

Because clearly, something was going on between Caelen and Kairo.

There was no other explanation for this... interrogation.

Caelen stared.

And then—for the first time—he looked surprised.

His eyes widened, lips parting ever so slightly.

Eli blinked in confusion.

Then—

"Pfft..."

Arman let out a stifled snort, covering his mouth, his entire face flushed red as if he was barely holding in the laugh of the century.

Punzo had already turned away, shoulders shaking as he tried to muffle his laughter.

Even Jabby, wide-eyed and horrified, looked entirely too entertained.

Eli glanced around the room, completely lost. "Did... I say something wrong?"

Caelen’s expression twitched.

And for the first time, a shadow of frustration—maybe even embarrassment—flickered across the so-called prince’s face.

"...Hah. Haha..." Caelen exhaled sharply, a low laugh escaping, though his tone had noticeably darkened.

"You’re quite the jokester."