World's Best Protagonist [BL]

"Hey. The captain said he doesn’t need you anymore—"

"Who are you to tell me that?!" Sabrina screamed. "He wants me! I’m the best Minder that can help him—"

"Well, flash news, Miss Obsessive Stalker! The captain found someone better than you! Someone who won’t take advantage of him and strip him—ow, ow!" Noir glared down at the hand that pinched his side.

Etienne was biting his lip, shaking his head once. He didn’t need to stop Noir. If he was worried that I might learn something unpleasant here, well, I already did. Just by seeing Claude’s trembling hands upon skin contact with this bitch, I knew something happened.

My heart burned. I don’t know. I just felt this surging rage inside me. Claude was clenching his teeth, his knuckles were white and strained.

I tapped Noir’s back. He turned to me and I gave him that knowing look. His frown disappeared, and a widening grin replaced it. He looked sinister. He stepped closer to Sabrina after that, his slightly larger build loomed over her petite one.

"W—What are you...trying to do?" Sabrina asked as she stepped backward.

Noir smirked. "I need counseling. You’re a Minder, so come on, help me."

"I don’t want to!" She yelled, but Noir grabbed her arm and dragged her into the nearest counseling room. "Claude! Help—"

She even tried to grab the frozen Claude, but I was quicker than her. I pulled him closer to me, as I waved at her. She screamed. What the hell is the NMA thinking, accepting a mentally disturbed person like that?

A Minder assaulting a Seeker? That’s unheard of. It is usually the opposite.

It’s evil to hope that Noir should teach that madwoman her lesson, and make her feel what she put the captain through, but I just know that even if he did, the girl would only feel victimized without realizing the impact of what she did to her victim.

Screw maintaining the team’s reputation. Noir should take revenge for our captain!

"Jade..."

I looked at Etienne upon hearing his worried voice. I was about to tell him not to worry about the team, when his gaze went past me and focused on Claude.

Claude was sweating profusely. Blots of black appeared on his exposed neck. My eyes widened. I immediately grabbed both of his arms and exclaimed, "What the fuck is wrong with you?! Have you not received any counseling at all?!’"

He shouldn’t be like this if today was the only time he refused. But if he kept refusing ever since our search began, then...

Oh, fuck her.

I pulled Claude to the next room, but he grabbed my arms tightly, shaking his head while his breathing was slightly labored. Damn it.

"Etienne, we’re going back home."

I didn’t wait for Etienne’s answer. I took Claude out, drove his car home, and as soon as we entered his Sanctum, he collapsed by the door. The blots on his skin increased. Thankfully, it hasn’t reached his eyes and brain yet.

I didn’t need the fucking monitor to see that his numbers were close to the dangerous level at all. I quickly sat next to him and channeled all his dark energy inside me. My gaze never left his sweaty face.

He was still breathing laboriously; his eyes shut closed, and his chin quivered slightly. I have never seen him this vulnerable before. A heavy feeling occupied my chest and I didn’t know how to lighten it.

It was unpleasant, uncomfortable, and goddamn frustrating.

Unconsciously, my left hand raised and brushed away the dumped hair sticking on his forehead. He flinched. I instantly pulled back, but then he caught my fingers and gripped them tightly.

I’m going to report that fucking NMA in the UAO, I swear. Why did they keep sending the same Minder to him?!

"...does the NMA know about this?"

Ugh. Jade! You and your big mouth! It’s not the time to ask such sensitive topics. Let’s just focus on cleansing him. I could feel that contaminated energy coursing in my veins. I took a deep breath.

"...no."

I paused. Then, after gritting my teeth, I replied, "Why? Are you ashamed? So, you didn’t report it?"

"Fuck, no."

"Then, why the hell are you enduring all this?! What if you didn’t bump into me? What the hell are those fuckers have on you that you don’t complain about everything at all?!"

My absorption surged. My veins felt like bursting from the increased energy. I have to calm myself. I don’t need to rush it. Both of us will end up unstable. My body started to feel hot, but I ignored it and just continued.

Claude stared at me for a long time. I didn’t insist on an answer and just sat next to him, falling quietly under his intense gaze.

"Do you remember?" I began, breaking the deafening silence. "You told me your name when you saved my life two years ago. Claude Vanderheinz, heir to the throne of the Vanderheinz Empire."

I chuckled. "Maybe the reason I didn’t recognize you even after knowing your full name was because the Claude that saved my life was different now. You were unrecognizable. Not only your appearance but your personality too."

Claude just listened.

"When I realized it was you, the first thought that came to mind was, what the hell have you gone through to change so much? I didn’t bother asking before. But now, I want to know more."

I let out a sigh. It was hot. I could feel my skin tingling, more intensely than before.

Claude shifted his body. Without saying anything, his hand pulled up his shirt to the other side, revealing a tattooed barcode just under his left armpit.

My eyes shook. Aren’t those kinds of barcodes found in trafficked humans? Why does he—

"Members of the 4th Quarter of the Central 12 Chambers, the ones managing the Otherworlders, put these on us. Without our permission. While we were held captive by them."

I touched the black tattoo. Claude flinched. "What are they for?"

"Chains."