Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: The Scholar's Records
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Nihil swept a hand over his face at Karus's ridiculous misunderstanding.
"From the beginning. I was never one of those 'things' from the start. Why on earth did you think I was one of them? No, how much do you even know about those 'things'?"
"Those beings wield the forces of nature using the contractor's mana!"
"...And?"
"I don't know!"
His response was delivered with such unwavering confidence that Nihil momentarily thought he'd heard some profound revelation.
"Teacher, didn't you say you were a scholar?"
"Unless you're a contractor yourself, there are no records left about those beings."
"...Let me say this upfront: I have no idea how to contract with those guys."
"What?! Then what are we going to do?"
"What do you mean, what? Your mother must have left behind some records. We'll have to look through those."
"But I can't read them! That's why I gathered them all up, believing you'd interpret them for me!"
"...Isn't that a bit too shameless? And how did you organize them if you didn't even know the contents?"
"I collected every last one and stacked them up nice and pretty."
"......"
"So, when can you visit? It's a volume that'll take several days to go through..."
"Teacher, where's your conscience?"
"Is that really necessary?"
"......"
The pale turquoise eyes peering out from behind his large round glasses gleamed with madness. Nihil found the gaze so burdensome that he patted Karus's cheeks.
"Teacher, I have no plans to leave the kid alone and go anywhere. Can't we take them out?"
"Regrettably... yes. I can't take even a single step out of the mansion with them. I tried once as a child... but they burst into flames."
Karus gave a wry smile, as if lamenting the boneheaded mistake he hadn't repeated.
"Copying them doesn't work either. The paper tears if I try to read and write. I even tried carving them into sturdy boards, but they always got ruined somehow."
"...Looks like I'll have to go there myself."
It seemed the wind spirits were interfering directly.
"Teacher, it would be trouble if word got out that the marquis's house supports Rian. Create a situation where the kid can visit officially."
Karus pondered at those words, then spoke with a hint of reluctance.
"There is a way... but."
"...What is it."
"Our cute and lovable little sister Kara has a birthday coming up. However..."
"However?"
"There's still a month and a half left. Should we move the birthday party up?"
"...Why would we do that."
"But, my friend! There's still a month and a half left! Who knows if I'll wither away by then!"
Nihil smacked Karus's pouting lips and hopped down from his lap.
"I have my own things to do, so wait."
"Then... I suppose there's no helping it. You have to bring a gift for our Kara, okay?"
"...Got it."
What do kids like these days anyway?
After all the guests had left and dinner was finished, in the late afternoon, a single pharmacist arrived at the 2nd Prince's Palace.
"Ah, h-hello, Y-Your Highness! I-I'm R-Ri-Rima!"
"Yeah, Ririma, nice to meet you."
"Ah, n-no. It's Rima! Sorry. I-I'm just... so nervous..."
"Yeah, come on. I'll introduce you to my friend."
Lianus dragged Rima upstairs. His dear friend couldn't come out because of his ears and tail.
He'd initially wondered why a pharmacist was coming, but it seemed His Majesty had found a substitute since they couldn't publicly reveal that Nihil was the one brewing the potions.
"Nil, the pharmacist is here."
Opening the bedroom door, he found Nihil, for some reason, clutching his tail and staring at it intently.
"What's wrong? Something happen to your tail?"
"...It's nothing."
Nihil, who had been debating whether to cut his tail off before the kid arrived but ultimately failed to do so, stood up from his seat.
"Ah, h-hello. I'm R-Rima."
Nihil tilted his head at the sight of the boy who still looked like a teenager.
"Assassin."
At those words, Evan drew his sword. The kitten didn't even think to protect himself and instead scurried to shield Nihil.
"...Y-Yes? Wh-What do you mean by that?"
Ignoring the stammering Rima, Nihil scooped up the Lianus wrapping around him and patted his back as he continued.
"They could've just sent a normal pharmacist."
At those words, the dazed expression vanished from the boy's face, replaced by a flat, emotionless voice.
"Contract duration is three months. If no termination notice is given two weeks before expiration, it auto-renews for one month. Public-facing pay is standard pharmacist salary; additional costs for secrecy and such will be borne by the client."
"The contract?"
"Magical contract."
"Hand it over."
Rima pulled out the contract and a blank contract sheet from his bosom, one of each.
"The client holds the other copy. For any additional needs, we can negotiate and use the blank sheet. Additional costs borne by the client as well. I've already infused my blood into the blank sheet, so you can fill it out and give me half."
Nihil skimmed the contract. The secrecy clauses were densely packed. The kid's dad had covered everything he might think of meticulously, so there was nothing much to add, but he wrote in some access restrictions anyway.
Rima stared at it blankly before speaking.
"The client recommends adding bodyguard duties to the contract."
"They went to the guild specifically for someone to double as a bodyguard? But how can I trust you with that?"
"It's a magical contract. Violating it will make my heart explode."
"That only works on someone who wants to live."
"......"
Nihil infused his blood into the additional blank contract, split it in half, and handed one piece to Rima.
"Don't come up to the second floor or above for personal business unless called. Do you have any knowledge of potions?"
"...No."
"I'll brew the potions separately and send them down. If there's any servant spying on you, make a list and bring it."
"Understood."
Nihil offered some perfunctory words about speaking up if he needed anything, then called for the head maid. Perry flinched at the sight of Rima but soon composed herself.
"You called?"
"Temporary pharmacist we've brought in. Show him to his quarters."
"Understood."
"Rima, you're permitted to wander the palace interiors under the head maid's supervision."
With that, Nihil handed over the emergency potions he'd prepared and sent them off. Evan, who had been silently watching with sword drawn, awkwardly sheathed it with a click and spoke.
"...So you can be cold to kids sometimes."
"I don't like lifeless things."
Especially ones who offer up their lives so easily.
"Puppy."
"......"
Evan debated ignoring the white lynx who had sneaked into his room late at night but eventually sat up.
He hadn't been asleep, yet he hadn't sensed a thing until it was right beside him, calling out—so he'd barely held back a yell.
"...What."
"Awakening... about that."
"My awakening?"
You came here in the middle of the night to talk about that?
Evan didn't hide his discomfort, puffing out his cheeks. Meanwhile, as the white lynx tried to climb onto the bed, he swiftly picked it up and set it on his knee, then stroked its head.
I actually wanted to touch those ears.
Evan fiddled curiously with the cat ears actually attached to its head while giving vague responses.
"You mean what that wolf bastard or dog bastard said?"
"...I never put it quite like that."
"Anyway, why."
"I tried to find another Moon Wolf tribesman to help with your awakening... but."
"And?"
"...They're extinct."
"...?"
Evan raised one eyebrow, wondering what nonsense this was.
"When?"
"About 300 years ago."
"...I see."
Yeah, well, my ancestors could've gone extinct.
He'd lived his whole life without knowing about the Moon Wolf tribe anyway, so it wasn't that big a deal. Evan muttered that it was more impressive the bloodline had lasted this long and flopped back onto the bed.
Then something clicked, and he bolted upright again.
"Hey!"
"...?"
"Give me back my kiss!"
"What are you talking about."
"Don't play dumb! Give it back right now!"
"I don't remember taking your kiss."
"You woke up halfway through sleep, took it, and went back!"
Evan shook Nihil roughly. This lynx's mouth only spat lies.
"I really don't remember. Besides, since it didn't hurt, I wouldn't know if I took a kiss or not—and once I do, I can't give it back even if I wanted to."
You can't separate mingled breaths once they're mixed.
"It didn't hurt because I took the medicine you gave me! You thieving lynx bastard!"
Evan yelled in frustration. Nihil calmly tilted his head.
"I took the medicine?"
"Yeah!"
"Then how'd you move?"
Evan froze mid-shake.
"...What the hell does that mean."
"If you'd taken it, you shouldn't be able to move."
"You... what the hell did you give me."
"Something strong to make you rest quietly in bed."
"......"
"You shouldn't just take anything from anyone."
Is that something the giver should say?
"Sleeping incense barely works on you, and now paralyzing poison too."
"......"
"Guess you won't die from poison anywhere. Congrats."
"......"
Evan stared in disbelief before flopping back onto the bed. A small hand naturally pulled the blanket over him and began patting soothingly.
"...Don't pat me."
The sulky puppy smacked away the patting hand, but Nihil ignored it and continued patting while smoothly changing the subject.
"Anyway, since the Moon Wolf tribe that could help is extinct, I'll delay your awakening as much as possible."
"How do you delay that?"
"By halting your mana heart's growth..."
"Why stop it!"
Evan shot up again, yelling. Nihil continued placating the pitifully aggrieved puppy.
"Instead, I'll have you train mana reinforcement consistently. Your current mana vessel isn't small, so with more power and experience, you'll be plenty useful."
"...I don't want to be just 'useful'."
The puppy whined. His behavior wasn't much different from 'Evan 2nd'. The current 'Evan 2nd' was temporarily with a maid about to give birth. Small and cute things helped with mental stability.
Thinking about it this way, the not-so-small-and-cute 1st seems even less helpful than the 2nd...
"...But if it means His Highness might be in danger, then no choice."
Even while sulking after growing a bit, facing reality made him slightly better than 'Evan 2nd'. That was a relief.
"Once you awaken, you'll be master-level—no big deal. That's why you needed an assistant to prevent rampage."
"...I see."
The puppy's mood seemed to lift a bit with the explanation. Nihil smiled in satisfaction, laid Evan back down, and tucked him in. He felt eyes staring at his tail but ignored it.
"Wait."
"...?"
Just as he'd conveyed everything and turned to leave, his wrist was grabbed again.
"But... didn't you meet a Moon Wolf tribesman before?"
"......"
"If they went extinct 300 years ago... then... when did you meet them?"
"......"
Caught by the sharp point, Nihil slyly lowered his eyes. This guy was annoyingly perceptive. He could've just forgotten their past talk.
Nihil slipped his wrist free and bolted, but pathetically, he hadn't taken a few steps before his scruff was grabbed and he was lifted dangling.
"...Short legs are so unfair."
How did I end up with such short legs?
"You..."
Before Evan could say more, Nihil slyly wrapped his tail around Evan's wrist.
"......"
Evan gaped speechlessly at the absurdity but shut his mouth.
Looks like he likes the tail. Guess I'll cut it off later.