Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Tea Time Intrigue
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"Sir Evan! Come on in!"
"I'm back."
As soon as he arrived at the palace with a few extra desserts in hand, the baby kitten welcomed him first thing. Unfortunately, there was no strawberry cake. Any attempt to swap them out was doomed from the start.
'Not that it would have been easy with the watcher around anyway.'
The watcher's presence had faded the closer he got to the palace, vanishing entirely once he arrived. It seemed they were trying to keep their distance while confirming the bare minimum.
"Ahem. Hm. You've returned."
The master seemed to be hastily hiding something, but Evan didn't let on his curiosity.
"Thank you, Master."
"No need. This is part of my duty as well. Feel free to ask anytime you wish to go out."
"...Yes."
Not that there'll be any more outings from now on. Evan swallowed the unspoken words and offered his thanks instead.
Just then, he sensed movement at his feet. Looking down, he saw the lynx prowling around the dessert boxes with narrowed eyes.
"Why'd you bring desserts?"
"They're not for you."
Evan grumbled curtly, but he couldn't have been happier to see Nihil jumping straight to suspicion like clockwork.
"Sir Ernest, have a cup of tea before you go!"
"I won't say no, Your Highness."
Whoosh—
Rain poured down like a hole had opened in the sky. But on the perfectly sheltered terrace, where not a single drop intruded, the sound of it was rather pleasant.
"Sir Evan, take a seat too. Sir Ernest doesn't mind, right?"
"Of course not. Sit down, Evan."
"...Yes."
Last time, so a little indulgence won't hurt. Evan sat without protest. The lynx hopped up to claim the seat right beside His Highness.
Soon, the tea spread was laid out. Steaming hot water, fragrant tea leaves, milk, and... the assorted slice cakes he'd brought.
"No need to serve the tea. You're all dismissed."
Perhaps because of the lynx, His Highness sent the other servants away at once and personally lifted the tea caddy. Evan quickly took it from him.
"Your Highness, allow me."
"Yours tastes bad."
"......"
The lynx had struck a nerve. It wasn't wrong, but hearing it straight from the mouth of someone who devoured everything without complaint hit harder.
"No, Sir Evan! I want to do it. Relax. What kind of tea do you like, Sir Ernest?"
The dark green head of hair hurriedly snatched the caddy and scooped out leaves, looking quite frantic. Evan felt a bit downcast, but Walter just chuckled lowly, as if it were endearing.
"Black tea for me."
"Nil, your usual black tea?"
"I want to have the same as you today."
"Great! And Sir Evan?"
"...I'll have the same as Your Highness."
"I'll make it delicious!"
His Highness rolled up his sleeves with grim determination, intent on finally proving the charm of milk tea.
Glug, glug. The aroma of tea spread through the air. Evan stared blankly at the rising steam, then suddenly realized the lynx was unusually quiet.
Glancing over, he saw the lynx dangling his feet, waiting patiently for his share.
Normally, he'd have sensed the gaze and snapped, 'What're you staring at?' But oddly, the lynx seemed oblivious to Evan's eyes, staring fixedly at His Highness instead.
"......"
A strange unease crept in.
"My masterpiece!"
Lianus proudly presented his creation. He was thrilled to finally share his beloved milk tea with his dear friend.
But he couldn't shake a nagging doubt in the corner of his mind.
...He doesn't seem to like milk tea much.
His friend ate anything without fuss, but Lianus, who had observed Nihil closely, knew better. Nihil had his preferences.
He sometimes acted opposite to what Lianus expected, which was confusing, but when asked before, Nihil had admitted that milk tea with too much sugar might be a bit much for him.
Lianus knew he liked things very sweet himself, so he'd never felt slighted that Nihil didn't join him. It was just a matter of taste.
Slurp.
"......"
Nihil sipped the milk tea—with five sugar cubes—like it was quite satisfying. No acting there. He had no reason to fake it now.
"Good?"
"Yeah."
"I'm adding one more cube... Want another, Nil?"
"Sure."
Plop, plop. Clink, clink. The sugar cubes sank into the tea. Lianus stirred with a teaspoon and glanced at Sir Evan.
Sir Evan seemed to notice Nihil's odd behavior too, sneaking uneasy sidelong looks at him over his teacup.
"How's yours, Sir Evan?"
Sir Evan flinched at the question, then smiled softly.
"Yes, Your Highness. A taste I'll never forget."
"That's fine—even if you do, I can always make more!"
It might even be better if you forget, since next time it'll be even tastier. Lianus scanned the tea table as he spoke. Unlike their usual sparse few desserts, today it was a colorful feast.
"Nil, you like strawberries, right?"
Lianus slid the strawberry-loaded cake in front of Nihil. He liked strawberries too, but he'd gladly yield them to his friend.
"Ah, that..."
Sir Evan reached out a beat late, then withdrew his hand.
"Hm? Did you want this too, Sir Evan?"
Lianus's eyes widened. His knight had never claimed something first before.
'Does Sir Evan like strawberry cake too?'
"No, not exactly... Well, uh, yes. Truth be told... I bought it because I wanted some."
Sir Evan ducked his head, a bit embarrassed after admitting it. Lianus wanted to treat Nihil, but he wanted to treat his knight too, so he'd have to ask Nihil to share a little.
"Nil, could you spare a bit for Sir Evan...? Ah..."
"...Hm?"
But the strawberry cake was already in his friend's hand, one corner already bitten off.
Nihil chewed a mouthful, then gulped it down with a sip of milk tea.
"What is it, mutt? You wanted this?"
"No... I mean..."
"Tch. Should've said so earlier if you wanted it. Want the rest?"
Nihil shoved the mangled cake from his hand toward him, then pulled it back. It was in no shape to offer anyone.
"Eh, just give up."
Nihil shook his head and took another big bite, claiming possession as the first eater.
Walter watched with a light chuckle.
"Evan, I'll get you one later."
"Y-Yes? No, that's not necessary!"
Evan waved off his master's kindness in panic, then sneaked another glance at Nihil.
"...You okay?"
"Hm. Not bad."
Nihil nodded innocently. The strawberries were out of season, but surprisingly fresh.
...It's heating up a bit.
He'd suspected as much when the mutt showed up with desserts out of nowhere. Something was indeed up.
Assimilated with Lianus, he couldn't distinguish poison perfectly, so he'd been tense. Fortunately, the 1st Prince had played his expected part.
'Still a kid, huh. Simple thinking makes him convenient.'
Strawberries? Right on cue with the cake. No bakery would use out-of-season fruit, and even if one did, the mutt wouldn't shop at such a high-end place.
'This confirms the mutt's backer, but...'
Not surprising. The issue was that the mutt seemed eager to use him to wrap everything up.
'Not a chance.'
Nihil shoved the remaining strawberry cake into his mouth in one go.
Evan sighed in relief seeing Nihil unharmed, then clenched his fists against the wave of self-loathing.
He'd thought he was prepared, but no. The thought of this peace shattering choked him. Even though it was just a facade.
Then he remembered the extra cake the 1st Prince had prepared. Maybe the poison was in the ganache cake, not strawberry.
Fortunately, His Highness and his master had chosen other desserts he'd brought, so pulling the ganache cake toward himself was easy.
'If I just eat this...'
The watcher might be watching from afar, but the thick rain and similar cakes he'd bought on purpose would make it hard to tell.
Poison didn't worry him. If it wasn't enough to kill a child, it likely wouldn't faze him.
Even if he vomited blood, that was fine. As long as,
"Eat up, Nil!"
"Hm."
...he could stay in this peace a little longer...,
"Mutts can't have chocolate."
"......"
As he sank into sentiment, the lynx picked a fight out of nowhere. His hands and face were smeared with cream—a ridiculous sight.
'He eats neatly usually—why the mess today...'
Evan grumbled inwardly but rummaged in his pocket. A little reward for the commendable effort.
"Wipe your face first—why are you eating that!"
Pulling out a handkerchief, Evan spotted Nihil plucking off the chocolate decorations from the ganache cake and froze in shock, lunging forward.
Clatter, ting!
His hasty reach knocked a teaspoon flying. Even as he munched chocolate leisurely, the lynx swatted it away with impressive reflexes.
"Tasty."
"You... you..."
Too absurd for words, Evan stammered—then someone tugged his sleeve firmly.
"Sir Evan."
Turning, he saw His Highness and his master staring wide-eyed.
"Ah, this is, uh..."
Evan racked his brain. He couldn't say he'd panicked over possible poison.
Then, chocolate decorations landed on his cake.
"Here."
"...?"
"Sorry I couldn't stop Nil."
Lianus, feeling responsible for his friend's mischief, happily handed over his own chocolate bits—cherries included.
"Your Highness, I'm fine..."
"Evan, eat mine too."
"No, that's not it... Thank you."
Evan tried to protest but ended up just thanking them. Edible decorations piled onto his cake.
"You little punk, don't put weird stuff on it!"
Even then, the mischievous lynx was plucking grass from a nearby planter to top Evan's cake.
"No pickiness. My kid's watching and learning."
"That's weeds!"
"...It's herbs I grew myself."
"......"
Herbs? Evan lost his words and eyed the greens. Homegrown—hard to toss now.
A bit suspicious, but to cure his adorable baby kitten's picky habits, he leaned to nibble the tip—then a snicker escaped.
"Kidding."
"Gah! Annoying!"
"Hahaha."
Even the composed Walter burst out laughing. Lianus giggled merrily.
Laughter and chatter flew by in no time. Lianus especially enjoyed Sir Ernest's tales of young Evan's exploits.
Evan, of course, was mortified...
"Sir Ernest, I hope I haven't kept you too long."
"Not at all. I enjoyed it."
Dark rain clouds had hidden the time—it had dragged on more than expected.
"Rian, gonna wash my hands."
"Okay."
"Hmph, that's what you get for eating with your paws."
Nihil, hands sticky from hand-eating cake, left first. Sir Ernest chuckled lowly at Evan's jab, then whispered to Lianus.
"Your Highness, take good care of Evan."
"Don't worry! Sir Evan's my one and only knight..."
Thud, clink.
"...?"
Something caught at his feet. Looking down curiously, he saw a teaspoon flung to the corner, cream-smeared—the one Evan had launched and Nihil swatted.
'Servants might miss it here...'
But as Lianus bent to pick it up casually, he froze.
"What's wrong, Your Highness?"
Walter asked curiously, but Lianus nudged the spoon behind the planter.
"Oh, nothing. Must've been nothing..."