Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Faded Bruises
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"Hah...!"
When he opened his eyes, the familiar ceiling came into view.
"What... what the hell kind of dream was that......"
A dog dream...? No, more like a lynx dream. They say dreams featuring white beasts are good omens, but this one was anything but.
Sir Evan sat up in bed and rubbed his dry face. His hands trembled faintly. Strangely enough, the sensation of snapping that slender neck lingered all too vividly.
'What the hell did I do to a real lynx when I was drunk?'
But if he'd done something awful, the lynx wouldn't have gotten a kick out of filming him the next day. Hell, that morning, the guy had even been sleeping with his arm as a pillow.
'No normal person would sleep next to someone who'd choked them... right?'
Besides that, he'd given him medicine and chocolate, and for the past few days, he'd even woken up early to help with training. The brat's cocky attitude and speech hadn't changed a bit.
For the sake of his own peace of mind, Evan racked his brain over every little detail until the recent change in the guy's outfit popped into his head. He flung the covers aside and bolted out of bed.
'He was covering his neck...!'
Right, it had started that day. He'd dressed properly under the pretext of the quarterly evaluation.
Even so, he'd bundled himself up in a robe because of his ears and tail, so what was the point? Some lady named Madame Sakare or whatever kept nagging him about the robe.
Of course, each time, the robes just got fancier and fancier.
Evan dashed upstairs. The sun hadn't risen yet, so the lynx was probably still asleep. The guy wouldn't wake up no matter how much you shook him until you called his name, so a quick check wouldn't get him caught.
Evan burst into His Highness's bedroom, took a deep breath, and approached the sprawled-out lynx.
Sure enough, the ribbon and ruffles climbing up to his neck caught his eye first.
But what was he going to do once he checked? If there was nothing, great—but if there were marks from his hands, then what?
Evan hesitated. Maybe it was better to just pretend he didn't know. It could still be a dog dream. No, a lynx dream.
'No.'
He shook his head. Ignoring it wouldn't cut it. At the very least, he needed to know if the lynx was pretending not to know or if he was truly clueless.
Evan figured any more dithering was a waste of time and reached out. His fingertips shook so badly he worried he'd wake the lynx right then and there.
Click, click—.
Were his hands too big, or were the buttons too small?
He was on pins and needles, terrified of waking the lynx, but the damn buttons kept slipping from his grasp.
"Junior."
"Gahhh!"
"...!"
Evan jumped at the sudden voice, and Frederic recoiled at Evan's over-the-top reaction.
Both stared at each other with wide eyes before turning to the bed. Fortunately, the little ones hadn't woken.
Frederic raised one eyebrow and whispered accusingly.
"Seriously, why are you yelling like that?"
"...S-Sorry, sir."
"So, what's the reason you're barging in at dawn to strip the young master?"
"Wh-What? N-No, it's not like that......"
"Junior, I didn't peg you for this... Such indecency."
Frederic narrowed his eyes and glared at Evan.
"No! I just needed to check something......"
"And you have to do that at dawn by undressing the sleeping young master?"
"Why do you keep phrasing it like that! Anyone who hears would misunderstand— Gah!"
In the middle of his defense, Evan spotted the lynx sitting up and glaring at him. He yelped and clamped a hand over his own mouth.
"Y-You're... awake......"
"Explain yourself."
"...Explain what?"
"Why you were trying to undress me."
"No, that's not it!"
"Quiet down. You'll wake the kids."
"......"
I'm gonna die of frustration!
"Never thought kids were your type......"
"Hey, don't turn me into a monster!"
This guy was about to say something he'd regret big time!
"Then maybe......"
"...Maybe what?"
The lynx's pupils trembled in a way that didn't suit him. Seeing those eyes, Evan felt unease creep in.
Something had definitely happened that day. Why else would the guy be so shaken...!
"...Cats...? Are they your type......"
...What?
"Should've known when you called my master 'kitten'......"
The lynx muttered as he pressed down hard on the ears poking up from his head. His tail, which had slipped out, vanished back under the covers.
Evan gaped at the absurd conclusion, and Frederic landed the finishing blow.
"Cats, huh... Well, every man has those fantasies. I had them myself once— ahem... But junior, the young master is way too young......"
"No! I mean no!"
"Pardon? You don't like cats?"
"N-No, it's not that I hate cats......"
"...So you are a monster......"
"Aaaagh!"
The dog flailed and tore at his own hair. Nihil watched Evan before subtly checking his own collar. Good, it seemed he hadn't been found out.
"...At least I'm better than going after kids......"
"Agh! No! I'm not! You lunatic, don't unbutton that!"
"But...!"
"I-I'm sorry...! My fault! I'm the monster! Okay? I'm the monster!"
The innocent dog wailed like that before fleeing the bedroom. Frederic grumbled about him not even doing shift change before leaving, then turned his gaze back to Nihil.
"Did something happen?"
"...Why ask me?"
"There's no way junior would show up at dawn pale as a ghost with no reason and pull something like that."
"That's what I want to know. Go ask him."
Why he'd suddenly tried to check his nape.
"...Then, before I go, could you help me with one more strength training session...?"
"You gonna leave or not...?"
Nihil glared at the borrowed dog who was still loitering in the 2nd Prince's Palace even after half a month.
"One more day of guard duty, sure."
"Figure out why the dog acted like that first."
"Haha! I'll dig it all up and report back!"
Frederic dashed out saying that, then squatted next to Evan—who was also squatting by the bedroom door—and started chatting with him.
'Surrounded by idiots.'
Nihil watched the door narrow to a crack before shutting with a click, then got up to find a mirror.
'This is why you shouldn't act out of character.'
He thought as he checked his nape.
A faint bruise mark stared back, barely visible now.
"Tch."
Nihil clicked his tongue, recalling the day the dog had come back dead drunk.
"Evan, His Highness needs his rest too, so enough already......"
"H-He's my cat. Don't take him away!"
"Haa... Looks like you need to relearn royal etiquette."
Walter sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Not content with calling royalty a cat, now this reckless behavior. At least His Highness was taking it well.
Evan sniffled and hugged Lianus even tighter.
"I-I'm doing what I want!"
"Yeah, yeah. Do whatever you want, Sir Evan."
His face squished against Evan's chest, Lianus stared quietly before wriggling to wipe the tears from Evan's eyes.
"Sir Earnest, I'm fine, so don't worry and head home. Good work guarding today."
"...But Your Highness."
"I'm okay. Nil, you sleep here too."
Nod, nod.
Having scored great footage, Nihil grinned in satisfaction at the thought of teasing the dog and nodded eagerly.
"You naughty lynx! You sleep on the floor!"
"......"
He wasn't allowed on the bed and got booted to the floor, but as a wild lynx who could fend for himself, Nihil naturally fetched a blanket and spread it out.
It was already late enough that the kitten climbed up babbling about sleeping together before succumbing to sleep.
Once even the muttering Evan quieted down, the stubborn captain finally left—his face full of worry, suggesting a deeper bond with the dog than expected.
Nihil wasn't particularly tired, so he got up thinking he'd whip up a hangover cure for the dog before bed.
"Young master? Where are you going?"
Ignoring Frederic's call, Nihil opened the bedroom door. Weirdly, the dog staggered to his feet, abandoning the kitten to follow.
Nihil let him tag along. Wasn't it true what they said about drunk words being sober thoughts? He must have something to say.
And... there was something to resolve, so it worked out.
Nihil narrowed his eyes at Evan before turning and walking away.
"Lynx... gotta catch ya."
"......"
If that's his sober thought, it's no different from usual.
Nihil glanced at the dog before staring down the pitch-black hallway devoid of windows or light.
It felt like the throat of some massive beast.
As he moved to walk again, a familiar yet unfamiliar prickling sensation stabbed his skin. It was so faint and fleeting that doubt flickered, but he hadn't imagined it.
Killing intent.
One of Nihil's eyebrows twitched upward.
'So "catch" meant that.'
Did he mistake him for something else, or did he truly feel murderous toward him? It couldn't be a side effect of recovered memories. Those types didn't hesitate.
Pat pat.
Stagger... stagger...
Pat pat pat.
Stagger... stagger... thud—.
"......"
The dog followed for a bit before collapsing, unable to fight his own body. Nihil paused, waiting for him to stand.
But he didn't rise right away. Instead, he stared blankly before opening his mouth in a resentful tone.
"Why... why wait...?"
"......"
"Just... just go......"
"......"
"Go. Just... leave. Disappear."
"......"
"Please......"
Nihil stared silently at Evan, who had chased after him only to beg him to leave, before removing his cotton cloth and hood and walking toward him.
"......"
"......"
Unfocused, fragile eyes—as if he'd shatter any moment—gazed at Nihil.
His lips trembled several times before a low, cracking voice emerged.
"...Should I resent you?"
"......"
Nihil had no idea why the dog was saying this. But seeing him come home late, drunk out of his mind, it wasn't hard to guess something had happened.
Who? The Queen? Or some other faction?
The dog's loyalty to Lianus was genuine. And the strangely perceptive Lianus treated the dog sincerely too, so betrayal didn't fit.
'They have dirt on him.'
Nihil narrowed his eyes and scanned Evan's mana once more with clear sight.
There was a new contract trace he'd never seen. Ambiguous as a direct party, but definitely bound to something...
Forcing a contract break was child's play for him, but if hostages were involved, severing it wouldn't solve everything.
Gathering his thoughts, Nihil gently placed a hand over Evan's eyes.
"This is all illusion. Do as you will."
Still, a hint of bitterness was unavoidable.