Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Requies
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Keieeeaaak-----!
A scream like nails scraping metal echoed through the air.
Those who had reflexively clapped their hands over their ears at Nihil's urgent shout groaned as the chilling wail pierced even their palms.
Nihil blocked one of Sir Evan's ears for him—since his hands were full steadying the horse—then gripped the core with his remaining hand and yanked it free.
Keieeeak, kieeeaaak-----!
"…!"
Even after separating the core, the monstrous cry didn't stop.
Nihil swallowed down the rising nausea and crushed the aberration's core in his fist.
A faint ching sounded amid the shrieks, and the fragments in his hand crumbled into dust and scattered.
But the ringing in their ears and dizziness lingered. Nihil first checked on Sir Evan, who had been closest to the monster.
"You alright?"
"…Aside from my ears being a bit muffled, yeah."
Sir Evan shook his head, tapping his ears. Nihil lifted his chin to make him look straight at him. His focus was clear, and his sense of balance seemed fine.
"No issues, looks like."
"…Do something about those eyes of yours…."
Sir Evan averted his gaze, seemingly unnerved by Nihil's purple irises.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Sorry, but… yeah, a little creepy."
"That's normal."
Nihil scanned the surroundings once more to ensure no remnants lingered, then closed and reopened his eyes.
In that moment, Sir Evan's gaze had drifted toward the blanket.
Nihil responded to his look with, Rian, one moment. Then he quickly hopped down from his shoulder. He wiped the blood from his eyelids and flipped the gauze back over them.
"Rian."
At the soft call, the blanket rustled, and a seaweed-like head of hair poked out.
"Nil! You okay? What happened to the monster?"
"I'm fine. Monster's taken care of."
"Thank goodness! I asked if it was safe to come out, but you didn't answer right away, so I got worried!"
"…Sorry, I was focused on something else. I'm perfectly fine."
"Yeah, yeah! Glad you didn't get hurt!"
Lianus emerged from the blanket and hugged Nihil tightly, saying how relieved he was.
You never take care of yourself properly—that's what worries me. Nihil gave a faint smile at the sincere mutter and scooped Lianus up into his arms.
He was warm.
"Nil, aren't you a bit cold?"
"Touched something from over there. The boundary's freezing."
Lianus tilted his head at that, but soon hugged him even tighter, offering to share his body heat.
Nihil patted him and called out to Noah, who still hadn't emerged from the blanket.
"Noah."
The blanket twitched.
"No more monster. You can come out now."
Nihil lifted the edge of the blanket slightly. Straw-colored hair shrank back a bit more before slowly rising.
The upward gaze from violet eyes held a hint of moisture.
Still wearing the blanket over his head like a hood, Noah mumbled,
"Um… Your Highness, thank you."
When the horse boy had yelled for everyone to cover their ears, it was that little prince who had covered his. Noah belatedly covered the prince's ears in return, but he couldn't shake the feeling of having been protected.
How can someone so small be that brave? It made Noah feel ashamed and pathetic by comparison.
Meanwhile, Morris chalked it up to some kind of emotional therapy from the kid and had frozen solid upon hearing the scream.
No way… the monster was real….
Morris patted his own shoulders. Honestly, he was so dazed he couldn't tell if anything had changed about himself.
Then his side throbbed. In his stupor, the kid had poked him.
Only then did Morris snap to and hesitantly spoke.
"…Noah."
"…!"
At the quiet call, the straw-haired head—which had been drooping dispiritedly—jerked up, and clear violet eyes looked up at him.
For some reason, those eyes—so identical to his own—felt utterly unfamiliar.
Ah… this is the first time. Making eye contact.
Those eyes, always brimming with anxiety and fixed on his own shoes, now stared straight at him.
Gazing into those clear eyes stirred something deep inside. Why had he never properly asked until now? If he'd paid even a little attention to his son's cries, things wouldn't have come to this.
He'd thought he'd endured well, accepting his mentally ill son as he was. Even when the boy called him a monster and attacked without hesitation, he'd told himself he was a good parent, caring for the child's needs.
But what had really happened? While his son fought the monster alone, what had he done? Hadn't he driven the terrified child right to the edge of the railing?
Looking back, even when seizing up at the sight of him, it was always his son who approached first. A scary monster could just be avoided, after all.
"Ah… a-ah…."
Noah's face crumpled, tears welling in his large, clear violet eyes.
"Noah."
Morris called his son again, more clearly and firmly than before. But courage failed him; he couldn't move from the spot. He feared the boy's tears meant something else.
"…Noah, may I come closer?"
"Uh, u-ugh, snk, uwaaaah!"
As if mocking the timid adult, the brave child moved first.
Noah sobbed in his father's arms for a good while. Even then, when Nihil said, Massage his shoulders three times a week, or that monster might come back, Noah diligently kneaded Morris's shoulders through his tears and snot.
Eventually, Noah tired himself out and fell asleep in Morris's embrace. His hands still fidgeted now and then, as if giving a massage even in his dreams.
Morris clutched his ten-year-old son's hand—which had finally stopped weeping—and tucked it securely against his chest. He bowed to Lianus, saying he'd visit again soon, then departed.
Lianus didn't quite grasp why Baron Allie had come or what had transpired, but it seemed to end well, so he beamed proudly.
"Rian."
"Yeah?"
"Your dad's been waiting a while."
"Huh…?"
Lianus's eyes went wide at the sudden remark. King Sedes, hidden in the magic device, raised one eyebrow in surprise at the unfamiliar news.
"Said he wants to talk after class."
"Uh… where to?"
"Mm… study."
Nihil spouted something random. The dad would handle the rest.
"Okay? Then… I'll go. But stay with Sir Evan."
"Bring Mutt too."
"Sir Frederic's there."
"Don't need Mutt."
"Then I won't go."
Lianus dug in his heels unusually stubbornly. Nihil was baffled—could a prince really ignore a king's summons so cleanly?
"…But it's your dad calling. Shouldn't you go?"
"Mm…."
The kitten seemed truly unwilling; he pondered a moment, then stated firmly to Sir Evan,
"Sir Evan, stay with Nil."
"But Your Highness…."
"That's an order."
"…Understood."
Sir Evan nodded, still rattled by the lynx boy grabbing him by the hair earlier.
Nihil watched Lianus saunter out, leaving Mutt behind, with King Sedes hurrying after. Then he turned away.
"You stay just 'cause the master said so?"
"…That's exactly why."
"Go after him already."
"Sir Frederic's there."
"He guards from hiding."
"His Majesty's knights are all going too—what's the issue?"
"It's about face, not protection."
"Since when do you care about that? You're the one who embarrasses the prince the most… hey, where're you going now!"
Sir Evan chased after Nihil, who had bolted mid-sentence. Clearly trying to ditch him. But the lynx boy seemed to mistake the door, heading into the small adjoining waiting room and trying to shut it.
As the door nearly closed, Sir Evan thrust his hand out and forced it open.
"Damn lynx, you can't escape…!"
"Urk…!"
"…?"
"Uwaaack!"
The marble floor was instantly splattered with red liquid.
"Your Majesty, I heard you summoned me."
"…Yes."
No, he hadn't. This was an unscheduled audience hijacked by his son's presumptuous friend.
King Sedes puzzled over what to say in this unplanned meeting, then glanced at the papers before him and finally spoke.
"Lianus."
"Yes."
"Final plan for Sharton Street's redevelopment and relief efforts. Want to see it?"
"…May I?"
"It's based on your proposal, so you're more than qualified."
He handed over the documents. Lianus scurried forward, offering both hands.
King Sedes stared at those tiny hands for a moment. When he didn't pass the papers, Lianus glanced nervously and started to withdraw them.
King Sedes quickly grabbed the retreating hand. Lianus flinched at the sudden touch but didn't pull away.
Baron's son ran from his own father, but not from me—better that way, he thought, recalling the Allie father-son duo hugging tightly.
On impulse, he leaned down, lifted his son, and sat him on his knee.
"…?!"
Unable to process, Lianus sat blankly before realizing and squirming to get down. But King Sedes held him firm, reseating him, and stroked his soft, curly hair.
"Lianus."
"Y-yes, Your Majesty."
"Stay like this a bit."
"Pardon? Y-yes…."
King Sedes handed the stiffly frozen boy the documents. Lianus straightened up tensely but diligently read through them.
For a while, only the rustle of turning pages filled the room. By the time Lianus neared the end, his rigid posture had relaxed; he leaned back comfortably.
King Sedes waited for the final page to turn, then spoke quietly once it did.
"Name the plaza to be built on Sharton Street."
"Me… name the plaza?"
"Yes. Any name you'd like to give it?"
"…Then…."
Lianus seemed to ponder, then hesitantly spoke.
"…May I look up a dictionary?"
"Go ahead."
King Sedes nodded slightly and gestured into the air. A knight appeared, placing several dictionaries in various languages on the desk.
Lianus grabbed one at random and flipped to the middle. A word had come to mind the moment the plaza was mentioned.
Opalus.
The gem resembling his dear friend's eyes.
But it felt too obvious. Anyone who'd met his friend's eyes would think of it.
Besides, naming a plaza after a gem seemed too fancy. For Sharton Street's plaza, he wanted a place anyone—regardless of status—could rest comfortably.
Something with a more relaxed feel.
Like his dear friend: equal to all, endlessly kind.
Flipping rapidly through, one word caught his eye. He read its meaning.
-Rest, respite, peace, sanctuary.
Ah, perfect.
"Requies."