The taste of alcohol still lingered in his mouth. He washed his mouth thoroughly but the flavor simply wouldn’t leave.
"Which brand was it?" He muttered, massaging his forehead to get rid of the headache that had been torturing him since morning. No matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t remember how he returned to his bedroom from his study.
It was already noon, and almost lunch time but the effect of the alcohol still lingered in his body.
"You shouldn’t drink when you have work the next morning, don’t you think?" Zion chuckled.
"When did you get here?" Zayden frowned. "Don’t you think you should ask for permission before entering my office?"
"How scary," Zion pulled a chair and sat on it, facing Zayden. "You didn’t send Ashley into my room. I had to spend my rut alone! Do you know how painful that was?"
"Don’t be dramatic," Zayden scoffed.
"Dramatic... of course. Wait until you spend a rut alone. Then, I’ll ask you."
Not caring about his warnings, Zayden continued to look through the documents. Letters sent by omegas who requested to be freed from their alpha mates.
"Bond breaking requests."
"This many?!" Zion gasped. "I hope my Ashley never sends you a letter. You might just approve it."
"I have nothing against you but... If you do harm him, however, then I am afraid I will proceed with that."
Zayden didn’t bother himself to reply. He read a few letters, but most of them didn’t appear to be actual requests for breaking the bond. It appeared more like they had grown tired of their mates—not that their mates abused them as they wrote.
"Bunch of liars..." He muttered, leaning his head backwards.
"Send some knights to investigate the owners of these letters, Zion."
"You can return to the city of Jewels and resume your duty as a guard at the palace."
Upon hearing that, Zion sprang to his feet.
"I shall obey your every command, Sir!" he bowed, rushing towards the exit.
The door slammed closed in a few seconds.
Zayden sighed, turning towards Ren. He had been standing there like a ghost. Had he not caught the servant’s reflection in the small glass ink bottle, he might never have known he was there.
"Get me a glass of water," he ordered.
Ren left with quick steps. A few minutes later, he returned, a glass full of water and two ice cubes in it. He placed the glass before Zayden without saying a word.
Zayden drank the water, placing the empty glass beside him.
"Are you... alright?" Ren asked.
Zayden had swallowed the ice cubes that hadn’t melted yet.
"Mhm... Just a hangover."
Ren looked away, as if he were the one who forced Zayden to drink last night. However, the general didn’t behave differently from his usual self.
Although he kept brushing his hand on his head occasionally, he didn’t say anything to Ren. Nothing about his vague words—about being the killer of Eiran’s mother.
"Your eyes are red. Did you not sleep last night?" Zayden asked without looking up from the stack of papers in front of him.
Ren brushed the sides of his eyes. How could he fall asleep after hearing his nonsense last night?
"Never mind. Silly of me to ask you, out of all people, a question. You will just reply with one word," Zayden sighed. "You can return outside until I finish replying to these letters.
Ren bowed slightly, exiting the room silently. The general was right. He would have simply said: No. And the conversation would end right there. He didn’t understand why people beat around the bush when they could speak their mind straightforwardly. Unless they were hiding something...
Before he realized it, he stood outside the training camp. James sat on a bench, surrounded by other servants, eyes curious. Everyone was wondering how he managed to get the general’s forgiveness. But James wouldn’t reveal his secret—the duke’s plan—to these people who only needed topics to gossip about.
When he saw the silver-haired young man exit the building, he sprang to his feet.
"Ren is here! I will have lunch with him. You guys should eat too while you have the time," he grinned, turning his heels, rushing towards Ren.
"Who does he think he is, ordering us?"
"So arrogant. But over what?"
"Exactly. The general should have just killed him."
"Right, since when does he forgive traitors?"
Although they ’whispered’, they made sure Ren and James could hear them.
Ren looked at James, who ate his sandwich, unbothered by their words. Not that it bothered him—it didn’t concern him, but curiously, he asked, "Are you alright with them saying all these?"
"Why? Worried it upsets me?"
Ren shook his head immediately.
"You’re really funny," he laughed. "It doesn’t matter. As long as the general needs me, he won’t," with his hand held flat, he swept it across his neck in a mocking, beheading gesture.
"You are so calm about it. What if he changes his mind?"
"Ha ha ha ha. You truly don’t know the general."
Ren narrowed his eyes.
"Hmm... I believe my hatred for you is unjust. So I’ll forgive you. What happened with Cael was unfortunate."
Unable to understand why James brought it up, Ren kept quiet, listening to him.
"I made the mistake of listening to that damned duke. And he made the mistake to follow me... for love," he scoffed, as if mocking his own feelings.
Ren clenched his jaw.
"Why are you telling me all that?"
"Oh! Sorry, I was too caught up in the moment," wiping the tears at the corner of his eyes, he smiled. "I’m saying... I don’t hold you accountable for his death. And if I did, it would be wrong. I’m sorry for trying to strangle you too."
Still beating around the bush...
"So, the secret about the general, I’ll tell you," he grinned, leaning closer.
The trees rustled, a warm breeze blowing through his long hair. Ren’s eyes widened as he heard the secret of the general.
"No way," he mumbled.
"I’m telling you! I served him for a few years before all this happened. Trust my words," James smirked.