Zigh froze for a moment, drawing a sharp breath. "Why didn't you just say you don't like carrots?"

  Lian’s eyes returned to their vacant stare out the window, not sparing Zigh a single glance. "You were the one who decided."

  Zigh exhaled a long, weary sigh. "I asked you earlier, Lian. I asked what you wanted to eat, and you said you didn't know. I even consulted the doctor and researched what was best for your health. I just wanted you to recover quickly."

  A thin, faint smile played on Lian’s lips. "You looked for what was best according to your version and your data. Not from the person themselves. You did all this for your own satisfaction, didn't you?"

  Zigh was taken aback. "That... I did it because I had to know what was happening to you. I couldn't just let you collapse without a clear medical reason."

  "Zigh Eosvile... help doesn't feel like help if the person you're helping doesn't need it. You have all the money and access, but you’ve forgotten how to ask questions like a human being," Lian remarked softly.

  "I was only looking for your data, not private information," Zigh countered, his voice low but firm.

  "While I was unconscious? Without my consent?" Lian interrupted, turning to face him, his eyes seemingly piercing through his wall of rational excuses.

  Zigh fell silent, his hands clenching at his sides. "I did it because I needed an accurate diagnosis. The doctor needed to know your background to avoid giving the wrong medication. I had no other choice while you were out."

  "There is always a choice. You could have waited for me to wake up," Lian countered.

  "The situation was critical! I am responsible for your safety! That was protection, Lian."

  "Protection? Even regarding the small matter of my stomach, you feel you know better than I do just because you read some forum or asked a doctor."

  Zigh narrowed his eyes. "You’ve been spying on me with Outer too, haven't you?"

  Lian stiffened, his breath hitching for a split second.

  Zigh watched him intently. So, it’s true, he thought.

  After a long, heavy silence, Zigh spoke again. "You don't need to overthink how I found out. Mentioning the carrots alone was concrete proof."

  Zigh glanced briefly at his own shadow.

  "I just wanted to be sure..." Lian whispered.

  "So, what makes us different, Lian? I use technology to find your data to save you, and you use that black entity to peek at my movements."

  "It’s Outer!" Lian snapped.

  Zigh ran a hand through his hair. "I’m sorry..."

  Lian didn't respond, his gaze dropping to the floor.

  Zigh folded his arms across his chest, offering a silent truce. "Let’s call it even, shall we?"

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Lian looked back at him, but his lips remained sealed.

  "I violated your privacy for medical reasons, and you violated mine out of mistrust. If we keep arguing over who is more wrong, you’ll starve to death and I’ll die of frustration. So, let’s just say the score is one-all. Okay?" Zigh persuaded.

  Lian let out a long breath, his tense shoulders finally sagging. "Then what about that carrot soup?"

  Zigh snorted in amusement, his gaze softening. "I’ll cancel the carrot-only special order. I’ll order something else. But this time, you have to speak up. What can actually go down without making you want to throw up?"

  "I’m still sick. Isn't it normal to vomit when I eat?" Lian retorted.

  Zigh smiled. You’re really pushing my blood pressure up, he thought.

  Lian met his gaze with a calm, challenging look, a spark of resolve appearing in his usually dull eyes. "You have to eat that carrot soup as proof that we are partners."

  Zigh paused, glancing at his phone. "Are you joking? I ordered it specifically for you because of the doctor’s advice."

  "If you say we are even and that we are partners, then you must feel what you forced upon me. Shouldn't partners share the burden?" Lian argued.

  Zigh grunted. "Fine. If that’s what it takes for you to trust me."

  Lian nodded.

  Zigh pulled up a chair and sat near the bed. "Now, can you tell me what foods you like and dislike?"

  Lian gave him a sharp look. "Are you conducting another investigation?"

  Zigh slapped his forehead. "No. It's so this mistake doesn't happen again and give me a stroke. Think of it as efficiency. I don't want to waste money and time on food that just sits there getting cold because you hate the ingredients."

  Lian went quiet for a moment, observing his face. "I like castella cake... apples... and I don't like carrots... or broccoli..."

  Zigh immediately typed into his phone, noting it down as if it were a crucial military mission. "Castella cake. Apples. No carrots. No broccoli. Anything else?"

  Lian’s eyes dimmed slightly. "Don't ever give me anything with a texture that is too soft, like porridge, for a while. It reminds me of..."

  "Why don't you want porridge?" Zigh asked, looking up from his list.

  "Since I arrived at Echo, I was often served porridge," Lian said faintly.

  Zigh went still. So... Lian associates porridge with pain?

  "More accurately, I feel like a patient who has no choice. Every day, the same texture, the same bland taste."

  Zigh sighed and deleted the Porridge option from his meal plans. "Fine. I understand. No more porridge for a while. But in exchange, you have to finish the other meals we agreed on."

  He crossed his arms. "Now, our cooperation officially begins."

  Lian looked confused. "What?"

  Zigh gave a thin smile. "I need Outer."

  Silence fell. Behind Zigh, the black shadow began to stir, as if the entity itself was surprised to hear its name mentioned.

  Lian’s eyes widened. "You... want to work with Outer? After you found out how dangerous he is?"

  "I need something that human technology cannot detect. I need eyes in places where money or my connections cannot reach. And you are the only one who can control him," Zigh revealed.

  "I don't control him, Zigh. We are just... connected," Lian murmured.

  Zigh smiled. "Then teach me how to connect with Outer. In return, I will ensure you never see porridge or carrots on your table again, and you can enjoy the full facilities of my home. How about it?"

  Lian looked down. "Outer can only be my eyes and ears."

  Zigh chuckled. "Easy. I’ll get you a new phone. Tell me what Outer sees and hears through that phone. Deal?"

  Lian went silent, looking at Outer.

  The shadow entity nodded its head.

  "You want me to be your real-time informant?" Lian asked.

  Zigh clapped his hands. "Exactly. You and Outer are a reconnaissance unit, and that phone is the communication tool. That way, you don't have to be near me, and I can stay informed without looking suspicious."

  Lian looked down at his thin arms. "My body is like a twig, while you are like teak wood. I’m not fit to be your agent."

  "Teak is strong, Lian. But teak cannot fit into small crevices, it cannot bend with the wind, and it’s too easily spotted because of its size."

  Lian tilted his head. "Meaning?"

  "I don't need another piece of teak standing beside me. I need someone invisible, someone who can slip in undetected," Zigh explained.

  Lian smirked. "Oh, I forgot you’ve already felt the sting of that 'twig'."

  Zigh’s body stiffened. His jaw tightened as the memory of Outer's appearance flashed through his mind. He looked away. You’re annoying, he thought.

  Zigh opened an online shopping app. "What kind of phone do you like?"

  Lian, with innocent eyes, replied, "A phone that can make calls, send SMS, and use the internet."

  Zigh stared at him, nearly dropping his phone in shock.

  To be continued...