Damn! Damn! Chapter 22

Recognizing that it was the same guard from before, Achim forced a sheepish smile, wrinkling the corners of his eyes. He also noted that today felt like one of those days where he would trip and break his nose even if he fell backward, so he needed to be exceptionally careful.

The moment the guard saw Achim, his face lit up brightly, only to turn sullen immediately after. Severe mood swings, Achim thought. He offered a polite nod and started to pass him by.

— Yeah. He asked how you were doing this morning. And he said Wolfgang reported your daily schedule to him…

Suddenly, a memory flashed into his mind, and Achim slowly decelerated his steps.

Come to think of it… when Michael was spouting that nonsense before, hadn’t that guard been there with him?

“…!”

As the scene flashed vividly in his mind, Achim stopped dead in his tracks. He whipped his head back toward the guard.

It was you, the bastard who carried that ridiculous rumor.

Achim asked Wolfgang to wait a moment, then strode purposefully toward the guard.

Did this guy have any idea of the hardship he caused, making Achim the hot topic of the mansion for two whole days because of that goddamn rumor? Did he even realize he had thrown Achim’s name into the mouths of dozens of people?

Suppressing his boiling anger, Achim walked up and firmly grabbed the guard by the wrist.

“Excuse me.”

The guard turned to Achim with a startled look. Locking eyes with him, Achim spat out each word as if chewing them.

“I am not dating Mr. Michael.”

“…”

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding.”

“So I’m here to correct it,” Achim said, forcing the corners of his mouth up.

At that, the guard’s gaze dropped down to the hand gripping his wrist. Only then did Achim realize how tightly he was holding the man’s wrist and quickly let go.

“Ah…”

A short exclamation escaped the guard’s lips. For some reason, he looked a bit dazed.

Judging by the reaction, he had definitely misunderstood, so Achim felt it was a good idea to grab him and clarify things. Now that he had found the source, the rumor would likely die down soon.

The guard stared at his wrist, where handprints had formed in that short span, and suddenly flushed red. He then covered his mouth with his palm as if trying to hide his rising smile.

“I see.”

“…”

“Where are you headed right now…”

Just as the guard asked with renewed brightness, Wolfgang abruptly approached from nearby.

“Mr. Michael is waiting. Let us hurry.”

He had barely managed to clear up the misunderstanding. Why did Wolfgang have to bring up those useless words, and at this exact timing, of all things?

Achim secretly glared at Wolfgang, then nodded to the guard and took his leave.

“Nils…!”

Just as he was about to follow Wolfgang, the guard hurriedly grabbed Achim’s wrist and spoke.

“That’s my name. Nils Koch.”

“Ah, right. See you next time, Nils.”

He had absolutely no intention of doing so, but Achim left a polite farewell before turning his back.

He felt a bit relieved. Having rooted out the culprit and cleared up the misunderstanding, he even thought that today might not just be a string of bad luck after all.

Reaching the main building, Achim followed Wolfgang up the stairs to the third floor, just like yesterday.

Today, there were seven. Counting the increased number of guards on the central staircase compared to yesterday, Achim tilted his head in confusion. Does it change every day? I don’t think it’s ever been seven before.

Following yesterday’s office visit, he was certainly lucky to go to the bedroom today, but with the number of guards—which usually never exceeded five—suddenly increasing, Achim couldn’t be entirely happy.

He might steal the semen and escape this mansion as early as tomorrow, so if the existing data changed like this, it would disrupt the plans he had already laid out.

“Mr. Michael.”

The bedroom was on the opposite side of the office.

Wolfgang knocked a couple of times first before calling his name this time as well. And as expected, Michael didn’t answer, but Wolfgang stepped back and opened the door outward.

The moment he stepped inside, clack, the sound of the door closing echoed behind him. It seemed Wolfgang had no intention of entering this time either.

Then again, if it were business-related, he would have called him to the office, not to his personal space.

Then why on earth did he call him here? He couldn’t fathom the reason at all.

Raising his head to look around the spacious room, he saw a large sofa and a wardrobe on the left, along with a luxurious table and chairs suitable for having refreshments or doing light reading.

It was simpler than he expected, but it was still a space that made him think it was glamorous, matching its owner.

Hearing a presence, he turned his head to the right, and Michael soon revealed himself from a space next to the large bed. It seemed to be a passage leading to the bathroom.

Dressed in a robe, Michael walked out, running one hand through his damp hair to slick it back.

At the sight, Achim consciously shifted his gaze to empty space. It was because last night’s dream came to mind.

Whether he was in a robe or stark naked, it was something he wouldn’t have cared less about under normal circumstances. Damn it.

“You’re late.”

Toward the man walking with his trademark leisurely stride, Achim swallowed down the sarcastic words he wanted to say, like ‘the mansion is quite large, you know.’

And for good reason—the 30 minutes he had yesterday had been cut down by 10 minutes today, giving him only 20 minutes. At this rate, would it be cut by another 10 minutes next time?

…No, there shouldn’t be a next time.

Horrified inwardly, Achim hastily erased the thought.

“As you know, the mansion is quite large.”

Achim spoke as pleasantly as possible. At that, Michael faintly raised the corners of his mouth and closed the distance between them.

“Hmm…”

Hearing the hum, Achim habitually groped around his chest. It was the spot where his holster should be.

Deeply missing his Glock, which would be resting quietly in the counter drawer of his basement room right about now, Achim stared at the approaching Michael.

“Are you sure?”

“…”

“I asked if you’re sure that’s the reason you’re late.”

He had noticed this last time too, but this guy had a habit of being doggedly persistent about strange things.

Besides, hadn’t he called in a salaried worker who was about to go home, without even telling him the business? To act so shamelessly while personally practicing the abuse of authority.

Achim sighed inwardly but nodded outwardly.

“Yes.”

Michael, who had approached right in front of his nose before he knew it, crossed his arms and tilted his head at an angle. Then, before Achim could even register it, Michael pressed his nose against Achim’s neck and took a deep breath as if smelling him.

With the sudden contact, the fragrant scent of shampoo mixed with a fruity aroma pierced his nose all at once, causing Achim to inhale involuntarily.

“You brought a filthy scent with you.”

As his breath brushed against his neck the entire time he spoke, Achim felt like the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. Only then did Achim exhale the breath he had been holding and clutched his neck where Michael’s nose had almost touched.

“What…”

He had definitely showered in the morning. On top of that, he hadn’t even sweated today. He had no way of knowing what kind of smell Michael was talking about.

Achim lifted his arms alternately and sniffed himself here and there.

But having just come out of the laundry room, he only smelled like fabric softener instead. Do Royal Alphas smell things that regular people can’t? …This is getting exhausting.

Achim took half a step back while holding his neck. If he smelled, Michael could have just backed off on his own. The malice in going out of his way to approach and say such a thing was truly wicked.

Hearing to his face that he smelled didn’t make him feel good. But since he couldn’t bring himself to glare, Achim avoided his gaze and muttered like a monologue.

“…I washed.”

“…”

Whether the smell was quite terrible in its own way, Michael remained silent.

Sensitive bastard. Achim cursed inwardly and looked at him with an expressionless face.

“What did you call me for today?”

At that, Michael closed the distance again without a word.

It was incomprehensible why he would close the distance that Achim had taken the trouble to back away from, especially after openly insulting him for smelling.

Not wanting to hear the same criticism twice, Achim followed his lead and backed away another half-step. Then, the back of his head hit the door right behind him with a dull thud.

“Ugh…”

It was around the time Achim was rubbing the back of his head with the hand that had been holding his neck.

“Because I wanted to see you?”