LAST DROP (BL)

Chapter 2

{later that evening}
Ever since kai heard Elver's name from that knight's mouth, kai felt as if someone had shook him to his core.
It had been thirty years since his rebirth and in all these years kai had been keeping a low profile making sure that no one linked to the imperial family took a notice of him. Since Elver was someone who was closest to Kai ever since he was young, he made sure to never cross paths with him.
.
During Kai's time as the crown prince, Elver had been someone who only cared about his royal duties and was a composed and rational person.
Kai thinks "so why am I hearing of him making trouble now? When he is supposed to be an old man ?"
....
Kai had thought of Elver not more than a couple of times in passing in all these years but taking an action was never an option for him in order to keep a low profile.
He returns to his room once his shift ends. Kai has a lot on his mind tonight. He's greeted by Liam soon after with Kai's favourite wine and some focaccia they baked at the tavern earlier today.
"U seemed tired today , so I brought your favourite wine and bread"
Kai chuckles lightly and says " I did not mean to trouble you"
.
Liam pours them a glass of wine each , and sits down next to kai.
"Is it the bar owner again ?" Liam asks kai
"I haven't even seen him since past two weeks , that reminds me, when was the last time u met him ?" Kai subtly changes the topic.
Liam doesn't question him further.
" I did see him around a week ago, he looked quite troubled."
"Troubled he says.. of course he would have to take some responsibility as the count's second son after the slum related corruption."
Kai thinks to himself.
.
{ after a while of chatting}
"There's something I wanted to ask you, have you seen those kids who visit us for the leftover food ? Those kids who come from that county border slum"
Liam asks kai
"....No? I haven't seen them lately."
Liam sighs and says " I hope they are okay"
.
[ Liam gets drunk and heads to bed first , kai follows ]
{3 AM, next morning }
Kai bolts out of his bed, puts on his overcoat and rushes out.
Kai follows narrow passages, away from public's eyes since he doesn't want to be spotted by anyone, especially the patrolling imperial guards.
Halfway through the slum, kai hears footsteps
(He rushes through a dark alley and hides behind a dumpster)
He carefully peeps through a small opening and observes the figures passing by, even in all that darkness kai can tell that it's the imperial guards
.
"If it wasn't for that anonymous complaint, we could have spent the night at the baron's tavern"
"I heard the maids working there have big jugs"
"and the booze is ridiculously good too"
"only two more hours to go and we will be back in our dorm"
(Kai over hears the guards talking)
.
"Who could be the complainant?"
Kai has some people in mind but he can't be sure of who at this moment.
Kai gets up and decides to follow a discreet route to the slums.
.
He's barely crossed a dark alley when he suddenly overcomes a grim feeling.
A feeling that there's an unusual presence in that darkness with him
He freezes in his path
The alley is long and it's end, far.
[Before kai can calculate how fast he must get out of there, he hears a loud thud behind him]
Kai's body tells him to not look back and get out of there instantly
But he looks back.
Behind him is a man, making squeaking sound, his guts spilling out while being choked by a hand that was definitely not of a human's
" ....ou son of a bi... ugh.. ..lver ....lin... argh sto...."
Kai pulled his hood down and ran off as fast as he could.
In that instant his purpose of stepping out didn't matter in the least .
.
"Who was that entity, was that a human? Was my face seen? What if I am being followed?"
.
Back in the alley, a man comes out of the shadowed path, wiping his hands.
"Wasn't that the bartender at the count's tavern? He didn't see my face, did he...?"
"I will have to make sure."
.
To be continued-