They left the Croydon mansion in the evening. After an early dinner, they decided to disperse and return to their respective hotels to rest, as some were tired from the long journey.

Since the organizers had arranged the accommodations, most people were staying in the same three or four hotels. Only a few chose to stay elsewhere due to personal habits or preferences.

The cars, which had filled the mansion grounds like a car exhibition, now departed one by one, carrying their owners and their entourages. The number of black cars, their occupants invisible from the outside, gradually decreased.

“It’ll be quite a sight to see these cars converging on a few hotels all at once.”

“It’s a common occurrence.”

Debbie snorted sarcastically: “As if it’s the first time we’ve seen this,” as he watched Jack shake his head. Al-Faisal’s car and the captain’s had just left the main gate. The cars carrying the advance and rear security teams had also departed, and now it was their turn.

“Chris. Where’s that brat Chris?”

“The captain ordered us to keep a close eye on that kid so he doesn’t disappear again,” – Jack said, turning around to look. At that moment, his eyes met Christoph’s, who had been standing silently nearby. Christoph’s bright blue eyes stared directly into Jack’s, who was a few centimeters taller than him.

“Keep a close eye on who?”

“Some brat. He turned off his radio and vanished without a trace, only to be found later mixed in with another team looking suspicious.”

“That’s because you idiots checked the list carelessly.”

Christoph narrowed his eyes, seemingly still annoyed as he recalled the incident. His handsome, pale face became even more severe as he frowned. Jack hastily said: “Alright, alright. Tell it to the captain, not me.”

Meanwhile, after checking that everyone had left and only a few members of their team remained, their car approached. Christoph silently observed the security team members who would be riding with him. Jack, noticing a faint crease between Christoph’s eyebrows, asked: “What’s wrong?”

“I think it will be a bit cramped if we all go in one car.”

Christoph stated without unfurrowing his brow. Jack raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“It won’t be that cramped. We just need to squeeze in a bit.”

“With you guys?”

“Hey, what about us?!”

However, even before the protests, Jack seemed to realize why Christoph was frowning at the mention of squeezing in.

Christoph intensely disliked physical contact with others. He could tolerate it during work, but in his private life, he always avoided close proximity to anyone. And this time, although he would be getting into the car, he clearly didn’t want to.

Just then, their car stopped in front of them. And from behind, through the open doors of the mansion, another group emerged a short distance away. Christoph sensed their presence.

Christoph glanced back and his frown deepened.

Richard was walking out. Half a step behind him were Hans, the woman Christoph had met earlier, and the others in his group. Richard’s gaze settled on Christoph. Perhaps because Richard’s pace slowed, Hans and the woman also quickly noticed Christoph and looked at him.

Richard observed Christoph and the people beside him for a moment, then offered his usual friendly smile and spoke.

“Looks like there’s not enough room. Since we’re all going to the same hotel anyway, you can ride with us if you’d like.”

This unexpectedly friendly offer made Christoph’s colleagues hesitate. Under normal circumstances, they would politely decline, but knowing Christoph was acquainted with Richard, they turned to him for guidance.

Christoph looked at Richard with an impassive expression, then replied: “Thank you.”

“Walden, Debbie, take the other car. I’ll go in this one for comfort.”

“Why are you kicking us out?!”

“I don’t want to be cramped. And I don’t want to sit next to you or Debbie.”

Christoph replied to Walden with an utterly nonchalant look. Walden gaped, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at Christoph.

“No, that’s not what I meant, if you’re going then you have to——What the hell is wrong with you, that damn aversion to touch. You’ve slept with someone before, why are you so averse to touching people now?!”

Walden grumbled, asking if he smelled or if Christoph hated him, but immediately shut up when Christoph glared at him menacingly.

“I said I’ve slept with someone, I never said it was a lover!”

Christoph spat out the words coldly, his face completely pale. Then, suddenly, as if he couldn’t stand it any longer, he turned and got into the car without another glance back.

“What, so you slept with someone who wasn’t your lover? You? Don’t be ridiculous!” – Walden muttered as he climbed into the car after Christoph.

Only Debbie and Jack remained behind. Debbie glanced at Jack and said: “I’ll get in the car first,” then shoved Walden further inside. And finally, they were all in the same car. They just needed Jack to get in the passenger seat and they could depart. Jack, reluctantly taking the lead, scratched his head and looked at Richard awkwardly. Then he froze.

Richard had a strange expression on his face.

While not outwardly visible, there was something odd about his expression. It wasn’t anger or annoyance at being rejected. He stared fixedly in the direction of the now-gone Christoph without blinking, as if he’d just heard something unimaginable—or something incomprehensible.

“Umm…… thanks for the offer, but we think we can manage like this. So, we’ll be going now.”

Jack gave Richard a friendly smile, then turned to give a slight nod to Richard, who had also turned back to look at him, and climbed into the passenger seat. The car started moving as soon as he closed the door.

Jack watched Richard’s car shrink in the rearview mirror, then sighed when they disappeared completely from sight. He then turned to look at Christoph in the backseat through the rearview mirror and yelled,

“WHY DID YOU DUMP YOUR COUSIN ON ME, CHRISTOPH TARTEN?!”

“If he was talking to this group, shouldn’t you be the one responsible?”

“He’s your cousin!”

“The offer was extended to the whole group.”

Jack glared at the person who answered so cheekily, then sighed and turned away.

“What’s up? Did you two have a fight?”

“Uh…… nothing out of the ordinary.”

Christoph replied in a somewhat puzzled tone. Debbie, who was fidgeting because three grown men sitting shoulder-to-shoulder was a bit cramped, fell silent and closed her legs after receiving an annoyed look from Christoph, then tilted her head.

“For someone of his standing, he’s quite down-to-earth, always smiling and treating everyone well, good personality, good reputation. What’s the problem that makes you two so incompatible?…… I can guess.”

A down-to-earth, kind man with a good reputation, and a difficult, perfectionistic, and grumpy man…… Anyone could see who the problem was.

Christoph gave Debbie a cold stare and snorted, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking—it certainly wasn’t the first time he’d heard such remarks.

“That guy is always looking for a fight with me.”

“Someone like that would take the time to come all the way to Riyadh?”

Christoph fell silent. He frowned as if to retort, but ultimately said nothing.

——That was the strange thing. The fact that that man kept visiting. Doing nothing but visiting made Christoph incredibly uncomfortable.

Though it only happened every few months, Christoph knew how much effort Richard had to put in to carve out even a few days of free time. Yet he still came regularly, just to relax by Christoph’s side and then leave, which was exceedingly strange.

That’s why Christoph didn’t want to listen.

The strange words that came out of that man’s mouth sounded so genuine, and he hated that he even entertained the possibility that they might be true—even though he knew they weren’t. That’s why he didn’t want to hear them again. Those words made his heart heavy and sink,——they frightened him. He didn’t want to hear the cold, mocking laughter that always followed.

Sometimes, that man wore an expression like he was dying of worry, his eyes pleading as if every word he said were sincere—but that fragile trust had already been broken.

“……”

Christoph stared out the window and clicked his tongue. His ears were starting to ring again. He felt like his head was about to explode. He needed to get back to his room and take his medication immediately.

They arrived at the hotel quickly. Thanks to the driver taking a shortcut, they even arrived before their captain, who had departed earlier. Christoph massaged his temples while listening to Jack call the captain to inform him of their arrival. The throbbing in his head started to accelerate. The dull, thumping headache accompanied by a heavy, uncomfortable feeling made his head spin.

“What’s wrong, Christoph?”

“Do you have any medicine?”

“It’s in my luggage. Are you getting a headache again?”

Debbie clicked her tongue and said: “Hold on, I’ll ask at the front desk”, then disappeared into the hotel. Christoph closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Although he knew over-the-counter medications didn’t work for him, he felt like he needed to chew on something right now.

Just then. Christoph suddenly opened his eyes. And he quickly turned his head.

“……!”

Directly behind him, not even a step away, a man was standing there. The man, startled by the sudden eye contact with Christoph, froze and stared at him with a surprised expression. That man, whom Christoph had never spoken to much, was also one of the bodyguards hired by Al-Faisal. He had also just arrived and was waiting for Al-Faisal.

“What?”

Christoph’s senses were on high alert. As he asked coldly, the man fumbled in his pocket.

“Ah…… nothing…… I was just looking to see if I had any medicine…… but it seems I don’t.”

The man mumbled and slowly backed away. Christoph kept his gaze fixed on the man until he turned away and blended into the crowd. Then Christoph looked away.

He wasn’t interested in that kind of person. He wanted to get back to his room before his headache got any worse. Christoph clicked his tongue and rubbed his temples a few times.

Soon, the cars arrived. Christoph saw Richard step out of the first car among the three or four that stopped simultaneously. He frowned at the sight of Richard, but then his expression softened as he saw the captain emerge from the car behind. Al-Faisal had arrived. He could now return to his room after confirming Al-Faisal had entered his.

The bodyguards moved into position. Some went ahead to check Al-Faisal’s room and hallway to ensure security, some escorted Al-Faisal to his room, and some stayed behind to double-check everything.

Christoph, responsible only for security on the first floor, moved toward Al-Faisal. His position was behind the captain.

But just then. While his vision was momentarily obscured by the people moving into position.

“……—”

Christoph abruptly stopped. And he instantly changed direction. At that very moment, a blade sliced through the air at his side, where he had been about to step.

The blade only grazed the edge of Christoph’s coat. A blade sharp enough to easily cut flesh.

“When my head hurts, my senses are sharper, you dingbat……”

Christoph’s bright blue eyes began to darken. Behind him was the man who had blended into the crowd earlier. The man flinched at Christoph’s gaze, but he gripped the knife in his hand and lunged toward Christoph again.

The first thing Christoph did was scan for Al-Faisal. He made eye contact with the old man, who seemed to have sensed something amiss and was looking in his direction. Beside him were the captain and the other bodyguards who were always on alert and watching carefully. Only after confirming Al-Faisal’s safety did Christoph turn back to the man.

The surrounding people quickly scattered upon noticing the commotion. As a small space cleared around them, the man’s knife was already in Christoph’s hand. The man stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet, and cried out as his elbow dislocated when Christoph wrenched the knife away.

“You bonehead…… Who sent you? No way a dimwit like you was hired by someone decent. Is this a warning?”

Christoph looked down and approached the man. The man shrank back as Christoph twirled the knife in his hand and advanced on him step by step. The man trembled and tried to say something, but the next moment, the knife was plunged deep into his shoulder. Not only did the man scream, but a few onlookers, who had been curiously watching the unfolding events, also cried out in horror.

“I’ll ask again. Who sent you? Or should I find out myself?”

“CHRISTOPH! STOP, CHRISTOPH!”

Christoph’s voice was almost drowned out by the screams as he twisted the knife slightly in the man’s shoulder. At that moment, a hand grabbed Christoph and tried to restrain him. It was Jack.

Glare. Christoph fixed his icy stare on Jack. Jack unconsciously flinched at Christoph’s piercing blue gaze. He slowly released his grip on Christoph and raised his empty hands as if in demonstration.

“……”

Christoph coldly glared at Jack, then opened his hand, which was gripping the knife. He immediately straightened up.

A handkerchief was offered to him. Christoph looked up and saw Richard standing there. Christoph hesitated slightly, then silently accepted the pristine white handkerchief. Richard finally looked down at the man who was trembling, his face smeared with tears and snot. After examining the man’s shoulder, he seemed to deem the wound not too serious, then looked back at Christoph.

‘I told you so. Coming here to work as outside security at this time is foolish.’

Christoph frowned slightly, sensing Richard’s gaze conveying that message. That silent look was more irritating than being attacked a hundred times by a suspicious idiot lurking around with dubious intentions from the start. And then, as Richard finally spoke after that silent gaze, Christoph glared at him, ready to scoff at whatever he said.

However, contrary to expectations, Richard didn’t address Christoph.

“Mr. Faisal, I have a somewhat abrupt request, please forgive me.”

Richard looked at Al-Faisal and gave his usual calm smile. Before Christoph could even raise an eyebrow, Al-Faisal, who had been observing them, narrowed his eyes and nodded.

“Recently, the Tartens have received some disturbing news. It seems someone is threatening the safety of my relative, Christoph Tarten, who is currently working for you. It seems he may have made some foolish mistakes while in your employ.”

Richard spoke gently, but deliberately framed the responsibility for the incident on Al-Faisal’s side. However, Al-Faisal undoubtedly understood. An old man who had lived his entire life amidst fierce truces, harboring hundreds of snakes in his heart, how could he not understand? That the person targeting Christoph was related to someone close to him, and the reason was due to actions Christoph had taken in the past that benefited him.

Al-Faisal feigned distress and chuckled: “Oh, that is serious indeed……”, his expression unreadable. Richard gave a slight nod and continued.

“Therefore, although he is currently under your employ and not a member of my family, I would like to ensure his safety while he is here. I hope you will understand my overstepping of boundaries.”

Christoph’s expression shifted. He glared coldly at Richard, but Richard didn’t even glance at him as he continued.

“Of course, I have no intention of interfering with his work for you. I simply wish for the Tartens to look after him after he completes his duties for you.”

“Hmm…… so what you’re suggesting is……?”

As Al-Faisal tilted his head and asked, Richard smiled.

“Naturally, you have already arranged accommodations for him, but would it be permissible for me to arrange separate accommodations for him without inconveniencing you?”

A polite request came from his mouth. And at the same time, Christoph, who had been glaring at Richard, widened his eyes. His cold lips seemed about to form the words: ‘I don’t want to’, but he appeared too stunned to speak.

A brief silence fell. Al-Faisal looked at Richard, then at Christoph, then back at Richard again. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards.

“I’ve heard that the Tarten family is very close-knit, and now I see it. It must be due to the head of the family’s attentiveness……. Well, I have no reason to refuse. While that young man is in my employ, it’s not a bad thing for him to receive some family care for a few days.”

“Make the arrangements as Mr. Tarten has requested,” – Al-Faisal said to the assistant standing beside him. The assistant nodded and signaled to the captain. The captain seemed slightly surprised, but then calmly nodded and said: “Yes, I understand.”

Al-Faisal smiled at Christoph and said: “It’s good to see family getting along.” Christoph simply stood there, his face frozen. Then, Al-Faisal lingered beside Christoph for a moment before saying: “This way”, and followed the assistant, along with a group of people surrounding him. The captain, passing by, glanced briefly at Richard, then looked at Christoph and said: “Let me know where you’ll be staying. We need to keep in touch”, and then left.

Jack and Debbie cautiously approached Christoph, helped the man who was sprawled on the floor, still trembling, to his feet, and said to Christoph: “See you later”, before turning away.

After everyone had dispersed, Hans, who had been standing awkwardly with the others behind Richard – seemingly also taken aback by this turn of events – cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Well then…… we’ll need to book another room.”

“If possible, book it near my room, Hans.”

Hans nodded at Richard’s words. However, he froze when he heard Richard’s next instruction.

“And move your things there.”

“……Huh?”

Hans looked at Richard blankly and asked again. Hans usually shared a room with Richard on business trips. For work reasons, they often booked rooms with separate bedrooms, and this time was no different. Hans’s luggage was, of course, in the smaller bedroom of the suite he shared with Richard.

After a moment of bewilderment, Hans seemed to grasp what was happening and muttered with a puzzled look: “Alright…….” However, Christoph, who had been silently observing Richard this whole time, cut him off and said coldly: “No need.”

“Your relative? Tarten protecting me? Don’t make me laugh…… Fine, I don’t care if Al-Faisal, Miller, or you are paying, I’ll stay in any room, but I won’t stay in your room.”

As Christoph flatly declared, Richard simply stared at him for a long moment. He blinked slowly as if pondering something, then calmly asked,

“Why?”

“Why……,”

Christoph frowned slightly. The question was so obvious he couldn’t even think of a reason. Why wouldn’t he want to go to that man’s room?

Richard raised an eyebrow at Christoph’s silence and hesitation.

“Because I want to sleep with you?”

Richard’s low voice was as calm as ever, and Christoph didn’t register what he had just said. Christoph blinked in disbelief and stared wide-eyed at Richard. Richard looked at Christoph and repeated his words in a lower volume, almost a whisper:

“Are you worried that this time I won’t just stop at kissing you while you’re sleeping?”

Richard didn’t flinch at Christoph’s increasingly frigid expression.

“Do you think what I told Al-Faisal was a lie? No, it wasn’t. Tarten is a name I must protect. At least in my presence, no one can harm anything bearing the name Tarten. Including you, Christoph Tarten.”

Even you, whether you like it or not, as someone bearing the Tarten name, he wouldn’t allow you to carelessly put yourself in danger. The head of the Tartens was declaring as much.

Only then did Richard’s stern gaze soften. He added gently, as if concluding his point,

“Bring your things here. My room is as safe as Al-Faisal’s.”

“——Do I look like the kind of person who would be threatened by some idiot like that, even if I were lying sprawled in the middle of the street?”

Christoph stared directly at Richard with a cold gaze, scoffing at the words “safe” and “danger”. A cold smile touched Richard’s eyes.

“Ah, right. Former member of the T&R Private Task Force, the main player in the ‘European Killing Fields’, Christoph Tarten, who walked out of piles of corpses stacked high as mountains. Alright, let me ask you something else then. What exactly is someone as fearless as you so afraid of? You’ve been looking at me like you’re shellshocked this whole time. ——Are you even scared of stepping into my room?”

The corner of Richard’s mouth curled up in mockery. But those eyes, looking down at Christoph, were filled with coldness. Christoph glared back at him.

“Afraid——”

“Then let me tell you. Don’t worry, unless you spread your legs in front of me and beg me to put it in, I won’t lay a finger on you. Is that enough?”

The low voice echoed in Christoph’s ears. The expression on Richard’s face had vanished at some point. The mocking smirk, the cold gaze, were all gone, replaced by a blank expression. As if he were desperately trying to suppress his emotions.

Christoph stared at Richard’s impassive face, seemingly speechless. And Richard, who had been looking at Christoph with indifference, suddenly clenched his jaw. In that brief moment, as if something had welled up inside him, he blurted out,

“If you’re going to flinch away from me every time you see my face, you might as well just come slit my throat while I’m sleeping! If you hate me that much, then do that, just stop looking at me with those eyes!”

Richard spoke as if exploding with anger, then abruptly fell silent. The members of his entourage, who had been standing not far away and observing their conversation with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, looked at him in surprise. They seemed incredulous, as though it were the first time they had ever seen him display such emotion.

Richard, too, as if regretting the unintentional outburst of emotion, frowned and stared into space for a moment. He sighed, then turned coldly to the man standing behind him.

“Carlton, take his things to my room.”

He indicated Christoph with a jerk of his chin, then turned and walked away, his body ramrod straight. And Christoph stared at his retreating back, eyes wide and unblinking, until Hans – the last one remaining after the others had hurried after Richard – hesitated for a moment, then said to him: “……Let’s go.”