Episode 5
“Ah.”
When he pulled me close, our faces were barely a hand’s width apart. Through that narrow distance, Jared held up two fingers.
“This is our second time meeting.”
“……”
The innocent remark drained all the strength from me. My mind went blank, as if my soul had been plucked out.
I, who usually chattered easily, was left speechless and dazed. Seeing that, Jared released the hand he had been holding so tightly.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. My apologies.”
“……Please don’t grab me like that again.”
“I keep making mistakes. I’ll have to make it up with a truly great meal.”
“……”
Just then, Turner, who had finished helping another customer, approached me.
“Luiche, what happened—wait, why are you sweating so much?”
I wiped my face with my apron.
“C-Can I take a short break inside?”
“Why? Is that customer a total jerk?”
Turner turned to look behind me—and gasped. Jared gave a slight smile and waved.
Turner stiffly bowed his head before leaning close to whisper.
“T-The Duke of Castion? Why is he here…?”
“He came to see me. Because of Arpina.”
“Then you should deal with him till the end.”
Turner clearly didn’t want to switch places. Even with his long experience at the pub, handling Castion was beyond him.
After all, one wrong word and either the shop—or your head—might roll.
Although Jared’s temper was infamous, he wasn’t the kind to destroy someone’s livelihood just because he was offended.
Still, Turner didn’t know that. And I couldn’t make things worse for him.
“Fine. Then can I at least open one of the staff drinks? I can’t deal with this sober…”
Ding.
The bell chimed, and I turned instinctively. Jared was gone.
In his place sat a check worth far more than the drink’s cost—and a napkin with one word scrawled on it:
KEEP.
He hadn’t even taken a sip.
I couldn’t sleep again that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, Jared’s face burned itself into the inside of my eyelids. I tossed and turned until dawn, fighting a losing battle with my own thoughts.
Even when sleep finally came, it didn’t offer escape. The memories I’d tried to bury surfaced as dreams instead.
“Why do you like me?”
“Because your tongue’s soft.”
“You said before you liked how I hold you when we sleep.”
“That too, I guess.”
“That’s not an answer. What’ll you say next time?”
“Hmm. Maybe… I like it when you ask me questions like this.”
Wait a second.
Now that I think about it—every time I asked why, he always dodged the question!
Maybe his real type was someone like Arpina?
“About the Duke of Castion.”
“Wh—what?!”
I jerked so hard that my back muscles tensed. Turner blinked in surprise and gave me a curious look.
“Did you owe him money or something? Why are you so jumpy?”
It wasn’t a crime to think of someone, yet my reaction was too revealing.
“You just startled me, that’s all.”
“I didn’t even raise my voice.”
Turner stood beside me, drying wet glasses with a towel. His broad build radiated warmth, and I unconsciously stepped half a pace back. He didn’t seem to notice.
“Did Arpina tell you anything?”
“Tell me what?”
“Whether she’s the woman from his lost memories.”
Even though the bar was empty, Turner lowered his voice—his tone rising with barely suppressed excitement.
I nearly dropped the glass he handed me.
“Arpina doesn’t seem interested in romance.”
“Poor Duke. Of all the memories to lose, why only the one about his great love? Maybe he erased it himself because he couldn’t bear to let go.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“They say he used to be a total bastard, but mellowed out for a while. I bet it was because of that woman. Then, after his power rampaged, he went right back to how he was before.”
Sure, Jared had his flaws. His tongue could be sharp—but his eyes, his hands, his embraces… they were never cruel. They were always gentle.
“Still, I worry for his safety. His power’s unstable now—they say his hands shake so much he can’t even hold a sword properly. If Arpina just stayed by his side to purify him, he’d recover fast. The whole world would bless their union.”
The mention of trembling hands made something heavy settle in my chest.
I loosened my collar and tugged at the fabric, but it didn’t help.
At that moment, the door swung open and a warm gust swept in.
A man stumbled inside—reeking of alcohol, head shaved close, looking almost like an escaped convict. But his clothes were too fine for that.
“Sorry, sir, we’re not open yet.”
“If a customer walks in, that means it’s open!”
He staggered up to the counter. Turner and I exchanged a look.
Bad luck. A complete drunk.
“Where’s my drink? How do you even run a bar without a clue, huh?”
“Would you like to look at the menu first?”
Turner offered the menu, but the man didn’t even glance at it. He threw it aside and pointed toward the bottles behind the bar—right at Jared’s keep.
“Ah, that one’s…”
Even though it had only been uncorked, it was Jared’s reserved bottle. He’d pay for it later, of course—but this man clearly wouldn’t.
We hesitated. Turner looked like he was debating whether to call the guards. Then—
Bang!
The bottle exploded. Turner screamed, clutching his ears and collapsing.
“You think I’m a joke? Just ’cause I did time?!”
Damn it.
An awakened one. A criminal awakened one.
Power rolled off him in waves—unstable, but not yet rampaging. He just needed a target to vent on.
His gaze locked on me.
“You a purifier?”
“……”
“What’s a purifier doing working in a dump like this?”
His mouth twisted into a lewd grin.
“Go on then, purify me.”
“Would you… like me to?”
“Ha! Yeah. Show me.”
He grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him. My body tilted forward; I caught myself on the counter with my free hand.
The man rubbed my palm against his stubbled cheek and smirked.
“Do it.”
Disgust burned in my throat, but I needed to calm him down first—before someone got hurt.
I took a deep breath and channeled my power.
“Nothing? Pathetic.”
“Ugh…”
My useless fourth-tier ability—barely enough for minor wounds—was worthless here.
His grip tightened, bruising my wrist. I grimaced, but the drunk, blinded by rage and liquor, didn’t notice.
“You mocking me too? You think I’m trash like everyone else?!”
His arm lifted to strike—
And then, heat blasted across my face.
The man’s hand fell away as a boom shook the floor. Dust rained from the ceiling. My mind went blank.
What just happened?
As the haze cleared, a large hand clasped mine.
“You’re going to bruise.”
“……”
“Seems like you get hurt every time before we meet. You’re not doing it on purpose, right?”
“……Duke Castion.”
