After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 12

Ayla had never seen this man before. Was he a noble from the capital?

She felt nervous, wondering if he might be someone she knew. The man gave a small shrug and spoke playfully.

“Everyone wears masks around here. Who knows when or how we might have met. I was just joking, so don’t be so surprised.”

“Do you know me?”

“That’s a tricky question to answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know your face, but nothing else.”

“Most people would just say no.”

“Would they?”

The man let out a quiet laugh and took another sip of his drink. After swallowing, he leaned an elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand as he met her eyes.

“All right then, mysterious young lady. What brings you here?”

“Why do you want to know?”

Ayla replied calmly and subtly observed him. He was tall and well-built, his posture elegant and composed. Even with half his face hidden behind the mask, it was clear he was handsome.

If he were a noble from the capital, he would surely be well-known in high society. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she could not place him.

His clothing, while refined, didn’t follow the fashion trends of the capital. That made it more likely he was from somewhere else.

“I told you already. I didn’t think you’d come back. I have a pretty good sense about these things.”

“I had something I needed to do.”

“I can guess. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Something like that?”

“What?”

“Revenge for betrayal. Is that why you’re here?”

Ayla’s mouth fell open at his bold remark. In that instant, she was certain. He was not from the capital. People there would never speak so bluntly.

Still, how could he say something like that after witnessing what happened that day?

She had no words. Her lips parted as if to respond, but instead, she picked up her drink and emptied it in one gulp.

It was absurd, but not entirely wrong.

Her mind was made up.

Just as Ayla opened her mouth, the man also spoke.

“Maybe you should go back before you do something you regret.”

“If you’re willing, would you spend the night with me?”

“What?”

The man blinked, clearly caught off guard. In his red eyes, her determined gaze was reflected.

Silence fell between them.

Leo was caught off guard for the first time in a very long while.

First, he wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. Second, he couldn’t understand what on earth she was thinking. And third, her behavior was still frustrating.

No, he wasn’t exactly angry. Just bothered.

How could someone say something so outrageous and still look at him with such clear eyes?

Leo clicked his tongue and spoke in a calm, almost scolding tone.

“Repaying a debt isn’t a bad thing. But using betrayal to answer betrayal is a bit cliché. Wouldn’t it be better to just steal something from the guy instead?”

“Steal something?”

“Cut it off.”

“Cut it…”

Ayla’s face turned red as she finally understood. She shouted in protest.

“That’s not what this is. I just came to find a man to spend the night with.”

“A man to spend the night with?”

He disliked that even more.

This girl had no idea how dangerous that kind of talk could be.

As he frowned, Leo looked at her again. Then he corrected himself.

She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

Not when she looked him in the eye with such a serious expression. Not when enough time had passed for her to grow into someone who could make a man stop and stare.

Her pale blue eyes, still filled with emotion, locked onto him as she asked her question.

“Yes. So, what I want to know is, do you have any interest in spending the night with me?”

Leo let out a short, dry laugh. He ran a hand over his face.

She really wasn’t the same girl from that day. Now, she even knew how to seduce a man.

When he opened his eyes again, Ayla was still watching him closely, clearly nervous.

Her lips were tightly pressed together, and for some reason, his heart began to beat a little faster.

Maybe it was about one-fifth. No, one-third. Something like that.

For someone like him, who never lost his composure even in front of top-tier magical beasts, this reaction was unusual.

Leo knew very well that he should refuse. That would have been the reasonable choice. But somehow, his lips moved on their own.

“If I say no, are you going to look for another man?”

“Yes.”

Ayla nodded without hesitation. Her answer held firm conviction.

Another man. That idea was even more irritating.

Leo traced the rim of his glass with his long fingers and, acting on impulse, spoke again.

“Fine. But I have a condition.”

“A condition?”

“If this isn’t revenge, then why are you looking for a man?”

“Is that the condition? Answering your question?”

“I’m the kind of person who can’t stand not knowing things.”

“I see. All right, I’ll tell you.”

Ayla smiled calmly, her expression unfazed.

“But I have a condition too.”

“Go ahead.”

“I’ll tell you after we spend the night together. That’s my condition.”

She’s clever.

Leo let out a dry chuckle and stood up, as if surrendering to her terms.

“Like I said, I’m not good at resisting curiosity.”

“What?”

“Shall we go upstairs? Now I really want to hear your answer.”

Leo extended his hand toward her with a faint smile.

Ayla placed her small white hand in his, letting it rest inside his large, calloused palm.

I must be out of my mind. Did I get too much beast blood on me?

Leo walked ahead through the hallways of the Moonlight Manor, leading her toward a room on the third floor. The thought kept echoing in his mind.

Inviting a woman into his room? That was something the usual Leo would never do. He felt strangely conflicted.

It wasn’t like he was drunk either.

No matter how he searched for a reason, nothing seemed to make sense. If he could at least find an excuse, he might be able to rationalize his behavior, but nothing came to mind.

As he turned the corner, he spotted one of his men standing in the distance, completely stunned.

The subordinate looked genuinely shocked to see Leo heading toward a private room with a woman.

Leo couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.

If Jade is reacting like that, Dex would faint if he found out.

He quickly shook his head at the thought of his overly dramatic vice-captain.

It was a relief that he arrived in the capital before them. He could only imagine the kind of trouble they would cause if they knew he had brought a woman into his room.

Still, maybe he should stop. Maybe it wasn’t too late.

But his legs kept climbing the stairs without hesitation, ignoring the chaos in his head.

This is absurd.

He glanced sideways at Ayla, his brows knitting slightly.

She didn’t seem to realize this area was off-limits to outsiders. She didn’t hesitate climbing the stairs that were strictly controlled. Even two days ago, when she got lost in the salon, it was clear she wasn’t familiar with places like this.

Why did she come back?

She had said this wasn’t about revenge, so why was she doing this?

Was it just a one-night escape, like the other women laughing and flirting downstairs?

Leo sighed and opened the door.

Am I really agonizing over something like this? I must be losing it.

But he didn’t have a choice. If he left her alone, someone else would have swept her away without a second thought.

First, he would hear her out. In a quiet place, face to face.

Leo turned to look at Ayla and let out a breath of disbelief.

Before he could say anything, Ayla stepped through the doorway.

She didn’t even hesitate.

You really have no fear.

Should he admire her courage or scold her for being reckless?

Frowning, Leo closed the door behind them. When he turned back around, he saw Ayla taking off her mask.

Oh, right. The mask.

Now that he thought about it, she still hadn’t seen his face.

He suddenly grew curious.

Would that little girl from before recognize him if he took off his mask?

She had been younger than him by a few years. It was unlikely.

Leo reached behind his head, loosened the mask, and looked straight at her.

Their eyes met in midair as if they had both been waiting.

Ayla stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and pressed her lips to his.

His eyes widened in shock.

The unfamiliar sensation of her lips sent his thoughts into a complete standstill. A sweet fruit scent, subtle at first, now flooded his senses.

His heart started racing, and in that moment, all rational thought snapped.

The balance between them shifted instantly.

“Wait.”

Ayla was in his arms, pushing against him with both hands. It felt so weak it almost made him laugh.

She grabbed his collar just a moment ago, and now she was trying to push him away?

Then something felt wrong.

Leo paused and looked at her closely.

A cold, sharp instinct crept down the back of his neck.

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