Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: An Unlikely Drinking Buddy
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"Snore..."
"......"
Swoosh-, thump.
Dios swept aside the foot planted on his body. It was so absurd he couldn't find words.
'Nil, with a baby around, it might be hard to sleep comfortably, so let's sleep separately tonight.'
'It'd be fine together though...'
'No, no! You've been sick, Nil, so you need proper rest. I'll tuck you in nicely.'
And then he laid Dios down in his own bed, fetched a picture book to read to him, and even played a lullaby on the violin.
'...Baby, aren't you sleepy?'
'......'
Dios couldn't bring himself to coldly push away in that situation, so he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Before he knew it, the little one wriggled in close, wrapped around him with tiny limbs like vines, and passed out peacefully.
Dios debated smacking that round little forehead but ultimately got up instead. No point waking him only to get clung to again.
That's when his eyes met the burly guy standing guard nearby. It was the one whose cloak got torn at Rex's birthday celebration. Now that he thought about it, that cloak had probably been shredded by Dios's father.
He tried to ignore him and walk on, but the guy hesitated before speaking up.
"...Are you..., leaving, sir?"
"......"
Dios's eyebrow twitched at the out-of-left-field question. Fine, the little Rex still mistaking him for a reaper was one thing, but why was this wolf pup acting so grave?
Whatever misunderstanding he had, it wasn't Dios's job to clear it up, so he started walking again.
But Evan couldn't just let the boy go. He knew this was the kid the lynx had been searching for.
Sure enough, the lynx had told him that morning: 'Whoever came looking for me isn't the reaper—it's gotta be that little one I've been after.'
He'd been skeptical at first, but seeing the lynx suddenly bring home a child and use formal speech sealed it.
And with certainty came worry.
'What if he ditches our prince and leaves?'
The lynx wouldn't act so irresponsibly, he told himself, but seeing genuine joy only amplified the unease.
Between a child he'd personally raised and a prince he'd known for just a few months, who'd he pick? The former, probably.
Plus, the kid was shockingly young. Evan had figured anyone raised by the surprisingly old lynx would be older too. Though he must be older than he looked—acting just like that old lynx, like a premature granny.
'A baby dragon maybe...?'
Evan speculated on the baby's origins. Maybe the lynx had found an egg somewhere and hatched it. Otherwise, how to explain that immense power?
If a dragon egg had been abandoned for being too weak, and the lynx nursed it back—that fit.
Dragons weren't considered adults until over five hundred, right...? So how old was this one? Fifty?
'...That tiny thing over twice my age?'
The big dog was baffled.
Creak.
"......?"
Then the bedroom door swung open. At the end of the shaft of light spilling in stood the lynx.
"Dia."
"......"
"Care for a drink?"
...What the hell was that guy saying to a baby?
"Sure."
"......"
This was insane.
By the time the kids had all drifted off, the adults' afterparty should have kicked off...
"......"
King Sedes eyed the two-year-old baby sipping brandy across from him—and his son's friend dutifully feeding him snacks—with deep unease.
"Uh..., is it really okay to let him drink that?"
"He'll get a little tipsy, but he'll be fine."
"I don't get drunk."
"I see."
Still, no overdoing it. His son's friend's matter-of-fact reply only deepened the confusion. Sedes pretended not to care, slammed back his brandy, and barely suppressed a cough as fire scorched his throat.
"Father, pounding it like that will knock you out cold."
Clink. Even amid the chaos, his son's friend pushed over iced water and a plate of snacks. Sedes didn't hesitate and chugged the water.
"Ah, the snacks are fine..., thanks."
He wasn't thrilled about the offered snacks and started to decline vaguely, but the baby's glare—like, why aren't you eating?—made him pop one in his mouth.
"Dia, don't force people."
"......"
Was he dreaming? Clearly, the stress from his son's friend lately was manifesting this way. Tormenting him even in dreams? Outrageous.
Then someone refilled his empty glass. It was Baron Alie, who'd been chatting with Abel about magical engineering guild distribution.
"Your Majesty, take it easy."
"...Thanks."
Sedes took a slow breath. Fine, who cared if the kid drank? Not his son anyway. Though his son's friend hadn't touched a drop himself...
"Haha, drink up, my friend."
Maybe it was because the young marquis kept stuffing things into his mouth. The young marquis showed keen curiosity toward the baby in his son's friend's lap too, but the baby rebuffed him.
"Does the little one need anything?"
"Scram."
"Ahahaha, finally responding! Anyway, I'd love to grab a drink with my secret friend too..."
Karus glanced at Sedes, thinking wistfully of his secret friend stuck by the prince's side. Plenty of guards could sub in now, but no pretext to pull him away.
Sedes couldn't ignore the pleading look and summoned a shadow with a wave.
"Yes, my lord."
"Guard the prince."
"Yes."
"Ha! Thank you!"
The moment permission came, the young marquis snatched a bottle of the less popular champagne and some snacks, then bolted.
Couldn't seat a knight here anyway, so he'd find another spot.
Not that his secret friend's opinion mattered...
Youth was truly a virtue. Watching the marquis's lively retreating back, Sedes thought so—until a low voice cut in.
"Spry for his age."
"......"
Sedes rubbed his face dry without thinking.
He knew his son's friend was anything but ordinary, but couldn't he be subtler? At least glance at outsiders now and then.
"Advertising your age?"
No, read the room. Sedes glared unconsciously at the baby mouthing off, but the kids kept chatting.
"...Dia, that was a bit harsh."
"That's why you hang with young pups."
"Say that, and I sound like a pervert fixated on kids."
"You do."
...Why was he subjected to this?
Sedes downed another shot. He wanted to forget this conversation ever happened.
"Sedi, aren't you drinking too much?"
"......"
Abel, why so nonchalant? Even Baron Alie reading documents seemed unbothered.
'...Am I overreacting?'
Right. Old or young, what did it matter? Even if an old-timer, his son saw him as a friend, and the kid saw him as the friend's dad—that boundary held, so all good.
Neat and tidy.
With his worries brushed off, Sedes sipped more lightly.
Just as he caught his breath, both kids' heads snapped the same way.
The bigger one spoke first, voice laced with amusement.
"Dia, pretending not to care?"
"...Shut it."
Then both rose. A squeak from the little one's shoe nearly made him laugh, but he schooled his expression and asked,
"...Where to?"
"Check on the baby."
"......?"
What baby? The question hung, but the two left without answering.
Squeak, squeak, squeak...
The footsteps faded, then a hand tapped his shoulder. Abel.
"Sedi, Sedi."
"...? What."
"Who's that kid?"
"......?"
Why ask me?
But Abel and Morris picked right up where the kids left off, as if waiting.
"What do you make of Nil's identity, Prime Minister?"
"Hm, I'm guessing dragon..."
"Then the baby a dragon too?"
"Could be demonkin. From the Grand Duke's place, after all."
"Possible."
"Or as rumored, divine beast or spirit creature."
"Hm, or fairy, like my son said."
Sedes was speechless.
Pretending to be calm, huh...
Squeak. Pushing open the prince's bedroom door revealed the doggy and the teacher soothing the baby from the adjacent parlor.
The doggy hadn't strayed far despite Karus's coaxing, setting up a drinking session right next door.
"Your Highness, the lynx is in the next room."
"But..., the baby's gone."
"Yes, yes, no worries. The baby's with him."
"Really?"
Nihil didn't want to worry the kid further, so he headed straight to the parlor.
"Rian."
"Nil...!"
"See? The lynx didn't go anywhere."
Spotting him, the doggy lifted his glass again. Getting loose after a few drinks—gonna have to scold him later.
Lianus toddled right over and grabbed Nihil's hand and the kid's tight.
"...I thought the reaper took you away."
"Ah."
Nihil chuckled. No wonder he was so keen on keeping the kid close—he still thought reaper.
"Rian, this kid's actually mine."
"Pffft...!"
The doggy spat his drink. Karus across from him got spritzed, his turquoise hair looking even fresher.
"Ah, cough, sorry, Lord Karus, cough, apologies."
"No, uh, it's fine, ah, water."
Karus was just as flustered, grabbing a towel from the ice bucket to wipe his face—then startling at what he saw.
The over-the-top reaction sparked mischief in Nihil. Teasing kids really was the world's best fun.
But as he opened his mouth, the kitten beat him to it.
"...Nil can have babies too?"
"......"
Nihil couldn't reply right away. It was a genuine question, not teasing. Meanwhile, Lianus nodded solemnly, mumbling,
"Nil really can do anything..."
"......"
What did this kid think he was? A talking snail? Could snails be friends? Or did snail not matter?
"Mother."
"...Quiet, Dia."
Nihil pinched the pouting kid's lips shut and tugged Lianus along.
"Rian, it's late. Bedtime."
"You won't go anywhere...?"
"Yeah."
"The baby lives with you?"
Lianus asked, then mumbled hesitantly,
"I'll help raise it too..."
"...No, Rian. He's all grown—he doesn't need looking after."
"......!"
Lianus looked shocked.
Thinking he was a snail but surprised there? Kinda weird.
"What's wrong?"
Tilting his head, Nihil watched Lianus gaze pityingly at the kid and answer,
"...He's so small and won't grow anymore?"
"......"
"Couldn't even reach the door handle properly..."
The kid's face crumpled.
