Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Royal Inquiries
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Sir Evan had been musing that Nihil might actually be around his own age—or even older—before shaking his head vigorously, thinking even to himself how absurd that idea was.
He couldn't handle a friend like that to begin with. It was only because their kind, innocent, and adorable young prince could manage it.
If that guy was human, he'd probably be just a year or two older than His Highness, even if he'd been malnourished and stunted.
...If he was human.
At that thought, Evan stared down at Nihil intently before letting the idea evaporate and pretending ignorance as he spoke. His Highness needed this guy, after all.
"Tomorrow, while you're in lessons with His Highness, I'll head out. That's when I'll fetch it."
"Got it."
Nihil showed no curiosity about where Evan was going or why, asking nothing more. Evan, not wanting to say anyway, was relieved by Nihil's indifference toward him.
Soon, the moist seaweed emerged from the bathroom, and Nihil went in to wash up.
In the middle of his bath, Nihil wondered why he was bothering to wash here instead of his own bedroom, but by the time Lianus called out naturally, "Nil, hurry up and wash," he was already in the tub.
When he came out, Lianus came scampering over and vigorously toweled his hair. It was so rough that his whole body shook this way and that. The towel and hair occasionally smacked his cheeks, stinging, but Nihil held his tongue at Lianus's enthusiastic vigor and quietly let him do it.
And as expected, there was naturally no chance for Nihil to head to his new bedroom.
Lying down, Nihil blankly stared at the wrinkled teddy bear. At some point, the tattered bear doll Lianus had given him had ended up in his arms. Its name was Poofu, made by his mother while he was still in her womb, he'd said.
Lianus lay beside Nihil, chattering about tomorrow's schedule until he tired himself out and fell asleep. Probably the medicine kicking in.
Nihil let out a single sigh and rolled onto his side. Poofu's face got squished.
Sir Evan, waiting for the kitten to fall asleep, overheard the lynx mumbling "etiquette, history" through his door. He couldn't help but lift the corner of his mouth as he quietly slipped out of the bedroom.
Tomorrow was etiquette and history lesson day.
The prince's morning began early. On days with swordsmanship lessons, Lianus was always in low spirits, but today he was unusually upbeat from the start.
Nihil had caught on that the sword instructor—the duke—was the 1st Prince's guardian and preemptively salted the seaweed to avoid any pickling.
"Rian, I'm bored, so come back quick."
"Yeah!"
"You're playing with me all day, so don't wear yourself out. Just swing loosely and come back."
"Yeah!"
"I'll wait."
"Yeah!!"
Lianus nodded eagerly and headed to the training grounds with a light heart.
Sir Evan, watching the kitten's morning energy, thought about twenty times or so that picking up the lynx had been the right call. He even vowed inwardly not to snap at the lynx's cheekiness once—or twice, maybe.
Meanwhile, unlike the lighthearted kitten and his one guard dog, the lynx was racking his brains over the responsibility of entertaining the kitten all day.
Lianus was diligently running laps around the training grounds. As with most knights' training, the duke always made them run the field first before starting sword lessons.
He vaguely caught sight of his older brother, a half-lap ahead.
Normally, he'd have pushed himself to catch up, but right now, his head was full of fun ideas to do with Nihil—no time to care.
Watching this, Evan was inwardly pleased, though he didn't show it. He figured the prince maintaining his pace without overexerting himself was all thanks to the lynx.
If someone hadn't flapped their yap beside him, he'd have kept basking in it, pondering what to do for the lynx, but there was an interrupter.
"Hey, Evan. Your master's never gonna handle aura in his life. Why not make him quit now?"
"......"
Evan ignored the cocky voice, steadfastly standing and watching only his prince. The 1st Prince's two guard knights stood beside him.
They'd usually snicker at the gasping prince, but seeing him composed, they switched to other jabs.
"Isn't that just torture? How long can a kid cursed with mana hold out?"
"......"
"Even if he learns swordsmanship, he'll just get sliced up against any aura user."
"......"
"Tch, commoner with too much pride..."
As Evan stared straight ahead without responding, the opposing knight clicked his tongue. The commoner guard knight wanted to punch that loose yap, but knew it was what they wanted, so he swallowed his anger.
If he got provoked, there'd be no one to protect the small, frail kitten.
He'd passed the royal knights at the youngest age of fifteen, but as a commoner, he'd endured jealousy and scorn. Evan seemed stoic, but he wasn't one to just take it. If provoked, he'd settle it with swords—one hit meant ten back.
Until he became the prince's guard.
After that, he just endured. Group beatings, threats throwing around status, taunts about the brat being rude, cheeky, clueless about his place.
All to avoid any harm coming to his young master. He'd gritted his teeth so that fragile, tender-hearted child—barely able to care for himself—wouldn't have to worry about some knight.
He just endured.
A lowly commoner knight with no backing and plenty of "sins" could only do that much for his fragile charge.
Suddenly, he wondered how the lynx would react to this mockery.
Ignore it like him? Or get mad on the prince's behalf?
As Evan pondered what Nihil would do, the corner of his mouth quirked up.
"Keep barking."
As soon as Lianus headed to the training grounds with his guard dog, Nihil sprang into action.
Thanks to Lianus's brief tour of the palace interior yesterday, he quickly found the butler's bedroom—but it was empty, as expected. The servants were busy at their posts, or perhaps there were too few for such a large palace; he encountered no one.
'That old man's really not listening. I clearly told him to rest.'
After wandering the palace interior alone for a while, Nihil finally ran into Head Maid Perry and asked where the butler was.
"Where's the old man?"
"The butler should be in his office right now."
"Where?"
"I'll show you."
Nihil followed Perry. Once at the office door, she left to return to work, and Nihil—bent on petty revenge for the wasted trip—burst in without knocking.
The butler startled at Nihil's sudden entrance, jumping in surprise.
"Aigoo, young master. Don't barge in like that— this old heart can't take it."
"Old man, that's insubordination."
"Who'd misunderstand that? I just left something in the office..."
"......"
Nihil slammed the door shut and crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised as if to say that was his excuse?
The old butler gave an awkward, troubled smile.
"...Will you tell His Highness?"
"Depends on what you do."
"Please let it slide. I'll have to rest properly once he returns anyway."
"Talk."
"Yes, yes, of course! Sit down first."
Nihil plopped onto the office sofa and crossed his legs.
The butler brought tea and light snacks.
"Shall I pour you some milk?"
"Hate that stuff. Especially no sugar."
"Oh, but our prince loves it..."
Nihil knew Lianus liked his milk tea loaded with sugar—seven lumps in that tiny cup. But it wasn't to his taste.
"So, what brought you all the way here? What are you curious about?"
"Current royal family lineage and basic info on them. Influential nobles and their relations, public reputation of the princes—everything about the princes except outright secrets."
"Heh heh... Won't finish today."
The butler smiled amiably while subtly observing Nihil. The first impression hadn't been ordinary, but he hadn't expected such a direct demand for info.
"Start with stuff related to Rian. Especially trauma-related."
"...Aren't you curious what His Highness likes, instead?"
The butler refused circuitously, smile intact. Friend or not, he couldn't casually spill potentially damaging info.
Nihil got the hint but feigned ignorance, tossing it out casually.
"Rian likes me."
Paul was speechless. Sure, he brought him as a friend because he liked him, but this confidence...
Nihil continued nonchalantly, seeing the butler's stunned expression.
"Seems to treasure his mutt quite a bit too..."
"Can't help it—he's his only guard knight."
"The bear doll his mom made..."
"Poofu, you mean?"
"...Anyway, he treasures that bear doll too, but not as much as me."
"......"
"Kind to the servants, but doesn't seem to trust them much. You, though—trusts you a ton."
"......"
As the butler's face gradually stiffened, Nihil soothed him.
"Don't get wary. Rian brought me here to listen to me. Not deep secrets—just common knowledge."
"...Why do you want to know?"
The butler asked, still uneasy.
Nihil uncrossed his legs to ease the lingering tension, reclining almost prone on the sofa like a languid cat.
"Figured out he has elf blood, and the kid got all worked up."
"......"
"Just give me enough info so I don't slip up."
"...How much do you know about His Highness?"
"That I'm his only friend?"
"......I'll explain from the beginning, step by step."
The butler's explanation went on for quite a while.