[A week ago in Jakarta, Indonesia]

The large room was silent. A man was sitting on a large single chair covered in light brown leather.


In front of him was a glass table with several cans of beer and various cold drinks.

The man folded one leg over the other, staring alternately at the couches on the right and left sides, each occupied by another man.

"Have you thought this through, Pedro?" The voice of Kaisar Lefano--the leader of one of the organisations called The Reds, managed to break the silence.


The two men in front of him both reflexively turned their heads, as one of them was a fighter named Pedro Viscount.

The young man with jet-black hair nodded his head.


"My family already knows of my trail here, King," he replied firmly. "My coronation is in two weeks, and I need to get back."

The man, who was also nicknamed The King in their organisation, could only exhale softly. Pedro's departure from Indonesia would leave him short of personnel when Pedro was in perfect shape to be at the forefront of their organisation.

Two seconds of silence between the three of them until the other man who earned the nickname The Jaguar was heard clearing his throat quite loudly. The man with tattoos along both arms corrected his sitting position, looking straight at Pedro in front of him.

"So, you're returning to Germany?" he asked confidently.

Receiving a nod from Pedro Viscount in response, the man raised both eyebrows unwillingly.

"Tell me," pleaded Roman, the second most important man in The Reds organisation. "You'll give up your weapons and live as a nobleman. Is that what you mean?"

Pedro flashed a faint smile. Kaisar and Roman, the two bigwigs in the organisation that had forged him a year ago, seemed genuinely puzzled by Pedro's decision two days ago.

Suddenly, Pedro, one of The Reds' most reliable fighters, revealed his true self and said he had to leave the organisation.

"I don't really want to return, Jaguar," Pedro began. "I feel alive here with you guys, and I'm so grateful you accepted me to be a part of this organisation a year ago. But apparently, my escape can no longer be hidden, as my extended family has managed to sniff me out and force me to return home."

Kaisar was seen adjusting his hair in slow motion.

"I'm shocked," said the organisation's leader. "You were so good at hiding your identity that you were even willing to live a hard life like this and leave your palace in Germany. What exactly were you thinking when you ran away?"

Pedro widened his smile even more. This conversation no longer seemed formal as Roman moved to open his first can of beer. The man leaned back in his chair, seemingly ready to listen to Pedro's narration and explanation.

"I avoid arranged marriages," Pedro answered honestly. There was no longer any reason to hide his identity. For he was no longer a Reds fighter but the last son of the Viscount family residing in Germany.

"There's still too much of a tradition of arranged marriages among nobles like us," Pedro continued, but it didn't sound like he was bragging. "And I'm too young to live in wedlock with a woman who doesn't even stir my heart."

Kaisar and Roman exchanged glances. They were slightly surprised because the reason Pedro expressed was something neither of them had expected. Kaisar and Roman remembered Pedro as a young man with a good body and above-average strength when he was first asked to join their organisation.

Pedro was also one of the fighters who graduated quickly enough to become one of the most reliable fighters in The Reds.

Hearing how Pedro talked about women and love felt a little strange.

Kaisar took another deep breath. He exchanged a few seconds of glances with Roman before the man also picked up his first can of beer.

"I cannot ask you not to go," the King said. "We respect your decision to return, but remember that the organisation will always welcome you whenever you come."

The smile draped across Pedro's handsome face grew even higher, along with his relief at getting permission from the person he respected the most in their organisation.

"Thank you for all your help and guidance, King," Pedro said sincerely. "You've moulded me into a new person, and I'm sure my skills won't disappear even if I'm no longer with you."

Roman nodded his head, totally agreeing with what he had just heard.

"Being behind your team is my greatest honour, Jaguar," Pedro continued. "May your married life always be happy, and come to Germany whenever you want. I'll be there to give you the biggest welcome."

Kaisar and Roman shared a smile, though there was still a nagging feeling in both hearts. Letting go of a skilled fighter like Pedro was never easy, but there was nothing more the two men could give him than their continued support.

"All right then," Kaisar said, intending to end their conversation. "Come whenever you--"

The man's sentence was cut short when the cell phone ringing from Roman's pants pocket suddenly sounded very loud.

Roman hurriedly took out his cell phone, looking alternately at Kaisar and Pedro, who were waiting silently.

Staring at his phone screen for a few seconds, Roman smiled as he asked permission to answer his phone now.

"One moment," the man said. "Someone from home called."

Emperor and Pedro looked at each other before focusing on their respective drinks. Giving Roman space to answer his phone, the tattooed man got up from the couch and headed towards the other side of the room.

Roman returned with a worried look after a few seconds on the link.

He didn't immediately sit down where he had been but chose to walk over to Pedro and extend a hand towards him.

"All the best to you, Pedro," he prayed. "I can't take you to the airport, but make sure you activate your cell phone number in case we go on vacation to Germany."

Pedro welcomed Roman's hand and shook it firmly, receiving several pats on the shoulder from the man, already looking fuller.

"Anytime, Jaguar," Pedro replied quickly.

Roman released their handshake, already on his feet and staring at the Emperor now.

"Kai, I have to go. My wife is sick again, and I must be there all day. If you don't mind taking care of the organisation yourself?"

The King nodded, clucking quietly with a hand, signalling for Roman to escape.

"Alright, Rom. There's nothing to worry about. Go back because family is always more important than anything else."

Roman nodded, giving a greeting before he had already turned around and walked out of the large room.

Leaving Kaisar and Pedro still there, Pedro now glanced at his watch to check the time.

"My flight is also almost at hand, King," the young man said.

Kaisar again inhaled and exhaled softly, really having to let Pedro return to Germany that morning.

"Very well, Fighter," the Emperor rose from his seat. "Let's say goodbye to the others, and I'll take you to the airport."

Pedro bared his rows of pure white teeth, abandoning half his dreams of becoming a good fighter like he had aspired to since childhood.

He was half-hearted about returning to his family's large residence and could no longer leave his place as a respected noble in the city. After all, he had the name Viscount behind his name, and it was time to return to real life.

He attended this banquet right after he landed, but Pedro couldn't keep his eyes off the girl in the pink brocade dress.

The girl had been in his arms for a few seconds but somehow managed to make his chest pound just like that.

The girl was walking slowly with a woman beside her, heading towards the exit even before the dinner started.

"I didn't know the girl I've been waiting for was here," Pedro murmured as he swirled his glass with his drink. "The girl who made my heart pound for no apparent reason, and it seems like my return brings something extraordinary."

The man kept his gaze fixed until the silhouette of the body turned at one of the doors. Pedro was utterly unaware of the other pair of eyes, which had glared at him so intently ever since.

The gaze of a young nobleman who was no less handsome and turned out to be the legal husband of the girl Pedro had just had a crush on.

Rey Lueic.