“…….”

“No, never mind, let’s pretend I didn’t just say that. They say there are three people in the world who look alike, so, ……..”

“All right.”

“What?”

His eyes sparkled with the hope that maybe, the next moment, he would be saddened by the reply that came back.

“I’ll be your friend.”

“You’ll be my friend? But friends are equals…”

“No one in the world is equal to me.”

“…….”

It was an absurd remark. It was a tasteless answer, but Killian spoke with so much confidence that Damian couldn’t think of anything else to say back.

The man seemed to be only a few years older, but also appeared to be a distant adult. Besides, he was a man whom he could not grasp at all, whether he was kind, cold, or just whimsical. While the flustered Damian hesitated, Killian whispered a condition.

“But first, you have to promise me something.”

“What is it?”

“That you won’t tell anyone about me.”

“No one? Not even my mother?”

“No one.”

“But there’s no such thing as a secret between my mom and me…….”

“I’m a ghost.”

Killian, who put his hands placed on his knees, replied.

“It doesn’t matter what you do with a mere ghost.”

“Really… Is that so?”

Instead of replying, he nodded and pulled up Damian’s covers, which had come down to his waist up to his chin.

“It’s getting late. Sleep. now.”

“But… I just woke up…. I can’t sleep, …… can we talk some more?”

“No. Time to sleep.”

“I didn’t even get to know your name-……”

A large palm landed on his eyes to cover his sight. Gently closing his eyes, Killian gently stroked Damian’s forehead with his index finger. The repetitive touch was incredibly soothing, and the drowsiness came gradually. After a long yawn, Damian fell into dreamland. Once he made sure his son was completely asleep, Killian quietly stood up.

When he left the child’s bedroom and entered his office,  Jenok, who had been waiting for him in advance, rose and bowed silently. As soon as they sat down on the couch facing each other, the first got straight to the point. 

“Even if what happened in the park previously was really unexpected, someone must have deliberate and planned what happened this time. I can’t help but think that it may have something to do with the murder of that woman, Anna.”

“On what basis?”

“The body of the hunter who was on duty today was found. He was killed in the same manner. No matter how I see it, it’s ominous and the people in charge were afraid of being blamed so they tried to bury the body under the bushes.”

“So I assume it wasn’t the queen.”

“There is no reason for her to do such a thing in her territory. It just doesn’t make sense for her to do it this way. Most of all, the fact that the target for these attacks wasn’t Miss Philone but her son.”

“That’s true.”

 Kilian, who had been searching through the inside of his jacket out of habit, got up and opened a mahogany table drawer.