Chapter 83 - A Small Change

Act 8. There Are People in the World You Won’t Understand

I inched back slowly as I saw Achillios redden with joy. What was wrong with him? Was this the Achillios I knew? He was definitely behaving strangely! “I wanted to meet you as soon as I heard about you at the Vatican.”

“Me? Why?” I had a bad feeling. Why was Achillios so fixated on me? 

“I wanted to see for myself how cute you were since Callian kept talking about you so seriously.” Callian did that? That didn’t sound like him.

“I finally understand him now that I’ve seen you in person. Ha, I want to break a wall. No, this land…” I thought it best to pretend I didn’t hear him. He seemed to have muttered it under his breath anyway. “I’m glad you like me…But why are you here?” I asked. Did he think I was going to let it slide?

“Ah, I was watching over the treasure given by God.” I didn’t know there was something like that here. Achillios was looking straight at me. “Huh?” Wait…was he talking about me? “Ugh.” 

I shrunk back at his overbearing gaze and Kais grabbed my arm, “Come here.” He shielded me behind his back and stood on his guard.

“Oh…” Achillios returned Kais’s glare with a smile. As soon as he smiled, his eyes changed. He looked Kais up and down with a gaze that made me flinch. I was surprised to see Kais brush it off like it was no big deal. “So you’re Kais Salvatore, Princess Amelia’s slave and Master Berrict’s first disciple.”

“You know Kais?”

“Of course I do,” he was smiling, but I saw right through the facade. “I’ve got everyone in this palace dancing on the palm of my hand.” That much was true. He may have sounded like he was bluffing, but he was the number one person to avoid getting on the wrong side. I had been thinking about how to deal with Achillios, but I hadn’t expected him to show up like this. 

In the midst of the tension, Achillios smiled at Kais. “Berrict seemed quite taken by you. He said he is looking forward to the future. I’m quite shocked; Master Berrict is very picky,” he said rather kindly.

Kais’s expression changed. Maybe it was because he heard that his future master had a good impression of him. If this continued, he would be at a disadvantage. I had no choice but to step in. “So, what are you here for?”

“Pardon?” As soon as Achillios heard my voice, his whole face softened. He beamed as if he was a totally different person. 

“I don’t have anything, but I do want to ask for a favor.”

“A favor?” I looked at him curiously.  

Achillios grinned, “I heard that you purified His Majesty. Please purify me as well.”

He was a pervert. I was sure of it! I had heard such rumors floating around in the palace, but he was the first person who actually believed it. Was he joking? “I can probably exterminate you.”

“Exterminate…” Just as I was about to retract my words for going too far, Achillios’s eyes glistened with joy, “I’m okay with anything. As long as I can feel your touch…”

My pervert radar was going off the charts. Terrified, I hid behind Kais’s back, but Achillios didn’t even blink. I was starting to see him in a new light: he was the world’s biggest pervert. 

***

Achillios was so memorable that Kais had only one thing to say, “Be careful of him.” What a rare sight. “I didn’t think I’d live to see you worry about me,” I teased. I was so shocked that I thought the sun had risen from the west. Remembering what had happened yesterday, I peeked behind me. I happened to make eye contact with Achillios, who had been following me. Why in the world was he following me?! When we looked at each other, Achillios blushed with happiness. I was utterly confused by his behavior.

“Princess, if you keep looking at me like this, I won’t be able to hold back.”

I quickly hid behind Luciana when I heard his vague threats. Regardless of what happens, I didn’t want to make an enemy of him. “I apologize, Your Grace. The princess is shy around strangers.” 

“She’s adorable even when she’s shy!” 

“She’s feeling a bit uncomfortable.” 

“It’s fine. Please don’t mind me. I’m just like the air.” Luciana looked at me, speechless. She made a face to say that she couldn’t go against him any longer. ‘Luci, what’re you doing? You should be winning!’ I thought.

‘I don’t want to go against him anymore. Please give up.’

‘No!’ I made a face asking her to send Achillios away, but Luciana shook her head. If even the mighty Miltiades couldn’t keep his worst subordinate in line, then it was impossible for Luciana to do anything. I had no idea why in the world he was so fixated on me. The only good thing about Achillios finally revealing himself was that I stopped feeling like someone was snooping around on me. Did that mean he was stalking me?