World's Best Protagonist [BL]

Claude didn’t say anything when the beam crashed down. He just grabbed me. His arm locked around my shoulder and pulled me to the ground, shielding me from the sudden wave of smoke and splinters.

The impact of his body against mine knocked the wind out of my lungs, but all I could think about—while ash fell like dirty snowflakes around us—was the way he said it earlier.

Our meeting wasn’t the best, so I’d understand if he said it to me back then, before when we had fought monsters together, when we hadn’t eaten countless meals in his Sanctum together, and when we hadn’t shared our vulnerable sides to each other.

Now, after all that, he’s telling me he doesn’t like me.

I couldn’t even bring myself to ask why and how that happened.

I couldn’t think of any valid reason. But hey, who needs one to dislike a person? Maybe he really just doesn’t like me. That’s all.

The fire crackled behind us. Something hissed. But Claude moved first.

He rose, brushing soot from his arm, then turned to offer me a hand. His brows were furrowed—not from anger this time, but that silent worry he always tried to hide like a failing secret.

He didn’t say anything, just scanned me for injuries with his eyes, then pulled me up without a word.

He doesn’t like me, but he’s worried. Can I take it that he just lied to shut me up? I’m certainly not deluding myself that he likes me, but I’m convinced that these past few days, I’ve become quite somehow...likable, right?

I mean, unlike before. So, maybe, if I leave him be, and he pondered it for a bit, he’d come to me and take it back. Yep. Jade. You’re pathetic.

He really doesn’t like me? Me? I almost asked. Almost demanded clarification.

But then he bent down and picked something up off the ground—the cufflink, glinting faintly beneath the ash—and stared at it.

"We should continue the search," he said flatly, tucking it into his coat.

So this is it. End of discussion. He didn’t even glance at me. I was extremely dismayed, but I tried to just forget it. It’s better this way. He’ll leave anyway, so I’m not going to attach myself to him more than I already am.

I exhaled slowly through my nose and dusted myself off.

"Sure. Lead the way."

We walked. We moved past the ruined house and beyond the forest.

The air shifted gradually from smoky to crisp, and the trees thinned as we descended along a winding path that looked barely used. We were hoping—hoping to find a village, a road, someone who could tell us more about this noble insignia.

Instead, we found a bear. Or rather—a boy being chased by one.

"Claude!" I yelled, already sprinting.

He looked at me with shock for a moment before disappearing from my sight. Ah. I just called his name out loud. I always call him ’captain’, and only use his name in my head, but... that doesn’t matter anymore.

He doesn’t like me anyway.

The boy was maybe twelve or above, all skinny limbs and ragged breath, stumbling through the underbrush like a deer in panic. The bear crashed behind him with a furious snarl, close enough to rake a claw through the back of the kid’s shirt.

Thankfully, it didn’t happen. Because Claude appeared between them like smoke, sword gleaming and ready to kill.

He struck the wild animal precisely and fast a few times. The bear dropped mid-lunge with a pained groan, slumping to the earth with a final thud.

I skidded to the boy’s side, falling to my knees. "Hey—hey, you okay?"

He didn’t answer right away. He was shaking, eyes wide, staring at the bloody bear like it might still get up. I patted his back to calm his breathing.

"It’s dead," I said softly, gently pulling him into a sitting position. "You’re okay now. You’re safe."

His mouth trembled. "It chased me... I was just looking for mushrooms and—"

"It’s okay." I gave him a shaky smile. "You’re safe now. We’re not gonna let anything happen to you."

Claude approached, wiping his blade clean. His expression hadn’t changed, but I could tell he was watching the kid carefully. He’s probably checking for injuries again. He always had that cold look, brows furrowed, and sometimes harsh speech, but he wasn’t indifferent to things.

His sense of justice and kindness are still inside him. He gave me a meaningful look, and I immediately understood what he meant.

I pulled the cufflink from my pocket and showed it to the boy. "Do you know this symbol, kid? Have you seen it anywhere before?"

The kid sniffled and shook his head. He barely glanced at the cufflink. He was still distraught, but we really need to find Etienne quickly.

Claude and I exchanged a look.

I stood and pulled the boy up, then said, "You should go home, kid. This forest is dangerous. We’re going on our way too."

The boy looked up at me, eyes pleading and filled with tears. "Can you... Can you send me home? Please? My parents... I want to go home. Maybe someone there knows it?"

Claude and I planned to follow the kid back home if he hadn’t offered. I was under the impression that the kid might be afraid of us after the bear was dead since we were still strangers to him, so I didn’t offer to send him home.

Fortunately, he asked. So, we followed him.

The forest opened up by late afternoon, and a humble village appeared past a hill—stone cottages with mossy roofs, narrow paths, and a well in the middle of the square. Chickens clucked somewhere nearby. People turned their heads as we approached, and then—

"Emil!"

A woman sprinted toward us, tears already running down her cheeks. The man who followed was older, broad-shouldered, with graying hair and a look of panic frozen on his face.

The boy—Emil—broke away from me and ran into their arms.

"My baby—oh gods, Emil, what happened to you?!"

"Mother, I’m sorry! I won’t go into the forest alone again! I promise!" Emil exclaimed, crying regretfully.

The mother, looking confused, turned to me. "We found him being chased by a bear. So, we saved him and brought him back."

The man turned to us, gripping Claude’s hand first. "Thank you so much! Thank you!"

Claude gave him a brief nod, then stepped aside to let me do the talking. I sighed, shaking my head once.

Then, I pulled the cufflink out again. "Sir, do you, perhaps, recognize this symbol?"

The man squinted. Then, without hesitation, he answered, "That’s the Lewellyn crest."

Claude moved closer. My eyes brightened. "Lewellyn?"

"Yes. Dukedom to the north," the man said, eyeing us with curiosity, probably wondering why we didn’t know a duke’s family crest. "We don’t see them much down here, but that eagle—that’s definitely theirs."

I glanced toward Claude. They don’t see them here often? Knights of the territory’s lord should be patrolling sometimes, right?

"Then... we’re not in the north?" I assumed that was the reason.

The boy’s mother stepped forward, smiling warmly. "No, dear. You’re in the east. The northern region’s far from here. At least a week’s travel on foot, maybe less if you catch a ride."

Claude’s jaw ticked as he did the mental calculations. I could feel his frustration even without looking at him.

Before either of us could suggest pushing on, the woman gently touched my arm.

"It’s almost dark," she said kindly. "I could see that both of you are exhausted. Please, stay the night. Let us thank you for saving our child."

Claude didn’t answer right away. I let him decide, but then my stomach grumbled. I then remember the bar of chocolates I stashed in my pocket. I was thinking of sharing them with Claude when his voice rang in my ears.

"We’ll stay," he said quietly.