Soon, Sunday came.
The corridor of Mike's room bustled with noise as the guards slowly woke up. It was a free day, and they were glad to be away from their various posts.
"Mike, I heard there's a new brothel just across from the palace," Rafael said, kicking open the door. "And the women there are said to be as beautiful as flowers. Let's go check it out, shall we?!"
Mike yawned as he rolled over in bed.
"Not going."
He felt tired and just wanted to toss around a little longer. But just as Rafael was about to slip out with Sterling, Mike suddenly remembered something important. He sat up abruptly. "Never mind. I'll go."
"Hahaha, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist!"
But Mike's goal wasn't the ladies, it was something else entirely.
He casually grabbed one of his casual clothes and slipped them on, then grabbed some copper coins.
He fastened his belt, put on his shoes, tousled his hair a bit, and looked around for the hairpin Elvida had given him, a token for her aunt to recognize him.
He searched for a while and even checked the pocket of his uniform, but still couldn't find it.
"What a bunch of useless bastards," Wayne's scornful murmur drifted to their ears, but Mike couldn't care less. Rafael on the other hand grumbled silently under his breath.
Sterling noticed Mike's furrowed brows. "You looking for something?"
Mike nodded. "Yeah, a hairpin."
Pfft. Someone laughed.
Mike turned silently, realizing it was Wayne.
"Hairpin?" Wayne repeated mockingly. "Which poor girl is this fool trying to impress? You think any noble lady would accept a gift from someone like you? Be grateful they even spare you a glance. How pathetic."
Mike's brows drew together in a slow frown. Wayne had grown more venomous ever since that incident, especially toward him and Rafael. Always muttering about how their heads were filled with wishful thinking, and nit-picking about every single thing.
At first, Mike couldn't be bothered to spare him a glance. After all, he was just a barking dog. Once no one responded, he was supposed to stop barking.
But the reverse was the case.
And for the first time, Rafael and Sterling saw Mike snap.
"Did you see the hairpin?"
Wayne reached into his pocket and pulled out a wooden hairpin with a flower design carved into the head.
Mike's eyes narrowed.
Wayne's gaze was full of disdain. "This? Are you planning to give it to the princess? Or maybe one of the whores you're visiting today? A wooden trinket? You really do dream big, don't you?"
"Hand it over."
Wayne smirked. "And if I don't?"
"Wayne, don't push it," Rafael warned cautiously, sensing Mike's burning gaze.
But Wayne didn't back down. He tilted his chin arrogantly and spun the hairpin between his fingers. "Or what? You'll fight me over a stick?"
Sterling stepped between them instinctively. "Come on, guys. It's just a hairpin—"
The two stared at each other like lions about to fight, everyone in the room could tell: Wayne had no intention of backing down.
As for Mike, his clenched jaw showed his anger, but they all knew if Mike decided to clash with Wayne, he'd unfortunately be the one getting beaten up.
But to everyone's shock, Mike didn't throw a punch like they expected.
Instead, he smiled.
An ominous one.
And just as everyone wondered what he was planning, he casually walked around the room. Their eyes subconsciously followed him.
And all of a sudden, his hand darted beneath a pillow with a superspeed and pulled out something: it was a picture.
At first, the three in the room were confused about what he was going to do with it, but the moment they saw Wayne's flushed expression, they understood.
The picture... was of of Elvida!
Mike's guess was finally confirmed, this man had feelings for the princess.
Seeing Wayne's darkened face, it was now Mike's turn to smirk.
"You've masturbated to this so many times already. Can you bear to watch it go up in flames when I light it with a candle?"
In the picture, Elvida appeared to be on a private beach, reclining on a chaise under the shade of silk-draped parasols. Her flawless skin glowed against the soft pink bikini she wore, the fabric clinging delicately to her curves.
The two-pieces was clearly too small for her, as the flimsy top only cover her nipples, leaving to view a large expanse of her boobs, so milky and white. Her hair cascaded over one bare shoulder as she stared in a certain direction, lips parted in a sultry, playful smirk. The sand sparkled beneath her toes, and the ocean danced behind her like a sapphire mirror. A lazy smirk curled on her lips, the mischief in her eyes never fading. It was such a stunning picture that even Mike felt his cock harden slightly.
"Y-You! Hand it over," Wayne demanded through clenched teeth. He never expected Mike to know he had such a picture.
Mike shook his head, his expression nonchalant. "Why should I?"
Seeing Wayne's stunned expression, he took a step forward.
"So much for someone who keeps accusing others of only thinking about women and wine. Who knew? Every of your visit to the bathroom was accompanied by this picture."
His finger caressed the image.
"I wonder what Elvida would think if she found out that an unremarkable guard like you was masturbating to her picture."
Wayne's face turned a deep shade of red, part rage, part shame. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, veins popping in his neck as he stepped forward.
"You wouldn't dare," he growled, voice low and dangerous.
Mike held up the picture between two fingers, just high enough for the others to glimpse again.
"Oh, I would. I could do anything to it. One flick of a candle, and this entire fantasy of yours goes up in flames, or maybe I should spread it for the imperial to see. And that's when they would find out there was one audacious guard that dared to snap a picture of their princess secretly."
Rafael and Sterling finally recovered from their initial shock, their eyes now on the picture.
"Wooow, such a candid shot. No wonder he didn't want to follow us to the brothel. Turns out our brother has been handling his business with the princess's picture."
Wayne's expression was a mixture of fury and embarrassment. Finally, he held out the hairpin.
"Fine! Return my picture and take your lousy hairpin."