World's Best Protagonist [BL]-Chapter 124: Jade Stays

The morning sun filtered through the jagged peaks, casting golden hues across the rugged terrain. Jade stirred, his body cocooned in warmth, wrapped in the captain’s cloak neatly. As he blinked away the haze of sleep, he realized he was fully dressed underneath, and his skin was already clean.

He yawned as he sat up straight, looking around. But Claude was nowhere to be found. He frowned. Disappointment flashed in his eyes. His body was surprisingly light, which means he rested well despite that night workout.

Well, only their hands were used, and looking back, Jade was relieved that they didn’t go all the way. Doing that inside a cave was too risky, and what if one of the members discovered them? Imagine the shame, the awkwardness.

"He probably went back to the camp," he murmured. He cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable from the dryness, or was it strained because of all that moaning?

Despite his best efforts to distract himself, he kept recalling everything that happened. Then, embarrassment would flush his cheeks.

He stepped out of the cavern, stretching his arms up, the cool morning air brushing against his face. The surroundings sounded so peaceful, so it was hard to believe that this place was once full of monsters.

As he made his way back to camp, a familiar figure approached from a distance. The gait was different, so before his heart began to race, he made sure it wasn’t him.

"Jade!" Allen’s voice rang out, his face lighting up with genuine relief.

Jade halted. He checked himself. Did he smell like cum? Thankfully, no. He sighed in relief, and then he offered a small wave as he met him in the middle.

"I should hurry and counsel Etienne. The way you leaped like your legs weren’t bleeding yesterday made me think Etienne pushed himself again, huh?"

Allen scratched the back of his head. "He’s too stubborn. I told him my legs are fine already, but he went over to check the four of us this morning again."

"The four of you?!"

"Yeah."

"And, he’s still fine?"

"Somehow. That’s why I’m here. To get you."

Jade shook his head. He could bet his fortune that Etienne felt guilty for not being here, and for insisting on helping Noir’s mother. Did he think they were just being forced to comply with his request?

"Then, let’s go back quickly." Jade moved forward, but Allen grabbed his hand, stopping him. He looked back and met his green eyes. "What?"

"Ah...nothing. Just glad you’re back," Allen said with a small smile.

Jade tilted his head. "You already said that yesterday. I guess your mind was fried from using too much of your power, you’re having memory loss."

Allen chuckled. "Maybe it’s because I wanted to say something else."

"Then, say it. What’s holding you back?" Jade continued walking. Allen let him go, only to throw a bomb that made him stop again.

"Okay. I miss you, Jade."

Jade did not look back. He kept looking ahead because he didn’t know what face to show. He gulped and forced himself to answer. "Allen, I—"

"You told me to say it, and I did. I’m not looking for a reply of ’I miss you, too’, you know? Don’t think too much about it."

Allen chuckled, tapped him on the back, and went ahead. Jade followed him silently.

"I heard from Etienne that you and Captain went through so much while finding them. Can you tell me more about this world, Jade?" Allen said as he briefly glanced over his shoulder to look at Jade. "I’m sure my older brother would pester me about what happened here."

Jade knew Allen was just changing the topic to ease the tension. He caught up to him. "Isn’t it against the rule to tell someone about what occurs inside the vortex?"

"Except on an official report." Allen grinned boyishly.

"What’s the point of asking you when he can read the report anyway?"

Joseph Armand looked carefree, but Jade felt something was hidden by his innocent grin. However, he couldn’t voice out that suspicion in front of Allen, because Joseph was his brother.

"He likes to talk a lot."

Jade agreed. "But are we going to include Noir in the report?"

"No. I’m the one who does the report, so you can rest assured," Allen replied. "We will all be punished for stepping out of the monster’s lair and staying for too long. Though we don’t know how much time has passed in our world already."

"Just hours, maybe. A few months passed here, after Noir disappeared, while he stayed with us for two years."

"I see. That’s a relief. If we stay more than three days inside a vortex, reinforcement will be sent here. By then, we won’t be able to keep the monster alive."

Jade nodded in agreement. They talked some more until they arrived at the camp. As they approached the group, his eyes caught sight of Claude, and his heart skipped a beat.

"There he is," Jade muttered, his voice barely audible.

Allen noticed the shift in Jade’s demeanor, the subtle tension in his posture. He followed his gaze, and upon seeing who it was, his heart ached. He could see something spark between the two, and it pained him more knowing that Jade would not look at him the way he looked at Claude.

But it was still early to give up, so for now, he would endure the pain and look away.

"Is everything alright?" he inquired, feigning nonchalance.

"Yeah, just... thinking," Jade replied, his eyes fixed on Claude.

Their eyes met briefly, a flicker of emotion passing between them before they both looked away, ears both red. They both recalled what happened just by their eyes meeting.

Jade calmed himself as he approached Etienne. He sat next to him and began cleansing him in silence. Lexie had her eyebrow raised, wondering why Claude and Jade forgot to greet each other.

Terrius was just grilling a wild boar. He picked a stick, cooled it a bit, and then brought it to Jade’s mouth, who was dumbfounded.

"You look tired. Have some meat." It was Terrius’s way of saying thank you. So, Jade accepted it with his free hand. He commented that it tasted good, and Terrius looked relieved and a bit proud.

"You never compliment my cooking, but you think this simple grilled wild boar is good?"

"Someone’s jealous," Lexie remarked, giggling. Allen silently took the seat next to her and bumped her knees slightly all of a sudden, which made her stop. When she opened her mouth to ask, Allen shoved the food into her mouth. "Hey! You don’t really see me as a woman, do you?!"

Due to Lexie’s antics, the atmosphere became harmonious as they shared breakfast again after five days. Jade noticed the group of knights and the mage were already released, but they were huddled in a separate area.

After consuming half of the grilled meat, Claude cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention again. He shared the plan with them.

The group gathered, the atmosphere turning serious.

"Jade must stay."

Everyone turned to Allen. He reasoned, "Vice Captain and I are fine for now, but what if we overuse our ability again? The monster’s rampage increases the longer he is trapped inside that ice wall, and my barrier is still pushing him down to the ground. We apply another layer a few more times a day. Wouldn’t it be safer if Jade stayed here?"

"No. The longer Jade stays here, the more dangerous it is. He’s a Minder. With this distance, the monster will do everything to break free and reach him," Claude flatly refused.

"Then, he can stay somewhere far from here, but not as far as where you came from," Allen insisted.

Claude’s face darkened. "We have the help of a mage to teleport us back and forth. It will be safer if he’s as far away as he can from the monster."

They both have a point, everyone thought. So, no one was backing down.

"Excuse me, Captain," Etienne interrupted them. "I don’t think we should take Jade with us." He turned to Jade when he felt the latter shift to him. "We could only leave because Noir was there. But once he goes back to the palace, and we stay in the duke’s mansion, waiting for the day of the banquet, the duke will only be there to see us. I don’t think...he’ll help us as easily as he did last time."

"If that’s the case, then just return on the day of the banquet? What’s the issue?" Lexie asked, seemingly confused about the argument that seemed no big deal to her.

Etienne replied, "Apparently, there are still preparations to be made, which require my presence. It was Noir’s idea, so I really have to return. But Captain can—"

"No," Claude cut him off. He gave Etienne a stern look. "You won’t go back alone."

Jade felt his anger. He pondered for a moment. Why did he suddenly seem angry? He let go of Etienne’s hand since he was finished cleansing him. Etienne mumbled a thank you. He just nodded and let out a deep sigh.

There was an ugly feeling coiling in his stomach, and he hated it. He turned to look at Claude and spoke, "Etienne’s right, Captain. I also don’t trust the duke. I want the Vice Captain to come instead, since he—"

"I’m the one trapping the monster, so I can’t. Lexie should go."

Jade went silent. He almost spilled what he saw during Terrius’s Nightmare. He looked at the guy apologetically, but Terrius was just staring at the flames. He was lost in thought. Jade sighed, knowing what he might be thinking.

Why was he trying to play Cupid anyway? What he saw was just a tiny fragment of Terrius’s sentiments and memories. It’s not enough to be certain. Besides, they live in different worlds.